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 Welcomes Funding to Elevate Galena Homes
Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the news that the Yukon River town of Galena - ravaged by floods last year - will be receiving over $2.65 million in grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to elevate 16-17 homes to a safer height. These funds derive from FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, a pool of funds that are made available to all states following a Presidential major disaster declaration. Though Murkowski still has many questions remaining to be answered by F… Continue Reading
05.19.14
Murkowski: Government Report Says America’s Arctic Focus Lacking
With the Government Accountability Office (GAO) releasing a breakthrough 74 page study confirming Alaskans' suspicions of the nation's anemic engagement in the Arctic region, Senator Lisa Murkowski joined a number of her Congressional colleagues in calling attention to the need for more action at this juncture. Tied to America's impending role as Chair of the Arctic Council, the GAO report is entitled "Better Direction and Management of Voluntary Recommendations Could Enhance U.S. Arctic Counci… Continue Reading
05.16.14
Alaska Delegation Responds to News of NARA Closure
The Alaska delegation expressed disappointment today with the news that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) intends to close the Anchorage facility on June 20. "I am incredibly disappointed by NARA's decision and still do not understand what their plan is or what the rush is," said Senator Lisa Murkowski. "They say they are closing the facility by September 30th, but shutting down the research room three months before that - denying interested Alaskans time to visit the bu… Continue Reading
05.16.14
Murkowski Promotes Women’s Health Through Senate Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced a resolution this week to promote women's heart health in conjunction with National Women's Health Week. Her bipartisan Women's Heart Health Resolution recognizes that cardiovascular disease continues to be an overwhelming threat to women's health, and promotes the importance of encouraging basic, preventive heart screenings for women wherever they seek what amounts to primary care. "Despite critical improvements in women's heart health, the fa… Continue Reading
05.15.14
Murkowski Celebrates National Book Week with 9,500th Book Donation to Alaskans
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski this week is proud to commemorate National Book Week by donating her 9,500th book to Alaskan schools, libraries, tribes, and non-profit agencies that request materials. The donations have been made possible through a partnership with the Library of Congress. "So much that I have accomplished in my life can be traced back to the love of learning that was instilled in me in Wrangell through my first grade teacher encouraging me to pick up a book and find… Continue Reading
05.15.14
Murkowski Gets Deep Draft Arctic Port Amendment in Final Infrastructure Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Through her active leadership with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Senator Lisa Murkowski successfully included a number of key Alaska-centric provisions within the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) conference report agreed to and released publicly by Senate and House negotiators today. Senator Murkowski's amendment to enable the Army Corps of Engineers to pursue partnerships with non-federal public entities to support development of an Arctic Deep Draft Ports is… Continue Reading
05.15.14
Murkowski to VA: Are There “Secret Waiting Lists” in Alaska?
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With national concerns about cover-ups of "secret waiting lists" being used by VA systems in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana and other states to manipulate internal data, Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to VA Secretary General Eric Shinseki. In her letter seeking answers for Alaska, Murkowski asked the administration whether Alaska's VA has fraudulent lists. In a letter (attached) to General Shinseki, Senator Murkowski says the current scandal again raises the concern wh… Continue Reading
05.14.14
Murkowski: Pentagon Should Push Harder on Arctic Research
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today pressed the top scientists within the Department of Defense for the latest data connected to their Assured Arctic Awareness initiative being conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Murkowski noted that while the Obama administration's answers to her ongoing Arctic inquiries on Capitol Hill have been "lackluster," she was impressed by the DARPA work being done and reminded the Director that this is a matter of national i… Continue Reading
05.14.14
Murkowski Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Honor Hmong “Stealth Heroes”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today continued her effort to honor America's valuable war-time allies by introducing the Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act, to allow Hmong Special Guerilla Unit (SGU) members during the Vietnam War a simple and important honor: to be buried in national cemeteries in recognition of their service to the United States. "Hmong-Americans who fought and risked their lives in secret for America deserve the same public respect and honor we give the men t… Continue Reading
05.13.14
Sen. Murkowski Criticizes Democratic Leadership for Blocking Energy Debate
Senator Lisa Murkowski today issued the following statement on Sen. Harry Reid's refusal Monday to block bipartisan debate on energy efficiency legislation and disallow relevant energy-related amendments from Republicans: "I was greatly disappointed in the majority leader's refusal to allow an open debate in the Senate on energy policy - something it hasn't done in seven years. We used to hold hundreds of votes on amendments. Now it's all politics all the time. "Sen. Reid's decision to deny Re… Continue Reading
