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.
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
07.16.25
Murkowski, Colleagues Advocate for Critical Education Funding
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined her colleagues in a letter to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought, asking him to faithfully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, and release the funds. The legislation included funding for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants; 21st Century Learning Centers; Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants; English Language Acquisition; Migrant Education; Ad… Continue Reading
07.02.25
Murkowski Releases Statement on Budget Reconciliation Bill
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following statement on H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill: “This was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate. “My goal throughout the reconciliation process has been to make a bad bill better for Alaska, and in many ways, we have done that. In addition to extending pro-growth tax cuts, a larger child tax credit, and no tax on tips or overtime, we made a historic investment and modernizatio… Continue Reading
06.27.25
Murkowski Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Universal Service Fund
Murkowski Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Universal Service Fund Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the constitutionally of the Universal Service Fund. “Over the last 30 years, the Universal Service Fund has been instrumental in connecting rural Alaska by supporting telephone services and internet access in schools and low-income households in some of the most unserved and underserved communit… Continue Reading
06.27.25
Murkowski Releases Statement on War Powers Resolution Vote
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after her vote on Senate Joint Resolution 59. “Yesterday, Congress received a detailed briefing on last weekend’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine. They made it clear that these actions were a limited, time-sensitive response to what was… Continue Reading
06.26.25
Senator Murkowski Presses OMB Director Vought on Importance of Public Broadcasting for Alaska
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), senior member of the Appropriations Committee, spoke with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought. The Director appeared before the committee that was tasked with considering the rescissions package championed by President Trump, which rescinds $9.4 billion in funding previously appropriated by Congress. Senator Murkowski pressed Vought on the importance of public broadcasting in rural Alaska. Watc… Continue Reading
06.25.25
Senators Murkowski, Shaheen Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Impose Sanctions on Perpetrators of Global Violence against LGBTQ+ Communities
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in reintroducing the Global Respect Act. The legislation would impose sanctions on foreign actors responsible for human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQ+) individuals abroad. Additional cosponsors of the bill include Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (… Continue Reading
06.24.25
Senator Murkowski Engages with VA Secretary Collins on Alaska Veterans’ Priorities
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget request. Senator Murkowski reinforced to the Secretary the unique needs of Alaska’s veterans, and sought confirmation that the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs will continue to serve the needs … Continue Reading
06.24.25
Murkowski, Sullivan Support Repeal of Roadless Rule
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) released the following statements following U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is beginning the process to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule on a nationwide basis. “The Roadless Rule has never fit Alaska, so I welcome this effort to rescind it,” Senator Murkowski said. “Even without the rule in place, nearly 80 percent of the Tongass National Forest… Continue Reading
