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 AND STEVENS VOTE TO OVERRIDE VETO OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today voted 79-14 to override President Bush’s veto of H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The House took similar action on Tuesday which means the Act will now become law. Congress authorizes specific Army Corps of Engineers projects in WRDA, including studies, before appropriating funds to them. Congress has not completed a WRDA since 2000. “Passage of a Water Resources bill is long overdue,” said Senator Murkowski. “I appl… Continue Reading
11.07.07
Alaska's Congressional Delegation Vows to Defeat Anti-Development Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Alaska’s Congressional Delegation, Senator Ted Stevens, Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young, today released the following statement in response to Senator Joe Lieberman’s (ID-Conn.) newly introduced bill to designate Alaska’s Coastal Plain as wilderness. “With the price of oil approaching $100 per barrel and with our energy dependence on hostile foreign nations at a record high, now is not the time to cut our country off from the resources held in Alaska’s C… Continue Reading
11.06.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI SUPPORTS TRAINING FOR AN ALASKA NATURAL GASLINE WORKFORCE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today reiterated her support for construction of the Pipeline Training Facility in Fairbanks at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on workforce labor shortages. “We must ensure we have the workers to build and operate a gas pipeline in Alaska,” said Senator Murkowski. “We need to jumpstart efforts to recruit and train workers, before we find ourselves with a shortage of workers throughout the entire energy industry at a time when we… Continue Reading
11.01.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI SUPPORTS CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today joined her colleagues in the Senate in supporting the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP provides comprehensive health care coverage to low-income and uninsured children. “The Children’s Health Insurance Program extends vital health insurance to the most vulnerable segments of our population - low income children and children of the working poor,” said Senator Murkowski. “This CHIP bill will provide performance bonuses to states that … Continue Reading
10.30.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI ADDRESSES ALASKA FEDERATION OF NATIVES CONVENTION
FAIRBANKS, AK - Senator Murkowski today addressed the delegates at the 2007 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. Her remarks, as prepared, follow. Respected Elders, Tribal Leaders, Delegates and Friends. Good afternoon. Good afternoon to all in the Carlson Center. Good afternoon to our friends and families in the villages and around the world who are watching on cable television and the Internet or listening on KNBA Radio. We come together this week in the Interior of Alaska … Continue Reading
10.23.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI STRESSES THE NEED TO QUICKLY ASSIST AMCHITKA WEAPONS EMPLOYEES
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today called for speedier processing of compensation payments for illnesses contracted by who workers labored on United States nuclear programs like the former one on Amchitka Island. “Developing a compensation program is difficult, but in all too many cases the nation’s nuclear workers are dealing with horrible health consequences as a result of the occupational exposures they faced,” said Senator Murkowski during a Senate Health, Education, Labor … Continue Reading
10.19.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI WINS PASSAGE OF RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING U.S. – MONGOLIA RELATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Murkowski yesterday won final passage of a resolution celebrating twenty years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Mongolia. “The United States-Mongolian relationship is dynamic and growing with over one hundred U.S. and U.S. Mongolian joint ventures in oil exploration, textiles, animal husbandry, tourism, mining and banking,” said Senator Murkowski. “I look forward to not only increased economic ties between our two countries, but also to greater … Continue Reading
10.17.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF ‘RED RIBBON WEEK’ RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski yesterday won passage of a resolution dedicating the week of October 23-31 as “Red Ribbon Week.” The resolution, sponsored by Senator Murkowski, commemorates anti-drug efforts and will guide states, Parent Teacher Associations, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Governors and Attorneys General nationwide in partnering in an effort to call attention to the dangers of drug usage. “I encourage all Americans to wear the Red Ribbon next week as a symbol of ze… Continue Reading
10.16.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI ANNOUNCES MAJOR GRANT TO TEST ALTERNATIVE ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM OIL PRODUCTION
ANCHORAGE, AK - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a major grant to Chena Power, a subsidiary of Chena Hot Springs Resort located outside of Fairbanks, to prove the feasibility of generating alternative electricity from the hot water separated from fossil fuels during production at oil and gas wells. The grant could have major implications for geothermal energy development nationwide since there are thousands of working oil and gas wells in … Continue Reading
10.05.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI’S OCTOBER RECESS SCHEDULE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced her public schedule for the upcoming October Recess. During her travel, the Senator will travel to southeast and meet with Alaska fishermen, visit schools, and hold public meet and greet receptions in Wrangell, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Craig, and Metlakatla. In addition, Senator Murkowski will be in south-central Alaska where she will attend a health fair at the Mat-Su Regional Hospital, and make remarks to the Anchorage Chamber. Th… Continue Reading
