the minimum wage and extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks. Same-sex marriage Begich supports same-sex marriage. Veterans' affairs On April 28, 2014, Begich introduced the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014 (S. 2258; 113th Congress), a bill that would, beginning on December 1, 2014, increase the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Personal life Begich is married to Deborah Bonito, a former chair of the Alaska Democratic Party and the owner of several small businesses throughout Anchorage. They have a son, Jacob. Begich is a Roman Catholic. During his term in the Senate, Begich was the only U.S. Senator without a college degree. He has taken continuing education classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage. His brother Nick Jr. has researched and written about the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) program as an instrument of weather modification and possibly mind control. His nephew, Nick III, made the primary runoff (along with ex-Governor Sarah Palin and ex-state Representative Mary Sattler Peltola) for the Congressional seat that became vacant in 2022 as a result of the death of Don Young. Mark's brother Tom was elected as a state senator from Anchorage but declined to file for reelection in 2022. Electoral history Anchorage Assembly Anchorage Mayor U.S. Senate Alaska Governor References Further reading External links |- |- |- |- |- 1962 births Living people 20th-century American politicians 20th-century Roman Catholics 21st-century American politicians 21st-century Roman Catholics Alaska Democrats American Christian Zionists American people of Bohemian descent American people of Croatian descent American people of Czech descent American people of Dutch descent American people of English descent American people of Polish descent American Roman Catholics Anchorage Assembly members Businesspeople from Alaska Democratic Party United States senators from Alaska Mayors of Anchorage, Alaska University of Alaska Anchorage alumni University of Alaska regents Candidates in the 2018 United States elections Begich family Politicians from Anchorage, Alaska