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 Celebrates Wins for Alaska in FAA Reauthorization
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today voted in favor of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, legislation that will improve traveler safety while addressing the unique needs of the FAA Alaska Region. The bill reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through Fiscal Year 2028, providing policy direction, certainty, and authority to hire and train air traffic controllers, establish … Continue Reading
05.09.24
Murkowski, Cortez Masto Urge DOJ for Timely Implementation of Savanna’s Act
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), pressing the Department to expedite their efforts to finalize implementation of Savanna’s Act. The letter listed specific questions aimed at clarifying the DOJ’s efforts to implement the law. The letter also strongly encourages the DOJ to take into consideration the recently released recommendations from the Not Invisible Act Commission, which were publish… Continue Reading
05.08.24
Murkowski Looking at Cuts to Interior’s Budget After Repeated, Unlawful Resource Restrictions in Alaska
Washington, DC—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today suggested she would seek to cut the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) budget, unless and until the Department stops targeting responsible resource development in Alaska and returns to following federal law and the balanced management it provides for the state’s federal lands. Haaland appeared at a hearing held by the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, where Murkowski is Ranking Member, to testify about the Biden administration’s bu… Continue Reading
05.07.24
Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Improve Services for Alaska Native Elders
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) introduced the Enhancing Native Elders’ Longevity, Dignity, Empowerment, and Respect (Native ELDER) Act legislation that will improve federal programs and services for Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian Elders. The legislation will be introduced in May, in light of the national observance of Older Americans Month, a time to recognize the important role and contributions of Alaska Native … Continue Reading
05.02.24
Alaska Delegation Introduces FISHES Act to Bolster Disaster Relief for Fisheries
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to improve the federal process associated with delivering fishery disaster relief. Representatives Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives last year. The Fishery Improvement to Streamline Untimely Regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act (FISHES… Continue Reading
05.02.24
Senator Murkowski Introduces Historic New Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Menopause Research, Expand Training and Awareness Around Menopause
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced comprehensive bipartisan legislation that would be the most expansive effort so far to boost federal research on menopause and would—for the first time—coordinate the federal government’s existing programs related to menopause and mid-life women’s health. The Advancing Menopause and Mid-Life Wom… Continue Reading
05.02.24
Murkowski Slams Interior for Resource Sanctions on Alaska
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today slammed the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) - including Secretary Deb Haaland - for repeatedly sanctioning resource development in Alaska regardless of local support, national need, and federal law. Murkowski’s comments came during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s hearing on DOI’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). “Our environmental record is second to none. We'll put it up against anyone out there.… Continue Reading
05.01.24
U.S. Critical Mineral Projects Eligible for DOE Loan Guarantees After Push from Murkowski
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) revised the guidance for its Title 17 loan guarantee program to provide eligibility for U.S. mines that will produce critical minerals. The change came after Senator Murkowski repeatedly pointed out DOE’s misinterpretation of federal law that she wrote to make domestic critical mineral projects eligible for its low-cost financing. “There should be no question … Continue Reading
04.23.24
Murkowski Supports National Security Supplemental
Washington, DC - This evening, the Senate overwhelmingly passed H.R.815, the vehicle for a package of supplemental national security measures, through a bipartisan vote of 79-18. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted for the package, which provides long-awaited support for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and Indo-Pacific allies while simultaneously rebuilding domestic defense capacities. “Despite my frustration and the real-world consequences of the delays associated with this critical assistan… Continue Reading
04.19.24
Murkowski Slams Biden Administration’s Decisions in Senate Floor Speech
Washington, DC - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) delivered a speech on the Senate Floor detailing the negative impacts of the Biden Administration’s decisions that will prevent responsible resource development in Alaska. The Department of the Interior (DOI) released a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) today for the Ambler Access Project (AAP), selecting the “no action” alternative to deny the project’s re-approval. DOI today also finalized its “Proposed Rul… Continue Reading
