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 Recognized As Leader Against Youth Obesity
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today received the Campaign to End Obesity's "Breakfast of Champions" award for her consistent fight to raise and maintain nutrition standards for Alaskan school children - as well as adults statewide. She also received a box of cereal with her face on it at the event. (Below) Most recently, Senator Murkowski has been successful in her efforts to raise nutrition standards in school meals. For the first time in over thirty years, the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
06.06.12
Alaska Senators Seek No Funding for Eielson F16 Move
In their continuing effort to get the U.S. Air Force to drop its proposal to move the 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), U.S. Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski are requesting no money be allocated for the move. In a letter to Sen. Daniel Inouye, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense in the Senate Appropriations Committee and Sen. Thad Cochran, Vice Chairman of the Committee, Begich and Murkowski request language be included in the… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Sen. Murkowski Introduces Legislation Halting Unfair FERC Fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday introduced legislation to prohibit the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from charging land-use fees for hydropower projects no longer located on federal land. "While it's appropriate for FERC to impose reasonable fees on hydro projects on federal land, once that property is transferred to private or state ownership, the fees should stop. That's just common sense," Murkowski said. The measure, S. 3265, fixes a techn… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Murkowski: Stevens Case "Fatally Mismanaged from the Get-Go"
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today sat as a witness before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, pressing her Senate colleagues to consider overhauling the Department of Justice procedures through legislation she introduced in March. Her bill, S.2197 the Fairness in Disclosure of Evidence Act, would create a national standard of rules for prosecutors to abide by in terms of sharing information with the defense teams they are facing. Murkowski was compelled to introduce this legisla… Continue Reading
06.05.12
Murkowski Invites Skagway Residents to Share Post Office Concerns
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today created an e-mail outlet for Skagway residents to share their experiences or concerns with the Skagway Post Office's operations: Skagway@Murkowski.Senate.Gov. Upon returning to Washington, D.C. from Alaska, Senator Murkowski sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Donahoe about the concerns aired by many of the Skagwegians with whom she met last Thursday. Today, she had subsequent conversations with Alaska Postal Service representatives about … Continue Reading
06.05.12
Delegation Introduces Legislation to Support Alaska Native Subsistence Whaling Efforts
The Alaska Congressional delegation introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to ensure timely issuance by the Department of Commerce of catch limits for aboriginal subsistence hunting of bowhead whales by Alaska Native whalers who live in 11 Alaska communities. The companion bills would require the Secretary of Commerce to set catch limits for bowhead whales and issue aboriginal subsistence whaling permits under the Whaling Convention Act if the International Whali… Continue Reading
06.04.12
Murkowski: Skagway Postal Situation “Intolerable” and “Unacceptable”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today sent a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, directing the United States Postal Service to do more to fill the 3 vacant positions at the Skagway Post Office - after hearing near-unanimous public concern during her recent trip to Skagway. "During my visit to Skagway, Alaska last week I learned that the lack of staff at the post office has had an intolerable impact on nearly everyone in the town, including your Postal Service employees," M… Continue Reading
06.04.12
Murkowski Committee Work Brings Alaska Natives Health Benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Less than two weeks after a personal visit with Indian Health Service (I.H.S.) Director Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, Senator Murkowski has been notified that $6 million in unobligated national I.H.S. funds will be directed to staff new hires at several Alaska Tribal Health organizations. The Interior Appropriations Subcommittee - where Senator Murkowski serves as the ranking Republican member - has jurisdiction over I.H.S. operations and priorities. "Alaska's Tribal Health organiz… Continue Reading
06.03.12
Murkowski Visits Shell’s Arctic Drilling Vessel in Seattle Shipyard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today toured the Kulluk drilling vessel in Seattle. Shell plans to use the Kulluk this summer to explore for oil and natural gas in Alaska's Beaufort Sea. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (second from right) and Shell Alaska Vice President Pete Slaiby (right) tour Shell's ice-class drill ship, the Kulluk, in Seattle on Sunday. "It's inspiring to see the Kulluk up close and know that it's on the verge of opening a new era of Arctic exploration … Continue Reading
05.31.12
Murkowski on Site Survey Report: “Significant Questions Remain; Today Created More”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today learned the results of the United States Air Force Site Activation Task Force (SATAF) report surrounding the proposal to move the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base. She had the following response to the preliminary findings: "The United States Air Force told Alaskans in January that their proposal to move the F-16s to JBER was based on a tabletop exercise. Today's report from their research team suggests that tabletop is broke… Continue Reading
