Press Releases
Media Requests: Members of the media can contact the press office by emailing Joseph_Plesha@murkowski.senate.gov or by calling 206-302-8317 and asking for the press office.
Alaska Delegation Welcomes Interior Process to Rescind Unlawful NPR-A Rule
Anchorage, Alaska — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement from the Department of the Interior (DOI) that it will initiate a public process to rescind an unlawful 2024 rule that restricts responsible oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). DOI made the announcement after officials conducted “a thorough legal and policy review” that determined the 2024 rule “exceeds [the Bureau o… Continue Reading
05.22.25
Murkowski Highlights Opportunities, Challenges with Interior Budget Request
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, hosted the Secretary of the Interior in subcommittee to discuss the Department’s budget request. The Senator reinforced her appreciation for the administration’s approach to resource development in Alaska, while also addressing staffing concerns, public land sales, and other avenues of potential for the department. Watch the Senator’s op… Continue Reading
05.15.25
Murkowski Reinforces Alaska Health Priorities to HHS Secretary
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) engaged with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss the reorganization of HHS programs that assist vulnerable Alaskans including Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Head Start, and community-based programs that support survivors of domestic violence. Watch Senator Murkowski’s opening statement here. Read the Senator’s transc… Continue Reading
05.15.25
Murkowski to EPA: “Let me help you”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, hosted the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in subcommittee to discuss the agency’s budget request. The Senator and Administrator Lee Zeldin discussed how the subcommittee can best serve the agency’s mission of providing clean air, water, and land for all Americans, while the Administrator committed to fostering a better working… Continue Reading
05.09.25
Murkowski Working with FBI Director to Address MMIWG and Fentanyl in Alaska
Washington, DC - During a U.S. Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing this week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured commitments from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to work with her on critical public safety issues for Alaska. As Alaska struggles with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls cases and fentanyl-related deaths, Director Kash Patel pledged to make Alaska a priority as the Bureau addresses… Continue Reading
05.09.25
Murkowski Presses DOE, DOI Nominees on Alaska Priorities
Washington, DC - This week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of William Doffermyre to be Solicitor at the Department of the Interior, Kyle Haustveit to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), and Catherine Jereza to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Electricity). U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), former Chairman of the committee, pressed the nominees on carbon capture projects on Alaska’s North Slope, the need to… Continue Reading
05.09.25
Murkowski Engages with DHS Secretary Noem on Temporary Protected Status
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) engaged with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on a number of important issues to Alaska during a Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. The Senator spoke up for those in Alaska under temporary protected status and humanitarian parole, and impressed upon Secretary Kristi Noem the importance of prompt processing of applications for humanitarian parole and temporary protected status. Click here to wa… Continue Reading
05.08.25
Senator Murkowski Reiterates Her Support for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC - In an opinion piece published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner this morning, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reiterated her support for public broadcasting as the administration proposes to cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The senator outlined the unique value that public broadcasting offers to Alaskans across the state and committed to defending the CPB’s funding through her role as a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations… Continue Reading
05.08.25
Murkowski, Cantwell Reintroduce Legislation to Reauthorize the National Landslide Preparedness Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today introduced a bill to reauthorize the National Landslide Preparedness Act, to help communities prepare for, and respond to, landslides. The bill passed the Senate late last year, but failed to pass the House of Representatives. “Many communities across Alaska are still reeling from the aftermath of recent landslides. Most recently, Ketchikan is working to stabilize roads following the Wolfe Point landslide in… Continue Reading
05.05.25
Murkowski, Luján Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Maternal and Infant Mortality Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, bipartisan legislation that addresses the maternal and infant mortality crisis by increasing the number of trained midwives in the United States. The bill would increase funding for midwifery education. “Access to quality maternal care is critical to the health and well-being of mothers and their babies. In Alaska, workforce sho… Continue Reading
05.05.25
Murkowski, Luján Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Maternal and Infant Mortality Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, bipartisan legislation that addresses the maternal and infant mortality crisis by increasing the number of trained midwives in the United States. The bill would increase funding for midwifery education. “Access to quality maternal care is critical to the health and well-being of mothers and their babies. In Alaska, workforce sho… Continue Reading
05.01.25
ICYMI: Murkowski, Schatz Reintroduce Legislation to Help Veterans with Disabilities
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Deliver for Veterans Act. This legislation expands an existing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant program to allow the funds awarded to a veteran to acquire an adapted vehicle to also be used to cover the cost of shipping the vehicle to where it’s needed. “Our veterans in rural Alaska, deserve the same access to the specialized grant programs and services that they would get if they lived elsew… Continue Reading
05.01.25
Murkowski Co-Sponsors America the Beautiful Act to Support National Parks and Public Lands
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) co-sponsored the America the Beautiful Act. This legislation that reauthorizes and strengthens the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) that was signed into law by President Trump in 2020, which bolsters staff and visitor safety initiatives and address maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands. “Alaska’s national parks are the crown jewel of NPS, with visitors traveling across the globe to take in the spaci… Continue Reading
04.30.25
Murkowski Questions Key DOI and DOE Nominees
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), former Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), today participated in a full committee hearing to consider four nominations that will have a significant impact on the nation’s policies during the Trump administration. Murkowski received important commitments from Leslie Beyer, the President’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management. Ms. Beyer, who is nominated for the position la… Continue Reading
04.30.25
Murkowski Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Support Coastal Communities
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) in introducing legislation to strengthen coastal communities and the blue economy across the U.S. The bipartisan, bicameral Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation (Ocean ROI) Act, would direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish “Ocean Innovation Clusters,” while providing grants for their establishment, operation, and … Continue Reading
04.29.25
Murkowski, Gillibrand Press Hegseth on DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressing their concern about possible Department of Defense guidance that would significantly alter, or even terminate, the Department’s sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) services. The senators noted that multiple reports have indicated that changes to SAPR may be coming, an… Continue Reading
04.17.25
Murkowski and Colleagues Urge Trump to Reinstate Collective Bargaining Rights for Federal Workers
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today urged President Donald Trump to reinstate federal workers’ collective bargaining rights after he issued an executive order to end collective bargaining at several federal agencies. The order strips more than 1,000,000 federal workers across the country of their collective bargaining rights. “The presence of collective bargaining rights has created a more sta… Continue Reading
04.10.25
Senator Murkowski Argues for Congressional Oversight of Tariffs
Washington, DC - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) made her case that Congress needs to reassert its authority - starting with oversight of levying tariffs. In light of the recent trade policies enacted by the executive branch, Senator Murkowski spoke about the role that belongs to Congress, but emphasized that institution has slowly ceded its responsibility to the executive over the last century. Click here to watch the Senator’s remarks. Below is… Continue Reading
04.10.25
Murkowski, Curtis, Tillis, and Moran Express Support for Energy Tax Credits
Washington, D.C. - In a letter last night to United States Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Curtis (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) expressed their support for maintaining a stable and predictable tax framework in the interest of promoting domestic energy development. “The United States produces some of the cleanest and most efficient energy in the world, and an all-of-the-above approach—including support for traditional and renewa… Continue Reading
04.09.25
Delegation Welcomes $25 Million FAA Investment in Alaska Aviation Safety
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed a $25 million investment in Alaska aviation safety by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the FAA’s Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI). This investment is a result of a Sullivan provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorizing $25 million annually for DYAASI from FY 2025 through 2028. The initiative was established by the FAA in respon… Continue Reading
