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.
Murkowski Delivers Welcoming Remarks at GLACIER Conference
Senator Lisa Murkowski tonight called on policymakers to listen to, respect, and advance the interests of the roughly four million people who live in the Arctic during her opening remarks at the Conference on Global Leadership in the Arctic: Cooperation, Innovation, Engagement, and Resilience (GLACIER). "As you gather for the GLACIER conference, I want to highlight one aspect of Arctic policy that I hope will be at the forefront of the discussion - the people who live in the region, and their … Continue Reading
08.30.15
Murkowski Welcomes Official Recognition of Denali
Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed President Obama's recognition of Denali as the name of North America's tallest peak. Denali, meaning "the great one" or "the high one," is the ancestral name given to the mountain by Alaska's Koyukon Athabascans. While on Denali's Ruth Glacier, Senator Murkowski responded to the administration's decision to restore the mountain's traditional name, saying: "For centuries, Alaskans have known this majestic mountain as the 'Great One.' Today we are honored t… Continue Reading
08.28.15
Senator Murkowski Commends Move to Block WOTUS Rule
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski today applauded the preliminary injunction put in place to block the Obama administration's controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, just hours before it was due to take effect. Federal Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota found that 13 states, including the State of Alaska, suing to block the rule met the conditions necessary for a preliminary injunction. "The ruling by a circuit court judge against the EPA's 'Waters of the United States' rule is a welc… Continue Reading
08.24.15
Sen. Murkowski: Climate Change Not an Excuse to Deprive Alaskans of Best Economic Prospects
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski sent a letter to President Obama, urging him to broaden the agenda of his upcoming trip to Alaska beyond the single issue of climate change. In the attached letter, Murkowski asks the President to acknowledge that climate change is only one part of the Alaska story, while detailing a number of investments Alaskans have made with renewable energy and innovative energy technologies. "First, climate change must not be used as an excuse to deprive Alaskans of our best e… Continue Reading
08.21.15
Murkowski Against Iran Nuclear Deal
Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced her opposition to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and shared her reasoning with Alaskans: "I will vote to disapprove of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with respect to Iran when the matter is put to a vote on the Senate floor in September. From the start, I viewed the proposed agreement with skepticism but owed it to my constituents to take an objective look. Since then I have reviewed the documents, received input from Alaskans, participate… Continue Reading
08.18.15
Murkowski to Chair Indian Affairs Committee Hearing Thursday in Anchorage Focusing on Strengthening Alaska Native Families
Senator Lisa Murkowski will chair a field hearing of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) this Thursday, bringing together Alaskans to address the critical issue of "Strengthening Alaska Native Families: Examining Recidivism, Reentry, and Tribal Courts in Alaska." The hearing will take place in Anchorage at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. DETAILS: WHAT: A field oversight hearing on "Strengthening Alaska Native Families: Examining Recidivism, Reentry, and Tribal Court… Continue Reading
08.18.15
Murkowski, Sullivan Examine Federal Requirements Hindering Alaska Energy Production
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today hosted a joint Senate oversight hearing in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to examine the effects of the federal government's regulatory practices, including mitigation and land use requirements, that often delay or prevent the development of energy projects in Alaska. "Here in Alaska and in the Lower 48, we have reached a point where federal agencies are unreasonably binding the hands of well-intentioned, environmentally principled,… Continue Reading
08.18.15
Murkowski Welcomes Interior’s Decision on Shell Exploration
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement on the Interior Department's final approval of Shell's drilling program in the Chukchi Sea this summer. "Today's announcement is welcome news for Alaska's economy and our nation's energy security," Murkowski said. "Shell has spent years preparing to fully explore its leases in the Arctic offshore. The responsible development of those resources will create jobs and provide a badly needed long-term supply of oil for the tran… Continue Reading
08.05.15
Alaska Delegation Seeks Answers on Reductions in U.S. Army Alaska Force Structure
In a letter to Secretary of the Army John McHugh, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young this week requested additional information and documentation relating to the Army's recent decision to reduce Alaska force structure by 2,600 troops. "In accordance with our Congressional responsibility to provide oversight, we request the documentation used by senior U.S. Army leadership to make this strategically short-sighted decision," the delegation wrote. "In our view, th… Continue Reading
08.04.15
Murkowski Works with USDA Head to Secure Purchase of Millions Worth of Surplus Sockeye Salmon for Americans in Need
Within days of Senator Lisa Murkowski urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to use existing federal funds to buy surplus Alaska canned sockeye salmon for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the cabinet official today agreed, announcing plans to buy up to $30 million worth. "Food banks nationwide are reporting higher numbers and more diverse numbers of Americans in need, and Alaskan sockeye salmon is an ideal source of protein and extremely heart healthy," said Murkowski. "Kno… Continue Reading
