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: Federal Jurisdiction Limited on State Waters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following comments at a roundtable discussion on the jurisdictional issues related to navigable waterways on federal lands in Alaska: "Alaskans from all over the State are frustrated with the ongoing dispute over jurisdiction over the navigable waters in our State. Continued uncertainty about who's in charge - and how those agencies will enforce their regulations - only serves to harm Alaskan residents who need and deserve … Continue Reading
08.12.11
Murkowski: Law Clear on No More Wilderness in Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today criticized the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for considering forever locking up America's oil resources contained beneath the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) by designating the area as "wilderness." "Despite claims to the contrary, the Fish and Wildlife Services' efforts to designate new wilderness areas in Alaska is a violation of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The law is cle… Continue Reading
08.09.11
Murkowski: “Uncle Ted Was a Giant”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke to Alaskans on August 9th, one year after a plane crash took the life of Senator Ted Stevens: "Alaskans, one year ago today we lost a legend: the architect and father of our great state: Theodore Fulton Stevens. Most of us, though, just called him 'Uncle Ted.' We all remember the emotion and tragedy we experienced a year ago, but it's crucial we remember the outpouring of support and respect that crossed every age group, every race and culture … Continue Reading
08.05.11
Murkowski Bill Helps Kids Keep Up, Not Drop Out
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski has introduced legislation to fight nationwide dropout rates by instituting preventative measures and proactively identifying the first signs of students sliding off-course - as early as Pre-K on through high school. "No child wakes up one day and decides to drop out of school," said Murkowski. "It starts as a bad day, turns into frustration over time and ends up as a trajectory in the wrong direction." Entitled the 'Early Intervention for Graduation S… Continue Reading
08.04.11
Murkowski Comments on FAA Agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski released the following statement after a short-term agreement between the Senate and House of Representatives was reached to extend FAA authorization: "I am pleased that Congress was able to come to an agreement on a FAA extension. This compromise puts thousands of Americans back to work, including 79 Alaskans, and puts vital airport improvement projects back on track. Congress needs to work toward a long-term FAA authorization bill, which is import… Continue Reading
08.04.11
Sen. Murkowski Welcomes Conditional Approval of Beaufort Sea Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) for issuing conditional approval of Shell's revised exploration plan for the Beaufort Sea. "Shell has been working to secure approval of this plan for over five years," Murkowski said. "This is another positive step forward, and I'm hopeful that they will soon be able to move forward with exploration and production in the Beaufort." "If this plan i… Continue Reading
08.04.11
Murkowski Announces Agenda for Sec. Salazar, Sen. Reed Trip
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Lisa Murkowski today announced the itinerary of her August travels across Alaska with Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. "Sometimes when Alaskan issues are discussed in Washington, things get lost in translation because policymakers simply don't know enough about our state," Murkowski said. "I look forward to showing Secretary Salazar and Senator Reed the promise Alaska has to… Continue Reading
08.03.11
Murkowski Bill Boosts Health Care Access for Alaskan Children
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced legislation with fellow Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) that would allow parents to purchase insurance for their children across state lines, after a provision in the recent health care reform law resulted in Alaskan carriers not allowing new enrollees. "One of the unintended consequences of health care reform is that it has made it difficult for children to be insured if their parents or grandparents don't have coverage… Continue Reading
08.03.11
Murkowski: FERC Responses Raise New Concerns About Reliability
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said she remains concerned about the impacts that new regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency could have on the reliability of the nation's power grid. In May, Murkowski asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for reliability, to explain how the commission is working to ensure that EPA's new regulations do not adversely affect reliability. FERC's responses, which arrived Monday in the form of three … Continue Reading
08.03.11
Murkowski Applauds SAFE Report on Directional Drilling in ANWR
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended a new report by the group Securing America's Energy Future (SAFE) calling for a real-world test of directional drilling techniques to tap into the estimated 10.4 billion barrels of oil contained in the non-wilderness portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). "This is a concept that I have long offered as a reasonable alternative to those who oppose conventional development of the 1002 Area," Murkowski said. "Whi… Continue Reading
08.02.11
Sen. Murkowski Comments on Approval of Southeast Mining Permits
