Speeches
Floor Speech: Murkowski Introduces Bill to Create a National Volcano Monitoring System
"Mr. President, today I am rising to talk about an issue that has captivated my constituents in the State of Alaska. We have got a mountain that is erupting. Mount Redoubt, which is located about 150 miles southwest of Anchorage, our largest community, has been more than active in the past week or so generating a great deal of press, a great deal of interest, and a considerable amount of impact in my State. So I wanted to take a few minutes this afternoon to talk about what is happening up North… Continue Reading
03.25.09
Remarks to the National Federation of Republican Women
"Hello and thank you for inviting me to join you today - and talk about all the interesting things going on in Washington these days. Not only do you all have your careers and families to care for, but you've also made time to do your civic duty and be leaders in your communities. I know of no better organization that allows Republican women this opportunity than the National Federation of Republican Women. Know that I am grateful to be with you all today. "As of late, AIG has been stealing… Continue Reading
03.18.09
Floor Speech: Murkowski Congratulates Lance Mackey and His Team on Winning the Iditarod
"Madam President, my colleague from Oklahoma has given me a fine lead-in this evening to rise and tell an amazing story of an Alaskan dog musher named Lance Mackey and the story of his dog teams that carried him to yet another recordbreaking victory today in the toughest race on Earth, and that is the Iditarod. "The story of Lance Mackey is not only amazing because of his skill and his determination in the sport of dog mushing, but Lance Mackey has also overcome some very incredible personal ch… Continue Reading
03.17.09
National Commission on Energy Policy's New Energy for America Summit
"Thank you for that introduction, and for the opportunity to speak with you this morning. "A special thanks to the Bipartisan Policy Center, the National Center on Energy Policy, and all who are here to participate in this conference. I appreciate your commitment to bipartisanship and your focus on energy. As leaders and experts in this field, you will play a key role in shaping many of the policies considered during the 111th Congress. "The importance of your involvement is hard to overstat… Continue Reading
03.13.09
Remarks on the NOAA-EVOS 20th Anniversary Event
"We are here to remember an event that happened almost 20 years ago. At 12:04 a.m. on March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez, carrying over 53 million gallons of crude oil, failed to turn back into the shipping lane after detouring to avoid ice, and ran aground on Bligh Reef. Alaskans will never forget that morning, waking up to hear about the worst oil spill in U.S. history and living with the lasting impacts it has had on our State and residents. "The National Transportation Safety Board inve… Continue Reading
03.03.09
Murkowski Statement at Smart Grid Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following opening statement at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Smart Grid initiatives and technology: Good morning. Thank you all for being here today. And thank you to Chairman Bingaman for convening this hearing on the timely topic of Smart Grid. The term "Smart Grid," like "shovel ready" and "green jobs" is now part of our lexicon. Millions of people saw GE's Smart Grid commercial du… Continue Reading
02.27.09
Floor Speech: Murkowski Introduces ANWR Directional Drilling Legislation
"Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that I believe represents a true compromise to end a three-decade dispute over oil development in northern Alaska. Today, I am introducing legislation that would permit oil and gas to be siphoned from underneath the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northern Alaska but without there being any permanent roads, wells, buildings, pipelines, or structures erected that may interrupt the beauty of the Coastal Plain. "Today, I… Continue Reading
02.25.09
Floor Speech: Murkowski Introduces D.C. Voting Rights Constitutional Amendment
"Mr. President, first, I wish to thank my colleague from Nevada for bringing up this very important issue. Those of us who are strong supporters of second amendment rights clearly are looking at this issue and appreciate his leadership. "Earlier this morning, the Senator from Arizona raised a constitutional point of order as it relates to the bill before us, S. 160. I have to admit, I kind of took a step back and said: Well, a constitutional point of order--I am not sure I am familiar with… Continue Reading
02.19.09
Senator Murkowski Addresses Alaska Legislature
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today delivered her annual address to the Alaska Legislature. Following is the text of her speech, as prepared for delivery: It is wonderful to be home. It is wonderful to be home in Alaska. It is wonderful to return to this chamber. I return home today with four new and very significant responsibilities. You know about my being Senior Senator, Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and member of the Senate App… Continue Reading
02.13.09
Floor Speech: Murkowski Criticizes Wasteful Spending in Stimulus
