Articles & Op-eds
Chronicles: $800 Million Federal Emergency Fund Proposed to Prevent Family, Youth Homelessness
by John Kelly
A bipartisan group of Senators has proposed an $800 million emergency fund to help communities address family and youth homelessness as advocates fear a potentially disastrous wave of instability as coronavirus continues to hamper the economy. "Hundreds of thousands of families will be at risk" of eviction as local moratoria expire this summer, said Ruth White, executive director of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. "For many, the only resource available will be foster care pla… Continue Reading
06.08.20
KTVA: Alaska's senators support federal measure to help struggling businesses
by Joe Vigil
On Friday, President Donald Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act. Some of the highlights of the legislation include reducing the required percentage of expenses dedicated to payroll from 75 percent to 60 percent when it comes to loan forgiveness. Small businesses that take advantage will have five years to repay the loan instead of two years. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she is proud to support the bipartisan measure. "This bill improves our previous efforts by making… Continue Reading
06.05.20
KTUU: Sen. Murkowski rallies for the Equal Rights Amendment to be signed into law
by Gilbert Cordova
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Ben Cardin of Maryland are rallying support for the Equal Rights Amendment to be signed into law. According to EqualRightsAmendment.org, "The Equal Rights Amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It seeks to end the legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters." Alaska ratified the Equal Rights Am… Continue Reading
06.01.20
KDLG: Sen. Murkowski pushes for an additional $1 billion in federal fisheries relief funds
by Tyler Thompson
Alaska's fishing industry was allocated $50 million in CARES Act funding in early May to ease financial losses tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Commercial and sport fishing businesses that incur more than 35% in losses will be eligible for aid. NOAA Fisheries and The Pacific Marine Fishery Commission will evaluate each entity's spending plan. According to NOAA, submissions and approvals will "occur on a rolling basis." Additional money could be on the way for the fishing industry. Senator Lisa M… Continue Reading
05.28.20
VOA News: US Coronavirus Death Toll Exceeds 100,000
The United States now has more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, a toll larger than the number of U.S. deaths in the Vietnam and Korean wars combined. As the country passed the threshold, a bipartisan group of senators renewed their call for a moment of silence to be held Monday to honor the dead. "The nation must mark this dark moment with unity and clarity,"?said Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii.?"At this time of almost unimaginable pain, it is essential that we pause to honor every life lost, a… Continue Reading
05.28.20
The Hill: Trump administration gives renewables more time to take advantage of tax credits
by Rachel Frazin
The Trump administration is making it easier for renewable energy projects to take advantage of certain tax credits amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service issued a notice Wednesday that said it would give some companies that started construction in 2016 or 2017 an extra year before they have to put their projects in service. The notice also allows some companies additional time to receive materials for construction in order to meet a requirement to … Continue Reading
05.27.20
Associated Press: Four U.S. Senators Are Calling for a Moment of Silence to Honor COVID-19 Victims
Four U.S. senators, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are calling for a moment of silence to honor those who have died from COVID-19. The moment of silence is planned for noon Monday. The U.S. on Wednesday surpassed 100,000 deaths related to the pandemic, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. Murkowski, a Republican, said too many families have seen loved ones suffer or been unable to have proper memorials for those who have died. "These impacts cannot be undone, but my heart is w… Continue Reading
05.26.20
Utility Dive: Murkowski, Collins, Tillis urge Treasury to extend aid to solar industry
by Catherine Morehouse
Three Republican senators on Thursday sent a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, urging the department to take additional steps to provide aid to the renewable energy industry. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is leading the effort, according to her office, to extend safe harbor requirements for the "start of construction" on renewables projects, as well as modifying the "physical work test" rule, which dictates when signi… Continue Reading
05.26.20
Ed Source: Schools would get $1 billion to help homeless students under bipartisan federal proposal
by Carolyn Jones
Homeless youth and families, who've been largely left out of federal coronavirus aid, would get more than $1 billion under a bipartisan proposal put forth this week in the U.S. Senate. The proposal includes money for shelters, motel bills, food, school supplies and other services intended to help homeless students, whose numbers are expected to grow as unemployment soars to Depression-era levels nationwide. "It's what we need right now during this crisis," said Darla Barbine, executive directo… Continue Reading
05.25.20
KTUU: Alaska state senators share Memorial Day Messages
ANCHORAGE, Alaska Senator Murkowski Shares Memorial Day Message: "For Alaskans, Memorial Day is typically our big kick-off for summer, with sunlight nearly all day and a long weekend to enjoy the great outdoors with our friends and family. It is also a day of tradition and ceremony as we honor the fallen who have served our nation. "This year is different for us as many of our Memorial Day ceremonies are cancelled or as we follow new guidance due to the coronavirus. But it doesn't take a large… Continue Reading
05.21.20
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Federal panel OKs work for 800-mile Alaska natural gas pipeline
by Erin McGroarty
The Federal Energy Regulation Commission, which is tasked with governing and managing energy projects across the country, has given Alaska the green light to continue work on a proposed 800-mile liquefied natural gas pipeline. The pipeline would stretch from a gas treatment plan on the North Slope to a processing facility in Nikiski. The idea has been a favored project of Alaska governors going back at least to the days of former Gov. Sarah Palin, with each governor since trying to take it a st… Continue Reading
05.21.20
Homeland Prep News: Senators urge COVID-19 task force to provide PPE, testing for firefighters battling wildfires
by Dave Kovaleski
A group of U.S. Senators recently called on the Trump administration officials to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel charged with fighting wildfires. "Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is our understanding that the supply of PPE in the Federal interagency inventories does not meet the expected need, and firefighters are having trouble acquiring additional PPE on their own. We also understand … Continue Reading
05.20.20
Wildfire Today: Senators request PPE and testing for wildland firefighters
by Bill Gabbert
Three U.S. Senators sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence today urging the Coronavirus Task Force to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel tasked with wildfire response. Below are excerpts from the letter crafted by Senators Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; Joe Manchin, West Virginia; and Tom Udall, New Mexico. "Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is our understanding that the supply of PPE … Continue Reading
05.14.20
Huffington Post: Domestic Violence Programs Can’t Get Funds Quickly During COVID-19. This Bill Can Fix That.
