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 Spotlights Alaska at Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today delivered remarks during the opening session of the 2018 Arctic Circle Assembly, which is being held in Reykjavik, Iceland. The Assembly annually brings together more than 2,000 of the most influential leaders, policymakers, and experts from more than 60 countries to focus on the Arctic region. This year's Assembly showcase is the state of Alaska - America's Arctic. Murkowski speaking at the Arctic Circle Assembly "It is an honor to have Alaska spo… Continue Reading
10.15.18
Murkowski Welcomes Treasury Secretary in Alaska
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) this weekend welcomed U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin to Alaska. During the Secretary's visit, Senator Murkowski brought together local community and business leaders from industries such as tourism, real estate, banking, and finance to discuss Alaska's economy and opportunities. "It is truly an honor to have Secretary Mnuchin in Alaska, and I thank him for taking the time to make the trip," said Senator Lisa Murkowski. "This visit was a tremendous oppo… Continue Reading
10.11.18
Murkowski Speaks to Alaskan Perspective of Short-Term Health Insurance Plans
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) yesterday spoke on the Senate floor on Senate Joint Resolution 63, a resolution of disapproval that would overturn a Trump administration rule that expanded the length of time that consumers can keep short-term health insurance plans. Senator Murkowski used the opportunity to explain an Alaskan perspective on short-term plans and its influence on her no vote on the joint resolution. "In Alaska we are the highest cost in terms of cost of care, highest in terms … Continue Reading
10.10.18
ICYMI: Alaskan-Caught Salmon Removed from Proposed Tariffs
As the 2018 salmon season wrapped up in Alaska, Alaskans received news from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) that certain Alaskan salmon will be excluded from the list of seafood imports subject to tariffs, allowing Alaska seafood producers who send salmon to China for limited processing to reimport those products to the United States, tariff-free. This action comes after these items were initially included on a list of hundreds of goods entering the United States which would b… Continue Reading
10.10.18
Senate Passes Major Water Infrastructure Bill
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after the Senate passed, S. 3021, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, through a bipartisan vote of 99-1. The bill, which passed the House of Representatives by voice vote in September, now heads to the president's desk. Working closely with leaders on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, including Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Murkowski secured a num… Continue Reading
10.09.18
Alaska Delegation Sends Joint Letter to State Department on Transboundary Mining Activity
The Alaska Delegation recently joined together to urge the Secretary of State to discuss the risks posed by transboundary mining activity during upcoming bilateral meetings between the United States and Canada. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Congressman Don Young, Governor Bill Walker, and Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing Alaska's priorities for strong and continued engagement between the State Department and the Canadian Govern… Continue Reading
10.05.18
Senator Murkowski Speaks on Supreme Court Nomination
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) tonight spoke on the Senate floor on her decision to oppose the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the United States Supreme Court. (Click here to view the video) Full Remarks Below: "I've come to the floor this evening to share my thoughts on what has been an extraordinarily long, difficult, and truly painful process. As we took up the cloture motion on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court, the process that led… Continue Reading
10.03.18
Murkowski Supports FAA Reauthorization Bill
Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the bicameral legislation that will provide a five-year reauthorization for the FAA, the longest enacted since 1982. This significant legislation strengthens security at airports and in flight, boosts innovation, and address Alaska's unique transportation challenges. The bill passed the Senate in a 93-6 vote, passed the House last week, and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. "Tragically a helicopter crashed this pa… Continue Reading
10.03.18
ENR Approves Bill to Restore Equity for Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday advanced S. 785, the Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act, out of committee by voice vote. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, both R-Alaska, would allow approximately 2,800 Alaska Natives who served during the Vietnam-era to apply for their Congressionally-promised Native allotment, after they missed their initial opportunity to do so because of their service. … Continue Reading
10.02.18
Durbin, Murkowski Urge FDA To Immediately Ban Kid-Friendly E-Cigarette Flavors, Restrict Online Sales
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today, in a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urged the agency to immediately ban kid-friendly e-cigarette flavorings and restrict online sales of the addictive nicotine products. Durbin and Murkowski's letter comes on the heels of the FDA's announcement last month that-due to a public health "epidemic" of youth e-cigarette use-it would issue new enforcement actions on e-cigarette companies' use of kid-appealing flav… Continue Reading
