Murkowski Announces Significant Investments for Alaska in Final FY 2024 Appropriations Package
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced more wins for Alaska within the second (and final) package of appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.
Earlier this morning, the Senate passed H.R. 2882, the vehicle for those appropriations bills, by a vote of 74-24. The package contains the FY 2024 bills for Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.
“I worked hard to ensure these bills will strengthen our Arctic military capabilities including delivering an icebreaker to Alaska waters, improve Alaskans’ access to healthcare, bolster workforce development, support our families, and improve border security. Throughout, we aimed at taking on Alaska’s biggest challenges—from modernizing our military and addressing our workforce challenges to helping with housing and childcare and combatting the mental health crisis in our state. I thank the many Alaskans who helped shape these priorities, and I’m proud to bring home investments that will benefit our health, economy, and security,” said Senator Murkowski.
“While this package marks the end of the FY 2024 appropriations cycle, we now turn immediately to the FY 2025 process. My project request portal has been open for the past two weeks, and Alaskans have until Sunday, March 31, to submit their requests for the next year of programmatic funding and Congressionally Directed Spending.”
Highlights for Alaska
Overall: The six appropriations bills passed today include $85.7 million for 72 Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects. These measures also provided funding and numerous directives to federal agencies for authorized programs that are important to Alaskans.
Homeland Security
Senator Murkowski secured $125 million for the U.S. Coast Guard to acquire a Commercially Available Icebreaker to be homeported in Juneau and minimized harmful cuts to the Polar Security Cutter program to keep forward momentum on our nation’s strategic capabilities in the Arctic. She also added $25 million for the Fast Response Cutter homeporting project in Seward and $11 million for modernizing the mariner credentialing program to reduce hiring delays for mariners in Alaska and across the country. Murkowski also worked to include funding to mitigate natural disasters, ensured the bill strengthened border security, and provided resources to combat the fentanyl crisis. The CDS requests she secured funding for in this bill include:
- Haines:$1 million for the Haines Borough for an emergency operations center.
- Mat-Su Borough:$2.5 million for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough for a project that will offer a proposed protection and safety option for homeowners in critical at-risk flooding areas.
- Seward:$655,000 for the Kenai Peninsula Borough for a Seward Bear Creek Service Area flood mitigation project.
Bolstering Border Security
Senator Murkowski worked to improve security at our borders by supporting hundreds of new Border Patrol (CBP) agents and increasing offices at ports of entry. Additionally, she supported provisions to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for enforcement and removal efforts.
Combatting Cartels and the Flow of Fentanyl
Senator Murkowski supported provisions to combat transnational criminal organizations engaged in fentanyl trafficking, child exploitation, and human smuggling. She supported over $824 million specifically targeting fentanyl, including $592 million for additional non-intrusive inspection equipment at ports of entry.
Defense
Modernizing and Innovating Arctic Defense Capabilities and Infrastructure
Senator Murkowski is dedicated to bolstering defense capabilities in Alaska and included several investments that strengthen the military’s presence and capabilities in the Arctic. She worked to increase funding to sustain, repair, and modernize the infrastructure of Alaska’s Long-Range Radar Stations, Over the Horizon Radar, and the North Warning Systems.
Murkowski’s efforts to provide warfighters the tools they need also includes increasing support for operations in the Arctic, including funding for Arctic-capable prepositioned shelters. She was successful in securing additional funding for modernization upgrades to the Department of Defense’s premier Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. Additional funding includes (but is not limited to):
- $239.5 million for homeland defense radar improvements to close the capability gaps that came into focus after the Chinese spy balloon crossed the country.
- $200 million in additional funding to accelerate the delivery of the E-7 platform, a critical upgrade to airborne early warning and control capabilities of the Air Force.
- $12.5 million to extend the range of operations and campaigns into the Arctic region of Alaska.
- $10 million for Eielson and JBER vehicle and support equipment to meet the needs of the NORAD and USNORTHCOM alert missions and increased operations tempo.
- $12 million for Eielson and JBER snow removal equipment to improve cold weather operations at bases in Alaska and improve readiness in difficult weather conditions.
- $1.5 million for airfield de-icier equipment to improve the readiness of Army aircraft.
