Articles & Op-eds
The Trumpet: China Controls, Weaponizes Rare Earth Minerals
by Andrew Miller
China has a contingency plan to undermine the United States military by cutting off the natural resources critical to America's defense. There are 16 strategically critical metals necessary for manufacturing nearly all high-tech products, from smartphones to guided missiles. These scarce metals are called rare earth minerals. China seeks to control the global supply of rare earth minerals so it has the ability to sabotage America's military in the future. Three U.S. senators have introduced leg… Continue Reading
04.19.19
KTVF: Alaska senators set on King Cove road despite federal ruling
by Peter Zampa
Alaska's senators say they won't give up the fight for King Cove. After a federal judge blocked the Trump Administration's plan to create a roadway to the isolated community in March, the Alaska delegation on Capitol Hill says it is simply a legal speed bump. Neither side of the debate appears willing to budge. Following the ruling from an Alaska District Court judge, the Trump administration's attempt to hand federally protected land over to the King Cove Corporation hit a red light. The deal … Continue Reading
04.17.19
E&E News: Democrat: Murdered women 'an environmental injustice'
by Kellie Lunney
The "silent crisis" of missing and murdered indigenous women is an environmental issue affected by the boom and bust of oil and gas development in this country, a New Mexico Democrat said yesterday. "It's an environmental injustice," said freshman Rep. Deb Haaland, one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. Haaland's brief comments on the topic came during a Natural Resources subcommittee field hearing in Santa Fe, N.M., on the impact of oil and gas development on the envi… Continue Reading
04.17.19
Daily Energy Insider: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds hearing on renewable technologies
by Dave Kovaleski
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing last week on opportunities for innovative energy solutions to reduce domestic and global greenhouse gas emissions. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who chairs the committee, noted that emissions have declined substantially in the last decade for a variety of reasons - including flat demand growth, low cost natural gas, and the declining costs of renewable technologies. "The opportunity we have in front of us is to foster an in… Continue Reading
04.17.19
KTOO: Murkowski calls for many ‘silver bullets’ to tackle climate change
by Krysti Shallenberger
Sen. Lisa Murkowski made an unexpected visit to Bethel Saturday on her way to Eek. Murkowski had hoped to check out Eek's new running water and a tiny home project, but she got weathered out. Instead, she joined Bethel residents in celebrating the annual Kuskokwim River breakup, which was the earliest on record. Though people shared hot dogs and experienced live music and Yuraq dance, the river's early breakup was another example of climate change taking a toll on the region. "It is a reality… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Connecting Vets: These WWII veterans could get $25,000 each if bill passes
by Abbie Bennett
There are about 4,000 World War II merchant mariners still alive today and a bill in the United States House would allot $25,000 to each eligible mariner in recognition of their service. A separate bill has already been sent to committee in both the House and Senate that would award the WWII merchant mariners the Congressional Gold Medal. The House's "Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2019," would establish a "Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund" to provide benefits to "certain i… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Utility Drive: DOE to spend additional $100M on lower emission coal plant development
by Iulia Gheorghiu
Dive Brief: The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Friday up to $100 million will be invested in research to improve the national coal-fired power plant fleet to provide power with near-zero emissions. Also in support of this initiative, the DOE's Office of Fossil Energy announced 13 projects that received $1.95 million in funding as part of a request for proposal issued in December for power plants with reduced emissions, increased efficiency, smaller sizes and flexibility to meet the … Continue Reading
04.15.19
Forbes: Attorney General Barr Favors A More Lenient Approach To Cannabis Prohibition
by Sara Brittany Somerset
Attorney General William Barr testified during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on April 10, that he favors a more lenient, albeit federalist, approach to marijuana laws. He prefers for cannabis to be legalized nationwide rather than let states continue to fly in the face of federal prohibition. During the Justice Department's fiscal year 2020 budget request meeting, Barr was asked to clarify the federal government's role in enforcing drug laws in states that have legalized medical and adu… Continue Reading
04.14.19
Anchorage Daily News: Op-Ed: An opportunity for nuclear energy in Alaska
by Lisa Murkowski
The United States has long been a leader in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and within a few years Alaska could be on the leading edge of this clean, reliable and affordable technology. The next generation of nuclear systems - known as advanced reactors - could help relieve crippling energy prices in isolated villages and provide baseload power for an array of other applications. What's more, the technology is safer than ever before. Advanced reactors are not your grandparents' nuclear plan… Continue Reading
04.12.19
KFRY TV: Concert to raise awareness for MMIW at Minot State
by Jack Springgate
The topic of missing and murdered indigenous women isn't specific to North Dakota, but it does have a strong connection here. Last summer, the body of Olivia Lone Bear was found in Lake Sakakawea after months of searching. Savanna Greywind's murder in 2017 prompted North Dakota and U.S. lawmakers to push for better standards during investigations on crimes against indigenous women. Still, some say the issue is often overlooked. Next week, the Minot State Concert choir will perform a concert … Continue Reading
04.12.19