10.01.18
Senate Passes Bill to Strengthen National Earthquake Resilience Program
Last week, the Senate passed S. 1768, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill to improve the nation's earthquake preparedness. The legislation, introduced by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., modernizes earthquake-safety programs that help states like Alaska and California prepare for and respond to earthquakes. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Kamala H… Continue Reading
09.28.18
Murkowski Supports FBI Investigation before Vote on Supreme Court Nominee
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today made the following statement in support of delaying the final vote on Supreme Court Nominee, Brett Kavanaugh: "After a full day of testimony, I continued to express concerns to my colleagues about how this process has been handled by both sides of the aisle. In order to fully and fairly complete our due diligence, allowing the FBI up to one week to supplement its background investigation is appropriate. It is important to have a fair process for the sake of b… Continue Reading
09.25.18
Murkowski: Quantum Technologies Can Change the World
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts for quantum information science (QIS) - working with the National Labs, universities, and private industry - which could transform the future of computing. Expert witnesses discussed the challenges and opportunities that currently exist with the technology. Murkowski opened the hearing by emphasizing the importance of the U.S. staying ahead of the curve by investing in quantum technol… Continue Reading
09.21.18
Schatz, Murkowski Introduce Legislation To Expand Amber Alert System To All U.S. Territories, Help Find Missing Children
Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced legislation to expand the AMBER Alert system to include all U.S. territories. The national AMBER Alert network distributes alerts on highway billboards, TVs, radio, and cellular phones to mobilize the public when a child is missing or abducted. It has helped rescue more than 900 children to date. "AMBER Alerts have helped save hundreds of children. There's no good reason for U.S. territories to be excluded fr… Continue Reading
09.21.18
Committee Addresses Transparency to Reduce Healthcare Costs
In Alaska and the rest of the United States, patients rarely know the cost of medical services before receiving care, and costs can vary significantly depending on where one chooses to receive care. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) this week participated in a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing to reduce healthcare costs by making healthcare information on cost and quality more transparent. The hearing featured witnesses Leah Binder, President & CEO of the Leap… Continue Reading
09.20.18
Bipartisan Bill Addresses Suicide Crisis in Native Communities
U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and fourteen other Senate colleagues in introducing the Native American Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation would help address the alarming suicide rate in Native communities by requiring collaboration among state governments and tribal communities to develop and implement statewide suicide early intervention and prevention strategies. This legislation ensures Native communities are not left out of t… Continue Reading
09.18.18
Murkowski Votes in Favor of Funding Package to Benefit Alaska
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the Conference Report for H.R. 6157, a funding package which includes the Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019 and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The funding package includes the largest pay raise for troops in nearly a decade, funding for a new national firefighter cancer registry, and support for high quality educational and job training opportunities for Alaskans … Continue Reading
09.18.18
Murkowski, Warren, Colleagues Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Address Suicide Crisis in Native Communities
Bill Text | One-Pager United States Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with fifteen of their Senate colleagues, today introduced the bipartisan Native American Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation would help address the suicide crisis in Indian Country by ensuring collaboration among states and tribal communities to design and implement statewide suicide intervention and prevention strategies that work for their communities. The Native American Suicide … Continue Reading
09.18.18
Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement Announced
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the announcement of the Pacific Salmon Treaty agreement between the U.S. and Canada that determines shared harvest levels for B.C., Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. For the first time since the creation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty in 1985, the 59-member Alaska Treaty Team unanimously supported the Alaska position contained within the ten-year conservation and harvest agreement. "Coming to an agreement like this no easy task, so to know tha… Continue Reading
09.17.18
Senator Murkowski Secures Provisions to Fight Opioid Epidemic
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, which passed the Senate in a 99-1 vote. This bipartisan package was developed through combining the proposals of over 70 senators and the work by five committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Commerce; Finance; Judiciary; and Banking. As a member of the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Murkowski helped secure several provisions in the bill aimed to address the ongoing shortage of pro… Continue Reading
