Press Releases

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06.23.23

Murkowski Joins Congressional Delegation to Europe Ahead of July NATO Summit in Lithuania

Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) yesterday embarked on a congressional delegation (CODEL) to Lithuania, Norway, and Belgium. The Senators’ visit comes just before Lithuania is set to host a NATO Summit in Vilnius from July 11-12. The Senators’ CODELwill take place from June 22 to June … Continue Reading


12.27.22

Murkowski Delivers Big Wins for Alaska’s Fisheries and Oceans in Consolidated Appropriations Act

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, secured significant funding for fisheries and oceans priorities in Alaska in the recently-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. As a result of Murkowski's work, the year-end omnibus includes $15 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations for ocean and river research to be performed by Alaskans in addition to significant programmatic support through agency budgets. (Cli… Continue Reading


12.19.22

Murkowski-Led Efforts to Protect Alaska’s Oceans and Environment Pass in Annual NDAA

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a co-chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus, applauded the recent passage of H.R. 7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), which included several Murkowski-led provisions aimed at supporting the blue economy and protecting Alaska's oceans and environment, such as the bipartisan BLUE GLOBE Act she championed with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The bill also invests in port and harbor in… Continue Reading


12.16.22

Senate Passes Sullivan-Murkowski Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Senate this week voted unanimously to pass the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) that would form a panel of Alaska's salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support robust salmon runs. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon scienc… Continue Reading


11.17.22

Alaska and Washington Senators Call on Administration to Quickly Declare Federal Fishery Disaster

Today U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Raimondo urging her to rapidly declare a federal fishery disaster for the 2022-2023 Bering Sea snow crab, the 2022-2023 Bristol Bay red king crab, and the 2021-2022 Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries. Following last month's harvests being canceled, declaring a fishery disaster for the Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries is… Continue Reading


05.26.22

Murkowski, Sullivan: Pebble is the Wrong Mine in the Wrong Place

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today released the following statements after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a revised "Proposed Determination" to prohibit and restrict the use of certain waters and watersheds for the discharge of dredged and fill material from the Pebble Deposit area near Bristol Bay, Alaska. The Proposed Determination, if finalized, would effectively halt the Pebble project and other potential mining in the affected area. Senat… Continue Reading


05.16.22

Murkowski, Sullivan Welcome Signing of American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act

President Joe Biden this week signed the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act into law, bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and cosponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that will create an industry-led committee to assist in the administration of federal fisheries marketing, research, and development grants. "Supporting Alaska's fisheries continues to be one of my top priorities. I'm excited that this bipartisan legislation, which will uplift ou… Continue Reading


05.06.22

Murkowski, Sullivan Announce Fisheries Disaster Funding for Alaska

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today announced the U.S. Department of Commerce will direct nearly $132 million to Alaska for fishery disasters. The funds, which were appropriated by Congress, are part of a total of $144 million that will be disbursed nationwide for this purpose. "I'm pleased to announce this crucial funding is finally on the way for Alaska's seafood industry. After facing both serious fishery disasters and the pandemic, there are owners, employees… Continue Reading


03.31.22

Administration Announces Additional H-2B Visas

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced 35,000 additional H-2B nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year 2022, which will be available to employers for the summer 2022 season. "With the tourism and fishing season right around the corner, and the economic fallout we have seen from COVID, it is vital to ensure Alaskans have the needed workers to supplement … Continue Reading


03.11.22

Murkowski Commends Announcement of Russian Seafood Ban

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today issued the following statement commending President Joe Biden for signing an executive order to prohibit the importation of Russian seafood and other key imports into the United States. Since Russia imposed seafood bans on the United States in 2014, Senator Murkowski has worked to educate every President and their administration on the importance of re-opening the Russian market to U.S. seafood and failing that, creating a reciprocal ban on Russian seafo… Continue Reading


