03.13.14

Murkowski Urges FDA Involvement in Lifting China Shellfish Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of the Food and Drug Administration Director's appearance on Capitol Hill to get answers for Alaskans about FDA's role in resolving China's ban on West Coast shellfish imports. Her focus was on an upcoming meeting with officials in China that will be the next important step towards lifting the ban. The China trip - which Senator Murkowski urged federal agencies to schedule quickly - was confirmed by the National Oceanic and A… Continue Reading

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03.13.14

Murkowski Takes Frankenfish Fight to FDA in Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of the Food and Drug Administration Director's appearance on Capitol Hill to remind the FDA of Alaskans' deep concerns over genetically-engineered salmon, urging her repeatedly to not approve Frankenfish and to look critically at the wide range of threats it poses. After Murkowski's remarks and questioning, the FDA Director committed to her that unless safety can be guaranteed, then approval will not be granted. (Senator… Continue Reading

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03.13.14

Sen. Murkowski: Leak of Sensitive Energy Infrastructure Data Dangerous and Irresponsible

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following statement in response to the leak of internal Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) information on potential vulnerabilities of the nation's electric grid: "I have grave concerns about the dangerous and irresponsible release of information apparently based upon a single analysis of potential vulnerabilities of our nation's critical energy infrastructure. The information could provide a road map to those wh… Continue Reading

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03.12.14

Murkowski Amendment Strengthens Alaska Native Childhood Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Al Franken (D-MN) today successfully introduced and passed an important amendment to S.1086 the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act to help address the employment crisis in Native communities, provide additional high-quality childcare to Native children, and enable tribes and tribal organizations to continue to prepare their members for the workforce. The Child Care Development Block Grant provides funds to States and Tribes to help low inco… Continue Reading

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03.12.14

Murkowski Presses Cabinet Secretary on Arctic Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of Department of Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson's appearance before the Appropriations Committee to drill down on DHS' vision of the nation's Arctic future, given the lack of details and prioritization specified in the Obama Administration's 2015 budget. Though Secretary Johnson testified that DHS is focused on the commercial potential in the region, Murkowski will continue to seek answers for how the White House views… Continue Reading

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03.12.14

Murkowski Works with Feds, Gets Village Road Permitted

Senator Lisa Murkowski today was pleased to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize a permit that will allow for the construction of a 5.8 mile gravel road in Nuiqsut to protect and support cultural traditions, as well as the economic activity in the North Slope village. Consistent with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the simple gravel road will assist residents to provide food for their families through subsistence activities, as well a… Continue Reading

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03.11.14

Murkowski Protecting Alaskan Historical Documents from Uncertainty

Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) about the planned closure of the Anchorage facility, in order to seek a fiscally-responsible solution that maintains access for Alaskans to historical documents and information. With Alaskan media reports suggesting that the documents contained at the National Archives facility in Anchorage would be relocated to Seattle - alarming Alaskan historians and curious, casual researchers as well - Senat… Continue Reading

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03.11.14

Murkowski Congratulates Dallas Seavey on “One for the Ages” Dramatic Iditarod Win

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today congratulated Dallas Seavey for his thrilling, come-from-behind victory of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Capturing his 2nd Iditarod victory in 3 years - and the third straight Seavey family Iditarod win - Dallas fought off extreme conditions and a dramatic duel with Aliy Zirkle down the final stretch. "I want to congratulate Dallas Seavey on a dramatic victory, but also a tremendous accomplishment - just hours before the finish line he was in third p… Continue Reading

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03.10.14

Murkowski: People of King Cove Deserted by Federal Government

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today testified before the Alaska State House Resources Committee in support of House Joint Resolution 30, which calls on Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to reconsider her rejection of a land exchange that would have provided the people of King Cove with access to medical care in emergencies. "On Dec. 23, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced her decision to reject a lifesaving, limited-use, one-lane gravel road through a miniscule fraction of the Izembek… Continue Reading

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03.10.14

Murkowski Votes to Support Victims of Military Sexual Assault

Today Senator Murkowski cast her vote in support of S. 1917 - the Victims Protection Act of 2014, introduced by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) - and was pleased to support this bill which removes the ability for commanding officers to overturn lower level command decisions on sexual assault crimes and heighten the punishments for offenders. The bill passed the U.S. Senate 97-0 moments ago. "The issue of military sexual assault is an incredibly serious one I worry is corroding our armed force… Continue Reading

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03.07.14

Murkowski Teams to Reform Jobless Programs, Fund Long-Term Unemployment Insurance Extension

