05.20.20

Murkowski: Menezes is a Great Choice for Deputy Secretary of Energy

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a full committee hearing to consider the nomination of Mark Menezes to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE). The Senate confirmed Menezes as Under Secretary for Energy by voice vote in November 2017. "As Under Secretary, Mr. Menezes helped create the Department's new cybersecurity office and has been responsible for many programs that are key to fostering energy innovation, including nuclear energy, fossil energy, and energy eff… Continue Reading

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05.20.20

Gillibrand, Murkowski Urge Congress To Prioritize Impact Aid Funding In Next Coronavirus Relief Package

U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) led a bipartisan group of senators urging Congress to prioritize Impact Aid funding for federally impacted schools in the next coronavirus relief package. Federally impacted school districts educate some of the most vulnerable student populations - including Native American and military connected children and children living in federal low-rent housing - and rely on Impact Aid for resources. As these school districts struggle to r… Continue Reading

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05.19.20

Senators Urge Congressional Leaders to Support Vulnerable Students Amid Coronavirus Crisis

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jon Tester (D-MT), in leading a bipartisan group of 40 senators, pressing congressional leadership to include in the upcoming coronavirus relief package significant funding for the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO), which are integral to supporting vulnerable students and their families that have been impacted by the virus. The senators' letter comes as the economic fallout of the coronavirus c… Continue Reading

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05.19.20

Murkowski, Manchin, Udall to Vice President Pence: Secure PPE, Testing for Firefighters

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, and Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence urging the Coronavirus Task Force to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel tasked with wildfire response. Below are excerpts from the letter: "Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is our understanding that the supply of PPE in the Federal interagency inventori… Continue Reading

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05.18.20

Senators Propose $1.07 Billion to Assist Families, Youth, and Children in Crisis as a Result of COVID-19

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) are calling on the Senate to provide support for children, youth, and families in crisis or experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators today sent a letter to Senate leadership, asking for dedicated funding to be included in future coronavirus relief in order to meet the unique and complex needs of homeless youth and families through the programs and systems that are b… Continue Reading

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05.18.20

Casey, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Aid Domestic Violence Prevention and Support Programs During COVID-19 Pandemic

At a time when organizations supporting survivors of family, domestic and dating violence are seeing an increase in need for services, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Protect Our Women and Waive Emergency Requirements (POWER) Act. The POWER Act would temporarily waive the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) requirement that organizations must match federal funding amounts through cash or in-kind donations. This bill is especially important … Continue Reading

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05.18.20

Alaska Delegation Applauds Homeland Security Rule Creating Flexibility for Seafood Industry

The Alaska Congressional Delegation today applauded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's announcement that it is implementing a temporary rule that will give seafood processors more flexibility to hire workers in H-2B status during the COVID-19 pandemic. This action creates parity with the H-2A program, which was granted similar temporary flexibility in April of 2020. The recently published rule will allow companies that are critical to the U.S. food supply to hire current visa holders alr… Continue Reading

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05.15.20

Murkowski Welcomes Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, welcomed the Department of Energy's (DOE) launch of an Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) within its Office of Nuclear Energy. The ARDP will partner with private industry to help demonstrate advanced nuclear reactors in the United States. "Over the past several years, I have worked with my Senate colleagues to develop a pathway for these important clean energy systems and have pushed my Nuclear Energy Leadership Act to reposition us as the undispu… Continue Reading

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05.15.20

ICYMI: Murkowski Delivers Speech to Alaska Graduates

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changing graduation ceremonies across the state, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski delivered a commencement speech in honor of Alaska's Class of 2020, which was livestreamed on her Facebook and Twitter accounts. Click here to watch the video. Speech Excerpts: "Who could have imagined that your graduation ceremony would be virtual or maybe that you wouldn't have one at all. That most of your last semester in school would not be spent with your classm… Continue Reading

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05.15.20

Senators Lead Bipartisan Request for Additional Measures to Ease Borrowing Costs for State and Local Governments Fighting COVID-19

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) co-signed a letter, led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), asking Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Jerome Powell, to consider additional measures to ease the borrowing costs for state and local governments fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was also signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). "State and local governments are on the frontlines in the fight against C… Continue Reading

