Press Releases
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Currently showing results related to COVID-19 Resource Page
Senators Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill To Secure Funding For Rural Health Providers During The Covid-19 Pandemic
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Save Our Rural Health Providers Act which creates a new formula to ensure the Provider Relief Fund has a dedicated set-aside amount directed towards rural areas of America. Representatives Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM-02) and Jim Hagedorn (R-MN-01) will introduce the House of Representatives companion bill tomorrow. Formula Guidelines: A 20 percent Rural Benchmark in the Provide… Continue Reading
05.20.20
Gillibrand, Murkowski Urge Congress To Prioritize Impact Aid Funding In Next Coronavirus Relief Package
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) led a bipartisan group of senators urging Congress to prioritize Impact Aid funding for federally impacted schools in the next coronavirus relief package. Federally impacted school districts educate some of the most vulnerable student populations - including Native American and military connected children and children living in federal low-rent housing - and rely on Impact Aid for resources. As these school districts struggle to r… Continue Reading
05.19.20
Senators Urge Congressional Leaders to Support Vulnerable Students Amid Coronavirus Crisis
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jon Tester (D-MT), in leading a bipartisan group of 40 senators, pressing congressional leadership to include in the upcoming coronavirus relief package significant funding for the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO), which are integral to supporting vulnerable students and their families that have been impacted by the virus. The senators' letter comes as the economic fallout of the coronavirus c… Continue Reading
05.19.20
Murkowski, Manchin, Udall to Vice President Pence: Secure PPE, Testing for Firefighters
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, and Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence urging the Coronavirus Task Force to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel tasked with wildfire response. Below are excerpts from the letter: "Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is our understanding that the supply of PPE in the Federal interagency inventori… Continue Reading
05.15.20
Senators Lead Bipartisan Request for Additional Measures to Ease Borrowing Costs for State and Local Governments Fighting COVID-19
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) co-signed a letter, led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), asking Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Jerome Powell, to consider additional measures to ease the borrowing costs for state and local governments fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was also signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). "State and local governments are on the frontlines in the fight against C… Continue Reading
05.13.20
Murkowski and Colleagues Push for More Support for Child Care Providers
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), alongside Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 19 of their Republican and Democratic colleagues, are calling on the Senate to provide additional support to child care workers and providers across the country. In a letter to Senate leaders, the senators write: "…it is critical we provide additional support for the child care sector to ensure providers can maintain operations and continue to meet the needs of … Continue Reading
05.12.20
Murkowski Questions Experts on COVID-19 Response Efforts During Senate HELP Committee Hearing
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today took part in a Senate HELP Committee hearing entitled COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School. The hearing focused on how U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies are working to help states and communities prepare to reopen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including efforts to increase testing, accelerate research, develop treatments and vaccines, and provide public health and safety guidance. The hearing included testimon… Continue Reading
05.11.20
Murkowski Joins Bipartisan Group Of Senators To Call For $2 Billion In New Federal Funding To Help Health Care Providers Expand Telehealth Services During Pandemic
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined a bipartisan group of senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)to urge the leadership of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to include $2 billion in the next coronavirus relief package to help health care providers expand telehealth services by improving their access to broadband. "The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically increased the need to expand telehealth," the senators wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc… Continue Reading
05.07.20
Senators Aim to Give States, Cities Greater Flexibility with COVID-19 Relief Funds
U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) yesterday introduced the Coronavirus Relief Fund Flexibility Act, legislation that would allow the federal relief funds provided to local governments in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to be used to replace revenue shortfalls resulting from the pandemic. The legislation would apply retroactive… Continue Reading
05.06.20
Senators Braun, Hoeven, Loeffler, and Murkowski Introduce Legislation to Protect Small Businesses from Tax Liability for PPP Loans
Last week, the IRS issued guidance (Notice 2020-32) that any expenses covered by forgivable portions of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan will not be considered a business deduction, effectively levying an unforeseen tax on small businesses, completely contrary to the original intent of the CARES Act. On Monday, U.S. Senator Braun along with Senator John Hoeven, Senator Kelly Loeffler, and Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced the Safeguarding Small Business Act to remove all tax liability a… Continue Reading
