Press Releases
Media Requests: Members of the media can contact the press office by emailing hannah_ray@murkowski.senate.gov or by calling 202-224-6665 and asking for the press office.
Sen. Murkowski Elected to Senate Republican Leadership Team
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today was elected unanimously by her fellow Republican senators Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the fifth-highest party leadership position in the United States Senate. "It is an honor to be elected to the Senate Republican leadership team, and I greatly appreciate the trust and confidence my colleagues have placed in me," said Murkowski, who ran unopposed. "As the only West Coast senator on the leadership team, this p… Continue Reading
06.24.09
Murkowski Announces Funding for Alaska Projects in the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a member of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced subcommittee approval of a number of important projects for Alaska in the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill. Following today's action by the subcommittee, the bill goes to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration. "This bill provides important resources for fisheries research and management, extended continenta… Continue Reading
06.23.09
Murkowski Announces Funding for Alaska Projects in the Interior, the Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, a member of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced subcommittee approval of a number of important projects for Alaska in the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Following today's action by the subcommittee, the bill goes to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration. "This bill includes resources for key programs … Continue Reading
06.23.09
Delegation Reacts to Report on General Aviation Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. -The Alaska Delegation responded today to a recent finding by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security that General Aviation poses little risk to aircraft security. In a report entitled "TSA's (Transportation Security Administration) Role in General Aviation Security," the Inspector General's office concluded, "We determined that general aviation presents only limited and mostly hypothetical threats to security." The report notes that TSA and the … Continue Reading
06.23.09
Murkowski Appointed to Naval Academy Board of Visitors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors. Similar to a college board of trustees, the Board oversees a number of areas impacting cadets at the Academy and provides recommendations for improvements. As part of the Academy's Board, Murkowski will join other appointed individuals responsible for examining the state of Academy morale and discipline, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment and fiscal affairs of … Continue Reading
06.22.09
Murkowski Requests Funding for Over-extended Abused Women's Shelter in Anchorage
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called on the head of the Justice Department's Violence Against Women office to provide up to $552,000 to help the Abused Women's Aid in Crisis, or AWAIC, shelter in Anchorage cope with serious over-capacity. In a letter to Catherine Pierce, acting director of the department's Office of Violence Against Women, Murkowski said the Anchorage AWAIC is in "critical need" of $552,000 for additional staffing to meet the needs of domestic … Continue Reading
06.22.09
Murkowski Applauds Kensington Mine Decision
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision reaffirming the validity of Coeur Alaska's permit to dispose of mine tailings at the Kensington gold mine near Juneau. "I've long agreed with all of the federal agencies that had reviewed the Kensington plan, that it was environmentally, the best option," Murkowski said. "Now the Supreme Court has found that it's 100 percent compliant with the law." The high court ruled Monday that t… Continue Reading
06.19.09
Delegation Announces Grants and Contracts to Alaska Programs
Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants and contracts awarded to communities in the State of Alaska: U.S. Department of Transportation: · $2,141,950 to the City of Kenai in order to rehabilitate the aircraft aprons for the Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai, Alaska. · $21,000,000 to the State of Alaska/Department of Transportation & Public Facilities in order to construct the new airport in the comm… Continue Reading
06.19.09
Murkowski Responds to Change at U.S. Forest Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, responded to Wednesday's announcement that Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimbell was retiring immediately, to be replaced by Regional Forester Tom Tidwell. Murkowski, who became acquainted with Kimbell when Kimbell was the forest supervisor of the Stikine area of the Tongass National Forest in Petersburg, Alaska, thanked Kimbell for her ye… Continue Reading
06.18.09
Murkowski Gets New Appropriations Subcommittee Assignment - Homeland Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, will have a greater supervisory role over the United States Coast Guard as a result of moving onto the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee. With the recent party switch of U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, Murkowski rotated off the Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee and onto Homeland Security which, in addition to the Coast Guard, also oversees the Department of Homeland Security… Continue Reading
