Articles & Op-eds
The Associated Press: Murkowski trumpets GOP chances for 2010
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) _ U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says Republicans have the Democratic Party ``absolutely scrambling.'' Murkowski spoke Saturday to more than 150 people at a Republican fundraiser in Fairbanks, the Fairbanks Republican Women's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Murkowski a year ago said things looked downright gloomy for the GOP but the shifting national mood gives Republicans a chance at a historic showing at the polls in 2010. Murkowski says a year of Democratic missteps has given R… Continue Reading
02.21.10
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Lisa Murkowski touts Republicans’ future
FAIRBANKS - What a difference a year makes. That was the message delivered by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to more than 150 people at a Republican fundraiser in Fairbanks on Saturday, saying a shifting national mood gives the GOP a chance to have a historic showing in 2010. "We've got the Democratic Party absolutely scrambling," she said. Murkowski, with the help of Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, as emcee, offered the keynote speech at the Fairbanks Republican Women's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. … Continue Reading
02.20.10
Anchorage Daily Planet: EDITORIAL: Time is running out
When U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is right, she's right. She told a joint session of the Legislature that Alaska is going to have to do its part in getting its stores of natural gas to market. She says the window for a gas line remains open, but there is no time to procrastinate. "Maybe America can wait for Alaska's natural gas. Perhaps industry can wait," she said. "But Alaska cannot wait. We can't wait because other parts of our state's economy are not strong enough - they're not strong enough -… Continue Reading
02.19.10
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Sen. Murkowski attacks federal spending, urges gas line
JUNEAU-Sen. Lisa Murkowski told the Legislature on Thursday that a number of federal policies, which she said are often "overreaching" in scope, are working against Alaska's long-term interests. She said deficit-backed stimulus spending generally hasn't helped here or in other states. Murkowski led her address to a joint session of the Legislature with a swing at last year's economic stimulus plan, saying it has failed to meet promised increases in unemployment. She said fiscal policies, when m… Continue Reading
02.19.10
The Associated Press: Murkowski: Alaska needs economic 'soul searching'
LEGISLATURE: U.S. senator tells lawmakers that state needs to get gas to market. JUNEAU -- Alaska's economy faces significant threats from environmentalists, federal regulations, and even from within in the form of problems like high student dropout rates and domestic violence, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Thursday. The Republican told a joint legislative session she would do her part in Washington to fight such things as reactive or overreaching federal policies, but Alaska must do some "sou… Continue Reading
02.19.10
KSRM Radio: Murkowski Urges State to Move on Natural Gas
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski urged the State Legislature to keep moving forward to move North Slope natural gas to market. She said there is still an "open window of opportunity" for the state's natural gas, despite the development of shale gas. However, she stated Alaska couldn't afford to procrastinate with a natural gas line while this window remains open. She said that natural gas needed to get to market to keep the economy of Alaska strong. Murkowski, quoting an ISER study, said 31 percent … Continue Reading
02.18.10
The Hill: Murkowski ‘will never drop’ fight to move Alaska out of Ninth Circuit
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Thursday that she will fight to move Alaska out of the liberal U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has served as a venue for environmental group challenges to oil drilling plans. But she acknowledged that it's an uphill battle. "So-called public interest litigation groups view Alaska as fertile ground to push the edges of environmental advocacy, without regard to the Alaskans who may be hurt by the outcome," Murkowski said in a speech before t… Continue Reading
02.18.10
Alaska Public Radio Network: Murkowski: DC Not Helping Fix Economy
Senator Lisa Murkowski on Thursday gave her annual report to the state legislature, focusing on the national economy and pointing at what she called the federal government's "flawed," short-term approach to fixing it. You can listen to the audio here. Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau… Continue Reading
02.18.10
KTUU: Murkowski talks with lawmakers about federal funding
JUNEAU, Alaska -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski came to the state capital Thursday with some troubling news for Alaskans who rely on federal dollars. She says money is becoming difficult to bring home as attitudes change in Washington. Murkowksi addressed a joint session of the House and Senate in a visit she makes each legislative session to update everyone on what she's doing in Washington, where earmarks aren't what they used to be. Very few U.S. senators, in their home states, would be able to reco… Continue Reading
02.16.10
The HIll: Republican senators, industry cheer nuke loan guarantees
President Obama's announcement of over $8 billion in federal loan guarantees to aid construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia drew cheers from across the aisle Tuesday. "Although loan guarantees alone will not sustain the nuclear renaissance, I believe this is an essential step. My colleagues and I created this loan guarantee program back in 2005 to promote clean, advanced energy sources. Although the Department of Energy has been slow to act, I am hopeful that this is the beginning of a … Continue Reading
