Articles & Op-eds
Windy City Times :NATIONAL Backlash in Tennessee, judge dies, voucher program, hate-crimes bill
by Andrew Davis
More than 140 businesses signed a letter announcing their opposition to Tennessee's recent slew of anti-LGBTQ laws, which has been dubbed the "slate of hate" by activist groups, NBC News noted. The collective, known as the Tennessee Businesses Against Discrimination, included major companies such as Amazon, Nike, Dell, Lyft, Marriott and American Airlines, as well as more than 100 small businesses in Tennessee. The letter specifically targets the passage of HB 836, which allows taxpayer-funded f… Continue Reading
02.11.20
Anchorage Daily News: Trump budget takes another run at killing Alaska’s Denali Commission
by Alex DeMarban
President Donald Trump's $4.8 trillion budget proposes eliminating the Denali Commission, using the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend as evidence the state is so wealthy it doesn't need the federally supported program that has improved village tank farms, docks and other rural infrastructure. Alaska's congressional delegation on Monday vowed to protect the Anchorage-based commission, as they've done before. The Trump administration proposed eliminating the Denali Commission in previous years a… Continue Reading
02.10.20
Dover Post: Coons, Braun welcome new members to Senate Climate Solutions Caucus
Sens. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, and Mike Braun, R-Indiana, announced Feb. 6 that four additional members will join the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus - Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Florida; Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin. The caucus brings together an equal number of Republicans and Democrats to craft and advance bipartisan solutions to address the changing climate. "I am excited to announce the addition of four new colleagues to the Clim… Continue Reading
01.29.20
Anchorage Daily News: LETTER: Thanks, fire crews
by Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Last summer's wildfires were among the worst Alaska has seen in decades. The skies filled with smoke, our main roads closed, and neighborhoods evacuated. A total of 742 fires destroyed more than 2.5 million acres - which is about twice the size of Delaware. From Hotshot crews and smokejumpers to the firefighters and managers stationed at command centers - our emergency responders, including many good Samaritans from the Lower 48 - were working hard, around the clock. This summer I met … Continue Reading
01.22.20
OP-ED: Anchorage Daily News: Alaskans are in harm’s way in Iraq. We should remember they’re there.
by Lisa Murkowski
As the United States is entering its 19th year of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the presence of our troops in the respective regions can be out of sight and out of mind. All it takes is some attention, such as a breaking news story, for eyes and hearts to turn back to remembering the dangers our men and woman in uniform continue to face. The attacks on U.S. military bases this month reminded the nation we still have troops on the ground and their lives were in imminent danger. In the last … Continue Reading
01.14.20
Alaska Alliance: OPINION: Accomplishments Add Up for Alaska
by Senator Lisa Murkowski
As I reflect on this past year as Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I'm proud of the national policies we advanced, and the many ways those policies will benefit Alaska. I'm also proud of the process we used to achieve success and the Alaskans who helped pave the way. I liken our committee to the "little engine that could." In a Congress not often marked by cooperation, we have bucked the trend, gone to work, and delivered real results. That takes commitment to nego… Continue Reading
01.14.20
Air Med and Rescue: Firefighting drone technology
by Amy Gallagher
Fighting fires with science Amy Gallagher explains how firefighting drone technology designed to protect people and property is developing; but without financial backing from the government, implementation continues to be a challenge A unique category of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), known as optionally piloted helicopters (OPH), has demonstrated the potential to minimise time gaps in aerial wildfire firefighting, supporting aggressive wildland firefighting strategies while leveraging alrea… Continue Reading
01.07.20
Alaska Public Media: Murkowski commends drone strike; Sullivan says Trump didn’t need Congress’ OK
by Liz Ruskin
Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she'll sign onto a resolution that commends President Donald Trump and praises the military for the drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Murkowski, in a written statement, called the attack at the Baghdad airport "significant" and "decisive." She said it "eliminated one of the greatest threats to peace in the region." She also said she'll look for a path toward de-escalation. Congress has never authorized a war against Iran, and some Democrats are qu… Continue Reading
12.31.19
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Defense bill clears House, Senate with PFAS protections
by Erin McGroarty
Last week's signing of a collection of 2020 spending bills is bringing the growing issue of PFAS contamination to the forefront of national attention, drawing federal dollars and increased research to a topic sweeping Alaska communities and towns across the country. PFAS, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a category of human-made chemicals that repel water and grease and are found in products such as nonstick pans and raincoats. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act - and… Continue Reading
12.26.19
Juneau Empire: OPINION: Let Americans unwrap savings on prescription medicine
by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Chuck Grassley
These days it's seems there's scant agreement about much of anything in Washington. However, outside of the nation's capital, Americans share full-throated agreement on an issue that really matters: the sky rocketing prices they pay for prescription medicine. From all across the nation, inexplicable price spikes for prescription drugs are gouging consumers, putting patient health at risk and soaking the taxpayer. Drug prices are hitting the budgets of everyday Americans and squeezing our govern… Continue Reading
