{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"AK\" and year = 2022 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-criticizes-biden-admins-resuscitated-overreaching-wotus-rule", "Sullivan Criticizes Biden Admin\u2019s Resuscitated, Overreaching WOTUS Rule", "2022-12-30", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today released the following statement criticizing the Biden administration\u2019s recently-announced Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule under the Clean Water Act.\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration today announced its \u2018final\u2019 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule, resuscitating the burdensome and overreaching Obama-era \u2018final\u2019 interpretation of the Clean Water Act and giving the EPA vast authority over lands across the country, particularly in Alaska, which has more wetlands than any other state in the country by far. Remarkably, the Biden administration refused to pause issuing this WOTUS Rule just a few months until the Supreme Court rules in a case (Sackett vs. EPA II) that will determine the scope of the agency\u2019s authority under the Clean Water Act. As a result, millions of hard-working Americans and Alaskans are left in regulatory limbo.\n\n\u201cUnder this rule, land owners face the potential for thousands of dollars in litigation and months of bureaucratic back-and-forth just to fill a ditch or build a structure on their own property. This rule abandons the balanced, bipartisan and statutorily-based implementation of the Clean Water Act that we had achieved working with the Trump administration, through multiple court victories, and through multiple field hearings I chaired as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee\u2014including in Alaska.\n\n\u201cThe truth is, all Americans want clean water, and we have some of the country\u2019s cleanest water right here in Alaska. But the federal government should not take authority from states and run rough shod over the law, good-paying jobs, and our economy\u2014which is on the verge of a recession\u2014to achieve that goal. I will do everything I can to fight this illegal federal power grab, and I look forward to the Supreme Court once again reining in this out-of-control federal agency.\u201d\n\nBelow is a timeline of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s work on the WOTUS Rule.\n\nOn April 6 and April 8, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired Environment and Public Works Subcommittee field hearings in Anchorage and in Fairbanks on the impacts of the previously proposed WOTUS Rule on state and local governments and stakeholders.\n\nOn April 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan, along with Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Pat Roberts (R-Kas.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), introduced the bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140) to direct the EPA and the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to issue a revised WOTUS Rule that protects navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners.\n\nOn May 19, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee legislative hearing on S.1140 The Federal Water Quality Protection Act. This bill would have withdrawn the WOTUS Rule and required EPA to more appropriately define what bodies are \u201cWaters of the United States.\u201d\n\nOn October 9, 2015, Sen. Sullivan issued a statement on the nationwide stay of the EPA\u2019s previous WOTUS Rule.\n\nOn September 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled \u201cOversight of the Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Participation in the Development of the New Regulatory Definition of \u2018Waters of the United States.\u2019\u201d\n\nOn May 24, 2016 Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled \u201cErosion of Exemptions and Expansion of Federal Control \u2013Implementation of the Definition of Waters of the United States.\u201d\n\nOn February 28, 2017, Sen. Sullivan attended a meeting at the White House where President Trump signed an executive order that began to roll back the EPA\u2019s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule.\n\nOn April 26, 2017, the EPW committee held an oversight hearing titled \u201cA Review of the Technical, Scientific, and Legal Basis of the WOTUS Rule.\u201d At the hearing, Chairman Barrasso called for the withdrawal of the fundamentally flawed rule. Witnesses testified that the 2015 WOTUS Rule is not supported by the Corps\u2019 experience and expertise, scientific studies, or the law.\n\nOn June 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan shared his views on the EPA\u2019s efforts to withdraw and rewrite the overreaching WOTUS Rule.\n\nOn September 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan, along with committee members Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kas.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), sent a letter to the EPA and the Corps in support of the proposed withdrawal of the 2015 WOTUS Rule.\n\nOn December 11, 2018, the EPA and the Corps proposed a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.\n\nIn January 2020, the EPA and the Corps issued a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-delivers-on-alaska-priorities-in-annual-interior-bill", "Murkowski Delivers on Alaska Priorities in Annual Interior Bill", "2022-12-29", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "The U.S. Senate recently passed an omnibus appropriations package containing funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2023. The measure includes the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee\u2019s annual bill, which U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) negotiated as the panel\u2019s Ranking Member.\n\nMurkowski championed provisions to strengthen Alaska\u2019s economy, invest in water and wastewater infrastructure, improve access and recreation on public lands, provide health and other critical services to tribal communities, and create safer communities across the state. Examples include funding to restore access to Denali National Park, create an EPA grant program for the assessment and remediation of contaminated lands conveyed by the federal government, and to protect communities in Alaska from wildfires. Through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, Murkowski secured significant additional funding to support over 47 projects in Alaska.\n\n\u201cThe Interior Subcommittee is important in Alaska with oversight over public lands, Native issues, and the environment. Through the standard appropriations process, I secured significant support for Alaska through investments in her people, lands, and waters. Our final bill improves infrastructure on public lands and provides for important research projects related mapping, landslides, and early monitoring systems for natural disasters. We provide support for Alaskans\u2019 health and safety through investments in priorities such as Small Ambulatory Clinics, Village Built Clinics, and clean drinking water\u2014which every Alaskan deserves. This year I was able to include nearly 50 CDS projects. These are boots-on-the-ground initiatives that Alaskans identified as their top local priorities\u2014from clean drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities to the clean-up of contaminated lands and greater salmon monitoring. I\u2019m proud of this bill and look forward to the positive impacts it will have across our state,\u201d Murkowski said.\n\nCongressionally Directed Spending Allocations for Alaska\n\nAnchorage: $13 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Anchorage.\n\nAnchorage: $4 million to implement the Municipality of Anchorage\u2019s Community Wildfire Protection Plan.