Articles & Op-eds
KTUU: Murkowski plans to block EPA's regulation of greenhouse gases
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski plans to introduce a resolution of disapproval to block the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Murkowski wants to overturn the EPA's endangerment finding that greenhouse gases threaten people. She claims it's up to Congress to pass an emissions law, but the White House told the EPA to prepare to move forward. Environmentalists say Murkowski is trying to protect businesses before people, saying issues of climate change could be disastro… Continue Reading
12.14.09
Anchorage Daily News: Murkowski tries again to limit EPA rules on greenhouse gas
WASHINTON -- Her first attempt failed, but on Monday Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, moved again to try to halt the Environmental Protection Agency's movement toward regulating the emission of greenhouse gases. The federal agency last week announced that global warming pollution endangers public health, and announced plans to move forward with regulations that will limit emissions by large producers of greenhouse gases. It could be years before any EPA regulations take effect, and the White Hou… Continue Reading
12.09.09
The Associated Press: Alaska Territorial Guard pension checks expected
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says Alaska Territorial Guard members whose military pensions were reduced by a Pentagon policy change in January should see full payments resume by year's end. The Alaska Republican says the Department of Defense told her Wednesday the December check for the 23 surviving members will include a lump sum payment retroactive to Oct. 28. Murkowski said she prodded thg Pentagon to implement language in the National Defense Authorization Act that di… Continue Reading
12.09.09
Anchorage Press: Alaska's Murmansk?
In the autumn of 1916, the Russian Empire, engaged in World War I, founded the city of Romanov-on-the-Murman where the Tuloma River empties into a portion of the Barents Sea that stays ice-free year round. Since Russia was allied with the powers of Western Europe, but geographically cut off by its enemies-Germany, Austro-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire-the idea was that a new city on the Arctic Ocean, connected to the more populated areas of Russian by rail, would be a strategic port. Supplies a… Continue Reading
12.08.09
RTT News: Sen. Murkowski Introduces Bill To Study Establishing Arctic Deep Water Port
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, unveiled legislation Tuesday authorizing a study to determine the feasibility of building a deep water port in the Arctic. Dubbed the Arctic Deep Water Sea Port Act, the legislation would direct the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to conduct the study in an effort to protect U.S. strategic interests in the region. The two-year study would seek to determine what strategic capabilities a deep water port could provid… Continue Reading
12.08.09
The Associated Press: Murkowski proposes study of Arctic port sites
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has introduced a bill to study the possibility of building a deep water port in the Arctic. The measure would direct the defense secretary to conduct the study with an eye toward protecting U.S. strategic interests in the region. Murkowski, an Alaska Republican says the two-year study would try to determine the best location for a port and what strategic capabilities it could provide. It also would look at the resources needed to establish a p… Continue Reading
12.07.09
KSRM Radio: Murkowski Says Health Insurance Rates Will Go up with Reform
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski continues to oppose the current Health Care reform bill on the Senate floor. On Friday, Senator Murkowski took to the Senate floor again to explain a recent study by the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research. She said that she asked ISER to review the numbers and this was part of the results of ISER's findings. She said the findings show an increase in average premiums. She said it would be a twelve percent increase in premiums. … Continue Reading
12.06.09
KTUU: Senate health care bill 'poor fit' for Alaska, Murkowski says
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski released a statement Saturday about the health care bill under debate in the U.S. Senate, calling it a "poor fit" for Alaska. Citing a study of the Democrats' bill by the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research, Murkowski says nearly 28,000 Alaskans would see their health care premiums rise if it were passed. "Because Alaska is a high-cost state, many more people in Alaska will become subject to the bill's excise tax o… Continue Reading
12.04.09
The Hill: Murkowski attacks Obama climate aid pledge
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, doesn't like White House plans to help developing nations battle climate change. "I'm surprised the president would commit our nation to billions in new and long-term spending, particularly in a year that has seen our government rack up a record deficit, and before our economy is back on track," she said in a statement this evening. "I'm also disappointed that the administration has chosen… Continue Reading
12.03.09
New York Times: Senate Blocks Use of New Mammogram Guidelines
The Senate on Wednesday night agreed to bar the federal government from relying on the findings of an independent panel of health experts that recently recommended women should begin having routine mammograms at age 50 rather than at age 40. Without a vote, the Senate agreed to accept an amendment to the big health care legislation proposed by Senator David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana, effectively requiring the federal government to ignore the new recommendations by the expert panel, the U… Continue Reading
12.03.09
New York Times: Doppelgängers on the Senate Floor
As if it weren't hard enough to parse the fine points of health care policy, Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat from Maryland and the main sponsor of a women's health amendment approved by the Senate on Thursday, went to great lengths to make sure that viewers and listeners could recognize the differences between her amendment and a rival proposal put forward by Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska. "I say vote for Mikulski. Don't vote for Murkowski. And please, on this one, get it s… Continue Reading
12.02.09
Anchorage Daily News: Murkowski: "I want to be able to rely on the good judgment of a provider I trust."
