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.
Young, Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Fair and Accurate Census Count
Congressman Don Young and U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (all R-Alaska) introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation, the 2020 Census Deadline Extensions Act, alongside Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to provide for additional time to complete the 2020 Census. The bill extends the Census operations of nonresponse follow-up and self-response to October 31, 2020 as well as extends the Census statutory reporting deadlines for apportionment and re… Continue Reading
09.14.20
Alaska Delegation Welcomes $21 Million BUILD Grant for Anchorage International Airport
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young (all R-Alaska) today thanked Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao for awarding a $21 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to the Alaska Energy Authority to construct a 190,000 square foot climate-controlled cold storage facility at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (TSAIA). The Alaska congressional delegation wrote a letter to Secretary Chao in May advocating for TSAIA to re… Continue Reading
09.11.20
U.S. Senators Smith, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Tribes Combat COVID-19, Other Public Health Crises
Today U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced bipartisan legislation to help Tribes access public health data and address health disparities that hit American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities especially hard. The Tribal Health Data Improvement Act would strengthen data sharing between Tribes, Tribal Epidemiology Centers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) so Tribes can more effectively address public health challenges. Tribes … Continue Reading
09.11.20
Senator Murkowski Speaks in Remembrance of September 11
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today released the following statement in remembrance of September 11, 2001: Click here for video of Senator Murkowski. "On September 11, 2001, America fell victim to unprovoked terrorist attacks which took the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans and injured another 6,000. Today, we pay tribute to the lives that were lost and honor their families and loved ones. But as we reflect on what was lost on September 11, we must also remember what we found-the unity th… Continue Reading
09.10.20
Murkowski Votes to Advance Targeted Covid-19 Relief Bill
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted to advance a targeted COVID-19 Relief bill package, focused on addressing some of America's most urgent healthcare, education, and economic issues. The procedural vote failed by a vote of 52-47, shy of the 60 votes needed. "It's so important that we work to provide necessary relief to Americans in order to address the continued impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on businesses, employees, families, and individuals. While this targeted relief packag… Continue Reading
09.10.20
Murkowski Joins Senate Hearing On COVID-19 Vaccinations
In light of ongoing efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) took part in a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing entitled, "Vaccines: Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health". At the hearing, witnesses discussed the importance of continuing to receive recommended vaccines during the coronavirus pandemic, including for influenza, as well as the need for ongoing vaccine research and developmen… Continue Reading
09.09.20
Sullivan, Murkowski & Young Welcome Major Tariff Relief for Alaska Fishermen
U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young (all R-Alaska) today thanked President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for authorizing approximately $530 million for fishermen and the U.S. seafood industry impacted by retaliatory tariffs from foreign governments, including fishermen in Alaska. "Working alongside Alaska fishermen across our state, I have been relentlessly pushing the administration to ensure that our fishermen are provided relief fr… Continue Reading
09.09.20
Murkowski Announces Appointment of Special Counsel
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that Patrick J. McCormick III has returned to the staff of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where he will serve as Special Counsel. McCormick will provide counsel and advocacy on matters within the committee's jurisdiction especially as they bear on the security, adequacy, reliability, and affordability of the nation's energy supply and delivery infrastructure. "I'm very excited to have Pat back at the committee," Murkowski said. "H… Continue Reading
09.03.20
Murkowski Joins Van Hollen, Inhofe in Bipartisan Push to Expand Aviation Workforce Training
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined a bipartisan group of over twenty colleagues, led by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), in sending a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging the agencies to fully implement two aviation workforce grant programs authorized in the 2018 FAA Reauthorization bill that invest in and expand the development of the next generation of aircraft pilots and maintenance tec… Continue Reading
09.01.20
Alaska Delegation Urges Alaskans to Participate in the Census
As the deadline to participate in the 2020 Census rapidly approaches, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all (R-AK), are calling on Alaskans to do their part and participate. New data released by the Census Bureau shows Alaska's self-response rate remains ranked among the lowest in the nation, with only Puerto Rico at a lower self-response rate than Alaska. The deadline to participate in the 2020 Census questionnaire is September 30, 2020. "While we've all pu… Continue Reading
08.28.20
Alaska Delegation Applauds Opening of Cold Case Office in Anchorage
