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 Introduces Anchorage Land Transfer Bill to Boost Economic Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced legislation to transfer permanent title of three parcels of federal land located in downtown Anchorage to the Municipality. The 2.7 acres in downtown Anchorage had been given to the city - which has always been surrounded by federal lands - by the federal government between 1922 and 1982. The parcels were initially transferred to Anchorage to ensure that the local government had sufficient land resources to provide services for the grow… Continue Reading
01.29.13
Murkowski Receives U.S. Navy’s Highest Civilian Award
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today received the United States Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award from U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus for her "selfless service to the Nation's Sailors and Marines [that] ensured they were provided the resources necessary to support and defend the Nation's interests around the globe," according to the certificate. The Navy also recognized her Arctic leadership that guarantees "our combat forces are prepared to meet the challenges of a dynamic op… Continue Reading
01.29.13
Murkowski Introduces Bill To Rename Mt. McKinley Denali
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she has filed S.155 to officially restore the traditional name of the nation's highest peak, Mount McKinley, to its traditional Interior Alaska Athabascan Name: Denali. "I have nothing against President McKinley, whatsoever, but I would rather have this peak be called by the name it has gone by for centuries by Alaskans than a man who never set foot in our state," said Murkowski. "This is the tallest mountain in North America and we des… Continue Reading
01.28.13
Murkowski on Fishery Disaster Funding: “I Intend to Push Until the Relief is Provided”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today cast her vote to deliver $50.5 billion in federal funds to hurricane-struck Atlantic coast communities buffeted by Hurricane Sandy last year, which passed 62-36. After the vote concluded, Senator Murkowski was joined by a number of her Senate colleagues on the Senate floor expressing frustration that fishery disasters in Alaska and other states were not included in the disaster relief bill. In Senator Murkowski's first set of remarks (clip one), sh… Continue Reading
01.28.13
Senator Murkowski Welcomes Fairbanks Student as Senate Page
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today welcomed Kathryn R. Robinson of Fairbanks to Washington, D.C. as her selection for United States Senate Page Program - her first nomination since earning the seniority to sponsor a Senate page. "Serving as a Senate Page is a great experience, and for me to be able to select an Alaskan high school junior every semester and summer is an investment in our next generation," said Senator Murkowski. "It is students like Kathryn, taking part in the opportunit… Continue Reading
01.28.13
Sen. Murkowski Introduces Bill to Restore Subsistence Harvest of Gull Eggs in Southeast Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today reintroduced legislation restoring the traditional rights of the Huna Tlingit to gather glaucous-winged gull eggs in Glacier Bay National Park as part of their subsistence hunting activities. "The Huna Tlingit have gathered gull eggs as part of their traditional subsistence activities for centuries - certainly long before Glacier Bay was made into a national park," Murkowski said. "Gull eggs are part of their traditional diet and cult… Continue Reading
01.25.13
Murkowski Fights Red Tape for Veterans’ Jobs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to advocate that it make common-sense changes to its policies in an effort to improve access to commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) for America's veterans who are already fully trained to operate large commercial-size vehicles. Senator Murkowski was the lead Republican co-sponsor of the Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010, attempting to craft into law such a provision for o… Continue Reading
01.25.13
“I Hope Alaskans Remember What We Did”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today is releasing her 8th Veteran Spotlight installment featuring Father Norman Elliott, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Now nearly 94-years-old, Elliott recalls living in Michigan at age 22 when the war broke out and the calling he felt to defend his country - putting seminary school on hold to join the National Guard and then the U.S. Army in 1941. Nine months later, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor led the United States to join the Allies in … Continue Reading
01.24.13
Murkowski Introduces “America Needs Eielson Act of 2013”
WASHINGTON, DC - A day after she brought up the issue of Eielson Air Force Base with Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel and received his assurance he would personally look into it, Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced S.152, the America Needs Eielson Act of 2013 to reinforce the many ways the nation needs Eielson Air Force Base at its current operational capacity or higher as the Defense Department embarks on a new geopolitical direction, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. The bill - d… Continue Reading
01.24.13
Murkowski: It’s “Way Past Time” for Mental Health Conversation
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski took part in the first Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee hearing to focus on America's mental health care since 2007 - saying it was "way past time" for the committee to take up the issue - focusing her attention on Alaska's critical fight against youth suicide and the latest efforts to identify mental and behavioral issues early in childhood to improve outcomes across the country, especially in rural America. In her opening remarks (clip one… Continue Reading
