Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
Zoe Lofgren
“the program does not have funds authorized. I actually disagree with that, but I understand that the majority does operate within the constraints imposed by its majority. And so in the spirit of comedy, I'm offering this amendment with the notation that the— you, Mr. Chairman, and the majority have offered to work with us so that NIST will have resources to carry out the activities authorized under this bill.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“According to the U.S.-China Business Council, citing French Association for Standardization data, the number of Chinese-held secretariat positions within the International Organization for Standardization increased 58% between 2011 and 2021, while American-held positions have remained flat. If we are not in the room, others will write the rules that shape the future of these technologies.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“The bill also prioritizes projects on or near Indian land, which puts ultra-rural communities in geothermal-rich corridors squarely in scope.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“The ayes have it, and the bill as amended is ordered favorably reported without objection.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“The Geopower Act takes that on directly. It sets up a milestone-based geothermal demonstration program at the Department of Energy aimed at next-generation geothermal systems in low permeability and impermeable reservoirs.— the kind of geology that falls outside the traditional hydrothermal zones we've relied on out in the West. Financing is tied to technical and financial milestones rather than upfront grants, which protects taxpayers.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“The ayes have it, and the bill as amended is ordered favorably reported without objection to the motion to reconsider as laid on the table.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“Earthquakes are one of the most destructive natural disasters facing our nation. According to a USGS-FEMA report, earthquakes caused nearly $15 billion in damages in 2023. This bill reauthorizes a program that has protected American lives for nearly 5 decades while modernizing our earthquake early warning system and enhancing coordination across federal, state, and our local partners.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“This bill brings tribal governments into that structure directly, adding them to the advisory committee to USGS's coordination responsibilities and to early warning system planning.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“The ayes have it, and the bill as amended is ordered favorably reported.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Brian Babin
“The four bipartisan bills before us strengthen our research enterprise and improve public safety, support domestic energy development, and reinforce American leadership in critical and emerging technologies.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“This bill locks in the funding to finish that system with at least $30 million a year dedicated to it through fiscal year 2030. The bill also pushes ShakeAlert expansion forward and requires coordination with the FCC so earthquake alerts reach people quickly.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state in the country, seeing a magnitude 7.0 almost every year and a magnitude 8.0 roughly every 13 years. For us, that's just the reality of living in Alaska. NEHRP brings together USGS, FEMA, NIST, and the National Science Foundation so that monitoring, mapping, engineering research, and building codes function as one system rather than separate efforts.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“A successful demonstration near Unalaska or Akutan, both adjacent to active volcano systems, could change the energy economies of entire regions. Less diesel dependence, less supply chain vulnerability, and less energy poverty in some of the most remote areas of North America.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Full Committee Markup · Jul 21, 2026
Rory Day-Stirrat
“What makes Earth MRI particularly effective is that it operates in the pre-competitive space. The program does not subsidize individual companies or, or individual projects. Instead, it creates publicly available geologic information that reduces uncertainty for everyone— state governments, federal agencies, tribal nations, universities, land managers, private industry. We all benefit from the same data.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Rory Day-Stirrat
“My testimony is simple: Earth MRI is working and it deserves reauthorization. Strategic means we want something, and critical means we do not have it. USGS has identified 60 mineral commodities spread across the periodic table that are at risk of supply chain disruption or are not produced in the United States.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Rory Day-Stirrat
“Since its establishment in 2019, Earth MRI has provided $78.6 million directly to state geological surveys. 46 States and Puerto Rico have been involved in Earth MRI.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“where we see a lot of the questions about eligibility come from projects like broadband projects, like water resources projects, from things that bring online small energy projects or production in, frankly, the energy storage space sometimes can be smaller-scale projects. So my hope is that, you know, when I came in as executive director, I really wanted to ensure we were listing a project in every single one of our 19 sectors. We're at 13 right now.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“Alaska has the opposite scale problem. Alaska, 365 million acres, most of it federally managed with vast interior regions never mapped by modern methods. What lessons from Virginia's sequencing of geophysical surveys, geochemistry, and field verification would you apply to a coordinated Alaska mapping effort, and how should reauthorization ensure Alaska's scale is met with commensurate investment?”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Pete Stauber