04.19.24
Delegation Slams Biden Decisions to Further Restrict, Deny Resource Development in Alaska
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today slammed President Biden and his administration for making two more major adversarial decisions—on top of dozens of others over the past three years—that will prevent responsible resource development in Alaska. Earlier today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) released a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Ambler Access Project (AA… Continue Reading
04.18.24
Alaska Delegation Leads Effort to Delay Alaska Air National Guard Cuts, Protect Defense in the Arctic
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today applauded the announcement that the Air National Guard will delay the implementation of full-time leveling actions in the state of Alaska that would impact or eliminate nearly 80 Active Guard Reserve positions and threaten the United States homeland defense mission in Alaska and beyond. The delay moves implementation from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, allow… Continue Reading
04.15.24
ICYMI: What Alaskans Are Saying About Investments Made Through FY24 Appropriations
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, announced significant investments for Alaskans for the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations package. The final package passed on March 23rd, 2024. Alaskans have expressed their appreciation for Senator Murkowski’s work to deliver these strategically targeted investments. What They’re Saying Anchorage: $2 million for the Alaska Rail… Continue Reading
04.15.24
Murkowski-Led Update to WIC Food Package Brings Healthy Alaskan Salmon to America’s Children and Mothers
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today applauded the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for including Alaska salmon into more Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages. Murkowski has advocated for expanded inclusion of healthy, nutritious Alaskan salmon in WIC food packages since 2014, when the process to update WIC food packages began. “It is great news for America’s mothers and their children who rely on WIC that the USDA is including… Continue Reading
04.11.24
Alaska Congressional Delegation selects Julie Kitka to lead Denali Commission
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) today announced that they have passed along their recommendation for Julie Kitka to serve as the Denali Commission Federal Co-Chair. If approved, Kitka would replace Jocelyn Fenton who started serving in the role of Interim Federal Co-Chair on March 6, 2024. “Alaskans know what Julie Kitka can deliver when she’s taking the lead,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “For 33 years, she served as the … Continue Reading
04.09.24
Murkowski and Sullivan Welcome Significant Investments to Make Rural Alaska More Resilient
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) welcomed the United States Department of Transportation’s announcement of over $50 million in grants for the state of Alaska through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROJECT) program. These grants are part of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, and aim to bolster community resilience efforts, secure funding for at-risk coastal infrastructure, as… Continue Reading
04.03.24
Alaska Delegation Continues to Make the Case Against Proposed NPR-A Rule
Anchorage, AK—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today released a letter they sent to Secretary Deb Haaland last week, urging the Department of the Interior (DOI) to withdraw a misguided rule targeting the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). In their letter, the delegation called attention to four recent developments that “reinforce why DOI must change its approach and withdraw this unlawful rule”: 1. … Continue Reading
04.02.24
Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud Implementation of Cold Weather Pay for Alaska Air and Space Forces
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the implementation of cold weather special duty pay for Air and Space Forces service members based in certain locations, including Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, and Clear Space Force Station in Anderson. This announcement, effective April 1, 2024, follows two letters sent by Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and the North Dakota Senate delegation in M… Continue Reading
03.27.24
Murkowski Announces Tongass National Forest providing the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski joined the U.S. Forest Service in announcing that the Alaska Region of the Forest Service, which features the Tongass and Chugach National Forests, has been selected to provide the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. An annual symbol of hope and celebration, the tree offers an opportunity to showcase Alaska's majestic landscape, unique culture, rich traditions, diverse ecosystems, and abundant resources. The tree will symbolize Alaskans’ connection to the lands t… Continue Reading
03.23.24
Murkowski Announces Significant Investments for Alaska in Final FY 2024 Appropriations Package
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced more wins for Alaska within the second (and final) package of appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. Earlier this morning, the Senate passed H.R. 2882, the vehicle for those appropriations bills, by a vote of 74-24. The package contains the FY 2024 bills for Defense; Financial Services and Genera… Continue Reading