by Alanna Vagianos
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing to provide more funding to domestic violence shelters, which are facing financial struggles, even though they are needed more than ever as millions are confined to their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. The new bill, shared with HuffPost before its release, will be introduced on Thursday. It is spearheaded by Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and, through a temporary technical change, would allow domestic violence-related organ… Continue Reading
05.12.20
Utility Dive: Treasury Department offers wind industry coronavirus lifeline with proposed safe harbor extension
The U.S. Department of the Treasury last week indicated it would move toward extending safe harbor deadlines for wind projects to fully benefit from federal tax credits in response to a letter from a bipartisan group of senators urging the department to act. The department "plans to modify the relevant rules in the near future," Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Frederick Vaughan wrote in a May 7 letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance. Grassley and … Continue Reading
05.09.20
Alaska Public Media: Chief Medical Officer's Handling Of Coronavirus Inspires Alaskans To #ThinkLikeZink
by Nathaniel Herz
As the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up in Alaska, Dr. Anne Zink, the state's chief medical officer, faced a difficult choice. Should she continue in-person meetings and nightly briefings with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy? Or should she opt for a more socially distant form of engagement? Zink chose the latter, saying she wanted to model the behavior that she has been appealing to residents to follow. She now appears at Dunleavy's briefings by video. And over the past two months, she has be… Continue Reading
05.08.20
Chilkat Valley News: Murkowski to address graduation, virtually
Sen. Lisa Murkowski will speak at Haines School's virtual graduation ceremony later this month. In late April, Alaska Education Commissioner Michael Johnson issued a memo with Department of Health and Social Services-approved guidelines for graduation ceremonies throughout the state. The guidelines specify that in-person graduations must be limited to groups of fewer than 20 people, and those present must wear masks and refrain from physical interactions. In recent weeks, a handful of students… Continue Reading
05.07.20
KTUU: Alaska delegation stands by CARES Act allocation, seeks to give states more flexibility
by Grant Robinson
Alaska has the fewest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 of any state in the country, but some people are criticizing Congress for the share of CARES Act aid allocated the state governments. Tuesday, an Associated Press analysis highlighted that states including Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and Wyoming do not have very many cases of COVID-19. Each state received the $1.25 billion minimum Congress set for states. States with larger populations received more. The analysis divided the amount of mo… Continue Reading
05.07.20
Daily Energy Insider:Alaska’s congressional delegation urges Dept. of Interior to finalize EIS on Willow project
by Dave Kovaleski
Congress members from Alaska are urging the Department of the Interior to finalize the supplemental environmental impact statement for ConocoPhillips' Willow project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The Willow project is a multi-billion-dollar development proposed by ConocoPhillips in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve that contains an estimated 8.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The project could result in the production of 130,000 barrels of oil per day. "There is no doubt the… Continue Reading
05.06.20
KNOM: Profile: Update from Senator Lisa Murkowski on COVID-19, State of the State Economy, and Rural Alaska
by Davis Hovey
THE END OF APRIL MARKED THE RELEASE of more federal funds for Alaskans and small businesses directly affected by COVID-19. Last week, Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke with KNOM Radio about stimulus money and other things related to the coronavirus pandemic. Hear the full conversation between KNOM's Davis Hovey and Senator Murkowski below: Murkowski: I'm Lisa Murkowski, United States Senator for the state of Alaska. KNOM: Let's start out with the COVID-19 updates. In terms of things happening with… Continue Reading