\n\nChickaloon: $250,000 for the Chickaloon Native Village for a community well.\n\nChignik: $5.3 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for safe drinking water in Chignik.\n\nChugach National Forest: $2.3 million to construct and improve recreational trails and access on the Iditarod National Historic Trail.\n\nCraig: $760,000 for upgrades to Craig's wastewater treatment plant.\n\nDenali: $2.2 million for design and construction of pedestrian pathways along the Parks Highway corridor in the Denali Borough.\n\nEagle River: $4.5 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Eagle River.\n\nGirdwood: $1.6 million to replace the Ruane Road culvert in Girdwood.\n\nGirdwood: $2.5 million for a sewer access project, for the safe disposal of wastewater in Girdwood.\n\nJuneau: $2.5 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to design and construct a commercial-scale composting facility to serve Juneau residents and businesses.\n\nKenai: $875,000 to the Alaska Electric & Energy Cooperative, Inc. for the installation of a combined heat and power project at the Kenai Peninsula Borough\u2019s Central Peninsula Landfill.\n\nKenai: $2.9 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Kenai.\n\nKenai: $1.5 million to implement the Kenai Peninsula Borough Community Wildfire Protection Plan.\n\nKetchikan: $1.7 million to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.\n\nKivalina: $8 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to construct a new Kivalina landfill that meets state regulatory standards.\n\nKodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling, and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment.\n\nKotzebue: $140,000 to build cyanotoxin analysis capacity at the Native Village of Kotzebue.\n\nNome: $1.6 million for safe drinking water distribution and wastewater collection.\n\nNorth Slope: $1.2 million for a wastewater replacement project.\n\nNorth Slope: $2.5 million for the Northern Route of the North Slope Borough Community Winter Access Trails pilot program, which provides for the creation of temporary winter trail access between communities where year-round connecting roads do not exist.\n\nPalmer: $6.9 million for wastewater treatment system upgrades.\n\nPetersburg: $1.6 million for water treatment plant upgrades.\n\nSt. Paul: $3 million to improve solid waste disposal facilities.\n\nSeldovia: $746,000 for a sewer line replacement.\n\nSeldovia: $414,000 for safe drinking water.\n\nSeward: $2 million for the safe disposal of wastewater.\n\nSoldotna: $680,000 for a wastewater treatment plant.\n\nSoldotna: $320,000 to improve wastewater effluent before discharge to the Kenai River.\n\nSoldotna: $960,000 for upgrades to equipment used to dewater treated solids at the Soldotna Wastewater Treatment Plant.\n\nSt. George: $3 million to replace 50-year-old water distribution and wastewater collection infrastructure.\n\nStatewide: $2 million for salmon monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River watersheds.\n\nStatewide: $500,000 to the Tanana Chiefs Conference to address the large data gap regarding salmon populations on the Yukon River.\n\nStatewide: $880,000 for implementation of the Intertribal Federal Subsistence Cooperative Management Program at the Kuskokwim River Watershed.\n\nStatewide: $1.2 million for ecological monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.\n\nStatewide: $1.5 million for the Denali Commission to develop regional solid waste management plans.\n\nStatewide: $1 million to complete a National Scenic Trail feasibility study to connect Seward and Fairbanks.\n\nStatewide: $3 million for the Alaska Native Justice Center for Alaska tribal public safety empowerment activities.\n\nStatewide: $7 million to support the State of Alaska in conducting an inventory and verification of contaminated sites conveyed to Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).\n\nStatewide: $300,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to study the need and economic feasibility of constructing and operating a hazardous waste processing facility and landfill in Alaska.\n\nStatewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association to build tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.\n\nStatewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to build further tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.\n\nStatewide: $33.9 million for abandoned well remediation in the NPR-A.\n\nValdez: $5 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Valdez.\n\nWasilla: $5.7 million for improvements to wastewater treatment facilities.\n\nWhittier: $1.2 million for well field upgrades.\n\nYakutat: $5.1 million for a water line extension project.\n\nInterior-Environment Appropriations Bill Highlights\n\nClick here for comprehensive bill highlights.\n\nInvesting in Communities: Provides full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which provides compensation to local governments throughout Alaska that contain federal lands that are not subject to state or local taxation. PILT helps local governments provide vital services, such as firefighting and police protection, search-and-rescue operations, and the construction of public schools and roads.\n\nSupporting Outdoor Access and Recreation: Provides investments to complete the project to restore access to Denali National Park Road for both the safety of the road and for access into the park for locals and visitors. Directs BLM to support the Alaska Long Trail project, a proposed 500-mile route connecting Seward and Fairbanks. Provides additional funding for critical operations and management of our National Park System.\n\nAir, Water, and Wastewater Infrastructure: Addresses drinking water and wastewater infrastructure challenges by providing funding for the construction of new drinking water and wastewater systems and the improvement of existing systems in rural Alaska communities. Supports grant programs which help bring basic water and sewer infrastructure to communities in need. Includes increased funding for Targeted Airshed Grants, which support communities such as Fairbanks in their efforts to reduce air pollution. Prohibits EPA from implementing its small, remote incinerators rule in Alaska while Alaskans work with the agency to develop a rule that will work better to address the state\u2019s rural, unique needs. Provides for transboundary river pollution monitoring and directs the U.S. Geological Survey to work cooperatively with local tribes, stakeholders, and other federal agencies to help develop a water quality strategy for transboundary rivers.\n\nProtection from Natural Hazards and Wildfire: Provides for the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, which will benefit Alaska. Provides greater funding for Prince William Sound and the Southeast landslide program as well as language supporting the ongoing landslide and tsunami warning work in the region. Provides funding for both wildland fire management and wildfire suppression.\n\nPublic Safety: In order to improve the federal response to the epidemic of missing, trafficked, and murdered indigenous women and girls, provides funding to BIA for cold case work, equipment needs, and victim witness specialists. Includes additional funding for Public Law 280 states, such as Alaska, to help develop tribal court systems for communities.\n\nHealth and Wellness: Maintains funding for the Small Ambulatory Clinics Program and dental therapist training. Increases maternal funding through IHS and funding for Village Built Clinics\u2014a program unique to Alaska which supports approximately 150 healthcare clinics in rural areas, many of which require intensive maintenance and often serve as the only health facility or source of regional medical care. Advance appropriations are included for fiscal year 2024 to prevent the interruption of healthcare related services in the event of a government shutdown.