Press Releases
Media Requests: Members of the media can contact the press office by emailing hannah_ray@murkowski.senate.gov or by calling 202-224-6665 and asking for the press office.
Murkowski Recruits Military Bases to Improve Fitness and Help Youth “Shape Up”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today co-sponsored legislation with her colleague Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) to address the alarming rate of military recruits falling short on basic fitness requirements - often making them unfit for service - by introducing the Fit to Serve Act. The bill would boost nutritional awareness for youth and help improve fitness and health among military age Americans by providing military leaders the ability to voluntarily open their base's sports fields, gyms … Continue Reading
05.16.13
Murkowski on Senate Floor: The Arctic is the Place to Be
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today laid out her vision of an Arctic future for America as an Arctic nation on the floor of the United States Senate, citing the wide range of opportunities presented as sea ice recedes and opens up new tourism, resource development and shipping possibilities. Having just returned from the Arctic Council Ministerial Meetings in Kiruna, Sweden with the American delegation, Murkowski's speech carried an optimistic tone, but she shared her concerns that Am… Continue Reading
05.15.13
Murkowski Statement on IRS Acting Commissioner Announcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski issued the following statement after the announcement from President Obama that the acting IRS commissioner was asked to resign on Wednesday. The announcement comes just days after the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) Inspector General (IG) found that IRS officials singled out conservative nonprofit groups for review: "This is a first step at restoring trust, but it is the first step of a very long road - the administration has much further to go. The… Continue Reading
05.15.13
Murkowski Working to Extend Sexual Assault Protections to Coast Guard
WASHINGTON, DC - After co-sponsoring two separate bills to crack down on military sexual assaults and enhance the protections allowed to victims, Senator Lisa Murkowski is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to help the men and women who wear the United States Coast Guard uniform: The Coast Guard STRONG Act. Presently, USCG members have been exempt from provisions under the National Defense Authorization Act that offer victims certain legal rights, since they serve within the Department of Home… Continue Reading
05.15.13
Murkowski Holding Alaskan Tele-Conference on Arctic Council
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski will hold a media availability on Thursday, May 16th at 12 noon AKDT with the Alaska press corps to discuss her recent trip to the 2013 Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna, Sweden - where she worked to advance responsible Arctic policy and opportunities through discussions with international leaders from other Arctic nations. (Senator Lisa Murkowski, Secretary of State John Kerry and Assistant Secretary of State Kerri-Ann Jones) CLICK HERE … Continue Reading
05.14.13
Murkowski: “North to the Future Means Now”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today landed in Kiruna, Sweden for the biennial Arctic Council Ministerial meeting to sit down with international leaders from the seven other Arctic nations and determine intelligent and responsible Arctic policy, while sharing approaches to the opportunities and challenges arising with the emergence of the region. "The world is awakening to the fact that 'North to the Future' means now," said Murkowski. "As important as building infrastructure in Ameri… Continue Reading
05.13.13
Murkowski Fighting for Arctic Ports, Alaska Priorities in Senate Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the U.S. Senate considering S.601 the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to address infrastructure priorities on America's coasts and rivers, Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced three separate amendments to boost Alaska's emerging Arctic opportunities and address the needs of other vital waterfront areas in Seward and Haines. "Port and harbor investment is essential to so many Alaskan communities in Alaska, and I'm glad the Senate has taken up this bill dealing w… Continue Reading
05.10.13
Alaska Veterans Saluted by Library of Congress
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski's "Veteran Spotlight" was recognized this morning at a Library of Congress event as a model of the 'Best Practices' for its Veterans History Project - an effort to share the oral accounts of war from America's veteran community and inform future generations of their bravery and valor. Murkowski launched her "Veteran Spotlight" series last Memorial Day, and Alaskans from the Alaska Territorial Guard to veterans of our present military conflicts have shared… Continue Reading
05.10.13
Murkowski Responds to National Arctic Strategy
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the administration's Strategy for the Arctic Region, to set a tone for the Arctic Council's meeting next week in Sweden - where she has been invited to join Secretary of State John Kerry due to her leadership on Arctic issues on Capitol Hill. She offered the following response: "I welcome the release of the Administration's National Strategy for the Arctic Region, identifying strategic priorities for the United States in the Arctic Region … Continue Reading
05.09.13
Murkowski Welcomes Review of Denali Commission Operations
WASHINGTON, DC - After a series of meetings with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) explaining why she requested "a top to bottom" review of the Denali Commission, Senator Lisa Murkowski has received word (letter attached) that the federal oversight watchdog will conduct the work she initiated earlier this year. The Commission - an important federal-state partnership directing grants to infrastructure projects - has been beset by concerns about its management and organizational structur… Continue Reading
