05.17.18

Murkowski Welcomes the Approval of Alaska’s ESSA State Plan

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the announcement of the approval of Alaska's consolidated state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). "ESSA provides greater flexibility and control to states and local communities to decide how best to support, celebrate, and improve their schools and provide greater opportunities for all students. I congratulate the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development and the thousands of Alaskans who participated in crafting Alaska's S… Continue Reading

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05.17.18

Murkowski Votes to Confirm Gina Haspel for CIA Director

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today released the following statement after voting to confirm Gina Haspel as the new Director for the Central Intelligence Agency. "With more than 30 years of experience as a leader in the CIA, well respected throughout the intelligence committee, Gina Haspel is certainly qualified to serve as the Agency's Director, made evident through strong bipartisan support," said Senator Murkowski. "Haspel understands, better than most, the risk that inappropriate condu… Continue Reading

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05.17.18

Senate Passes Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Bill

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, today secured passage of S. 346, their National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act. This legislation improves the nation's volcano monitoring and early warning capabilities to help keep communities and travelers safe. "Volcanic eruptions, like the one in Hawaii and the one earlier this month at Cleveland Volcano in Alaska, are vivid reminders of why it is so critical to have continuous and rel… Continue Reading

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05.17.18

Murkowski Joins Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urging Trump Administration To Combat Anti-Semitism, Appoint Special Envoy

Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) led a bipartisan group of 41 U.S. Senators urging President Donald Trump to appoint a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the U.S. Department of State, a position that has now remained vacant for over 15 months. In a letter to President Trump, the senators emphasized the importance of the United States leading with action to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad. "There has been an acute global increase i… Continue Reading

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05.16.18

Senator Murkowski Questions Administrator Pruitt over EPA Budget

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) chaired an Interior Appropriations Subcommittee hearing today, examining the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). During the hearing, Senator Murkowski and her colleagues reviewed programs within the EPA, to ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly, and that the Agency is able to carry out their work. "Administrator Pruitt, when you were before the committee last year you said that you would work to return the EPA … Continue Reading

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05.16.18

Murkowski Statement on Net Neutrality Vote

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski issued the following statement on the Senate's vote on joint resolution, S J Res 52, providing for congressional disapproval of the net neutrality rule by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). "Regulating the internet like a utility under a 1934 law is not the way to an open internet. I have never supported Title II regulation and do not support it today. "I have voted to pass this resolution today so that we can reset the discussion and move beyond the polit… Continue Reading

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05.15.18

Committee Reviews Nominee for the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to consider the nomination of Aimee Jorjani to be the chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Council). If confirmed, she will complete the remainder of a four-year term expiring on June 10, 2021. Murkowski opened the hearing by thanking Jorjani for her willingness to serve our country and highlighting her qualifications for the role. "Aimee Jorjani appears to be very well … Continue Reading

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05.14.18

Murkowski Questions Military Leaders on U.S. Strategy in the Arctic

The Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee recently held a hearing to review the FY19 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Defense. During the hearing, Senator Lisa Murkowski questioned Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford about our strategic military presence in the Arctic. "In the past 10 years we have seen the Russians move dramatically, and actually in the past year even more so. And yet, our U.S. Arctic strategy has ye… Continue Reading

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05.11.18

Senator Murkowski Questions Secretary Zinke over Interior Budget

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) chaired an Interior Appropriations Subcommittee hearing today, examining the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for the Department of the Interior. During the hearing, Senator Murkowski addressed budget priorities from public access and land conveyance needs to disaster warning systems and maintenance backlogs. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke testified on the Department of Interior's effort to examine how to best manage our public lands, taking a 100-year outlook. … Continue Reading

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05.10.18

Menendez, Murkowski, Klobuchar, Rubio Celebrate Passage of Bipartisan Firefighter Cancer Registry Act

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today applauded unanimous Senate passage of The Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, bipartisan legislation he first introduced in the 114th Congress with original cosponsors Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), to create a national cancer registry for firefighters diagnosed with the deadly disease. The bill calls on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor and study the relationship between career-lo… Continue Reading

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05.10.18

Alaska Senators Welcome Selection of University of Alaska, Fairbanks as UAS Integration Pilot Program Site