\n\nAlaska Lands: Prioritizes infrastructure improvements for public lands, including investments in land cleanup. Addresses legacy well cleanup to support the next series of sites in need of remediation. Increases support for the Alaska Land Conveyance Program, which serves to fulfill legal requirements to transfer lands to the State and Alaska Natives under ANCSA. Establishes a new grant program at EPA to provide funding for the first time for the assessment and remediation of ANCSA contaminated sites in Alaska. Recognizes the importance of Alaska Public Land Information Centers and encourages the agencies to seek to strengthen partnerships with them.\n\nCulture and the Arts: Supports the arts through funding for NEA and NEH. Includes support for the NEA\u2019s Healing Arts Program, developed by the NEA and DOD to help wounded and injured service members and their families in their transition into civilian life. Continues funding for an arts and cultural program with Sealaska and the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development.\n\nThe Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee establishes the annual budgets for federal agencies and departments including the Department of the Interior (DOI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Forest Service (FS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Indian Health Service (IHS). Murkowski, as Ranking Member, is able to help write the Senate\u2019s annual appropriations bill for the Subcommittee.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/after-years-of-limbo-delegation-secures_rebecca-trimbles-permanent-resident-status", "After Years of Limbo, Delegation Secures  Rebecca Trimble\u2019s Permanent Resident Status", "2022-12-28", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today celebrated the enactment of private legislation they led with the late Congressman for all Alaska, Don Young. The measure \u2013 H.R. 681, For the Relief of Rebecca Trimble \u2013 is now Private Law 117-1, and provides Mrs. Trimble with a pathway to lawful permanent resident status in the United States.\n\n\u201cAfter a decade of uncertainty and legal appeals, I\u2019m so pleased that we have put an end to any possibility of deportation and provided Rebecca with the peace of mind she so clearly deserves. She has lived in America, built her life in America, and raised her family in America. Now she can remain with her husband and children in the only country she has ever called home,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI thank all who helped ensure this bill could unanimously pass the House and Senate \u2013 including Rep. Nadler, Senator Padilla, and Senator Cornyn \u2013 as well as President Biden for quickly signing it into law. We finally got this right for a woman who never did anything wrong.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is exceptionally rare for Congress to pass a piece of legislation that impacts just one person. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ve been able to deliver today for Rebecca Trimble,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cRebecca spent her entire life living the American Dream, raising a family with her husband, an Army dentist who, until recently, served Alaskans in the Bethel area. That dream was thrown into jeopardy when Rebecca, through no fault of her own, faced threats of deportation to a country she\u2019s never known. When Rebecca\u2019s unique and challenging case couldn\u2019t be resolved through regular immigration channels, Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski and I got to work on a legislative fix. It is fitting that this will be Don Young\u2019s final bill to get signed into law, a capstone to a long and amazing career advocating for a state and a people he loved. I commend Rebecca and her family for their patience and dogged determination, and I hope this news makes for an especially meaningful holiday season for the Trimble family and for the many Alaskans who the Trimbles touched.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt has been amazing and heartwarming to see the Alaska Congressional delegation come together and do the hard work necessary to help this military spouse stay in the United States,\u201d said Margaret Stock, Rebecca Trimble\u2019s immigration lawyer in Alaska, Cascadia Cross Border Law group, Anchorage.\n\nBackground:\n\nMrs. Trimble was born in Mexico in 1989, adopted by an American couple, and brought into the U.S. when she was only a few days old. In 2012, after applying for an enhanced driver\u2019s license and despite no wrongdoing by her or her adoptive parents, Mrs. Trimble learned that her adoption was not properly completed, her birth certificates were not valid, and that she was not a legal citizen\u2014as she had understood she was for more than 20 years.\n\nAs the spouse of a military member, Mrs. Trimble applied for \u201cparole in place\u201d status in 2015 but was denied in 2016. She applied for permanent resident status while living in Bethel, Alaska in 2017 but was denied in 2020. At that point, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service informed her that she had just 33 days to depart the country and could face removal proceedings if she did not.\n\nThe Trimble\u2019s received an outpouring of support from the Bethel community\u2014from the military community to their church to community members\u2014who urged for Rebecca\u2019s special case to be addressed. After learning of Mrs. Trimble\u2019s unique situation, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young sought to assist her through a private bill, a rare form of legislation that seeks to address the exceptional circumstances faced by an individual. Murkowski introduced the first measure to assist Mrs. Trimble in February 2020, with Sullivan as an original cosponsor. They reintroduced the bill as S. 776 in the current Congress.\n\nH.R. 681 is the first private bill to become private law during the 117th Congress, and just the third to be enacted in the past 10 years.\n\nMore information is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-ensures-year-end-omnibus-contains-significant-assistance-funding-for-university-of-alaska", "Murkowski Ensures Year-End Omnibus Contains Significant Assistance, Funding for University of Alaska", "2022-12-28", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed passage of the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, which she added to the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The year-end omnibus also includes multiple Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations totaling $8.325 million that Murkowski requested and secured on behalf of the University of Alaska (UA).\n\n\u201cThe University plays a critical role in educating Alaskans, adding to our workforce and shaping the very future of our state. I recognize how important this system is, and that\u2019s why I worked so hard to ensure the omnibus will help strengthen its fiscal foundation for decades to come,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cBy providing a new way to expand the University\u2019s land grant, we are ensuring it can generate additional revenues that support its students, faculty, and campus infrastructure. Through our successes in the CDS process, we are improving the University\u2019s facilities, meeting priority research needs, and expanding its pipeline of well-educated Alaskans who enter key fields across our economy. I thank President Pitney and her team for working so closely with me and my staff to move these achievements across the finish line.