SC Alaska News

Washington, D.C. — On May 31, 2023 , Representative Peltola voted to pass the Fiscal Responsibility Act, a bipartisan bill to protect the economy from a default on the national debt. The bill also makes important reforms to energy project permitting and protects key programs for Alaskans, including veterans’ health care and Social Security. Representative Peltola was among the first Democratic representatives who called for negotiations to begin on raising the debt ceiling, and has been advocatingfor a bipartisan permittingreform deal for months.  

“This deal isn’t perfect, but it’s far better than a default,” said Representative Peltola. “I’ve been calling for talks to prevent an economic crisis and protect vital programs like Social Security from the beginning, and I’m glad that both parties were finally able to agree on a bill that avoids a disastrous default without devastating cuts to other services that Alaskans rely on. I’m also encouraged that many of the permitting reforms I advocated for are included in this final bill. These policies will streamline NEPA reviews and help fast-track energy storage projects, which are crucial for integrating renewable energy into our electric grid. However, while I’m relieved that we were able to avoid disaster this time, it's clear that we can’t keep governing this way. We need to be able to talk to each other and cooperate without the threat of economic collapse."

Original source can be found here.