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05.15.20

Senate Passes Legislation to Protect Civil Liberties and National Security

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the USA Freedom Reauthorization Act, which passed the Senate in a 80-16 vote: "Even though the FISA Reauthorization did not go as far as I would like in terms of protecting Americans' civil liberties, it is an improvement over current law. The Inspector General report released in December detailed serious flaws and abuses taking place in the FISA application process that should concern every citizen of th… Continue Reading

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05.14.20

Never Again Education Act En Route to the President’s Desk

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, welcomed the Senate's passage of H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, which will help raise awareness of the Holocaust by providing educational resources for teachers and students. "The Holocaust is a scourge in world history, when racism and intolerance led to the murder of over 11 million people because of their Jewish heritage, ethnicity, religious or political views, and other differences," Murkowski said. "More than 70 years later, we have seen a re… Continue Reading

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05.13.20

Murkowski and Colleagues Push for More Support for Child Care Providers

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), alongside Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 19 of their Republican and Democratic colleagues, are calling on the Senate to provide additional support to child care workers and providers across the country. In a letter to Senate leaders, the senators write: "…it is critical we provide additional support for the child care sector to ensure providers can maintain operations and continue to meet the needs of … Continue Reading

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05.12.20

Murkowski Questions Experts on COVID-19 Response Efforts During Senate HELP Committee Hearing

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today took part in a Senate HELP Committee hearing entitled COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School. The hearing focused on how U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies are working to help states and communities prepare to reopen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including efforts to increase testing, accelerate research, develop treatments and vaccines, and provide public health and safety guidance. The hearing included testimon… Continue Reading

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05.12.20

Murkowski, Risch Introduce Energy Infrastructure Protection Act

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and James Risch, R-Idaho, today introduced a new bill, the Energy Infrastructure Protection Act, to boost protections for critical electric infrastructure. The bill updates provisions in the Federal Power Act and restricts federal disclosures of certain sensitive energy information. "Protecting our nation's electric infrastructure is a matter of national security," Murkowski said. "Our bill equips the federal government with additional tools to safeguard the… Continue Reading

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05.11.20

Murkowski Joins Bipartisan Group Of Senators To Call For $2 Billion In New Federal Funding To Help Health Care Providers Expand Telehealth Services During Pandemic

Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined a bipartisan group of senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)to urge the leadership of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to include $2 billion in the next coronavirus relief package to help health care providers expand telehealth services by improving their access to broadband. "The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically increased the need to expand telehealth," the senators wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc… Continue Reading

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05.11.20

Murkowski Urges Federal Agencies to Coordinate to Ensure PPE for Firefighters

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, recently sent a letter requesting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of the Interior (DOI) combine efforts to allocate personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid COVID-19 tests for federal wildland fire crews. Below are excerpts from Murkowski's letter: "Wildfires, like viruses, respect no boundaries. As we seek to contain COVID-19… Continue Reading

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05.08.20

Murkowski, Udall Legislation Honoring Native Women Passes Senate

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution led by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tom Udall (D-NM), celebrating the successes of Indigenous women across the nation. Their resolution recognizes contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States, highlighting their service in the military, efforts to break down gender barriers, and work to advance civil rights. The resolution also recognizes the importance of supporting equality, improving safety, and … Continue Reading

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05.08.20

Murkowski Calls for Rapid COVID-19 Testing in Alaska

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) took part in a Senate HELP Committee hearing entitled "Shark Tank: New Tests for COVID-19." The hearing focused on the current status of testing for the COVID-19 virus and how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) are working to support the rapid development of new tests for COVID-19, through the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative and other programs. Click here for … Continue Reading

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05.07.20

Millions in Fishery Relief Heading to Alaska

The Alaska Congressional Delegation announced $50 million in fishery assistance will be heading to Alaska. The funds are part of a $300 million fishery assistance fund that was included in the CARES Act, as a result of the efforts of Alaska's delegation, to make direct assistance available to subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants, processors, fishery-related businesses and fishery-dependent communities that have been negatively affected by the economic and other impacts of CO… Continue Reading