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.
Interior Heeds Murkowski’s Demand to Act on Contaminated Lands
Washington, D.C. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will today release a report, which was required to be completed by a provision of law authored by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), that will help fulfill the agency's duty to identify sites throughout Alaska that were contaminated before they were conveyed to Alaska Native Corporations under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). BLM's report is a critical step in identifying a comprehensive list of contaminated sites and en… Continue Reading
06.22.16
Murkowski Welcomes PILT Payments to Alaskan Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced the Department of the Interior is distributing nearly $29 million to Alaskan communities to help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable federal lands within their boundaries. As Chairman of the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murkowski ensured the PILT program was robustly funded for Fiscal Year 2016 and is fully funded for Fiscal Year 2017. The Payments in Lieu … Continue Reading
06.21.16
Murkowski: Administration’s Proposed Land Use Planning Rule Troublesome For Alaska
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, delivered the following opening statement at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Public Lands, Forests and Mining Subcommittee hearing held today to conduct oversight on the Bureau of Land Management's proposed land use planning rule known as "Planning 2.0." Click picture to view video of Murkowski's opening statement "As you know, Mr. Chairman, the focus of this hearing is to provide oversight on the BLM's proposed land use planning rul… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Murkowski’s Interior Bill Recognizes Unique Needs for Southeast Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced a series of provisions within her Fiscal Year 2017 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to provide resources and support programs with significant impacts in communities throughout Southeast Alaska. As Chairman of this subcommittee, Murkowski was able to give Alaskans a strong voice as she crafted the bill. The bill was approved by the full Appropriations Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for fin… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Murkowski’s Chairmanship Yields Results for Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced a series of provisions within her Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to provide resources and support programs with significant impacts in communities throughout Alaska. As Chairman of this subcommittee, Murkowski was able to give Alaskans a strong voice as she crafted the bill. The bill was approved by the full Appropriations Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for final consideration. "With ou… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Murkowski Leverages Chairmanship to Invest in Rural Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced a series of provisions within the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to provide resources and support programs with significant impacts in communities across rural Alaska. As Chairman of this subcommittee, Murkowski was able to give Alaskans a strong voice as she crafted the bill. Their input led to full funding for the Native healthcare system, support for subsistence, resources for rural health clinics… Continue Reading
06.15.16
Murkowski’s Interior Chairmanship Yields Health and Wellness Initiatives for Alaska
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski announced provisions in her Fiscal Year 2017 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that will help combat domestic violence, substance abuse, and suicide through programs in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Service (IHS). The Subcommittee approved the bill, which will be considered by the full Appropriations Committee on Thursday. "The heart-wrenching truth is that many Alaskans struggle with these issues and we simply cann… Continue Reading
06.15.16
Murkowski’s Work Boosts Wildfire Prevention, Suppression Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Through her work as Chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) worked to fully fund wildfire suppression needs to ensure the safety of Alaskans and our resources. The Fiscal Year 2017 Interior appropriations bill contains several provisions that directly meet Alaska's needs - providing the resources necessary to combat wildfires, funding to address preventative wildfire measures, and promoting res… Continue Reading
06.15.16
Murkowski Protects Alaskans from Overreaching Hunting and Fishing Regulations
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As Chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) unveiled legislation with provisions to halt the implementation of multiple proposed federal rules, one of which would close areas for hunting and fishing, impeding on the State of Alaska's right to manage wildlife within the borders of the State. "This proposed rule is incredibly unsettling to the people of Alaska, as it contains provisions that woul… Continue Reading
06.14.16
Murkowski: We Must Boost Alaska Pipeline Throughput
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today examined our nation's energy infrastructure and highlighted the important role that oil and gas pipelines play in moving energy resources, creating jobs, and growing local economies. Murkowski reiterated that strong infrastructure is essential to keeping energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse, and secure. Click picture to view video "Without infrastructure, we cannot move vital resources from Point A to Point B. And while some w… Continue Reading