12.22.19
Anchorage Daily News: Solutions for our public safety challenges
by Senator Lisa Murkowski
Alaska's vast geography and uniquely complex governance frameworks have challenged Alaskans for generations and fostered a well-documented inequity in access to law enforcement and justice services throughout rural Alaska. The end result of the complex and under-resourced public safety system is that Alaska Native women are victims of violence in unprecedented proportions. Families have faced unspeakable loss, and until recently many felt almost invisible, frustrated, and let down by the complex… Continue Reading
12.20.19
KTVA: Bills contain money to combat missing and murdered Indigenous women epidemic
by Jennifer Summers
Two funding bills that include money to help combat the epidemic of missing, murdered and trafficked Indigenous women passed the Senate Thursday and are headed to President Trump's desk to be signed, according to a release from the office of Sen. Lisa Murkowski. According to Murkowski's office, the investments from these funding bills will go toward preventing and prosecuting crimes against Indigenous women as well as looking into cold cases. A 2017 report from the Alaska Native Tribal Health… Continue Reading
12.19.19
Fire House: AK Senator Murkowski Named CFSI Legislator of Year
On December 17, the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) presented Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK) with its 2019 Legislator of the Year Award. A co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus since 2018, Senator Murkowski has been a strong advocate for our nation's firefighters and emergency services personnel throughout her congressional career. "During my years in public service, I have always had a deep appreciation for our nation's first responders," said Senator Murkowski. "The tra… Continue Reading
12.19.19
USA Today: Here's how Congress cooperated to fight child sex abuse images on government computers
by Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Brian Schatz
The problem of child pornography has reached crisis levels. In all corners of the internet, images of child sexual abuse are being created, produced, and traded. Last year, more than 45 million online images and videos of child sexual abuse material were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The pain inflicted on these children is unimaginable. The details are sickening: an increasing number of the images are of infants and children younger than 12 enduring the mos… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Alaska Native News: AFN Praises the Passage of S. 1790 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020
The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) congratulated U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan for his work on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Senator Lisa Murkowski and Congressman Don Young for voting in favor of passing the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2020. The NDAA authorizes $738 billion in critical defense spending and includes many provisions introduced by Senator Sullivan that positively impact Alaska and Alaska Natives. One provision spearheaded by Senator Sullivan remedies a discriminatory … Continue Reading
12.14.19
Cordova Times: Arctic shipping legislation moving forward
by Margaret Bauman
Arctic shipping legislation addressing impacts and opportunities of increased maritime traffic advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, Dec. 11, heading to the floor of the Senate. The legislation calls for the federal government to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the Arctic for maritime transportation by creating an advisory committee to study Arctic maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development, and ensure that increased Arctic shipping proceeds s… Continue Reading
12.12.19
Alaska Public Media: Bill would give Alaskans an advisory role in Arctic shipping
by Liz Ruskin
For ship travel, the Arctic is a new frontier, with an ocean of possibilities and few rules. A bill advancing in the U.S. Senate aims to allow new maritime opportunities while designing a framework that ensures safety. "It's not very often that you are able to really start with a blank sheet, and in this case, even though we're seeing stepped up volume of traffic, it's still a pretty blank sheet up there," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the bill's sponsor. "So let's make sure that we're doing this r… Continue Reading
12.09.19
Las Vegas Sun: For too long, Congress has delayed justice for Native American women
Finally, a long overdue bill to provide justice for missing and slain Native American women may be on a path to passage. Known as Savanna's Act, the measure would incentivize federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate cold cases involving indigenous women and improve responses to crimes in which those women are victimized. It's named for Savanna Greywind, a member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe who was killed in 2017 by a woman who cut Greywind's baby from her womb. The b… Continue Reading
12.09.19
Water Online: NAWC Applauds Bipartisan Bill To Restore Tax Treatment Of CIAC To Regulated Water Utilities
U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced a bill (S. 2942) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that certain contributions are treated as non-taxable contributions to capital. The legislation aims to prevent taxation of Contributions in Aid of Construction (CIAC), which are made by customers to regulated water utilities, for the construction or improvement of our nation's water infrastructure. The bill would also prevent the taxation of gove… Continue Reading
12.07.19
Associated Press: Alaska to receive $36M federal grant for earthquake recovery
A federal agency awarded Alaska a $35.8 million federal grant to support earthquake disaster recovery efforts, officials said. The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the grant in response to the damaging quake that struck parts of south-central Alaska Nov. 30, 2018, KTVA-TV reported Thursday. The HUD Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program helps communities rebuild after natural disasters and prepare for future ones, officials said. This is the first time … Continue Reading
