Articles & Op-eds
The Daily Caller: Manchin, Murkowski United In Opposition To The Green New Deal
The top lawmakers on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources were unified in their opposition to the Green New Deal and unreadiness to back taxes on carbon dioxide emissions. "There's no such thing as a new green deal," West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said during a Monday night panel at an international energy conference in Houston. "There's a resolution that has a dream, but there's no bill, there's no contents at all." Manchin, a Democrat, appeared alongside Alaska Sen. Lisa Murk… Continue Reading
03.12.19
The State: More than one-third of US volcanoes are under-monitored. Congress is noticing
by Julianna Rennie
Of the United States' 161 active volcanoes, 57 are under-monitored, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, creating blind spots that pose a huge potential threat to public safety. In 2009, Washington allocated funds to improve the monitoring systems, but the money quickly ran out, and recent spending initiatives never went anywhere. Dr. Seth Moran is the lead scientist at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, which monitors volcanic activity in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. A properly monitore… Continue Reading
03.12.19
E&E News: Murkowski, Manchin break with colleagues on Green New Deal
by Mike Lee, Jenny Mandel, and Edward Klump
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) delivered a message of unity on climate change here yesterday. But their remarks at CERAWeek by IHS Markit meant sometimes contradicting party colleagues and leaders back in Washington, D.C. Addressing an audience of several thousand people at one of the biggest oil and gas conferences in the country, the political moderates said they could find common ground. "There's no such thin… Continue Reading
03.10.19
SitNews: FDA’s Decision Allows GE Salmon to Enter U.S.
by Mary Kauffman
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. announced Friday the FDA is deactivating a 2016 import alert that prevented GE salmon from entering the U.S. In a prepared statement Gottlieb wrote, the FDA's approval of the application related to AquAdvantage Salmon followed a comprehensive analysis of the scientific evidence, which determined that the GE Atlantic salmon met the statutory requirements for safety and effectiveness under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In response to the FDA deact… Continue Reading
03.10.19
Juneau Empire: Opinion: Congress needs more members like Sen. Murkowski
by Rich Moniak
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is once again getting national attention for breaking ranks with the Republican Party. This time it's over President Donald Trump's emergency declaration over the southern border. For having "the strength to announce opposition" to it, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank listed her as one of the few survivors of the critically endangered species of "Principled Republicans." I'd expand that to include principled Democrats. And argue we've reached this point because the bas… Continue Reading
03.09.19
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Female leadership key to breaking public land logjam
by Becky Edwards
Two weeks ago, sweeping bipartisan public lands legislation defied the odds by sailing through Congress with overwhelming support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Now it is on to the White House for the president's signature. In the current highly partisan atmosphere in Washington D.C., this kind of bipartisan action is truly remarkable. We can thank two women for it. In Montana, we are big winners in the passage of this legislation, now named the John D. Dingell Jr. Conser… Continue Reading
03.08.19
KTVA: Murkowski helps introduce resolution honoring indigenous women
by Jeff Bridges
March is Women's History Month, and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is helping to introduce a resolution honoring indigenous women. The resolution, co-sponsored by New Mexico U.S. Senator Tom Udall, honors the heritage, culture, and successes of Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian women and how they've help shaped the nation. "The influence of women like Elizabeth Peratrovich who fought for civil rights and against widespread discrimination against Alaska Natives was truly monumental,… Continue Reading
03.08.19
KTVA: Surge in women lawmakers puts Alaska ahead of national curve
by Steve Quinn
As Alaska marks International Women's Day, more than a third of its state lawmakers are women after voters sent more than half a dozen to the state Capitol in last year's election alone. State Sen. Mia Costello got a surprise earlier this week. With more than 50 days elapsed in the current legislative session, the Anchorage Republican learned she is the first woman to serve as the Senate majority leader since statehood. What she already knew was that she's among a record 23 women serving in the… Continue Reading
03.08.19
Must Read Alaska: Murkowski teams up with Kamala Harris on workplace harassment bill
by Suzanne Downing
On International Women's Day, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) announced they have reintroduced legislation to address the ongoing issue of workplace harassment and reduce barriers that prevent victims from speaking out and seeking justice. The Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace Harassment through Education and Reporting (EMPOWER) Act arms individuals with the resources they need to address workplace harassment, according to Murkowski's office. Sen. Kamala H… Continue Reading
03.08.19
Washington Post: Op-Ed: Lisa Murkowski and Joe Manchin: It’s time to act on climate change — responsibly
by Lisa Murkowski and Joe Manchin
The two of us have more in common than might meet the eye. We come from different parties, but we are both avid outdoorsmen and represent states that take great pride in the resources we provide to the nation and to friends and allies around the world. Alaska and West Virginia know that resource development and environmental stewardship must move in tandem, which is why we are committed to putting forward bipartisan solutions to help address climate change. There is no question that climate cha… Continue Reading
