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.
Murkowski Presses for Increased Support for Nuclear Energy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called nuclear power a strategic asset in the nation's fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address global climate change. Increasing domestic nuclear power generation capabilities is vital to allowing the United States to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to provide affordable, reliable and clean electricity to consumers, Murkowski said. "At a time when we're aggressively seeking ways to limit … Continue Reading
05.18.09
Sens. Murkowski and Begich Express Concern Over Senate Probe of Alaska Native Contracting Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, have written to the chairman of a Senate subcommittee expressing concern over the panel's investigation of Alaska Native Corporation participation in a federal contracting program. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, has scheduled a hearing July 16, 2009, on government contracts awarded to Alaska Native Corporations under the Native American 8(a… Continue Reading
05.15.09
Murkowski Gets Air Force Pledge to Work With Fairbanks on Coal-to-Liquid Project
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A top Air Force official has told U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that the service will work with Fairbanks officials over their concerns that a proposed coal-to-liquids facility near Eielson Air Force Base is off on the wrong foot. At a Senate Military Construction Subcommittee hearing earlier this week, Murkowski told an Air Force deputy assistant secretary that Fairbanks North Star Borough officials do not believe that project feasibility studies are on the right tr… Continue Reading
05.15.09
Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Benefit National Law Enforcement Museum
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Citing the challenge of raising funds during a global economic downturn, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has introduced legislation extending to 2013 a requirement that construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum begin next year. Passed by Congress in 2000, the National Law Enforcement Museum Act granted land for construction of a new National Law Enforcement Museum in downtown Washington. The original legislation requires the museum to be financed with private… Continue Reading
05.14.09
Carbon Capture and Our Energy Future
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said that advancing carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology is an important element of our clean energy future. "Coal is our most affordable and abundant domestic energy resource," Murkowski said. "We currently rely on coal to generate more than half of our electricity and it will continue to be a valuable resource for the country." "It's imperative that we find a way to continue to use our vast coal reserves in … Continue Reading
05.14.09
Sens. Murkowski and Begich Introduce Prince William Sound Escort Vessels Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, today introduced legislation that would require all tankers transporting oil in Prince William Sound be escorted by at least two towing vessels, as has been the practice for the past 20 years. The current tanker safety system was authorized in the Oil Spill Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) and currently applies to single hulled oil tankers only. The last single hulled tanker in the Prince William Fleet is expect… Continue Reading
05.13.09
Murkowski Votes to Sustain Hold on Hayes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted against a motion to end debate on the nomination of David Hayes to be the deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior. The 57-39 vote fell three short of what was needed to advance Hayes' nomination. All but two Republican senators voted against cloture. "Today's vote simply reinforces the Senate's advise and consent role for presidential nominees, and ensures that we can get meaningful commitments and answers regar… Continue Reading
05.13.09
Murkowski: Pregnant Women Should Eat More Fish
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today spoke on the growing body of research showing that pregnant women should be eating more fish during their pregnancies. New research, including a recent FDA report, shows that pregnant women aren't eating enough seafood and that babies benefit significantly when their mothers eat plenty of fish during pregnancy. The research indicates that the typical low seafood American diet actually hinders optimal brain development among babies.… Continue Reading
05.08.09
Murkowski Comments on Polar Bear Decision
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar thanking him for his decision on polar bears, an issue Murkowski has pressed Interior on. The letter also seeks clarification about how this decision will work in connection with Salazar's recent decision to revoke a previous regulation on Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation. The U.S. Department of Interior on Friday announced it was leaving unchanged the previous adm… Continue Reading
05.07.09
Alaska Delegation Responds to President Obama's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget
Washington, DC - The Alaska Congressional Delegation today made the following comments regarding President Obama's proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins October 1. Obama's Fiscal Year 2010 budget would cut missile defense funding by 35 percent, and slash spending for the Denali Commission and the Village Safe Water program. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said: "The President's budget would cancel construction of missile field 2 at Fort Greely and freeze the number of missi… Continue Reading