05.09.14
Murkowski Leads Senate Effort to Protect Threatened Native Languages
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski is introducing the Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2014 with Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), to reauthorize the Native American languages grant program - funding and maintaining the program administered by the Health and Human Services Administration for Native Americans through 2019. "Our Alaska Native languages are alive and spoken today, yet we have much work to do to keep them alive," said Murkowski, "Our Native languages are at risk, a… Continue Reading
05.08.14
Murkowski Leading Capitol Hill Fight Against Combat Veteran Suicide
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today co-sponsored the Suicide Prevention for America's Veterans Act of 2014 (the SAV Act) to empower America's soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan against the continuing toll of war and self-threatening behavior. With veteran suicide claiming 22 American lives a day on average, the SAV Act would dramatically improve the care available to veterans, remove layers of red tape and expand safeguards that provide critical therapy and medication t… Continue Reading
05.08.14
Murkowski to HHS Nominee: Instead of ‘Affordable,’ Many Alaska Health Care Premiums Doubling
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today stressed the costly and potentially-harmful Alaskan impacts of the Affordable Care Act with the nominee to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services - who would oversee the further implementation of health care reform if approved. During a hearing of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Murkowski informed the nominee Sylvia Burwell that not only are health care premiums more than doubling for many Alaskans, but that so… Continue Reading
05.06.14
Murkowski Honors Fallen Alaska State Troopers on Senate Floor
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today spoke on the floor of the United States Senate, honoring the memories of Sergeant Patrick Johnson and Gabriel Rich of the Alaska State Troopers - the two peace officers that were shot and killed in the line of duty last week in Tanana. After recounting their heroism and selfless sense of duty to her Senate colleagues, she then spoke to the strength of the Tanana community, saying: Tanana is a community of about 280 people. It sits at the confluence… Continue Reading
05.06.14
Murkowski Condemns Abduction, Mistreatment of Nigerian Women
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski and all twenty Senate women today sent a letter (attached) to President Obama condemning the abduction and mistreatment of more than 200 girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria and calling for additional international sanctions against the organization. Boko Haram has threatened to sell the girls as slaves, and some may have already been sold into child marriages. "We are outraged and horrified that these young women have been kidnapped… Continue Reading
05.05.14
Murkowski Working with FDA to Protect Alaskan Women’s Health
Senator Lisa Murkowski and 14 of her women Senate colleagues are urging the Obama administration to stand up for women's health and to make sure medical treatments are safe and effective for women. In a letter (attached) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Murkowski and her colleagues are asking that more women and minorities be included in clinical trials to ensure accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and medical devices is made available. Though this actio… Continue Reading
05.01.14
Murkowski Seeks Answers from Odierno on “Pivot to the Pacific”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski focused on Alaska's strategic location to the Pacific theater when U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno appeared before her in the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, inquiring how safe its Army assets are from the larger budget cuts contained within the bipartisan Budget Control Act (BCA) passed in 2011. Murkowski also thanked General Odierno for Major General Karen E. Dyson, Director of the Army Budget traveling to Fairbanks to del… Continue Reading
04.30.14
Murkowski “Shocked” at National Guard’s Lack of Intervention on Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today pressed the National Guard's Chief about whether it is able to adequately pursue answers and justice when allegations of sexual assault arise among members of the Alaska National Guard - saying she is "surprised and shocked that the National Guard says it has no power to pursue them" at the state level. In a hearing of a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, Murkowski asked General Frank J. Grass why more wasn't done by the National Guard when accus… Continue Reading
04.30.14
Murkowski: “It’s Groundhog Day” on Tongass Timber Problems
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today pressed U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell on his failure to increase the amount of timber cut annually in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. (Click to play video) Murkowski referred to Chief Tidwell's appearance Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee hearing on the Forest Service's budget request as "Groundhog Day." "Because every year you commit to working with me to improve the timber sale prog… Continue Reading
04.29.14
Murkowski Unveils Smart Phone Friendly Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced Alaskans to her new website connection with constituents, providing a user-friendly stream of news and contact information for Alaskans searching the web from smart phones or tablets. Instead of previous technology which displayed the website as it appeared on a laptop or desktop computer, the new website will convert and customize the new website's appearance to best suit the type of device being used. "More and more Alaskans are keep… Continue Reading