10.03.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI CONDEMNS THE PERSECUTION OF BURMESE PROTESTORS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today co-chaired a Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs hearing on Burma’s Saffron Revolution and made the following remarks. I was pleased to join with you Chairman Barbara Boxer and the other members of the Senate Women’s Caucus on Burma in expressing our solidarity with the protestors in Burma and calling on the international community to place greater pressure on the military junta to restore democracy in the nation. It … Continue Reading
10.03.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI CHAMPIONS ENERGY EFFICIENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski is pleased to support Energy Star Change a Light Day - a national challenge to encourage every American to change one regular, inefficient light bulb to an Energy Star rated light bulb. “The simple task of replacing one light bulb with an energy efficient bulb can have a huge impact on energy savings,” said Senator Murkowski. “Though changing a light bulb may be perceived as having little impact, it is in fact an important step in a balanced approach towa… Continue Reading
09.27.07
Senators Stevens and Murkowski Welcome Funding for Heating Assistance in Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today praised the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for releasing $1.7 million to Alaska for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This nationwide program is designed to help low-income families and senior citizens pay home energy costs. Today’s allocation represents a $320,000 increase over the total funding distributed to Alaska last year. “Last winter, some Alaskans w… Continue Reading
09.27.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI CHAMPIONS AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE WOMEN’S SAFETY
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today co-chaired a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on violence against Indian women. The hearing was partly in response to the Amnesty International Report “Maze of Injustice: The Failure to Protect Indigenous Women from Sexual Violence in the USA.” “I am greatly troubled that American Indian and Alaska Natives face such unacceptably high levels of domestic violence and sexual assault,” said Senator Murkowski. “Yet I am inspired by their strengt… Continue Reading
09.27.07
Republican Senator's Support Children's Health Insurance Program
WASHINGTON — Sens. Chuck Grassley and Orrin Hatch said there is significant support among Republicans for bicameral legislation to reauthorize the children’s health insurance program. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act under consideration today maintains all of the key policy provisions of the bill passed by the Senate in August, including a cap on new spending of $35 billion. Grassley and Hatch helped to draft the legislation as Ranking Member of the Senate Commi… Continue Reading
09.27.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI REITERATES HER SUPPORT FOR GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
WASHINGTON, D.C. - At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, Senator Murkowski continued to highlight her support for investing in geothermal energy. “Unfortunately geothermal energy has not gotten the attention that other renewable energy sources have,” said Senator Murkowski. “Along with ocean energy it received relatively little federal assistance in the Energy Bill two years ago. If we encourage geothermal development it will pay big dividends to the nation. If we … Continue Reading
09.26.07
Women's Burma Caucus Calls on International Community to Keep up Press on Military Junta
Washington, DC - The Senate Women’s Caucus on Burma, led by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), today expressed solidarity with the tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors who have taken to the streets in recent days to speak out against the country’s illegitimate military junta. The bipartisan group of women Senators applauded President Bush for his remarks before the United Nations on Tuesday, where he called for new international sancti… Continue Reading
09.25.07
BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS OFFERS RESPONSE TO NSL ABUSES
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of senators is introducing legislation today to address the serious misuse of the FBI's national security letter (NSL) authorities. In an effort to continue protecting the civil liberties of all Americans, Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), John Sununu (R-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) introduced the National Security Letter Reform Act to correct the misuses and Constitutional concerns surrounding the u… Continue Reading
09.24.07
SENATE PASSES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today passed a Senate-House conference report of H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The legislation passed the Senate on May 16, but due to changes made to the original House bill, it was sent to a conference of Senate and House negotiators. The new version of the legislation has now been approved by both the Senate and the House and will be sent to the President. Congress authorizes specific Army Corps of Engineers projects in… Continue Reading
09.21.07
SENATOR MURKOWSKI ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE SHUTDOWN OF THE GRAVINA ISLAND BRIDGE PROJECT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today issued the following statement regarding the State’s decision to shutdown the Gravina Island bridge project: “The community of Ketchikan has made safe and reliable access to the airport a priority for over 30 years. When the State of Alaska requested resources to build a bridge, the Congressional Delegation worked hard to secure funding. It is unfortunate for the people of Ketchikan that the State has chosen to reprioritize its support of this pr… Continue Reading