Dan Sullivan on DOGE and Federal Workers: Confirmations, Votes and Alaska Job Losses
Dan Sullivan of Alaska voted to confirm Budget Director Russell Vought on February 6, 2025, and Alaska went on to lose about 4.5 percent of its federal jobs in 2025, the third-largest share of any state, by the state labor department's count.
Sullivan voted against amendments to reinstate fired Forest Service, Park Service, Fish and Wildlife and Bureau of Land Management workers and fired veterans, and against barring DOGE from using appropriated funds. In March 2025 he told the Alaska Legislature DOGE was "making some notable progress."
In Alaska, the cuts reached fisheries science, forest management and the military's civilian workforce.
Dan Sullivan's Votes and Statements on DOGE and Federal Job Cuts
- Sullivan Voted to Confirm the Budget Director and Personnel Chief Behind the Cuts. Sullivan voted to confirm Russell Vought as OMB director on February 6, 2025 (53 to 47) and Scott Kupor as Office of Personnel Management director on July 9, 2025 (49 to 46). By the end of 2025 Alaska's federal workforce was 10.5% smaller than a year earlier.
- Sullivan Voted Against Reinstating Fired Public Lands Workers in February 2025. On February 20, 2025, Sullivan voted no on a reserve fund for reinstating fired employees of the Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management; it failed 48 to 52.
- Sullivan Voted Against Reinstating Fired Veterans and Limiting DOGE in 2025. On March 14, 2025, Sullivan voted no on making veterans dismissed without cause eligible for reinstatement (failed 47 to 53) and on prohibiting appropriated funds for DOGE (failed 48 to 52). On June 30, 2025 he voted no on a motion requiring notice before mass terminations of federal employees who are veterans.
- Sullivan Voted Against Protecting Federal Employees in April 2025. On April 4, 2025, Sullivan voted no on a reserve fund relating to prohibiting attacks on federal employees; it failed 48 to 51.
- Sullivan Told the Alaska Legislature DOGE Was Making "Notable Progress" in March 2025. In his March 20, 2025 address to the Alaska Legislature, Sullivan said, "That's what DOGE is doing, and they are making some notable progress" (legislative journal).
What the Federal Job Cuts Dan Sullivan Backed Mean for Alaska
- Federal job losses cut Alaska earnings by $36.5 million in 2025. The state labor department found the losses reduced total earnings by $36.5 million on average in 2025 and brought federal employment in Alaska to the lowest level since at least 1990, with the Defense Department losing 755 jobs by the fourth quarter.
- Fishery managers lost the science used to set Alaska harvests. The Alaska Fisheries Science Center lost 51 employees, affecting 6% to 30% of its operations, and officials said the cuts reduce the information used to set sustainable harvest levels for Alaska's seafood industry.
- Forest and land agencies that fight fires lost staff. The Forest Service lost 180 jobs in late 2025 and the Bureau of Land Management, whose duties include forest firefighting, lost 133 in the fourth quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions Dan Sullivan on DOGE and Federal Workers
What is Dan Sullivan's record on DOGE and federal workers under Trump?
Dan Sullivan of Alaska voted to confirm Russell Vought, voted against reinstating fired federal workers and veterans, and told the Alaska Legislature DOGE was making "notable progress." Alaska lost about 4.5 percent of its federal jobs in 2025.
How many federal jobs has Alaska lost under Dan Sullivan's confirmed officials?
Dan Sullivan voted to confirm the budget and personnel chiefs who ran the cuts, and Alaska's federal workforce fell by 1,607 jobs from late 2024 to late 2025.
What did Dan Sullivan say about DOGE?
Dan Sullivan told the Alaska Legislature on March 20, 2025 that DOGE was "making some notable progress" (journal).
Last updated: 2026-10-28