- $6 million for improvements to the nation’s premier combat training range, the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.
- An additional $25 million for State Operated Space Port Rocket Systems Launch Program (SPACE).
- An additional $15 million for Innovative Readiness Training, doubling the total available funding for the program.
- An additional $12 million for increased cyber resiliency across the Department.
- An additional $23 million for Arctic focused observation, monitoring, and research.
- $900,000 for hangar fire systems repair to improve safety and reduce maintenance costs at Eielson.
Supporting the Wellbeing of Alaska-Based Servicemembers
From the much-deserved 5.2% raise for servicemembers and expanding access to pre-K in schools on bases, to repairing child development centers—Senator Murkowski is focused on relieving stress on military parents and improving their wellbeing. She was also successful in securing funding for quality-of-life equities across facilities.
Senator Murkowski is also committed to addressing the mental health crisis within the military, including through improved suicide prevention and response efforts that can help soldiers struggling with their mental health. Additional funding includes (but is not limited to):
- $5 million for quality-of-life equipment for Alaskan Command.
- $2 million for suicide prevention with a focus on rural, remote, isolated installations.
- A requirement for an explanation of the process that led to severe cuts to overseas cost-of-living allowances for servicemembers in Alaska.
- A requirement for an analysis of the impacts to missions that support homeland defense, the protection of life, and national security by major and combatant commands impacted by the Air National Guard’s egregious decision to standardize personnel levels among all Air National Guard units.
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Improving Access to Healthcare Services
Senator Murkowski added a number of provisions that improve Alaskans’ access to mental and physical healthcare services. She secured dozens of CDS allocations for projects across the state that will strengthen the healthcare workforce and modernize facilities while also funding suicide prevention programs and resource centers. She prioritized funding for Community Health Centers and for the National Health Service Corps to continue providing access to care for people around the state. Murkowski also secured research funding for ALS and colorectal cancer disparities in the bill. Her healthcare related CDS requests include:
- Anchorage: $2 million for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to expand the emergency department to include a clinical decision unit (CDU).
- Statewide: $1.987 million for Alaska Behavioral Health to implement and configure health IT.
- Utqiagvik: $1.5 million for the Arctic Slope Native Association to purchase imaging instruments and expand the Labor and Delivery Unit.
- Juneau: $4 million for the Bartlett Regional Hospital to expand the current emergency department.
- Bethel: $2 million for the Bethel Family Clinic to renovate and repair the Bethel Family Clinic building.
- Glenallen: $300,000 for the Copper River Native Association for a trauma center and urgent care expansion design.
- Fairbanks: $5 million for the Fairbanks Native Association to replace the Women & Children’s Residential Treatment Facility.
- Homer: $5 million for the Kenai Peninsula Borough to renovate the South Peninsula Hospital facility.
- Ketchikan: $2 million for the Ketchikan Indian Community to construct a mental health treatment facility and aligned patient and/or staff housing.
- Kodiak: $5 million for the Kodiak Area Native Association to expand the Kodiak health center.
- Kotzebue: $750,000 for the Maniilaq Association to establish a 24/7 crisis stabilization center.
- Cordova: $5 million for the Native Village of Eyak to construct a primary care clinic and renovate a health care facility.
- Salamatof: $500,000 for the Peninsula Community Health Services of Alaska to establish a facility to provide medical and behavioral health services, and to purchase medical equipment.
- Anchorage: $1 million for the Southcentral Foundation to construct and purchase equipment for a new Crisis Stabilization Center.
- Statewide: $1.2 million for the Alaska Department of Health to upgrade health technology systems.
- Statewide: $1 million for the Alaska Department of Health for an electronic medical record (EMR) software system for public health centers.
- Statewide: $413,000 for the ALS Association to purchase durable medical equipment (DME) to supply loan lockers.
- Wasilla: $2 million for The Children’s Place to build a mental health facility.
- Anchorage: $2 million for the University of Alaska Anchorage to renovate nursing education facilities and strengthen Alaska’s health care workforce.
- Anchorage: $500,000 for the University of Alaska to renovate a behavioral health care facility.
- Anchorage: $750,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage for the Alaska Mental Health K-12 Student Initiative.
