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 Continues Pushback Against Flawed Health Care Bill Through Appropriations Committee Votes
WASHINGTON, DC - With structural flaws, skyrocketing health care costs, cratering public support, and former Congressional supporters calling it a "train wreck" - in addition to a $684 million federally-funded advertising campaign scheduled for this fall selling the policy to Americans - Senator Lisa Murkowski today continued to support efforts to block the most controversial components of the Affordable Care Act. (ACA) The Appropriations Committee took up the FY 2014 Financial Services/General… Continue Reading
07.25.13
Murkowski Backs Park Service Off Its Flawed Fish Policy
WASHINGTON, DC - In an occasionally tense questioning of the National Park Service Director today, Senator Lisa Murkowski convinced him in his public comments to revise the agencies guidelines and take steps to allow wild Alaskan salmon and other wild Alaska seafood back on the concession stands of national parks nationwide. Two weeks ago, Senator Murkowski originally called attention to her problems with the National Park Service's flawed June decision to require high priced eco-endorsements f… Continue Reading
07.25.13
Sen. Murkowski: Park Service Needs to Look at Alternative Funding for Maintenance Backlog
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today expressed her frustration with the National Park Service's (NPS) handling of their maintenance backlog, which they estimate to be up to $13 billion, during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. (Click to play video.) "We are taking a very important step with today's hearing in starting the discussion about how to begin addressing the National Park Service's $13 billion maintenance backlog," Murkowski said. "This … Continue Reading
07.24.13
Murkowski Votes for Permanent Fix on Student Loan Rates
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted for a bipartisan bill, The Smarter Solutions for Students Act, to provide a permanent fix for all federal student loan rates by tying the rates to the U.S. Treasury's 10-year borrowing rate. The bill passed the U.S. Senate on a vote of 81-18. The bill also grants retroactive relief to new loans received in the brief July period after rates had doubled, and caps rates at certain limits for the duration of the loan. This is the second time in … Continue Reading
07.24.13
Alaska Delegation: Air Force Overlooking Several F-16 Impacts
Alaska Delegation: Air Force Overlooking Several F-16 Impacts Congressional Delegation Seeks Extra Time for Additional DEIS Input, Including Mountain View Community WASHINGTON, D.C. - Alaska's Congressional Delegation is reaching out to the United States Air Force and highlighting several additional concerns that need to be addressed as they conduct their Draft Environmental Impact Statement Review surrounding the proposed transfer of the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to … Continue Reading
07.23.13
Eielson Proposal is “Fire, Ready, Aim” Move
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski testified today before the Commission on the Structure of the Air Force - an independent panel designed by Congress to take a strategic view of the Air Force's future direction - and pushed back on the United States Air Force proposal to transfer the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and "warm base" Eielson. Taking place less than a mile from the Pentagon, Murkowski's presentation touched on the poten… Continue Reading
07.22.13
Murkowski Taking Eielson Argument Directly to Air Force Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski is testifying tomorrow before the Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, stressing the case that if the Department of Defense is truly changing its strategic focus towards the Pacific Rim, the Pentagon should not be considering any Alaskan actions that hinder the nation's defense. For over eighteen months, Murkowski has made the case that the United States Air Force proposal to transfer the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB to Joint Base E… Continue Reading
07.19.13
Murkowski Co-Sponsors Pension Protection Effort for Rural Co-ops and Charities
Alaska Power Association, Girl Scouts Appreciate Bill Providing Pension Law Change WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski has joined a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues in introducing legislation designed to make it easier for charities and rural cooperatives to offer pension plans. The Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act of 2013 (CSEC) would make permanent a provision exempting charities and rural cooperatives across the country from participating in the … Continue Reading
07.18.13
Alaska’s Needs Advanced, Approved by Appropriations Committee
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski succeeded today in pushing a wide range of Alaskan priorities through the Senate Appropriations process, as the provisions and funding levels that she successfully passed through two subcommittees on Tuesday were advanced and approved by the entire Appropriations Committee this morning. Those two bills included funding for fishery disasters, Coast Guard operations, icebreaker construction, firefighter grants, tsunami debris funding, prioritizing electroni… Continue Reading
07.18.13
Sen. Murkowski: Oversight an Important First Step in Future of DOE Loan Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today discussed the Department of Energy's (DOE) current loan programs and steps that could help improve them at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the issue. (click for video of opening statement) "DOE's loan programs can serve a valuable purpose, but right now we need to know if the loans and loan guarantees issued so far have been as effective as we hoped," Murkowski said. "It is vital for our committee to cond… Continue Reading
07.17.13
