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: Offset Tightening World Oil Supplies with Domestic Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today underscored the importance of America developing its own oil resources amid growing demand and rising world prices. During a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Energy Information Agency predicted oil supplies will tighten over the next two years, with world consumption growing by an annual average of 1.5 million barrels a day, while annual production increases by less than 100,000 barrels a day. "… Continue Reading
02.03.11
Murkowski: Interior Department Should be Held Accountable
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today made the following statement after a judge ruled to hold the Interior Department in contempt for their continuing moratorium on deepwater drilling. The Interior Department will also be required to pay attorneys' fees for several offshore drilling operators. "As I stated upon Judge Feldman's original ruling overturning the moratorium, this is above all a nation of laws. While I was able to understand the Administration's initial r… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Murkowski Votes to Consider Repeal of Health Care Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted in favor of a procedural motion that would have allowed the Senate to take an up-or-down vote on a proposal to repeal the health care law. The motion, on the FAA Reauthorization bill, failed by a party line vote of 47 to 51. Murkowski, who supports repeal, issued the following statement: "It is disappointing that the Senate could not muster the wherewithal to proceed to an up-or-down vote on a repeal of the health care law. Thi… Continue Reading
02.01.11
Murkowski Comments on Earmark Moratorium
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, made the following comments in response to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye's announcement that the panel will implement a two-year moratorium on earmarks: "I am disappointed in the decision to impose a two-year earmark moratorium. The Constitution clearly gives Congress the power of the purse and a moratorium on congressional earmarks will not reduce federal spending or the deficit by one cent. We are in essence a… Continue Reading
02.01.11
Legislation Promotes Domestic Production of Medical Isotopes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - During a hearing today before The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Lisa Murkowski raised the need for the United States to develop its domestic production of molybdenum-99, the parent isotope of technetium-99 (Tc-99m), used in 85 percent of the nuclear medical isotope procedures performed annually in this country. "Since 1996, the health care industry has more than tripled, to over 30 million a year, its use of Tc-99m to diagnose serious medical conditions… Continue Reading
01.31.11
Senators Introduce Legislation Banning “Frankenfish”
U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today formally introduced legislation to ban genetically-engineered (GE) salmon. The legislation, and a companion bill that would require labeling of GE fish, are in response to a proposal by AquaBounty Technologies currently under consideration by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Frankenfish threatens our wild stocks, their habitat, our food safety, and would bring economic harm to Alaska's wild salmon fishermen," Begi… Continue Reading
01.31.11
Murkowski Comments on Health Care Ruling
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on a Federal judge's ruling in Florida that found the health care reform law unconstitutional. "The ruling confirms what many of us have been saying about the constitutionality of the individual mandate in the law," Murkowski said. "Clearly this is not the final word on the matter, and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court will be the final arbitrator." In April 2010, Governor Parnell joined Alaska in this 26 state lawsuit. … Continue Reading
01.27.11
Murkowski Urges America’s Native Peoples to Fight for Share of Federal Dollars
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the face of fresh efforts to reduce federal spending, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said that America's Native peoples must be prepared to fight hard for federal dollars that go towards the Indian Health Service and other federal Indian programs which have suffered from chronic underfunding. "In an era in which the federal spending pie is shrinking, competition for a slice of the pie will be fierce," Murkowski said. "But our resolve to fight for the funding le… Continue Reading
01.27.11
Murkowski Announces Committee Assignments for the 112th Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, will continue to represent Alaska on the same Senate committees that she served on in the last Congress: Energy and Natural Resources; Appropriations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); and Indian Affairs. Senate Republican leadership informed caucus members today of their committee assignments for the 112th Congress. "These are four of the most critical committees in the United States Senate, particularly as their responsibil… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Murkowski Comments on the Future of Arctic Exploration
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following comments regarding the future of oil and gas development in the Arctic following a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission's final report: "The United States is an Arctic nation because of Alaska. We cannot ignore the fact that Russia will drill in the Chukchi Sea in coming years and that Canada is already exploring the Beaufort Sea. Alaska cannot be f… Continue Reading