06.14.16
Murkowski’s Work Bans Burdensome Federal Regulations, Fights Wasteful Spending, and Protects Lives in Remote Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Through her chairmanship of the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced multiple provisions within the subcommittee's appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017 to ensure federal agencies, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), respect and understand Alaska's unique needs and priorities. "This bill strikes a critical balance - directing feder… Continue Reading
06.14.16
Murkowski Applauds Final Passage of Major Defense Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today S.2943, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), was passed by the Senate in a vote of 85-13. This legislation outlines defense priorities to defend our homeland, and support our troops and their families around the world. "With the very real threats around the world, this is one of the most important bills the Senate will take up this year. Not only does it provide the resources to support those who serve, it also contains numerous Arctic and Alaska-specific prov… Continue Reading
06.14.16
Murkowski Presses Admin. on Misguided, Vague Mitigation Policy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday sent a letter to Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), calling on the agency to withdraw its proposed policy on mitigation, which attempts to implement a Presidential Memorandum on mitigation released in November 2015. In her letter, Murkowski echoes concerns she raised during a hearing that she held on the Presidential Memorandum in March 2016, noting a paradigm shift from mitigation to net conserva… Continue Reading
06.14.16
Murkowski: Interior Bill will Bring Vast Benefits to Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released her Fiscal Year 2017 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which addresses a wide range of challenges, needs, and opportunities in Alaska. Among other advances, the bill makes significant strides in protecting our state from wildfires, improving access to Native healthcare, and reining in harmful federal regulations. "With our state in the midst of a fiscal crisis, my Interior bill will provide much… Continue Reading
06.10.16
Murkowski Commends U.S. Attorney General’s Public Safety Initiatives for Native Communities and Rural Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) thanked U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch for meeting with Alaska Native leaders in Anchorage to discuss public safety issues of concern to the Native community. The visit fulfills a commitment Attorney General Lynch made to Murkowski on May 7, 2015 during a Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee hearing during which Murkowski asked Attorney General Lynch to personally engage with Alaska Federation of Natives Presi… Continue Reading
06.09.16
Murkowski Appointed to Military Construction, VA, and Transportation Conference Committee
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) was selected to serve on the Conference Committee tasked to reconcile the differences between the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the funding bills for military construction, Veterans Affairs, and transportation. The legislation provides resources to support military construction, veterans' benefits and programs, and transportation projects critical to Alaska. The legislation also includes funding to combat the Zika virus. Click here to view th… Continue Reading
06.09.16
Murkowski Secures Investments to Strengthen Alaska’s Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2017. Referred to as Labor-H, it contains a number of provisions secured by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that will strengthen Alaska's communities. As a member of the committee, Murkowski focused her efforts on funding programs that support Alaskan families, jobs, economic development, health, and safet… Continue Reading
06.09.16
Murkowski Releases New CRS Report Putting Obama’s $319 Billion Tax in Perspective
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released a new report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) summarizing historical increases in the federal gasoline excise tax rate, currently set at 18.4 cents per gallon. Analysts estimate that the President's proposed $10.25-per-barrel oil tax or "fee" would raise gasoline prices by between 20 and 25 cents per gallon. "The resulting price increase is greater than the current federal tax on gasoline," Murkowski said. "The adm… Continue Reading
06.08.16
Murkowski Urges Senate Colleagues to Stop Cuts to Military Basic Allowance for Housing
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) spoke on the Senate floor today about an amendment she introduced to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would halt a provision currently contained in the NDAA - called Section 604 - that makes cuts and sweeping changes to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) paid to active duty military families. Background on Senator Murkowski's amendment can be found by clicking here. Senator Murkowski began by explaining the impacts the changes to BAH wo… Continue Reading
06.08.16
Murkowski Commends Indian Prime Minister’s Address to Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the address that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, delivered to a joint session of Congress. "It was a privilege to attend a joint session today to listen to Prime Minister Modi and hear his warm, humorous, and insightful words. As he said, India and America have a strong bond and mutual goals that help bring peace, prosperity, and stability to the world. From our common love of democracy to the fact India trades with the U… Continue Reading