With the nation's economy recovering at a sluggish pace, Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she joined with six of her Republican colleagues in proposing a five-month extension of long-term unemployment benefits that also reforms key jobless programs without adding a dime to the federal deficit. The measure - co-sponsored by Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Dan Coats (R-IN), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Dean Heller (R-NV) - would retroactively provide relief back to when long-term… Continue Reading

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03.07.14

Murkowski Questions Delay on Shellfish Negotiations

On the heels of conversations with Southeast Alaskan fishermen economically impacted by a Chinese ban on West Coast shellfish, Senator Lisa Murkowski is reaching out to federal authorities to encourage them to follow through quickly on plans to travel to China and resolve the dispute. Though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration planned on sending representatives to China this past week to work through issues preventing imports of American products into China and determine how bes… Continue Reading

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03.07.14

Murkowski Pushes Pentagon for Pearl Harbor Victims to be “Unknown” No Longer

Senator Lisa Murkowski joined a bipartisan group of 15 Senate colleagues in urging the Department of Defense to have the bodies of 21 victims of the Pearl Harbor attack exhumed and identified so that they can either be brought home for burial in their community, or be buried in a marked grave in Hawaii. Military researchers and scientists have concluded that the remains of 21 of the 429 men who perished in the explosive beginning of America's involvement in World War II are buried at the Nat… Continue Reading

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03.06.14

Murkowski: Military Sexual Assault is “Underside of Military Culture,” Calls for Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took to the floor of the United States Senate to encourage her Senate colleagues to pass legislation providing reforms to the military when seeking justice for victims of military sexual assault. After over a year of pressing the Pentagon for a 'culture change' and co-sponsoring several bills that would improve and expand victims' rights and protections, the Senate held procedural votes on two bills offering such measures to get within one step of… Continue Reading

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03.05.14

Murkowski: White House “Putting Politics First” with Health Care Delays

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the White House today announcing another change to its signature health care law - an additional extension of the deadline where Americans can keep existing plans it had previously outlawed until 2017, past this year's mid-term elections and after the Obama administration's end - Senator Lisa Murkowski today shared the following thoughts with Alaska: "The President promised Americans that if they liked their health plans, they could keep them - and that broken promise wa… Continue Reading

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03.05.14

Murkowski: President’s Budget Features No Arctic Focus

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today had the following response after finding the President's budget released yesterday does not prioritize Arctic issues, in contrast to the recent public comments claiming otherwise: "Though the administration claims it is taking America's Arctic future seriously, time and time again it has failed to put its money where its mouth is. The President's budget is his yearly opportunity to lay out his priorities. Unfortunately for Alaska and America, he… Continue Reading

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03.04.14

Alaska Delegation Fights House Attempt to Meddle with Bypass Mail

WASHINGTON, DC - The Alaska Delegation today vigorously defended Alaska's bypass mail system against proposed changes that would leave Alaskans with higher costs and less reliable delivery during a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. U.S. Senator Mark Begich and Representative Don Young testified before the committee and Senator Lisa Murkowski submitted testimony as part of the delegation's joint efforts to protect bypass mail. During the provocatively titled heari… Continue Reading

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03.03.14

Murkowski: New USCG Alaska District Commander Signals Alaskan, Arctic Importance

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski responded to the United States Coast Guard today naming Rear Admiral Daniel B. Abel to be the Commander of the 17th District, which oversees all of Alaska's waters: "Once again the Coast Guard challenges in Alaska have attracted one of the service's best and brightest. I look forward to working with Rear Admiral Abel as we increase our focus on Arctic strategic priorities. "Of course, this announcement also means a new opportunity for his predecessor … Continue Reading

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03.03.14

Sen. Murkowski Offers Roadmap for Lifting Ban on Crude Oil Exports

HOUSTON, TEXAS - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today presented a road map for lifting the prohibition against exporting American crude oil. Murkowski, in her keynote address to national and international energy leaders at the 33rd annual CERAWeek conference, called on the Obama administration to update archaic regulations blocking shipments of light oil or "condensates," and to make a presidential finding that oil exports in general are in the national interest. America's unconventional e… Continue Reading

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02.28.14

Murkowski Welcomes Coast Guard Commandant Nominee

Senator Lisa Murkowski responded to today's White House nomination of Pacific Area Commander Vice Admiral Paul F. Zukunft to be the 25th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard: "Today's announcement is good news for the nation, great news for Alaska and a positive step forward for America's Arctic future. I had the chance to meet Vice Admiral Zukunft last month and get to know him when he guided me around the new Coast Guard Sector Anchorage building. I was impressed immediately with his… Continue Reading