10.10.13

Alaska Delegation: Shutdown Proves Need to Forward Fund Indian Health Service

WASHINGTON, DC - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich today announced the introduction of a Senate bill that would deliver advanced appropriations to the Indian Health Service - creating funding certainties for a year ahead so that health care providers can best deliver medical services to our Nation's first Americans - similar to the Department of Veterans Affairs system where Congress sets funding levels in advance, to more properly fulfill the trust responsibility to America's first people… Continue Reading

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10.10.13

Sen. Murkowski: Administration’s Shutdown Strategy a Failure

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today issued the following comment on the Department of the Interior's announcement that it would allow some national parks to open if states pay for the operating costs: "While I am pleased that visitors will once again be able to enjoy some of our national parks, it's clear that the administration's strategy to make the shutdown as painful as possible was an overreach that did not generate the expected reaction from the public. The admini… Continue Reading

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10.09.13

Murkowski, Young Urge Commerce Secretary to Use Flexibility to Help Open Alaska Crab Fisheries

The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery in Alaska is scheduled to open next Tuesday, October 15th, but before crab fishing boats are allowed to fish, they must be issued quota permits by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) - which the Departmentof Commerce has shuttered for issuing permits until the government is funded. In response to this problem, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) today wrote Secretary o… Continue Reading

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10.08.13

Murkowski: “Break This Impasse,” Fund the Government

WASHINGTON, DC -Senator Lisa Murkowski today took to the floor of the Senate and expressed Alaskans' frustrations with the everyday impacts of the current government shutdown, endorsing her colleague Senator Susan Collins' (R-ME) proposal to fund the federal government for six months while repealing the medical device tax on pacemakers, joint replacements, defibrillators and other items from the Affordable Care Act - a move that already has bipartisan support in Congress. Also, the proposal wo… Continue Reading

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10.02.13

Murkowski, Begich, Young: F-16's Will Stay in Fairbanks

Delegation Receives Official Word from Air Force After a two-year fight against an ill-conceived proposal to relocate the F-16s from Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (J-BER) , "warm" the base and cut thousands of jobs, Alaska's congressional delegation today received official word that the Air Force has scrapped the proposal. During a conference call with the Alaska delegation Air Force senior leaders reported the strategic assessment of Eielson, conduct… Continue Reading

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10.01.13

Sen. Murkowski Express Support for Transboundary Agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today expressed support for approving the Transboundary Agreement between the United States and Mexico during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on legislation to approve the agreement and provide the Secretary of Interior authority to implement it. (Click picture for video.) "I view this agreement as an important step toward greater North American energy security," Murkowski said. "The Congressional Research Service… Continue Reading

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10.01.13

Murkowski Comments on Shutdown, Health Care Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today shared her thoughts with Alaskans about ongoing Congressional efforts to fund the federal government and minimize the reach and impacts of the health care law: "As bad as I believe this health care law is for our nation, shutting down the government means lost paychecks for gas, rent and grocery money for thousands of Alaskans who work for the federal government and vital services for our veterans, seniors, children and disabled. My opposition to… Continue Reading

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09.27.13

“It’s Important to Me to Still Have Their Backs”

WASHINGTON, DC -Senator Lisa Murkowski is releasing her 16th Veteran Spotlight installment today featuring Wasilla resident Tina Trosper. Trosper served in the Army from 2005 to 2010 and was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq as an Aviation Specialist and radio transmit operator. Since serving, Trosper has devoted herself to helping Alaskan soldiers transition back into the civilian workforce - after having dealt with war both on the front and as the spouse of a deployed soldier. Tina Trosper was born… Continue Reading

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09.27.13

Murkowski Greatly Encouraged by Meeting with Acting Air Force Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski met with Acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning about the global short and long-term goals of the United States Air Force, while making sure to zoom in on the proposed transfer of the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Fanning gave Murkowski several indications during the meeting that there was a growing sentiment within the Air Force that the move is flawed. "I was encouraged to hear the progress an… Continue Reading

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09.27.13

Murkowski Opposes Funding for Health Care Law

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted against the Democratic bill that funds the Affordable Care Act and shared her reason for the vote afterwards: "Alaskans are speaking loudly and clearly about what they don't like in this bad health care law: the 2nd highest premiums in the nation for Alaskans, jobs lost, hours cut and the hit our economy will take. While we have an obligation to fund the government and keep it working, we also have an obligation to listen clearly to our consti… Continue Reading