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is a monumental day for the university. We\u2019ve been working diligently for years to resolve our land grant deficit, and today is the day that hard work has paid off. On behalf of the entire university community, I thank our congressional delegation for finding a path forward through the omnibus appropriations bill. I also want to recognize the bipartisan backing we\u2019ve had from our Alaska businesses, organizations, and state leaders who advocated for this positive outcome.\n\nThis break-through legislation means that the university will be empowered to actively manage productive lands that will generate recurring revenue for the benefit of our students, our cutting-edge research, and the education of our next generation of leaders,\u201d said Pat Pitney, President of University of Alaska.\n\nMurkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) re-introduced S. 1128, the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, last year to help fulfill UA\u2019s long-suffering land grant, which remains a fraction of the size it was intended to be. Murkowski and Sullivan developed the bill in collaboration with UA and the State of Alaska (State); the late Congressman Don Young (R-AK) introduced a companion measure in the House of Representatives.\n\nDespite being located in the largest state in the union, UA has one of the smallest land endowments\u2014just 110,000 acres\u2014of any applicable institution anywhere in the country. To help remedy this, S. 1128 allows UA and the State to jointly identify up to 500,000 acres in Alaska for potential conveyance. The Department of the Interior (DOI) will then survey those selections and work with UA and the State to transfer up to 360,000 acres to UA. Any transfers will be deducted from Alaska\u2019s outstanding statehood lands entitlement, which still totals millions of acres.\n\nElsewhere in the omnibus, Murkowski provided increased funding for the Alaska Land Conveyance Program to help fulfill long-standing legal requirements to transfer lands to the State and Alaska Natives under ANCSA.\n\nIn addition to the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, Murkowski secured the following CDS allocations for UA:\n\nKotzebue: $825,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for renovations and safety improvements to the Chukchi Campus in Kotzebue.\n\nAnchorage: $500,000 to the University of Alaska Anchorage to implement a forensic training program for healthcare providers and advocates.\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to support research on seasonal weather forecasting.\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1.7 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys.\n\nStatewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to expand UAA\u2019s business development services to rural and young entrepreneurs in Alaska.\n\nStatewide: $300,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to study the need and economic feasibility of constructing and operating a hazardous waste processing facility and landfill in the State of Alaska.\n\nAnchorage: $2.25 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to renovate UAA\u2019s facilities for nursing education, telehealth training, and inter-professional education programs.\n\nAnchorage: $6 million to the Alaska Community Foundation to support the preservation, processing, and digitization of records of Alaskan leaders, which will be housed at UAA.\n\nJuneau: $750,000 to establish and operate a commercial driver's license education training program at the University of Alaska Southeast.\n\nThe University of Alaska is a land-, sea- and space-grant system of higher education established in 1917. The system has three universities \u2013 Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and Alaska Southeast (UAS) \u2013 as well as 13 community campuses and extended learning centers across the state. System-wide, more than 20,700 full- and part-time students are enrolled, studying among 500 unique degree, certificate, or endorsement programs. Study areas include short-course workforce training, associate degrees, bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees, as well as doctorates. UA generates $1.1 billion annually in economic impact and supports more than 15,000 Alaskan jobs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/after-years-of-limbo-delegation-secures-rebecca-trimbles-permanent-resident-status", "After Years of Limbo, Delegation Secures Rebecca Trimble\u2019s Permanent Resident Status", "2022-12-28", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today celebrated the enactment of private legislation they led with the late Congressman for all Alaska, Don Young. The measure \u2013 H.R. 681, For the Relief of Rebecca Trimble \u2013 is now Private Law [117-1], and provides Mrs. Trimble with a pathway to lawful permanent resident status in the United States.\n\n\u201cAfter a decade of uncertainty and legal appeals, I\u2019m so pleased that we have put an end to any possibility of deportation and provided Rebecca with the peace of mind she so clearly deserves. She has lived in America, built her life in America, and raised her family in America. Now she can remain with her husband and children in the only country she has ever called home,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI thank all who helped ensure this bill could unanimously pass the House and Senate \u2013 including Rep. Nadler, Senator Padilla, and Senator Cornyn \u2013 as well as President Biden for quickly signing it into law. We finally got this right for a woman who never did anything wrong.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is exceptionally rare for Congress to pass a piece of legislation that impacts just one person. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ve been able to deliver today for Rebecca Trimble,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cRebecca spent her entire life living the American Dream, raising a family with her husband, an Army dentist who, until recently, served Alaskans in the Bethel area. That dream was thrown into jeopardy when Rebecca, through no fault of her own, faced threats of deportation to a country she\u2019s never known. When Rebecca\u2019s unique and challenging case couldn\u2019t be resolved through regular immigration channels, Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski and I got to work on a legislative fix. It is fitting that this will be Don Young\u2019s final bill to get signed into law, a capstone to a long and amazing career advocating for a state and a people he loved. I commend Rebecca and her family for their patience and dogged determination, and I hope this news makes for an especially meaningful holiday season for the Trimble family and for the many Alaskans who the Trimbles touched.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt has been amazing and heartwarming to see the Alaska Congressional delegation come together and do the hard work necessary to help this military spouse stay in the United States,\u201d said Margaret Stock, Rebecca Trimble\u2019s immigration lawyer in Alaska, Cascadia Cross Border Law group, Anchorage.\n\nBackground:\n\nMrs. Trimble was born in Mexico in 1989, adopted by an American couple, and brought into the U.S. when she was only a few days old. In 2012, after applying for an enhanced driver\u2019s license and despite no wrongdoing by her or her adoptive parents, Mrs. Trimble learned that her adoption was not properly completed, her birth certificates were not valid, and that she was not a legal citizen\u2014as she had understood she was for more than 20 years.