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 Responds to New Biden Administration Strategy for the Arctic Region
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK), today released the following statement after the Biden administration released an updated National Strategy for the Arctic Region: "On Monday, two Russian asylum seekers landed on St. Lawrence Island seeking freedom from conscription into a tyrant's bloody, misbegotten war. The federal agencies responsible for processing these men were more than 700 miles away and it took them an entire day to respond. What this incident makes clear is that even as Putin und… Continue Reading
10.06.22
Murkowski, Sullivan Respond to Russian Nationals Requesting Asylum on St. Lawrence Island
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today released the following statements after two Russian nationals landed at a beach near Gambell, located on the northwest tip of St. Lawrence Island in Alaska, and requested asylum in the United States. "We are actively engaged with federal officials and residents in Gambell to determine who these individuals are, but right now, we already know that the federal response was lacking. Only local officials and state law enforcement h… Continue Reading
10.05.22
Murkowski: U.S. Must Increase Production to Reduce OPEC+’s Market Power
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement after the members of OPEC+ reached an on-paper agreement to reduce their oil production by two million barrels per day starting in November 2022. The agreement, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, threatens to harm the global economy and highlights the utter folly of production restrictions in the United States-particularly those imposed by the Biden administration. "The members of OPEC+ clearly have little regard for the co… Continue Reading
10.03.22
Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Support Alaska’s Veterans
Anchorage, AK - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced two legislative efforts to support Veterans and their families, which have garnered widespread support from Alaska's veteran organizations. Senator Murkowski introduced, with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) as a cosponsor, the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System Act of 2022 to name the Alaska VA Clinic after the late Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson-a leader in the Women's Army Corps who helped ex… Continue Reading
10.03.22
Murkowski, Sullivan, and Colleagues Demand Administration End Its War on U.S. Oil & Gas
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) joined nineteen of their Republican Senate colleagues, in a letter led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), to demand the Biden administration end its assault on domestic oil and gas production and continue to sell oil and gas leases on federal land and water. The push comes in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior's draft proposal for the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, in which the department hinted … Continue Reading
10.03.22
Murkowski Unveils Working Waterfronts Framework
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today publicized a legislative framework to address working waterfront project needs brought forward by Alaskans. According to the NOAA Office of Coastal Management, 83 percent of Alaskans live in coastal areas. The Working Waterfronts framework seeks to support coastal and river communities by including provisions to help boost industries such as tourism, fisheries, and mariculture. It addresses the needs of smaller port and harbor communities through support… Continue Reading
09.30.22
Senator Murkowski Secures Win for Sportsmen and Gun Owners
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that following her advocacy on behalf of Alaska's sportsmen, the Department of Homeland Security updated the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 4457, Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad. Form 4457 is required for U.S. sportsmen and gun owners to travel abroad with firearms. Previously, the CBP was providing Americans with expired forms which complicated travelers' arrival into foreign countries. After discus… Continue Reading
09.30.22
Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, Tribal entities, and communities in Alaska. Grants also include funding announced for Alaska from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $14 million for recreation infrastructure within the Tongass and Chugach National Forests, $3.3 million to bolster wildfire resilience across nearly 8,000 acres of land across the state, and $1 millio… Continue Reading
09.29.22
Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bill to Recognize the Legacy of the Late Congressman Don Young
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today introduced the Don Young Recognition Act, a bill to honor the legacy of the late Don Young, Congressman for All Alaska. The legislation designates one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, currently known as Mount Cerberus, as Mount Young. In addition, the bill recognizes Congressman Young's lifelong contributions to Alaska by designating the Federal office building in Fairbanks as the Don Young Fede… Continue Reading
09.29.22
Alaska Delegation Applauds Announcement of 100% Federal Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Biden has approved the State of Alaska's request to waive the state's cost share for individual and public assistance for recovery efforts from the impacts of Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska. President Biden's order today increases the federal share for emergency assistance to 100 percent of the total e… Continue Reading
09.27.22
Alaska Delegation United in Urging President Biden to Waive State’s Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster
Following last week's federal Major Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska's recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) are urging President Biden to waive 100 percent of the State's cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts for 30 days, citing the cost is too great to cover with currently available resour… Continue Reading
09.26.22
Alaska To Receive Over $14 Million for Recreation Infrastructure
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will invest $37.75 million to improve recreation related infrastructure on national forests and grasslands, including $14.4 million specifically for projects within the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. These investments are made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Murkowski helped write, negotiate, and shepherd into law last year. Maintaining both heavily used and r… Continue Reading
09.23.22
Alaska Delegation Applauds Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Joe Biden just approved Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy's (R-Alaska) request for a Major Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska's recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure. This announcement comes just two days after the delegation sent a letter urging the Presi… Continue Reading
09.23.22
$63 Million in Broadband Investments Announced for Alaska
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today announced that communities on the North Slope and in Southeast Alaska will receive a total of $63 million for high-speed internet network buildout / deployment projects. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Program grants, awarded to the Alaska Telephone Company and Arctic Slope Telephone, will help improve broadband access, including its affordability, for rural communities. "Having reliable interne… Continue Reading
09.22.22
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Strengthens Alaska’s Wildfire Resilience
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today announced the Department of the Interior (DOI) is investing over $3.3 million in funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to bolster wildfire resilience on nearly 8,000 acres of land across Alaska. These wildland fire management investments will increase fuels treatments in "high wildfire hazard potential" areas, which will help protect homes, businesses, and other critical infrast… Continue Reading
09.22.22
ALASKA NATIVE LEADERS APPOINTED TO NEW TRIBAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Recently, Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced the first round of appointments to the new GAO Tribal Advisory Council, which include three Alaska Native leaders. The appointees will tap their knowledge and experience serving Native communities to assist GAO in overseeing federal programs and addressing the many challenges facing Native communities across the country. The three Alaska Natives appointed to t… Continue Reading
09.22.22
Murkowski, Sullivan Press Biden Administration to Quickly Re-Approve Ambler Road Project
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, recently sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reiterating their strong support for the Ambler Access Project (Ambler Road). The Senators called on the Department of the Interior (DOI) to promptly complete its work to re-approve the Ambler Road following DOI's request for a voluntary remand of the project's Record of Decision (ROD). Murkowski and Sullivan specifically urged DOI to commit to a concrete timel… Continue Reading
09.21.22
Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, Tribal entities, and communities in Alaska: Alaska - Statewide: $3 million to 23 Alaska tribal communities from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for enhancing existing library services or to implement new library services. Alaska - Statewide: $35.3 million to 20 entities in Alaska, including Alaska Native tribes and Native o… Continue Reading
09.21.22
Alaska Delegation Urges Biden Administration to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) sent a letter yesterday to President Joe Biden urging him to expeditiously approve Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy’s (R-Alaska) request for a Major Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska’s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure.“This was the strongest storm in seventy years to imp… Continue Reading
09.20.22
Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Urge BLM to Re-Approve Willow Project By Year’s End
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), today sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete the permitting process for the Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) by the end of the year, in time for the winter construction season. In their letter, the Alaska congressional delegation noted that the project has been develop… Continue Reading