Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
Timothée Petty
“the work that we have done with our partners in this and with the tribes who have given us clear historic impact that's taken place, the invasives that have come up the river that they have not seen historically in all of their knowledge, gives us clear information that that, uh, we need to be addressing it. We are so focused on trying to manage the salmon. We need to take that same application and also manage the pinnipeds in the same way because it has a direct impact.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Nate Pamplin
“the bill has ceilings on the number of pinnipeds that can be removed. There's a potential biological removal under the MMPA and there's a cap of 10%. And even there, for instance, for California sea lions or Steller sea lions, I don't see us approaching that cap.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Huffman
“The SAFE Cattle Act, H.R. 7466, Responds to the threat of this screw worm, the New World screw worm. The larvae of this worm feeds on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causes severe infection, suffering, and, and can be fatal.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Nate Pamplin
“I want to characterize this as not something that is going to just be— sometimes I hear from the opponents, it's going to be like a rampant, you know, widespread cull. This would be a very focused removal.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Blankenship
“We need cooperation with Mexico. We need transparency with Mexico. We need cooperation with Mexico.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Val Hoyle
“Whatever Peniped management system we're using, would you agree that it wouldn't— that it is more strategic to have that management system operating on both sides of the river as opposed to just one side of the river?”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Blankenship
“the surveillance, the continued whole of government is the phrase that you used. I appreciate that sentiment. Which is why this particular bill makes sense, because we have a cooperation of agencies. USDA involved with the livestock, Department of Interior with wildlife.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Richard Merrick
“Reducing the pinniped population in Washington waters would allow Pacific hake stocks to expand, increasing their predation on smolts. And a consequence of the reduction in the Salish Sea pinniped population would be its impact on ESA-threatened transient killer whales, Bigg's killer whales, which are known to rely on seals for prey.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Richard Merrick
“I'm concerned that because habitat remains limited and ocean conditions are not favorable, It's unlikely that widespread removal of seals and sea lions will have little measurable effect on overall salmon stocks.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Richard Merrick
“Well-established science has shown that habitat loss is a primary factor that limits recovery of most depleted fish stocks. While it's true that predation on adult salmon will reduce subsequent recruits, the size of salmon stocks is most limited by the habitat that's available for adult spawning.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Blankenship
“I am here today to voice Texas Farm Bureau's strong support for H.R. 7466, The SAFE Cattle Act, authored by my own Congressman, Ronnie Jackson, and co-led by Chairman Hagerman and Representative Soto, who serve on this subcommittee.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Huffman
“the U.S. last experienced a major infestation in Texas in 1976. If an outbreak —of that scale of economic loss, which totaled billions of dollars for the Texas economy alone, were to spread elsewhere, obviously that's a big problem for Texas and for so many other states. So the interagency coordination called for with this bill will help speed up the critical efforts of federal agencies to address the threat before it gets out of control.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Val Hoyle
“I'm disappointed that Oregon tribes and the communities in my district affected most by this legislation were not included in this development. The people who fish these waters, manage these resources, and depend on healthy salmon populations deserve a real seat at the table. And sea lions cross both sides of the river. They go from Washington to Oregon and back again. So we can't have a one-state solution.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jul 21, 2026
Jared Huffman
“The Safe Swimmers Act, a good bill, would direct Interior Department to address lifeguard safety shortages at federal beaches by entering into agreements with local government to get more continuity and coverage. But this proposal is obviously— can't be the final solution to the problem. It doesn't address what Republicans in this administration have done to make this problem worse. And of course, the first rule of holes is you gotta stop digging. The National Park Service is reeling from President Trump's staffing cuts.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“I thank the sponsoring members for the dedicated work on these bills. I thank Representative Huffman and the minority for working together with us on this package.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“Today we are considering 8 bills on which the committee has reached bipartisan agreement.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Jared Huffman
“H.R. 8121 By Delegate Stacey Plaskett would honor Peter G. Thurland, a key figure in the St. Croix community. I know honoring that legacy is very important to her constituents, and I'm pleased that we are advancing the bill.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Jared Huffman
“This is a good agenda today. I'm pleased that the majority has worked in good faith with us to reach consensus on these 8 bills. It is nice to have an all-UC markup, and I want to recognize the collaboration and hard work that it takes to make that happen.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“Representative Begich's H.R. 6021, Archie Kavanagh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act, protects the cultural heritage and economic rights of Alaska Native artists by requiring clarifications to the Migratory Bird Treaty with Japan and corresponding updates to domestic regulations. To allow for the use of bird parts to create native articles or handicraft. H.R. 8454, Introduced by Representative McClintock, reduces the checkerboard ownership of federal land in California to better manage wildlife habitat, grazing operations, and ecological resources.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“Mr. Huffman, you're recognized. Mr. Chair, I give notice of my intention to file supplemental additional dissenting or minority views on the measures just considered.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“H.R. 6021, The Archie Kavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by the gentleman from Alaska, Mr. Begich, designated Begich 174 A&S.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“H.R. 8454, To provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain federal land in the state of California and for other purposes, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by the gentleman from California, Mr. McClintock, designated McClintock 92 ANS. Without objection. So ordered.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“I ask unanimous consent that this notice be extended to all measures considered at the markup under House Rule 11, Clause 2L. This notice extends to all members. Without objection. So ordered.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“H.R. 4931, The National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act, introduced by Representative Murphy of North Carolina, extends certain national park leases to encourage long-term investment. H.R. 5063, The Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, introduced by Representative Kiggins, helps ensure adequate lifeguard staffing at federal beaches.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Jared Huffman
