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 to Receive Big Benefits from Infrastructure Package
Today the U.S. Senate passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, bipartisan legislation which provides investments for core infrastructure-roads, bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, energy, water systems, and broadband. The bill provides $550 billion in new spending over five years, without raising taxes, and will grow America's economy, create jobs, and push against inflation. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), with a bipartisan group of ten Senators, worked for months to negotiat… Continue Reading
08.10.21
Vice Chairman Murkowski Secures Significant Investments in Native Communities
Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, provided the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes substantial funding for Federal programs and Native communities to address water and sanitation, transportation, broadband, climate and energy resilience, Indian water settlements, new energy technology, drought mitigation, mine and well cleanup, wildfire mitigation, and ecosystem re… Continue Reading
08.09.21
Murkowski Speaks on Historic Infrastructure Bill
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) spoke on the Senate floor to the importance of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation currently before the full Senate which invests in our nation's core infrastructure-roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, energy, water systems, broadband, and transit, including ferries. Murkowski spoke about the efforts she and her colleagues put into the bill, including provisions of great importance to Alaska, and the historic impacts that this legac… Continue Reading
08.08.21
Murkowski Welcomes Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear Final ITRs
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently published the final marine mammal Incidental Take Regulations (ITR), commonly known as the Polar Bear ITRs, for the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. The final regulations come after Senator Murkowski repeatedly pressed Department of the Interior officials on the importance of issuing updated regulations as the last ITRs expired this month. On May 18 during a nomination hearing in the Senate E… Continue Reading
08.05.21
Vice Chairman Murkowski Votes to Advance Native Language Bills
This week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), voted to advance two bills, S. 989, the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021, and S. 1402, the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021, a bill which she cosponsored, through the Committee. "When the Committee held a hearing in May on these bills, we heard that there is an effort that we all want to continue-preserving and revitalizing Native languages as th… Continue Reading
08.03.21
Alaska Delegation & Governor Criticize Biden Interior Department for Stalling ANWR
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Congressman Don Young, and Governor Mike Dunleavy (all R-Alaska) issued the following statements criticizing today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that the agency is initiating the supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) process for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This comes on the heels of the Interior Department suspending all oil an… Continue Reading
08.02.21
Murkowski Announces Big Wins for Alaska in Infrastructure Bill
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a key negotiator of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, announced significant funding to support Alaskan infrastructure projects. Sunday night, Senator Murkowski and her colleagues unveiled the text of their bill, which is now before the full Senate for consideration. The bipartisan bill provides $550 billion in new federal funding without raising taxes-including for roads, bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, energy, water systems, and broadband. … Continue Reading
08.02.21
Murkowski Commends SAMHSA Grants to Alaska Native Communities
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) commends the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for providing 29 Tribal Behavioral Health Grants for $7 million to Tribal communities, including six grants to Alaska. The funding will help prevent suicide and substance misuse among young people in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Around 20 percent of the funds will go directly to Alaskan communities with the goal of reducing the impact of trauma while promot… Continue Reading
08.01.21
Senators’ Statement on the Finalized Bipartisan Infrastructure Agreement Legislative Text
U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Jon Tester (D-MT) issued the following statement: "Over the last four days we have worked day and night to finalize historic legislation that will invest in our nation's hard infrastructure and create good-paying jobs for working Americans in communities across the country without raising… Continue Reading
07.30.21
Sullivan, Feinstein, Murkowski & King Introduce American Grown Act
U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Angus King (I-Maine) yesterday introduced the American Grown Act, legislation requiring the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State to only procure cut flowers and cut greens grown in the United States. Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) first introduced the legislation in the House in May of 2019, and introduced companion legislation last week. "If … Continue Reading
