05.07.21

Murkowski Works to Improve Access to Rural Health Care For New & Expecting Moms

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently joined U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) in introducing bipartisan legislation that would help ensure that new and expecting moms living in rural communities get the care they need. More than half of rural counties nationwide lack hospitals with labor and birthing services, and the disparity in access to care and worse health outcomes disproportionally affects people of color. Rural counties with more Black residents are at greater risk of losing their l… Continue Reading

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04.30.21

Murkowski Joins Introduction of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in introducing the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to protect pregnant workers and new mothers from workplace discrimination. This legislation, which is closely modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), would require employers with 15 or more employees to make reasonable accommodations to allow employees who are pregnant, ha… Continue Reading

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03.25.21

Vice Chairman Murkowski: Indian Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on Water Infrastructure

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, provided the following remarks during today's oversight hearing on "Building Back Better: Water Infrastructure Needs for Native Communities." "The pandemic has clearly underscored the need for these communities to have better water infrastructure. Simply washing your hands multiple times throughout the day to protect against the spread of COVID should not be a difficult task, but that's unfortunately th… Continue Reading

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02.25.21

Murkowski, Hassan, Tonko, Turner Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Broaden Access to Addiction Treatment

U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and Michael Turner (R-OH) announced the reintroduction of their Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, legislation that would vastly increase access to life-saving addiction medicine by eliminating a duplicative bureaucratic hurdle-colloquially known as the "x-waiver"-currently blocking millions of highly trained health professionals from prescribing buprenorphine to their patients. "Subs… Continue Reading

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12.28.20

Year-End Omnibus Appropriations Package Signed Into Law

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded a year-end omnibus bill being signed into law, which includes a 12-bill appropriations package to fund the government through the end of Fiscal Year 2021, including Senator Murkowski's Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This historic funding package also provides nearly $900 billion for COVID-19 relief; Senator Murkowski's bipartisan, bicameral Energy Act of 2020; a bipartisan compromise to address the issue of Surprise M… Continue Reading

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12.22.20

Murkowski Applauds Senate Passage of Interior Appropriations Bill

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of an Appropriations Package for Fiscal Year 2021, which included the Interior-Environment Appropriations bill. As chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, Murkowski crafted a bill which invests in health and wellness, reduces regulatory burdens, increases economic opportunity, improves Alaskans' abilities to respond to natural disasters, support for the arts and humanities, and more. "Building on my long-standing efforts to address issu… Continue Reading

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12.22.20

Critical Year-End Bill Package Passes U.S. Senate

Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of a year-end omnibus bill, which includes 12 appropriations bills to fund the government through the end of Fiscal Year 2021, among which is Senator Murkowski's Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This historic funding package also includes a nearly $900 billion COVID-19 relief package; Senator Murkowski's bipartisan, bicameral Energy Act of 2020; a bipartisan compromise to address the issue of Surpr… Continue Reading

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12.04.20

Murkowski Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Group In Calling For Permanent Expansion Of Telehealth Coverage In End Of Year Legislation

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent. Provisions from the Schatz-authored CONNECT for Health Act that have allowed Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country, and in their homes, to utilize telehealth services, as well as more types of health care providers to provide telehealth, were included in… Continue Reading

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12.02.20

Murkowski Welcomes EPA Grant to Alaska to Improve Air Quality

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded news that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $14.7 million to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to help improve air quality in Fairbanks. A portion of the Fairbanks North Star Borough is currently designated as a PM2.5 non-attainment area, with wood stoves serving as a major contributor to non-attainment. The funding, which is part of the EPA's Targeted Airshed grant program, will be used to continue a wood stove c… Continue Reading

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11.10.20

Murkowski Unveils Interior-Environment Bill

Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released her Fiscal Year 2021 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act bill. The Committee is responsible for funding agencies that are tasked with ensuring clean water and clean air, managing public lands, meeting federal trust responsibilities for Native peoples, and funding cultural agencies and museums. As chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, Murkowski crafted a bill with funding to strengthen local economies and create safer … Continue Reading

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11.05.20

ICYMI: Vaccine Discussion with Senator Murkowski and Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Zink in Light of COVID-19 and Flu Season

