Press Releases
Media Requests: Members of the media can contact the press office by emailing Joseph_Plesha@murkowski.senate.gov or by calling 206-302-8317 and asking for the press office.
Senators Urge Economic Geologist to Put USGS Back on Track
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., this week sent a letter to President Trump urging him to nominate an economic geologist to be the next director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The letter also encourages the president to refocus the agency on its primary mission, which is to assess U.S. mineral reserves. "Despite the clear directives in its Organic Act, the most important charge for the USGS - the surveying of our nat… Continue Reading
03.29.17
Bipartisan Group Reintroduces Sportsmen’s Act
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., this week introduced S. 733, the Sportsmen's Act of 2017. This bipartisan package expands and enhances sportsmen's access by making federal lands throughout Alaska and the nation "open unless closed" for fishing, hunting, recreational shooting, and other outdoor activities. "For too long, sportsmen's access to our federal lands has been restri… Continue Reading
03.28.17
Murkowski: Foreign Mineral Dependence Continues to Grow
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today held a full committee oversight hearing to examine the United States' increasing dependence on foreign sources of minerals and the opportunities we have to rebuild and improve the domestic supply chain. The hearing touched on numerous issues, including permitting delays, which create a significant obstacle to economically viable domestic mineral production Click image to view archived video of the hearing. In her opening statement, Murkowski un… Continue Reading
03.28.17
President Trump Signs Measure Repealing BLM Planning 2.0 Rule
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today joined President Trump at the White House for the signing ceremony of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution, H.J. Res. 44, which overturns the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) "Planning 2.0" rule. The resolution passed the U.S. Senate with 51 votes and the U.S. House of Representatives with 234 votes. "When President Trump took office, he talked about returning power to the people, and he did just that today through the repeal of BLM's P… Continue Reading
03.24.17
Murkowski: It’s About Time
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State approved the cross-border permit for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. "After more than eight years of unnecessary delay by the Obama administration, this decision will finally allow the Keystone XL pipeline to move forward," Murkowski said. "The underlying analysis always pointed to approval, pipelines are the cleanest and most efficient way to move energy, and thousands of A… Continue Reading
03.22.17
Murkowski Presses General Dunford on Russia Build-Up in Arctic
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today questioned General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for his views on Russia's military intentions in the Arctic. The question came as he testified before the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Senator Murkowski is a member, during a hearing on the Department of Defense's FY18 budget. Senator Murkowski noted that Alaskans are concerned by the military build-up by our neighbors to the east, and asked General Dunford … Continue Reading
03.22.17
Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Introduces Bill to Protect Communities from Landslides
Today, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.-01) introduced bipartisan legislation to help local communities prepare for and respond to landslides and other natural hazards. The legislation titled, the National Landslide Preparedness Act, will help protect communities and property, save lives and improve emergency preparedness and planning by targeting key gaps in… Continue Reading
03.22.17
Heitkamp, Murkowski, McCollum, Cole Urge President and Key Administration Leaders to Prioritize Commission on Native Children, Appoint Members
U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) as well as Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) today reinforced the need to comprehensively tackle challenges facing Native American children by urging the president and key members of his administration to quickly appoint the members needed to their Commission on Native Children so it can begin its important work. The bill creating the Commission - which Heitkamp, Murkowski, McCollum, and Cole introdu… Continue Reading
03.21.17
Alaska Delegation Works Together To Reverse Harmful U.S. Fish And Wildlife Rule
The Alaska Congressional Delegation today applauded the Senate's passage of H.J. Res. 69, a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to overturn an August 2016 final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that significantly undermines public participation and restricts the state's ability to manage fish and wildlife on federal refuge lands in Alaska. "Working closely with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Congressman Don Young, we were able to convince our collea… Continue Reading
03.21.17
Murkowski Highlights Need for Lands and Resources Infrastructure
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today held a hearing to continue the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's discussion of opportunities to improve and expand American infrastructure. Tuesday's hearing focused on infrastructure beneficial to federal lands and waters, as well as the people and communities who live near and rely on them. Murkowski opened the hearing by detailing the broad range of infrastructure that is needed for and possible within federal areas, ranging from trails and ro… Continue Reading