02.13.10
Alaska Public Radio Network:
Senator Lisa Murkowski is complaining about what she calls a lack of progress by the Obama Administration on certain energy issues. In a Senate floor speech on Thursday Murkowski said the President's budget does NOT do enough to support nuclear energy or fossil fuel development. She says that runs contrary to the President's pledge during his recent State of the Union speech to support nuclear and new oil and gas development. Murkowski's criticism comes despite President Obama's move to triple t… Continue Reading
02.12.10
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Alaska's senators offer support, criticism of Obama's energy plan
FAIRBANKS - President Obama's comments about energy earlier this week have split Alaska's senators. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Obama said the U.S. "can't overnight convert to an all-solar, all-wind economy," but he said investment in clean energy will be key to economic growth in the 21st century. Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, took the opportunity to write the president a letter emphasizing the importance of an Alaska natural gas pipeline in producing cleaner energy for the country. "I kn… Continue Reading
02.12.10
The Hill: Alaska senators press White House on energy
Alaska's senators both criticized President Obama's energy policy this week - one gently, the other, not so much. Sen. Mark Begich (D), in a letter to Obama Tuesday, urged him to "reconsider" proposals in the fiscal year 2011 budget request that would repeal billions of dollars in tax incentives for oil producers. The oil industry is a major part of Alaska's economy. "These important incentives have been part of our tax code for decades, and their repeal threatens American jobs and domestic en… Continue Reading
02.09.10
Politico: Snow freezes legislative action
A winter that could turn out to be the snowiest in Washington history is having a serious impact on Capitol Hill, where the last legislative week before Congress's winter break could be lost as a second large snowstorm looms. The House canceled votes for Tuesday. And even though the Senate, as of late Monday, planned to hold votes Tuesday, only three of the Senate's 100 lawmakers showed up at a brief session Monday after the weekend's 2-foot snowstorm forced lawmakers to scrap Monday votes. Amo… Continue Reading
02.08.10
Roll Call: Snow? What Snow?
Those Alaskans sure are rugged types. Not only was the office of GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski "fully staffed" bright and early Monday morning despite the thick layer of snow blanketing Washington, but the gang of hardy souls was doing a little snow trash talking. "We don't take snow days," boasts Michael Brumas, Murkowski's communications director. Take that, silly blizzard. The dozen or more Murkowski-ites trekked in from the far-away 'burbs and nearby neighborhoods, unhindered by what in Alaskan… Continue Reading
02.01.10
Alaska Public Radio Network: President’s budget proposal gets mixed reviews from Alaska Senators
President Obama's proposed 3.8 trillion dollar budget for the next fiscal year was unveiled today (Monday) in Washington. It includes hits for Alaska programs, but some benefits as well. You can listen to the audio here. # # #… Continue Reading
02.01.10
Ketchikan Daily News: Murkowski warns: Carbon rules could hurt
Visiting Ketchikan on Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski warned that many small businesses could see negative effects from potential federal Clean Air Act regulations for curbing carbon emissions. Sen. Lisa Murkowski Murkowski's effort to block the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing regulations to limit the discharge of greenhouse gases was one of several subjects addressed by the Alaska Republican with local media Friday morning. Murkowski described the highly charged partisan atmosphe… Continue Reading
01.31.10
Ketchikan Daily News: Senator talks health care
Health care dominated a discussion Friday between Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and members of the Ketchikan Young Professionals Network. The lunchtime conversation started with a brief statement from Murkowski, who then asked what issues concerned the approximately 20 audience members. The first question was about ensuring quality health care for all the veterans coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Murkowski agreed that the number of veterans is growing, and at 18 percent, Ala… Continue Reading
01.31.10
Ketchikan Daily News: Intertie completion celebrated
Ketchikan's Ted Ferry Civic Center was a who's who in Alaska politics Friday night, with at least 200 people gathered to celebrate the completion of the Swan-Tyee hydroelectric intertie. Among those attending the party were Sen. Lisa Murkowski, representatives from the offices of Sen. Mark Begich and Rep. Don Young, legislators from throughout the state, former lawmakers, officials from Ketchikan, Saxman, Petersburg, Wrangell and Metlakatla; and representatives from the Alaska Energy Authority,… Continue Reading
01.28.10
KSRM Radio: Senators React to State of the Union Address
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski felt President Barack Obama connected on a few of the issues important to everyone with his State of the Union speech on Wednesday night. Some of those issues involved jobs, the strength of the economy and spending. However, she was concerned that the President still supports the current health care reform bill. She had hoped that the President would ask Congress to go back to the drawing board with the health care reform issue. Senator Murkowski was pleased that Pre… Continue Reading