01.21.11
Murkowski Announces State Office Leadership Transition
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that her State Director, Kevin Sweeney, will be leaving the official office to pursue other opportunities. In addition to serving as state director, Sweeney most recently managed the senator's write-in campaign, and he will remain as an advisor and representative to the Lisa Murkowski for U.S. Senate Campaign. Sweeney, who has worked for Murkowski since 2005, will continue to serve as state director for the next several wee… Continue Reading
01.14.11
Murkowski Teams with Sen. Mark Udall to Promote Congressional Bipartisanship
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mark Udall, D-Colorado, are co-leading an effort to forge more bipartisanship by calling on members of Congress to sit together - rather than in party blocs - during President Obama's upcoming State of the Union address. "Congressional reaction to the President's State of the Union address has increasingly come to symbolize the sharp partisan divide in Congress," Murkowski said. "But this is also about respect for an institution tha… Continue Reading
01.09.11
Murkowski Comments on TAPS Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement on the Trans Alaska Pipeline System's temporary shutdown on Saturday after an oil leak was discovered in a transit line at Pump Station 1. Sen. Murkowski spoke with Admiral Tom Barrett, CEO of Alyeska Pipeline Co., yesterday soon after the spill was discovered. "While I am relieved, for the moment, that the leak appears to be contained and has not resulted in a release into the environment, I remain concer… Continue Reading
01.08.11
Murkowski Condemns Attack in Tucson
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement on the attack in Tucson today at a constituent event hosted by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona: "I join all Alaskans in condemning this horrific attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a constituent event today in Tucson. I mourn those who lost their lives in this senseless and tragic act of violence, and my thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to Congresswoman Giffords, the other victims and … Continue Reading
12.22.10
Murkowski Supports 9/11 Compensation Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted for the James Zadroga 9/11 Act that would provide health monitoring, treatment and compensation to police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and other responders who were involved in the response to the events of September 11, 2001. Murkowski issued the following statement after the bill was unanimously passed by the Senate: "Next September marks the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In the yea… Continue Reading
12.21.10
Murkowski to Support New START
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced today that she will vote to approve ratification of a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, known as New START: "After much study and discussion, I have decided to support ratification of the New START treaty, viewing it as a modest step forward in our efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear war. For the United States, it maintains our strategic or long range nuclear weapons capability, while also allowing the U.S. to return to on-the-gr… Continue Reading
12.21.10
Murkowski Questions EPA’s Use of Special Designation to Derail Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is asking Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to explain her agency's use of a controversial environmental designation to object to projects approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Murkowski raised her concerns to Jackson in a letter Dec. 20. "The EPA recently used a little-known administrative provision to stop two important economic development projects in Alaska without public input, consultation or notice,"… Continue Reading
12.18.10
Murkowski Supports DREAM Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted to end debate and move to a final vote on the DREAM Act, but the motion failed by a vote of 55 to 41. She released the following statement after the vote: "I support the goal of the DREAM Act which is to enable children who were brought to the United States by their parents to earn citizenship through service in the Armed Forces or pursuit of higher education. I do not believe that children are to blame for the decision of their… Continue Reading
12.18.10
Murkowski Votes to End Debate on Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement today after voting to end debate and move to consideration of a bill that would repeal the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. A final vote on the measure will likely occur on Monday, and Murkowski will vote for the measure. "I am pleased that the Senate voted today to end debate on the President's proposal to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and allow gay and lesbian service members to serve op… Continue Reading
12.17.10
Murkowski: New Tax Law Beneficial to Alaska Native Settlement Trusts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The bipartisan tax package that President Obama signed into law today includes a provision authored by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that will extend for two years the existing tax treatment for Alaska Native settlement trusts. Extension of the tax treatment helps settlement trusts to maximize the benefits provided to Alaska Natives by reducing the tax and administrative burden. Under the law, a settlement trust pays taxes at the lowest individual rate on income - whe… Continue Reading
