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.
Sen. Murkowski Sponsors Legislation to Hold BP to its Promise
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced legislation today to ensure BP fully meets its commitment to pay all claims from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The legislation, co-sponsored with Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, would codify BP's promises to pay all economic damages from the spill and forego any attempt to recover those expenditures from the federal government as a waiver of the strict liability cap under the Oil Pollution Act. "I believe this legislation wil… Continue Reading
05.25.10
Sen. Murkowski: BP Must be Held Fully Accountable
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today reiterated her commitment to ensuring that all those affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are justly compensated by the companies responsible. "When it comes to liability issues associated with a major oil spill, I don't believe any other state represented on this committee has more experience than my home state of Alaska," Murkowski said. "The recovery from the Exxon Valdez oil spill has been long and sad, and it took 20 years… Continue Reading
05.25.10
Murkowski, Begich Announce Mobile Office Visits to Kenai Peninsula
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R- Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, today announced that members of their staffs will visit the communities of Whittier, Cooper Landing, Seward, Ninilchik and Homer between June 1-4, 2010. Congressional staff hold mobile office hours in Alaska in order to meet with constituents and community leaders. During their mobile office hours, staff from each office will be available to take casework requests and listen to constituent concerns about issues … Continue Reading
05.24.10
Murkowski, Begich Introduce Legislation Amending Duck Stamp Requirement for Subsistence Purposes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich today introduced legislation that would eliminate the law requiring Alaskans to purchase duck stamps for subsistence purposes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced that beginning this spring, it will enforce a regulation requiring subsistence hunters to purchase and carry duck stamps when hunting or when gathering the eggs of birds. This requirement presents additional burdens to Alaskans living a subsistence lifesty… Continue Reading
05.21.10
Sen. Murkowski Applauds New Red Dog Mine Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed Teck Alaska's announcement that it was moving forward with development of the Aqqaluk Deposit at Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska. Development of Aqqaluk will allow operations at Red Dog to continue through 2031. "This new mining development at Red Dog will help maintain the economy of Northwest Alaska," Murkowski said. "The mine not only provides high-paying jobs and important tax revenue to the region, but also minerals th… Continue Reading
05.21.10
Murkowski Opposes Financial Regulatory Reform Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after voting against the financial regulatory reform bill: "We all agree that Wall Street reform is necessary, but I have serious concerns that it will be America's community banks, credit unions, and small businesses - not Wall Street - that will bear the brunt of the pain under this bill. In the name of consumer protection, this bill proposes to create a massive new Washington bureaucracy with the aut… Continue Reading
05.20.10
Murkowski Announces First Session Summer Interns
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced the names of her first session summer interns who will work in the Senator's Washington, D.C., office next month. These young Alaskans will observe both the operations of a fast-paced Senate office and the legislative process from an up-close view. For the first summer session, running June 1-July 2, 2010, Murkowski has selected as interns Virginia Angaiak of Tununak; Thomas Comellas, Anchorage; Eva Cress, Anchorage; Alexand… Continue Reading
05.18.10
Sen. Murkowski Welcomes Hearing on Oil Spill Liability Limit
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, last week called for a hearing on raising the strict liability cap under the Oil Pollution Act. Today, Murkowski applauded Chairman Jeff Bingaman's announcement that the energy committee will hold a hearing on the liability issue on Tuesday, May 25. "I support raising the strict liability limit on oil companies drilling offshore," Murkowski said. The number of mischar… Continue Reading
05.18.10
Sen. Murkowski’s Opening Statement on the Government’s Response to Deepwater Horizon Tragedy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced for the record the following opening statement today in the energy committee's hearing on the nation's readiness to respond to offshore oil spills: "Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for convening this hearing. "It's now been 29 days since the Deepwater Horizon exploded after what may have been a catastrophic well failure followed by an equally cata… Continue Reading
05.14.10
Sens. Boxer and Murkowski Introduce Bill to Extend Moratorium on Discharge Permits for Commercial Vessels
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-California, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced a bipartisan bill (S. 3372) that would extend the current moratorium on a permit requirement for commercial and charter fishing vessels and other commercial vessels under 79 feet long. The legislation would provide these commercial vessels a three-year moratorium extension from permits for discharges under the Clean Water Act. Two years ago, in the 110th Congress, bipartisan legis… Continue Reading
05.13.10