06.18.09
National Energy Bill Beneficial to Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today approved new national energy legislation that will provide a number of benefits to energy development in Alaska. The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009, which passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by a 15-to-8 vote, boosts the federal loan guarantee for a North Slope natural gas pipeline to Alaska and Lower 48 markets to $30 billion, plus inflation. It also allows the use of the Federal Financing … Continue Reading
06.18.09
Murkowski Donates Senate Computers to Alaska Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that five Alaska schools will receive a shipment of surplus computers from the United States Senate. Schools in Hoonah, Kake, Metlakatla, Nome and Pelican will each receive five computers from the United States Senate's Computers for Schools Program. "These computers will provide a substantial boost to the learning and teaching taking place in these communities," Murkowski said. "I am pleased to once again be able to prov… Continue Reading
06.17.09
Against All Odds: Energy Bill Includes Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted in favor of passing a comprehensive energy bill to improve the nation's energy system. The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 will enhance energy efficiency, boost investment in renewable energy, open promising new areas in the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas production, inventory offshore resources, aid construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska, improve the nation's aging transmission grid and reaffirm the n… Continue Reading
06.16.09
Murkowski, Begich Announce Mobile Office Visits to Interior Alaska
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 Talkeetna, Healy, Anderson, Nenana, Delta Junction and Tok from June 22-26, 2009. 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… Continue Reading
06.15.09
Murkowski Statement on Exxon Court Ruling
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, this evening issued the following statement after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Exxon Mobil Corporation to pay $507.5 million in punitive damages from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil disaster. In addition, the Court also ordered Exxon Mobil to pay 5.9 percent interest accrued from the 1996 trial judgment: "I am gratified by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to award interest to the plaintiffs of the Exxon Valdez… Continue Reading
06.12.09
Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs
Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants awarded to communities in the State of Alaska: U.S. Department of Agriculture: $82,500 to the City of Kotzebue for the preliminary cost and analysis associated with the preparation of a preliminary engineering and environmental report for a proposed new water treatment plan. $528,860 to the City of Bethel for preliminary cost and analysis associated with the preparing of applicati… Continue Reading
06.11.09
Murkowski Applauds Major Disaster Declaration for Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Obama administration has declared a major disaster declaration for the State of Alaska, a move that triggers the release of federal funds to help individuals and communities recover from extensive and widespread flooding that began on April 28, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced tonight. "The disaster declaration is welcome news for families living in communities such as Eagle, Stevens Village and Tanana which were hard hit by this spring's flooding," Murkow… Continue Reading
06.11.09
Secretary Shinseki Tells Sen. Murkowski VA Will Work to Improve Healthcare Access for Veterans in Rural Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki today acknowledged to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski that Alaska's unique geography makes it difficult to provide VA healthcare access to veterans in rural Alaska but he pledged to find ways to remedy the situation. "Geography in the United States by definitions used in the VA has three categories - urban, rural and highly rural," Shinseki said. "I'm not sure what category we use for those areas where there are no roads and you can't g… Continue Reading
06.11.09
Murkowski responds to TransCanada-Exxon announcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed the announcement that Exxon Mobil and TransCanada have agreed to work together to advance construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska's North Slope to Lower 48 consumers. "A deal between TransCanada and Exxon is a major sign of progress toward our shared goal of commercializing Alaska's vast natural gas reserves," Murkowski said. "While a lot of work remains to be done, this brings us one step closer to bringing jo… Continue Reading
06.10.09
Senators, Public Health Community & Restaurant Industry Reach Historic Agreement to Provide Nutrition Information at Chain Restaurants
WASHINGTON, DC - A bipartisan coalition of senators on the Senate healthcare committees, as well as numerous public health organizations and the restaurant industry today announced an agreement that would require chain restaurants to list calories on their menus and menu boards. The compromise combines key elements of the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and the Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act, sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) … Continue Reading