Murkowski Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Senate Vote on Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today highlighted the 40th anniversary of the Senate approving construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) in Alaska. "Four decades ago today, the Senate authorized an ambitious project to construct a pipeline across the entire state of Alaska to deliver North Slope crude oil to the Lower 48," Murkowski said. "It was a monumental decision that has shaped the trajectory of Alaska to this day." On July 17, 1973, the Senate voted 49-49 to… Continue Reading
07.17.13
Greely Missile Defense of "Paramount Importance" to Nation
MDA Head Tells Murkowski Missile Errors Fixed, More Missiles Being Considered Due to Iran WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski received assurance from the head of the Missile Defense Agency today the errors that led to a recent ground-based interceptor missile test failure have been resolved, in his responses to her questions in a hearing of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Murkowski also reminded the MDA that she had found the 2009 decision to cut Alaska's Fort Greely missil… Continue Reading
07.16.13
Murkowski Addresses Alaska’s Arctic & Travel Concerns in Committee
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski leveraged her position on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee to advance a number of key Alaskan and Arctic priorities - from U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers and Alaska-homeported Cutters to burdensome bureaucracy and fees on Alaskans who travel or work in transportation-related fields. Homeporting a National Security Cutter in Alaska -Months after Murkowski pressed DHS Secretary Napolitano about the inefficiency of homeporting sh… Continue Reading
07.16.13
Commemorating Bering Day, Murkowski Gives Arctic Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the 272nd anniversary of Russian explorer Vitus Bering first coming within view of Alaska's St. Elias Mountains, Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke this morning on the Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations. While referencing the previous level of Russian engagement in the region, Murkowski pressed all in attendance to advocate for American leadership in the region. She shared her thoughts and ideas at a symposium co-hosted by the U.S. National Ice… Continue Reading
07.16.13
Sen. Murkowski Highlights Significant Benefits of Rising U.S. Oil Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today discussed the significant benefits of rising American oil production at a hearing held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The purpose of the hearing was to consider gasoline prices, including a number of factors that could be affecting them, and broader changes taking place in the petroleum industry. In her opening statement, Murkowski highlighted high fuel costs in Alaska. She spoke of the need to increase oil pr… Continue Reading
07.16.13
Murkowski Fish Fights Get Alaskan Results in Committee
Murkowski Fish Fights Get Alaskan Results in Committee Senator's Work with Colleagues on Appropriations Advances Efforts WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski supported a bill today that includes important funding for Alaska's fisheries to strengthen the communities and businesses reliant upon them. Included in the Senate's 2014 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill adopted by the subcommittee is $150 million for federal fisheries disasters, which could help address Alaska's low… Continue Reading
07.12.13
Murkowski Demands Answers on Harmful Federal Fish Policies
WASHINGTON, DC - With the National Park Service recently announcing it would only sell fish deemed to be "sustainable" by outside groups that presently do not recognize Alaska's fisheries as sustainable despite ample evidence to the contrary, Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to federal officials seeking alternatives to this flawed process. In a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, General Services Administration and the National Park Service, Murkowski criticized the g… Continue Reading
07.11.13
Wyden, Murkowski Applaud Passage of Public Lands, Energy Measures
Washington, D.C. - Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, applauded their Senate colleagues for passing a public lands bill and two energy measures last night - the Vietnam Veterans Donor Acknowledgement Act (H.R. 588), the South Utah Valley Electric Service District (H.R. 251), and the Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation (H.R. 254). H.R. 588, introduced by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, allows for the acknowl… Continue Reading
07.11.13
Murkowski: Committee Vote is “Exhibit A” of Public Anger at Congress
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today expressed disappointment at Democrats in the United States Senate Appropriations Committee for approving an increase in the Legislative Branch budget amid nationwide budget cuts and passing the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education budget that includes funding for the now-postponed employer mandate. "Today Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee chose to allocate billions of dollars to the Affordable Care Act - a law leaders of the… Continue Reading
07.10.13
Murkowski Votes Against Tax Hike, Student Loan “Band Aid Bill”
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today maintained her support for a permanent, comprehensive solution to the student loan rate issue she has co-sponsored with Republicans, Democrats and Independents in the Senate: the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act. In doing so, she again rejected the Senate Majority's one-year, partial solution that only addresses subsidized undergraduate Stafford loans and would be paid for by raising taxes on pension and retirement account benefits. "America's… Continue Reading
