05.14.13

Murkowski: “North to the Future Means Now”

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today landed in Kiruna, Sweden for the biennial Arctic Council Ministerial meeting to sit down with international leaders from the seven other Arctic nations and determine intelligent and responsible Arctic policy, while sharing approaches to the opportunities and challenges arising with the emergence of the region. "The world is awakening to the fact that 'North to the Future' means now," said Murkowski. "As important as building infrastructure in Ameri… Continue Reading

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05.13.13

Murkowski Fighting for Arctic Ports, Alaska Priorities in Senate Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the U.S. Senate considering S.601 the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to address infrastructure priorities on America's coasts and rivers, Senator Lisa Murkowski today introduced three separate amendments to boost Alaska's emerging Arctic opportunities and address the needs of other vital waterfront areas in Seward and Haines. "Port and harbor investment is essential to so many Alaskan communities in Alaska, and I'm glad the Senate has taken up this bill dealing w… Continue Reading

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05.10.13

Alaska Veterans Saluted by Library of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski's "Veteran Spotlight" was recognized this morning at a Library of Congress event as a model of the 'Best Practices' for its Veterans History Project - an effort to share the oral accounts of war from America's veteran community and inform future generations of their bravery and valor. Murkowski launched her "Veteran Spotlight" series last Memorial Day, and Alaskans from the Alaska Territorial Guard to veterans of our present military conflicts have shared… Continue Reading

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05.10.13

Murkowski Responds to National Arctic Strategy

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today welcomed the administration's Strategy for the Arctic Region, to set a tone for the Arctic Council's meeting next week in Sweden - where she has been invited to join Secretary of State John Kerry due to her leadership on Arctic issues on Capitol Hill. She offered the following response: "I welcome the release of the Administration's National Strategy for the Arctic Region, identifying strategic priorities for the United States in the Arctic Region … Continue Reading

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05.09.13

Murkowski Welcomes Review of Denali Commission Operations

WASHINGTON, DC - After a series of meetings with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) explaining why she requested "a top to bottom" review of the Denali Commission, Senator Lisa Murkowski has received word (letter attached) that the federal oversight watchdog will conduct the work she initiated earlier this year. The Commission - an important federal-state partnership directing grants to infrastructure projects - has been beset by concerns about its management and organizational structur… Continue Reading

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05.08.13

Corps of Engineers Pledges Engagement, Transparency on Fort Greely Biomass Plant

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today pushed the U.S. Corps of Engineers for progress and improved engagement with the Delta Junction community as the Corps proceeds with the Fort Greely biomass plant project - which could provide efficient, affordable electricity for the region within a few years. Having just met with several members of the Delta Junction community last week (picture below), she shared their frustrations at not having been engaged by the Corps of Engineers for their in… Continue Reading

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05.08.13

Sen. Murkowski Comments on Plan to Cleanup NPR-A Legacy Wells

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to calls from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released a draft plan for the cleanup of decades-old exploration wells drilled by the federal government in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). "After repeated requests, the BLM has finally released a plan to address the ongoing environmental pollution occurring within the NPR-A. That's a step in the right direction, but I'm concerned that the agency appears to h… Continue Reading

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05.08.13

Murkowski Co-Sponsors Crackdown Against Sexual Abuse in Military

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Kelly Ayotte (R- NH) in co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to expand and improve sexual assault prevention and response resources within the Department of Defense. The Combating Military Sexual Assault Act of 2013 would expand current effective policies used by some military branches to the entire Department of Defense (DOD) to care for and protect victims - and serves as an important legislative complement… Continue Reading

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05.08.13

Sen. Murkowski: Bipartisan Hydropower, Energy Efficiency Legislation Could be First Energy Public Laws this Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee colleagues for working together to advance energy legislation. The committee voted to move five bills out of committee on hydropower and energy efficiency. "It's encouraging to see senators from both sides of the aisle coming together to work on bipartisan energy legislation. Sen. Wyden and I have made it a priority to focus on areas of broad consensus, where we can really ma… Continue Reading

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05.07.13

Murkowski Pushes Interior Department to Repair, Restore Trust Relationship for Contract Support Costs

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took the opportunity of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell's first appearance before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee to press the newly-confirmed Cabinet head for answers on the Obama Administration's proposal which would limit the rights of tribes to make claims for contract support costs from both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service. During her questioning, she received firm pledges and commitments from both Se… Continue Reading

