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.
Co-Chairs of Arctic Caucus Host Nordic Foreign Ministers in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME), co-chairs of the Senate Arctic Caucus, hosted a delegation from the Kingdom of Denmark to emphasize the importance of de-escalating tensions following recent comments from the executive administration about taking over Greenland. Attendees of the meeting included the Ambassador of Denmark to the United States, Jesper Møller Sørensen; Greenlandic Minister of Foreign Affairs and Research, Ms. Vivian Motzfeldt; Da… Continue Reading
01.14.26
Murkowski: “Congress has an obligation to ask hard questions before—not after—hostilities escalate.”
Washington, DC — This evening, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement on tonight’s point of order vote regarding Senate Joint Resolution 98: “This evening, I, for the fourth time, voted in favor of the War Powers Resolution for Venezuela. “Nicolás Maduro was a brutal dictator who ruled through repression, corruption, and violence, and his removal from power makes the United States, the Western Hemisphere, and the Venezuelan people safer. The professionalism, discipli… Continue Reading
01.13.26
Murkowski and Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Cement NATO Unity
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the NATO Unity Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to prohibit the use of U.S. Department of Defense or Department of State funds to blockade, occupy, annex or otherwise assert control over the sovereign territory of a NATO member state without that ally’s consent or authorization from the North Atlantic Council. The legislation comes amid growing concern following Trump Administration’s recent… Continue Reading
01.13.26
Murkowski Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Deny Certiorari in U.S. v. Alaska Case Regarding Subsistence Management
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the State of Alaska’s petition for certiorari in United States v. Alaska: “I support the Supreme Court’s decision to decline review, leaving in place longstanding precedent from the Katie John line of cases, which has guided federal subsistence management under ANILCA in Alaska for decades,” said Senator Murko… Continue Reading
01.12.26
Murkowski Releases Statement on Investigation into Fed Chair
Washington, DC — Following the launch of a Department of Justice investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement: “After speaking with Chair Powell this morning, it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion. If the Department of Justice believes an investigation into Chair Powell is warranted based on project cost overruns—which are not unusual—then Congress needs to investig… Continue Reading
01.08.26
Murkowski on Greenland: “Focus on continued partnership rather than possession.”
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, today spoke on the Senate floor in support of Greenland’s autonomy and long-standing partnership with the United States. Watch Senator Murkowski’s full remarks here. The rough transcript of Senator Murkowki’s remarks can be found below. Rough Transcript Mr. President, as we begin this new year, there is certainly no shortage of issues before us. You and I have been engaged in productive discussions abo… Continue Reading
01.08.26
Murkowski Joins Colleagues to Bring War Powers Resolution to Senate Floor
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after her vote on Senate Joint Resolution 98: “Today, my colleagues and I voted to bring a resolution to the Senate floor requiring congressional approval for further military operations against Venezuela. This will allow the senate to begin debate on this measure following President Trump’s statements yesterday suggesting that the United States could remain in Venezuela for years, while failing to rule out the d… Continue Reading
01.07.26
Alaska Delegation Introduce Bycatch Reduction & Research Act
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska), have introduced the Bycatch Reduction and Research Act. The legislation would improve marine environmental data collection, particularly in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska; prioritize technology that supports research, bycatch reduction, and protection of marine seafloor habitat; advance, streamline, and enhance electronic monitoring and electronic reporting in United States… Continue Reading
01.07.26
Co-Chairs of Arctic Caucus Comment on Trump Administration’s Greenland Posturing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME), co-chairs of the Senate Arctic Caucus, released the following statements following members of the Trump Administration’s recent comments on Greenland. “I continue to hope the administration’s rhetoric on Greenland is nothing more than posturing for a new era of cooperation, because any effort to claim or take the territory by force would degrade both our national security and our international relationships,” said Sen… Continue Reading
01.06.26
Murkowski Leads Senate Passage of Landslides, Earthquakes Reauthorizations
Washington, DC — Last night, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured unanimous consent for the Senate to pass two bills: her S. 1626, the National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act, and S. 320, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, which she is cosponsoring alongside Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). The bills will modernize and continue federal funding for critical programs that help predict, prepare for, and respond to these natural disasters. “Eart… Continue Reading
12.29.25
Murkowski on Rural Health Transformation Fund: “Alaska has an extraordinary opportunity.”