03.06.19
The Hill: Murkowski warns climate change 'directly impacting' Alaska
by Dorothy Mills-Gregg
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Tuesday said climate change is "directly impacting" her home state's way of life. "It's impacting subsistence. It's impacting food security. It's certainly impacting our economy with our fisheries," Murkowski, the chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said at the panel's first hearing this year devoted to climate change. "Clearly the effort here is to get a bipartisan conversation going," she added. "I think that the rhetoric surroun… Continue Reading
03.06.19
KTVA: National e-cigarette bill resurfaces amid rise in youth vaping
by Jeff Bridges
Alaska's senior senator is one of two lawmakers reintroducing bipartisan legislation that would put more restrictions on the e-cigarette industry, according to a statement sent Tuesday. Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, last summer in introducing the Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (SAFE Kids Act), which would restrict certain flavorings in e-cigarettes and ban flavoring in cigars completely. The two senators are now reintroducing the legisla… Continue Reading
03.06.19
RTO Insider: Senate ENR Committee Discusses Climate Change
by Michael Brooks
The hearing the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held Tuesday was perhaps less noteworthy for what was said than the fact it even happened. Chaired by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), committee members and panelists discussed the electricity industry's role in mitigating climate change. According to ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), it was the first hearing the committee had held on climate change since 2012. Compared to the House of Representatives, now in Democratic hands and… Continue Reading
03.06.19
PBS Newshour: Sen. Lisa Murkowski on disagreeing with the president
Few Republicans disagree publicly with President Trump more than Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski. She has diverged from the White House stance on health care, the environment and the Supreme Court, among other issues. Now Murkowski is bucking her party by refusing to support Trump's national emergency declaration over funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. She talks to Judy Woodruff about why. Read the Full Transcript Judy Woodruff: Few Republicans publicly disagree with President Trump on… Continue Reading
03.06.19
Alaska Public Media: Murkowski explains why she’ll vote to cancel Trump’s emergency
by Liz Ruskin
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is speaking out in opposition to President Trump's emergency declaration to divert money to build a wall on the southern border. Murkowski said she agrees with the president on the need for more border security. "But I firmly believe that one can be for border security, strongly for border security, and at the same time question whether the administration has overreached in using the National Emergencies Act in the way that it has," she said in a speech on the Senate floor … Continue Reading
03.06.19
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska Rep. Don Young reaches another milestone: Longest-serving Republican in congressional history
by Alex DeMarban
Alaska's lone House representative on Wednesday became the longest-serving Republican in Congress ever. At 46 years of service, Rep. Don Young surpassed Rep. Joe Cannon of Illinois, who ended his nearly half-century career shortly after World War I, Young's office said. The record for Young is another title in a long list of accomplishments for the brash but effective 85-year-old, known for his lack of political tact and ability to cross party lines. "When you think about the legislative acco… Continue Reading
03.05.19
Saipan Tribune: ‘Nuanced understanding of the CNMI is needed’
by Ralph DLG Torres
On behalf of the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, I want to thank [committee] chairman [Lisa] Murkowski, ranking member [Joe] Manchin and the distinguished members of this committee for recognizing the need of this important conversation about the priorities of the U.S. territories and allowing for this submitted testimony for the record. Many of the issues facing the territories today are unique to us. We all fight against issues of geography. Limited land mass, natu… Continue Reading
03.05.19
Daily Energy Insider: GOP senators introduce bill to speed up FERC application process
A group of Republican senators introduced a bill last week to reduce the long wait times for federal approval of energy infrastructure projects, including liquid natural gas (LNG) projects. The Timely Review of Infrastructure Act (S. 607) would improve the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) ability to hire the qualified staff it needs to process project applications in a timely manner. This will help alleviate the backlog of projects waiting to receive approval due to the shortage of… Continue Reading
03.05.19
Arctic Today: The only US heavy icebreaker catches fire returning from Antarctica
by Melody Schreiber
The crew of the Polar Star, the only operable U.S. heavy polar icebreaker, had completed this season's annual resupply mission to Antarctica despite a bevy of difficulties: an electrical system began smoking, one of two evaporators used for making drinking water broke, a shaft on the propeller began leaking, and there were ship-wide power outages. After resupplying McMurdo Station, the Polar Star began her 11,200-mile journey back to the dry dock in Seattle. But she only made it about 650 mile… Continue Reading
03.05.19
WTVO: U.S. lawmakers aim to stop "kid-friendly" flavors in e-cigarettes
Legislators reintroduced a bill on Tuesday that would crack down on kid-friendly flavorings in e-cigarettes and cigars. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGett and Jamie Raskin introduced the Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids (SAFE Kids) Act. "Ask any teacher, parent, or public health expert: E-cigarette use among America's youth is officially an epidemic. These products have spread throughout our communities, and their po… Continue Reading