The Alaska Congressional Delegation, alongside other federal, state, tribal, and local leaders, helped kick off the opening of the Operation Lady Justice Task Force Cold Case Office in Anchorage. The office will be dedicated to solving cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Anchorage office is one of seven of its kind being established across the nation to handle such cold cases and will be staffed by law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, special ag… Continue Reading
08.28.20
Schatz, Murkowski, Spanberger, Wagner To Defense Secretary: Fight Online Child Sexual Exploitation, Protect Vulnerable Children, Punish Offenders
U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Lisa Murkowsi (R-Alaska) and U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Anne Wagner (R-Mo.) this week called for Defense Secretary Mark Esper to provide updates on how the Defense Department (DoD) is preventing and combating child sexual exploitation. Their call comes eight months after Senators Schatz and Murkowski's legislation to fight online child exploitation on the DoD's network was signed into law as Section 550D of the National Defense… Continue Reading
08.27.20
ICYMI: Murkowski Attends Opening of Cold Case Office In Anchorage
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined other federal, state, tribal, and local leaders, for the official opening off the Operation Lady Justice Task Force Cold Case Office in Anchorage. The new office, which will be dedicated to solving cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, was secured through collaborative efforts between federal, state, local, and tribal leaders, including years of work by Senator Murkowski to address the nationwide crisis of missing… Continue Reading
08.26.20
Alaska Congressional Delegation Continues to Fight for Bypass Mail Program in Alaska
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Representative Don Young, all R-Alaska, issued the following statement after taking part in a call with U.S. Postmaster General DeJoy, regarding his previous statements on the Bypass Mail program, while testifying at a Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on August 21. "After a productive and educational meeting with Postmaster General DeJoy earlier this week, we are pleased to see that he has come to recognize the… Continue Reading
08.24.20
Alaska Congressional Delegation Announces Unemployment Assistance Relief Grant
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, (all R-AK), today announced that FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor approved the State of Alaska for a FEMA grant of $19,902,565 under the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program from the Disaster Relief Fund. The LWA funds are made available to states and territories, providing financial resources to help those who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are receiving unemployment benefits. This grant funding will allow the … Continue Reading
08.24.20
Senators Murkowski and Sullivan Comment on Army Corps Decision on Pebble Mine
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today released the following statements after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced that the Pebble mine project in southwest Alaska cannot be permitted as currently proposed. The Corps released its decision after finding the project would likely result in significant environmental degradation and have significant adverse effects on the Bristol Bay ecosystem. Senator Murkowski released the following statement: "I strong… Continue Reading
08.21.20
Alaska Delegation Responds to Postmaster General re: Bypass Mail Program
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, issued the following statement in response to the Postmaster General's testimony today regarding Alaska's bypass mail program: "We must be clear: the USPS is a vital lifeline to countless Alaskans, from our population centers to the farthest reaches of our vast state. Throughout the years, the Alaska delegation has defended mail delivery to rural Alaska. We've done it before and we'll do it again. Simply put, the bypass … Continue Reading
08.20.20
Alaska LNG Project Secures Final Authorization to Export Natural Gas
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements after the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final, unconditional order authorizing the Alaska LNG project to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). Murkowski participated in a video teleconference with DOE Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes, DOE Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steve Winberg, and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) President Frank Richards to make the ann… Continue Reading
08.17.20
Major Milestone for Alaska’s 1002 Area: BLM Issues Record of Decision for Oil and Gas Program
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today issued the following statements after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its Record of Decision (ROD) for an oil and gas program in the non-wilderness Coastal Plain (1002 Area) of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). "This is a capstone moment in our decades-long push to allow for the responsible development of a small part of Alaska's 1002 Area. I appreciate the significant work of Secretary Bernh… Continue Reading
08.14.20
Alaska Congressional Delegation Introduces Legislation to Support Economic Development for Alaska Native Communities
The Alaska Congressional Delegation introduced landmark legislation to make tax-exempt financing more accessible for the economic development projects of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Such financing, known as Tribal Economic Development, or TED Bonds, is currently available only on a limited basis that benefits only a limited number of tribal entities. The legislation evens the playing field by changing the rules for TED Bonds in several critical ways to make this tax-exempt financing muc… Continue Reading