\n\nAs the spouse of a military member, Mrs. Trimble applied for \u201cparole in place\u201d status in 2015 but was denied in 2016. She applied for permanent resident status while living in Bethel, Alaska in 2017 but was denied in 2020. At that point, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service informed her that she had just 33 days to depart the country and could face removal proceedings if she did not.\n\nThe Trimble\u2019s received an outpouring of support from the Bethel community\u2014from the military community to their church to community members\u2014who urged for Rebecca\u2019s special case to be addressed. After learning of Mrs. Trimble\u2019s unique situation, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young sought to assist her through a private bill, a rare form of legislation that seeks to address the exceptional circumstances faced by an individual. Murkowski introduced the first measure to assist Mrs. Trimble in February 2020, with Sullivan as an original cosponsor. They reintroduced the bill as S. 776 in the current Congress.\n\nH.R. 681 is the first private bill to become private law during the 117th Congress, and just the third to be enacted in the past 10 years.\n\nMore information is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-champions-mental-and-behavioral-health-provisions-in-fy-2023-appropriations-package_", "Murkowski Champions Mental and Behavioral Health Provisions in FY 2023 Appropriations Package", "2022-12-27", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "As a senior appropriator, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) played a key role in securing numerous mental and behavioral health provisions within the omnibus appropriations package that funds the federal government for the rest of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.\n\nRecognizing the need to bolster mental and behavioral health support in Alaska, Murkowski prioritized suicide prevention programs, treatment and recovery opportunities for those struggling with substance misuse, and expansion of the mental health workforce. She also secured significant mental and behavioral health-related Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations that were requested by Alaskans.\n\n\u201cAffordable, accessible, and destigmatized mental and behavioral healthcare services are fundamental to quality of life in our communities. I made greater resources for them one of my top priorities in the omnibus because Alaska is disproportionately impacted by substance misuse disorders, faces a lack of mental and behavioral health specialists, and has seen a devastating uptick in death by suicide, particularly among military service members,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI\u2019m heartened that three provisions I led were included in the final package; two aim to prevent death by suicide and the other bolsters maternal and postpartum mental health services. We also made sure the omnibus contains significant investments to educate and mentor youth, to help keep them on the safest path possible, and for safe housing to create a safer, more reliable environment for vulnerable individuals to heal. Whether it is prevention, treatment, recovery, or support for individual or family care, our year-end package provides critical resources to help ensure that Alaska\u2019s most vulnerable have the care and support they need, when they need it most.\u201d\n\nMurkowski added the following CDS allocations to the year-end omnibus:\n\nJuneau: $870,000 to renovate and expand the JAHMI Health & Wellness specialty behavioral health facility.\n\nStatewide: $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Southcentral Alaska to provide behavioral health support to children and youth.\n\nAnchorage: $290,000 for Providence Alaska to establish and launch the Alaska Psychiatry Residency Program.\n\nAnchorage: $750,000 for construction of a Crisis Stabilization Center at Providence Alaska Medical Center.\n\nWasilla: $5 million to Set Free Alaska to build a therapeutic campus consisting of recovery residence facilities.\n\nMental and behavioral health highlights in the omnibus include:\n\nMainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act: Murkowski-led legislation that will vastly increase access to life-saving addiction medicine by eliminating a duplicative bureaucratic hurdle\u2014colloquially known as the \u201cx-waiver\u201d\u2014currently blocking millions of highly trained health professionals from prescribing buprenorphine to their patients.\n\nEffective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department: Murkowski-led legislation to provide additional resources for hospital emergency departments to improve screening and care for individuals at risk of suicide, and enhance the coordination of care for such individuals during discharge.\n\nGarrett Lee Smith Reauthorization: Murkowski-led legislation to reauthorize a number of suicide prevention programs, including the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, and State and Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention grants.\n\nInto the Light for Maternal Mental Health: A Murkowski-led provision that reauthorizes and expands programs to screen and treat for maternal mental health and substance use disorders.\n\nCrisis Response Pilot Program: Establishes a mental health crisis response pilot program to establish and enhance mobile crisis response teams to respond to mental health and substance use disorder crises.\n\nSummer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act: Reauthorizes programs to address substance use disorder treatment and recovery for homeless individuals, increase access to treatment in areas with high rates of opioid use, support efforts to prevent and respond to underage drinking, and increase access to emergency treatment for opioid overdoses.\n\nPeer-Supported Mental Health Services: Directs HHS to award grants to develop, expand, and enhance access to mental health peer-delivered services, with special consideration for the unique needs of rural areas in states like Alaska.\n\nReauthorization of Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services: Reauthorizes and increases funding for the Community Mental Health Block Grant program, with a set-aside for evidence-based crisis care services.\n\nRecovery Housing: Includes language clarifying it is the role of SAMSHA to collaborate with national housing organizations, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other relevant stakeholder to promote the availability of high-quality recovery housing and services for individuals with substance use disorder.\n\nHousing Working Group: Directs the Secretaries of HHS and HUD to convene an interagency working group with all relevant agencies to increase collaboration to promote the availability of housing, including recovery housing, for individuals experiencing homelessness and those with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders.\n\nRecovery Housing Grants: Authorizes significant funding for grants to states to promote recovery housing availability and develop plans to implement recovery housing best practices.\n\nBehavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans: The Native Behavioral Health Access Improvement Act creates a formula and grant program to help Tribes access resources to address mental health needs and substance-use disorders in their communities.\n\nMedia and Mental Health: Directs HHS to conduct or support research on the mental health impacts of smartphone and social media use by adolescents.\n\nNOPAIN Act: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski to provide a separate Medicare payment for non-opioid treatments to manage pain from surgeries.\n\nMental Health Access Improvement Act: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski which establishes Medicare coverage for services provided by marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors beginning January 1, 2024.