New York Times: Native American Women Are Facing a Crisis
by Maya Salam
"It's long past time the topic of missing and murdered indigenous women received this type of national attention." - Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska Native American women and girls are facing an epidemic of violence that is hiding in plain sight. They are being killed or trafficked at rates far higher than the rest of the U.S. population (on some reservations, women are 10 times as likely to be murdered as the national average, according to the Justice Department). Some simply dis… Continue Reading
04.12.19
KTVA: Murkowski, Sullivan co-sponsor Arctic shipping, policy bills
by Chris Klint
Alaska's U.S. senators are backing a pair of bills meant to establish a system of Arctic icebreakers and deep-water ports, as well as increase the state's influence in U.S. policy decisions regarding the increasingly strategic region. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan introduced the Shipping and Environmental Arctic Leadership (SEAL) Act as well as the Arctic Policy Act on Thursday, according to a statement from Murkowski's office. The SEAL Act is co-sponsored by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, wh… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Roll Call: Democrats and Republicans embrace MLK’s once-controversial diatribe against ‘moderation’
by Clyde McGrady
Regulators warn Congress not to pre-empt state fintech rules The queen of the online clapback imparts wisdom to her elders We've peered into the void of Beto's mouth. Now what? A bipartisan group of senators led by Alabama Democrat Doug Jones on Tuesday took to the Senate floor to read Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail," commemorating the anniversary of the slain civil rights legend's famous jeremiad, and showing just how far public opinion has shifted on the once-controversi… Continue Reading
04.11.19
KTVA: Murkowski, Young reintroduce coastal mapping initiative
Two of Alaska's three congressional members are among lawmakers bringing a long-sought bill to improve mapping of the nation's shorelines back before Congress. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young introduced the Digital Coast Act Tuesday, along with Democratic co-sponsors Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland. The act would authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to begin a full mapping project of the nation's 95,000 miles of shore… Continue Reading
04.11.19
KTUU: Attorney General says he'll visit Alaska to see rural justice needs in person
by Kristen Durand
U.S. Attorney General William Barr appeared before a Senate Appropriations Sub-committee Wednesday, on day two of a 2020 budget request hearing. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski asked Barr where he stands on several issues pertinent to Alaska, and the Attorney General said he's already planning a trip to The Last Frontier to see the issues himself. Murkowski called on Barr to work with her on issues pertaining to stronger protection for Alaska Native villages, specifically dealing with sexual assault… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Juneau Empire: March and rally ends the silence
by Ben Hohenstatt
Drum beats echoing off the buildings on Willoughby Avenue added thunder to a drizzly evening. As the Violence Against Women Awareness March and Rally made its way from Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall to Sealaska Plaza Tuesday, members of Woosh.ji.een Dance Group announced the crowd of more than one hundred's presence with percussion and leading the group in "The Loon Song." "I think that just having a little girl myself, I want to make sure that our community and our country as a whole is a safe pl… Continue Reading
04.10.19
USA Today: Emotional reading of Martin Luther King Jr. letter brings rare bipartisan bonding in Senate
by Deborah Barfield Barry
In front of a rapt audience, including the eldest son of Martin Luther King, Jr., Democratic and Republican senators took turns Tuesday reading the "Letter from Birmingham Jail,'' the slain civil rights leader's call to action more than 50 years ago. At one point, Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat from Alabama, teared up as he read excerpts of King's letter. "To say them out loud and to listen to other people say them especially on the floor of the United States Senate was incredibly powerful, incre… Continue Reading
04.10.19
CNN: Why do so many Native American women go missing? Congress aiming to find out
by Scott McLean and Sara Weisfeldt
Moments after Alyssa McLemore called 911 and asked for help on April 9, 2009, the line went dead. Authorities were unable to trace the exact call location and never reached her. Police in the Seattle suburb of Kent showed up at the 21-year-old's door to see if she was there. She wasn't. Days later McLemore missed her own mother's funeral, and she's missed every family gathering since. McLemore, who would be 31 today, is one of the thousands of Native American women who go missing or are victims… Continue Reading
04.09.19
Wildfire Today: Forest Service Chief Christiansen testifies about harassment within the agency
by Bill Gabbert
Senator: "Making sure we have good policies in place doesn't make a difference on the ground unless and until that culture is changed." Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen testified April 9, 2019 before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today the only witness, Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, was there to defend and answer questions about the administration's proposed budget for the agency in the … Continue Reading
04.08.19
Capitol Public Radio: Bipartisan Bill Would Give Millions To Local Governments To Fight Homelessness
by Rich Ibarra
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is pushing a bill to award local governments $750 million a year for the next five years to combat homelessness. The Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act, introduced last week by Sens. Feinstein and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), has bipartisan support. More than 550,000 people are homeless in the United States today, and 25 percent of them are in California, according to the Department of Ho… Continue Reading
