Bipartisan welcome marks Rep Peltola’s return to Washington D.C.

In the middle of the contentious vote for a new Speaker of the House in Washington D.C., Alaska’s lone representative, Mary Peltola, marked her return to the nation’s capital this week. She had taken some time away from the office following the untimely death of her husband, Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola on Sept. 12.

Representative Peltola returned, casting her vote while her fellow representatives from both sides of the aisle cheered her on, giving rise to a standing ovation.

Earlier in the month, Representative Peltola had announced her intention to return to the House after spending time with her family:

“The past few weeks have been some of the most difficult in my life,” said Representative Peltola. “I am so thankful for the space that Alaskans have given me to celebrate Buzzy’s life with my family, and for all those who celebrated it with us. The kindness and generosity that you have shown represents Alaska at its best.”

And while she voted for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to be the new Speaker of the House, he did not receive the 217 votes needed to win.

“It has also been a difficult time for our country. In recent weeks, we have watched partisan politicians make unserious attempts at solving serious problems. We barely avoided a shutdown that would have hit Alaska’s military families, seniors, and children hard. And now, those same politicians are playing a partisan game of musical chairs for the Speakership while another shutdown looms only a few weeks away.”

Representative Peltola, along with Alaska’s U.S. senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, also welcomed a $206.5 million grant awarded to the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) to build a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) submarine cable between the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage that will add extra components to the Alaska Railbelt electrical grid system in the event of disruptive events.

“We’re taking our first step into a cleaner, stronger energy future, with more jobs and lower costs for Alaskans,” she said in a press release.

In the meantime, Representative Peltola is looking to build a bipartisan relationships as the House continues working on selecting a new leader, or a temporary leader pro tempore to continue working on vital legislation to avoid a government shutdown, and consider aid packages to Ukraine and Israel.

“Alaskans know what to do in times like this: we face reality. We leave our partisan comfort zones and find a way to work together. Listening to some of my colleagues this week, I’ve heard people ask if a bipartisan House coalition is possible—if the D.C. establishment could even consider such a thing. Well, bipartisan coalitions are about as Alaskan as the midnight sun. I’m prepared to talk to Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on the real issues that are affecting every district, like the cost of energy, the border crisis, and protecting Social Security for the future.

That's why I know it's time for me to return to D.C., to bring back that Alaskan perspective that the House needs. I will continue to mourn Buzzy, but I am ready to get to work, as I know that he would want.”