Murkowski Gets Disaster Relief Funding to Help Mitigate Yukon River Chinook Salmon Fishery Failure
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Appropriations Committee today agreed to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski's request to include $5 million in a 2010 supplemental appropriations bill to help mitigate the Yukon River Chinook salmon fishery failure. The economic disaster assistance would help fishermen and communities affected by the fishery failure for the Yukon River Chinook salmon fishery. In 2008, the commercial salmon harvest was 89 percent below the five-year average, and the fishery remained clo… Continue Reading
05.12.10
‘Ask Lisa’ Webcast Premieres on Murkowski’s YouTube Page
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today recorded and posted to YouTube her first 'Ask Lisa' webcast in which she answered questions from constituents submitted through new media platforms Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and by email. "In an effort to be more accessible and responsive to Alaskans, I've instituted a new webcast called 'Ask Lisa' that will give constituents a chance to send me their questions and I'll answer as many as I can by video and post the clip on my YouTube… Continue Reading
05.12.10
Sen. Murkowski Welcomes Administration’s Spill Response Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today welcomed President Obama's efforts to strengthen the federal response to the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Murkowski specifically singled out the move to beef-up the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, increase available funding for the U.S. Coast Guard and enhance research and study of the use of chemical dispersants as smart, targeted responses t… Continue Reading
05.11.10
Sen. Murkowski: Answers to Deepwater Horizon Tragedy Vital to Nation’s Energy Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today led questioning of the companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill for a full explanation of what went wrong on the Gulf of Mexico drilling rig and what steps can be taken to minimize such risks in the future. "We often cite our nation's strict safety and environmental laws for oil and gas development as a means to reassure Americans that we can responsibly develop our resources, but this argument will ring hollow if those s… Continue Reading
05.10.10
Murkowski Issues Statement on Nomination of Elena Kagan for the U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after President Obama announced that he was nominating Solicitor General Elena Kagan for the United States Supreme Court: "I congratulate Elena Kagan on being nominated by President Obama for the United States Supreme Court. As a senator, I have a constitutional duty - one that I take seriously -- to examine and evaluate a judicial nominee's qualifications to ensure that the candidate has the right tempe… Continue Reading
05.08.10
Murkowski Statement on the Passing of Former Gov. Wally Hickel
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement on the passing of former Gov. Wally Hickel: "I am deeply saddened to learn of former Gov. Wally Hickel's passing. A man of deep vision, intense strength and strong backbone, Wally embodied the Alaskan spirit of liberty and independence, and I join all Alaskans in mourning his passing. "Wally had a truly remarkable career, one that spanned Alaska's history from territory to state. He was twice elected Al… Continue Reading
05.07.10
Murkowski Bill to Benefit National Law Enforcement Museum Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that the Senate has passed legislation she introduced to extend the deadline by three years for construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C. Passed by Congress in 2000, the National Law Enforcement Museum Act granted land for construction of a new National Law Enforcement Museum. The legislation required the museum to be financed with private contributions and that construction commence before Novem… Continue Reading
05.06.10
Murkowski Quizzes Attorney General Holder on NYC Terrorist Suspect and 9th U.S. Circuit Court Split
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today asked Attorney General Eric Holder whether he was satisfied with the "takedown" of the suspected New York City terrorist bomber, questioning how Faisal Shahzad, after being placed on a 'no fly' list, got onto a Persian Gulf-bound jet that had pulled away from the gate at New York's Kennedy Airport before authorities made an arrest Monday night. "I come from a state where ... we've got a level of scrutiny at our little airports ... whe… Continue Reading
05.06.10
Sens. Murkowski and Begich Introduce Legislation to Raise Oil Spill Liability Fund to $10 billion
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich have introduced legislation to expand the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) to $10 billion by raising the fee the oil industry pays on each barrel. The bill (S.3309) also removes the "sunset" provisions in the law so the fund will always be accessible to those impacted by oil spills. Nothing in the bill would limit the liability of oil companies or other responsible parties. "The liability fund provides a critical, indus… Continue Reading
05.04.10
Murkowski Comments on Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference, today said there would be plenty of time to "assign blame" in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but the major focus at this time should be on "how we contain this devastation." "There's a lot of focus right now, folks want to bring the individuals from BP, get the execs in here, and basically start pounding them," Murkowski said at the weekly Republican Leadership news conference. "My interest ri… Continue Reading
