Articles & Op-eds

09.18.18

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: LETTER: Murkowski for teen health

by Leena Robinson

Letter to the editor: I would like to personally thank Sen. Lisa Murkowski for standing up to stop tobacco companies from targeting kids like me with candy-flavored products. Last month, she and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin introduced a bill that would place strong restrictions on electronic cigarette and cigar flavors. As I told Sen. Murkowski when I visited her Washington, D.C., office in July, it's not surprising how quickly Juul and other e-cigarettes have caught on at my high school in Nenana… Continue Reading


09.17.18

Washington Examiner: Op-Ed: Lisa Murkowski: The case for advanced nuclear reactors

by Senator Lisa Murkowski

It was a warm summer night in 1955 when the lights turned on in Arco, Idaho - the first successful use of peaceful nuclear power. From this groundbreaking moment, our nation became the global industry leader - building impressive plants across the country and around the world while setting international standards for safety, security, and nonproliferation. As recently as a few years ago, a total of 104 nuclear reactors were safely generating clean electricity in the United States, with plans fo… Continue Reading


09.12.18

Must Read Alaska: Patriot Day, a National Day of Service and Remembrance

by Suzanne Downing

Flags are lowered today in honor of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed on Sept. 11, 2001 in four coordinated terrorist attacks. In Alaska, today is known as Patriot Day. "The tragic events of September 11, 2001 are seared into our collective memory," Gov. Bill Walker said in a statement. "I hope Alaskans will join me tomorrow in observing a moment of silence to reflect on the souls taken from us that day, and the first responders who put themselves in danger to run to the aid of others. Se… Continue Reading


09.11.18

KDLG: NPS dedicates Lake Clark wilderness area to Gov. Jay S. Hammond

by Isabelle Ross

Three generations of the Hammond family were present at Thursday's ceremony dedicating the Jay S. Hammond Wilderness Area. The NPS presented former First Lady of Alaska Bella Hammond with a map bearing the area's new title. Governor Hammond passed away in 2005. "It is rare to name a wilderness area after any one individual," said park superintendent Susanne Fleek-Green. "It really exemplifies the stature of Governor Hammond and what he's meant to Alaska's public servants and the conservation et… Continue Reading


09.10.18

Daily Energy Insider: Bill seeks to boost nuclear innovation, reliability

by Douglas Clark

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced last week a measure designed to boost nuclear energy innovation while ensuring advanced reactors provide clean, safe, affordable and reliable power. The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA) seeks to help re-establish leadership in nuclear energy by launching public-private partnerships between the federal government, leading research institutions and the best industry innovators. NELA was introduced by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), J… Continue Reading


09.09.18

KTVA: State insurance director recognized nationally

by Liz Raines

The director of the state's Division of Insurance is the recipient of the 2018 Bipartisan Health Policy Leadership Award. Lori Wing-Heier worked closely with the State House and Senate to establish the Alaska Reinsurance Program in 2017 -- which has reduced rates in the individual healthcare market by more than 25-percent, according to a press release by Gov. Bill Walker's office last month. In a Friday statement, Sen. Lisa Murkowski highlighted Wing-Heier's 39 years of experience in the insur… Continue Reading


09.08.18

One American News Network: Bipartisan bill allows military to purchase nuclear energy

Lawmakers are reaching across the aisle to save nuclear energy. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and her Democrat counterpart Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced a bill on Capitol Hill Thursday to help the struggling energy. The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act would allow the military to purchase power from commercial nuclear reactors. While lawmakers admit the Pentagon may have to pay above market rates, the money will reportedly go toward making nuclear energy more sustainable. M… Continue Reading


09.07.18

KTVA: Murkowski shares concerns over seafood tariffs

by Angela Krenzien

At a hearing on Capitol Hill, Sen. Lisa Murkowski expressed concerns Alaskans have about potentially wide-ranging Chinese tariffs on the seafood industry. She's concerned about how the tariffs will affect Alaska's trade relationship with China that, until recently, has been positive. And the stakes are high; the amount of seafood exported is not insignificant. "Of our salmon exports, 40 percent of those exports went to China. For cod, 54 percent of our exports went to China," Murkowski said. "… Continue Reading


09.06.18

Nome Nugget: Senator Murkowski brings field hearing to Savoonga

by James Mason

Senator Lisa Murkowski chaired a field hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in Savoonga last Saturday to hear about inadequate housing, overcrowding and homelessness and the complications resulting from these problems. In the session, which began with the bang of her gavel, she heard from a panel of six who are directly involved in providing housing or dealing with the issues which are created by the housing shortage. Savoonga is one of two villages located on St. Lawrence Island. Th… Continue Reading


09.06.18

KTUU: VIDEO: Sen. Murkowski pays tribute to Sen. John McCain in floor speech

by Leroy Polk

Sen. Lisa Murkowski took to the Senate floor on Tuesday, to pay tribute to the late Sen. John McCain, who died last month from brain cancer. In the floor speech, Murkowski highlighted the qualities she felt made McCain's legacy stand for itself. "John McCain was a beloved colleague. He was a patriot. He was truly an American hero," Murkowski said. "He had remarkable intellect. He had an iron will most certainly. His unquestionable integrity. Courage that was absolutely unwavering." Murkowski,… Continue Reading


