Press Releases
Media Requests: Members of the media can contact the press office by emailing karina_borger@murkowski.senate.gov or by calling 202-224-6665 and asking for the press office.
Tester, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to End Unfair Offset of Military Retiree Pay and Disability Benefits for Veterans
U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to end the unfair offset of retirement pay and disability benefits for nearly 400,000 military retirees. Under current law, thousands of veterans who receive military pay from the Department of Defense take a dollar-for-dollar pay reduction for any disability compensation they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Senators' bipartisan Retired Pay Restoration Act would elimina… Continue Reading
04.16.21
Delegation tells Interior Department to Leave Politics out of Land Management Decisions
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young call on the Department of the Interior to fulfill its promises to Alaska and Alaska Natives after the Department's announcement that it will impose a two-year stay in the implementation of several new Public Land Orders (PLOs) in Alaska, despite the PLOs already being signed. These PLOs would have lifted withdrawal restrictions on 28 million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that have been in place for nearly a hal… Continue Reading
04.16.21
Gillibrand, Murkowski Announce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Summer Meal Program
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced S.1170, the Summer Meals Act, legislation to expand summer meal programs across the country to ensure children maintain access to nutritious meals when school is out. The COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent switch to remote learning, exacerbated the challenges that food insecure students face when schools are closed. The bill would improve the U.S. Department… Continue Reading
04.15.21
Vice Chairman Murkowski Highlights Alaska’s Progress During Hearing on Coronavirus Response in Native Communities
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, provided the following remarks during an oversight hearing on "Examining the COVID-19 Response in Native Communities: Native Health Systems One Year Later." Pictured: Senator Murkowski (left) with Senator Schatz (right) during hearing on April 14, 2021 "The coronavirus pandemic has created major challenges for our native health care systems across the country and revealed longstanding deficiencies i… Continue Reading
04.15.21
Alaska Delegation Introduces Legislation to Provide Long Term Fiscal Stability for University of Alaska
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, introduced, in both the Senate and House of Representatives, the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act. The legislation fulfills the University of Alaska's promise as a land grant university with sufficient lands to generate revenues that help support its students and operations. The University of Alaska (UA) currently has one of the smallest land endowments-just 110,000 acres-of any applicable institution of high… Continue Reading
04.15.21
Murkowski Takes Leadership Role in Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was selected to serve as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR), the Arctic Council's working body with permanent participants from eight Arctic countries. Senator Murkowski has represented the U.S. on the Standing Committee, as an Arctic Parliamentarian, since 2003. Being elevated to the position of Vice Chairman enables her to serve in a greater leadership role to further promote cooperation and collaboration … Continue Reading
04.12.21
Senators Murkowski, Manchin, Burr, Murray, Sinema Send Letter to Education Secretary Cardona on Homeless Youth and Children Funding
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Richard Burr (R-NC), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), sent a letter to Department of Education (ED) Secretary Miguel Cardona detailing priorities on the implementation of $800 million in K-12 funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. The $800 million was included in the ARP through an amendment offered by Senator Murkowski and cosponsored by Senators Manchin and Sinema specifically to support children and youth who ar… Continue Reading
04.10.21
Murkowski Arctic Priorities included in Comprehensive China Legislation
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that her legislative efforts on Arctic diplomacy were included in the base bill of the Strategic Competition Act of 2021, comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to counter China by confronting the nation's economic and geopolitical power. To ensure that the United States has adequate capacity to prevent and respond to security threats in the Arctic region, the bill addresses the need to invest in a significantly expanded icebreaker fleet. The leg… Continue Reading
04.08.21
Department of Interior Announces Alaska Projects to Receive Funding to Address Deferred Maintenance
The Department of the Interior (DOI) has released funding for the 165 projects across the U.S. - including seven projects in Alaska - allocated by the fiscal year 2020 Interior Appropriations from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). The LRF was established through the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation shepherded by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and signed into law in August 2020. "During my time as chairman of both the Senate Energy and Natural Resour… Continue Reading
04.07.21
Group of 10 Republican Senators Release Joint Statement in Response to Comments from President Biden
In response to President Biden's comments this afternoon regarding their Covid-19 relief proposal, the group of 10 Republican Senators released the following statement: "In good faith, our group of 10 Republicans worked together to draft a sixth Covid-19 relief package earlier this year. Our $618 billion proposal was a first offer to the White House designed to open bipartisan negotiations. Our package included the core Covid relief elements of the Biden Administration's plan, such as provi… Continue Reading
