ELECTIONS 2014- ALASKA- INCUMBENTS AND CHALLENGERS
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/alaska-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand?f=must_reads#ixzz3CBffiVDt
To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).
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U.S. Senate
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Senator Lisa Murkowski (R) – Next Election 2016
Senator Mark Begich (D) Incumbent
http://www.begich.senate.gov/public/
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Mark_Begich.htm **
ISSUES: http://www.begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issues
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Voted For the Keystone Pipeline in March 2013
ALASKA RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Sen. Begich is working to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and provide safe, secure and reliable sources of energy by responsibly developing ANWR, NPR-A and North Slope OCS for Alaska&…
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Begich is actively pushing the Department of Defense on the need to identify and develop new sources of rare earth materials needed for weapon systems.
One of the biggest hurdles is federal permitting. Senator Begich has pushed federal agencies to streamline and coordinate their permitting processes to give developers a clearer path forward with reasonable requirements.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION
In 2013, Begich became chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations and the District of Columbia. As chairman of this new subcommittee, working alongside Ranking Member Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Begich oversees agencies and programs critical not just to Alaska but also around the country:
The Federal Emergency Management Administration, including preparation, response, mitigation, and recovery from disasters; Relief funding and efforts for flooding, fisheries and other disaster declarations;
Coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and states, localities, and first responders to prevent and respond to disasters and terrorism; Financial assistance programs related to resilience, disaster prevention, relief and mitigation.
HEALTHCARE
Senator Begich voted for historic health care legislation that achieves the goals he has long supported. The new health care law ensures Alaskans and all Americans will have access to more affordable and reliable health care.
Dan Sullivan (R) Challenger
http://www.sullivan2014.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Search&utm_term=Sullivan4Senate&utm_content=Fought for Alaska&utm_campaign=brand
Alaska’s Attorney General and Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, his accomplishments have focused on protecting Alaskans, promoting energy security and economic opportunity, and fighting against federal government overreach.
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
Promoting Affordable Healthcare while Fighting ObamaCare
Access to affordable and quality healthcare is an extremely important issue to Alaskans, and it is critical for policy makers to achieve that goal. At the same time, we must revive our national economy and rein in the trillions of dollars of deficits that the Obama Administration has run over the past five years.
President Obama and Senator Begich have fundamentally changed the American healthcare system for the worse through ObamaCare. Now, as a result of Begich’s decision to cast the deciding vote for ObamaCare, Alaskans are losing their healthcare and facing skyrocketing premiums.
ObamaCare spends trillions of dollars we don’t have, while commandeering one-sixth of our nation’s economy. It also hurts Alaskans by raising taxes on them, escalating insurance premiums, forcing employers to drop coverage and putting the government in between them and their doctor.
As Alaska’s Attorney General, Dan sued to stop ObamaCare. He will continue that fight as your U.S. Senator. It is time to repeal and replace ObamaCare and empower Alaskans to make their own healthcare decisions, not the federal government.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Promoting Responsible Development of Alaska’s Resources
Given Alaska’s world-class resource base and strategic global location, our natural resource potential can lead America into a new era of economic prosperity. As Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Dan defended the state’s economic interests and worked with the private sector to maximize Alaska’s full economic potential. His work has focused on getting big things done for Alaska, and when necessary, aggressively fighting back against those who try to shutdown or delay economic opportunities for our citizens.
We must take a proactive, results-based strategy to Washington by tackling energy issues at the federal level and capitalizing on the enormous opportunity for development here in Alaska and throughout the rest of the country.
ECONOMY AND FEDERAL OVERREACH
As both Alaska’s Attorney General and as Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Dan has fought the Obama Administration’s dramatic expansion of the federal government into our lives.
The President Obama-Mark Begich agenda undermines Alaska and America’s future. Dan will make rolling back their agenda his number one priority as Alaska’s U.S. Senator.
Many talk about fighting the Obama Administration, but Dan has been in the arena taking action against this unprecedented overreach.
From taking Alaska’s fight against ObamaCare to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenging the abusive authority of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dan has fought the Obama Administration every step of the way. Remember, the states created the federal government, not vice versa.
CUTTING RED TAPE
Strong economic growth begins with reducing bureaucratic red tape, which is having crippling effects on job growth and small businesses across the country.
Overregulation is an issue that affects Alaskans and Americans every day, particularly in regard to permitting for responsible resource development projects, both small and large. Investors eyeing projects in Alaska and the Lower 48 hesitate to get involved because of the high risk for permitting delays and litigation. And when the Obama Administration discourages those investments and jobs through regulatory burdens, energy and mineral investment opportunities are lost to nations with substandard environmental regulations.
As Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Dan instituted a comprehensive strategy to reduce red tape and make the state’s permitting system more efficient, timely and certain. As a result, his department reduced a backlog of 2,500 state permits by 40 percent. The Alaska Legislature also passed numerous statutory changes to further improve the state’s permitting system while protecting the environment. This kind of leadership and experience in cutting red tape is needed in Washington.
Congressman at Large
Don Young (R) Incumbent
http://donyoung.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/don_young.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
http://donyoung.house.gov/issues/
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
We must remove harmful government regulations and unnecessary litigation, and begin to develop a comprehensive plan for Alaska’s energy future. Alaska’s energy and economic futures are mutually dependant, because cheap energy brings with it increased industry and jobs. However, in Alaska, we have significant challenges that many in the Lower 48 do not face such as transportation costs and the lack of a widespread electrical grid. Fortunately, Alaska has more energy potential than anywhere else in the U.S.
Our state is diverse, and a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, but certainly regional approaches to Alaska’s energy needs should be pursued. For example, Southeast should never have to burn another gallon of diesel fuel. With the immense hydro potential, we should focus our efforts on a Southeast intertie. Also, the Aleutians have tremendous wind and geothermal potential that has yet to be harnessed to its full potential. An in-state gas-line will allow North Slope gas to supplement Cook Inlet, and allow Anchorage to continue to grow, while also providing Fairbanks with the advantages of cheap natural gas that Anchorage has been solely enjoying for decades. In my view, critical to this plan is a mechanism to separate some natural gas, or a product of natural gas, such as propane, to be packaged in containers and barged to serve the needs of the villages in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region. An incremental regional approach is going to be the key to Alaska’s energy future.
HEALTHCARE
I have voted over 40 times to repeal Obamacare. At the same time I am engaging in constant dialogue with my colleagues to find a better way forward in healthcare reform. We as lawmakers must reexamine falling Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates and find ways, where fiscally possible, to shift these cost cuts to areas that do not provide to irreplaceable services. We must decrease individuals’ use of health services later in life by improving our healthcare habits and preventative health outreach earlier in life. This should involve empowering states and localities, folks who know what their town needs, with innovative ways to engage youth and educate them on the importance of regular screenings and healthy lifestyle habits.
DEFENSE
It is vital that we provide the best training possible to our men and women in the military. The Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC) has the potential to be the premier training grounds for all branches of our military. From the immense air and land space to the water along Alaska’s vast coastline, our troops can work together in joint training operations and prepare for real world war scenarios. It is important, however, that the military not infringe unreasonably on the air and land used by Alaskans to fly to towns and villages, hunt, and enjoy the other outdoor activities for which Alaska is known. The military in Alaska has always been strongly supported by Alaskans across, and I hope that military leaders will take the concerns of Alaskans into consideration as they expand their use of the JPARC facilities.
Forrest Dunbar(D) Challenger
http://www.forrestforalaska.com/
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