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.
Alaska Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs
Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants awarded to communities in the State of Alaska: U.S. Department of Agriculture: $57,610 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks $150,000 to Tanana Chiefs Conference to provide six classroom trainings to utility operators, utility managers, and/or council members in low-income rural interior native villages. The program will help improve local operation, maintenance and management capa… Continue Reading
07.24.09
Murkowski Introduces Bills to Build Two New Polar Icebreakers and Improve Arctic Navigation and Shipping Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today introduced a pair of bills designed to fund construction of two new Polar class icebreakers and improve mapping, navigation and maritime infrastructure in the Arctic. One of the bills - to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act - would authorize money to get data and services to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineate the U.S. extended continental shelf and monitor coastal changes. The bill would authorize $10 millio… Continue Reading
07.24.09
Sen. Murkowski Urges Obama Administration to Streamline Village Safe Water Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is urging the Obama Administration to streamline the Village Safe Water Program's grant-making process. Murkowski met Thursday with Dallas Tonsager, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary of Rural Development, on the issue and followed up today with a letter to Tonsager. "The current process is clearly not working, as evidenced by the large unobligated balances in the rural water funds," Murkowski wrote. "I am committed to s… Continue Reading
07.23.09
Sens. Murkowski and Begich Gain Victory for Alaska Territorial Guard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate voted tonight to restore military retirement benefits to approximately 26 Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) members whose service in the ATG was considered active duty service until the Defense Department reversed its position on the issue earlier this year, announced U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. The Senate agreed by unanimous consent to adopt the ATG amendment as part of a $679.8 billion defense authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2010, which b… Continue Reading
07.23.09
Sens. Murkowski and Begich Press EPA to Allow Kensington Mine to Go Forward
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, today met with Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regarding the agency's objections to Coeur Alaska's plans to dispose of tailings from the Kensington mine in Lower Slate Lake in the Tongass National Forest. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Coeur Alaska had a valid tailings permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Despite the high court's ruling, the EPA is… Continue Reading
07.23.09
Murkowski, Begich Staffs to Visit Haines for Southeast Alaska State Fair
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R- Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, today announced that members of their staffs will be in Haines for the Southeast Alaska State Fair from July 30 - August 2 to meet with constituents as part of their 2009 mobile office tour. Mobile office staff will be available at the fair on Thursday and Friday, July 30 and 31, from noon - 8:00 p.m., Saturday, August 1, from 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 2, from noon - 4:00 p.m. Congression… Continue Reading
07.21.09
Murkowski Raises Concerns with Fire Suppression Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today encouraged the Obama administration and congressional appropriators to change the way they fund the U.S. Forest Service's fire suppression activities. At a hearing Tuesday of the full Senate energy panel to consider the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act, Murkowski said the bill would not act as designed unless the administration and Senate Appropriations Committee harmonize their fire budget requests w… Continue Reading
07.19.09
Murkowski Comments on the Capture of a Fort Richardson-based Soldier
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement regarding the capture of a Fort Richardson-based soldier in Afghanistan, Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl of Ketchum, Idaho: "Our nation deeply appreciates Pfc. Bergdahl's sacrifice protecting the world from terrorists and preserving the fragile democracy of the Afghan people. Alaska and the Nation pray for his safety and freedom." # # #… Continue Reading
07.17.09
Delegation Announces Grants and Contracts to Alaska Programs
Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants and contracts awarded to communities in the State of Alaska: U.S. Department of Education: · $341,141 to the to University of Alaska Fairbanks - Interior-Aleutians Campus in order to increase the number of students at IAC (a 2 year IHE) who graduate within three years of enrollment in a program. · $1,965,039 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks - Interior-Aleutians… Continue Reading
07.17.09
Murkowski co-sponsors Natural Gas Vehicles Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, this week added her name to legislation designed to encourage manufacturing of natural gas cars and trucks. The New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act would increase and extend tax credits for natural gas vehicles and refueling stations. "We have an abundant domestic supply of low-emission natural gas that can substantially cut our transportation fleet's impact on the environment," Murkowski sai… Continue Reading
