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 Graphite One-Lucid Supply Agreement
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK) today participated in an event to formally announce a non-binding supply agreement between Graphite One and Lucid Motors, through which Lucid will purchase graphite from Graphite One. The delegation members applauded the companies’ efforts to create an all-American supply chain for the natural and synthetic graphite used in the batteries for electric vehicles, and are optimis… Continue Reading
07.24.24
Delegation Urges the CDC to Modify Dog Importation Rule
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) and U.S. Representative Mary Peltola (D-AK), sent a letter to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regarding a delay in the implementation of the agency’s new rule on the importation of dogs into the United States. The letter outlines how the rules fail to account for Alaska’s unique geography and sled dog culture, and details the negative impacts the rule will have on the state. The letter also asks fo… Continue Reading
07.22.24
Senators Criticize BLM’s Draft Mine Permitting Metrics
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), John Barrasso (R-WY), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Jim Risch (R-ID) recently sent a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) expressing their disappointment with the agency’s woefully inadequate draft Mining Performance Metrics. The draft metrics, which were delivered a year later than statutorily required, show minimal effort to make any improvements to the broken federal permitting process. Excerpts from the le… Continue Reading
07.18.24
Congressional Delegation Congratulates Alaskan Olympians
WASHINGTON - This month, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced that two Alaskans qualified to compete in the 2024 Summer U.S. Olympic Team representing the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Kristen Faulkner from Homer will represent the U.S. on the Cycling Pursuit Team and Alev Kelter from Eagle River will return to the Olympics for her third time on Team USA’s Rugby sevens. “Excited to see two remarkable women representing our great state on the world stage!… Continue Reading
07.11.24
Murkowski Secures Investments for Alaska in Three FY25 Appropriations Bills
WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, scored wins for Alaska in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Appropriations Act; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies FY25 Appropriations Act, and; Legislative Branch FY25 Appropriations Act. The bills were approved today in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will now advance … Continue Reading
07.10.24
Murkowski, Manchin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Advance Department of Energy AI Research for Science, Security, and Technology
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the bipartisan Department of Energy AI Act to advance American leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) by harnessing the existing National Laboratory infrastructure and workforce at the Department of Energy (DOE). “Artificial Intelligence has the potential to help the Department of Energy and our National Labs accomplish enor… Continue Reading
07.08.24
Access Denied: BLM To Revoke 2021 Public Land Orders, Keep Alaska Lands in Highly Restricted Status
Anchorage, AK—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, issued the following statements criticizing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) after it released a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) recommending the revocation of five Public Land Orders (PLOs) signed in January 2021 that would return 28 million acres of Alaska lands to federal multiple use status, and instead maintain a series of restrictive, long-obsolete encumbrances. Leaving PLOs in place across Alaska se… Continue Reading
07.03.24
Alaska Delegation Rebukes Park Service for Implementing Unlawful, Unwarranted Rule with Hunting Restrictions
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), today condemned the National Park Service’s (NPS) finalized rule that will impose new restrictions on hunting and trapping in 22 million acres of National Preserves in Alaska. The Alaska congressional delegation wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in March urging her to withdraw the proposed rule, noting it was put forward without any consultation with the State of … Continue Reading
07.01.24
Murkowski Congratulates AFN on Newly Elected President Ben Mallott
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement in response to Benjamin Mallott being elected as the Alaska Federation of Native’s (AFN) future president. Ben is the current Vice President of External Affairs for AFN, having worked over 11 years for the organization. Ben formerly served as Senator Murkowski’s Legislative Assistant for Alaska Native and Indian Affairs in her Washington DC office. “Cong… Continue Reading
06.29.24
Murkowski Welcomes Supreme Court Decision to Rein in Federal Administrative State in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
Anchorage, AK—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today issued the following decision after the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. Signed by a six-Justice majority, the decision overturns the Chevrondoctrine and restricts’ federal agencies’ ability to promulgate regulations that depart from federal law. “It’s hard to express how important this decision is for the future of our country. For too long, agencies have amassed power to r… Continue Reading
