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, Sullivan Introduce Legislation to Spur Hydropower Upgrades
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) introduced legislation that will help ensure that existing hydroelectric facilities are able to continue to provide emissions-free, flexible, and affordable electricity to Alaskan ratepayers. They were also original cosponsors of the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2023. The measure is supported by a wide coalition of industry, environmental, and clean energy organizations… Continue Reading
09.28.23
Murkowski Helps Secure Congressional Fix to Protect Hunter Safety and Archery Programs
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today helped secure unanimous consent for the Senate to pass H.R. 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, which would make congressional intent abundantly clear and reverse a misinterpretation of law that is preventing schools from using federal education funds for hunter safety education and archery programs. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a margin of 424-1 yesterday, and next heads to the President’s desk with support fr… Continue Reading
09.27.23
Schatz, Murkowski Lead Oversight Hearing on Water Access in Native Communities
Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, led an oversight hearing titled, “Water as a Trust Resource: Examining Access in Native Communities.” The hearing follows historic investments made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to address Native communities’ water needs and is part of a hearing series with the Energy and Natural Resources … Continue Reading
09.26.23
Senator Murkowski joins bill ensuring military pay in government shutdown
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) cosponsored legislation today that would guarantee all branches of America’s Armed Forces continue to be paid in case of a government shutdown. With Fiscal Year 2023 ending this Saturday at midnight, and no agreement between the House and Senate to fund government operations before the start of the new fiscal year, S. 2835, the Pay our Military Act of 2023, would appropriate funds to pay the salaries of all Armed Forces, including the Coast Guard. The legis… Continue Reading
09.25.23
Alaska Senators express concern to FTC about potential Albertsons-Kroger merger
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) expressed concerns to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about the Albertsons-Kroger merger. The FTC is overseeing the potential deal. In a letter addressed to FTC Chair Lina Khan, the Senators identified their concerns with the possible compact, including how it would affect consumer prices, the state’s food security, and Alaskan employees and their union contracts. In the letter, the Senators wrote, “We write to express our deep co… Continue Reading
09.19.23
Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud $53 Million in Additional Tribal Broadband Grants
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today acknowledged the announcement of an additional $ 53,959,517 million in federal broadband grants from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). The grant recipients include Igiugig Village, Alaska Tribal Spectrum, Alaska Village Initiatives, Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor, Benhti Economic Development Corporation, Chugachmiut, Huna Totem Corporation, and Yukon… Continue Reading
09.19.23
Murkowski, Durbin Introduce the Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to address the pay gap between clinical and faculty nursing positions—which is the primary economic disincentive fueling the nursing shortage crisis across the country. The Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act is a bipartisan bill that would provide a federal wage differential for the salary gap between clinical nursing and nurse faculty roles—to help fill desperately needed nurs… Continue Reading
09.14.23
Bipartisan, Bicameral Coalition of Lawmakers Calls for Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act to be Included in NDAA
Washington, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today joined a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of colleagues in calling for inclusion of the Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act in the final version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA). The bipartisan provision, which was included in the Senate-passed NDAA, builds upon the Honoring our PACT Act and would help protect servicemembers from exposure to toxic substances. The bipartisan coalition calling for the… Continue Reading
09.08.23
Murkowski Steps Up Fight to Defend Funding for School Archery and Hunter Safety Education
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) this week cosponsored two measures that support students and schools with archery and hunter safety education. The bills would make congressional intent abundantly clear for the Biden administration, which is misinterpreting a provision of federal law to prevent schools from using federal education funds for hunter safety education and archery programs. “Hunting is a way of life in Alaska. It’s how many of us fill our freezers with healthy protein for the winte… Continue Reading
09.08.23
Murkowski Steps Up Fight to Defend Funding for School Archery and Hunter Safety Education
Washington, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) this week cosponsored two measures that support students and schools with archery and hunter safety education. The bills would make congressional intent abundantly clear for the Biden administration, which is misinterpreting a provision of federal law to prevent schools from using federal education funds for hunter safety education and archery programs. “Hunting is a way of life in Alaska. It’s how many of us fill our freezers with healthy prot… Continue Reading
