Sen. Begich

With nearly one in 10 troops in Afghanistan hailing from Alaska-based units, I decided to spend a long weekend in January traveling throughout the country. My mission: thank our troops for great work in incredibly tough conditions, and make sure America's mission fighting terrorism is being achieved.

After the season's first frost but before the first heavy snowfall, the event that brings Alaskans from communities in our state's farthest corners to the heart of downtown Anchorage is the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Annual Convention.

Social Security checks to nearly 80,000 Alaskans could be delayed. Medicare benefits to 65,000 Alaskans may be affected. More than 25,000 active-duty Alaska military personnel might have trouble getting paid on time.

With Americans feeling pain at the pump and Alaskans often suffering from the highest energy prices, the U.S. Senate's response last week was both predictable and doomed.

Just a month and a half into the New Year, Alaskans are taking stock of well-intentioned resolutions to drop a few pounds, spend more quality time with family or even land that record whopper salmon.

The political pundits are having a field day reading the tea leaves from last week's election. To me, there isn't much confusion over voters' message: Elected officials are on a short leash and if we fail to produce, look for another job after the next election.

The tragic Gulf of Mexico oil spill should serve as a wake-up call for stronger oversight to prevent another such massive spill and a comprehensive national energy policy that must include more domestic oil and gas production.

President Obama surprised many when he recently gave the green light for offshore oil and gas development along the East Coast, Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska.

I marked my first year as a U.S. senator on Jan. 6. With an international recession, two wars and a growing national debt, the past year has been one of the busiest in congressional history.

I voted in favor of the Senate health insurance reform bill because I believe the status quo is unacceptable.

Through the fog of political accusations about who told who what when, the issue over the Anchorage Assembly's consideration of employee labor contracts last year boils down to this: Should they have been approved?

Alaskans know we are at "ground zero" for the effects of global climate change.

This is the summer of health reform. It's a great opportunity. If Congress gets it right, Americans happy with their current health insurance and medical care will keep what they have, while everyone will have access to affordable, quality care. We can do this while addressing important health care priorities for Alaska.

Just as Alaskans and other Americans are tightening their belts and eliminating unnecessary spending in these tough economic times, President Obama has proposed to do the same with the federal budget.

The numbers say it all. Alaska's highest jobless rate in four years. Nearly 28,000 Alaskans out of work.