12.17.12

Murkowski Comment on Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today reacted to the news that Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye, a longtime ally to the state of Alaska, passed away at the age of 88: "I am deeply saddened to hear that we lost Senator Daniel Inouye today. Senator Inouye was a soldier, a hero, a statesman, a patriot, a gentleman and a true friend to all Alaskans. His loyalty was as solid as a rock, and his commitment to his principles and his country was something you could bank on." "Senator Inouye e… Continue Reading

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12.17.12

Murkowski Hires New Fisheries, Economics Policy Experts

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced the hiring of Jay Sterne to advise her as she shapes effective federal fisheries policies for the nation - and the hundreds of thousands of square nautical miles off Alaska's shores that fall under federal jurisdiction. Sterne, a twenty year veteran of fisheries and Arctic policy discussions, brings intellectual heft to a key position for a state where the fishing industry and emerging Arctic possibilities represent a growing economic engin… Continue Reading

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12.17.12

Murkowski: Federal Worker Retirement Wave in Alaska Presents Local Hire Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With up to 10 percent of Alaska's federal workforce retiring in two weeks because of financial incentives, Senator Lisa Murkowski is urging federal hiring managers in Alaska to take advantage of the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act (ANILCA) local hire program that she restored in the 2012 Department of the Interior spending bill. Local hire job postings, like the recent ones at Kenai Fjords National Park, give preferred employment status to Alaskans because of Mu… Continue Reading

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12.13.12

Murkowski Proudly Votes for First Filipino-American Federal Judge

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today voted 91-0 today to confirm Lorna G. Schofield to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York - becoming the first Filipino American to serve on the federal bench. Senator Murkowski cast her vote in support of the confirmation and had the following comment afterwards: "It's expected that in about a decade, one out of every four Alaskans will be of Filipino heritage - and today's vote is a historic force not only for our nation… Continue Reading

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12.12.12

Murkowski’s Priorities for Alaska Included in Coast Guard Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today unanimously passed the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, and Senator Lisa Murkowski was pleased to see the final legislation reflected a number of needs she highlighted with key Congressional colleagues earlier this year - from avoiding onerous regulations for small craft owners to a needlessly-long process for renewing maritime security badges to serious infrastructure consideration of an Arctic port as northern waters open up new opportunities a… Continue Reading

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12.12.12

Murkowski’s Committee Work Helps Bring Relief to Alaska for Tsunami Debris, Salmon Disaster

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the United States Senate takes efforts to aid states impacted by Hurricane Sandy and other recent disasters nationwide, Senator Lisa Murkowski - a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee - was able to address a number of Alaska-specific concerns stemming from this season's salmon shortfall and the rising threat of debris from last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Senate Appropriations Committee today released a Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding bill, i… Continue Reading

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12.12.12

Murkowski Statement on North Korea Long-Range Rocket Launch

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today expressed grave concern at the recent rocket launch by North Korea, against international warnings from the United States and several other countries: "This test-run is a clear example of chest-thumping aggression from North Korea, defying the United Nations, international community - and even earning criticism from its nearest neighbors China and Russia. "North Korea's act marks a clear, threatening step forward for that rogue nation's nucle… Continue Reading

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12.10.12

Delegation to Commerce: Observer Program Unfair to Alaska Fishermen

Small vessels in Alaska's fishing fleet are being subjected to an expensive and poorly devised program for monitoring their take of groundfish and a delay in implementation is needed, according to a letter sent by Alaska's Congressional delegation today to Acting Secretary Rebecca Blank of the Department of Commerce. The letter outlined issues with what is known as the observer program. Plans to implement the program were recently published as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration… Continue Reading

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12.10.12

Murkowski: Post-Bankruptcy Auction Shows Folly of Stimulus Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following comment in the wake of the bankruptcy-induced auction of A123 Systems' assets to a Chinese auto-parts maker. "The results of this auction further expose the folly of the administration's attempts to pick winners and losers, and provide huge subsidies to force the commercialization of technologies," Murkowski said. "Congressional oversight of DOE spending, to ensure taxpayers are being protected, is one of my t… Continue Reading

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12.07.12

Murkowski Amplifies Eielson Fight to Defense Bill Conference Members

Senator Lisa Murkowski today reached out to the key members of the Senate and House Committees in charge of addressing the differences between the two chambers' versions of the National Defense Authorization Act, urging them to keep provisions in place that support her fight against the proposal to move the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. In one letter (attached) directly from her to the Armed Services Committee heads, Senator Murkowski ex… Continue Reading