09.07.23
Murkowski Welcomes Initial Grants to Assess and Clean Up Legacy Contamination on ANCSA Conveyed Lands
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) welcomed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that three Alaska Native Corporations have been selected to receive $2.5 million in federal funding to assess and clean up legacy contamination on lands conveyed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. “It is a stain on the federal government that contaminated lands were transferred to Alaska Natives under ANCSA,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “The contaminants that remain on t… Continue Reading
09.06.23
Delegation, Alaska Leaders: Biden Administration puts American energy security at risk, harms the state and Alaska Native Communities
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), and North Slope and other Alaska leaders today expressed their opposition to two Alaska new anti-development decisions announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). DOI is proposing to withdraw millions of acres within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) and canceling the lawfully awarded leases to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) within the non-wi… Continue Reading
08.31.23
Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Congratulate Appointees to New Salmon Research Task Force and Yukon-Kuskokwim-Focused Working Group
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), celebrated the appointment of 19 members to the new Alaska Salmon Research Task Force, as well as appointments to the working group focused on salmon returns in the Alaska Yukon and Kuskokwim River region. The task force will study the increased variability in Pacific salmon populations in Alaska, including unprecedented declines in some regions, and provide recom… Continue Reading
08.24.23
Murkowski Hosts Attorney General Garland in Galena and Anchorage
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) recently welcomed U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to Galena and Anchorage on a rural and public safety tour of Alaska, highlighting the need for the Department of Justice to continue its commitment to supporting public safety and justice solutions. Senator Murkowski, who played a leading role in the 2022 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, highlighted the immense law enforcement and justice challenges that rural and Native communities … Continue Reading
08.24.23
Alaska to receive $100 million in additional funding for rural broadband projects
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska) today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $100 million to improve high-speed internet access in communities across Alaska. These awards are possible thanks to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—and specifically through the latest round of the USDA’s ReConnect Program, which aims to ensure high-speed internet to every community in the United States. To date, USDA’s ReConnect Program has awarded $379.35 mi… Continue Reading
08.16.23
Critical Infrastructure Grants Awarded to Alaska Will Help Salmon Habitats
The Alaska Congressional Delegation hailed the funding for culverts in communities across Alaska that will offer meaningful restoration for critical salmon habitats. Awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program through the Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) Program, over $44 million will be distributed to nine Alaska communities looking to strengthen fish habitats. “Our work on the bipartisan infras… Continue Reading
08.09.23
Alaska’s Delegation, Governor, North Slope Leaders Criticize District Court for Upholding Biden Administration’s ANWR “Pause” in Violation of 2017 Law
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska), and leaders from Alaska’s North Slope today criticized a U.S. District Court ruling dismissing the State of Alaska’s and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority’s (AIDEA) legal challenge to the Biden administration’s suspension of lawfully-issued leases for oil and gas exploration in the non-wilderness C… Continue Reading
08.05.23
Murkowski, Sullivan Statements on Chinese and Russian Vessels in U.S. Waters off Coast of Aleutians
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) released the following statements regarding the 11 foreign military vessels from China and Russia operating near the Aleutian Islands. “We have been in close contact with leadership from Alaska Command for several days now and received detailed classified briefings about the foreign vessels that are transiting U.S. waters in the Aleutians,” said Senator Murkowski. “This is a stark reminder of Alaska’s pr… Continue Reading
08.02.23
Murkowski, Casey Introduce Legislation to Support Survivors of Domestic Violence
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Bob Casey (D-PA) recently introduced legislation to enhance and expand support, protection, and prevention for Americans affected by family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act would strengthen services for the more than 1.3 million survivors of domestic violence nationwide and update the National Domestic Violence Hotline to better serve underserved populations, such as peo… Continue Reading
07.31.23
Murkowski, Schatz: Amendment to Advance Native American Housing Programs Adopted By Senate
U.S. Senators U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), chairman of the Committee, released the following statements on Senate passage of their amendment to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA). A standalone NAHASDA reauthorization bill led by the senators had previously cleared the Committee unanimously. "I'm pleased the Senate has overwhelmingly agreed to add … Continue Reading