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 Stresses Need to Equip DoD With Tools to Support Arctic Defense Strategy
In honor of what would have been U.S. Senator Ted Stevens' ninety-sixth birthday, U.S. Senator Murkowski (R-AK) raised attention to an issue that was significant to him-the importance of the Arctic and a strong national defense to Alaska and the nation. Senator Murkowski highlighted her legislation she introduced with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to create a new Department of Defense (DoD) Regional Center for Security Studies for the Arctic, which would be named in Senator Stevens' honor. T… Continue Reading
11.18.19
Alaska Congressional Delegation Tours F-35 Plant in Texas
Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, alongside military and community leaders from Interior Alaska, toured Lockheed Martin's F-35 assembly plant and were shown the first F-35As that will eventually be stationed at Eielson Air Force Base beginning in the spring of 2020. During the visit, the delegation was briefed on the overall F-35 program and its capabilities, toured the production line to get a firsthand look at the U.S. Air Force's lates… Continue Reading
11.15.19
Bipartisan Resolution to Honor Women Veterans Passes Senate Unanimously
Resolution Text (PDF) United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today applauded the unanimous passage of their bipartisan resolution to urge the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp series honoring women veterans of the Armed Forces and calling for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committe… Continue Reading
11.15.19
Bill to Safeguard Funding for Protection and Safety of Olympic Athletes Advances in Senate
A group of senators, including U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both (R-Alaska), introduced legislation this week that would safeguard funding for resources designated for the investigation of Olympic and amateur athlete abuse. The Stopping Abuse from Entering Sports, Promoting Oversight, Responsibility and Transparency (SAFESPORT) Act was authored by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and is also co-sponsored by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and David Perd… Continue Reading
11.15.19
Udall, Murkowski Introduce Legislation to Address Health Care Provider Shortages in Indian Country
U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced the Indian Health Service Health Professions Tax Fairness Act to help address health care provider shortages at the Indian Health Service (IHS). The legislation would exempt IHS' scholarship and loan repayment programs, two key employee recruitment and retention tools, from federal income tax requirements, allowing the service to better leverage its existing fundi… Continue Reading
11.14.19
Murkowski: Brouillette Will Excel in New Role
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to consider the nomination of Dan Brouillette to be Secretary of the Department of the Energy (DOE). The Senate previously confirmed Mr. Brouillette to be Deputy Secretary with a strong bipartisan vote of 79-17 on August 3, 2017, and he has served in that role since then. Current Secretary Rick Perry has announced he will depart DOE on December 1. Murkowski opened the hearing by expressing her strong support for Brouillette's nominatio… Continue Reading
11.14.19
Murphy, Murkowski Applaud Committee Passage of Save Our Seas 2.0
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) applauded committee passage of Save Our Seas 2.0, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to combat marine debris. Murphy and Murkowski are both cosponsors of the bill. The legislation includes a Murphy-Murkowski drafted provision to fund a Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovation to be given out for the development of projects to rep… Continue Reading
11.13.19
Murkowski and Colleagues Address Youth Vaping Epidemic
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined her colleagues on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee today for a hearing to examine the federal response to lung illnesses and rising electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among youth. During the hearing, witnesses spoke about the public health response to the outbreak of lung injuries linked to the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping products, and federal actions to prevent youth from using electronic tobacco products. The hearing a… Continue Reading
11.13.19
Klobuchar, Murkowski Urge Department of Health and Human Services to Examine the Collaboration between Google and Ascension Health System over Privacy Concerns
Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to examine a collaboration between Google and Ascension health system that enables Google to collect the personal health information of roughly 50 million Americans-including personally identifiable information, lab results, hospital records, and physician diagnoses-without their knowledge or consent. According to the Wall Street Journal, neither Ascension patients nor phys… Continue Reading
11.11.19
Murkowski Shares Message in Honor of Veterans
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) shared the following message with Alaskans on Veterans Day: CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO "As an Alaskan, I am honored that over 68 thousand veterans call our state home. We are proud of the men and women in uniform and forever grateful for their service. "Today we honor all veterans, in Alaska and across the nation, who have answered that call to serve. We thank our veterans for the tremendous sacrifices they have made - serving courageously across America and in… Continue Reading