08.03.15
Murkowski: Climate Rule Exemption Huge Victory for Alaska
Senator Lisa Murkowski today issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final version of its rule to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants: "A few hours ago, I spoke with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, who told me that Alaska will be exempt from the steep requirements of its final rule. This is by far the best possible outcome for our state and therefore a significant victory. I appreciate the EPA's recognition of the fa… Continue Reading
07.31.15
Murkowski Announces Alaska Mobile Office Stops
Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced her staff will visit select communities throughout Southeast and Southcentral Alaska during the month of August in an effort to advance her engagement efforts and expand constituent outreach and response across the state. During mobile office hours members of Senator Murkowski's staff will meet with constituents and community leaders to collect casework requests and listen to concerns about issues and policies related to the federal government. All inform… Continue Reading
07.30.15
Murkowski Advances Legislation Critical to Alaska’s Future
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today thanked her colleagues on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for supporting her broad, bipartisan energy legislation and a separate measure she introduced to grant Alaska and other coastal states a share of the revenue from offshore oil and gas activity. Click photo for video of business meeting. "Alaska's natural resources are vital to our prosperity," Murkowski said. "With exploration proceeding in the Chukchi Sea, and the Alaska off… Continue Reading
07.30.15
Murkowski Votes to Protect Veteran Health Care and Jobs, Support Transportation and Infrastructure Efforts
Senator Lisa Murkowski cast her vote today for the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act, a bill featuring several benefits for Alaska's military community, construction sector and small businesses. It provides three months of critical federal funding for transportation projects across Alaska that need the resources to continue for the remainder of this construction season. The bill also transfers $3.4 billion from the VA Choice Card Program to keep the nationwi… Continue Reading
07.29.15
Murkowski: “Are We Getting Results” Must Be Core Goal of Federal Substance Abuse Fight
With alcohol and drug abuse being an enormous problem among Alaska Natives, Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) hearing to press for answers about how effectively federal government agencies are collaborating to crack down and counter the flow of illegal substances. Murkowski recounted a recent meeting with the Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and how he updated her on the complex issue of curbing drug and a… Continue Reading
07.24.15
Murkowski Introduces Bill to Sustain, Expand Seniors’ Access to Healthcare
Senator Lisa Murkowski has introduced the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act with four U.S. Senate colleagues, in order to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape currently restricting seniors' access to medical professionals. Co-sponsored by Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Cassidy (R-LA), Inhofe (R-OK) and Paul (R-KY), the bill would allow patients to continue the existing relationship they have with their physician once they reach Medicare age, even if the doctor does not participate in Medicare or is no… Continue Reading
07.23.15
Sen. Murkowski Introduces Combined Bill Increasing Alaska’s Share of Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Revenues, Lifting Crude Oil Export Ban
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, took an aggressive step today to ensure that Alaska receives its fair share of revenue from oil and natural gas production on Alaska's outer continental shelf (OCS) by introducing the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Act (OPENS Act). The legislation is a combination of four bills already reviewed by the committee, including Murkowski's S.1278, the Alaska Offshore Lease Sale Act, and S.1312, the Energy Supply and Distribution Act. "Alaska's… Continue Reading
07.22.15
Murkowski: Bipartisan Energy Bill is Great News for Alaska
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today unveiled the broad, bipartisan Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. Focused on a wide range of energy-related opportunities and challenges that have arisen over the past eight years, the bill's provisions will help Alaskans produce energy, save energy, pay less for energy, and protect the reliability of their electricity supply - without raising taxes or adding to the federal deficit. "This bipartisan bill is the res… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Murkowski: Today We Get One Step Closer to Getting Beyond No Child Left Behind
Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted for the Every Child Achieves Act, which passed the United States Senate by a vote of 81-17. The bill reverses many of the harmful impacts of the No Child Left Behind Act's one-size-fits all mandates like "Adequate Yearly Progress." The legislation - which Murkowski helped to write as a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee - restores major decisions and oversight of our schools back to the state and local level and allows… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Murkowski’s “Frankenfish” Labeling Provision Passes Committee
Senator Lisa Murkowski today successfully convinced her Senate Appropriations Committee colleagues to approve her amendment that would require the labeling of genetically-engineered (GE) salmon if approved for sale to consumers in the United States. This amendment was added to the FY16 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration spending bill which passed out of the full Senate Appropriations Committee, and heads to the Senate floor for a final vote. Senator Murkowski has l… Continue Reading
