Rep. Nicholas J. Begich III

Maddy summaryThe Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act authorizes the Indian Health Service (IHS) to provide public health veterinary services, such as spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and disease surveillance, to prevent and control zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible between animals and humans) in Tribal communities. The bill allows for the deployment of veterinary public health officers to these areas and coordination with agencies like the CDC and USDA. Additionally, it mandates a study by the Department of Agriculture on the feasibility and efficacy of delivering oral rabies vaccines to wildlife in Arctic regions to protect Tribal members. Finally, the act formally includes the Director of the IHS in the federal government's "One Health" framework, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer administrative control of approximately 5,624 acres on Adak Island, Alaska, to the Secretary of the Navy. Once transferred, the land will be removed from the National Wildlife Refuge System and made available for military activities such as high-hazard explosive testing, aerial gunnery training, and electronic warfare development. The legislation also requires an adjustment to the boundaries of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge to exclude the transferred area from its jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution expresses the U.S. Congress's disapproval of a specific law passed by the District of Columbia Council. The D.C. law, known as the Body-Worn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Temporary Amendment Act of 2026, was designed to increase transparency regarding how police officers use force. By submitting this resolution, Congress formally objects to the local legislation but does not change any laws or policies. The measure serves as a symbolic statement of disagreement rather than a functional change to federal or local governance.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Preventing International Surrogacy Exploitation Act, aims to stop foreign nationals from using U.S. surrogate mothers for commercial surrogacy arrangements. It would make any surrogacy contract void and unenforceable if the intended parents are foreign citizens or permanent residents, with a specific exception for married couples where at least one partner is a U.S. citizen or resident. Additionally, the law prohibits surrogacy brokers from facilitating these agreements and imposes criminal penalties, including fines and up to 10 years in prison, for those who knowingly or recklessly assist in such contracts. Children born through these invalid agreements would have their custody determined by the state where the surrogate lives, focusing on the child's best interests rather than the contract. Finally, the bill prevents foreign parents from using their U.S.-born children to gain immigration benefits or rights under U.S. immigration laws.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Kids from Creeps Act prohibits surrogacy agencies, their employees, and sex offenders from participating in surrogacy agreements, directly affecting fertility clinics, staff, and individuals required to register as sex offenders. The bill mandates severe criminal penalties, including fines and prison sentences of at least 10 to 20 years, for knowingly or recklessly facilitating such agreements, while also stripping convicted agencies of their tax-exempt status and eligibility for federal grants. Any surrogacy agreement formed in violation of these rules is declared legally void and unenforceable, meaning it cannot be used to establish parental rights. In cases where a child is born from an illegal agreement, custody decisions will be made solely based on the best interests of the child under the laws of the state where the surrogate lives, ignoring any prior contracts. Additionally, the Attorney General can pursue civil penalties equal to the compensation received or offered for prohibited conduct.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to create an exception for northern sea otters in specific Alaskan regions. It allows for the transport, purchase, and sale of pelts from northern sea otters taken for subsistence purposes in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska. The bill also permits the transport, purchase, sale, and export of handicrafts, garments, and art made from these pelts. This applies whether the products are traditional or contemporary, and regardless of how much they have been altered.

Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act This bill allows five Alaska Native communities in Southeast Alaska to form urban corporations and receive land entitlements. Specifically, the bill allows the Alaska Native residents of each of the Alaska Native villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, to organize as Alaska Native urban corporations and to receive certain settlement land. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey specified land to each urban corporation. Further, Interior must convey the subsurface estate for that land to the regional corporation for Southeast Alaska. The land conveyed to each urban corporation must include any U.S. interest in all roads, trails, log transfer facilities, leases, and appurtenances on or related to the land conveyed to the urban corporation. The bill also allows each urban corporation to establish a settlement trust to (1) promote the health, education, and welfare of the trust beneficiaries; and (2) preserve the Alaska Native heritage and culture of their communities.

Maddy summaryThe Polar Express Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study on creating a rail connection between Alaska and the rest of the North American rail network. This study must be launched within 180 days of the law's enactment and will involve consulting with various federal, state, tribal, and local entities before a final report is submitted to Congress two years later. Importantly, the bill does not authorize the construction of the rail line or commit any federal funds, serving only to gather information on the project's potential.

Maddy summaryHR 5694, the ARTIST Act, allows Alaska Natives residing in coastal Alaska to take marine mammals (walrus, narwhal, whale) specifically for creating and selling authentic traditional handicrafts made with marine mammal ivory, without violating federal law. The bill defines "authentic" items as those made traditionally using natural materials without mass production tools, and prohibits states from banning the sale of such handicrafts. It also permits selling edible portions of these animals within Alaska for native consumption. The law requires the Secretary of Commerce to base any restrictions on substantial evidence, including Indigenous knowledge, and mandates public availability of such evidence.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program by an additional five years, allowing rural hospitals to continue receiving Medicare payment adjustments designed to help them compete with larger health systems. The legislation amends existing federal laws to change the program's timeline from a 15-year extension to a 20-year extension, ensuring these financial incentives remain in place for a longer period. It also includes specific rules for hospitals that joined the program later, ensuring they receive the same extended benefits during the final years of the new timeframe. The primary effect is to maintain current funding mechanisms for participating rural hospitals without altering the core rules of the demonstration.