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 Comments on Success of Methane Hydrate Test
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on the successful completion of a joint U.S. Department of Energy and Japan field test of technology capable of extracting natural gas from methane hydrates locked in the ice of Alaska's North Slope. "The success of this test is wonderful news for Alaska and America," Murkowski said. "The test not only demonstrated that we have the ability to release methane hydrates from their frozen state, but also that the same process c… Continue Reading
05.01.12
Murkowski: Alaska’s Natural Gas a Good Fit for Japan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday continued her efforts to develop new markets for Alaska's 35 trillion cubic feet of natural gas on the North Slope by raising the potential of providing a long-term, stable supply of energy to Japan with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda at a dinner hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Only two of Japan's 53 nuclear reactors remain in operation after last year's 9.0-magnitude earthquake, tsunami and emergency a… Continue Reading
04.26.12
Murkowski Protects Village Safe Water Program in Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski reached an agreement with Senate Agriculture Committee leadership to continue authorization for Alaska's Village Safe Water (VSW) projects in the 2012 Farm Bill - providing basic drinking water and sanitation needs to rural areas in the state. "Yesterday we passed the 21st Century Postal Service Act, but many regions of Alaska are still trying to reach 20th Century standards in 2012 when it comes to basic water needs," said Murkowski. "As we move forwar… Continue Reading
04.26.12
Murkowski Votes to Protect Women From Violence
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today cast a vote for the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization bill she co-sponsored that would continue to support efforts and programs nationwide to combat and police domestic violence, as well as providing services and care for victims. The bill passed the U.S. Senate 68-31. In a dramatic speech prior to the vote, Senator Murkowski spoke of the human toll in Alaska, where domestic violence and sexual assaults are the highest in the nation. "This e… Continue Reading
04.26.12
Leadership of Senate Oceans Subcommittee and Oceans Caucus
Washington. D.C. - Senators Mark Begich of Alaska and Olympia Snowe of Maine, who lead the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, were joined by the leaders of the Senate Oceans Caucus, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, as well as Senate President Pro Tempore Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, in introducing a bill to improve the nation's ocean survey workforce. The bill reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrat… Continue Reading
04.26.12
Murkowski Comments on Nomination of Marcilynn Burke
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted against forwarding to the Senate floor the nomination of Marcilynn Burke to be the Department of the Interior's Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals. Burke currently serves in that position in an acting capacity. "I have concerns about Ms. Burke's nomination from a number of standpoints, including her role in the proposed OSM-BLM consolidation and her involvement in litigation interfering in the wildlife management decisi… Continue Reading
04.26.12
Murkowski’s Opening Statement on Electric Grid Reliability
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following opening statement at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Hearing on electric reliability and the New England power outages last fall: Click on photo to play video "Good morning and thank you all for being here. Today we're scheduled to hear testimony on grid reliability in light of the power outages experienced by New England last October after an historic Nor'easter. "Coming from Alaska, I can certainly ap… Continue Reading
04.25.12
Key Threat to Alaska’s Bypass Mail Withdrawn in Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With votes occurring on S.1789 the 21st Century Postal Service Act on the Senate floor, an amendment that could have meant a major and unprecedented change in Alaska's postal service was withdrawn from consideration. This comes after a lengthy campaign by Senator Murkowski among her Capitol Hill colleagues, informing them of Alaska's unique needs and infrastructure challenges. While Senator Murkowski was encouraged by the move, she had the following remarks after the final … Continue Reading
04.24.12
Murkowski Committee Work Brings Funds for Energy and Water Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today secured provisions in the FY2013 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill that will result in continued investments in statewide energy projects through her position on the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. The items put forth by Senator Murkowski cover development efforts statewide - from established work in oil and gas on the North Slope to developing technologies in hydropower and methane hydrates. The bil… Continue Reading
04.23.12
Murkowski Focusing Senate on Coast Guard’s Arctic Needs, Agenda
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee has formally scheduled a hearing for May 9th on the U.S. Coast Guard's 2013 budget - and the Alaskan priorities reflected in it like icebreakers, aircraft and deepwater ports - after Senator Murkowski requested the chairwoman and ranking member hold this imperative discussion. "Alaskans and Americans are born pioneers - and the Arctic is one of the last frontiers to be fully understood and developed," said Murkowski. … Continue Reading
04.20.12
Murkowski: America’s Vast Oil Resources are an Inconvenient Truth for President
