11.13.25

Murkowski Secures Investments for Alaska in Appropriations Bills

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured significant investments for Alaska through the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2026. The legislation—three of the twelve annual appropriations bills needed to fund the government—passed as part of the agreement that ended the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.

 

Highlights from the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

Investments in housing and rural community development

Affordable housing and rural infrastructure needs are some of Alaska’s most pressing issues. Senator Murkowski secured $1.715 billion for the Rental Assistance Program, which will help low-income families access affordable rental housing in rural areas. She also secured $27 million for very low-income housing repair grants so Alaskans can stay in their homes safely through the winter.

Updating Alaska’s clean water and utility infrastructure

Senator Murkowski advocated for investments in essential community infrastructure to ensure Alaskans have access to clean water and affordable energy, regardless of where they live. She included $60 million for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Grants and inserted report language prioritizing Alaska Native communities. She also secured $8 million for the High Energy Cost Grant Program, which helps energy providers reduce energy costs for families facing very high household energy expenses.

Bolstering food security and agriculture

Senator Murkowski has long prioritized efforts to strengthen Alaska’s food security. She secured a number of Alaska-specific provisions, including:

  • $5 million for Micro-Grants for Food Security, with report language urging USDA to ensure that low-income, disadvantaged, and minority individuals are able to submit applications for projects that will increase the amount and quality of locally produced foods.
  • $5 million for Alaska Native-Serving Institutions to promote equal access to education in rural Alaska and provide sustainable food and energy solutions for Alaska Native communities
  • $3.5 million for the Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Transportation Program, helping offset high freight costs for Alaskan producers
  • $904.8 million for the Summer Food Service Program, with report language supporting the continued implementation of non-congregate meal service, such as Alaska Meals to You food boxes, to ensure low-income students can eat while school is out
  • $1.793 billion for the Agricultural Research Service, including continued funding for research on cover crops and cereal grains for northern climates and permafrost regions

In addition to broader programmatic funding, Senator Murkowski secured project-specific investments benefiting 10 Alaska communities or organizations. These projects were requested and prioritized by local governments and stakeholder groups:

  • Bethel: $605,000 to establish a permanent Food Bank and Pantry
  • Eagle: $750,000 for the construction of a fire hall/public safety building for the local fire department and EMS team
  • Houston: $1.95 million for the construction of a Public Works Facility to support preventive maintenance on equipment
  • Kenai: $2.045 million to install telecommunications infrastructure that will improve emergency response times and enhance public communications
  • Nunapitchuk: $55,000 to develop a Preliminary Investigation Feasibility Report on whether the Native Village of Nunapitchuk can pursue a community-wide relocation project in the Nunavakanukakslak Lake–Johnson River Watershed
  • Petersburg: $225,000 to purchase emergency response equipment for the local fire department
  • Statewide: $4.2 million for the Alaska Municipal League to purchase heavy equipment for multiple communities to conduct road improvements and maintain rural infrastructure
  • Statewide: $750,000 to expand veterinary care in rural Alaska to prevent zoonotic disease outbreaks in communities off the road system
  • Whittier: $310,000 for the removal and abatement of asbestos hazards in community housing where 85% of residents live
  • Wrangell: $2.438 million to rehabilitate Wrangell’s Public Safety Building and Emergency Operations Center

 

Highlights from the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon) Appropriations Bill

Supporting Alaska’s active servicemembers and veterans

Senator Murkowski is committed to supporting Alaska’s servicemembers—both veterans and those on active duty—to ensure they have access to up-to-date resources that honor their service to our nation. She again secured annual bill language allowing care-sharing agreements between Federally Qualified Health Centers in Alaska and Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations that are part of the Alaska Native Health Compact with the Indian Health Service. She also ensured that the Department of Veterans Affairs received full funding for mental health services, telehealth, women veterans’ gender-specific care, homelessness programs, and the Office of Rural Health.

Advancing the Services’ priorities in Alaska:

Senator Murkowski secured funding for Army and Air Force construction projects of the utmost priority to the services, including:

  • Fort Wainwright: $208 million to construct a barracks
  • JBER: $46 million to construct a base supply complex
  • JBER: $152 million for the next phase of construction of the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center

These projects will improve the quality of life for the soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division, increase the readiness of our Alaska Air National Guard, and continue the development of the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center, which will become the Air Force’s premier, state-of-the-art flight training and operations facility.

In addition to programmatic funding, Murkowski secured additional investments in this bill specific to three of Alaska’s military installations through the Congressionally Directed Spending Process:

  • JBER: $45 million to complete the Air Force runway extension project
  • Eielson Air Force Base: $6.7 million to finish planning and designing for a new permanent party dormitory
  • Fort Wainwright: $7.7 million to begin planning and designing a new dining facility for the Army

 

Highlights from the Legislative Branch (LEG) Appropriations Bill

Senator Murkowski advocated for robust funding for the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP). These funds will allow USCP to hire new officers and provide additional resources to protect the public and Members of Congress. During the 43-day government shutdown, the Capitol Police worked without pay, a fact Senator Murkowski repeatedly highlighted as a key reason to reopen the government as soon as possible. With the Legislative Branch bill ensuring that their budget is fully funded for the next fiscal year, Capitol Police salaries will be paid regardless of any potential shutdowns in 2026.

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