Sen. Dan Sullivan

I had a fantastic day out in Palmer at the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering, which brings together aviation enthusiasts and pilots—and aspiring pilots—from our general aviation community. Great job to the Alaska Airmen's Association!

Watch more about this remarkable Alaskan here: sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press…

Today, in Mobile, Alabama, with his wonderful family looking on, the U.S. Navy christened the USNS Solomon Atkinson, named in honor of one of our great Alaskan heroes, Sol Atkinson. From Metlakatla, Sol was on the very first Navy SEAL team created by President Kennedy in 1962, and as a SEAL, he had the honor of training 48 astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Jim Lovell, just to name a few, in underwater weightlessness simulations. He served in the Korean War and then completed three combat tours in Vietnam. Among his medals are the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. After he retired from the military, he moved back to Metlakatla and continued to work tirelessly for his country and his community. I count myself lucky to have met him and to have spoken about his service to our state and country on the Senate floor. I want to congratulate his family on this fitting honor, which will ensure that his memory and legacy live on across our nation.

The historic $7 billion JBER modernization project will not only significantly strengthen our national security and power projection in the Arctic, but will also bring a significant economic boon to our state. I’ve been pushing for these kinds of military investments for Alaska for over a decade!

Happy National Apprenticeship Week, Alaska!👷‍♂️✊ I recently had the opportunity to meet with hardworking Alaskans helping lead our state’s workforce at a Laborers’ International Union of North America event in DC. Jacob Howdeshell started as an apprentice nearly two decades ago and now serves as Business Manager of Laborers Local 942—after years advocating for workers on the North Slope and across Alaska. Alongside Alaskans like Jacob, Josh Paris, and Cody Oatman, the Laborers and so many of our great trade unions are expanding apprenticeship opportunities, supporting our workers, and creating great career pathways for Alaskans. Apprenticeships are key to building a skilled workforce and a strong Alaska economy.

The JBER Fighter Town Recapitalization project is one of the most historic military investment proposals in our state’s history. It includes funding to modernize JBER to have a new state of the art fighter-jet facility capable of supporting multiple platforms now and well into the future. At a Senate Armed Services hearing today, General Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that in the Administration’s budget proposal, the total project is expected to be a $7 billion military construction investment, with an Air Force request of more than $2 billion this year alone. These kinds of military investments for Arctic security are something I’ve been pushing since I’ve been in the Senate. This new investment will be great for our national security and power projection in the Arctic—one of the most strategic places in the world—and will also be a huge boost for good paying jobs and for our state’s economy.

Check out the hearing here: youtu.be/lcLQKXvCqFw?si…

Good @EPWGOP oversight hearing today. I questioned @epaleezeldin on our shared efforts to overturn the @EPA's DEF regulation that makes no sense in Alaska, water and sewer priorities in Alaska Native communities, and ANCSA land issues.

We must improve our ability to produce weapons and protect ourselves NOW—not once the bullets start flying. Rebuilding the American Arsenal will not only strengthen our military, but it will also create good-paying jobs and revitalize our manufacturing economy. thehill.com/homenews/58540…

Tune in here: epw.senate.gov/public/index.c…

Alaska, important @EPWGOP hearing going on now. @epaleezeldin is testifying on the @EPA's proposed budget for FY 2027. I will be asking him about his record of overturning one-size-fits-all regulations and about diesel exhaust fluid emissions systems shutting off vehicles and endangering Alaskan lives.

Thank you SCI-Kenai for a great evening! SCI brings together dedicated Alaskans who understand what makes our state extraordinary: the unmatched freedom to hunt, to fish, to manage our wildlife responsibly, and to pass those proud traditions down to the next generation. SCI is the heart of Alaska’s outdoor heritage!

The Odom Corporation is a great, third-generation Alaska family business that was founded in Juneau in 1934. This wholesale beverage distributor has since grown rapidly, including into the Lower 48, and now employs over 500 Alaskans. We took a tour of their impressive warehouse and discussed how the Working Families Tax Cuts Act is benefiting our small businesses, like offering full expensing of capital investments in year one. Thank you, Bill and your team, for all you do for our communities!

ICEBREAKERS💪

Lt. Gen. Borgschulte—the first Marine to lead the U.S. Naval Academy—is doing an outstanding job. He laid out a remarkable vision: integrating AI with autonomous systems across surface, subsurface, and aviation—training the next generation of warfighters to dominate the future battlefield. As Chair of the Board of Visitors, I’m focused on ensuring the Academy has the resources it needs to lead and prepare our future Sailors and Marines.

More than 4,000 midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy—some of the best and brightest in our nation. It was great to sit down and have lunch with a few young, proud, courageous Alaskans preparing to serve and defend our nation.

Once again we are thankful for our brave law enforcement who acted quickly and bravely tonight at the White house Correspondents’ Dinner to protect so many who serve our nation, including President Trump and his cabinet. We’re all Americans. Political violence should never be the answer to our political differences.

Another beautiful morning run in Anchorage. With spring finally coming to Alaska, the bears are waking up and the moose are everywhere! Ran into a little moose who was blocking my route, so I decided to turn around and go the other way!

It was great to host @DOTMARAD Administrator Stephen Carmel in Ketchikan recently. I also want to thank him for visiting Seward, Anchorage and Whittier, to see new shipbuilding and ship maintenance work coming to Alaska businesses and to get a firsthand view of our infrastructure challenges. Following his visit, we secured more than $115 million for seven projects in Alaska through DOT’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. I led key reforms in the FY23 NDAA to make this possible—permanently waiving MARAD’s cost-benefit requirements for noncontiguous states and ensuring Alaska’s unique geography and reliance on port infrastructure are fully accounted for so our communities can finally compete on a level playing field.