03.16.17
Murkowski Statement on President Trump’s Budget Request
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today responded to President Trump's proposed budget outline for Fiscal Year 2018: "This budget request is the first step in a long process through which Congress decides which programs to fund and how much funding those programs should receive. The President's budget expresses his priorities, and we will consider them, but it is the congressional budget and appropriations committees that will establish our priorities and fund them over the coming months. "Th… Continue Reading
03.15.17
Murkowski Commends Alyeska on Leadership Award
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today congratulated Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which operates the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), after the Ethisphere Institute chose it as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth straight year. The award honors companies around the world for their leadership in establishing high standards of ethical behavior and for their engagement on issues such as corporate citizenship, diversity, measurable values-based leadership, and transpa… Continue Reading
03.14.17
Murkowski: Energy Infrastructure Is Central to Our Way of Life
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to receive testimony on opportunities to improve American energy infrastructure. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources received testimony from seven witnesses who highlighted the importance of U.S. energy systems, including the electrical grid and pipelines, to national job creation and economic prosperity, as well as the need to streamline notoriously slow and uncertain federal permitting processes. In her opening state… Continue Reading
03.14.17
Murkowski Congratulates Mitch Seavey on Record Iditarod Victory
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) congratulated Mitch Seavey on his record-breaking Iditarod victory of 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds: "A huge congratulations to Mitch and his extraordinary team of athletes on their third Iditarod win in record breaking fashion! He faced extraordinarily low temperatures and brutally harsh conditions, but his experience, training, and grit paid off. I am truly in awe of him and everyone else on the Iditarod trail!"… Continue Reading
03.13.17
Murkowski Requests President Support Coast Guard Budget
With a reported $1.3 billion cut to the United States Coast Guard's FY18 budget on the line, U.S. Senator Murkowski (R-AK) raised her concerns to President Trump in a letter (attached) about the potential impacts the budget cuts would have on our national security, our economy, and ability to crack down on illegal activity. "If enacted, these cuts would constrain operational response posture, stop recapitalization programs and severely diminish national security. These proposed cuts conflict wi… Continue Reading
03.13.17
Murkowski Welcomes $2.5 Million Grant to Alaska
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement that Alaska has been selected to receive $2.5 million to help improve air quality in Fairbanks, including through voluntary wood stove change-outs. The funds are from the EPA's Targeted Airshed grant program. "This grant will help reduce the pollution that is the cause of the air quality alerts and burn bans that residents in Fairbanks have grappled with for years," Murkowski said. "In a c… Continue Reading
03.13.17
Murkowski Votes to Confirm Seema Verma as Administrator for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after voting to confirm Seema Verma as Administrator for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: "Congratulations to Seema Verma on her confirmation to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Ms. Verma's knowledge about state Medicaid expansion is more crucial now than ever. She also understands that every state is different, and a one-size-fits-all rarely works. She is a strong advocate f… Continue Reading
03.13.17
Murkowski Lays Out Alaska Native Priorities to Interior Secretary Zinke
The newly confirmed Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, testified for the first time in front of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee this week at a hearing on "Identifying Indian Affairs priorities for the Trump Administration." U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Committee, took the opportunity to highlight areas where the new administration can work with Alaska for the benefit of Alaska Natives and American Indians, including the development of Tribal Courts in Alaska, honoring tru… Continue Reading
03.08.17
Murkowski, Sullivan Comment on Meeting With President Trump
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) issued the following statement after an hour-long meeting with President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke at the White House this afternoon. The group discussed a wide array of issues important to Alaska. "We had a productive meeting with President Trump and Secretary Zinke today, discussing everything from a road for King Cove and fisheries to national security, responsible resource development, and reigniting economic gro… Continue Reading
03.07.17
Murkowski Secures Repeal of BLM Planning 2.0 Rule
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today led the Senate's passage of H.J. Res. 44, the House version of her Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution to overturn the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) "Planning 2.0" rule. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 51 to 48 and now goes to President Trump for his signature. "I'm pleased the Senate agreed to return power and decision-making authority to those who actually live near BLM lands in Alaska and other western states," Mur… Continue Reading
