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.
Schatz, Murkowski Introduce Legislation To Expand Amber Alert System To All U.S. Territories, Help Find Missing Children
Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced legislation to expand the AMBER Alert system to include all U.S. territories. The national AMBER Alert network distributes alerts on highway billboards, TVs, radio, and cellular phones to mobilize the public when a child is missing or abducted. It has helped rescue more than 900 children to date. "AMBER Alerts have helped save hundreds of children. There's no good reason for U.S. territories to be excluded fr… Continue Reading
09.21.18
Committee Addresses Transparency to Reduce Healthcare Costs
In Alaska and the rest of the United States, patients rarely know the cost of medical services before receiving care, and costs can vary significantly depending on where one chooses to receive care. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) this week participated in a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing to reduce healthcare costs by making healthcare information on cost and quality more transparent. The hearing featured witnesses Leah Binder, President & CEO of the Leap… Continue Reading
09.20.18
Bipartisan Bill Addresses Suicide Crisis in Native Communities
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and fourteen other Senate colleagues in introducing the Native American Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation would help address the alarming suicide rate in Native communities by requiring collaboration among state governments and tribal communities to develop and implement statewide suicide early intervention and prevention strategies. This legislation ensures Native communities are not left out of t… Continue Reading
09.18.18
Murkowski Votes in Favor of Funding Package to Benefit Alaska
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the Conference Report for H.R. 6157, a funding package which includes the Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019 and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The funding package includes the largest pay raise for troops in nearly a decade, funding for a new national firefighter cancer registry, and support for high quality educational and job training opportunities for Alaskans … Continue Reading
09.18.18
Murkowski, Warren, Colleagues Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Address Suicide Crisis in Native Communities
Bill Text | One-Pager United States Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with fifteen of their Senate colleagues, today introduced the bipartisan Native American Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation would help address the suicide crisis in Indian Country by ensuring collaboration among states and tribal communities to design and implement statewide suicide intervention and prevention strategies that work for their communities. The Native American Suicide … Continue Reading
09.18.18
Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement Announced
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the announcement of the Pacific Salmon Treaty agreement between the U.S. and Canada that determines shared harvest levels for B.C., Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. For the first time since the creation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty in 1985, the 59-member Alaska Treaty Team unanimously supported the Alaska position contained within the ten-year conservation and harvest agreement. "Coming to an agreement like this no easy task, so to know tha… Continue Reading
09.17.18
Senator Murkowski Secures Provisions to Fight Opioid Epidemic
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, which passed the Senate in a 99-1 vote. This bipartisan package was developed through combining the proposals of over 70 senators and the work by five committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Commerce; Finance; Judiciary; and Banking. As a member of the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Murkowski helped secure several provisions in the bill aimed to address the ongoing shortage of pro… Continue Reading
09.17.18
Senate Passes Drug Price Transparency Legislation in 98-2 Vote
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, a bill she cosponsored to increase transparency regarding prescription drug prices. The bill ends the practice of concealing prices from patients at the pharmacy by prohibiting the use of "gag clauses," which have historically banned pharmacists from telling patients when it's cheaper to buy a prescription drug without using their insurance, and imposes significant penalties on pharmacists … Continue Reading
09.14.18
Senate-House Convene Conference Committee Meeting on Funding
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill is in a conference committee. Thursday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a conferee, participated in a Conference Committee public meeting on H.R. 6147, the minibus appropriations bill which combines the Interior-Environment; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (T-HUD); Agriculture; and Financial Services appropriations bills. As chairman of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, Sena… Continue Reading
09.13.18
Murkowski Congratulates AEWC’s Work on Quota Renewal for Subsistence Whaling
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the approval of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission's (AEWC) bowhead whale harvest quota at the 67th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Florianopolis, Brazil. In addition to approving a renewal of bowhead harvest quota for Alaska's Arctic whaling communities, IWC Commissioners voted to approve an amendment allowing for the automatic renewal of bowhead whale quota contingent on the continued health and stability of the bowhead wha… Continue Reading
