06.28.17

Murkowski Welcomes EPA Move to Rescind Burdensome WOTUS Rule

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule to rescind the previous administration's "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) rule. The agency intends to re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 as it works on a less burdensome long-term replacement. "The WOTUS rule was one of the most controversial finalized by the Obama administration. Some 31 states, including Alaska, sued to block … Continue Reading

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06.28.17

Murkowski Statement on Commissioner Honorable’s Upcoming Departure from FERC

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after Commissioner Colette Honorable announced that her final day at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will be June 30, 2017. "Commissioner Honorable has served with distinction. While I did not agree with her on every issue, she has been an outstanding regulator, and I wish her and her family well. Although I understand and respect Commissioner Honorable's decision to step down this week, her departure again… Continue Reading

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06.27.17

Murkowski: Alaskan Communities to Receive Economic Boost

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced today that the Department of the Interior is distributing more than $29.69 million to eligible local governments throughout Alaska. These payments are made to boroughs and counties across the United States that contain federal lands to help offset the cost of maintaining community services, such as first responders, public schools, and road construction. Unlike private lands, federal lands are not subject to local taxes, often making it difficult for r… Continue Reading

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06.22.17

Murkowski: DOE Must Help Strengthen U.S Leadership in Energy Innovation

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Department of Energy's $28 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, a $2.7 billion reduction from the current fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by welcoming Secretary Rick Perry back to the committee for the first time since his bipartisan Senate confirmation on March 2. While noting that she agrees with parts of the Department's budget re… Continue Reading

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06.22.17

Murkowski Welcomes Results of Cook Inlet Lease Sale

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held a lease sale in Alaska's Cook Inlet. The lease sale was the first to be held in Alaska's federal offshore waters in almost a decade. "This lease sale is good news for the future of affordable energy in southcentral Alaska, and a good sign for our ability to develop more of the prolific resources in Alaska's… Continue Reading

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06.22.17

Senator Murkowski Questions Secretary Zinke Over Interior Budget

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) chaired the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FY 2018 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior. Her opening remarks reflected Alaskan needs, highlighting areas of concern in the budget, such as the need for adequate funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and areas of support, such as the proposal to open up the 1002 Area within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for energy developmen… Continue Reading

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06.21.17

Murkowski: Interior Working to Increase Access to Alaska’s Lands and Waters

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Department of the Interior's $11.7 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, a reduction of more than $1 billion compared to the current fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by welcoming Secretary Zinke back to the committee for the first time since his strong bipartisan Senate confirmation on March 1. "I have enjoyed working with you durin… Continue Reading

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06.20.17

Murkowski Marks 40th Anniversary of Trans-Alaska Pipeline

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today commemorated the 40th anniversary of the first barrel of oil moving through the 800-mile long Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. Murkowski marked the occasion by speaking on the Senate floor about TAPS' history, from the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay to how the pipeline has fueled Alaska's economy and strengthened the energy security of our nation. (As a teenager, Senator Murkowski sits in a section of the pipeline during… Continue Reading

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06.20.17

Murkowski Applauds Alaskan Appointed to NOAA Fisheries Role

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement congratulating Alaskan Chris Oliver on his appointment to serve as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Assistant Administrator for Fisheries. "I am thrilled Chris Oliver will be serving in this important role. It's not only good for Alaska, but for the entire nation. Chris's experience, passion, and background - including his time served as Executive Director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Coun… Continue Reading

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06.15.17

Legislation Holding Iran, Russia Accountable Passes Senate

Today the U.S. Senate passed S.722, the Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017, co-sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). This legislation both upholds and strengthens existing U.S. sanctions against Iran, and includes an amendment to impose new sanctions on Russia. "We now know that the Obama administration's flawed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has not caused Iran to abandon its destabilizing ambitions. It continues to test ballistic missiles, engages in provocative … Continue Reading

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06.15.17

Murkowski Joins Legislation Protecting Medical Marijuana From Federal Interference