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced an amendment today to the health care bill that effectively bans the government from using guidelines from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force to deny coverage. Murkowski's amendment, aimed at guidelines the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force released last month on breast cancer screening, would apply to private insurers and government insurance plans. It is one of numerous amendments introduced and set to be debated in the coming days. The t… Continue Reading
11.23.09
Alaska Public Radio Network: Alaska Senators Split Vote on Health Care Bill
Alaska's Senators split their vote Saturday on whether to bring health care legislation to the floor. Democrats got exactly the 60 votes needed with all party members lining up for it, and all Republicans voting against introducing it. You can listen to the audio here. # # #… Continue Reading
11.23.09
KSRM Radio: Alaska Senators Split on Health Care Vote
U.S. Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski continue to be on opposite sides of the health care reform debate. On Saturday night's cloture vote to allow floor debate on the bill, Senator Mark Begich continued to support the bill with a yes vote. In a statement over the weekend, Begich stated that he voted in favor of moving the bill forward; however, he emphasized that his vote is not a vote on the final legislation. Begich said the Senate owes it to the public to fully debate the health refo… Continue Reading
11.21.09
Alaska Public Radio Network: Senate Expected to Vote on Health Care Bill
The US Senate is poised to take a first vote on health care tomorrow (Saturday) night. Senator Lisa Murkowski will vote "no" along with all the other Republicans, so in order to move forward, Democrats need every member of their caucus - all 60 - to vote yes. You can listen to the audio here.… Continue Reading
11.21.09
KTVA (CBS-11): Alaska Senators split on healthcare vote
The Healthcare Reform Bill is one step closer to a final vote. Saturday, the Senate voted to move the bill to the floor for open debate. But Republicans allege Democrats used backdoor techniques to get the bill to the floor. "There were a lot of gimmicks that we saw tonight," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski. "Not the least of which was the fact that we didn't vote to proceed for the bill that we will be taking up after Thanksgiving." Murkowski voted against moving the bill to the floor today becaus… Continue Reading
11.21.09
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska senators don't see health bill passing as it stands now
A day after Alaska's senators voted against each other on health care reform, both said that plans to offer people the option to buy government-run health insurance won't survive the upcoming Senate fight as written. As the Senate prepares for combat over overhauling national health care, this so-called "public option" is a key battleground. Unlike a handful of centrist senators who have indicated they won't support health care reform that includes a public option, Democratic Sen. Mark Begic… Continue Reading
11.20.09
KTUU (NBC): Letters to Santa will be answered after all
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The United States Postal Service has agreed to resume a program that answers children's letters to Santa sent to North Pole, Alaska, Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced on Friday. Deputy Postmaster General Pat Donahoe told Murkowski during a phone call that the USPS had reconsidered its position not to allow Alaskan volunteers to answer letters addressed "Dear Santa, North Pole." Donahoe told Murkowski the program would resume as in previous years, but with new security requirem… Continue Reading
11.20.09
The Associated Press: Postal Service retreats on Santa letters ruling
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ North Pole elves have good reason to celebrate again, thanks to a decision by the U.S. Postal Service to resume a Santa Claus letter program that's thrilled children from around the world for decades. ``It's great!'' Gabby Gaborik, chief elf among several dozen volunteers, said of the agency's Friday announcement that it's reversing a recent decision to drop a program begun in 1954 in the small Alaska town of North Pole. The program was suspended over privacy concerns. … Continue Reading
11.19.09
Arctic Sounder: Murkowski comes for a visit
About 100 people, including students, teachers, aides, parents and administrators, came to listen, meet and ask questions of Sen. Lisa Murkowski at a community meeting Nov. 12 at the Kotzebue Middle/High School cafeteria. Community members and Dr. Norm Eck, Northwest Arctic Borough School District superintendent, introduced Murkowski; and she presented the book "Recess at Twenty Below" and a United States flag to June Nelson Elementary School student council president, Margie Baker, along with … Continue Reading
