Articles & Op-eds
Arctic Sounder: Murkowski speaks on Arctic opportunities
Sen. Lisa Murkowski knows she lives in an Arctic nation. Convincing some of her colleagues in Washington of that is another story, she said. While some in the state may disagree with her politics on national issues, few can say Murkowski ignores the state's northern issues. Almost weekly, a release comes out of her office touting her calls for more U.S. Coast Guard resources, funding for studies of infrastructure needs, and her thoughts from her latest trip to the Arctic Council. "We in Alaska… Continue Reading
06.06.13
Associated Press: Holder - Appeal expected on prosecutor discipline
JUNEAU, Alaska - The U.S. Justice Department is expected to appeal a judge's ruling that overturned the suspensions of two federal prosecutors over their conduct in Sen. Ted Stevens' corruption trial. Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday he did not agree with the judge's decision and expected the Justice Department would appeal it to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Holder's comments were in response to questions from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, during a subcommittee hearing in … Continue Reading
06.06.13
Fuel Fix: Obama officials face tough questions on oil drilling, land access
"Our priority is processing permits to drill that are already in flight" rather than work on new applications, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told reporters after a Senate budget hearing in Washington on Tuesday. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg) Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and a top deputy were questioned about drilling on federal lands, the cleanup of legacy oil wells in Alaska and how the government will protect endangered species in the West during a wide-ranging hearing Thursday before the Se… Continue Reading
06.05.13
Associated Press: Murkowski pleased with TSA turnaround on knives
JUNEAU, Alaska - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she's glad small knives will not be allowed on commercial passenger airlines. The administrator of the Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that the agency is abandoning its plan to let passengers carry small knives, souvenir bats, golf clubs and other sports equipment onto planes. The plan faced opposition from industry and members of Congress, including Murkowski. Murkowski, in a release, said allowing small knives on plane… Continue Reading
05.20.13
Fairbanks Daily News Miner: Murkowski looks to improve military recruit health
FAIRBANKS - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has co-sponsored legislation that aims to reduce the high number of military recruits who cannot meet basic fitness requirements and who therefore can't serve The Fit to Serve Act, which Murkowski co-sponsored with Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., would boost nutritional awareness for young people and would allow military leaders to open their base's sports fields, gyms and other facilities to young people seeking a place to exercise, according to a news release fr… Continue Reading
05.19.13
Matsu Valley Frontiersman: $930K for local health center
WASILLA - Nearly a million dollars worth of grants are headed to a local community health center to help combat depression. In a conference call Monday, Mat-Su Health Services announced it had received $465,000 from the Social Innovation Fund of the Corporations for National and Community Service. Another $465,000 came in grants from nonprofits, including the Rasmuson Foundation. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who announced the Social Innovation Fund grant, said that the money will go to help fund start-… Continue Reading
05.13.13
Alaska Business Magazine: Murkowski Fighting for Arctic Ports, Alaska Priorities in Senate Bill
by By Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the U.S. Senate considering S.601 the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to address infrastructure priorities on America's coasts and rivers, Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced three separate amendments to boost Alaska's emerging Arctic opportunities and address the needs of other vital waterfront areas in Seward and Haines. "Port and harbor investment is essential to so many Alaskan communities in Alaska, and I'm glad the Senate has taken up this bill dealing w… Continue Reading
05.13.13
OP-ED: Shedding Light on Anonymous Ads
Like clockwork, there's something voters have come to count on with each election: more and more anonymous advertisements sponsored by mysterious, innocuous-sounding groups, voicing support or opposition for a candidate. These groups are taking advantage of loopholes and lax enforcement and leaving voters to wonder who these people are, where the money came from and about their true agendas. Voters can't be detectives - they want to know who is behind political ads and what their hidden agenda m… Continue Reading
05.10.13
OP-ED: Bring Back Real Debate in Senate
Americans differ deeply on many of today's great questions, but they unite in their frustration with the inability of Congress and the president to address our nation's challenges. The Senate Democrats' majority leader, Harry Reid, is advancing the argument that we could fix the Senate if only we would reduce protections for the minority by limiting the filibuster. But protecting minority rights - not just party rights, but individual rights - is one of the constitutional purposes of the Senate… Continue Reading
04.18.13
Delta Discovery: Senator Murkowski hosts Subsistence Listening Session
Senator Lisa Murkowskiheld a Listening Session to hear views and concerns regarding subsistence from local and regional community members. She hosted the meeting on April 2nd, 2013 at Yuut Elitnaurviat in Bethel under the direction of the Alaska Federation of Natives. The room was filled to capacity with people ready to testify. Moderating the event was Ana Hoffman who also gave the opening welcome. The first to give testimony was Myron Naneng, President of the Association of Village Council Pr… Continue Reading