“H.R. 9640, Introduced by Representatives Whitman and Dingell, would reauthorize Earth MRI for another 5 years, continuing the important work of mapping our nation's surface and subsurface resources. This reauthorization is crucial to continue initial comprehensive national modern surface and subsurface map and data integration.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“the Permitting Council supports HR 8003 as written, and we are well situated to bring additional projects and continue to show that the FAST-41 process works for projects of all shapes and sizes.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Nick Begich
“That calculus is amplified in Alaska, where every acre of subsurface and surface disturbance triggers extensive federal review, and remote logistics make each borehole extraordinarily expensive. What magnitude of drilling and surface disturbance reduction have you seen or modeled, and how transformational could that be for Alaska projects where a smaller exploration footprint directly reduces both permitting risk and cost?”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“H.R. 8003 Would lower the investment threshold for covered projects from $200 million to $50 million starting at the beginning of 2027. Since I took on the role of executive director, I have heard from numerous project sponsors that the investment threshold is simply too high for their various projects to qualify. These projects span across multiple sectors, from energy and electricity transmission to broadband, ports, and waterways.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Eric Beightel
“it's clear that there is some obstruction occurring on the clean energy projects. We've seen that without, without question, that the, the process that the Department of Interior is undertaking is going to slow that process down. And the fact that these projects that have been posted to the data dashboard have not fulfilled their permitting timetables on the timeline that is required also indicates that there is a lack of motivation, at least, to move forward on them.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Eric Beightel
“It allows more project sponsors to benefit from actively managed permitting timetables, earlier interagency coordination, transparent timelines, and timely issue resolution. It also means that communities waiting on regionally significant investments, from drinking water improvements and broadband deployment to electric transmission, flood resilience, and other critical infrastructure, can benefit from the same disciplined permitting approach that has already proven successful on much larger projects.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Pete Stauber
“H.R. 9646, Introduced by Representatives Hurd and Carbajal, directs the USGS to establish a quantum-enhanced critical mineral survey program and incorporate the survey data into Earth MRI data platforms. This initiative would utilize quantum gravity to produce ultra-high-resolution maps subsurface density variations, which are useful for geologic mapping, mineral exploration, and locating underground features.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Eric Beightel
“More than a decade after its enactment, FAST-41 has matured into a proven governance model for delivering complex infrastructure projects. During that time, the Permitting Council has grown into a small but highly effective organization, providing hands-on permitting coordination and project oversight to a subset of our nation's most complex infrastructure projects. HR 8003 takes the next logical step to invite more projects into this proven program.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Matt Heller
“Preliminary data from the most recent survey revealed previously unknown intrusions of igneous rocks that may host critical minerals and other valuable resources. Virginia has already proposed a project to map these intrusions and sample in the areas of greatest potential.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Rory Day-Stirrat
“46 States have participated and Puerto Rico. Each state is providing access or work in the program at the levels that they're available to. My state, the state of Oregon, we are significantly involved in Earth MRI, we have a significant mineral endowment which we haven't fully investigated, and that's true across most states. So it's a very effective model where the USGS provides the framework and the states enact on that framework.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Pete Stauber
“Last month, this subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, or Earth MRI, which is set to expire at the end of this fiscal year.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Matt Heller
“Mining and processing of heavy mineral sands has resumed in Virginia, and industry stakeholders have expressed gratitude for this foundational data.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“I don't actually have the ability to force an agency to give me a timetable.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“I actually think it could allow us to serve sectors we've never served before. I mean, I think, you know, I use the water resources as an example, but that's a place where you can have smaller-scale projects, port developments, things like that. Broadband is another one where we've really only been able to serve those projects under our tribal exemption. So it'd be great to be able to get more of those small-scale, frankly very local and rural projects on the dashboard.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Rory Day-Stirrat
