03.25.13

Murkowski to Hold Subsistence Public Meetings in Alaska

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she is holding two public meetings in Alaska on the topic of subsistence. The sessions will provide a forum for Alaskans to be heard on this important cultural and food security issue, and to have their testimony taken back to Congress. The first public meeting will be held in Bethel on April 2nd and will be live-streamed on the Senator's website for all interested in watching. The second subsistence meeting will be held in the Ahtna reg… Continue Reading

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03.25.13

UPDATED - Murkowski Announces Public Schedule for Easter Work Period

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced a revised schedule for her upcoming visits to Ketchikan, Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Eielson Air Force Base, Fort Wainwright and Bethel during the two-week Easter Work Period - and will be available for media opportunities at several events. The Senator will now only hold public events in Ketchikan tomorrow, and will host a media availability directly after her speech to the CER Chamber of Commerce in Eagle River at the Bear Mount… Continue Reading

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03.23.13

Murkowski Statement on Budget Votes

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the United States Senate considered different budget approaches, Senator Lisa Murkowski voted against the proposal from Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), releasing the following statement afterwards: "This week in the Senate, what was debated were two competing visions for our nation's fiscal future. Not exact spreadsheet budgets with dollars and cents details, but blueprints to help map out the road ahead. "On one hand, you had Senator Patty Murray's approach which did not a… Continue Reading

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03.22.13

MEDIA ADVISORY: Murkowski Announces Schedule for Upcoming Easter Work Period

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she will be visiting Ketchikan, Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Eielson Air Force Base, Fort Wainwright and Bethel during the two-week Easter Work Period - and will be available for media opportunities at several events. Following are details of media availabilities: Ketchikan WHEN: Monday, March 25, 2013; 1:15 - 2:30 p.m. WHAT: Lunch - Ketchikan Young Professionals Network WHERE: Best Western Landing H… Continue Reading

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03.21.13

Murkowski Working to Address Alaska Fisheries, Health Care in Budget Talks

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the United States Senate currently considering the 2014 budget, Senator Lisa Murkowski is taking advantage of the amendment process to introduce or co-sponsor four pieces of deficit-neutral legislation to address a number of Alaskan needs. Labeling Frankenfish: Though one national grocery chain has announced they will voluntarily begin labeling all genetically-modified products, there is no national standard to build customer awareness. After building Senate momentum … Continue Reading

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03.21.13

Murkowski Comments on Release of NOAA Arctic EIS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following statement in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's release of a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for oil and natural gas activities in the Arctic Ocean. "While I appreciate NOAA's decision to take a second look at the EIS, I continue to believe it's unnecessary for the agency to conduct this review. Environmental reviews are already required at each step of the offs… Continue Reading

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03.21.13

Murkowski Reaches Agreement with Secretary Salazar on King Cove Road

"Sally Jewell will have the privilege of going to King Cove and I will be right there with her. We'll have to find a time when the weather is best suited for travel - we may have to fly into Cold Bay and walk to King Cove." - Sen. Lisa Murkowski at Thursday's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee markup of Jewell's nomination to be the next Secretary of the Interior. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced an agreement with the Department of the Interior to review the… Continue Reading

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03.20.13

Continuing Resolution Delivers for Alaska’s Rural, Military Needs

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today cast her vote for H.R. 933, the Continuing Appropriations Act, which would fund the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year ending September 30th. Included in the bill are key Alaska funding priorities, many of which were directly included by Murkowski in her role as the top Republican on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. Murkowski's determination to provide basic and essential medical needs to Alaska's First People was s… Continue Reading

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03.20.13

Murkowski Unveils Offshore Revenue Sharing Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced major bipartisan legislation today with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) to ensure that all states receive a fair and equitable share of the revenues from energy production on federal lands and waters. The Fixing America's Inequities with Revenues (FAIR) Actwould give 27.5 percent of revenue from offshore energy development, including oil, gas, wind and other renewable energy sources, to coastal states, plus another 10 percent if the state create… Continue Reading

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03.19.13

Murkowski: New Alaska VA Director Has the Tools for “Outside In” Progress in Alaska

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed news that the Department of Veterans Affairs has named Susan Yeager to be the new Director of the VA Alaska Health Care System. Yeager currently serves the VA as Alaska's Rural Health Program Manager, and has been a hands-on advocate for improving rural care for Alaska's veterans. Murkowski was quick to note, though, that Yeager's momentum in providing rural care must be continued and sustained to address Alaska's veteran community in ur… Continue Reading