01.28.22

Murkowski Welcomes Additional H-2B Visas, Critical for Seasonal Jobs in Alaska

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statements after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced 20,000 additional H-2B nonagricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year 2022, which will be available to employers on Friday, January 28, 2022. This marks the first release of supplemental visas in the first half of a fiscal year. "The H-2B visa program has long played an important role for seasonal fishing and tourism bus… Continue Reading


01.21.22

Delegation Announces Disaster Declarations for Alaska Fisheries

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, today welcomed determinations from the Department of Commerce that fishery disasters have occurred in numerous Alaska fisheries, allowing them to receive critical relief funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding can be distributed to fishermen and their crews, seafood processors, and research initiatives in the impacted regions. "Alaska's fisheries are economic and s… Continue Reading


01.16.22

Murkowski Welcomes USDA Announcement for New Mariculture Facility on Prince of Wales Island

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award $500,000 to Southeast Conference to design a mariculture processing facility to be located on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska-home to one of the largest kelp farms in the United States. "Creating sustainable economies in rural and remote communities can be challenging, but this investment, in recognition of the promise that Alaska's unique and growing mariculture industry … Continue Reading


12.23.21

Murkowski Announces Disbursement of CARES Act Funding to Alaska’s Fisheries

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that $50 million in fishery assistance, secured through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security (CARES) Act, will be disbursed this week to Alaska's commercial harvesters, sport fishing charters, and seafood processors. This funding comes as a result of the efforts of Senator Murkowski to make direct assistance available to subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants, processors, fishery-related businesses and fishery-d… Continue Reading


06.04.21

Murkowski and Colleagues Stand Up for Wild-Caught Salmon

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reintroduced the Genetically Engineered Salmon Labeling Act, which will allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing salmon. The bill works to ensure that any genetically engineered (GE) salmon products sold in the U.S. are clearly labeled "genetically engineered" in the market name. This requirement would apply to the entire lineage of salmon modified via recombinant DNA technology. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), M… Continue Reading


05.26.21

Senators Hassan, Murkowski Call on CDC and Coast Guard to Change Mask Requirements for Commercial Fishing Industry

Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Coast Guard to change mask requirements for crews on commercial fishing vessels. In a letter to the CDC and Coast Guard, the Senators discuss the latest CDC mask guidance and write, "Many fishing vessel operators were therefore understandably dismayed to learn that the most recent CDC guidance does not loosen restrictions for fishing vessels that are staffed by fu… Continue Reading


04.22.21

Alaska Delegation Encourages Department of Homeland Security to Help Keep Alaska Seafood Industry Running

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young issued the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the department is making available 22,000 temporary, non-agriculture worker visas through the H-2B visa program: "The H-2B visa program is crucial to on-shore fish processors in Alaska and to our national seafood supply. The COVID-19 pandemic has created incredible hardships for American businesses across the nation, and Alaska's seafood industr… Continue Reading


02.01.21

Whitehouse-Murkowski Bill Would Advance Understanding of Oceans, Great Lakes, and Coasts

U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus, have introduced legislation to advance data collection of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts. The Bolstering Long-Term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act, or BLUE GLOBE Act, would accelerate technology innovation, plan for a stronger maritime workforce, and develop a better understanding of the Blue Economy. "There'… Continue Reading


01.05.21

Sullivan, Markey, Murkowski Welcome Signing of Young Fishermen’s Development Act

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today welcomed the signing of the Young Fishermen's Development Act, legislation to mitigate the challenges facing the next generation of entrants into the fishing industry by supporting regional training opportunities and apprenticeship programs. Congressmen Don Young (R-Alaska) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) were the lead sponsors of the legislation in the House. "Just like the proud men and women of … Continue Reading


12.28.20

Year-End Omnibus Appropriations Package Signed Into Law

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded a year-end omnibus bill being signed into law, which includes a 12-bill appropriations package to fund the government through the end of Fiscal Year 2021, including Senator Murkowski's Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This historic funding package also provides nearly $900 billion for COVID-19 relief; Senator Murkowski's bipartisan, bicameral Energy Act of 2020; a bipartisan compromise to address the issue of Surprise M… Continue Reading

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