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.
Murkowski Applauds Major National Security Bill Passing Senate
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that authorizes $731.6 billion in national defense funding for Fiscal Year 2021. The bill authorizes funding for modernizing military technology, improving the livelihoods of troops and their families, and military construction-including in Alaska. The legislation includes Senator Murkowski's Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), which aims to reestablish U.S. leadership in nucle… Continue Reading
07.23.20
Senate Passes Nuclear Energy Leadership Act In Defense Authorization Bill
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today thanked her colleagues for supporting the inclusion of S. 903, her Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), in S. 4049, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. The Senate today passed the NDAA bill, with NELA incorporated by amendment, by a vote of 86 to 14. "For too long, the United States has lagged woefully behind on innovative nuclear energy technologies, which comes at great cost to our economy, our global leadership, an… Continue Reading
07.23.20
Statement from Senator Murkowski on Portland Protests
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement in regards to the protests in Portland, Oregon: "The deployment of federal forces usually takes place at the request of local elected leaders. When the partnership between local law enforcement and federal law enforcement is enacted properly, it can be helpful in deescalating situations and dealing with crime and violence. That's something we should be encouraging. I am aware of the situation in Portland-and while I do not think … Continue Reading
07.23.20
Delegation: Ambler Access Project Will Aid Alaska’s Economy, Domestic Mineral Security
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today issued the following statements after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its Record of Decision (ROD) for the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Road project (Ambler Road). "Federal approval of the Ambler Road is both timely and significant for Alaska's future," Senator Murkowski said. "This project will provide the access needed to responsibly develop a number of high-grade mineral deposits, hopefu… Continue Reading
07.23.20
Murkowski: Public Land Users Have Been Hit Hard By COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on users of public lands, forests, and national parks. The committee received testimony from witnesses representing the outdoor recreation industry, ranchers, water providers, state wildlife agencies, and a nonprofit foundation that partners with the National Park Service. In her opening statement, Murkowski called attention to the 22 percent drop in visitation to national parks, which … Continue Reading
07.23.20
Whitehouse-Murkowski Bill to Further Understanding of Oceans, Great Lakes, and Coasts Advances Out of Committee
U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus, have announced that their legislation to advance data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee by voice vote yesterday. The Bolstering Long-Term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act, or the BLUE GLOBE Act, would accelerate… Continue Reading
07.22.20
Murkowski Supports PPP Forgiveness Legislation for Small Businesses
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently co-sponsored the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, a bill sponsored by Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND). Cramer originally introduced the bill with Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). "We appreciate our colleagues signing on to this important legislation," said Senator Cramer. "The bill is a commonsense move which would give small businesses peace of mind by eliminating unnecessary burea… Continue Reading
07.21.20
Murkowski Commends Air Force’s Arctic Strategy
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statements after the Department of the Air Force unveiled an Arctic Strategy: "One of my top priorities is ensuring the Arctic region is a national priority. The Air Force's first ever Arctic Strategy not only recognizes the importance of the Arctic, but emphasizes Alaska's essential role in projecting national power and protecting our homeland. As General Billy Mitchell, the "Father of the Air Force," testified before Congress in 1935, … Continue Reading
07.20.20
Tomorrow: Senate Set To Vote On Schatz-Murkowski-Harris-Paul Amendment On Stopping Police Militarization
Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate is set to vote on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) introduced by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that will limit the transfer of certain surplus military-grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies across the country. The Schatz-Murkowski-Harris-Paul amendment places limitations on the Department of Defense's 1033 program which authorizes the federal tra… Continue Reading
07.15.20
Murkowski Welcomes NEPA Modernization Rule
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed President Trump's announcement of a final rule to modernize the federal regulations that govern the environmental review and permitting processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970. "For decades, projects in Alaska and throughout the country have languished as a result of a federal permitting process that has become unnecessarily burdensome due in large part to outdated NEPA regulations. As we work to recover from the… Continue Reading
07.15.20
Alaska Delegation Welcomes $5.3 Million in CARES Act Funding to Help Small Businesses Across Alaska Respond to COVID-19