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03.19.13

Murkowski Introducing Federal Offshore Revenue Sharing Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) tomorrow will introduce the Fixing America's Inequality with Revenues(FAIR) Act - designed to ensure all energy-producing states receive a fair share of the revenues they help produce while also encouraging investments in clean energy and conservation. "The federal treasury benefits from the royalties and taxes on production in federally owned waters off Alaska's coast. Providing a portion of that money to Alaska would help the… Continue Reading

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03.19.13

Murkowski Welcomes “About Face” on Drone Medal Status

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed news that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is reviewing the status level for the new "Distinguished Warfare Medal" - an award with the potential to regard drone pilots higher than Purple Heart or Bronze Star recipients. The news comes soon after Murkowski reached out to the Pentagon about this imbalance and her co-sponsorship of legislation to prohibit the medal's prominence. Secretary Hagel announced a review by Chairman of the Joint Chi… Continue Reading

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03.18.13

Senators Call for Proper Labeling of Genetically Modified Salmon

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich, today announced their next step in protecting Americans from potentially harmful and invasive "Frankenfish" by filing an amendment to the Continuing Resolution being debated on the Senate floor that would require clear and unquestionable labeling of GE salmon when sold to consumers. The amendment would ensure millions of Americans know the difference between natural salmon cultivated in our streams and oceans rather than in science lab… Continue Reading

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03.18.13

Murkowski Leads Effort to Prevent Sexual Assault in the Military

Washington, DC - Senators Lisa Murkowski and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have announced they are lead co-sponsors of bipartisan legislation to help fight sexual assault in the military. The Military Sexual Assault Prevention Act of 2013 would prevent sexual offenders from serving in the military, improve tracking and review of sexual assault claims in the military, and help ensure victims can get the justice they deserve. "Our men and women in uniform put their blood, sweat and tears into defending A… Continue Reading

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03.18.13

Murkowski and Begich Protect Eielson, Prioritize Alaska’s Military

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich today co-sponsored an amendment to the Senate Continuing Resolution (CR) which would prohibit until 2014 any force structure adjustments which would halt the proposal to move the F-16s from Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks to Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson (J-BER) in Anchorage. "When the Air Force released their proposal, I encouraged them to go back to the drawing board: Do more thoughtful research of the housing markets than surfing Craigslist; co… Continue Reading

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03.15.13

Murkowski: Greely Missile Defense Back on Track to Full Capacity

WASHINGTON, DC - With North Korea raising its rhetoric and threat levels, Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the news from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel that the Pentagon was "dusting off" its national missile defense considerations and adding to America's Pacific Coast capabilities at both Alaska's Fort Greely complex - including resurrecting the previously-mothballed Missile Field One - and Vandenburg Air Force Base in California. According to Secretary Hagel, Greely's missile arsenal w… Continue Reading

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03.15.13

Murkowski: Fighting Frankenfish Also Good For Business

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today contacted the President of Whole Foods Markets to commend him for taking the proactive step of making it corporate policy to label all genetically modified foods they sell - a practice she advocated for on genetically modified salmon in a bill she co-sponsored last month. With genetically-modified salmon still being considered by the Food and Drug Administration, Murkowski shared her concerns in a letter: "Frankenfish starts from a transgenic Atlan… Continue Reading

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03.15.13

Murkowski Bringing Tribes, State, Feds Together to Improve Rural Justice

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to Alaska's tribal leaders with the outlines of a proposal - years in the making- that would create a collaborative framework to solve the public safety crisis in rural Alaska. The Senator's Rural Public Safety Initiative is an attempt to bring Alaska Native tribes and the State of Alaska together to increase the public safety presence and authority in some of the most remote communities in Alaska. "We face a crisis of public safety in … Continue Reading

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03.14.13

Postmaster General to Murkowski: USPS Always a Defender of Bypass Mail

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Lisa Murkowski had a face-to-face meeting with United States Postal Service Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and used the opportunity to get answers to questions Alaskans have asked about the future of bypass mail and the Alaskan impacts of the post office's decision to end Saturday envelope delivery. Bypass Mail: After Murkowski defended Alaska's bypass mail delivery service from potentially damaging proposals last year, she and Postmaster General Donahoe shared the… Continue Reading

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03.14.13

Murkowski Passes Legislation to Improve Energy Access in Denali

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today applauded the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for passing by unanimous consent the Denali Park Improvement bill, which includes three separate measures to decrease the use of diesel fuel and improve energy access in Denali, as well as honor Athabascan climber Walter Harper. The bill was passed as part of a package of public lands bills approved by the committee Thursday morning. A land exchange for the Kantishna Hills micro-hydroe… Continue Reading