05.31.14

Murkowski Comments on Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl’s Release

Senator Lisa Murkowski today shared the following thought with the news that Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl - stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson - was released today after months of negotiations: "On behalf of the Alaskan community and a grateful nation, I am proud to welcome Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl back to his brothers and sisters in uniform - and also to his family and friends who have held out hope while dealing with sleepless nights for all these years. "With Sergeant Bergdahl stationed a… Continue Reading

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05.30.14

Murkowski: Alaska to Keep Territorial Records

Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the news from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) that NARA will transfer approximately 92 percent of its Territorial Court Records holdings to the Alaska State Archives. These are records that pre-date statehood and include court proceedings; birth, death and marriage records; mining and other property records; and more. "Alaska's Territorial Court Records reveal part of the fabric of our state's history, and should not be ripped out o… Continue Reading

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05.30.14

Murkowski Responds to Shinseki Resignation

Senator Lisa Murkowski today had the following response to the news that VA Secretary General Eric Shinseki offered his resignation to President Obama, and it was accepted: "No one can question General Eric Shinseki's service to our nation or his patriotism. However, it is fair to ask how entrenched the system-wide bureaucratic problems are that General Shinseki inherited and how best to push to the VA into a more transparent and effective era. "From our state's vantage point, Secretary Shins… Continue Reading

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05.28.14

Murkowski Announces Public Schedule for Dillingham, Togiak and New Stuyahok

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced her public schedule for the remainder of the Memorial Day Senate work period. Following are details of public events: DILLINGHAM WHEN: Thursday, May 29th - 7:00pm WHAT: Town Hall Meeting WHERE: Dillingham Elementary School Gym 711 Seward Street TOGIAK WHEN: Friday, May 30th - 10:30am WHAT: Togiak Community Meeting (and Lunch Afterwards) WHERE: Togiak Seafood Plant NEW STUYAHOK WHEN: Friday, May 30th -- 4:00pm WHAT: Communit… Continue Reading

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05.23.14

With Archives Digitizing, Alaskans to Get Say in Prioritizing

Senator Lisa Murkowski welcomes the news from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) that it will listen to Alaskans' opinions about which historical records should be digitized first after the physical documents are moved to the NARA facilities in Seattle. The deadline for Alaskans to offer their views is June 10th. Alaskans can see what records NARA currently has stored in Anchorage at http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access. "While I continue to have unanswered ques… Continue Reading

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05.23.14

Navy Commander Reminds Alaskans of the Toll of Service

WASHINGTON, DC -On this Memorial Day weekend, Senator Lisa Murkowski is releasing her 23rd Veteran Spotlight interview, focusing on the military service of Sterling resident Commander William Howell Jr., a veteran of the United States Navy. During his 20 year carrier, Howell served on submarines across the country and around the world during the Cold War, the First Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his Veteran Spotlight interview, Bill Howell recalls following in his father… Continue Reading

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05.22.14

Murkowski Committee Efforts Aid Alaska’s Veterans

The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a number of Senator Murkowski's priorities for Alaska's more than 77,000 veterans passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee. The language she secured in the Fiscal Year 2015 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs funding bill would address both new concerns like the understaffing of the Mat-Su VA outpatient clinic and lingering concerns over delivering "Care Close to Home" for Alaska's military community. "Alaska embraces and apprecia… Continue Reading

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05.22.14

Murkowski Deep Draft Arctic Port Amendment Passed by Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski's innovative provision to allow for development partnerships to finance an Arctic Deep Draft Port passed the Senate today and is headed to the President's desk for a signature. The port infrastructure language was a component of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill, which also includes Murkowski priorities to support rural and subsistence harbors throughout the state and transfer land from the federal government to the City of Seward that wi… Continue Reading

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05.22.14

Happy Birthday, Senator! Murkowski’s Frankenfish Labeling Amendment Wins in Committee

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today received a memorable birthday present: Senate Appropriations Committee approval of her amendment requiring that genetically-engineered salmon be labeled if the Food and Drug Administration makes the "wrong-headed" decision to approve it. After Murkowski's lengthy defense and explanation of the need for her amendment and the risks posed by GE salmon, the Senate Committee approved it via voice vote and it will now be in the Senate version of the 2015 … Continue Reading

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05.21.14

Murkowski Bill Steps Up Efforts to Protect Military Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski has introduced the DoD Suicide Tracking Act of 2014 to fully inform the Pentagon's strategy in responding to the high number of suicides among the military ranks and their family members as the nation attempts to wind down its efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This comes on the heels of Murkowski's co-sponsorship of the Suicide Prevention for America's Veterans Act of 2014 (the SAV Act), an effort to increase access to care for veterans and eliminate red… Continue Reading

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05.20.14

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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