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.
Currently showing results related to Education
Gillibrand, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Give More Kids Access to Healthy Meals
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced a bill to expand access to healthy meals for kids when school is out for the summer. During the summer months, children who rely on school meals to eat face the risk of going hungry. Gillibrand and Murkowski's legislation, the Summer Meals Act of 2019, would improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Summer Food Service Program, which provides low-income children who would normally receive free… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Murkowski Announces $10.9 Million in Secure Rural Schools Payments to Alaska
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that communities across Alaska will soon receive a total of $10,990,708 to fund schools and local budget priorities. The payments are being provided through the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, which Murkowski successfully reauthorized and funded through Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 in the FY2018 omnibus appropriations bill. "Local communities in Alaska and across the country rely on the Secure Rural Schools program to pay for essential services … Continue Reading
02.28.19
Brown, Collins, Baldwin and Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Police Officers, Teachers
Today, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure public sector workers and their families can receive full Social Security benefits after two previous statutes reduced them. The Senators' bill, the Social Security Fairness Act, would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act. Both of the statutes significantly r… Continue Reading
09.18.18
Murkowski Votes in Favor of Funding Package to Benefit Alaska
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the Conference Report for H.R. 6157, a funding package which includes the Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019 and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The funding package includes the largest pay raise for troops in nearly a decade, funding for a new national firefighter cancer registry, and support for high quality educational and job training opportunities for Alaskans … Continue Reading
07.25.18
Senate Passes Bill to Improve Legislation for Academic Achievement of Career and Technical Education Students
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation reauthorizing the Carl Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, a law crucial to helping our nation's students obtain skills to be successful in today's workplace. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, assisted in drafting the Senate's Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act in consultation with Alaskan stakeholders and tribal advocates. "Alaska is doing righ… Continue Reading
02.01.17
Murkowski Announces She Will Vote Against Education Secretary Nominee
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that she will vote "no" when the Senate takes the final vote on the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. Senator Murkowski explained her reasoning on the Senate floor, saying: "I have serious concerns about a nominee to be Secretary of Education who has been so involved in one side of the equation - so immersed in the push for vouchers - that she may be unaware of what actually is successful in the public schools, and what i… Continue Reading
01.31.17
Murkowski Statement on Education Secretary Nominee
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to refer Mrs. DeVos' nomination for the consideration of the full Senate. "I voted to move Betsy DeVos out of the HELP Committee because I have long held the belief that a President has the right to name their Cabinet and that the full Senate should have the opportunity to vote on those nominees. I also said that when it comes to the vote o… Continue Reading
11.18.16
Murkowski Applauds USED’s Decision to Grant Alaska Testing Waiver
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education's decision to approve the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's (DEED) request for a waiver from federal testing requirements this year due to technical problems that arose during last spring's testing. "I am pleased the Department of Education heeded Alaska's concerns and granted this much-needed waiver. There is simply no reason our state should be penaliz… Continue Reading
09.30.16
Murkowski, Heitkamp Bill Creating Native Children’s Commission Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) today announced that their bipartisan bill to improve the lives of Native American children passed Congress unanimously and now heads for the president's desk for his signature. The Senators' bill, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act, implements solutions that would address the overwhelming obstacles Native children face - including experiencing levels of post-traumatic stre… Continue Reading
06.29.16
Murkowski Presses Education Secretary on Important Education Issues for Alaska
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski questioned Secretary of Education Dr. John B. King, Jr. on two issues of importance for Alaska's schools, students, educators, and communities-whether he would approve Alaska's request for a waiver from federal testing requirements, and whether he would rescind or exempt Alaska from a proposed new priority for federal competitive education grants. Murkowski began her exchange with Dr. King by following up on her questions from an April hearing and her June 23rd… Continue Reading
06.09.16
Murkowski Secures Investments to Strengthen Alaska’s Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2017. Referred to as Labor-H, it contains a number of provisions secured by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that will strengthen Alaska's communities. As a member of the committee, Murkowski focused her efforts on funding programs that support Alaskan families, jobs, economic development, health, and safet… Continue Reading
04.12.16
Senate Passes Major Education Reform Bill
Today Senator Lisa Murkowski voted in support of the final version of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the long-overdue overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act, which became law in 2002. Today's legislation passed by a vote of 85-12. The House of Representatives passed the bill on December 2nd by a vote of 359-64. It now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. ESSA Myths vs Facts Common Core Standards are CodifiedHigher Ed Alignment and Common CoreNo Improvement Over NCLB… Continue Reading
03.14.16
Murkowski Votes Against Education Secretary Nominee
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, voted against confirming Dr. John B. King to be the Secretary of Education. The Senate confirmed King in a vote of 49-40. "I respect that Dr. King has overcome many challenges in his life, which has led him to share my belief in the vital importance of education for all children. His leadership as Commissioner of Education for New York, however, was so marked by controversy … Continue Reading