04.07.21
Murkowski Applauds Release of $7 Million in Secure Rural School Payments to Alaska
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that through the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, the Forest Service distributed $7.7 million-funding authorized and secured by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)-to communities across Alaska. In her time as Chairman of both the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Lisa Murkowski consistently championed continuation of the Secure Rural Schools. "For years I have worked… Continue Reading
04.05.21
Alaska Congressional Delegation Named Among Most Effective Lawmakers in the 116th Congress
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, were all identified by the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) among the top ten most effective lawmakers in the 116th Congress. CEL, a non-partisan, joint partnership between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University provides an in-depth look at the effectiveness of individual lawmakers in Congress. In their recently released Legislative Effectiveness Scores (LES) and rankings for the most effective… Continue Reading
04.03.21
Murkowski, Sullivan Welcome Phase II CDC Guidance for Cruise Ship Industry
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today released the following statement after being briefed by Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on publication of the CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO). The steps released today are required for the cruise ship industry to safely return to passenger operations as the successful distribution of COVID-19 vaccines brings the pandemic under greater control. The CDC's … Continue Reading
04.02.21
Murkowski Applauds Efforts to Seek Justice for Missing, Murdered Indigenous People
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement on the Interior Department announcement of a new Missing & Murdered Unit tasked with coordinating interagency collaboration to pursue cases of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. "Too many families have faced unspeakable loss as Native women have gone missing, murdered, or trafficked and let down by the complex law enforcement systems in place. Seeking justice for these women and families should never … Continue Reading
03.30.21
HUD Announces $64 Million In Critical Housing Funding Going To Alaska Native Communities
Senator Murkowski visiting families in Native Village of Savoonga in August 2018 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the allocation of $450 million to assist with COVID related tribal housing needs. Of these available funds, more than $64 million will be going specifically to help Alaska Native communities. Vice Chairman Murkowski provided the following statement on the announcement. "Overcrowded housing and homelessness is an issue impacting far too many commu… Continue Reading
03.26.21
Alaska Congressional Delegation Urges Biden Administration to Issue Clear Guidelines for Cruise Ship Industry Operations to Resume
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, sent a letter with colleagues to Jeffrey Zients, the White House COVID Response Coordinator, urging the Biden administration to be more transparent and timely in their efforts to develop guidance for the resumption of operations for the cruise ship industry. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise ship industry has continued to face a strict "No Sail" order, while many other travel related in… Continue Reading
03.26.21
ICYMI: Murkowski Named One of the Most Effective Republican Lawmakers in the 116th Congress
The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) recently released their Legislative Effectiveness Scores (LES) and rankings for the most effective lawmakers in Congress. The CEL named U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) as the fourth most effective Senate Republican lawmaker in the 116th Congress for her efforts to shepherd critical pieces of legislation across the finish line. Also, Senator Murkowski was listed as the most effective Republican Senator on energy policy. CEL is a non-partisan, joint par… Continue Reading
03.26.21
Murkowski, Schatz Legislation Recognizing Native Women Achievements and Contributions Passes Senate
"Each year during March, the Senate celebrates National Women's History Month. It is especially important to recognize the many achievements that Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian women have contributed to the United States and its history. These are just some of the women who have made their communities and this nation a better place and for that, we honor them, whether through their military or public service, their advancements in the fields of business, education, arts, law… Continue Reading
03.25.21
Vice Chairman Murkowski: Indian Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on Water Infrastructure
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, provided the following remarks during today's oversight hearing on "Building Back Better: Water Infrastructure Needs for Native Communities." "The pandemic has clearly underscored the need for these communities to have better water infrastructure. Simply washing your hands multiple times throughout the day to protect against the spread of COVID should not be a difficult task, but that's unfortunately th… Continue Reading
03.25.21
Murkowski Critical of Biden Administration for Creating Project Uncertainty
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today raised concerns with the Biden administration's recent decision to continue a review process that requires some Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies to funnel decisions through the very top levels of the agency. Interior's principal deputy assistant secretary Laura Daniel-Davis issued a memo directing all agencies that handle energy and land management decisions, including responsible resource extraction, to go through her office for approval. The Bu… Continue Reading