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young (all R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $5.3 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to the State of Alaska to administer a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to provide critical financing for small businesses and entrepreneurs across the state that have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "Alaskans are resilient, b… Continue Reading
07.04.20
Murkowski Shares Message on Independence Day
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today shared the following Fourth of July message with Alaskans: Click here for video of Senator Murkowski "Happy Fourth of July! A day to celebrate America's independence, freedom, and the ideals and values upon which our nation was built. "Our celebrations this year will look different due to COVID-no Mount Marathon in Seward, and fireworks and parades will be limited or cancelled. Many of our holiday traditions have been put on hold due to social dist… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Murkowski Joins Committee Hearing on Addressing COVID-19 Impact to Native Communities
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) took part in a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing focused on evaluating the response and mitigation to the COVID-19 pandemic in Native communities across the nation. This hearing is particularly relevant to Alaska, as many Native communities currently reflect on previous health emergencies that have disproportionately impacted rural Alaska, such as Tuberculosis and the 1918 flu epidemic. The hearing featured testimony from IHS Director, RADM M… Continue Reading
07.01.20
Alaska Congressional Delegation Introduce Bill to Make Cost-Of-Living Adjustment For Alaska, Hawaii Nursing Facilities
The Alaska Congressional Delegation introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will provide for fair Medicare payments for nursing facilities in Alaska and Hawaii. The bill will authorize a cost-of-living adjustment at skilled nursing facilities in those states to take into account the higher costs of delivering care. The Equitable Payments for Nursing Facilities Act of 2020 is led by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in the U.… Continue Reading
07.01.20
Murkowski Welcomes Finalized Hilcorp-BP Sale
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement on the announcement of Hilcorp's acquisition of BP's Alaska upstream assets. "I'm very pleased to see this transaction move forward and appreciate Hilcorp's commitment to Alaska," Murkowski said. "This announcement is particularly welcome news for our state as we work to rebuild our economy. Hilcorp has ensured a stable natural gas supply in Cook Inlet and secured a 90-percent local hire rate in recent years. BP has b… Continue Reading
07.01.20
Paycheck Protection Program Deadline Extension
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program to August 8, 2020. The small business loan program expired yesterday, on June 30. It now needs to pass the House in order for it to be sent to the President's desk to be signed into law. Just last week the Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration announced a rule allowing commercial fishing businesses to account for crew member payroll when applying for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan… Continue Reading
07.01.20
ICYMI: Murkowski, Manchin Make Case for American Energy Innovation Act
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., took to the Senate floor this week to urge their colleagues to pass the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA), rather than leaving behind years of important bipartisan work and resigning our nation's energy policies to at least another year without modernization. Click photo for video of colloquy between Murkowski and Manchin Excerpts from the Senators' Remarks On the American Energy Innovation Act Chairman Murkowski: "We… Continue Reading
06.30.20
Murkowski Convenes Hearing Focused on COVID-19 Impacts on U.S. Territories
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. territories - American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "All of our states face challenges in fighting the spread and impact of COVID-19. The territories face additional hurdles, from limited capacity to handle a health pandemic to economies with fewer sources of revenue that are severely harmed by the economic shutdown, p… Continue Reading
06.30.20
White House COVID-19 Task Force On Progress Toward Safely Getting Back to Work, School
As communities across the nation continue to work on plans to safely re-open amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today took part in a Senate HELP Committee hearing focused on how to safely return to work and back to school. The hearing featured Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, Admiral Brett Giroir of HHS, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, and CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield. How the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has used appropri… Continue Reading
06.29.20
Murkowski Welcomes PILT Payments to Alaska
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced today that the Department of the Interior is distributing $31,683,971 to eligible local governments across Alaska through the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. The PILT program provides monetary compensation to local governments in the state that contain federal lands that are not subject to state or local taxation. This revenue supports local governments in providing essential services, such as construction of public schools and roads, firefight… Continue Reading