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12.07.12

Murkowski Welcomes Additions To Energy Committee Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced several additions to the professional staff of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The new hires include Brian Hughes, Kate Williams, Lucy Murfitt, Tristan Abbey, and Dr. Ron Faibish. "Kate, Ron, and Lucy will be great additions to the Energy Committee staff," Murkowski said. "All three are experts in their fields and have decades of experience between them working on energy and lands policy. Tristan, who join… Continue Reading

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12.06.12

Murkowski Praises Groundbreaking Indian Health Service/VA Agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For years a champion of "Care Closer to Home" for Alaska's veteran population statewide, Senator Lisa Murkowski lauded the Department of Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Service agreement signed this morning where the VA will reimburse tribal health providers nationwide for direct health care services provided by clinics to American Indian and Alaska Native Vets. Rural Alaska Native veterans currently travel hundreds of miles away to the VA health clinics in Anchorage - whi… Continue Reading

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12.06.12

Murkowski Commends Cable Box Energy Efficiency Agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today lauded the Set-Top Box Energy Conservation Agreement, which will make television cable boxes more energy efficient. The agreement, announced by the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, will take effect next month. "I commend the industry for proactively developing a consensus agreement that will save their customers money, and not waiting for a federal mandate that forces them to… Continue Reading

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12.06.12

Murkowski to Obama: No Double Standard for Debt Ceiling

Senator Lisa Murkowski has joined 43 of her Republican colleagues in responding to President Obama's demand to remove Congressional involvement in raising the debt ceiling - a clear abrogation of the check-and-balance role of the legislative branch spelled out by the U.S. Constitution - as negotiations proceed to avert the fiscal cliff. In a letter (attached) to the President, Senator Murkowski and her colleagues pointed out that every significant step towards bipartisan deficit reduction in th… Continue Reading

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12.05.12

Senator Murkowski Applauds Release of Administration's Report on LNG Exports

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following comment on the release by the Department of Energy of a study on the impacts of U.S. natural gas exports as liquefied natural gas (LNG). "The administration should be commended for commissioning such a comprehensive and transparent review of the potential impacts of exporting natural gas," Murkowski said. "It's clear from the study that exporting LNG would be beneficial to the U.S. economy, and the greater the level… Continue Reading

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12.04.12

Murkowski Eielson Delay Gets Final Passage in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today joined 97 of her colleagues in passing S.3254, the Defense Authorization Bill, on a bipartisan and unanimous basis. A key amendment proposed by Senator Murkowski and included in the final bill would delay for a year any structure movement like the F-16 Aggressor Squadron transfer being considered by the U.S. Air Force. "I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Service Committee for accepting my amendment to delay the proposed F… Continue Reading

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12.04.12

Murkowski Votes to Protect Disabled Worldwide with American Standards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski voted in favor of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a treaty that would protect the rights of disabled veterans, the handicapped and blind when they travel abroad, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Despite receiving bipartisan support, the treaty failed to receive the 67 Senate votes needed for ratification. "This treaty's bottom line is the most American principle that 'All Men and Women Ar… Continue Reading

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11.30.12

Murkowski Urges Air Force Focus on Eielson's Future

WASHINGTON, D.C. - After months of Alaska congressional delegation sparring with the United States Air Force over the future of Eielson Air Force Base, Sen. Lisa Murkowski took to the Senate floor today to seek common ground with the military, by calling attention to the singular advantages presented by having a robust and diverse Air Force presence in Alaska positioned nearest to the Asia-Pacific Region where the Pentagon is now focusing its energy and attention. Senator Murkowski filed an ame… Continue Reading

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11.30.12

Alaska Delegation Echoes Call for Public Meetings on Eielson Proposal

Citing the importance of community engagement, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich and Congressman Don Young today wrote to the Air Force's top brass encouraging them to hold multiple public meetings and hearings in communities that would be impacted by a proposal to relocate F-16s from Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage. The public meetings and hearings are part of a larger Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and housing-study process… Continue Reading

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11.29.12

Murkowski Gets Army Commitment on Tracked Vehicles

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the United States Senate debates the Defense Authorization Bill, an amendment filed by Senator Lisa Murkowski regarding the need for fully functional Small Unit Support Vehicles (SUSVs) - on the heels of her inquiry earlier this fall - has elicited a commitment to improve and overhaul the existing amphibious vehicles. Senator Murkowski received a response from U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Raymond T. Odierno today (attached) informing her the U.S. Army plans to retain… Continue Reading