Murkowski Commends Administration’s Arctic Focus
Welcomes Presidential Memo, Reopening of Greenland Consulate
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statements in support of the administration’s recent Arctic-specific actions.
This week, the Trump administration issued a Presidential Memorandum entitled Safeguarding U.S. National Interests in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions:
“My priority is not just to raise awareness of America’s role as an Arctic nation, but also for us to move from awareness to action. I’m encouraged by this memorandum and statement of support from President Trump, which prioritizes some of our nation’s most urgent Arctic needs. It allows us to consider all assets and capabilities needed for the region, such as a full fleet of polar security cutters – icebreakers – to support our national security and solidify our leadership in both the Arctic and Antarctic. As we continue to push for more polar security cutters, this memorandum also requires the Department of Homeland Security to identify viable options to address the gap we face between the limited service life of the aging Polar Star and the time a new icebreaker comes online. I welcome this strategy from the administration and look forward to working with them toward its implementation,” Murkowski said.
Yesterday, the administration officially reopened the U.S. consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.
“I thank the Trump administration for expanding the United States’ presence in, and commitment to, the Arctic region. Reopening the U.S. consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, which I have been advocating for years, is a tremendous example of that commitment. A consulate will better represent the United States’ interests on the ground and in person. As nations around the world continue to take greater and greater interest in the Arctic, the best way to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to the region is through a greater physical and political presence,” Murkowski said.
Murkowski is the senior Senator for Alaska, America’s only Arctic state. She is also co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus and a member of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region.