"Mr. President, today we vote on the conference report for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. I was one of 37 Senators to vote against the bill earlier this week, and have come to the floor to discuss some of the reasons why I was unable and unwilling to support it. "My principal concern was the scope of new spending - none of which was paid for through initiatives to raise revenues or reduce spending, "As the media has reported, the cost of the bill is $790 billion, however, when … Continue Reading
01.23.09
Floor Speech: Murkowski Fights for Alaska Territorial Guard Retirement Pay
"Mr. President, sometime this week letters will be mailed from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in St. Louis, MO, to 25 elderly Alaskans. Those letters will tell these 25 elderly Alaskans that the Army has changed its mind--it has changed its mind--about whether their service in the Alaska Territorial Guard during World War II counts toward military retirement. The effect of this abrupt reversal in position is to reduce the monthly retirement payments to each of these 25 elderly Alaskans. T… Continue Reading
11.20.08
Senator Murkowski's tribute to Senator Stevens
PREPARED REMARKS OF SENATOR LISA MURKOWSKI IN TRIBUTE TO SENATOR TED STEVENS UNITED STATES SENATE NOVEMBER 20, 2008 WASHINGTON, DC Mr. President, I would like to speak this morning from the perspective of an Alaskan. Ted Stevens has been Alaska in this Senate for four decades now. Many Senators earn their place in history during the course of their service in the Senate. By the time Ted came to the Senate, in 1968, he had already earned his place in Alaskan history. As an Interior De… Continue Reading
09.17.08
Senator Murkowski’s remarks to the CSIS Conference: Arctic Resource Potential & Development
Senator Murkowski's remarks to the CSIS Conference: Arctic Resource Potential & Development September 17, 2008 I appreciate the opportunity to be with you this morning and to welcome all of you. I do have a passion about the arctic, its home; you know you are passionate about where you are from; passionate and proud, but also a little anxious, at about this point in time. We know that we have incredible resource wealth up north. We've known it and we've demonstrated it in our abili… Continue Reading
06.05.08
U.S. MARITIME ADMINISTRATION ARCTIC TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
• Thank you for the invitation to speak to you about one of my favorite topics, the Arctic. The United States has been an Arctic nation since the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. • The heightened focus on the Arctic of late is primarily due to the impacts of climate change and the fact that these changes are occurring at an unprecedented rate in this region. This makes the Arctic the most vital place to be studying how climate change can affect the entire planet. • … Continue Reading
05.29.08
Climate Change Conference
Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to be your keynote speaker for the Alaska Municipal League's Climate Change Conference. I must admit that I've been having trouble deciding just what to say to you today. If this speech had been delivered two weeks ago its content would have been far easier to craft. But just last week major changes were proposed in the bill that likely will serve as the vehicle for climate change - carbon emission reduction debate that soon will start in the U… Continue Reading
05.12.08
Senator Murkowski's Floor Speech on the American Energy Production Act of 2008
• Mr. President: I rise in support of passage of the American Energy Production Act, a comprehensive energy bill that was introduced last week by the ranking member of the Energy Committee, Senator Domenici. • There is no question that Americans are not just frustrated, but in economic distress over the prices they are paying for gasoline, heating oil, even natural gas right now. And those prices will continue to rise in the future. • With the events of earlier this week: … Continue Reading
05.07.08
Executive Committee U.S. Oil & Gas Assn. Board of Directors
Good morning. I would like to thank Alby Modina for inviting me to be here. It is a pleasure to be speaking before the executives who day in and day out produce much of the energy that this nation runs on; energy that used to be taken for granted. Clearly at current prices, Americans are no longer taking energy for granted. Unfortunately, while the public appears to be mad about what they're paying, their anger is likely to be directed toward those who produce the energy rather than thos… Continue Reading
04.29.08
Higher Energy Taxes, ANWR One Solution
Mr. President, I rise today to discuss current sky-high energy prices. I was in Alaska over the weekend. Everywhere I went the price of gasoline was the main topic. Here in the Lower 48 with crude oil prices nearing the $120 per barrel mark yesterday, and gasoline having hit a nationwide average high of $3.60 for a gallon of regular - up 4 cents over the weekend - prices are high. But in my home State of Alaska prices aren't high, they are in the stratosphere. In Bethel the price over t… Continue Reading
04.24.08
Global Marine Renewable Energy Conf. Ocean Renewable Energy Association
04.24.08