04.27.20
Alaska Delegation Welcomes CARES Act Seasonal-Worker Rule Fix
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young (all R-Alaska) today welcomed a rule change released by the Treasury Department that enables seasonal businesses, to choose a different 12-week expense period when applying for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, a period that more accurately reflects their operating payroll. The Alaska Congressional Delegation has pressed the Trump administration for weeks, including in multiple conversations with President Trump and… Continue Reading
04.21.20
Senate Passes Additional Coronavirus Relief Legislation
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, (both R-AK), today applauded unanimous Senate passage of a coronavirus relief package totaling $484 billion, which provides additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), COVID-19 testing, and added support for hospitals. The purpose of the majority of this funding is to provide a boost to programs that were previously authorized and funded from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which was signed into law i… Continue Reading
04.17.20
Murkowski Joins Bipartisan Letter to HHS Secretary to Advocate for Relief for Senior Adult Communities and Health Care Workers
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) in a bipartisan letter, supported by 25 other Senators, to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to ensure that as HHS sets guidelines for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), they not overlook certain health care providers. Specifically, their letter calls for HHS to not overlook the providers within nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, senior living communities, independent l… Continue Reading
04.14.20
Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Murkowski, Klobuchar, Casey, Colleagues Urge Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Bob Casey (D-PA) together, penned two letters outlining supplemental funding proposals to address the rising rates of domestic violence and sexual assault amid the stay-at-home orders put in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Senator Murkowski joined Senators Klobuchar and Casey in a letter, supported by a bipartisan group of 38 colleagues, requesting that any future legislation to address COVID-19 includes supplemental fundi… Continue Reading
04.08.20
Alaska Delegation Welcomes Nearly $16 Million in Health and Human Services CARES Act Grants
Today, the Alaska Congressional Delegation welcomed nearly $16 million appropriated by the CARES Act and awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help community health centers prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific grant amounts and awardees may be found below. "Our state continues working around the clock to turn the tide in the fight against COVID-19. The CARES Act continues to provide critical resources to help Alaska prevent and respond to this pa… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Major Economic Relief Package Passes Senate
The U.S. Senate tonight passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a bill to provide major relief to families, small businesses and their employees, as well as to stabilize our economy and protect jobs. The bill also provides a surge of support for bolstering the healthcare response during this COVID-19 pandemic. As the third legislative package included in the broader Congressional emergency response effort, this bill will provide Americans with direct financial assi… Continue Reading
03.23.20
Murkowski Speaks On COVID-19 Pandemic
As the U.S. Senate works to come to an agreement on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) spoke on the Senate floor about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concerns of Alaskans across the state. Senator Murkowski stressed the urgency for Congress to put politics aside and deliver relief the American people need and deserve. "Failure is not an option. This is not a time for the bumps to derail us. This is not a time that we h… Continue Reading
03.21.20
Small Business Administration Approves Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Alaska
Today, the Alaska Congressional Delegation announced the availability of economic injury disaster loans for Alaska small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is currently offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the coronavirus, pursuant to the recently passed Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. "We are in an unprece… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Senate Passes Economic Stimulus Package for COVID-19 Outbreak
The U.S. Senate today overwhelmingly passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act aimed at bolstering the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help mitigate the health and economic impacts of the outbreak. The bill ensures COVID-19 testing is free for Americans, secures paid sick leave as well as family and medical leave, enhances unemployment insurance to help workers, and ensures that students, seniors, and low-income households can continue to access nutrition assi… Continue Reading
03.06.20
Senator Murkowski Launches COVID-19 Information Page
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently published a page on her website to share up-to-date information and resources regarding the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019, known as COVID-19. The website includes reliable information about the disease, preventative measures you can take to help stop the spread of germs, and Alaska-specific efforts taking place in response to the outbreak. To access Senator Murkowski's COVID-19 info page, click here. Background: A new strain of coronavirus, desi… Continue Reading