- Fairbanks and Anchorage: $1.315 million for the Cohen Veterans Network to strengthen mental health outcomes for military service members, veterans, and their families.
- Mat-Su Borough: $38,000 for the United Way of Matanuska-Susitna Borough to prevent and reduce youth substance use and support programming for at-risk youth.
- Statewide: $500,000 for the Alaska Department of Health project for Mobile Crisis Team Units.
Strengthening Public Health, Helping Vulnerable Populations, and Supporting Women and Mothers
Senator Murkowski is ensuring that vulnerable populations in Alaska receive the help they need. From people experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to children in unsafe situations—she continues to work with advocates to address the issues and craft solutions. This package funds provisions within the Violence Against Women Act, Maternal Mental Health Hotline program, Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMs), and the 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Service. Murkowski also requested and secured the following CDS allocations to strengthen public health and help vulnerable populations in Alaska:
- Statewide: $250,000 for Alaska Children’s Trust to develop an evidence-based child sexual abuse prevention program for Alaska Native communities.
- Anchorage: $1 million for Bean’s Cafe to increase access to wrap-around services.
- Bethel: $300,000 for the BBethel Winter House to provide case management for homeless individuals.
- Statewide: $2 million for Covenant House Alaska to support communities in rural Alaska in developing regionally and culturally relevant youth homelessness response and human trafficking prevention programs.
- Statewide: $1.65 million for Nine Star to promote economic security and prevent homelessness for low-income populations in rural Alaska.
- Anchorage: $138,000 for the Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP) for an elder wellness and fitness program.
- Wasilla: $3 million for the Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services to expand a substance use treatment facility.
- Statewide: Directs the U.S. Department of Education to allow school districts to continue to draw down homeless assistance funding to serve youth across the state.
- Statewide: Increases funding for LIHEAP by $25 million to help low-income individuals afford home energy costs.
Bolstering Workforce Development
Alaskans have shared the challenges caused by workforce shortages that have impacted nearly every industry in the state. Through these bills, Senator Murkowski sought to strengthen workforce development to help college students, future educators, and people across Alaska develop their skills so they can work and stay in the state. She secured funding for Job Corps programs, incentivizing high-quality center operations and enhancing partnerships with existing rural training sites. Senator Murkowski also secured the following CDS requests to support Alaska’s workforce:
- Anchorage: $350,000 for the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Trust to fund workforce training activities at an Alaska Electrical Training Center.
- Statewide: $1.6 million for the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Trust to fund workforce training activities at a Telecom and Electrical Infrastructure Apprenticeship and Training Center.
- Statewide: $500,000 for the Alaska Legal Services Corporation to fund workplace training activities.
- Statewide: $1.999 million for the Alaska Operating Engineers Employers Training Trust Fund to fund workforce training activities.
- Statewide: $1 million for the Alaska Works Partnership to fund workforce training activities.
- Anchorage: $1 million for Cook Inlet Tribal Council to fund workforce training activities.
- Fairbanks: $1 million for Foundation Health to fund workforce training activities.
- Nome: $568,000 for Kawerak to fund workforce training activities.
- Statewide: $1 million for the Pacific Northwest Ironworkers Training Program d.b.a. Alaska Ironworkers Training Program to fund workforce training activities.
- Klawock: $500,000 for the Prince of Wales Vocational and Technical Education Center to fund workforce training activities.
- Anchorage: $1 million for the University of Alaska Anchorage to fund workforce training activities through an apprenticeship program.
- Wasilla: $74,000 for the Pediatric Resource Center of Alaska to strengthen Alaska’s behavioral health workforce.
Supporting Alaskan Families, Students and Schools
Senator Murkowski is working to ensure that all students in Alaska have access to a quality education regardless of the community they live in. Many of her programmatic priorities, including funding for schools that serve disadvantaged youth and students with disabilities, afterschool programs, Head Start and other childcare programs, and more, received increased funding. Senator Murkowski also secured the following CDS allocations that will support Alaskan educators, students, and schools:
- Anchorage: $150,0000 for the Alaska Humanities Forum for the Alaska Studies Curriculum website.
- Anchorage: $301,000 for the Anchorage School District to install secure visitor management systems in Anchorage schools.
