Murkowski Fights Proposed Cuts to Military Commissaries, Backs Successful Effort to Protect Support
Senator: “In Alaska, We Are Seeing the Strain”
Senator Lisa Murkowski today strongly opposed the Obama administration’s proposed $320 million cuts to military commissaries, as the Senate Appropriations Committee debated the 2016 Defense Appropriations bill. Murkowski spoke in support of an amendment that would restore the government support for commissaries and avoid the prospect of reducing store hours. The amendment passed unanimously by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Prior to the committee vote of the amendment, Senator Murkowski said:
“I want to stand in strong support of the amendment that the senator from Maryland has offered. She’s highlighted Alaska and Hawaii as states that will be particularly impacted by this. We are the highest-cost state when it comes to our goods. In our military installations, particularly up north, you are in isolated areas where the opportunity to go to a grocery store to find goods that are a little bit cheaper, are miles away. In the case of Clear, it’s about 100 miles away. In the case of Fort Greely, where we have our national missile defense system, it’s again about 100 miles. So it is so key and important to our quality life for our military men and women.
“I would challenge each of you: go to the food banks in your communities, ask how many military families are meeting their family food needs by visiting our food banks around the country. I know in Alaska, we are seeing the strain. It should not be this way. The way that we can help is to make sure these commissaries are available for our men and women and their families.”
Click here to listen to audio of Senator Murkowski’s statement.