\n\nRelated Issues: Health", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-delivers-big-wins-for-alaskas-fisheries-and-oceans-in-consolidated-appropriations-act-", "Murkowski Delivers Big Wins for Alaska\u2019s Fisheries and Oceans in Consolidated Appropriations Act", "2022-12-27", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, secured significant funding for fisheries and oceans priorities in Alaska in the recently-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. As a result of Murkowski\u2019s work, the year-end omnibus includes $15 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations for ocean and river research to be performed by Alaskans in addition to significant programmatic support through agency budgets.\n\n(Click here to view all of Alaska\u2019s CDS allocations).\n\n\u201cOur fisheries and oceans provide foundational food security and economic opportunity for Alaskans statewide. I\u2019m proud to champion our marine environment and cornerstone species like salmon and crab in this year-end package,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cThe language I secured provides support for fisheries disaster relief, research, indigenous co-management, surveys, fisheries management, marine debris removal, transboundary watershed monitoring, and many more Alaska priorities. Alaskans advocated for these projects, we worked together to deliver on them, and we can now look forward to their implementation for our state.\u201d\n\nFishery Disasters\n\nAs part of a dynamic effort to address fisheries disasters nationwide, Murkowski successfully requested $300 million in fisheries disaster funding with an additional $300,000 for administration costs. This funding will provide relief to commercial, recreational, and subsistence harvesters impacted by fisheries stock crashes, including in Alaska. The funding will also support research to determine the cause of disasters and provide relief to impacted community governments that rely on shoreside taxes for municipal budgets. Additionally, the bill includes the Fishery Resource Disasters Improvement Act, legislation co-sponsored by the Senator that will improve the National Marine Fisheries Service\u2019s (NMFS) fisheries disaster program. More specifically, the bill specifies a timeline for action by NMFS, clarifies the declaration process, and expedites review and fund dispersal processes. It also specifies assistance eligibility for subsistence and recreational fishers.\n\nResearch\n\nThrough her role on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Department of Commerce, Murkowski supported oceans and climate research through NOAA, NASA, and NSF budgets. She prioritized headquartering research capacity in Alaska and included report language prioritizing increased focus on the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.\n\nMurkowski added new technologies to Alaska\u2019s tool chest like eDNA to monitor struggling salmon runs in the Yukon and Kuskokwim watersheds. She prioritized expansion of existing technologies like citizen science temperature monitoring, electronic monitoring, and ocean-based carbon dioxide removal.\n\nThe omnibus also includes her legislation with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, which directs NOAA to convene a task force to review current research and applied research gaps on migration patterns and declining returns of Pacific salmon in Alaska to support sustainable management.\n\nManagement\n\nMurkowski supported multiple cooperative management projects in the omnibus, including marine mammal co-management on the North Slope and implementation of intertribal subsistence fisheries on the Kuskokwim River. This work will help support commercial, recreational and subsistence harvesters and ensure sustainable management.\n\nThe Senator successfully requested funding for fisheries management bodies and secured significant funding to support U.S. obligations relating to the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Her language to support transboundary governance between the US and Canada was also included.\n\nSurveys\n\nThe year-end appropriations package increases funding for fisheries data collections, surveys, and assessments to ensure that historical levels of survey coverage are maintained. This includes at least six Alaskan surveys to better understand movement of fish out of historic survey areas.\n\nThe bill supports a project by the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys using emerging technology like autonomous underwater vehicles. It also supports projects for community-based monitoring of salmon and crab in the Yukon River and the Bering Sea.\n\nFurther funding is provided for mapping the nearshore and shoreline of Alaska, as well as language directing NOAA to continue coordinating and implementing an interagency mapping, exploration, and characterization strategy for the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The omnibus also includes a strategy for mapping the Arctic and sub-Arctic shoreline and nearshore of Alaska.\n\nWeather\n\nMurkowski\u2019s language to maintain and service the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Array, which provides tsunami prediction capacity and directs the National Weather Service (NWS), will ensure that all DART buoys in Alaska, especially those in Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska, are deployed and fully operational.\n\nFurthermore, the omnibus directs NOAA to enhance coverage by the National Mesonet Program in Alaska and other non-contiguous States and Territories to improve weather observation, prediction, and warnings.\n\nAdditional funding for the NWS will support staffing efforts, particularly for extreme weather events. A CDS allocation requested and secured by Murkowski will support collaborative research between the University of Alaska Fairbanks and NOAA to improve forecasts for Arctic seasonal weather and sea ice.\n\nCongressionally Directed Spending for Fisheries and Oceans\n\nBering Sea: $2.75 million for the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation to monitor commercial fisheries in the Bering Sea.\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to support research on seasonal weather forecasting.\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1.75 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys.\n\nSt. Paul/Statewide: $250,000 to the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island for surveillance monitoring of fisheries and ecosystems.\n\nUtqiagvik: $2.7 million to the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management for marine mammal and co-management research on the North Slope.\n\nYukon River Drainage: $825,000 to the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association to support research, surveys, and community engagement.\n\nKodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling, and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment.\n\nKotzebue: $140,000 to build cyanotoxin analysis capacity at the Native Village of Kotzebue.\n\nStatewide: $2 million for salmon monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River watersheds.\n\nStatewide: $500,000 to the Tanana Chiefs Conference to address the large data gap regarding salmon populations on the Yukon River.\n\nStatewide: $880,000 for implementation of the Intertribal Federal Subsistence Cooperative Management Program at the Kuskokwim River Watershed.