01.23.13
Murkowski Meets with Secretary of Defense Nominee Chuck Hagel
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today had a frank and candid meeting with Defense Secretary nominee former Senator Chuck Hagel, discussing his views regarding the Middle East, the Pentagon's strategic shift to Asia and the Pacific and Alaska's geographic superiority when it comes to military basing. Murkowski specifically expressed her concern over the proposed move of F-16 Aggressors from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. She shared the following statement afte… Continue Reading
01.23.13
Murkowski Welcomes Angelina Burney to Alaska Team
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced that Angelina Burney has joined her Anchorage office staff, where she will serve the Senator as an executive assistant and scheduler. Burney has over a decade of community relations experience at the state and federal level working with elected officials, governing boards and senior management to implement public policy. "Angelina's value is in her ability to see government from all perspectives - federal, state and as an observer in the … Continue Reading
01.23.13
Murkowski Leads Bipartisan Senate Effort to Fight Youth Suicide
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski and her colleague Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization with nine other Senate co-sponsors in an attempt to improve mental health services for young people and prevent youth suicides. The reauthorization will improve access to counseling for at-risk teens and promote the development of statewide suicide early intervention and prevention strategies. It will also increase federal funding for competiti… Continue Reading
01.21.13
Murkowski Speaks About Martin Luther King, Jr’s Message
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Murkowski today issued the following statement in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "2013 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the 'I have a dream speech' on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As our nation honors the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, let us remember the fortitude and resolve Dr. King held towards achieving that dream for his four little children and generations of Americans to come. "This month, as we celebrate the life of thi… Continue Reading
01.18.13
Sen. Murkowski to Hold Pen & Pad Session on Recent Energy Trip to Asia
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, will hold an on-the-record pen & pad session with reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 23, to discuss her recent trip to Asia. The pen & pad session will be held in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's library (enter through Senate Dirksen-370) at 11 a.m. Murkowski met with Taiwanese and Japanese officials during the trip on potential trade opportunities for Alaska's natural gas, and toured the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear react… Continue Reading
01.16.13
Murkowski Reacts to President’s Gun Control Announcements
WASHINGTON, DC - While in Japan to discuss export opportunities for Alaska's natural gas, Senator Lisa Murkowski today reacted to President Barack Obama's announcement of proposals and executive orders regarding federal gun control policy: "Alaskans have mourned with all Americans at the tragic, senseless deaths in recent years but we do not believe those emotions should cloud our resolve to protect our Constitutional right to bear arms. I have spoken with gun owners, shopkeepers and hunters i… Continue Reading
01.15.13
Murkowski: Storis Designation Should Be Its “Ticket Home to Alaska”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today commended the National Park Service's decision to designate the United States Coast Guard Cutter Storis on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, supporting her October push to raise the ship's prominence. The Senator also believes today's announcement should send a clear signal that the vessel that contributed so much to Alaska's development - including delivering supplies during the construction of the Trans-Alaska pipeline - should return… Continue Reading
01.11.13
Alaskan Senators, Coastal Coalition Push to Extend Frankenfish Comment Period
WASHINGTON, DC - Alaska's Senate delegation today reached out to the Food and Drug Administration, advocating that the federal agency extend the 60-day comment period on an Environmental Assessment (EA) of genetically engineered salmon an additional 60 days, given the holiday season timing of its announcement, the current Senate transition period and the economic importance of the issue to Alaska. Strengthening their case, they were joined by Senators from Oregon, Washington and Maryland in push… Continue Reading
01.11.13
Sen. Murkowski Welcomes Court Ruling Vacating Polar Bear Critical Habitat
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today applauded a ruling by a federal court vacating the designation of 187,000-square miles of Alaska's North Slope as critical habitat for polar bears by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The court made the right decision today," Murkowski said. "The government clearly overreached in designating such a large swath of Alaska - an area larger than the size of California -as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. The only real… Continue Reading
01.10.13
Murkowski Succeeds in Continuing Federal Loan Policy for Homes with Cisterns
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski was glad to receive word today from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program that they will take Murkowski's suggestion to provide a waiver to Alaska for homes with water catchment systems. Up until last year, the USDA had offered waivers just as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but changed its policy while HUD continued - curbing the lending market in Alaska for low to moderate income borrowers purchasing homes … Continue Reading