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09.26.13

Murkowski: Helium Bill Passage Extends Secure Rural Schools Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today applauded final congressional approval of the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act, which she co-authored and made sure included $16 million for Southeast, Alaska, under the Secure Rural Schools program. The bill is now on its way to President Obama for signing. Murkowski negotiated the final deal to close the federal helium reserve with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Doc Hastings, (R-Wash.), the chairmen of the S… Continue Reading

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09.26.13

Senator Murkowski Secures Funding for Legacy Well Cleanup

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today applauded final congressional approval of the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act, which she co-authored and made sure included $50 million for the cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells drilled by the federal government in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The bill is now on its way to President Obama for signing. Murkowski negotiated the final deal to close the federal helium reserve with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore… Continue Reading

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09.26.13

Murkowski Co-Sponsors One Year Delay for Individual Mandate

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today co-sponsored S. 1488, which would allow all Americans the same one-year delay from the individual mandate that the Obama administration has already given businesses from complying with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Yesterday, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department issued a report showing that Alaskans will pay the second-highest premiums in the country under the new health insurance exchanges. "The White House has already delayed the employ… Continue Reading

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09.26.13

Murkowski Announces State Director Change

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced a change in her Alaska leadership team, with current State Director Miles Baker departing to become the Director of Government Relations and External Affairs for the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation and Murkowski veteran Kevin Sweeney returning to run her state operations and outreach efforts. "This is a win-win for Alaska: Miles Baker's experience, intellect and connections will be a boost to the promising work AGDC is doing to brin… Continue Reading

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09.24.13

Sen. Murkowski: Roadless Rule Crippling Southeast Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today criticized the U.S. Forest Service for using the roadless rule to block responsible development in Southeast, Alaska. "I am actively working to address the impacts the roadless rule has on economic development opportunities in Southeast," Murkowski said. "That's precisely why I brought Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to Alaska last month, so that he could see for himself the challenges Alaskans face." Reinstatement of the roadless r… Continue Reading

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09.23.13

Murkowski Seafood Sustainability Fight Gets Federal Flip-Flop

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed news from the General Services Administration (GSA) that they have completed an internal review of their flawed federal fish certification process allowing third party eco-endorsements to dictate what the government considers 'sustainable" seafood - despite federal guidelines prohibiting such an outsized role. Its changes to policy can be read in the GSA's new 'Health and Sustainability Guidelines' posted online hours ago. Murkowski initia… Continue Reading

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09.20.13

Sen. Murkowski Comments on EPA Climate Regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on the release of Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations for new power plants: "I'm very disappointed by this latest rulemaking from the EPA," Murkowski said. "Despite opposition, the administration has charged ahead with command-and-control regulations that will drive up energy costs for all Americans. And today we find that they are even willing to mandate the use of technologies that don't exist on a commerci… Continue Reading

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09.19.13

Murkowski: Resolution of Helium Reserve Provides Funding for Alaska Priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today applauded Senate passage of the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act to end the federal government's role in the sale of helium, a product essential to everything from medical imaging equipment and semiconductor manufacturing to rocket engines and precision welding. "Passage of this bipartisan legislation provides a commonsense and market-based approach to managing the helium reserve as the federal government's role i… Continue Reading

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09.19.13

Sen. Murkowski: Subsistence Must Remain a Viable Lifestyle for Alaska Natives

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today hosted a hearing on the impact of the Alaska National Interest Lands Act (ANILCA) and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) on wildlife management and traditional and customary activities in Alaska. "Today's hearing marks the beginning of a new dialog on subsistence; one that recognizes the changes that have occurred over the last 20 years," Murkowski said. "My hope is that we can engage all Alaskans in a civil and productiv… Continue Reading

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09.18.13

Murkowski Fights Health Care Bill’s Potential Security Breaches

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today joined 25 of her Senate colleagues to co-sponsor the Trust But Verify Act, to ensure that personal and private information divulged under the Affordable Care Act - such as Social Security numbers and household incomes - are fully protected from breaches and glitches on data networks before millions of Americans are compelled to disclose personal information on unproven networks. "The NSA, FBI and IRS have demonstrated a startling inability to protec… Continue Reading