\n\nStatewide: $1.2 million for ecological monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska's Fisheries", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-delivers-congressionally-directed-spending-for-130-alaska-projects_", "Murkowski Delivers Congressionally Directed Spending for 130+ Alaska Projects", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, today announced that she secured close to $500 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The funding will benefit over 130 community-driven projects in Alaska.\n\nThrough this process, Murkowski delivered significant investments for workforce development, fisheries, public safety, higher education, infrastructure, protection from natural disasters, wildfire mitigation, water and wastewater, the Alaska gasline project, outdoor recreation, contaminated lands cleanup, legacy well cleanup, mental and behavioral health, public health, military construction, defense, and more.\n\nAfter the Senate\u2019s bipartisan passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Murkowski released the following statement:\n\n\u201cLeaders from across Alaska have come to me requesting help on needs and priorities for their communities. I have listened to their requests, and I\u2019m proud to deliver significant assistance in the form of direct, targeted funding to projects throughout our state.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s CDS process will benefit dozens and dozens of communities and nearly every sector in our state\u2014from health and public safety to fisheries and workforce development and much, much more.\n\n\u201cAlaskans have shared their anxieties on the workforce, housing, and food security. I\u2019m particularly pleased with the funding we secured to help address those challenges, which will make our communities safer and our economies stronger. Other projects will strengthen Alaska on so many fronts\u2014from climate resilience to wildfire protection, cleaner water, and a higher quality of life for our military members and their families.\n\n\u201cI thank the Alaskans who identified these needs, and then worked closely with me and my team to bring this funding to our state. Together, we are creating a brighter future for the beautiful place we call home.\u201d\n\nThe CDS process, which resumed in FY 2022, allows Alaskans to identify and receive federal assistance for needs in the state. It helps restore Congress\u2019 Constitutional power of the purse, accounts for no more than one percent of federal discretionary spending, and does not increase overall spending levels. Without this process, many of the dollars now headed for Alaska would go to other states based on decisions made by federal departments and agencies.\n\nMurkowski secured the following CDS projects for Alaska in the FY 2023 omnibus:\n\nCongressionally Directed Spending Allocations for Alaska\n\nAgriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies\n\nAniak: $221,000 to TKC Fish Wheel, to construct the Arviiq Regional Economic Development and Training Center.\n\n\u201cThese funds will allow us to outfit the Arviiq Regional Training and Economic Development Center with critical equipment needed to provide opportunities for the people of the Middle Kuskokwim Region. More Alaskans will now access to education, training and workforce development resources without having to leave their homes where their families and communities rely on them. We are grateful to Senator Murkowski for recognizing the value of local capacity building in Rural Alaska.\u201d -Andrea Gusty, President & CEO, The Kuskokwim Corporation\n\nBethel: $9.9 million to expand the main training building on the Yuut Elitnaurviat Campus to provide a permanent home for the Kuskokwim Learning Academy.\n\n\u201cIn 2016 The Kuskokwim Learning Academy, the YK Delta's alternative boarding school, burned to the ground. Yuut Elitnaurviat brought the students and staff home to our campus that same day. It has taken six years, but we can now, thanks to this generous support, finally build KLA the school our kids deserve. Students from throughout our region will have access to state-of-the-art classrooms as well as Yuut's robust vocational programs. KLA will grow and become a magnet school where education is innovative and linked to real world opportunities.\u201d - Mike Hoffman, Executive Director, Yuut Elitnaurviat\n\nKenai: $4.6 million to construct a new clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Club of the Kenai Peninsula clubhouse.\n\n\u201cThe Boys & Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula has 7 Clubs in 5 communities that provide educational, enrichment and leadership programs for over 2,400 youth ages 5 to 18. But our ability to serve all the youth who need these services, and their parents who need afterschool and summer childcare while they work, is limited. Having our forever facility for a Clubhouse and a Head Start center will not only result in increased numbers of youth served, but it will also allow the Club to more efficiently utilize resources. As a result, we will be able to serve more youth more often, provide additional programs and days, and employ more Kenai Peninsula residents. This project will help increase the earning power of parents and youth when they become adults; these services and programs will benefit our communities, region, and state!\u201d - Shanette Wik, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula\n\nKenai: $1 million to the Alaska Children\u2019s Institute to rebuild a community theater.\n\n\u201cThe arts make kids smarter, forge life-long friendships and create the leaders of tomorrow. When a fire destroyed our community\u2019s children\u2019s theatre it was a devastating blow. This funding obtained for the rebuilding of the theater by Senator Murkowski\u2019s efforts is a game changer. The theater and all its life-changing programs for youth will rise from the ashes thanks to this congressionally directed spending. Children and youth will thrive and once again be on a path of becoming their best selves.\u201d - Joe Rizzo, President, Alaska Children\u2019s Institute for the Performing Arts\n\nKotzebue: $825,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for renovations and safety improvements to the Chukchi Campus in Kotzebue.\n\n\u201cThis project will equip the Kotzebue community with a modern facility to provide world-class education to residents in the area and in Alaska. The building renewal will update the facility to modern fire and accessibility codes, allowing us to continue supporting program offerings from the building and maintaining the option for rural and Alaska Native students to receive a high-quality education in their region. Thank you to Senator Murkowski for supporting the Chukchi Campus mission, \u201cI\u00f1uunaiyu?iksra?at Piqutigiplugu-- For the purpose of a good life.\u201d - Interim Chukchi Campus Director Minnie Naylor\n\nNome: $2.2 million to the Norton Sound Health Corporation for construction on a childcare facility.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of NSHC, thank you for dedicating funds to support NSHC's vision to provide employee and patient day care services on campus at Norton Sound Regional Hospital. The lack of housing and day care options are two of the biggest challenges hindering recruitment and retention for our organization. A building concept is under design.\u201d - Angie Gorn, President and CEO, Norton Sound Regional Hospital\n\nUtqia?vik: $5 million to Ilisa?vik College to advance and complete the design phase of a new college campus.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of our Board of Trustees, staff, faculty, and most importantly our students, we humbly say a sincere \u201cquyanaqpak\u201d (thank you) to Senator Murkowski for her continued advocacy and support towards I?isa?vik College. The Senator understands our mission and vision is aware of our needs. She has visited our campus, heard directly from our students, and sees the positive impacts of higher education. Our tribal college has a state-wide reach that continues to grow. We look forward to the increased opportunities that will come with our new campus, increasing the number of Alaskan people and communities that we serve. Iglaurugut suvunmun \u2013 We are moving forward!