Articles & Op-eds
Fairbanks Daily News Miner: Judge orders closure of Southeast troll fishery to protect orcas
by Jack Barnwell
A Washington state-based federal judge ordered a closure of Southwest Alaska's troll fishery for the summer after voiding an environmental review that authorized the fishing activity. Judge Richard Jones sided Tuesday with the Washington-based nonprofit Wild Fish Conservancy, who filed a lawsuit in order to protect orcas on the coast of Lower 48 states and British Columbia. In his two-page order, Jones ordered the troll fishery closed pending a review of the 2019 Southeast Alaska Biological … Continue Reading
05.04.23
Cordova Times: Bruce’s Law reintroduced to combat fentanyl crisis
by Cordova Times
Bruce's Law, legislation to raise federal prevention and education efforts surrounding the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK and Dianne Feinstein, D-CA. Senators Dan Sullivan, R-AK, Maggie Hassan, D-NH, and Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, are the original co-sponsors of the legislation, which is named after Robert "Bruce" Snodgrass, a 22-year-old Alaskan who died in 2021 from fentanyl poisoning. Murkowski said that the fentanyl cris… Continue Reading
05.03.23
Alaska Public Media: Murkowski says Supreme Court should live by an ethics code of its own making
by Liz Ruskin
A partisan slugfest broke out at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, when the panel met to consider an ethics code for the Supreme Court. "Last month we learned about a justice who for years has accepted lavish trips and real estate purchases worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from a billionaire with interests before the court," chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in his opening statement. Republicans accused Democrats of ulterior motives. "Very directly, this is a poli… Continue Reading
05.03.23
Fox News: OPINION: Americans don't trust the Supreme Court, but this helps the justices help themselves
by Sen. Angus King, Lisa Murkowski
A healthy democracy requires trust: trust in leaders, trust in public institutions, and trust in systems. As our founders warned in the Federalist Papers, preserving America's historically-rare democracy starts with citizens having faith in their government. But this trust is waning, and our fragile system is facing a crisis of confidence. Unfortunately, this erosion of faith over the years includes public views of the Supreme Court, resulting in all-time low confidence levels in this vital in… Continue Reading
05.02.23
Must Read Alaska: Murkowski introduces code of conduct bill for Supreme Court
by Suzanne Downing
Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Angus King of Maine have introduced the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, requiring the Supreme Court to establish a code of conduct that would follow the same ethics guidelines as other federal judges. The proposed bill would mandate that the Supreme Court create a code of conduct within one year from the date of enactment and appoint an official to handle any complaints of violations of the code. The official would accept information or complaints from the publi… Continue Reading
05.01.23
Your Alaska Link: Bruce's Law, named for late Alaskan, aims to tackle Fentanyl crisis in U.S.
by La’shawn Donelson
ANCHORAGE (Your Alaska Link) - Bruce's Law is a measure named after an Alaskan, Robert Bruce Snodgrass, who lost his life at the age of 22 to fentanyl poisoning. U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dianne Feinstein have reintroduced Bruce's Law into legislation to help federal efforts and increase education about the dangers of Fentanyl. "Bruce's Law is all about education. Bruce's Law is all about letting people know how how truly lethal fentanyl is, that it can poison you. And it is not it is n… Continue Reading
04.30.23
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska’s U.S. senators press museums and universities to repatriate Indigenous remains
by Riley Rogerson
WASHINGTON - Alaska Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan signed letters to five museums and universities urging them repatriate Indigenous remains in their collections. The letters, signed by a bipartisan group of 13 senators, call on the University of California Berkeley; Harvard University; Illinois State Museum; Indiana University; and the Ohio History Connection to comply with the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act. The 1990 federal law mandates that museums receivin… Continue Reading
04.28.23
Cordova Times: Legislation would aid reuniting Filipino veterans with their children
by Cordova Times
A bipartisan congressional group has reintroduced the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act, the legislation would speed up the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans. The legislation was introduced in Congress on Tuesday by Senators Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mazie K. Hirono, D-HI, and Representatives Ed Case, D-HI, and Jen Kiggans, R-VA. "To express our gratitude to the brave Filipino servicemembers who fought for our nation in World War II, we should do what i… Continue Reading
04.27.23
Frontiersman: Senators Sullivan and Murkowski introduce Fish Act to combat illegal foreign seafood harvest
by Katie Stavick
Last week, Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, along with Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, and Roger Wicker representing Mississippi introduced the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest, also known as the FISH Act, legislation to combat foreign illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by blacklisting offending vessels from U.S. ports and waters, bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard's enforcement capabilities, and advancing international and bilateral negot… Continue Reading
04.26.23
Wall Street Journal: Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Mandating Code of Ethics for Supreme Court
by Lindsay Wise and Jess Bravin
WASHINGTON-Sens. Angus King (I., Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) will introduce a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would require the U.S. Supreme Court to create its own code of conduct within a year, following media reports that raise questions about whether Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch properly disclosed their financial activities. "It's pitiful that we're having to introduce this bill-it's pathetic that the Supreme Court hasn't done this itself," Mr. King said. The s… Continue Reading
