05.24.23

Murkowski Joins 26 Senators to Reintroduce Bill Seeking Healing for Stolen Native Children and their Communities

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, joined 26 senators in reintroducing S.1723, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act, which seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities. The bill would establish a formal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge past injustices of the federal government's Indian Boarding School Policies. This includes attempts to terminate… Continue Reading

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03.21.23

Schatz, Murkowski: More Than $3 Million In New Tourism Grants For Native Communities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, issued statements on the recent announcement of more than $3 million in Department of the Interior Tribal Tourism Grant Program funding to 30 Tribes and Tribal organizations, including four Alaska Tribes and Tribal Organizations. This funding, along with similar grants to Native Hawaiian organizations, is made possible… Continue Reading

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12.20.22

Murkowski Leads Senate Passage Of Land Transfer Legislation To Improve Alaska Native Health Care Access

WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved H.R.441, the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act of 2022. The bill contains three separate Senate land conveyance bills sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that were merged into one bill, H.R.441, in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill now heads to the President's Desk. "I thank my Senate colleagues for approving the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act. I have worked for several… Continue Reading

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12.20.22

Schatz, Murkowski: Tribal Land Transfer Bills Set To Become Law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, released the following statements on Senate passage of - H.R. 441, the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act of 2022; H.R. 478, the Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act; H.R. 4881, the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act; S. 989, the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021… Continue Reading

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12.02.22

Murkowski Applauds Senate Passage Of The Stop Act

WASHINGTON, DC - This week, the Senate unanimously approved H.R.2930, the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2021 (STOP Act). The STOP Act now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have led the Senate companion bill since 2016. "Safeguarding and repatriating tribal items of cultural and sacred heritage remains at the forefront of protecting Native customs and history. I have worked for several Congresses t… Continue Reading

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11.18.22

Schatz, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan National Native American Heritage Month Resolution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, led passage of a Senate Resolution recognizing November 2022 as National Native American Heritage Month. "In November we celebrate Native American Heritage Month to recognize American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian peoples and their unique cultures and contributions," said Chairman Schatz. "I am honored to… Continue Reading

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09.22.22

ALASKA NATIVE LEADERS APPOINTED TO NEW TRIBAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Recently, Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced the first round of appointments to the new GAO Tribal Advisory Council, which include three Alaska Native leaders. The appointees will tap their knowledge and experience serving Native communities to assist GAO in overseeing federal programs and addressing the many challenges facing Native communities across the country. The three Alaska Natives appointed to t… Continue Reading

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08.31.22

Murkowski Announces Savanna’s Act Guidelines for State of Alaska

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauds the announcement that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska has completed Savanna's Act guidelines for Alaska. This bipartisan legislation, authored and stewarded into law by Senator Murkowski, requires federal law enforcement to create standard guidelines on responding to cases of missing and murdered Native Americans and strengthen data collection on them. This announcement follows a May 2022 letter by Senators Murkowski, Catherine C… Continue Reading

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08.18.22

Vice Chairman Murkowski to Hold Media Availability Following SCIA Field Hearing

WASHINGTON, DC - On Tuesday, August 23, 2022, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), will hold a media availability for reporters in Unalaska on the committee's field hearing, "Contaminated Land Conveyances: the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Detrimental Impacts of Contamination on Native Communities and the Next Steps for Environmental Justice," including the testimony provided by the following witnesses: MR. STE… Continue Reading

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05.04.22

Tribal Broadband Funding Secured by Murkowski Heading to Alaska

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, applauded the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announcement of broadband grants, including four grants totaling $41.5 million heading to Alaska. The grants are provided through NTIA's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program was created by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which made $980 million … Continue Reading

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03.28.22

Vice Chairman Murkowski: It Is Time HHS Take Action to Ensure Tribal Health Data Access

Recently, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, delivered remarks at the Committee's legislative hearing to receive testimony on six bills, including, S.1397, the Tribal Health Data Improvement Act of 2021, sponsored by Vice Chairman Murkowski with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN). "During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 12 Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) in the country, which includes the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, faced signi… Continue Reading

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03.16.22

Delegation Welcomes Court Ruling Reinstating King Cove Land Exchange Agreement

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, today welcomed a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstating the land exchange needed to facilitate a life-saving road for the residents of King Cove, Alaska. The Ninth Circuit's decision reversed and remanded a flawed District Court ruling that set aside the land exchange agreement in June 2020. "This decision out of the Ninth Circuit reflects the right read of ANILCA and the Secretary of th… Continue Reading

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03.16.22

Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Signed into Law

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) attended a ceremony at the White House to recognize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022 being signed into law. Earlier in the day, Senator Murkowski, alongside her co-leads on the bill, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) celebrated its passage by speaking on the Senate floor. [Click here for bill highlights. Click here for video of Murkowski's speech. Click here for high res photos.] "… Continue Reading

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03.11.22

Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Passes Congress, Heads to President’s Desk

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022, led by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), alongside U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), is heading to the President to be signed into law. This bipartisan legislation, which was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, reauthorizes VAWA through 2027, preserves advancements in previous reauthorizations, and strengthens and modernizes the almost 30-year-old law. The VA… Continue Reading

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02.17.22

Vice Chairman Murkowski Delivers Floor Speech on Alaska Native Civil Rights Leader

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), spoke on the Senate floor on February 16, 2022 to recognize Elizabeth Peratrovich and her legacy as an Alaska Native civil rights leader. Senator Lisa Murkowski delivering her floor speech on Elizabeth Peratrovich on February 16, 2022 Excerpts from the Vice Chairman's floor speech: "Mr. President, I've come to the Senate floor to recognize and honor Elizabeth Peratrovich, who was a relentless c… Continue Reading

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02.10.22

Murkowski and Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), alongside U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), introduced the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the VAWA federal grant programs through 2027 and modernizes the almost three-decade old law. This legislation will help prevent violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable for their violent actions. It includes key provisions to enhan… Continue Reading

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11.16.21

Senator Murkowski Joins Indian Boarding Schools Commission Legislation

Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, made the following statement after signing on as the lead Republican co-sponsor of S. 2907, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools Act. "For many years, thousands of Native children were taken from their families, homes, and communities, and forced to attend boarding schools far away. These Indian boarding schools stripped Native children of their identities and forced them to ass… Continue Reading

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11.06.21

Vice Chairman Murkowski: Historic Infrastructure Package Heading to President's Desk

Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, applauded the House passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation she and a bipartisan group of nine Senators worked for months to negotiate, draft, and pass through the full Senate. Included in the legislation that will now head to the President's desk is substantial funding for Federal programs and Native communities to address water and sanitation, transportation, broadband… Continue Reading

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11.03.21

Schatz, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan National Native American Heritage Month Resolution

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, introduced a Senate resolution recognizing November 2021 as National Native American Heritage Month. "Every November we observe Native American Heritage Month to celebrate Native Hawaiian, American Indian, and Alaska Native peoples and their diverse cultures, achievements, and contributions," said Chairman Schatz. "I am honored to… Continue Reading

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11.01.21

Vice Chairman Murkowski Welcomes November as National Native American Heritage Month

Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), issued the following statement on November as National Native American Heritage Month. "This month brings awareness to celebrate, and recognize the many contributions made by Native people in the United States-Alaska Natives, American Indians, and Native Hawaiians-along with other Indigenous peoples in our country from across the globe. Alaska is home to nearly 40 percent of all federally recog… Continue Reading