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’s Appropriations Advocacy Reaps Fishery Failure and Tsunami Debris Aid
The 2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill marks a major benchmark for Senator Lisa Murkowski's negotiations for Alaska that address a wide range of marine needs for the state - most notably providing $75 million for recent fishery failures nationwide, including Alaska's Chinook disaster in 2012. It also boosts tsunami debris response efforts, advances a much-needed electronic monitoring alternative for Alaska's small boat fishing fleet, and millions in government loans to improve the commercial fish… Continue Reading
01.13.14
Murkowski’s Appropriations Leadership Promotes Alaska’s Fish, Forests and Public Safety
Senator Lisa Murkowski today is pleased to share the results of her negotiations with Congressional Appropriations Committee members on the newly-released 2014 Interior Appropriations bill, fighting off a number of funding threats to Alaska priorities and protecting core Alaska concerns like fisheries, land management and the suicide crisis among Alaska Natives. With the Department of the Interior managing a majority of Alaska's lands, forests and waters, Murkowski leveraged her position as Ran… Continue Reading
01.13.14
Murkowski Fights Federal Overreach Through Appropriations Work
Today's Interior Appropriations bill showcases a number of victories for the Alaskan economy through what Senator Lisa Murkowski was able to negotiate as Ranking Republican on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee - notably through what potentially harmful regulatory provisions she was able to keep out of the bill. "The biggest challenge we face in Alaska is the inability to access and develop our abundant natural resources. Without access our economy is hobbled - and the federal government,… Continue Reading
01.13.14
Murkowski’s Approps Work Wins Alaska Health Care Jobs, Reverses Administration’s Shortchanging of Alaska Natives
Senator Lisa Murkowski today is pleased to share the results of her negotiations with Congressional Appropriations Committee members on the newly-released 2014 Department of Interior budget, in particular the result of her year-long battle waged with the Administration to fully fund the operations costs of tribally managed hospitals and clinics, and fully fund the staffing packages for six new health facilities across Alaska. Senator Murkowski is the top Republican on the Interior Appropriations… Continue Reading
01.13.14
Murkowski Negotiating Unemployment Insurance/Veterans Benefits Package
Senator Lisa Murkowski today issued the following joint statement with eight of her Republican colleagues regarding the current state of ongoing negotiations surrounding a three-month unemployment insurance benefits extension that is fully paid for: "We continue to negotiate in good faith, and we are all encouraged that we are making progress on a package that could pass with bipartisan support. The proposal includes (1) a three-month extension of the temporary federal long-term unemployment i… Continue Reading
01.10.14
Murkowski Backs Fix to Veterans’ and Unemployment Benefits
As the Senate continues to debate a three month extension of unemployment benefits, Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she is joining a number of her Senate colleagues to co-sponsor Senator Kelly Ayotte's (R-NH) Senate Amendment 2063 to the Unemployment Benefit Extension Bill, which both funds a three month extension of long-term unemployment insurance benefits and repeals the cuts in yearly pension increases for early military retirees that was a component of the bipartisan budget deal. Th… Continue Reading
01.09.14
Murkowski Slams Sec. Jewell for Turning Her Back on Alaskans
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today slammed Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell on the Senate floor for rejecting a proposed road that would provide the remote Alaska community of King Cove with emergency medical access needed to protect local residents. Murkowski called the decision "heartless," saying it endangers residents and ignores the Interior Department's trust responsibility to Alaska Natives. (Click for video of Sen. Murkowski's floor speech.) "With this decision, S… Continue Reading
01.09.14
Murkowski Pushes Back Against Unwelcome NOAA “Holiday Surprise”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration having opened a one month comment season on an important issue between Christmas and New Year's - when most Alaskans were attending to personal matters - Senator Lisa Murkowski today sent a letter to NOAA (see attached) pushing for more time. On December 27th, NOAA released its Draft Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammals, which seeks to improve understanding of acoustical impacts on… Continue Reading
01.09.14
Murkowski Responds to Wal-Mart’s Commitment to Alaska Seafood
Senator Lisa Murkowski today responded to Wal-Mart's announcement that it remains "committed to buying Alaska seafood" in the wake of Juneau discussions with state officials and experts: "I am pleased that Wal-Mart decision-makers took me up on my offer to visit Alaska before making a final determination, and it's clear Alaska's sustainable wild seafood continues to be its own best advocate. The management of Alaska's fisheries - and our commitment to sustainability - should never be in doubt.… Continue Reading
01.08.14
Murkowski Responds to U.S. Army Force Structure Changes
Senator Lisa Murkowski today responded to the overall Alaskan U.S. Army reductions reflected in the nationwide "sweeping reorganization" and personnel overhaul announced by U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK): "Though Alaska is disappointed to lose any U.S. Army personnel, these numbers show that the Last Frontier remains a premier location for the nation's defense. With the United States Army responsibly conducting a regular evaluation of their positioning worldwide to boost efficiency, many states are… Continue Reading