06.28.24
Delegation Condemns “No Action” Decision on Ambler Road
Anchorage, AK—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola, D-Alaska, today issued the following statements condemning the U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) for selecting the “no action” alternative in its Record of Decision (ROD) for the Ambler Access Project (Ambler). The ROD rejects Ambler, a private haul road that would provide economic benefits in Alaska and facilitate domestic supplies of key minerals, after the project… Continue Reading
06.28.24
Murkowski, Sullivan Celebrate Significant Investments in Rural Alaska
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) welcomed the announcement of over $53 million in grants for rural Alaska from the United States Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program. These awards are part of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, and aim to revitalize freight and transportation infrastructure. “These grants provide critical assistance to rur… Continue Reading
06.13.24
Murkowski Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Shore Up Funding For Crime Victims Fund
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation to shore up funding for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which supports state victim compensation and assistance programs. The proposal would transfer remaining funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA) that currently go to the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury to the CVF. “The Crime Victims Fund plays a critical role in funding service organ… Continue Reading
06.13.24
Murkowski speaks on Chugach Land Exchange, Cape Fox Entitlement, and Alaska Native Vietnam Vet Allotments during Senate Energy Hearing
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) a senior member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, participated in a Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee Hearing to receive testimony on 20 bills, including three Alaska-specific bills which are either sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Murkowski. S. 4310, to exchange non-Federal land held by the Chugach Alaska Corporation for certain Federal Land in the Chugach Region, and for other purposes; S. 3617, t… Continue Reading
06.11.24
Congressional Delegation Introduce Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK) introduced the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act to direct a land exchange between the federal government and Chugach Alaska Corporation (Chugach). This exchange would resolve conflicts that exist between the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Trustee Council’s Habitat Protection Program (the “Program”) goals for habitat conservation of surface lands imp… Continue Reading
06.05.24
Murkowski, Sullivan Call for Five Year Tribal BABA Waiver
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate on Indian Affairs (SCIA), and U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expressing their concern with the implementation of the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act and the impact on infrastructure development in Native communities. In the letter, the Senators note that Native communities continue to face challenges with infrastructure construction due to … Continue Reading
06.03.24
Murkowski Introduces Legislation Amending the Tribal Forest Protection Act to Work Better for All Tribes, Including in Alaska
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, introduced S.4370, the Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2024, to promote greater indigenous stewardship of Federal and Indian forest and rangelands. The 2004 TFPA law was intended to protect Indian forest lands and resources from various threats, including wildfires, by allowing Tribes to enter into agreements with the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management to… Continue Reading
05.22.24
Murkowski, Schatz introduce legislation to make transportation more cost-effective for disabled veterans
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced legislation that would expand transportation access for veterans with disabilities. S.4372, the Deliver for Veterans Act, would expand a Veterans Affairs (VA) grant program to cover shipping costs for disabled veterans who require modified vehicles for transportation. Currently, eligible veterans can receive roughly $25,600 toward specially altered vehicles, equipped with modifications such as van lif… Continue Reading
05.13.24
Congressional Delegation Introduce Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK) introduced the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act to direct a land exchange between the federal government and Chugach Alaska Corporation (Chugach). This exchange would resolve conflicts that exist between the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Trustee Council’s Habitat Protection Program (the “Program”) goals for habitat conservation of surface lands … Continue Reading
05.10.24
Murkowski: Alaska’s Minerals are Fundamental America’s Security and Prosperity
Fort Knox, Alaska - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement on Alaska Mining Day. “Alaska Mining Day is an opportunity to recognize the mining industry’s importance to both our state and our nation. “We’re fortunate to have several major mines in Alaska, from Red Dog to Usibelli to Greens Creek. Those projects support thousands of high-paying jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues each year, and local community needs through philanthropy, schola… Continue Reading