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Al Franken (D-MN) to introduce bipartisan legislation requiring that the federal government respect state marijuana laws. The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act allows Americans to gain access to the care they need by protecting patients from federal intervention in states with existing medical marijuana laws. "There rema… Continue Reading

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06.15.17

Murkowski: Forest Service Should Promote Healthy Forests, Prosperous Economies for Alaskan Communities

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Forest Service's $4.7 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, which would be about $880 million less than the previous fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by noting that when making tough funding decisions, Congress must ensure the Forest Service has the resources it needs to meet basic forest health needs before funding other programs. "… Continue Reading

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06.14.17

Murkowski Land Transfer Bill Passes Committee

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs passed S. 825, legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to transfer the title to the land and buildings within the Mt. Edgecumbe Sitka campus to the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). SEARHC has been managing operations of Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital since 1986, but must hold an unencumbered title to the land for much needed upgrades and expansion. "SEARHC is an Alaska Native controlled non-profit tribal organization, admi… Continue Reading

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06.13.17

Murkowski Seeks Marijuana Law Clarity for Alaskans

Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) pressed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in a Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the inconsistencies between state marijuana laws and the federal policy. As Alaska is one of the states regulating the broader sale and use of marijuana in the same way as alcohol, Murkowski questioned Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein on how the federal government is preempting state policy regarding marijuana use and possible pol… Continue Reading

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06.09.17

Senators Introduce Young Fishermen’s Development Act

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) yesterday introduced the Young Fishermen's Development Act, legislation to mitigate the challenges facing new entrants into the fishing industry and bolster recruiting by coordinating existing regional training opportunities and implementing a new apprenticeship program. "Fishing employs more Alaskans than any other industry in the state, but high barriers and costs remain for newer gene… Continue Reading

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06.09.17

New Alaskan Faces on Capitol Hill

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski welcomed her first wave of summer interns - recent high school graduates - to Washington, D.C. For the next four weeks, these interns will be assisting in her office by shadowing Murkowski throughout the day, helping with administrative and clerical tasks, and assisting staff with research projects. She also welcomed three college interns and a legal intern who will be working in the office for the duration of the summer. "I love welcoming such eager faces to my … Continue Reading

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06.08.17

Panel Reviews Cost Reductions in Emerging Energy Technologies

In what was easily the most anticipated hearing on Capitol Hill this morning, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, held an oversight hearing to consider cost trends in emerging energy technologies. Committee members heard from a variety of witnesses who detailed cost reductions in everything from oil and natural gas to renewables, energy storage, and alternative fuel vehicles. Murkowski opened by speaking about the importance of continued innovation in the energy sector, which plays a key role i… Continue Reading

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06.08.17

Murkowski Applauds New Secretarial Order on Sage Grouse

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today expressed her support for the secretarial order signed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to improve sage grouse conservation and strengthen consultation between the federal government and western states. Secretarial Order 3353 establishes an internal review team to evaluate and make recommendations on the land use plans finalized in 2015 that address conservation of the sage grouse and its habitat. The review will also consider local economic growth and … Continue Reading

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06.07.17

Murkowski Questions Forest Service Chief on Budget Priorities, Wildfire Suppression Efforts

Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) chaired an Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Forest Service's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018. During the hearing, Murkowski questioned Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell on many of the Alaska-related priorities contained within his agency's budget - including forest management and recreation permitting on the Tongass, land exchanges in Southeast Alaska, and wildfire suppression funding. Murkow… Continue Reading

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06.06.17

Murkowski Announces Additions to Washington, D.C. Staff

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that Morgan Griffin, Madeline Lefton, and Krystal Edens have joined her staff in her Washington, D.C. office. "I am excited to welcome Morgan, Madeline, and Krystal to my team, and I look forward to working with them on a daily basis. They all have a strong background, an Alaskan perspective, and are ready to fight for our state's priorities. Each brings a different skill-set to the table, with a willingness to work hard as committed advocates for Al… Continue Reading