SC Alaska News

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) expressed gratitude to House members for passing legislation that ends the recent government shutdown, which lasted 43 days and was the longest in U.S. history. Earlier in the week, Sullivan voted with a bipartisan group of senators to approve a continuing resolution funding the federal government through January 30, 2026.

The measure includes funding for military construction, Veterans Affairs, legislative branch operations, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), covering programs such as SNAP for all of Fiscal Year 2026.

“For 43 days, thousands of Alaskans and millions of Americans have faced uncertainty about getting paid, putting food on the table, and supporting their families as the longest and most senseless government shutdown in history dragged on,” Senator Sullivan said. “This shutdown was completely avoidable. It was spearheaded by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and congressional Democrats to hold the American people hostage as a means to—in their own words—gain ‘leverage.’ The American people should have never been used as political pawns.

“Thankfully, a bipartisan group of senators who I had been working with for weeks came together to reopen the government and get our essential federal workers paid—from TSA personnel and air traffic controllers to federal law enforcement and our military. The pause on SNAP benefits is over, meaning thousands of Alaskans can once again count on that support to feed their families. The appropriations bills we passed also included significant provisions that will greatly benefit Alaska, bringing hundreds of millions of dollars to our state for military construction, funding our veterans’ care and benefits, and establishing a seafood industry liaison in the Department of Agriculture to advocate for Alaska’s fishermen and coastal communities. I’m thankful the House and the President acted quickly to finish the job and ensure our government reopens. This is an important step forward in getting our country back on track.”

The legislation provides $441 million for military construction projects in Alaska. These funds were secured by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Much of this funding had previously been authorized by Senator Sullivan through earlier National Defense Authorization Acts.

Additionally, $133.2 billion has been allocated for Veterans Affairs nationwide, including mental health services, telehealth options, homeless assistance programs for veterans, suicide prevention efforts, addiction treatment services, and rural health initiatives. Alaska receives targeted support due to its status as having the highest per capita veteran population in the country.

The USDA section of the bill creates a seafood industry liaison within its Office of the Secretary to represent Alaska’s fishing interests at a national level. The legislation also bars federal spending on raw or processed seafood from China for use in USDA nutrition programs.