04.26.23
Anchorage Daily News: Murkowski introduces bill to mandate Supreme Court code of conduct
by Riley Rogerson
WASHINGTON - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced a bill Wednesday that would mandate the Supreme Court to issue a code of conduct, as pressure mounts on the high court to address ethics questions. The Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, which Murkowski, a Republican, introduced with Maine independent Sen. Angus King, seeks to promote accountability and transparency in the court. The measure requires the Supreme Court to create a code of conduct within a year of enactment and designate an of… Continue Reading
04.25.23
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Murkowski re-introduces Bruce's Law to address fentanyl crisis
by Staff Report
Sen. Lisa Murkowski re-introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate last week in an effort to bolster federal response and prevention measures to a national fentanyl crisis that has hit Alaska particularly hard. The proposed legislation, Bruce's Law, originated from a grassroots effort launched by Anchorage resident Sandy Snodgrass following the death of her 22-year-old son, Robert "Bruce" Snodgrass, in October 2021 due to fentanyl poisoning. Snodgrass, who launched the nonprofit group AK Fentan… Continue Reading
04.20.23
Alaska Beacon: After visit to Ukraine, Murkowski says she is confident that Russia will lose war
by James Brooks
After a four-day trip to Ukraine and Eastern Europe last week that included a visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she is confident that Ukraine will win its 13-month-old war against Russia. "I think that Ukraine will win because Ukraine must win. I am very concerned that if Putin finds success in Ukraine, he will not stop at Ukraine," she said, reiterating that the United States should continue aiding Ukraine in its defense against the Russian in… Continue Reading
04.20.23
GrayTV: Bipartisan effort reignited to expand medical access to rural communities
by Josh Rultenberg
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - According to a recent study, nearly 30 percent of rural hospitals are in danger of closing. Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to do something to tackle the issue. Carrie Cochran-McClain, chief policy officer with the National Rural Health Association, said rural America has longstanding challenges with access to health care providers and the COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse. "Coming out of the pandemic, we really need to make sure that we have a robu… Continue Reading
04.19.23
KINY: Murkowski presents VFW Flag to “BLAMbulance” volunteers; honors Alaskan-Ukrainian Solidarity
by KINY
Kyiv, Ukraine (KINY) - During a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, Murkowski presented a VFW flag to volunteers operating the "BLAMbulance," which has been delivering military support and humanitarian aid from a network of Alaskan, Ukrainian, and US donors since early Mar. 2022. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski was joined by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) on a Congressional Delegation to Ukraine. After the Senators met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Murkowski headed to St. Michael's … Continue Reading
04.16.23
Anchorage Daily News: Parents behind ‘Bree’s Law’ blocked by Dunleavy administration from adapting Alaska’s teen dating violence classes for nationwide use
by Sean Maguire
JUNEAU - An effort by the parents behind "Bree's Law" to adapt the state of Alaska's teen dating violence curriculum for nationwide use has hit a roadblock after the Dunleavy administration this month declined to grant a copyright release. Butch and Cindy Moore are the parents of Breanna "Bree" Moore, their youngest daughter, who was murdered in 2014 by her boyfriend. The Moore family was unaware that their daughter was in a violent relationship before she was killed. In 2018, after a yearsl… Continue Reading
04.12.23
Anchorage Daily News: In Kyiv visit, Sen. Murkowski calls for bipartisan backing of Ukraine
by Riley Rogerson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, traveling to Kyiv with other senators to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, called for united support of the Ukrainian war effort. Though Murkowski's trip is one of several that members of Congress have taken to Ukraine since Russia's invasion, it comes as some Republicans' support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine has declined. Prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis… Continue Reading
04.12.23
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Sen. Murkowski visits Ukraine
by Staff Report
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), are in Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The congressional delegation met with Ukrainian leaders on a variety of topics, including military readiness, energy security, accountability of foreign assistance, and the rebuild of Ukraine. They were also joined by UNITED24 Ambassador, West Virginia native and country music artist Brad Paisley. "For more than a year, the people of Ukraine have stood agains… Continue Reading
04.12.23
Murkowski travels to Ukraine, meets briefly with Zelenskyy to investigate American spending
by James Brooks
Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday became the first member of Alaska's congressional delegation to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion of that country 14 months ago. The Alaska Republican joined two Democrats - Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona - on an oversight trip. "We are here, somewhat in an oversight role. The United States has contributed significantly to the effort on behalf of the people of Ukraine," she said. "The United States' commitment is an … Continue Reading
04.11.23
KYUK: During Bethel visit, Murkowski talks about rural Alaska and how she plans to address issues in D.C.
by Francisco Martínezcuello
Sen. Lisa Murkowski recently wrapped up a state tour to meet with Alaskans. She spent time working in Anchorage, including representing the U.S. Senate at the annual Arctic Encounter Symposium, and Whittier, where she hosted Arctic dignitaries. She also took her first trip to Mekoryuk after going to Bethel. "I haven't been back in probably about six months or so now. I was scheduled to be here in early November. And Bethel had a storm that day," she said. She stopped by KYUK to talk about is… Continue Reading