Anchorage, AK - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established through the reconciliation bill. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) highlighted the opportunity presented to Alaska’s rural health care system through the newly expanded fund, which will deliver $272 million per year to Alaska for the next five years. “During the reconciliation negotiations, protecting health care acces… Continue Reading
12.18.25
Senator Murkowski joins Colleagues Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Ensure No-Cost Contraception Coverage for All Women
Washington, DC — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced a bipartisan bill to help ensure that all women have full access to no-cost contraception coverage. Currently, private insurance plans and Medicaid are required to cover all types of contraception, such as oral contraception and IUD insertion, at no cost to the patient. However, gaps in coverage remain and affect many women in the Granite State and across the … Continue Reading
12.18.25
Murkowski Highlights Alaska Wins in NDAA
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 77-20. The bill now goes to the President’s desk for his signature. The FY26 NDAA provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel, expands investment in military construction, supports state-of-the-art defense technologies, and strengthens America’s alliances abroad, all while delivering meaningfu… Continue Reading
12.17.25
Murkowski Celebrates Codification of Arctic Ambassador Position
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the codification of the Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs position within the U.S. State Department through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senator Murkowski has long pushed to elevate U.S. Arctic diplomacy, leading to the State Department’s establishment of the position in 2022. “Today marks a truly significant step forward for the United States in Arctic diplomacy and national security,” said Senator Murko… Continue Reading
12.16.25
Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Boost Resilience & Build Stronger Communities
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to make it easier for communities across the nation to better protect critical, at-risk infrastructure and community assets from worsening natural disasters, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Jack Reed (D-RI) have introduced a bill that would reinstate the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and protect it against elimination in the future. The Building Resilience and Stronger Communi… Continue Reading
12.11.25
Murkowski: “We Still Have Time to Reach Bipartisan Consensus.”
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement today following her votes to proceed on debate for the two proposals on healthcare: “The cost of health care is already a significant burden, and in just a few short weeks, it is set to explode into a full-blown crisis for thousands of Alaskans and millions of Americans. We have known this cliff was coming for quite some time, but Congress has ignored opportunities to address it at every turn. This broug… Continue Reading
12.10.25
Murkowski Applauds $3 Million Investment in Native Public Media Programming by Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement applauding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for awarding $3 million in new grants to Koahnic Broadcast Corporation (KBC). This investment will strengthen rural media capabilities, help bridge the gap for Alaska Native and Indigenous journalists, producers, and hosts, as well as support Native storytelling. The investment will also support two long… Continue Reading
12.10.25
Murkowski Lauds Passage of Secure Rural Schools Act
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the House of Representatives’ passage of S. 356, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. The House vote follows a letter Senator Murkowski and her colleagues sent to House leadership last week urging prompt action on the legislation. The Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program offsets lost revenue resulting from declining timber receipts and provides funding for schools, roads, and other critical municipal services in e… Continue Reading
12.04.25
Senate Votes to Overturn Biden-Era Restrictions for Resource Development on Alaska’s Coastal Plain
Washington, DC - Earlier today, the U.S. Senate voted to overturn an unlawful and restrictive Record of Decision (ROD) for the Coastal Plain oil and gas program that the Biden administration imposed in December 2024. The Senate moved yesterday to begin debate on S.J. Res. 91, sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), before voting to pass H.J. Res. 131, from Congressman Nick Begich (also R-Alaska). The Senate moved the House resolution because it can go directly to t… Continue Reading
12.04.25
Senate Votes to Overturn Biden-Era Restrictions for Resource Development on Alaska’s Coastal Plain
Washington, DC - Earlier today, the U.S. Senate voted to overturn an unlawful and restrictive Record of Decision (ROD) for the Coastal Plain oil and gas program that the Biden administration imposed in December 2024. The Senate moved yesterday to begin debate on S.J. Res. 91, sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), before voting to pass H.J. Res. 131, from Congressman Nick Begich (also R-Alaska). The Senate moved the House resolution because it can go directly to t… Continue Reading