05.08.13
Corps of Engineers Pledges Engagement, Transparency on Fort Greely Biomass Plant
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today pushed the U.S. Corps of Engineers for progress and improved engagement with the Delta Junction community as the Corps proceeds with the Fort Greely biomass plant project - which could provide efficient, affordable electricity for the region within a few years. Having just met with several members of the Delta Junction community last week (picture below), she shared their frustrations at not having been engaged by the Corps of Engineers for their in… Continue Reading
05.08.13
Sen. Murkowski Comments on Plan to Cleanup NPR-A Legacy Wells
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to calls from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released a draft plan for the cleanup of decades-old exploration wells drilled by the federal government in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). "After repeated requests, the BLM has finally released a plan to address the ongoing environmental pollution occurring within the NPR-A. That's a step in the right direction, but I'm concerned that the agency appears to h… Continue Reading
05.08.13
Murkowski Co-Sponsors Crackdown Against Sexual Abuse in Military
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Kelly Ayotte (R- NH) in co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to expand and improve sexual assault prevention and response resources within the Department of Defense. The Combating Military Sexual Assault Act of 2013 would expand current effective policies used by some military branches to the entire Department of Defense (DOD) to care for and protect victims - and serves as an important legislative complement… Continue Reading
05.08.13
Sen. Murkowski: Bipartisan Hydropower, Energy Efficiency Legislation Could be First Energy Public Laws this Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee colleagues for working together to advance energy legislation. The committee voted to move five bills out of committee on hydropower and energy efficiency. "It's encouraging to see senators from both sides of the aisle coming together to work on bipartisan energy legislation. Sen. Wyden and I have made it a priority to focus on areas of broad consensus, where we can really ma… Continue Reading
05.07.13
Murkowski Pushes Interior Department to Repair, Restore Trust Relationship for Contract Support Costs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell's first appearance before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee to press the newly-confirmed Cabinet head for answers on the Obama Administration's proposal which would limit the rights of tribes to make claims for contract support costs from both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service. During her questioning, she received firm pledges and commitments from both Se… Continue Reading
05.07.13
Murkowski to Interior: Legacy Well Proposal “Dead On Arrival”
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today criticized the Interior Department's budget proposal for attempting to make Alaska pay for the decades-old broken promises of the federal government. "There are two proposals in this request that are frankly an insult to the people of Alaska," Murkowski said. "I'm speaking particularly of the legislative proposals concerning future funding for the cleanup of 'legacy wells' in the National Petroleum Reserve and the completion of surveys necessary to… Continue Reading
05.07.13
Sen. Murkowski’s Statement on the Helium Stewardship Act
Sen. Murkowski's Statement on the Helium Stewardship Act WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following remarks during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Helium Stewardship Act of 2013: (click picture for video) "First, as a practical consequence of current law, we only have until October to get this legislation to the President for signature. It is important that we meet that deadline by reporting a bill from this committee, lettin… Continue Reading
05.06.13
Murkowski Gains Policy Change to Help Disadvantaged Youth
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today received word directly from the Assistant Secretary of Labor that important changes to the Job Corps program requirements have been made that will ensure youth experiencing homelessness will have better access to Job Corps workforce education. Job Corps is a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and is the largest workforce development program in the country, offering free education and vocational training to at-risk youth ages 16 to… Continue Reading
05.06.13
Murkowski Votes Against Federal Tax Mandate for Alaska Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today cast her vote against the Marketplace Fairness Act that would force Alaska's businesses to begin taxing out-of-state online customers. She explained her vote afterwards: "In Alaska, we don't have a state sales tax. But the Marketplace Fairness Act is trying to have our law of the land take a back seat to other states that see things differently, and I don't believe that is good policy or fair to Alaska businesses - particularly small businesses.… Continue Reading
05.06.13
Murkowski to Question Interior Secretary in Senate Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Newly-confirmed Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will testify before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee for the first time tomorrow morning, and Senator Lisa Murkowski will be looking to get answers on Alaska's unique concerns. Senator Murkowski has called the Interior Secretary "Alaska's Landlord" since 60 percent of Alaska's lands are managed by the federal government. Since the Interior Department also has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Indian Affairs, … Continue Reading
