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.
Murkowski, Whitehouse, Tillis, and Warner Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Access
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act. This bipartisan legislation addresses regulatory hurdles to accessing telehealth services for opioid use disorder by making permanent the resources that were made available during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Over 80 percent of our communities are off the road system in Alas… Continue Reading
10.27.25
Murkowski Calls on Colleagues to Stay in DC, Work to End Shutdown
Washington, DC — Today, on day 27 of the federal shutdown, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) called for the Senate to remain in Washington, DC for as long as it takes to reach agreement to reopen the government. During her remarks on the Senate floor, Murkowski read messages she has received from Alaskans impacted by the shutdown and expressed her frustration with the lack of progress being made on both sides of the aisle to end the stalemate. Watch Senator Murkowski’s full remarks here. Rou… Continue Reading
10.27.25
Murkowski Cosponsors Bill to Avoid SNAP Interruption During Government Shutdown
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has cosponsored legislation to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit payments continue uninterrupted should the government shutdown persist past October. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) posting notice on its website stating that SNAP benefits will not be distributed on November 1 in the absence of a Continuing Resolution (CR) or appropriations bills, Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) Keep SNAP Funded Ac… Continue Reading
10.23.25
Delegation Celebrates Series of Interior Announcements for Alaska Day
Washington, DC— U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, U.S. Congressman Nick Begich, and Governor Mike Dunleavy, all R-Alaska, today participated in an “Alaska Day” ceremony at the U.S. Department of the Interior with Secretary Doug Burgum. Secretary Burgum announced a series of administrative actions, including the signing of three land allotments for Alaska Native veterans, the restoration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas program, the reinstatement of key permits for the Ambler Access … Continue Reading
10.22.25
Alaska Delegation Applauds President Trump’s Approval of Federal Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska
WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today thanked President Donald Trump for swiftly approving Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R-Alaska) request for a federal disaster declaration in response to the widespread devastation caused by the remnants of Typhoon Halong across Western Alaska, particularly throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. President Trump also announced an initial $25 million in disaster relief funding to expeditiousl… Continue Reading
10.22.25
Senate Commerce Advances Bill to Reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Program
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee yesterday advanced bipartisan legislation—introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan and Lissa Murkowski (both R-Alaska), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in July—to reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Program. The program, first authorized in law in 2021 for five years, seeks to mitigate the challenges and hurdles facing the next generation of entrants into the fishing industry. The senat… Continue Reading
10.21.25
Murkowski Speaks at Alaska Federation of Natives Convention
Anchorage, AK — Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) addressed the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) at their annual convention in Anchorage, Alaska. The AFN Convention “serves as the principal forum and voice for the Alaska Native community in addressing critical issues of public policy and government.” This year’s theme was “Standing Strong, Standing United.” Click here to watch Senator Murkowski’s remarks, shared with permission from AFN Senator Murkowski - Remarks As Delivered … Continue Reading
10.17.25
Alaska Delegation Presses for Federal Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska Storm Devastation
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to approve Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R-Alaska) request for a federal disaster declaration in response to the devastation of communities in Western Alaska, particularly throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, from the remnants of Typhoon Halong. Once the President approves a major disaster declaration, additional federal resources can b… Continue Reading
10.16.25
Murkowski Speaks on Storms, Resilience of Western Alaskans on Senate Floor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the recent storms that have displaced more than 1,000 Alaskans and devastated communities along the coast of Western Alaska. Watch Senator Murkowski’s full remarks here. The rough transcript of Senator Murkowski’s remarks can be found below. Rough Transcript Murkowski: Mr. President, I came in at the tail end of the comments from my colleague and my friend from Delaware, and he underscored some poi… Continue Reading
10.15.25
Murkowski and Colleagues Urge Administration to Follow Law on Back Pay for Furloughed Federal Workers
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05) led their colleagues in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging OMB to follow the law—which President Donald Trump signed in 2019—that requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay after a government shutdown end… Continue Reading