05.29.12
Murkowski: U.S. Air Force “Inconsistent,” Urges Alaska as KC-46 Home
Senator Lisa Murkowski continued promoting the importance of Eielson Air Force Base and Alaska through a letter to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force - expressing concern that the Pentagon presently does not plan to base a KC-46 aerial refueler unit in Alaska. In the letter (attached), Murkowski suggests that not leveraging Alaska's unique geographic advantages contradicts the Secretary of Defense's new strategic vision focusing on the Asia Pacific theater. Murkows… Continue Reading
05.27.12
Murkowski Shares Memorial Day Message with Alaskans
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today offered the following statement in observance of Memorial Day. (Click picture to view Senator Murkowski's message.) "Memorial Day Weekend means so much to us in Alaska - for so many of us, it means sunlight nearly all day, the unofficial beginning of summer, and enjoying the great outdoors. "But let us never forget the deep, true meaning of this day for us: It means the payment of respect, memories, time and energy to the sacrifices of men… Continue Reading
05.25.12
Murkowski Still Waiting on Full Bill Allen Explanation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski received a response to her November 2011 demand that a Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) independent investigation be done regarding the decision not to prosecute Bill Allen over allegations he transported underage women across state lines for immoral and exploitive purposes - but is still waiting for a better explanation. The Department of Justice decided against pursuing Mann Act charges against Allen, while also directi… Continue Reading
05.25.12
Murkowski's "Veteran Spotlight" Debuts, Honors Alaskans Who Served
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today released her first "Veteran Spotlight" interview - featuring the stories and observations of Alaskan veteran Harold Bahr. Bahr began serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) in Nome, Alaska during World War II in 1942 when he was just eleven years old. ATG members were often men too old or boys too young to be drafted, who volunteered to be the first line of defense for Alaska. In his Veteran Spotlight interview, Harold recalls sitting in h… Continue Reading
05.24.12
Murkowski Statement on Stevens Prosecutors’ Suspensions
The Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility today announced the suspension of two members of the prosecution team that worked on the ethics case against Senator Ted Stevens - a case vacated within months of the verdict due to prosecutorial misconduct. Joseph Bottini and James Goeke were found to have engaged in reckless and unintentional professional misconduct and will be suspended without pay for 40 and 15 days, respectively. Senator Murkowski had the following reaction t… Continue Reading
05.24.12
Murkowski Pledges Continued Fight Against Frankenfish After Senate Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski's amendment to require comprehensive analysis before genetically-engineered salmon enters the American marketplace was voted upon in the U.S. Senate today. The measure barely failed to pass (46 yes votes, 50 no votes against), and the Senator noted afterwards that the numbers are trending towards a greater wariness of the risks and potentially dangerous consequences involved - along with the thousands of Alaskan and American jobs lost in the process. T… Continue Reading
05.23.12
Murkowski on Senate Floor: “Don’t Mess With Mother Nature,” Frankenfish
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski today took to the U.S. Senate floor and called on her colleagues to support her amendment to the Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Bill that would require the same comprehensive scientific and economic analysis be done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on genetically modified salmon as is done for any other federal fishery. In a speech during floor debate of the FDA bill, Senator Murkowski laid out the case against Franke… Continue Reading
05.23.12
Murkowski: Will F-16 Proposal Diminish the 168th Refueling Wing’s Capabilities?
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Murkowski today continued to question the broader implications of the proposed F-16 Aggressor squadron move from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, by asking the Air National Guard Director whether the United States Air Force's proposal would undercut the 168th Air Refueling Wing's ability to fulfill its mission. If the proposal moves forward, the 168th would reduce its current continuous operations to "effectively, a 12 hour/day, 5 day/week sc… Continue Reading
05.22.12
Murkowski Fights TSA Fee Hike on Alaska Flyers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lisa Murkowski secured a number of provisions in the FY2013 Homeland Security and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bills that mean a stronger Alaska military commitment to veterans, active duty personnel and the communities that rely on various agencies for their protection. But she had sharp words against a fee increase that would double the TSA security fees for many Alaskans. During the Senate Appropriations Committee "mark up" session - where… Continue Reading
05.22.12
Murkowski Promotes Alaskan Natural Gas to Ambassadors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday pitched the U.S. ambassadors of Japan and South Korea on the benefits of importing natural gas from Alaska's North Slope during a dinner at the Japanese Ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. Murkowski discussed Alaska's resource base and proximity to Asia with Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki of Japan and Ambassador Choi Young-jin of South Korea. Murkowski said the ambassadors showed interest in the potential for an Alaska natural… Continue Reading
