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.
Alaskan Delegation Works With USPS; Reaches Agreement On Future Of Bypass Mail Program
Washington, D.C. - Alaska's Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with the Postmaster General over bypass mail rates. Included in an 84 page report from the Postal Regulatory Commission is the acknowledgment that the Alaska Congressional Delegation has expressed concern with the pending rate increase. In response, "the Postal Service indicates that it is working with shippers and air carriers in Alaska to change and simplify the acceptance of bypass… Continue Reading
03.13.09
Murkowski Warns Against Complacency Following Exxon Valdez Spill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Despite significant improvements in the prevention and management of oil spills, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today warned against becoming complacent with the progress made since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster. "While we have made significant progress in spill prevention and response, increased our scientific knowledge of oil spills, clean up and environmental monitoring, we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent again" Murkowski said. She issued her war… Continue Reading
03.12.09
Murkowski Cautions Against Combining Energy and Climate Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today responded to comments by Majority Leader Harry Reid that he hopes to combine a mandatory cap on carbon emissions with a Renewable Electricity Standard and expanded federal siting authority for electrical transmission infrastructure into a single bill on the Senate floor by August. "The energy committee is working full-tilt on a comprehensive energy bill that will include the issues that relate to transmission siting and renewable … Continue Reading
03.12.09
Murkowski Urges Careful Analysis in Transmission Fix
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today stressed the importance of working with states and stakeholders to expand the nation's electrical transmission infrastructure. At a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Murkowski said there may be a need to increase federal siting authority for transmission projects but Congress should first give careful consideration to the role of states in determining where best to place new power lines. "I'm concer… Continue Reading
03.12.09
Anchorage OCS Hearing to Focus on Energy Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed the announcement that U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will gather public comment on oil and gas leasing off the coast of Alaska at a meeting in Anchorage next month. "I'm grateful Secretary Salazar is coming to hear from Alaskans firsthand about the importance of oil and gas production off our coastline," Murkowski said. Salazar will hold a public meeting on energy development on the outer continental shelf at th… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Murkowski Votes for Omnibus Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, made the following statement after voting in favor of the Fiscal Year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill: "Although I have concerns about the price tag of this bill, I heard from a number of Alaskans telling me how important some of the Alaska-specific projects were to their cities, towns, communities and villages. Defeat of this bill could have resulted in Alaska missing out on nearly $200 million in funding. My vote in the end was a vote… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Murkowski Sustains Knee Injury While Skiing in Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, tore two ligaments and cartilage in her left knee on Sunday while skiing at Alyeska Ski Resort. Murkowski, an expert skier, fell while skiing on the south face of the mountain about noon Sunday, tumbling more than 300 feet down the mountain and tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (acl), medial collateral ligament (mcl) and lateral meniscus. "I've been skiing all my life, and this was just one of those unfortunate accidents that ca… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Sens. Murkowski & Bingaman Introduce FLAME Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced legislation that takes a big step forward in tackling chronic funding shortages for fighting wildfires, and the steep declines in land management funding that result. The Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act - the FLAME Act -- establishes an account to pay for fighting large, complex wildland fires. The legislation will provide a separate budget for fighting the larg… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Murkowski & Carper Introduce LEAN Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Giving American consumers more nutritional information about the menu items at chain food restaurants is the goal of the Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act, introduced today by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Tom Carper (D-Del.). The LEAN Act would require restaurants and grocery stores that serve prepared foods at 20 or more locations to provide consumers calorie information for each menu item. Under the Murkowski-Carper bill, calories will be printed d… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Murkowski Calls for Better Understanding of the Relationship Between Water and Energy Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today highlighted the direct connection between electricity and fuel production and water use. At a hearing of the full Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Murkowski raised the importance of understanding the amount of water needed in power and fuel generation. "The link between water and energy is often overlooked, however a significant amount of water is needed to generate the electricity and fuel we depend on every day," M… Continue Reading