05.07.09
Murkowski Congratulates Pourchot
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following statement on the appointment of Pat Pourchot to be the Special Assistant for Alaska Affairs to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar: "Pat's a good man. He's positive and is a person of integrity and I'm very appreciative of his willingness to take this position. The breadth of Pat's experience in Alaska gives him a valuable depth of knowledge and understanding of Alaska's issues. Whether we agree or disagree on spec… Continue Reading
05.05.09
Sens. Murkowski, Begich, Inouye and Akaka Introduce Native American Challenge Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined by Sens. Mark Begich (D-AK), Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI), today introduced legislation designed to better coordinate the delivery of federal economic aid to American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Called the Native American Challenge Demonstration Project Act of 2009, the legislation would authorize the project at $20 million a year for five years beginning in Fiscal Year 2010. It also seeks to better man… Continue Reading
05.05.09
Murkowski Calls for Beefed Up Polar Icebreaker Capability
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called for a ramping up of America's polar icebreaker capability, saying a "global chess game" is currently playing out in the Arctic but the United States is playing "with a serious shortage of pieces." "At present the Russians have 18 icebreakers, and planning on building three more, Finland has seven and Canada six," Alaska's senior senator said. "The United States has two working icebreakers and a third in caretaker status. Eve… Continue Reading
04.30.09
Murkowski adds her name to hold on nominee Hayes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voiced disappointment today at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing over the Department of the Interior's decision to unilaterally overturn an existing rule pertaining to the Endangered Species Act. Murkowski expressed concern that the Obama administration would drop the rule without following the due process requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act. The decision to overturn the rule, along with other decision… Continue Reading
04.30.09
Murkowski, Harkin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Children's Health
Washington, D.C. - Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced legislation that would improve student health by updating decades-old nutrition standards in schools. This bill seeks to establish appropriate school nutrition standards for foods and beverages offered in school vending machines, stores, a la carte lines and other venues outside of the school meal programs. Currently, more than $11 billion in federal money is invested annually in student health though … Continue Reading
04.30.09
Murkowski, Feingold Introduce Bill to Assist Wounded Service Members.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are introducing legislation today to ensure that wounded service members do not go without income due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. Currently, many are going without compensation of any kind while they wait for their VA claims to be processed because they are never told about the patchwork of military compensation programs designed to care for them as they transition back to civilian life. Feingold and… Continue Reading
04.30.09
Murkowski Signs On to Legislation Benefitting Military Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has signed on to two bills that would benefit Alaska military families. The first would reduce the distance required for reimbursement when military families travel to specialty medical care providers and the second would allow military spouses to retain their Alaska residency, if they choose, for voting and tax purposes, when they move with their spouse to duty locations outside the Alaska. The Care Affordability for Military Families … Continue Reading
04.29.09
Sens. Murkowski, Murray and Congressman Larsen Announce Major Ferry Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA2) announced the introduction of the U.S. Ferry Systems Investment Act of 2009 at a press conference in the Capitol. This bill would dramatically increase federal support for the country's ferry system, and direct millions of dollars to ferry systems in Washington state. "The U.S. Ferry Systems Investment Act of 2009 makes make a strong investment in our natio… Continue Reading
04.29.09
Murkowski Offers Legislation Promoting Ocean Energy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced legislation to encourage development of renewable ocean energy. Murkowski introduced companion legislation to a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., that would authorize as much as $250 million a year to promote ocean research - one of the technologies being pushed for expansion by the Obama Administration. "Coming from Alaska, where there are nearly 150 communities locat… Continue Reading
04.28.09
Murkowski Votes Against Confirmation of Gov. Sebelius to be HHS Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after voting against the nomination of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services: "The well being of the Indian Health Service is of tremendous importance to Alaska. We have more Native people per capita than any other state in the nation. The Indian Health Service has been chronically underfunded in administrations of both parties. When President Obama no… Continue Reading