11.08.19
Murkowski Joins Committee in Addressing Tribal Workforces
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and her colleagues on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee this week held an oversight hearing focused on the PL 477 program, an innovative and comprehensive Native employment and training program. The 477 program is unique in that it allows tribes to pool funding from various federal agencies to support projects to tackle the significant unemployment conditions that impact Native communities across the U.S. The hearing included testimony from Ralph Anderson, Pr… Continue Reading
11.07.19
Murkowski, Wicker, Sullivan Introduce Legislation to Prioritize Arctic Maritime Transportation Opportunities, Safety, and Security
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced legislation to urge the U.S. to prioritize emerging opportunities in the Arctic for maritime transportation, and ensure that increased Arctic shipping proceeds safely and securely. The Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee Act addresses increasing shipping and maritime traffic by creating an advisory committee to study Arctic maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development. The Arctic… Continue Reading
11.07.19
Murkowski Convenes Hearing on Legislation to Provide Alaska With Fair Share of Offshore Energy Revenues
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to examine federal revenues derived from energy development as well as programs that share those revenues with state, local, and tribal governments. As part of the hearing, the committee also received testimony on two bills: S. 2418, Sen. Bill Cassidy's (R-La.) Conservation of America's Shoreline Terrain and Aquatic Life (COASTAL) Act, and S. 2666, Sen. Martha McSally's (R-Ariz.) Public… Continue Reading
11.06.19
Alaska Congressional Delegation Applauds $25 Million BUILD Grant for Port of Alaska
Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $25 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant to the Port of Alaska, located in Anchorage. "The Port of Alaska - which provides the vast majority of the food, construction materials, fuel, and other vital goods that Alaskans rely on - is in danger from crumbling infrastructure," said the Alaska delegation. … Continue Reading
11.06.19
Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus adds new members, hosts first meeting with CEOs
U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) today announced that six additional members will join the newly-formed bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus: Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Angus King (I-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The caucus is bringing together an equal number of Republicans and Democrats to craft and advance bipartisan solutions to address climate change. "If we are to make … Continue Reading
11.05.19
Murkowski Expresses Support for Interior, FERC Nominees
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to consider nominees for the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The nominees are Ms. Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of DOI and Mr. James Danly to be a member of FERC. Murkowski expressed her support for both nominees and spoke to the importance of the positions they have been nominated for. "Interior is the steward of about 20 percent of all land in the United States, and … Continue Reading
11.05.19
Murkowski, Warren, McSally, Tester, Harris, Sullivan, Gillibrand and Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Honor Women Veterans
United States Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today introduced the Senate companion to a House resolution urging the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp series honoring women veterans of the Armed Forces and calling for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend to the Postmaster … Continue Reading
11.01.19
Murkowski: We Must Have a Sense of Urgency to Keep Native Women and Girls Safe
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the growing crisis of missing, trafficked, and murdered indigenous women across the nation and the need to both understand the scope of the problem and address coordination between our state, federal, and tribal governments. Senator Murkowski emphasized how Native women are victims of violence in unprecedented proportions, the lack of updated data, and her legislative efforts to address the epidemic. Murkowski appreciated … Continue Reading
11.01.19
Senate Passes Murkowski’s Interior-Environment Funding Bill
U.S. Senator Murkowski (R-AK) today applauded Senate passage of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2020. As chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) crafted a bill with funding to strengthen local economies, provide for basic necessities like water and wastewater infrastructure, and create safer and healthier communities. The Interior Subcommittee is responsible for funding agencies that are tasked with managing ou… Continue Reading
11.01.19
Funding Package Passes Senate
The Senate today passed, in vote of 84-9, a funding bill package that sets federal funding levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The funding package combines the FY 2020 Appropriations bills for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Commerce, Justice, Science; Interior-Environment; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. As Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) had a sig… Continue Reading