01.07.14
Murkowski Supports Unemployment Benefit Extension Debate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted to proceed to a debate on S.1845, the Unemployment Insurance Extension Bill, sharing her thought process with Alaskans: "It is important that we have compassion for those Americans caught up in the administration's economic policy failures - particularly during the more difficult winter months - but these extensions cannot be unlimited. "Instead, we need to see far more productive actions to strengthen job creation and restructure existing … Continue Reading
01.06.14
Murkowski Efforts Help Bring Fresh Produce to Alaskans In Need
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced they are allocating existing funds to purchase fruit and vegetables for those in need, following a bipartisan effort spearheaded by Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and 23 of their colleagues in August. The produce will be distributed to needy families under The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Murkowski was the lead Republican on an August letter (attached) and commends the decision by the USDA. "T… Continue Reading
12.23.13
Murkowski’s Advocacy Helps Reap Secure Rural Schools Payments “Holiday Gift”
Senator Lisa Murkowski today commended the Administration for its decision to not reduce the next round of payments to be made to Southeast Alaska timber communities under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Earlier this year, Senator Murkowski was sharply critical of the Forest Service's decision to apply the automatic, across-the-board federal budget cuts commonly known as "sequestration," to Secure Rural Schools payments that had previously been made for 2013. Ala… Continue Reading
12.20.13
Murkowski Co-Sponsors Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act
WASHINGTON, DC. - Senator Lisa Murkowski has joined 27 of her Senate colleagues to back and co-sponsor the bipartisan Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act, proposing severe new sanctions on Iran should the regime violate the interim Joint Plan of Action agreed to in Geneva or should Iran fail to reach a final agreement. The prospective sanctions legislation requires further reductions in purchases of Iranian petroleum and applies additional penalties to strategic elements of the Iranian economy, to inc… Continue Reading
12.20.13
Delegation Land Transfer Passes Congress, Benefitting Native Health Efforts
Today the Senate unanimously passed H.R. 623, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act. The bill directs the Indian Health Service to transfer a 2.79 acre parcel of federal land located in Anchorage to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). The bill now heads to the President, and will allow ANTHC to strengthen critical healthcare delivery for Alaska Natives by constructing a patient housing facility on the parcel. The patient housing facility will expand the C… Continue Reading
12.20.13
Murkowski Responds to White House Health Care Flip-Flop
Senator Lisa Murkowski today responded to the Obama Administration's "rules change" where it will allow a new set of exemptions to the health care law, saying: "Tonight's flip-flop from the White House on the health care bill is a stunning admission that its signature achievement is clearly not ready for prime time. Just weeks ago, President Obama vowed that Americans needed to be 'protected' from these basic plans. At this point, I think Alaskans need to be protected from this bill and the a… Continue Reading
12.20.13
Murkowski: Defense Bill Highlights Alaska’s Key Military Role
Senator Lisa Murkowski tonight voted in favor of the HR 3304 the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act to give military members a one percent raise and enact certain policies for the upcoming year - including her amendment making 8 C-23 aircraft available to the State of Alaska. The bill, which passed overwhelmingly 84-15, also contains numerous provisions that underscore Alaska's prominence for the military, given the Pentagon's focus on the Asia-Pacific region - as well as including dozens o… Continue Reading
12.19.13
Murkowski Secures Amendment Protecting an Alaska Family’s Cabin from Demolition
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today secured support for an amendment protecting a privately owned subsistence cabin on an Alaska Native veteran allotment in the Yukon-Delta National Wildlife Refuge from demolition by federal land managers. The cabin was built on the edge of a designated wilderness area because of a mistake made by federal land management agencies. The members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously supported Murkowski's amendment, which prov… Continue Reading
12.18.13
Murkowski to Wal-Mart: “No Doubt” Alaska Seafood is Sustainable
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today sent a letter (attached) to the incoming President and CEO of Wal-Mart, introducing him to Alaska's world-renowned sustainable fisheries - calling it "the benchmark for fishery management." Her outreach is aimed at advocating that Wal-Mart make an informed decision to continue to bring Alaskan fish to its consumers nationwide, and at inviting the new CEO to Alaska to "see and taste" it for himself. After spending much of 2013 fighting against thir… Continue Reading
12.17.13
Murkowski Statement on Bipartisan Budget Deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted in favor of proceeding to a final vote on H.J. Res 49, the Budget Resolution, a result of bipartisan negotiations between Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to set funding levels for the federal government into 2015. She shared the following statement with Alaskans afterwards about the bill and her prospective vote tomorrow: "After much thought, I cast my vote in support of the Budget Act. The bill is far from perf… Continue Reading