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05.07.13

Murkowski to Interior: Legacy Well Proposal “Dead On Arrival”

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today criticized the Interior Department's budget proposal for attempting to make Alaska pay for the decades-old broken promises of the federal government. "There are two proposals in this request that are frankly an insult to the people of Alaska," Murkowski said. "I'm speaking particularly of the legislative proposals concerning future funding for the cleanup of 'legacy wells' in the National Petroleum Reserve and the completion of surveys necessary to… Continue Reading

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05.07.13

Sen. Murkowski’s Statement on the Helium Stewardship Act

Sen. Murkowski's Statement on the Helium Stewardship Act WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following remarks during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Helium Stewardship Act of 2013: (click picture for video) "First, as a practical consequence of current law, we only have until October to get this legislation to the President for signature. It is important that we meet that deadline by reporting a bill from this committee, lettin… Continue Reading

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05.06.13

Murkowski Gains Policy Change to Help Disadvantaged Youth

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Lisa Murkowski today received word directly from the Assistant Secretary of Labor that important changes to the Job Corps program requirements have been made that will ensure youth experiencing homelessness will have better access to Job Corps workforce education. Job Corps is a program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and is the largest workforce development program in the country, offering free education and vocational training to at-risk youth ages 16 to… Continue Reading

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05.06.13

Murkowski Votes Against Federal Tax Mandate for Alaska Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today cast her vote against the Marketplace Fairness Act that would force Alaska's businesses to begin taxing out-of-state online customers. She explained her vote afterwards: "In Alaska, we don't have a state sales tax. But the Marketplace Fairness Act is trying to have our law of the land take a back seat to other states that see things differently, and I don't believe that is good policy or fair to Alaska businesses - particularly small businesses.… Continue Reading

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05.06.13

Murkowski to Question Interior Secretary in Senate Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Newly-confirmed Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will testify before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee for the first time tomorrow morning, and Senator Lisa Murkowski will be looking to get answers on Alaska's unique concerns. Senator Murkowski has called the Interior Secretary "Alaska's Landlord" since 60 percent of Alaska's lands are managed by the federal government. Since the Interior Department also has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Indian Affairs, … Continue Reading

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05.02.13

Murkowski Webcasting Today’s Subsistence Public Meeting in Glennallen

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced she plans to livestream today's subsistence public meetings in Glennallen to everyone interested in watching the event. The subsistence listening session 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. For every Alaskan interested in watching the listening session, all that needs to be done is to visit Senator Murkowski's website at http… Continue Reading

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04.30.13

Murkowski Works to Give Veterans Twin-Tracks for Duty, Employment

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the jobless rate for America's veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan nearly two percentage points higher than the national average, Senator Lisa Murkowski is joining forces with a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues in co-sponsoring S. 700, the Troop Talent Act of 2013 to empower the nation's men and women in uniform as they return stateside and begin looking for work. "Alaska has more veterans per capita than any other state in the nation - many of whom … Continue Reading

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04.29.13

Murkowski Demands Fix for Veteran Backlogs from President

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski joined a bipartisan group of 66 Senators today in urging President Obama to address the massive backlog in Veterans' Administration (VA) disabilities claims. In Alaska, veterans wait an average of 467 days to see the benefits they have earned; nationwide, the average is 300 days for the approximately 600,000 total veterans stuck in the backlog. The bi-partisan letter (attached) calls for a renewed commitment on the part of President Obama and his "admi… Continue Reading

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04.29.13

Murkowski Honors U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran, Alaskan Homesteader

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski is releasing her 11th Veteran Spotlight installment today, featuring Jim VanOss, a U.S. Army Veteran drafted during the Vietnam War who served as a military police officer and an embassy guard in Saigon during the Tet Offensive. During his Veteran Spotlight interview, VanOss recalls being 20-years-old when he was drafted into the Army after failing a college class at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. When he arrived in Vietnam, last minute order cha… Continue Reading

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04.26.13

Murkowski Building Coalition to Support Fishery Disaster Relief

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today continued her campaign on Capitol Hill to secure federal disaster relief funds for Alaskan communities damaged by last summer's low salmon runs, building on the momentum she gained in forming a large and influential bipartisan Senate coalition of sixteen co-sponsors of an amendment that was adopted to the Senate FY2014 budget resolution. Senators from Alaska to New England to the Gulf of Mexico joined Murkowski on a letter to the Chairwoman and V… Continue Reading