Articles & Op-eds

03.30.20

KTVF: Governor, congressional delegation coordinate Alaska COVID-19 efforts

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) today announced five new cases of COVID-19 in three Alaska communities - Anchorage (2), Fairbanks (2) and Palmer (1). This brings the case count total for Alaska to 119. All of the new cases are in adults aged 30-59. Four are female and one is male. There are no new hospitalizations or deaths today. So far the communities in Alaska that have had laboratory-confirmed cases include Anchorage (including JBER), Eagle River/Chugiak, Girdwoo… Continue Reading


03.30.20

Juneau Empire: Congressional delegation says billions in relief coming to Alaska

by Peter Segall

Alaska is set to get its share of the $2 trillion stimulus package recently approved by Congress, the state's congressional delegation said during a teleconference Monday evening. "All elected officials are working very closely on this unprecedented crisis," said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaking from Washington, D.C. The delegation discussed the provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, (CARES) that will inject vast amounts of funds into America's economy. The b… Continue Reading


03.29.20

OP-ED: Anchorage Daily News: Alaskans will make it through COVID-19 together. Here’s how we’re helping.

by Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Don Young

We understand what a challenging and unprecedented time this is for Alaskans. The COVID-19 virus has been an evolving pandemic, spreading worldwide and severely disrupting life across America and our state. Alaskans are worried not only about their personal health and the impacts that Alaska's health systems may face, but also the potential short-and long-term economic impacts on working families, jobs and small businesses across the state. But in true Alaska fashion, folks in the state have al… Continue Reading


03.19.20

Delta Discovery: Murkowski addresses crisis of MMTIW

"Ashley was one of those kids who loved purple-a beautiful young child growing up in Kotzebue who would have gone on to have a good and productive life in an Inupiaq community in the northwestern part of the state. But Ashley Johnson-Barr is remembered now, because at the age of 10 years old she was brutally raped and murdered. She was literally taken from the kids' playground and taken to a location not too many miles outside of the community and her death and the tragedy around the circumstanc… Continue Reading


03.18.20

KTUU: Sen. Murkowski reacts to latest coronavirus developments

While millions of Americans are holed up at home against the coronavirus, Senate Democrats are proposing a new aid package. The legislation would allocate $750 billion to boost hospital capacity, unemployment insurance and other direct aid for American households, businesses and the health care industry. The 100-member Senate was scheduled to meet and hold an evening vote -- a potentially stunning sight of people gathered. While different authorities around the country have issued conflicting … Continue Reading


03.17.20

Washington Examiner: GOP senators push Saudis to stop flooding oil market

by Tim Pierce

A group of senators is asking Saudi Arabia to end its oil price war with Russia and stop flooding the international market.Thirteen Republican senators signed a letter sent to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday. The lawmakers argue that Saudi oil production is harming the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. "As the United States and the rest of the world - including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - are dealing with COVID-19 pandemic response, mitigation and prevention effort… Continue Reading


03.15.20

KVRR: US Senate Passes Savanna’s Act

by Kendra Johnson

Work continues on capitol hill this morning to finally get Savanna's Act passed through Congress. The bill named for Savanna Greywind, the 22-year-old Fargo woman who was killed for her unborn baby, has passed both the Senate and the House Judiciary Committee. Greywind was a member of the Spirit Lake Tribe. Savanna's Act would require the Justice Department to develop protocols to address missing and murdered Native Americans, including information sharing and training for law enforcement. I… Continue Reading


03.15.20

KYUK: Bethel Resident Becky Trimble Faces Deportation, But Gets Help From Neighbors

by Greg Kim

A Bethel resident is facing deportation. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has ordered Becky Trimble to leave the country by this Saturday, March 14, but Trimble has lived in this country since she was three days old. She didn't know she wasn't a U.S. citizen until she was 22. She shared how she's feeling, and what she plans to do. On Feb. 10, Trimble received a letter with the potential to upend her and her family's life. "My husband opened it up first. His face just kind… Continue Reading


03.15.20

Real Clear Energy: For Energy and Climate, Don’t Forget About One of America's Most Important Resources

by Lynn Abramson, Bill Easter, and Sue Easter

The topic of climate change - and what we can do about it - rightly dominates public discourse today as a central issue no party or business leader can ignore. Exit polls in New Hampshire last month showed 25% of Democratic voters in the state valued climate change as their top issue; other polls confirmed similar sentiments among primary voters in Iowa and Nevada. Reflective of the times, Republicans have also demonstrated real interest in advancing various climate-related bills as key voting b… Continue Reading


03.14.20

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Updates on COVID-19: Anchorage case, congressional delegation, Legislative action

by Erin McGroarty

This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (yellow)-also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19-isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. Here are updates from health officials, local agencies and organizations, the Legislature and other groups with updates on the state's response to COVID-19. Anchorage Case The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities released more information about the … Continue Reading