Alaska Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski welcomed yesterday's announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation naming the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) as one of 10 sites nationwide selected for the highly competitive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP). The newly created program serves an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to partner with private sector entities to accelerate the safe UAS i… Continue Reading

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05.09.18

Alaska Delegation Strongly Supports Tara Sweeney

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today advocated for the swift confirmation of Tara Sweeney of Alaska to be Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. During Tara Sweeney's nomination hearing in the Indian Affairs Committee, of which Senator Murkowski is a member, the Alaska senators offered their congratulations and full support for her nomination. Once confirmed, Sweeney, the former co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives and Cha… Continue Reading

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05.09.18

Sen. Murkowski Announces $10.9 Million in Secure Rural Schools Payments to Alaska

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that communities across Alaska will soon receive a total of $10,972,512 to fund schools and local budget priorities. The payments are being provided through the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, which Murkowski successfully reauthorized and funded in the recent omnibus appropriations bill. "I recognize that as timber production declines, local communities in Alaska and across the nation are forced to rely on the Secure Rural Schools program … Continue Reading

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05.09.18

Murkowski: Supporting Coast Guard

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) pushed for additional icebreakers to protect our northern most border from domestic and international threats. During the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the Homeland Security budget, Senator Murkowski also questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen about the agency's plans to build shoreside infrastructure necessary to supporting new Coast Guard vessels coming to Alaska. "I would argue that as an arctic nation, in the pas… Continue Reading

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05.09.18

Murkowski: More Work to be Done to Strengthen Puerto Rico’s Electric Grid

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday chaired an oversight hearing to examine the status of electricity restoration for the people of Puerto Rico, the work that remains to be completed, and the future of the island's grid. The committee also heard from leaders on the ground about proposals to reform and strengthen the island's grid operations as another hurricane season approaches. As of May 1, 98 percent of power has been restored to Puerto Rico's electric grid since Hurricane Maria mad… Continue Reading

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05.09.18

Murkowski Statement on President Trump’s Announcement to Withdraw from Iran Deal

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after President Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and impose additional sanctions on Iran: "I agree with President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - a fatally flawed deal that did nothing to stop Iran's continued development of ballistic missile technology, little to check its destructive behaviors across the region, and would have eventually removed re… Continue Reading

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05.07.18

Alaska Delegation Applauds AGDC and BP Gas Sales Agreement

Today, the Alaska Delegation applauded the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) and BP Alaska on their announcement of the key terms of a gas sales agreement. "Today's announcement is an important step in our efforts to commercialize Alaska's vast natural gas resources," said the Delegation. "Over the years, trillions of cubic feet of natural gas have been left in place on the North Slope because we lack the infrastructure needed to transport it. The increased production of Alaska's va… Continue Reading

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05.04.18

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Visits Alaska

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, this week hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry in Alaska, his first visit to the state since being confirmed to lead the federal Department of Energy. Murkowski and Perry in Kodiak Murkowski and Perry traveled to Kodiak and the small fishing village of Old Harbor on Tuesday, with an itinerary of meetings and site visits focused on a variety of local renewable energy initiatives. "The best way to learn about Alaska, to truly understand it and grasp i… Continue Reading

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05.02.18

Alaska Delegation Welcomes Critical HIDTA Designation to Combat Drug Trafficking and Reduce Supply of Illegal Drugs

The Alaska Congressional Delegation today welcomed a critical announcement by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to help facilitate greater cooperation, criminal case coordination and information sharing among local, tribal, state and federal agencies currently engaged in counter-drug trafficking operations in Alaska. The decision to designate areas surrounding Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) represents the first new regional HIDT… Continue Reading

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05.01.18

Murkowski Statement on New U.S. Genetically Engineered Salmon Facility

Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement after the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the application for an AquaBounty Salmon Facility in Indiana last week. AquaBounty Technologies has been developing genetically engineered (GE) salmon since 1996 and received an FDA approval in 2015 to sell it for human consumption. Due to Senator Murkowski's efforts, an import alert for GE salmon remains in place preventing U.S. production. "While AquaBounty continues… Continue Reading