09.13.18
Schatz-Murkowski Legislation To Pay Senate Interns Passes Congress, Set To Become Law
Today the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that would set aside $5 million for U.S. Senate offices to pay their interns. The funding, included in a spending deal passed by the Senate yesterday, will give Senate offices the resources to pay interns, who provide administrative support to nearly every Senate office year round. Senate internships are largely unpaid, making it financially difficult for … Continue Reading
09.13.18
First Fiscal Year 2019 Funding Package to President’s Desk
The Senate last night passed a conference report on a package to fund Energy and Water; Military Construction-Veterans Affairs; and Legislative Branch for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, which begins October 1, 2018. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Appropriations Committee, secured provisions that will increase energy efficiency, support our veterans, and increase critical military construction across the state of Alaska. This afternoon, the House passed the conference report, which n… Continue Reading
09.13.18
Bipartisan Nuclear Energy Innovation Bill Heads to President’s Desk
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after the House of Representatives' cleared S. 97, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA), which creates partnerships between private sector innovators in nuclear energy with government researchers to create the next generation of clean, advanced nuclear power. NEICA was led by Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and cosponsored by Sens. Murkowski, Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Cory Booker, D… Continue Reading
09.13.18
Murkowski: U.S. Stands Ready to Help Diversify Europe’s Energy Supply
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine the role of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) in meeting European energy demand. Expert witnesses shared their views on the economic and geopolitical implications of a stronger U.S.-EU energy relationship, as well as what actions may be needed to maximize the benefits of LNG exports to our nation and our allies. Murkowski opened the hearing by highlighting Europe's vulnerability given its dependence on Russian gas. "As we've… Continue Reading
09.12.18
Alaska Delegation Welcomes AGDC-ExxonMobil Agreement
Alaska's congressional delegation today welcomed the announcement of a new Gas Sales Precedent Agreement (GSPA) reached between the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) and ExxonMobil Alaska. "This is a positive step in our state's efforts to build a new pipeline that will allow us to commercialize the North Slope's prolific natural gas resources," said the delegation. "While we recognize that much work remains to be done, we're pleased to see the state using its authority and leverage… Continue Reading
09.11.18
Senator Murkowski Speaks in Remembrance of September 11, 2001
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski shared her thoughts on the September 11 terrorist attacks on America: (Click the image above to watch video) "Across our nation, we pause on this day to remember the tragedies of September 11, 2001 - the anniversary of the attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the heroic story of Flight 93. That day we saw a total of 2,996 people dead, including firefighters, paramedics, and police officers trying to help. 9/11 will forever be one of the most t… Continue Reading
09.07.18
Murkowski Congratulates Lori Wing-Heier on Bipartisan Health Policy Leadership Award
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded the announcement of Lori Wing-Heier, Director of the State of Alaska Division of Insurance, on being selected for the 2018 Bipartisan Health Policy Leadership Award. Senator Murkowski nominated Wing-Heier for the national award given by the Alliance for Health Policy, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to educating individuals on gaining a better understanding on health policy. Wing-Heier is being honored with this award alongside Maryland State Del… Continue Reading
09.07.18
Murkowski Questions International Trade Administration on Alaskan Seafood Industry Concerns
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) participated in a Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee hearing yesterday, to review the President's Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) funding request for the Bureau of Industry and Security, the International Trade Administration, and the United States International Trade Commission. Witnesses participating in the hearing included: Nazak Nikakhtar, Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis at the International Trade Administration (ITA); … Continue Reading
09.06.18
Murkowski, Booker, and Colleagues Introduce the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Cory Booker, D-N.J., James Risch, R-Idaho, Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Chris Coons, D-Del., today introduced bipartisan legislation to boost nuclear energy innovation and ensure advanced reactors can provide clean, safe, affordable, and reliable power to meet national and global energy needs. S. 3422, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), will help rees… Continue Reading
09.05.18
Senator Murkowski Pays Tribute to Senator John McCain
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) honored the life and legacy of her colleague, the late Senator John McCain (R-AZ), during a speech on the Senate floor, sharing stories of his impact to Alaskans, all Americans, and the United States Senate. (Click image for video of speech.) Speech excerpts: "John McCain was a beloved colleague. He was a patriot. He was truly an American hero. He had remarkable intellect. He had an iron will most certainly, unquestionable integrity, and courage that … Continue Reading