10.11.25
Murkowski: NDAA Strengthens National Defense By Investing in Alaska
Washington, DC - Yesterday evening, 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. This year’s NDAA authorizes $925.8 billion for U.S. defense and national security programs. 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 allia… Continue Reading
10.10.25
Senate Votes to Overturn Biden Central Yukon Plan, Restore Balanced Management
Washington, DC— The U.S. Senate, by a vote of 50 to 46, last night passed Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski’s (both R-Alaska) joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Biden administration’s Central Yukon Resource Management Plan (CYRMP) Record of Decision (ROD), issued in November of 2024. The Biden-era CYRMP ignored the need for balanced management, purposely restricting access to resource development and economic opportunities in the regio… Continue Reading
10.10.25
Murkowski, Duckworth Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Leave Benefits for Public Health Commissioned Officers Passes Senate
Washington, D.C. - Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to help expand leave benefits for the devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Despite being responsible for leading our nation’s emergency response to dangerous public health crises and natural disasters, PHS officers are still the only federal entity—civilian or uniformed—without access to … Continue Reading
10.09.25
Murkowski Votes to Bring War Powers Resolution to the Senate Floor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after her vote on Senate Joint Resolution 83. “Last night, I voted to support a motion to discharge from committee a resolution that would terminate military hostilities against transnational criminal organizations newly designated as foreign terrorist organizations without the express approval of Congress. To be clear, this resolution does nothing to hold back the United States from defending itself against an a… Continue Reading
10.06.25
Alaska Delegation Commends President Trump’s Re-Approval of the Ambler Access Project
Washington, DC—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements after President Donald J. Trump issued a determination re-approving the Ambler Access Project in Alaska. President Trump made his decision in accordance with the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which allows the project’s applicant, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), to appeal its federal disapproval … Continue Reading
10.01.25
Senator Murkowski Welcomes Temporary Funding for Some Alaska Public Media Stations, But Warns the Job Isn’t Done
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the news that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will provide temporary funding for fourteen Tribal and Native serving public broadcasting stations in Alaska. This announcement follows Congress’ rescission of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which effectively defunded public broadcasting in Alaska—an action Senator Murkowski strongly opposed and which necessitated this contingency for impacted Tribal s… Continue Reading
09.30.25
Murkowski Joins Colleagues in Unsuccessful Vote to Avert Government Shutdown
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement following the Senate’s failure to pass H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act: “This evening, the Senate voted on a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open through late November. I supported that legislation because it would have provided more time to work on appropriations bills, but its failure means that a harmful shutdown will begin at midnight tonight. “There is no s… Continue Reading
09.20.25
Senator Murkowski Proposes Framework to Avert Government Shutdown
Washington, DC - Following the failed votes on two proposed continuing resolutions, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement and proposed a framework to avoid a government shutdown: “Today, I voted against two partisan proposals to temporarily fund the government, neither of which had a chance of clearing the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. With these votes, we demonstrated what we can’t do - now it’s time to focus on what we can do to avert a shutdown. “As we move … Continue Reading
09.19.25
Murkowski Joins Colleagues to Protect Federal Workers’ Collective Bargaining Rights
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is proud to join as a co-sponsor in the Protect America’s Workforce Act - legislation to repeal two union-busting executive orders and restore collective bargaining rights and workplace protections for federal workers that have benefitted our nation for decades. This legislation comes in response to two executive orders issued earlier this year by President Trump. These executive orders revoked collective bargaining rights for a majority of … Continue Reading
09.09.25
Alaska Congressional Delegation, Fishermen Meet with Commerce & Agriculture Secretaries, Senior Trump Administration Officials on Alaska Seafood Priorities
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska), today convened a roundtable meeting with Alaska community and fisheries leaders, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and other senior federal officials to discuss policy priorities for the Alaska seafood sector and ways the Trump administration can address threats to wild Alaska seafood production and marketing, and the U.S. seafood supply cha… Continue Reading
