05.25.17

Murkowski Announces Support for Three Energy Nominees

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing for President Trump's nominees for key positions at two federal agencies: Dan Brouillette to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to be members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). "I am pleased to have these nominees before our committee this morning," Murkowski said. "This hearing is an important step in our efforts to restore a quorum at FERC, and to ensure tha… Continue Reading

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05.19.17

Murkowski: Bernhardt is Well-Qualified, Deserves Swift Confirmation

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired the nomination hearing for President Trump's choice for Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI), David Bernhardt. In her opening statement, Murkowski expressed her support of Mr. Bernhardt's nomination to be Deputy Secretary and recognized his substantive knowledge of the challenges Alaska and western states face with regard to the federal management of lands and waters. "I believe Mr. Bernhardt is an excellent choice for Deput… Continue Reading

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05.11.17

Murkowski Welcomes Announcement of Two FERC Nominations

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after President Trump sent two nominations for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to the Senate: Neil Chatterjee, a senior energy advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Robert Powelson, a member of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. "I welcome the president's announcement of two well-qualified nominees… Continue Reading

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05.05.17

Murkowski: Threat Posed By EMP Attack a Matter of National Defense

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today convened a hearing of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the threat posed by electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and policy options to protect energy infrastructure. During her opening statement, Murkowski spoke to the importance of the issue, indicating it to be even more salient today for several reasons, including the continued proliferation of nuclear technology and society's increasing reliance on electronics. "The United States has … Continue Reading

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05.03.17

Murkowski Convenes SRS/PILT Hearing, Cosponsors SRS Bill

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday held an oversight hearing to examine federal payments to local governments provided through the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and Community Self-Determination Act and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. She also cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced today by Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to reauthorize the SRS program. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing explored the need for the federal government to… Continue Reading

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04.28.17

Alaska Delegation Commends Executive Order on Offshore Energy Development

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, and U.S. Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today joined President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for the signing ceremony of an Executive Order to implement an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy. The order lifts leasing withdrawals imposed on Alaska's Arctic, directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a review of the areas available for leasing, and directs a review of certain regulations governi… Continue Reading

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04.27.17

Murkowski Holds Hearing on CNMI Economic Expansion Act

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today held a legislative hearing to receive testimony on H.R. 339, the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act. Murkowski kicked off the hearing by highlighting the fact that for the last two years the CNMI-Only Transitional Worker (CW) permit cap has been reached before the end of the fiscal year. The hearing provided Senators with the opportunity to better understand how this legislation will help CNMI's future economic growth beyond 2019. "It's no… Continue Reading

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04.07.17

Murkowski and Sullivan Introduce Bill to Restart Alaska OCS Development

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, yesterday introduced the Offshore Production and Energizing National Security Alaska Act of 2017 (OPENS Alaska Act) to repeal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) withdrawals made at the end of the Obama administration, provide for lease sales in the Arctic OCS, and ensure Alaska receives a fair share of the revenues from oil and gas development off its coast. "After years of regulatory restrictions and burdens imposed by the Obama administrat… Continue Reading

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04.04.17

Sen. Murkowski Slams ANWR Wilderness Bill

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after a group of Senators reintroduced legislation to override the preferences of the vast majority of Alaskans, prevent the creation of thousands of high-paying jobs, weaken the nation's long-term energy security, and deprive Alaska of its best opportunity to pull itself out of recession. "This bill was dead before it got introduced," Murkowski said. In addition to representing Alaska, Murkowski is the chairman of the Se… Continue Reading

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03.31.17

Murkowski Convenes Alaska Infrastructure Hearing

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday held the committee's fourth infrastructure hearing to examine the potential for infrastructure improvements that boost energy and mineral development in Alaska. The hearing focused on the positive impacts infrastructure would have on the state, including job creation and lower energy costs for Alaskans. "While yesterday we looked back to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Cession to purchase Alaska from Russia, it is i… Continue Reading

