Alaska labor leaders and former public servants are laying out how Dan Sullivan’s toxic agenda is slashing services Alaskans rely on and harming Alaska veterans, workers, and communities.
“Self-Serving Sullivan’s toxic agenda is costing our veterans their healthcare and our workers good-paying jobs,” said Alaska Democratic Party Chair Eric Croft. “He cheered as DC gutted the critical services Alaskans depend on to survive, while doling out tax breaks for billionaires. Come November, Alaska voters will make him answer for it.”
The piece rakes Sullivan over the coals for “fail[ing] to be [a] leader,” and details how Sullivan-supported cuts are causing VA staffing shortages and gaps in veterans’ care. The Alaska labor leaders lay out how cuts from DC are “cost[ing] good jobs that Alaskan workers rely on,” and weakening the critical infrastructure that keeps Alaska communities safe and healthy.
Alaska Beacon: Our leaders in Washington shouldn’t forget the Alaska workers who take care of us
April 24, 2026
Decisions coming out of Washington are making it harder – and in some cases impossible – for Alaska’s federal workers to do their jobs. And it’s Alaskan communities who are paying the price.
In Alaska, federal workers are especially essential. We have the highest percentage of veterans in the country, and our communities are deeply connected to the health of our land and water. When the federal workforce is dismantled, the consequences are immediate and severe. And we are already beginning to see what happens when they are weakened.
The EPA has canceled roughly $280 million in grants that were funding water infrastructure, energy and resilience projects across Alaska. With funding gone, many of these projects that keep communities and the local economy healthy are now delayed or abandoned altogether.
That doesn’t just put public health at risk. It also costs good jobs that Alaskan workers rely on. Local engineers, construction workers and skilled tradespeople — many of them union members — depend on this work to put food on the table. When funding disappears, so do job opportunities and the paychecks that come with them.
At the same time, the VA in Alaska is facing staffing shortages and hiring freezes, with over 20% of staff lost during 2025. Fewer providers mean longer wait times, delayed care and gaps in services that veterans rely on.
Across both agencies, we are seeing a pattern: workforce cuts, funding reductions and political decisions that undermine the ability of public servants to do their jobs. As we’ve seen time and again, weakening this workforce is not just an attack on federal employees; it is a direct threat to Alaska’s public health and safety.
Alaskans expect and deserve better from our elected leaders. We expect our representatives in Washington to stand up for our state’s interests and reflect its values, and what it means to take care of one another — not just in words, but in action.
But Senator Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich have instead stood on the sidelines as the funding we need is taken away, and the federal workforce we rely on is hollowed out.
We have seen zero urgency to stand up for Alaska’s federal workforce who keep our water safe, care for our veterans and support our communities. The midterm elections are approaching and Alaska voters will have a chance to decide if we have leadership that actually cares.
This isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about priorities. Our representatives should be leaders willing to stand up for the people who make Alaska work. Sen. Sullivan and Congressman Begich have failed to be leaders, and instead have chosen to stand by while critical services are hollowed out and communities are left behind.
Alaska deserves leadership that will not sit quietly while decisions in Washington put our communities at risk. It deserves leaders who understand that investing in federal workers is not optional, but essential.
Because in Alaska, taking care of each other isn’t a slogan. It’s a responsibility. And it’s one we all share.