03.31.13
Op-Ed: Ending abuse, securing justice in Alaska
Alaska is known for its natural beauty, geographic vastness, and tremendous energy potential. Behind the beauty is a difficult reality that many of us, even in Alaska, fail to recognize. Our state has among the highest rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in the nation. This is a horrific reality that threatens thousands of vulnerable Alaskans - both rural and urban - and also could have a shameful legacy and impact for our future generations. Since the enactment of the Violence Aga… Continue Reading
02.21.13
Op-Ed: Preparing for an Arctic Future
Alaskans lead the nation in many things - resilience, toughness and creativity - and we are leaps and bounds ahead of rest of the United States when it comes to knowing a cold truth: we are an Arctic nation, and we need to start mapping out an Arctic-oriented agenda, especially from a maritime perspective. This agenda will require the leadership of our nation's maritime guardians, the United States Coast Guard. I see this New Year of 2013 as a new opportunity to set the nation's course North to … Continue Reading
02.11.13
Seward City News: 14 days left to comment on FDA Approval of Frankenfish
Some of us may have concerns over going forward with the approval of, and production of genetically modified salmon. Rep. Paul Seaton, of Homer, another Alaska fishing town, offered this information about how you can respond either way to the FDA's draft environmental assessment and finding of "No Significant Impact": On December 26, 2012, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) released this Draft Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact Concerning a Genetically … Continue Reading
02.04.13
Associated Press: Murkowski announces national energy proposal
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski says a national energy plan should cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions but should not simply raise the price of petroleum to reduce consumption. Murkowski says the cost of heating homes in rural Alaska can be 50 percent of a person's income and she's not going to be the senator who tells her state's residents that they must pay even more. Murkowski is the ranking minority member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In a spe… Continue Reading
02.04.13
Washington Post: Senator Murkowski unveils her big new energy plant. Here's a breakdown
Lisa Murkowski is the ranking Republican on the Senate energy committee. So it's worth paying close attention to what she has to say on the subject. And on Monday, Murkowski released a 121-page blueprint (pdf) detailing her "vision for America's energy future." Many of the proposals in here are long-standing items on the Republican wish list - Murkowski is calling for more oil and gas drilling on federal lands, and she opposes strict environmental regulations on coal mining. But she also touche… Continue Reading
01.30.13
Homer Tribune: Murkowski receives U.S. Navy’s highest civilian award
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today received the United States Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award from U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus for her "selfless service to the Nation's Sailors and Marines [that] ensured they were provided the resources necessary to support and defend the Nation's interests around the globe," according to the certificate. The Navy also recognized her Arctic leadership that guarantees "our combat forces are prepared to meet the challenges of a dynamic ope… Continue Reading
01.28.13
Associated Press: Senators express frustration on fisheries aid
JUNEAU, Alaska - Alaska's U.S. senators voted with the majority in supporting a $50.5 billion emergency relief package for victims of Superstorm Sandy. But Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich expressed frustration that $150 million for Alaska and other states affected by fisheries' disasters wasn't included. Both said they would continue pushing for that aid. Begich said Alaska may be farther away, but that doesn't make fisheries disaster any less damaging or significant to the people affecte… Continue Reading
01.24.13
Kodiak Daily Mirror: Murkowski determined to get federal help to clean marine debris
Alaska fishermen and beachgoers are asking for help - but none is coming anytime soon from Congress. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives stripped millions in fishery and marine debris aid from a bill intended to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims. A Senate version of the bill included $150 million to cover fisheries disasters in New England, Alaska and Sandy-affected states. Millions more was intended to go to Pacific coast states facing a wave of debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami. H… Continue Reading
01.23.13
Fairbanks Daily News Miner: Sen. Murkowski confident of Asian gas market
FAIRBANKS - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is confident there's a market for Alaska's natural gas in Asia after a recent trip to Japan and Taiwan. During a teleconference with reporters on Wednesday, Murkowski reported that Japanese officials and representatives from a number of Japanese utilities were particularly interested in adding Alaska's natural gas to their energy portfolios. "I got the impression that if Alaska was in a position to offer up contracts up today that the Japanese would be ve… Continue Reading
01.19.13
Matsu Valley Frontiersman: Alaskans lead effort to make Congress work
Amid the rancor and divisiveness of these highly partisan times, it is encouraging to see the seeds of common sense and reason taking root in Washington, D.C. As Alaskans, we are doubly encouraged to see our two senators - Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich - stepping up and setting the right tone to help break the gridlock that has gripped our nation's capital and make government work for all of us. In late December, Sen. Murkowski, a Republican, unveiled a blueprint for much-needed campaign finan… Continue Reading