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03.30.17

Energy and Natural Resources Committee Advances 65 Bills

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today held a business meeting to approve a wide array of legislative proposals. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, thanked her colleagues for their work to develop and report, en bloc and by voice vote, a total of 65 bills from members of both parties. The committee approved seven bills introduced by Chairman Murkowski, as well as subcommittee assignments for Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala. "I am proud of the work our members have done to develop s… Continue Reading

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03.29.17

Senators Urge Economic Geologist to Put USGS Back on Track

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., this week sent a letter to President Trump urging him to nominate an economic geologist to be the next director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The letter also encourages the president to refocus the agency on its primary mission, which is to assess U.S. mineral reserves. "Despite the clear directives in its Organic Act, the most important charge for the USGS - the surveying of our nat… Continue Reading

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03.29.17

Bipartisan Group Reintroduces Sportsmen’s Act

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., this week introduced S. 733, the Sportsmen's Act of 2017. This bipartisan package expands and enhances sportsmen's access by making federal lands throughout Alaska and the nation "open unless closed" for fishing, hunting, recreational shooting, and other outdoor activities. "For too long, sportsmen's access to our federal lands has been restri… Continue Reading

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03.28.17

Murkowski: Foreign Mineral Dependence Continues to Grow

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today held a full committee oversight hearing to examine the United States' increasing dependence on foreign sources of minerals and the opportunities we have to rebuild and improve the domestic supply chain. The hearing touched on numerous issues, including permitting delays, which create a significant obstacle to economically viable domestic mineral production Click image to view archived video of the hearing. In her opening statement, Murkowski un… Continue Reading

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03.28.17

President Trump Signs Measure Repealing BLM Planning 2.0 Rule

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today joined President Trump at the White House for the signing ceremony of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution, H.J. Res. 44, which overturns the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) "Planning 2.0" rule. The resolution passed the U.S. Senate with 51 votes and the U.S. House of Representatives with 234 votes. "When President Trump took office, he talked about returning power to the people, and he did just that today through the repeal of BLM's P… Continue Reading

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03.24.17

Murkowski: It’s About Time

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of State approved the cross-border permit for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. "After more than eight years of unnecessary delay by the Obama administration, this decision will finally allow the Keystone XL pipeline to move forward," Murkowski said. "The underlying analysis always pointed to approval, pipelines are the cleanest and most efficient way to move energy, and thousands of A… Continue Reading

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03.21.17

Murkowski Highlights Need for Lands and Resources Infrastructure

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today held a hearing to continue the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's discussion of opportunities to improve and expand American infrastructure. Tuesday's hearing focused on infrastructure beneficial to federal lands and waters, as well as the people and communities who live near and rely on them. Murkowski opened the hearing by detailing the broad range of infrastructure that is needed for and possible within federal areas, ranging from trails and ro… Continue Reading

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03.15.17

Murkowski Commends Alyeska on Leadership Award

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today congratulated Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which operates the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), after the Ethisphere Institute chose it as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth straight year. The award honors companies around the world for their leadership in establishing high standards of ethical behavior and for their engagement on issues such as corporate citizenship, diversity, measurable values-based leadership, and transpa… Continue Reading

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03.14.17

Murkowski: Energy Infrastructure Is Central to Our Way of Life

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to receive testimony on opportunities to improve American energy infrastructure. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources received testimony from seven witnesses who highlighted the importance of U.S. energy systems, including the electrical grid and pipelines, to national job creation and economic prosperity, as well as the need to streamline notoriously slow and uncertain federal permitting processes. In her opening state… Continue Reading

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03.07.17

Murkowski Secures Repeal of BLM Planning 2.0 Rule

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today led the Senate's passage of H.J. Res. 44, the House version of her Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution to overturn the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) "Planning 2.0" rule. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 51 to 48 and now goes to President Trump for his signature. "I'm pleased the Senate agreed to return power and decision-making authority to those who actually live near BLM lands in Alaska and other western states," Mur… Continue Reading