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Forest Service's approval of mining permits on Prince of Wales and Woewodski islands in Southeast Alaska: "I remain committed to repealing roadless requirements for the Tongass, but in the interim, I welcome the Forest Service's efforts to find a compromise that allows responsible development to proceed," Murkowski said. "The ability to develop our domestic supplies of critical mine… Continue Reading
08.02.11
Murkowski Supports Bipartisan Deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted for legislation to rein in federal spending while allowing the U.S. Treasury to pay America's debts and obligations, issuing the following statement afterwards: "Today I joined with 73 colleagues to pass the Budget Control Act. I'm satisfied that Congress took care of business and carved out an agreement that allowed us to raise the debt ceiling and avoid seeing a financial crisis materialize. Failure to act could have undermined our entire… Continue Reading
07.31.11
Murkowski Votes Against Reid Debt Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted against the debt bill put forward by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) - which fell 10 votes short of cloture - and issued the following statement afterwards: "Senator Reid's plan could not get my support because at its core, it's a hollow piece of legislation - counting as savings money we don't plan on spending and calling it a debt reduction plan. A full trillion dollars of Senator Reid's assumed cuts are decreases in spending on o… Continue Reading
07.30.11
Murkowski “Angry, Frustrated and Mad” At Deficit Talks
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke on the U.S. Senate floor and shared her frustration at the lack of progress being made as the August 2nd deadline to raise the nation's debt ceiling grows closer - and the continuing lack of a responsible long-term solution to America's rising deficit. Here is a transcript of her comments: "As we have deliberated all day, there's been a lot of finger-pointing and a lot of blame - and as the Senator from Massachusetts has noted, a lot of times it s… Continue Reading
07.29.11
Murkowski Votes for Boehner Budget Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski tonight voted in favor of moving forward with Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) budget plan, issuing the following statement afterwards: "I supported Speaker Boehner's plan because it's honest about the spending reductions we need. It's a plan that makes dollar-for-dollar spending cuts to begin responsibly addressing our deficit over the long term. "What's most frustrating about our current process is that all we are demonstrating is that neither side ha… Continue Reading
07.28.11
Murkowski Insists Negotiations Should Not Affect Troop Pay
WASHINGTON, D.C. - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today co-sponsored the Protecting Military Pay Act of 2011 (S. 1365), legislation introduced by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) that prioritizes the payment of military salaries in the event of a worst-case scenario funding gap. "As we continue to address the debt and deficit here in Washington, I remain optimistic about finding a resolution to our stalemate - but I have to expect the best, while preparing for the worst," Murkow… Continue Reading
07.28.11
Murkowski: Bill Allows Natives to Continue Traditional Harvest
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following comment in support of legislation she's introduced to allow the Huna Tlingit of Southeast, Alaska, to carry out their traditional subsistence gull egg harvest in Glacier Bay National Park: "The Huna Tlingit have lived in the region of Glacier Bay, and practiced their traditional subsistence lifestyle there, long before it was made into a national park," Murkowski said. "They consider gull egg collection an import… Continue Reading
07.26.11
Homer Scare Motivates Murkowski to Ask for Review of Tsunami Warnings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today sent a letter to National Weather Service Assistant Administrator John Hayes asking him to review the NWS's Tsunami Warning System after a March incident in Homer, Alaska, where false tsunami warning sirens sounded during the tragic earthquake/tsunami in Japan - despite the lack of a threat. On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake tragically struck Honshu, Japan. The result of the earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, resulting in the Al… Continue Reading
07.26.11
Murkowski on USPS Proposal: “This is Necessity, Not Convenience”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today questioned the initial proposed list released by the United States Postal Service suggesting changes to Alaska's Postal Service operations. "The United States Postal Service themselves admit that this is a rough first draft from a computer's raw data," Murkowski said. "But you simply can't compare four Seattle post offices to 1 in Platinum - this is necessity, not convenience in terms of Alaska's way of life." The Postmaster General held a news c… Continue Reading
07.25.11
Murkowski Responds To Alaska Newspapers Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski sent the following "Letter to the Editor" today after hearing the news that Alaska Newspapers Inc. will close its doors at the end of August: "Dear Editor: "I was sorry to learn that Calista Corp. has decided to shut down Alaska Newspapers Inc. (ANI) and its chain of weekly newspapers next month. For nearly 20 years, ANI's publications have informed and entertained readers in many of the state's smallest, most remote communities. The demise of the pa… Continue Reading