07.16.09
Murkowski, Begich Announce Mobile Office Visits to Southeast Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R- Alaska, and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, today announced that members of their staffs will visit the communities of Yakutat, Wrangell, Craig, Klawock, Thorne Bay, Petersburg, Angoon and Gustavus July 20-30, 2009. Congressional staff hold mobile office hours in Alaska in order to meet with constituents and community leaders. During their mobile office hours, staff from each office will be available to take casework requests and listen to constituent… Continue Reading
07.16.09
Murkowski Opening Statement before Senate Hearing on Alaska Native Contracting Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following is U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski's opening statement today before the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, which is holding a hearing on government contracts awarded to Alaska Native Corporations under the Native American 8(a) program administered by the Small Business Administration: Opening Statement of Senator Lisa Murkowski Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee July 16, 2009 Today, the sub… Continue Reading
07.15.09
Sen. Murkowski Meets With President Obama on Health Care Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, met with President Obama at the White House today to discuss health care reform legislation moving through the Senate. Obama asked Sen. Murkowski to come to the White House for an afternoon meeting that also included Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Susan Collins of Maine. "It was a good opportunity for the four of us to express our concerns with the direction that health care reform has taken … Continue Reading
07.15.09
Murkowski Comments on Committee Vote on Democrats' Health Care Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today voted against a Democrat health care reform bill that was approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) on a party line vote. Sen. Murkowski issued the following statement: "When the HELP Committee began debating the Democrats' health care reform bill four weeks ago, I agreed with the President and said that the legislation needed to meet several objectives -- reduce costs while providing affordable,… Continue Reading
07.14.09
Murkowski Welcomes Tongass Timber Sale
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed the U.S. Forest Service's award of the Orion North timber sale in the Tongass National Forest to Pacific Log and Lumber. "This sale will help support the struggling Southeast timber industry, which depends on responsible access to the Tongass for survival," Murkowski said. The Orion North sale will produce approximately 3.8 million board feet of timber from 381 acres on Revillagigedo Island near Ketchikan. Roughly t… Continue Reading
07.14.09
Murkowski Calls for Mining Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today called for modernization of the 137-year-old law governing mining on federal lands. "The current mining law is woefully out of date," Murkowski said. "We need to overhaul the law to ensure that it strikes the right balance between protecting the environment, obtaining a fair return for taxpayers, creating jobs and maintaining a secure supply of American minerals." At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing Tuesday on two … Continue Reading
07.13.09
Murkowski Welcomes Second Session Summer Interns
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has welcomed her second group of summer interns to her Washington, D.C., office. These young Alaskans will observe both the operations of a fast-paced Senate office and the legislative process from an up-close view. For the second session, Murkowski has welcomed Anne Bartholomew, Juneau; Dana Betts, Copper Center; Cameron Henton, Anchorage; Parker Haymans, Anchorage; Samuel Horton, Kodiak; Ealum Howe, Fairbanks; Kalli Kline, Ketchikan; … Continue Reading
07.13.09
Delegation Announces Grants to Alaska Programs
Washington, D.C. - The Alaska Congressional Delegation is pleased to announce the following grants awarded to communities in the State of Alaska: U.S. Department of Agriculture - $430,300 to the State of Alaska for training of Remote Maintenance Workers. Rural Development funds will be used to provide on-site and classroom training for water and waste disposal operators. U.S. Department of Commerce: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration - $973,886 to t… Continue Reading
07.10.09
Alaska Congressional Delegation Announces Social Security Administration to Open Hearing Office in Alaska
Washington, D.C. -- Responding to requests from the Alaska Congressional delegation, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is opening a full Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) in Anchorage next February. Currently, the SSA sends judges based in Seattle to Alaska several times a year to hold hearings in various communities, but due to transportation challenges and inclement weather, many hearings are delayed or rescheduled resulting in further costs and delays for Alaskans. "Alaskans' ab… Continue Reading
07.10.09
Murkowski Appointed to Conference Committee on Homeland Security Appropriations
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been appointed to a U.S. Senate-House conference committee that will reconcile differences in the two chambers' appropriations bills to fund the Department of Homeland Security in the fiscal year that begins October 1. The Senate Thursday night passed a $42.9 billion Homeland Security spending measure that includes $32.5 million to enhance United States' polar icebreaker capability. The icebreaker funding, which was included at Murk… Continue Reading