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, appeared on CNBC's Kudlow Report today to speak about new estimates of U.S. oil resources. While President Obama continues to claim the United States has only 2 percent of the world's resources (campaign rhetoric that earned the president two Pinocchios from the Washington Post Fact Checker), new data shows the country really has 26 percent of the world's recoverable oil. "The president is fond of saying that we only have 2 percent of the … Continue Reading
04.20.12
Murkowski Bill Delivers Housing Results Before Votes Are Cast
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski's "short sale" bill introduced in February to improve the nation's housing market has already created momentum and movement within the industry. This week, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to adopt guidelines similar to those in Murkowski's legislation, to ensure communication between lenders and potential buyers of short sale homes - homes where the owners owe more on their house than the asking cost and are willi… Continue Reading
04.20.12
Murkowski, Begich Resolution Marks This Weekend as “Global Youth Service Days”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich today announced that this weekend, April 20th - 22, 2012, has been designated "Global Youth Service Days" after a resolution they introduced passed the U.S. Senate this week unanimously. "One of the most important lessons for children is giving of themselves and their time to the community," Murkowski said. "It's a great habit to get into as early as possible, and I am so proud of the many young Alaskans who volunteer their time to he… Continue Reading
04.19.12
Murkowski: White House Ocean Policy “Clear As Mud”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski - co-chair of the U.S. Senate Oceans Caucus - today expressed her frustration with the administration's disorderly national ocean policy process during a meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee, saying "it is as clear as mud to me where the administration is intending to take this." Murkowski also voiced her concerns over the Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) program that the Obama administration has indicated it plans to proceed with despite… Continue Reading
04.19.12
Murkowski: Senate Should Act Quickly on Svinicki Nomination
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to act quickly on the Obama administration's re-nomination of Dr. Kristen Svinicki to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a second term. The Obama administration announced Thursday morning that it was sending Svinicki's name to the Senate for consideration. Once the nomination is officially received by the Senate it will be referred to the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee (… Continue Reading
04.19.12
Murkowski Calls for Investigation of Stevens Prosecutors’ Obstruction, Tax Dollars Spent
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski secured language as part of the FY2013 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) appropriations bill to require a Government Accounting Office report looking into the taxpayer dollars spent by the Department of Justice to defend federal prosecutors accused of misconduct in the trial of Senator Ted Stevens. (Senator Murkowski makes recent remarks in Anchorage regarding the Stevens trial) The language that was approved by the Appropriations Committee today read… Continue Reading
04.19.12
Murkowski Committee Work Aiding Alaska's Road, Housing Needs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski secured provisions in an FY2013 Appropriations bill that mean continued progress on Alaska's rural road system and security for the housing market in Alaska through her position on the Senate Appropriations Committee. These priorities were addressed in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) bill that passed out of the committee Thursday. "While so many of my colleagues push and advocate for renovations or maintenance of their basic housing… Continue Reading
04.18.12
Alaska Delegation Tells NOAA of Overreach Concerns
WASHINGTON, DC - Alaska's Congressional delegation today met with NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, raising concerns about a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the effects of oil and natural gas activities on the Arctic Ocean and highlighting the importance of exploration and development in the region. The DEIS addresses how noise and other possible impacts from exploration and development affect marine mammals and fish in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The delegation raised conc… Continue Reading
04.18.12
Murkowski: Excuses to Block ANWR Have Officially Expired
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today spoke to Fox Business News about the 10-year anniversary of the Senate vote that blocked the opening of ANWR. The excuse cited by most of those who opposed drilling in the ANWR coastal plain was that it would take 10 years to get the oil to market. "When we talk about what we can do as a nation to increase our domestic production, we need to look north," Murkowski said. "If we had opened up ANWR in 1995, when Congress passed it and C… Continue Reading
04.18.12
6 Alaska Projects, 600 Nationwide Face Delay After "Absurd" Restroom Ruling
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell about a recent 9th Circuit Court decision requiring environmental reviews for even the smallest projects, including the renovation of bathrooms at a Texas campground. Murkowski pointed out this additional and unnecessary legal hurdle could add months to projects like the Niblack and Greens Creek Mine. "This will mean that simple routine tasks that have no environmental impact will be subject to full n… Continue Reading
