The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5131, the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025, which was led by Alaska Congressman Nick Begich to extend critical military land withdrawals in Alaska, New Mexico and California for 25 years and provide long-term certainty for America’s most strategic training and testing ranges.
“Alaska is the tip of the spear for America’s defense. Our training ranges in Alaska and across the country are indispensable for Arctic readiness and missile defense,” Begich said after the Dec. 9 vote. “This legislation ensures our servicemen and women have uninterrupted access to the world-class training spaces they need to remain the strongest fighting force on earth.”
Begich noted that by extending these land withdrawals, Congress is helping President Trump’s efforts provide the military the certainty and support required to counter emerging threats.
The bill was praised by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) who chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources. He said the legislation ensures that the military retains access to critical and strategic training ranges around the nation.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“This legislation gives our military the space and stability necessary to prepare for emerging threats while maintaining responsible stewardship of federal lands,” Westerman noted.
The Public Lands Military Readiness Act extends military land withdrawals for 25 years at Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright in Alaska, McGregor Range at Fort Bliss in New Mexico, and Fort Irwin in California, ensuring uninterrupted access through 2051.
These areas are considered premier training ranges essential for Arctic operations, missile defense testing, live-fire exercises and Indo-Pacific preparedness.
The bill also reinforces Alaska’s strategic role as a central hub for Arctic and Pacific defense operations by ensuring that the military can continue training in advanced, realistic winter environments. Following its passage in the House, the measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.
3 Comments
Sounds legit. What exactly are “military land withdrawals” ? Does that mean the military will continue with the same lands they have been using, or are they expanding onto new lands? Difficult to find info on this.
They are the same lands they have been using for years and years under lease by the federal government with payment for usage by the federal government with MOAs attached. But the training grounds for the military are in a state of environmental cleanup that hasn’t been done by the US Army Corp of Engineers which no one in congress including Begich will seem to acknowledge. This extension has not been put in the federal register yet. Begish is not being thorough in his need to look like he is producing for his political look. He needs to look and act on all issues. Some that have been cleaed up are in the Ft. Greely area and Arctic training gounds but up north is still a meas.
The lands in the Bill are the same lands that have been in use on Alaska soil and those military sites in other sites’ states for the use of the military areas already established. The bill extends time use, or lease of lands in Parks and other natural resource use areas. No word to the public has been put in the federal register for needed changes for the purpose of military training. Begich put a dumb bill out there with no discussion or comments taken from the public. Bad, bad business on his part. Those lands are in documentation of past training sites that haven’t changed parameters but are in the US Army Corps of Engineers and State of Alaska DEC for clean up of the sites in multiple waste and abuse of the leased land and have not been cleaned up. There are many, many areas that remain untouched but need the clean up done. Some training sites have been cleaned up around Ft. Greely and the Arctic site but there remains places the US Army Corps and DEC have not begun. Its easier for the military to continue to abuse the sites and put a bill like this one out to then public but not tell the truth and purpose of the bill. Begich is trying to gain popularity but not doing a good job at all. Shame on Begich for environmental abuse and corruption of his duties and obligation as a congressman.