“In Alaska, Earth MRI almost doubled preexisting publicly available data. Importantly, Earth MRI helps reduce uncertainty for private investment and for informed land management and permitting decisions.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Matthew Kinsella
“This bill puts our instrument to work inside that proven program, directing the USGS to fly quantum gravity surveys over priority mineral zones compare the results head-to-head against classical methods, and make all of it public, fueling private investment without a new authorization of federal spending.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Emily Domenech
“26 FAST-41 projects have been completed since January of last year, which is about one-fourth of the projects that have ever been completed in this agency's history.”House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Begich): Legislative Hearing on the following bill · Jul 21, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“Just this morning, in a convening of science teams across the federal branch— the executive branch, my office affirmed that the Genesis Mission will be the —central hub for the entire federal government to revolutionize the conduct of American science with AI. Joining DOE's ongoing efforts are initiatives from NSF, DOW, HHS, NASA, USDA, NIST, DHS, and DOT, mobilizing more than $5 billion in total commitments to producing the premier AI for science ecosystem in the world.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“The Genesis Mission is the crown jewel of American AI for Science and already well underway.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“I'm well aware of that, and I'm also well aware that no one at OSTP is involved in individual grant-level decisions.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“As this rulemaking is progressing, the— you know, our office is working closely with OMB and OIRA to ensure that all the federal research enterprise remains rule world class and is trustworthy and accountable.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“I am not personally involved in any individual grant. That is a different answer to what I asked. I'm not aware of anyone at NS— at OSTP that is working on individual grant approvals. I have never asked for that, and I will I would never condone that, and I don't think any of us are.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Zoe Lofgren
“There are now multiple credible reports of the administration so-called taxing up to 30% of funds for each of NSF's research directorates to apparently create some kind of slush fund for administration priorities. I want to be clear, this would be in direct contra— uh, contravention of the funding law that Congress passed in January and would be illegal.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Zoe Lofgren
“The president requested a $3 billion cut to NSF for both FY '25 and '26. Congress said heck no and funded the agency close to FY '24 levels. Yet the money's not getting out the door.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Zoe Lofgren
“Where is the nearly $1 billion that we know is being clawed back from NSF directorates? And what is the reported $1.5 billion project, to quote Nature's reporting, is a brainchild of the White House OSTB? And if you could be specific, is any of the $5 billion that you announced today for Project Genesis coming from the money appropriated to NSF?”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“Artificial intelligence is probably the biggest unlock in human history in our ability to drive scientific discovery. What we're able to do through the Genesis mission and through extending AI for Science-powered initiatives across all of our federal agencies, I think we'll be able to look back on that in years ahead and think that this was a moment where we actually really, really accelerated the pace of discovery in a way that no one thought possible.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“I think the most important thing to consider as, as we disperse grants is that we have to make sure that, um, the, the, the process by which we do these selections and ultimately lay them out are aligned with the president's budget.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“The White House is not involved in which proposals get funding at National Science Foundation. I will say, and I think this committee knows very well, the role of OSTP and the way it's created in statute is to have an opportunity to work with all of our science agencies to ensure that the president's priorities for science and technology are manifested in the budgets themselves.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Michael Kratsios
“In a new report to President Trump published just yesterday entitled Science: A New Golden Age, I articulate the obstacles American researchers face today and the ways our scientific enterprise has fundamentally, fundamentally transformed since 1945. The report and a corresponding memorandum provide policy guidance for federal agencies to cement American scientific leadership for generations to come.”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026
Suzanne Bonamici
“In May, OMB proposed a seismic overhaul of the federal grant system. It requires that award reviews by It requires award reviews by political appointees. It allows agencies to subjectively terminate grants, and it bars funding that supposedly promotes topics the president doesn't like in favor of those that advance his policy priorities. Did OSTP consult with OMB in developing this proposed rule?”House Science, Space, and Technology (Begich): Unleashing the Golden Age of Science · Jul 22, 2026