“If we really want safe swimmers, we have to find a way to fund and staff our federal beaches. Unfortunately, my colleagues have been silent and keep just pushing bills directing agencies to collaborate harder, to find a way to make something out of nothing. We need to do better.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“With the cooperation of Ranking Member Huffman and the other members of the committee, we have worked out an agreement on 8 bills scheduled for markup today. As we have done before, rather than going through, through a formal markup process for each of the bills, I will make a single unanimous consent motion to report out the bills favorably with any amendments that have been filed and agreed to.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Mark-up of · Jul 22, 2026
David Mittelman
“I think perhaps the biggest issue is that I'm not clear that tribes truly understand the resources that are now available. As it was mentioned, this program began in 2025. And most of the tribal agencies are not aware that we have tools such as the DNA technology we offer to work these cases.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Abigail Echo-Hawk
“43% of the folks who we surveyed were having a very difficult time retrain— retaining law enforcement officers. Those officers are so good, as what was told, they're phenomenal. And because we don't have the appropriate resources that that could be addressed in the Tribal Law Enforcement Parity Act in addition to the Badges Act.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Charles Addington
“in the past, there's maybe the difference in how they, they prioritize maybe some of the work that the Missing and Murdered Unit's been doing. I think, you know, they've kind of worked on other things like predatory crimes and some different things, and we've started as part of this Secretarial Order, a Predatory Crime Unit specifically to work on those cases. So that takes that ability away from the Missing and Murdered Agents and puts it in its own unit.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Jared Huffman
“earlier this year, the committee heard testimony that OJS remains severely understaffed, and this leaves families waiting sometimes months to receive responses from the Missing and Murdered Unit, the MMU. So Director Attington, do you believe that allowing families to wait months for any contact from the MMU is appropriate or acceptable?”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Grace Bulltail
“On August 24, 2019, my niece Kaisarah Stoppes Pretty Places was murdered just days after her 18th birthday. I served on the Not Invisible Act Commission as a family member.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Abigail Echo-Hawk
“our report that was released this morning, Sacred Responsibility: Protecting Our People, details the 201 organizations that we did that survey with. And for folks, it's created incredible uncertainty. And in fact, for those who had grants eliminated and then they were reinstated, they didn't even rehire because they're so afraid their grants are going to go away anyways.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
David Mittelman
“in a retrospective study that we did, we found that almost 25% of the time, just identifying the person almost immediately tells you who is responsible, and it's led to the identification and prosecution of those responsible.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Grace Bulltail
“the primary MMU agent that we know to be working on Kaysera's case had been assigned to other duties, including the BIA Chief of Police, then eventually resigned from the MMU and has now returned to the BIA role.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Charles Addington
“In May, Secretary Burgum signed Secretary Order 3450 establishing the Indian Country Violent Crime Task Force and implementing additional public safety enhancements, including refocusing the Missing and Murdered Unit on its, on its core investigative responsibilities.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Charles Addington
“We, we can always do better. It's, it's always— I don't think anyone could ever say it— any public safety program that I've worked with in my many years, that we could always do better in, in what we're doing.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Charles Addington
“we've just hired a brand new division chief for the Missing and Murdered Unit that's got a different vision for the program. She— Sabrina Desatell, she's sitting here in the audience, and we just selected her. She's coming from Washington State. She's an assistant special agent in charge with us right now, and she also comes with a tribal background, being a public safety director for the Colville Tribe.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Grace Bulltail
“For 10 months now, we have been asking the MMU to schedule a half-hour phone call with our family to discuss their progress on Kaysera's case. The response we got was that they do not have time to talk to us.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Begich): Oversight Hearing on “Innovative Technologies and Initiatives to Tackle the MMIP Crisis in Indian Country” · Jul 14, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“the question is on the amendment offered by Mr. Magaziner, designated Magaziner Number 1. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Those opposed, no. The opinion of the chair, the noes have it, and the amendment is not agreed to.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“Reforms included in HR 9250 will encourage more public-private partnerships, better prioritize deferred maintenance projects to visitor-facing recreation assets, create new transparency and accountability requirements, and streamline project delivery.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“By improving visitor access and encouraging tourism, this legislation will support more than 72,000 jobs and over $26.4 billion in economic activity. Activity for gateway and tribal communities near national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and public lands.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“the committee is meeting to consider H.R. 9250, Legislation that will reauthorize the Great American Outdoors Act's Legacy Restoration Fund for an additional 5 years, renewing one of President Trump's signature conservation achievements from his first term. In partnership with Ranking Member Huffman, we have come together on this historic legislation with the support of 140 bipartisan co-sponsors, 70 Republicans and 70 Democrats, and more than 140 organizations.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“We look forward to working with them to send this bill to President Trump's desk in time for America's 250th birthday celebrations.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“The ANS brings the House legislation into alignment with bipartisan language that passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week by voice vote. This ANS also reflects feedback and technical assistance offered from the Trump administration.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“This is simply economic self-sabotage, and Mr. Magazine's amendment is absolutely correct, and I strongly support it.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the bill is ordered reported. The bill as amended is ordered reported to the House with the recommendation that it be favorably approved.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Bruce Westerman
“The question now occurs on reporting H.R. 9250 As amended to the House with the recommendation that the bill be favorably approved.”House Natural Resources (Begich): Markup of H.R. 9250 (Rep. Westerman), “Great American Outdoors Act 250” · Jun 24, 2026
Jennifer Springman
“agencies are talking a lot more now than they used to, but one gap is that there isn't a single government-wide system where all of the documents are being housed. So, for example, if someone discloses information to NASA, an NSF program officer doesn't have the ability to see that automatically unless they reach out to NASA to ask it.”House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight (Begich): Safeguarding Federal Research Funds · Jun 24, 2026