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.
Alaska Delegation Sends Joint Letter to State Department on Transboundary Mining Activity
The Alaska Delegation recently joined together to urge the Secretary of State to discuss the risks posed by transboundary mining activity during upcoming bilateral meetings between the United States and Canada. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Congressman Don Young, Governor Bill Walker, and Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing Alaska's priorities for strong and continued engagement between the State Department and the Canadian Govern… Continue Reading
10.05.18
Senator Murkowski Speaks on Supreme Court Nomination
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) tonight spoke on the Senate floor on her decision to oppose the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the United States Supreme Court. (Click here to view the video) Full Remarks Below: "I've come to the floor this evening to share my thoughts on what has been an extraordinarily long, difficult, and truly painful process. As we took up the cloture motion on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court, the process that led… Continue Reading
10.03.18
Murkowski Supports FAA Reauthorization Bill
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the bicameral legislation that will provide a five-year reauthorization for the FAA, the longest enacted since 1982. This significant legislation strengthens security at airports and in flight, boosts innovation, and address Alaska's unique transportation challenges. The bill passed the Senate in a 93-6 vote, passed the House last week, and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. "Tragically a helicopter crashed this pa… Continue Reading
10.03.18
ENR Approves Bill to Restore Equity for Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday advanced S. 785, the Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act, out of committee by voice vote. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, both R-Alaska, would allow approximately 2,800 Alaska Natives who served during the Vietnam-era to apply for their Congressionally-promised Native allotment, after they missed their initial opportunity to do so because of their service. … Continue Reading
10.02.18
Durbin, Murkowski Urge FDA To Immediately Ban Kid-Friendly E-Cigarette Flavors, Restrict Online Sales
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today, in a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urged the agency to immediately ban kid-friendly e-cigarette flavorings and restrict online sales of the addictive nicotine products. Durbin and Murkowski's letter comes on the heels of the FDA's announcement last month that-due to a public health "epidemic" of youth e-cigarette use-it would issue new enforcement actions on e-cigarette companies' use of kid-appealing flav… Continue Reading
10.01.18
Senate Passes Bill to Strengthen National Earthquake Resilience Program
Last week, the Senate passed S. 1768, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill to improve the nation's earthquake preparedness. The legislation, introduced by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., modernizes earthquake-safety programs that help states like Alaska and California prepare for and respond to earthquakes. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Kamala H… Continue Reading
09.28.18
Murkowski Supports FBI Investigation before Vote on Supreme Court Nominee
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today made the following statement in support of delaying the final vote on Supreme Court Nominee, Brett Kavanaugh: "After a full day of testimony, I continued to express concerns to my colleagues about how this process has been handled by both sides of the aisle. In order to fully and fairly complete our due diligence, allowing the FBI up to one week to supplement its background investigation is appropriate. It is important to have a fair process for the sake of b… Continue Reading
09.25.18
Murkowski: Quantum Technologies Can Change the World
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts for quantum information science (QIS) - working with the National Labs, universities, and private industry - which could transform the future of computing. Expert witnesses discussed the challenges and opportunities that currently exist with the technology. Murkowski opened the hearing by emphasizing the importance of the U.S. staying ahead of the curve by investing in quantum technol… Continue Reading
09.21.18
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