09.05.18

KSTP: Feds, state lawmakers propose new ways to help Native women

Federal and state lawmakers have proposed or adopted a series of measures designed to address the problem of missing and murdered Native American women and related issues, such as human trafficking, domestic violence and rape. Among them: FROM CAPITOL HILL - Savanna's Act : The legislation, introduced last fall by North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, seeks to expand tribal access to some federal crime databases and establish protocols for handling cases of missing and murdered Native Americans. I… Continue Reading


09.02.18

KTUU: The economy of sunshine: Solar boom in Alaska proves prosperous

by Beth Verge

If you write the checks and swipe the cards to stay warm and keep the lights on in the winter, you know that energy in Alaska can be pricey. However, the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development - along with the University of Alaska Anchorage Business Enterprise Institute - reports that while Alaska has the highest per capita energy expenditures of any state, renewable technologies that are uneconomical in the Lower 48 can and often do make financial sense in the Last Frontier. Sola… Continue Reading


08.29.18

Alaska Public Media: Community health aides: Alaska’s unique solution for rural health care

by Anne Hillman

Fifty years ago, Alaska had a really big problem. It was hard to get medical care in small, rural communities. If someone was injured or if there was a tuberculosis outbreak, there was no one to turn to. To solve the problem, the Indian Health Service worked with local governments and Congress to create the Community Health Aide Program. Arelene Soxie was one of the first health aides in the country, and taking the position in her home village of Wales was not an easy decision. "I had to think… Continue Reading


08.29.18

Juneau Empire: Paper is past: Digital charts on the horizon for NOAA

by Kevin Gullufsen

The tan and blue paper nautical charts that line wheelhouses and galleys on Alaska ships will soon be a relic of the past. In an effort to increase automation and adapt to digital navigation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is rebuilding its chart products for digital use, said Rear Admiral Shep Smith, Director of the Office of Coast Survey. The effort will take about 10 years and allow for more seamless navigation, and a larger level of detail, Smith said. "The paper char… Continue Reading


08.29.18

Peninsula Clarion: Alaska’s Congressional delegation steps up for Alzheimer’s

by Cindy Harris

There are over 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's Disease including 7,500 here in Alaska and more than 16 million American caring for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia including 33,000 here in Alaska. I'm grateful that senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Rep. Young have taken decisive action in the fight against Alzheimer's by cosponsoring the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act. This legislation would create an Alzheimer's public health … Continue Reading


08.27.18

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: More military dollars coming Alaska’s way

The U.S. Senate approved two major federal funding packages August 23 including a federal Fiscal Year 2019 budget that contains provisions important to Alaska military bases along with a pay raise for armed services personnel. The funding measure was approved by a vote of 85-7, said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which had earlier approved the measure. More inside The bill, H.R. 6157, now goes to a conference committee where differenced wit… Continue Reading


08.27.18

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: More military dollars coming Alaska’s way

The U.S. Senate approved two major federal funding packages August 23 including a federal Fiscal Year 2019 budget that contains provisions important to Alaska military bases along with a pay raise for armed services personnel. The funding measure was approved by a vote of 85-7, said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which had earlier approved the measure. More inside The bill, H.R. 6157, now goes to a conference committee where differenced wit… Continue Reading


08.21.18

KTVF: Chena Hot Springs Showcased First Electric Car Charging Stations

by Sara Tewksbury

Fairbanks, Alaska Renewable energy was celebrated at the 13th Annual 'Renewable Energy Fair' at Chena Hot Springs Sunday. "Chena Hot springs is the new electrical car plug-in destination," said Bernie Karl, co-owner of Chena Hot Springs. Two electric car owners made their way to the event and were the first to use the new charging stations. "Pretty sweet, yeah, we charged here last night, were able to charge on geothermal energy and in six hours, I got enough to drive back to Denali Park," sa… Continue Reading


08.18.18

Anchorage Daily News: Op-Ed: Sexual assault survivors deserve better care

by Senator Lisa Murkowski

Stories such as Jane's keep me up at night. The loss and despair that accompanies a survivor's trauma makes my stomach churn. The first of many times that Jane's sense of safety and familiarity was taken away from her was at age 13, when she was sexually assaulted. Jane grew up in a small, beautiful village off the road system. The village of just over 250 people, similar in size to more than a hundred communities across rural Alaska. For Jane, it began one night while she was sleeping. A dru… Continue Reading


08.17.18

Anchorage Daily News: New state-federal effort, endorsed by Murkowski, is aimed at curbing destructive wildfires

by Erica Martinson

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday to announce a plan for collaboration between states and the U.S. Forest Service that they hope will help prevent devastating wildfires across the West. Alaska has not had a particularly notable year for fires, but massive fires continue to rage across the western United States. "I flew through Seattle yesterday. … You could taste the smoke in the air and you could see it all throughout not only in Seattle,… Continue Reading

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