- North Slope Region: $1 million for the Arctic Slope Community Foundation to develop and provide a local indigenous educator apprenticeship model.
- Statewide: $25,000 for the Bright Lights Book Project to increase access to books in rural Alaska.
- Statewide: $750,000 for EXCEL Alaska to provide access to educational training opportunities.
- Fairbanks: $100,000 for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District for the construction of hydroponic systems and agricultural education for schools.
- Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg: $100,000 for the Hydaburg City School District for a Prince of Wales Island Technology and Security Upgrade.
- Kotzebue: $50,000 for the Native Village of Kotzebue to include elders in the teaching of Inupiaq language to students at the Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat school.
- North Slope Borough: $580,000 for the North Slope Borough School District to preserve Inupiat culture, traditions, and language including through distance learning.
- Anchorage: $261,000 for RurAL CAP to increase access to early education.
- Southeast Alaska and Anchorage: $250,000 for the Sealaska Heritage Institute for the Raven Reads Project, an early literacy programs in Southeast Alaska.
- Anchorage: $1 million for the University of Alaska Anchorage to expand and support Alaska Native students from rural communities through ANSEP.
- Anchorage: $500,000 for the YWCA Alaska to connect Alaskan students with supportive peers, communities, and mentors.
- Anchorage: $985,000 for Alaska Pacific University for a teacher apprenticeship program.
- Bering Strait Region: $484,000 for Kawerak for a teacher training program.
- Anchorage: $750,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to develop a graduate degree program.
- Anchorage: $295,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to help increase the number of social workers in schools.
- Anchorage: $360,000 for RurAL CAP to fund childcare scholarships for low-income families and to re-open classrooms.
- Statewide: Includes a directive that allows Indian Head Start providers to enroll tribal families regardless of the restrictive income caps of the Head Start Act.
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Supporting Arctic Affairs Efforts
In the SFOPS bill, Senator Murkowski included numerous provisions to support Arctic priorities, including $2 million for the office of the Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs. She provided bilateral economic assistance for the Arctic Council Secretariat and the Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region and worked to support the Arctic Winter Games and Arctic Youth Ambassadors Programs.
Financial Services and General Government
Supporting Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs in Alaska
Senator Murkowski continues to work hard to support Alaska’s small business owners and those who aspire to make a positive difference in our state, including through continued advocacy for flexibility so that Alaskan 8(a) subcontractors do not have to establish a brick-and-mortar place of business in each individual community where they may undertake work. Senator Murkowski also secured the following CDS allocations to support Alaska small businesses and entrepreneurs:
· Statewide: $1 million for the University of Alaska System’s Alaska Native Entrepreneurship Program.
· Southeast: $350,000 to expand the Ketchikan Indian Community’s State Small Business Credit Initiative Program.
Libraries, Museums, Archives and the Arts: Alaska’s libraries, museums, and archives help us to understand our past, find our place in the present, and plan for a bright tomorrow. In addition to language directing the Government Accountability Office to conduct a survey of the facility needs for libraries and museums, Senator Murkowski secured the following CDS allocations that will support Alaska’s libraries, archives, and museums and the many Alaskans who benefit from these facilities:
- Statewide: $250,000 for the Alaska Library Network to upgrade the online Alaska Library Catalog request system and purchase e-books and online educational resources.
- Anchorage: $10 million for the Alaska Leaders Archive to refurbish and construct new space at the Consortium Library for an archive of the collections of Alaskan leaders who helped to shape our state.
- Statewide: $1,500,000 for the University of Alaska System to purchase a climate-controlled media vault for over 450 rare and unique historical films, videotapes, and oral histories.
- Anchorage: $3,000,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to renovate space and install compact shelving for the Alaska Resources Library and Information Services, which houses records from federal agencies that tell the story of resource development in Alaska.
Murkowski also included language in this bill again this year to ensure that federal records stored in the National Archives facility near Seattle are digitized and posted online so all Alaskans can access their history.
Improving Healthcare in Alaska
Senator Murkowski secured the following CDS allocations to support and improve healthcare in Alaska in the FSGG bill:
- Statewide: $1.512 million for RurAL CAP for the Community Action Resource Center.
- Statewide: $2 million for the University of Alaska System for Alaska Healthcare Innovation.
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