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.
Alaska Delegation Presses for Federal Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska Storm Devastation
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to approve Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R-Alaska) request for a federal disaster declaration in response to the devastation of communities in Western Alaska, particularly throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, from the remnants of Typhoon Halong. Once the President approves a major disaster declaration, additional federal resources can b… Continue Reading
10.16.25
Murkowski Speaks on Storms, Resilience of Western Alaskans on Senate Floor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the recent storms that have displaced more than 1,000 Alaskans and devastated communities along the coast of Western Alaska. Watch Senator Murkowski’s full remarks here. The rough transcript of Senator Murkowski’s remarks can be found below. Rough Transcript Murkowski: Mr. President, I came in at the tail end of the comments from my colleague and my friend from Delaware, and he underscored some poi… Continue Reading
10.15.25
Murkowski and Colleagues Urge Administration to Follow Law on Back Pay for Furloughed Federal Workers
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05) led their colleagues in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging OMB to follow the law—which President Donald Trump signed in 2019—that requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay after a government shutdown end… Continue Reading
10.11.25
Murkowski: NDAA Strengthens National Defense By Investing in Alaska
Washington, DC - Yesterday evening, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 77-20. This year’s NDAA authorizes $925.8 billion for U.S. defense and national security programs. The FY26 NDAA provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel, expands investment in military construction, supports state-of-the-art defense technologies, and strengthens America’s allia… Continue Reading
10.10.25
Senate Votes to Overturn Biden Central Yukon Plan, Restore Balanced Management
Washington, DC— The U.S. Senate, by a vote of 50 to 46, last night passed Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski’s (both R-Alaska) joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Biden administration’s Central Yukon Resource Management Plan (CYRMP) Record of Decision (ROD), issued in November of 2024. The Biden-era CYRMP ignored the need for balanced management, purposely restricting access to resource development and economic opportunities in the regio… Continue Reading
10.10.25
Murkowski, Duckworth Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Leave Benefits for Public Health Commissioned Officers Passes Senate
Washington, D.C. - Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to help expand leave benefits for the devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Despite being responsible for leading our nation’s emergency response to dangerous public health crises and natural disasters, PHS officers are still the only federal entity—civilian or uniformed—without access to … Continue Reading
10.09.25
Murkowski Votes to Bring War Powers Resolution to the Senate Floor
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after her vote on Senate Joint Resolution 83. “Last night, I voted to support a motion to discharge from committee a resolution that would terminate military hostilities against transnational criminal organizations newly designated as foreign terrorist organizations without the express approval of Congress. To be clear, this resolution does nothing to hold back the United States from defending itself against an a… Continue Reading
10.06.25
Alaska Delegation Commends President Trump’s Re-Approval of the Ambler Access Project
Washington, DC—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements after President Donald J. Trump issued a determination re-approving the Ambler Access Project in Alaska. President Trump made his decision in accordance with the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which allows the project’s applicant, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), to appeal its federal disapproval … Continue Reading
10.01.25
Senator Murkowski Welcomes Temporary Funding for Some Alaska Public Media Stations, But Warns the Job Isn’t Done
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the news that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will provide temporary funding for fourteen Tribal and Native serving public broadcasting stations in Alaska. This announcement follows Congress’ rescission of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which effectively defunded public broadcasting in Alaska—an action Senator Murkowski strongly opposed and which necessitated this contingency for impacted Tribal s… Continue Reading
09.30.25
Murkowski Joins Colleagues in Unsuccessful Vote to Avert Government Shutdown
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement following the Senate’s failure to pass H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act: “This evening, the Senate voted on a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open through late November. I supported that legislation because it would have provided more time to work on appropriations bills, but its failure means that a harmful shutdown will begin at midnight tonight. “There is no s… Continue Reading
09.20.25
Senator Murkowski Proposes Framework to Avert Government Shutdown
Washington, DC - Following the failed votes on two proposed continuing resolutions, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement and proposed a framework to avoid a government shutdown: “Today, I voted against two partisan proposals to temporarily fund the government, neither of which had a chance of clearing the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. With these votes, we demonstrated what we can’t do - now it’s time to focus on what we can do to avert a shutdown. “As we move … Continue Reading
09.19.25
Murkowski Joins Colleagues to Protect Federal Workers’ Collective Bargaining Rights
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is proud to join as a co-sponsor in the Protect America’s Workforce Act - legislation to repeal two union-busting executive orders and restore collective bargaining rights and workplace protections for federal workers that have benefitted our nation for decades. This legislation comes in response to two executive orders issued earlier this year by President Trump. These executive orders revoked collective bargaining rights for a majority of … Continue Reading
09.09.25
Alaska Congressional Delegation, Fishermen Meet with Commerce & Agriculture Secretaries, Senior Trump Administration Officials on Alaska Seafood Priorities
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska), today convened a roundtable meeting with Alaska community and fisheries leaders, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and other senior federal officials to discuss policy priorities for the Alaska seafood sector and ways the Trump administration can address threats to wild Alaska seafood production and marketing, and the U.S. seafood supply cha… Continue Reading
09.08.25
Murkowski Joins Colleagues in Introducing the American Grown Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the American Grown Act, legislation requiring the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State to only procure cut flowers and cut greens grown in the United States. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) introduced companion legislation in the House. “Alaska’s floriculture industry has rightfully garnered globa… Continue Reading
08.06.25
Delegation Reintroduces Landless Legislation to Address Decades-Long Injustice
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Representative Nick Begich, all R-Alaska, today issued statements on the reintroduction of legislation that would allow the Alaska Native communities of Haines, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Tenakee to form urban corporations and receive land entitlements under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). The delegation’s bill, entitled the Alaska Native Landless Equity Act, would amend ANCSA to provide these… Continue Reading
07.30.25
Senate Appropriators Advance Bill with Alaska Priorities for Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing
Washington, DC - Last week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to advance the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development bill for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) that contains significant Alaska priorities. The bill was approved in committee and will now advance to the Senate floor for consideration. “This funding meets some of Alaska’s most critical needs, ranging from affordable housing to infrastructure improvements,” said Senator Mu… Continue Reading
07.29.25
Latest Interior Moves Will Restore Balanced Management in Alaska’s Petroleum Reserve
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-AK) today expressed their strong support for the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) rescission of three policy documents released by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at or near the end of the last administration. The documents were part of an unlawful, politically motivated campaign to restrict future development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). “This latest announcement builds … Continue Reading
07.25.25
Department of Education Will Release Education Formula Funding to Alaska
Washington, DC - Following the news that the U.S. Department of Education will release all remaining education formula funds that they had previously frozen, Senator Murkowski released the following statement: “Today, we received official notification that the U.S. Department of Education will release all remaining Congressionally-approved education formula funding that was due to the states,” said Senator Murkowski. “This is a tremendous win for our students, families, and school districts … Continue Reading
07.18.25
Murkowski Helps Advance First Four Spending Bills with Alaska Wins
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, voted to advance four bills for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) that contain significant investments for Alaska. The four appropriations bills that passed committee are for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (AG); Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon); Commerce, Justice, and Science and Related Agencies (CJS); an… Continue Reading
07.17.25
Murkowski Speaks Out on Rescission Package
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement following the passage of the rescissions package late Wednesday evening: “I voted against approving this rescissions package for three key reasons. “First, it is still unclear how specific accounts within the areas targeted for rescission will be impacted. Neither the administration nor others involved in this process have provided sufficient explanation and transparency about the programs and priorities th… Continue Reading