03.13.20

The Hill: Senate confirms Trump pick for energy commission seat

by Rachel Frazin

The chamber voted 52-40 to confirm President Trump's pick for a Republican seat on the commission that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. "Mr. Danly has an impressive academic and professional background," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who spoke in the chamber in favor of the nomination. "This is the type of individual who knows his stuff, has a great grasp and a keen understanding of these energy related matters." Danly's nomination was somewhat… Continue Reading


03.12.20

Yakima Herald: Savanna's Act to address missing, murdered indigenous women clears hurdles in Congress

Legislation to combat the epidemic of murdered and missing indigenous women cleared two big hurdles in Congress on Wednesday. Members of the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Savanna's Act, sending it to the full House of Representatives on Wednesday. The Senate's version of the bill was approved by the full Senate in the afternoon. Among other steps, the legislation would improve data collection and information sharing, standardize law enforcement protocols for responding to case… Continue Reading


03.12.20

KINY: Murkowski’s legislation on missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous people passes Senate

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski today applauded the unanimous Senate passage of two of her bills to address the crisis of missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous women. The bills, Savanna's Act and Not Invisible Act, are both led by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Catherine Cortez Masto and aim to combat the epidemic by improving the federal government's response through increased coordination, development of best practices, and creation of an advisory committee on violent crime. "The rates of … Continue Reading


03.09.20

Daily Energy Insider: Alaska LNG Project moves forward with final environmental impact study from FERC

by Chris Galford

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) published its final environmental impact study (EIS) for the 800 mile Alaska LNG Project this week, earning cheers from proponents at the opportunity to move forward. "This is a key step forward for Alaska LNG and a significant milestone for the project," U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said. "This final EIS is the culmination of years of research, analysis, and public process. I thank all of the staff at FERC who worked diligently to complete th… Continue Reading


03.09.20

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Coronavirus testing increases in Alaska, no confirmed cases yet

by Erin McGroarty

There are still no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Alaska, according to Gov. Mike Dunleavy who met with state health officials and reporters Monday morning. But the state is ramping up its testing as cases increase around the world. "We have seen a steady increase in testing even over the weekend," said State Chief Medical Officer Anne Zink. "We should expect more cases. We don't have any right now but we should expect more." As of Monday morning, 23 people in Alaska had been teste… Continue Reading


03.06.20

Microgrid Knowledge: US Senate Debates Energy Bill that Could Affect Microgrid Development

by Ethan Howland

The US Senate is debating broad-based energy legislation that could affect microgrid development, partly through funding for energy storage and renewable energy programs. The American Energy Innovation Act was introduced in late February by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., after a year of hearings on scores of energy bills. The bill (S. 2657) contains provisions from about 50 bills that were considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the last yea… Continue Reading


03.06.20

The Epoch Times: US Senators Introduce Legislation To Monitor China’s Overseas Mineral Investments

by Frank Fang

Two U.S. senators on March 5 introduced legislation drawing attention to China's plans to dominate rare earth supplies in other countries through its "One Belt, One Road" foreign policy initiative. Rare earths are a group of minerals used to manufacture a range of consumer products and military technologies, including smartphones, electric vehicles, satellites, missiles, and semiconductor chips that power all electronic products. Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.… Continue Reading


03.05.20

Inside Sources: Wave of Murdered Native American Women Demands a National Response

by Judy Perry Martinez

There is a horrific crime wave going on across the United States, but you probably won't read about it in your newspaper or see it on the national TV news. Indigenous women - Native Americans and Alaska natives - are being kidnapped and murdered in alarming numbers. A bipartisan group of three U.S. senators called it a crisis last year. U.S. Attorney General William Barr said it is unacceptable. And yet no one knows the true extent of the crisis because no one keeps reliable data on it - not t… Continue Reading


03.05.20

The Epoch Times: Bipartisan Energy Bill: Innovation Key to US Energy Superpower Status

by Alan McDonnell

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly on Monday to take up the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA)-a bipartisan bill that proponents say will comprehensively update the nation's energy regulations. According to the Department of Energy, the bill "will modernize domestic energy laws to ensure the United States remains a global energy leader while also strengthening national security, increasing our international competitiveness, and investing in clean energy technologies." The AEIA (pdf) was in… Continue Reading


03.04.20

S&P Global: US Senate panel again moves FERC nominee, amid debate over partisanship

by Maya Weber

The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 12-8 to support the nomination of James Danly to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, amid continued complaints from Democrats about the White House's failure to pair him with a nominee from the minority side. Advancing the nomination of Danly, who is currently FERC's general counsel, to become a commissioner, would help ensure a quorum needed for major decisions by the key energy market regulator. The five-member commission is… Continue Reading

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