In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) held a virtual discussion with Alaska's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink, last week to discuss vaccines and the important role of seasonal influenza vaccinations as Alaskans continue to face the health impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. They covered everything from efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the need for preventing a bad flu season, Alaskan concerns regarding vaccines, and efforts to prepare for a COVID-19 vaccine. … Continue Reading

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10.30.20

Senate and House introduce Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act

This week, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) along with Representatives Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) introduced an updated version of ACT for ALS, Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. The two new pieces of legislation, S.4867 in the Senate and H.R.8662 in the House, create new pathways for faster and broader access to therapies for those most in need, including thos… Continue Reading

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10.23.20

ICYMI: TIME Op-Ed by Senators Hassan, Murkowski on Their Bipartisan Efforts to Ensure a Future COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe and Effective

In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) wrote a piece for TIME on the importance of a transparent vaccine review process that maintains key oversight measures to ensure that a future COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and to boost public confidence. The Senators recently introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention follow well-established measures so that COVID-… Continue Reading

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10.22.20

Feinstein, Murkowski Introduce Resolution Supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month

U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced a bipartisan resolution in support of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is observed in October. The resolution would raise further awareness about the ongoing problem of domestic violence in the United States and the struggles survivors face, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Domestic Violence Awareness Month encourages survivors to share their stories so that others will know they are not… Continue Reading

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10.08.20

Murkowski Joins Shaheen Led Bipartisan Letter Urging Inclusion of PFAS Provisions in Final FY21 NDAA

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined a bipartisan letter, led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), along with 19 Senators, to Senate and House Armed Services Committee leadership urging the inclusion of provisions in the final fiscal year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prevent and address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. The NDAA is annual defense legislation that authorizes the United States' national defense programs and priorities for the fis… Continue Reading

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10.07.20

Amidst a Pandemic & Ahead of Flu Season, Murkowski and Colleagues Send Bipartisan Letter Calling for Americans to Receive Critical Immunizations

Amidst a pandemic and ahead of flu season, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Tina Smith (D-MN), called on the Administration - in partnership with state and local governments - to ensure all Americans continue receiving necessary immunizations to prevent additional illness and outbreaks. In a letter to the leaders of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the bipartisan lawmakers… Continue Reading

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09.24.20

White House COVID-19 Task Force Provides an Update on the Federal Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

As communities in Alaska and across the country work to address the health and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) participated in a Senate HELP Committee hearing focused on the COVID-19 federal response. The hearing included information on testing, data collection and vaccine development, and how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has used funding provided by Congress to support state, territorial, tribal, and local public health capacit… Continue Reading

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08.06.20

Murkowski Speaks on Alaska’s COVID-19 Heroes on the U.S. Senate Floor

During a speech on the U.S. Senator floor, U.S. Senator Murkowski (R-AK) commended Alaska's unsung heroes of the COVID-19 response effort, including Alaska's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink. CLICK HERE for video of Senator Murkowski's floor speech. SPEECH EXCERPTS: "There are many men and women across the country that are doing extraordinary work responding on the health side, as well as responding to the economic impact-the economic fallout-due to the COVID-19 pandemic." "As di… Continue Reading

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08.05.20

Senators Stabenow, Murkowski Team Up to Reintroduce Bipartisan Food Supply Protection Act

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) reintroduced the Food Supply Protection Act to help protect the food supply after the COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on farmers, workers, food banks, and families. "The COVID-19 crisis has continued to disrupt our nation's food supply chain, creating a ripple effect that's harming our families, farmers, and workers," said Senator Stabenow. "Our bipartisan bill will help strengthen our food supply by redirecti… Continue Reading

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08.04.20

Senators Hassan, Braun, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Ensure Safety and Efficacy of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine

U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation to maintain critical safeguards to help assure the public that a potential COVID-19 vaccine that receives emergency use authorization is safe and effective. The Safe Authorization for Vaccines during Emergencies (SAVE) Act also aims to improve public confidence in a potential COVID-19 vaccine by increasing the transparency of the vaccine approval process. "As we work to get a poten… Continue Reading