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 Welcomes Mubarak’s Exit
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's decision to step down: "This has been a painful process for the Egyptian people, and I welcome President Mubarak's decision to step down. Egypt is undergoing a generational political change, and at this point no one can say for sure what the outcome will be. It is my hope that this action will relieve some of the tension and put the Egyptian people on a path to greater stability and po… Continue Reading
02.10.11
Murkowski Comments on Possible Overestimates of Saudi Oil
WASHINGTON, D.C. ¬- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on a surprising report that Saudi Arabia might not have sufficient oil reserves to stabilize global supplies and prices: "The conventional wisdom is that America can rely on OPEC's spare capacity to keep world oil prices stable, but there's increasing evidence that this is a mistake. "If reports that Saudi oil reserves have been inflated are true, it would be irresponsible and downright dangerous for us to continue t… Continue Reading
02.09.11
Murkowski Comments on ConocoPhillips Closing Kenai Facility
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement today in response to ConocoPhillips' announcement that it was shutting its Kenai liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. "The closure of the LNG plant will leave a huge hole in Kenai's economy and my first thought is for the employees and their families, many of whom are wondering what they're going to do now," Murkowski said. "This announcement highlights the urgent need we face to find a way to commerciali… Continue Reading
02.09.11
Murkowski Welcomes First Oil Production at Eni Field
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today congratulated the members of oil company Eni's Alaska team for successfully beginning production at their Nikaitchuq field. "This is great news for Alaska. It is exactly the kind of project we like to see because it shows our resources can be safely developed and globally competitive," Murkowski said. "The future of the trans-Alaska pipeline, and most likely the state, depend on our ability to increase oil production." Nikaitchuq i… Continue Reading
02.09.11
Sens. Murkowski, Begich Introduce Fix to Help Small Miners
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Small Miner Waiver Clarification Act was reintroduced today by Alaska's U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich. The legislation would clarify federal mining law to remedy a problem that has arisen from the extension process for "small" miner land claims. "The existing law is clearly falling short of what it was designed to do - exempt small miners from the claim maintenance fee," Murkowski said. "The bill we introduced today provides a simple administrative fix to rem… Continue Reading
02.08.11
Murkowski Comments on Pacific Walrus Endangered Status
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced that the Pacific walrus would be designated a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Service said the Pacific walrus warrants ESA protection, but it won't move forward with a formal listing at this time because of more pressing higher priority species listings. As a result, the Service said the walrus will be added to… Continue Reading
02.08.11
Sens. Murkowski, Begich Ask for Parks Highway Right-of-Way for Gas Line
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Denali National Park and Preserve Natural Gas Pipeline Act was reintroduced today by Alaska's U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich. The legislation would authorize a right-of-way along the Parks Highway for construction of an Alaska in-state natural gas pipeline. "Southcentral needs natural gas and an in-state line provides an alternative solution to their future needs," Murkowski said. "By eliminating the uncertainty of permitting and regulatory delays, the Parks H… Continue Reading
02.08.11
Murkowski, Begich Introduce Legislation to Train Alaskans for Gas line Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Alaska Gas Line Worker Training Center Modification bill was introduced today by Alaska's U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich. The legislation would make a minor technical change to a provision that Congress approved in 2004 to further construction of a pipeline system to move Alaska's natural gas to market. "The last time we built a pipeline many of the workers came from outside Alaska," Murkowski said. "When it comes time to build the gas line, I want to make sur… Continue Reading
02.07.11
Murkowski Welcomes EPA Decision to Study Bristol Bay Watershed
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended Environmental Protection Agency officials on their decision to assess the potential impacts of mining and other development projects on the Bristol Bay watershed. "The EPA's decision to withhold judgment on the potential environmental impact of projects, like the Pebble Mine, until all the scientific information has been collected and analyzed is a prudent decision," Murkowski said. Opponents of the Pebble Mine last year … Continue Reading
02.04.11
Sens. Murkowski, Begich Introduce Bill to Resolve Salmon Lake Land Claim
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act was reintroduced today by Alaska's U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich. The bill ratifies a settlement between the state of Alaska, the federal Bureau of Land Management and the Bering Straits Native Corp., completing land conveyances promised in the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). "The shareholders of the Bering Straits region have waited 40 years to finally receive the land and economic benefits promised… Continue Reading
02.04.11
Murkowski Announces Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is the new ranking Republican member on the Senate Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee, a panel with jurisdiction over a number of federal agencies that play a major role in Alaska. Senate Appropriations Committee members today learned their subcommittee assignments for the 112th Congress. As a senior member of that panel - Murkowski ranks seventh in seniority - Alaska's senior senator was able to pick up a sixth subcommi… Continue Reading
02.03.11
Murkowski Announces Federal Crab IFQ Loan Program is Accepting Applications
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is accepting applications for the Crab Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) loan program, which was finalized in December 2010. The Bering Sea Aleutian Island Crab IFQ loan program will allow crab captains and crew to borrow up to 80 percent of the cost of purchasing Crab quota shares, or refinance an existing IFQ loan. It is available to all former and current crab skippers and … Continue Reading
02.03.11
Murkowski Critical of Regulators for Delaying Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement in response to Shell Oil's decision to cancel its 2011 summer drilling plans in Alaska's Beaufort Sea because of the Environmental Protection Agency's refusal to issue a key air permit. "The EPA's refusal, or simple inability, to issue key permits in a timely fashion is indefensible," Murkowski said. "Shell has now invested roughly $4 billion and five years attempting to get the permits it needs, with… Continue Reading
02.03.11
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
