U.S. Sen. Mark Begich on Monday called on the Parnell administration and state lawmakers to make strong commitments to education, give greater support for children’s health insurance and eliminate any obstacles to voting.

The Democrat also used his address to a joint session of Alaska Legislature to express his support for targeted federal spending cuts and his belief that with new faces in Washington there are new opportunities to push for issues important to Alaska. He also encouraged the state to take up creation of an Arctic port authority and put up $2 billion to support $3 billion in federal loan guarantees as part of a bill he’s introduced to speed Arctic port development.