03.09.09
Murkowski Announces Additions to Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, has announced three new additions to her Washington, D.C., staff and one to her Anchorage office. In Washington, Murkowski has added Edward Hild as her Legislative Director, Megan Alvanna-Stimpfle as her Legislative Assistant for Indian Affairs and Robert Sumner as Deputy Press Secretary. In Anchorage, Murkowski added Bob Walsh as her Field Representative. "As I advocate for Alaska, I am glad to have the support of my dedicated and hard-wor… Continue Reading
03.07.09
Murkowski Warns Against Combining Energy and Climate Measures in Single Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today responded to comments by the Senate majority leader about the possibility of combining energy legislation with a cap and trade measure on the Senate floor this year. Lumping two very controversial pieces of legislation into a single-bill strategy will make final passage very difficult, Murkowski said. "The energy committee is drafting a comprehensive energy bill that already includes a number of areas where reaching cons… Continue Reading
03.06.09
Delegation Announces Grants and Contracts to Alaska Programs
Delegation Announces Grants and Contracts 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 $113,288 to the Gulkana Village Council for preliminary cost analysis associated with the preparation of a preliminary engineering report and an environmental report for a proposed project of a new water supply well, water treatment facility an… Continue Reading
03.05.09
Murkowski Gets Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today was assigned to five subcommittees of the Senate Appropriations Committee, several of which have major impacts on Alaska. Murkowski, who joined the appropriations panel in January, was assigned to the following subcommittees: Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; and Legisla… Continue Reading
03.05.09
Murkowski Questions Secretary Chu on National Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today raised serious concerns about the nation's ability to meet a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) requiring utilities to generate as much as 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2021. At a hearing Thursday of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Murkowski questioned Secretary of Energy Steven Chu about the impact the nation's limited transmission capacity, and the narrow definition of "renewable"… Continue Reading
03.04.09
Murkowski Announces Release of Emergency Funding for Emmonak
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced today that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has released $20,000 that the Emmonak Tribal Council requested to help residents who are struggling with high home heating fuel and food costs this winter. Emmonak had requested $20,000 in emergency assistance and the BIA signed off on the funding today. "I had asked BIA at a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing in January to find assistance to help Emmonak residents get thro… Continue Reading
03.04.09
Murkowski Amendment Would Restore Tongass Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Monday introduced an amendment to the omnibus spending bill to reinstate funding for the Tongass Timber Fund in the Department of Agriculture's annual budget. In 1980, Congress passed legislation that set aside 5.4 million acres of new wilderness in the Tongass National Forest under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). In exchange for the wilderness designation, Congress directed the Secretary of Agricultu… Continue Reading
03.04.09
Murkowski Introduces Salmon Lake Land Exchange Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced legislation that would provide for a land exchange between the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska. The Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, would resolve a land conveyance dispute between the Corporation and the State of Alaska dating since 1971 and the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. "Alaska Natives have spent decades fighti… Continue Reading
03.03.09
Murkowski Statement on the Death of Mat-Su Borough Mayor Curt Menard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement upon learning of the death of Mat-Su Borough Mayor and former state legislator Curt Menard: "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Curt Menard. Dr. Menard's story is typical of many who came to Alaska as part of their military service, saw the possibilities of making a real difference in our Great Land, and committed their lives to Alaska. A can-do person who never saw an obstacle he could not ov… Continue Reading
03.03.09
Delegation Expresses Concern Over Postal Rate Increases; Sends Joint Letter To Postmaster
Washington, D.C. - Alaska's Congressional Delegation sent the attached letter to Postmaster General Potter yesterday to express their concern with the pending rate increases and their effect on the Alaska bypass mail system. "Rural Alaskans are being hit very hard by the economic downturn we have faced this past year," said Rep. Young. "Receiving basic goods is not the same in the villages of Alaska as it is in most areas of the Lower 48. People that live in these areas are having a hard… Continue Reading
