– With Alaska Congressman Don Young’s support, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2055, the year-end omnibus appropriations bill. H.R. 2055 completes the Appropriations process and includes nine-bills totaling $915 billion in regular security and non-security discretionary funding. Adhering to the guidelines set forth in the Budget Control Act, this legislation (combined with the “Mini-bus” passed last month) holds overall regular (base) discretionary spending at $1.043 trillion.
“Alaska did well in this bill,” said Rep. Young. “Whether it’s the Yukon Charley provision that I fought hard for or the provision that shifts air permitting authority in the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea to the Department of the Interior – Alaskans will benefit from this legislation.”
Provisions in H.R. 2055 beneficial to Alaska:
The bill switches air permitting authority on the Arctic OCS from the EPA to the Department of the Interior. The Interior Department routinely issues these permits for the Gulf of Mexico in a matter of months. To read more about this provision, click here.
Rep. Young’s provision that would prohibit the National Parks Service (NPS) from enforcement on the Yukon River within the boundaries of the Yukon Charley Preserve. To read more about this provision, click here.
$10 million has been allocated to State Drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for AK.
Includes $2.57 million for Alaska Native Subsistence.
Includes $29.1 million for the Alaska Conveyance Program, $12 million higher than Presidents request.
Includes $62,184,000 to complete the Barrow Hospital.
Includes a provision that will fix the ANILCA Local Hire Program, which will resume the hiring of local Alaska residents, without having to meet federal competitive hiring requirements and allows seasonal employees to convert to permanent employment status.
Funds the Alaska Native Education Equity Program at $33.25 million and the Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions at $12.883 million.
Includes a provision prohibiting the implementation or enforcement of the “Wild Lands” Secretarial Order, which would allow the Department of Interior to unilaterally declare Wilderness type land designations.
