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 Outlines COVID-19 Emergency Relief Bill in Year-End Omnibus Package
The U.S. Senate passed a year-end omnibus bill, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which includes nearly $900 billion in targeted COVID-19 emergency relief for vulnerable Americans. The final COVID-19 emergency relief package was based on the Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, legislation which Senator Murkowski recently unveiled alongside U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I… Continue Reading
12.22.20
Murkowski Applauds Senate Passage of Interior Appropriations Bill
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of an Appropriations Package for Fiscal Year 2021, which included the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill. As chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, Murkowski crafted a bill which invests in health and wellness, reduces regulatory burdens, increases economic opportunity, improves Alaskans' abilities to respond to natural disasters, support for the arts and humanities, and more. "Building on my long-standing efforts to address issu… Continue Reading
12.22.20
Critical Year-End Bill Package Passes U.S. Senate
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of a year-end omnibus bill, which includes 12 appropriations bills to fund the government through the end of Fiscal Year 2021, among which is Senator Murkowski's Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This historic funding package also includes a nearly $900 billion COVID-19 relief package; Senator Murkowski's bipartisan, bicameral Energy Act of 2020; a bipartisan compromise to address the issue of Surpr… Continue Reading
12.21.20
Murkowski, Manchin, House Colleagues Reach Agreement on Energy Package for Year-End Appropriations Bill
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., today announced that their bipartisan, bicameral Energy Act of 2020 has been included as Division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, must-pass legislation that will be considered in the House and Senate starting today. The Energy Act features consensus provisions from the Senate's American Energy Innovation Act (S. 2657) and the House's Clean Economy Innovation and Jobs Act (H.R. 4447). It stands to become the first c… Continue Reading
12.20.20
FINAL COVID-19 EMERGENCY RELIEF PACKAGE BASED ON ORIGINAL BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL LEGISLATION
Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) and Tom Reed (R-NY-23) applauded the final COVID-19 emergency relief package. "Following months of deadlock in Congress while millions of Americans were at risk of lo… Continue Reading
12.18.20
Murkowski Statement on FDA Approval of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorization for Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine, the second to receive such approval in the U.S. "The FDA approval of a second highly effective and safe vaccine option is welcomed news, as it will not only substantially increase America's vaccine supply, but will also provide additional shipping options for hard to reach areas-particularly important for a sta… Continue Reading
12.18.20
BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL GROUP: FINISH WHAT WE STARTED
Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) and Tom Reed (R-NY-23) called on Congress to deliver immediate COVID-19 relief to the American people. Earlier this week, the Senators and the Problem Solvers Caucus sh… Continue Reading
12.17.20
National Landslide Preparedness Act Heads to President’s Desk
The Senate yesterday passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help communities prepare for and respond to landslides and other natural hazards, sending it to the President's desk for signature. The Senate first passed S. 529, the National Landslide Preparedness Act, in July, and yesterday unanimously passed a modified version of the bill as H.R. 8810, which the House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate last week. Sens. Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., along with… Continue Reading
12.17.20
Q&A WITH MURKOWSKI: Bipartisan, Bicameral Covid-19 Emergency Relief Package
This week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representatives Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) and Tom Reed (R-NY-23) to unveil the legislative text for the two bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 emergency relief bills. Today, Senator Murkowski took part in a Q&A to help furth… Continue Reading
12.14.20
Murkowski Congratulates President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on Presidential Campaign Victory
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) made the following statement after the Electoral College declared President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the winners of the 2020 presidential election: "Today Electoral College delegations voted in their respective states. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have crossed the 270-vote threshold needed to be declared our elected President and Vice President. I congratulate them on their victory. "I thank… Continue Reading
12.14.20
BIPARTISAN SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES SHARE DETAILS OF TWO BIPARTISAN COVID-19 EMERGENCY RELIEF BILLS
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) and Tom Reed (R-NY-23) shared additional details for the two bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 emergency relief bills. The Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergenc… Continue Reading
12.14.20
Murkowski Welcomes Kaleb Froehlich Back to Team as Chief of Staff
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed Kaleb Froehlich back to her team in Washington, D.C. as her Chief of Staff and announced the promotion of Garrett Boyle to Deputy Chief of Staff. "I am excited to welcome Kaleb back to my team," said Senator Murkowski. "He has spent much of his career working on behalf of Alaskans and has a deep passion for our state. Kaleb's previous experience and strong work ethic will help us achieve many successes for Alaska." Kaleb Froehlich will become … Continue Reading
12.13.20
Murkowski Applauds New Polar Security Cutters Authorized in Coast Guard Bill
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded the authorization of additional Polar Security Cutters (icebreakers) in the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which passed Congress as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. The bipartisan provision was authored by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Since coming to the senate, Senator Murkowski has focused on Arctic issues, working to raise awareness of the significa… Continue Reading
12.12.20
Murkowski Comments on FDA Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine: "The FDA authorized the Pfizer vaccine to combat COVID-19, meaning administration of the first doses for frontline health workers and long-term care facility residents in Alaska could begin as soon as next week. This is a major milestone in the fight against the pandemic," said Senator Murkowski. "… Continue Reading
12.11.20
U.S. Senate Passes Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today made the following statement after voting in favor of a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels through December 18, 2020: "Today I supported a short-term continuing resolution to fund the government through December 18, to keep the government functioning and to avoid adding unnecessary economic strain on hard-working Americans. For the thousands of Alaskans that are federal employees and contractors, and for all Americans who rely… Continue Reading
12.11.20
New DOD Arctic Security Studies Center Approved by Congress
The U.S. Senate today passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), including a provision authorizing a new regional Department of Defense (DOD) Center named the "Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies." U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and chairman of Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, successfully included key elements of a bill he introduced earlier this Congress with Senator Lisa Murkowsk… Continue Reading
12.11.20
Murkowski Applauds Senate Passage of NDAA
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the final Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill passed the Senate by an 84-13 vote and now heads to the President's desk. This major national security bill authorizes the annual budget for the Department of Defense (DoD), providing funding for training and readiness, to improve the livelihoods of military members and their families, modernize military technology, and includes multiple provisions to address… Continue Reading
12.10.20
Murkowski Statement on UAE Arms Sale
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today made the following statement after voting against S.J. Res. 77 and S.J.Res.78, Resolutions of Disapproval which would block portions of an arms deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE): "Along with many colleagues, I had significant concerns with the speed of this sale. I wanted to be certain the sale was following protocols that ensure Foreign Military Sales don't compromise information pertaining to sophisticated technology, and measures in place to s… Continue Reading
12.09.20
Murkowski Statement on NPFMC Closing EEZ Waters to Commercial Fishing in Cook Inlet
Following the announcement that the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) has decided to close all Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters to commercial fishing in the Cook Inlet, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement: "I am disappointed by the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council's decision to close federal waters in Cook Inlet to commercial fishing, but I am also very concerned about the prospect of federal management over resources that have been, … Continue Reading
12.07.20
ICYMI: Baldwin-Murkowski Digital Coast Act Passes Congress
Recently, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) passed the United States Senate. The Digital Coast Act will help shoreline communities along the Great Lakes and ocean coasts better prepare for storms, cope with varying water levels and strengthen economic development efforts. Following today's action, the bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. "Wisconsin's Great Lakes are a great asset for our quality of life an… Continue Reading