07.29.21
Alaska Congressional Delegation Introduces Legislation to Bring Economic Development and Growth to Alaska Native Communities
The Alaska Congressional Delegation introduced landmark legislation to increase accessibility for tax-exempt financing on economic development efforts for Alaska Native and American Indian projects. Such financing, known as Tribal Economic Development, or TED Bonds, is an important tool for Tribal governments to finance economic development opportunities and diversify resources that benefit their communities. The purpose of this legislation is to even the playing field by updating the rules for … Continue Reading
07.28.21
Senators’ Statement on Infrastructure
U.S. Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Mark Warner (D-… Continue Reading
07.23.21
Murkowski Adds Two New Military Fellows to D.C. Office
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently welcomed two new military fellows to her team in Washington D.C.: U.S. Coast Guard Fellow, Abbie Lyons, and HillVets Fellow, Lou Feaman. “I’m excited to welcome these two new fellows to my team. The military plays an incredible role in our state and I have no doubt that Abbie and Lou will go above and beyond in their efforts to support each of our military branches,” said Senator Murkowski. “Their experience and service help them truly understand… Continue Reading
07.23.21
Alaska Congressional Delegation Announces Alaskan Garrett Boyle to Lead Denali Commission
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, today announced that Garrett Boyle has been appointed by the Secretary of Commerce as the Denali Commission Federal Co-Chair. Boyle will replace John Torgerson who has been serving in the role of Interim Federal Co-Chair. Garrett Boyle received his bachelor's degree from Seattle University and is a graduate of Tulane University School of Law. He was raised in small towns throughout Alaska, including Ouzinkie, U… Continue Reading
07.21.21
Murkowski Legislation to Support Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advances in Senate
Today the Senate HELP Committee advanced the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act (FVPSA), legislation U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) cosponsored with her colleague, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), which makes improvements for domestic violence shelters and sexual assault programs in Alaska and throughout the nation. The bill enhances and expands support, protection, and prevention for Americans affected by family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The bill p… Continue Reading
07.20.21
Bill to Address Victim Services Heading to President’s Desk
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) spoke on the U.S. Senator floor, urging her colleagues to pass the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act (VOCA Fix Act), legislation she helped introduce to strengthen the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) by re-directing new funds into the Crime Victims Fund. Following her speech, the Senate passed the VOCA Fix Act in a 100-0 vote and will now head to the President's desk to be signed into law. This federal funding is essential to addressing Alaska's lack … Continue Reading
07.20.21
Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Legislation to Combat Teen Dating Violence
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, introduced Bree's Law, S. 2364. The legislation-named after Breanna (Bree) Moore, a 20-year-old Alaskan who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2014-drives education initiatives to enable youth, parents, and advocates to recognize, prevent, and mitigate teen dating violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 in 11 female and 1 in 14 male high school students have reported experiencing physical d… Continue Reading
07.16.21
Alaska Delegation Responds to USDA “Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy”
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, issued the following statements after the Biden administration announced it will seek to revoke the Tongass National Forest's full exemption from the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule), granted under the previous administration, and also further diminish the supply available for a viable timber industry. This announcement is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Southeast Alask… Continue Reading
07.14.21
Murkowski Joins Secretary of Energy to Announce Funding to Support Energy Technology Deployment
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Jennifer Granholm, to announce funding from the DOE Office of Indian Energy (OIE) to support thirteen American Indian and Alaska Native communities to deploy energy technology. This includes $5,269,376 which will be distributed among seven tribes in Alaska. The funding will help maximize deployment and implementation of energy technology, including projects to lower the cost of energy, make buildings more… Continue Reading
07.09.21
Murkowski Welcomes First Cruise Ship to Alaska Since 2019
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined state leaders and community members in Ketchikan today to welcome the first large cruise ship to Alaska since the 2019 season. Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas arrived to the Ketchikan port this morning to serve as the state's test cruise-with volunteer passengers-to demonstrate to the CDC the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation protocols. Following today's simulated voyage, 78 sailings are currently scheduled to take place in Alaska for the rema… Continue Reading