\u201d - Justina Wilhelm, President, I?isa?vik College\n\nWasilla: $17,000 to Family Promise Mat-Su for childcare facility improvements.\n\nCommerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies\n\nAnchorage: $500,000 to the University of Alaska Anchorage to implement a forensic training program for healthcare providers and advocates.\n\n\u201cThank you to Senator Murkowski and her staff for continuing to be such strong advocates for victims of violence. Alaskan healthcare providers need more tools, training, resources, and collaboration to provide comprehensive care that includes medical Forensic principles and trauma informed care. The Alaska Comprehensive Training Forensic Academy (ACTFA) is designed to meet that need. Provision of these funds will enable ACFTA to reach communities and stakeholders across the state in order to increase engagement regarding community capacity to respond to all victims of violence.\u201d - Angelia Trujillo, Professor at School of Nursing at University of Alaska Anchorage\n\nAnchorage: $250,000 for law enforcement technology and equipment, specifically for the Anchorage Police Department to replace and upgrade cameras.\n\n\u201cThis funding will allow the Anchorage Police Department to implement an array of advancements to improve operational efficiency and outcomes. Our current inventory has reached the end of its lifespan and upgrading our vehicles and radios are necessary for our officers to serve the public in a safe and efficient manner.\u201d - APD Police Chief Michael Kerle\n\nAnchorage: $2 million for replacement of police vehicles.\n\nAnchorage: $1.7 million for law enforcement technology and equipment, specifically for the Anchorage Police Department to replace radios.\n\n\u201cThe APDEA greatly appreciates Senator Murkowski\u2019s commitment to public safety in Anchorage. As the President of APDEA, I represent over 500 members of Alaska\u2019s largest police department, and I, along with the men and women who protect us all on a daily basis, are grateful for this much needed funding.\u201d - APDEA President Jeremy Conkling\n\nBering Sea: $2.7 million for the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation to monitor commercial fisheries in the Bering Sea.\n\n\u201cCollapsing Bering Sea crab stocks need immediate attention and urgent research to help understand causes and inform efforts toward recovery. Crab fishermen and processors are in survival mode due to enormous economic losses from recent season closures with associated impacts rippling through Alaskan communities. This CDS funding will support critical collaborative research through direct involvement with the Alaska crab industry and agency partners. Research is expected to provide further clarity to stakeholders and managers on what's next for crab and the ability to conduct this research through the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation further mitigates economic impacts on the crab industry that directly funds BSFRF. This CDS will vitalize research efforts toward rebuilding the stocks to sustainable levels to support Alaskan fishermen, and to bring back critical jobs and economic livelihood to Alaskan communities.\u201d - Scott Goodman, Executive Director, Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to support research on seasonal weather forecasting.\n\n\u201cFunds for Arctic seasonal weather forecasting and improved seasonal prediction of sea ice and environmental conditions will support a collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Arctic Testbed and Climate Prediction Center and the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Experimental Arctic Prediction Initiative. In particular, funds will support development and validation of improved forecast models, focusing on Arctic hazards such as wildfires, flooding or extreme events that impact coastal communities in Alaska's Arctic. Engagement with stakeholders, especially underserved rural communities, will inform our activity about needs for particular seasonal forecast products and the optimal methods for the delivery of forecast information. The experimental products and formats will, in turn, inform the National Weather Service Alaska Region and other NOAA entities to foster a transition from research to operations. Thank you to Senator Murkowski for her tireless efforts to further our understanding and living conditions in the ever changing Arctic.\u201d - Hajo Eicken, Director of the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks\n\nFairbanks/Statewide: $1.7 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys.\n\n\u201cFunding for Baseline Fisheries Surveys will usher in a new era of environmental monitoring in support of an ecosystem approach to Alaska fisheries management. Autonomous underwater vehicles deployed and piloted by UAF scientists will collect subsurface data to better characterize the state of Alaska's marine ecosystem. This information will inform the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council as it assess ecosystem status and harvest levels. I'd like to thank Senator Murkowski for her steadfast support of UAF research and Alaska's fisheries.\u201d - Dr. Seth L. Danielson, Associate Professor of Oceanography, University of Alaska Fairbanks\n\nSt. Paul/Statewide: $250,000 to the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island for surveillance monitoring of fisheries and ecosystems.\n\nStatewide: $3 million to the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to support victim service organizations.\n\n\u201cWe cannot say thank you enough to our Senator for working tirelessly to ensure victims of crime have access to the resources they need to heal. These funds will ensure that ANDVSA can continue the work we have started with underserved populations to ensure they have access to support services. It will also strengthen the infrastructure of Alaska\u2019s victims services organizations so they can continue walking the journey of healing with those who have been harmed.\u201d - Brenda Stanfill, Executive Director of ANDVSA\n\nStatewide: $4 million to the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to support advocacy organizations and services for victims of violent crime.\n\nStatewide: $1 million to the Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains to support counseling and emotional support programs for victims of crime and law enforcement officers.\n\nUtqia?vik: $2.7 million to the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management for marine mammal and co-management research on the North Slope.\n\n\u201cThese funds will support research on the North Slope of Alaska necessary for the effective co-management of marine mammals by Alaska Natives. These studies will promote food security for our communities and will help ensure that our subsistence resources are available for future generations.\u201d - North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, Jr.\n\nYukon River Drainage: $825,000 to the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association to support research, surveys, and community engagement.\n\n\u201cWe are very excited to receive the funding for the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association. The funds will allow us to be able to work more closely with Yukon River communities we serve. The last few years have been very difficult with no salmon fishing on the Yukon River, so the funding will ensure the people have a space to provide their knowledge and expertise in the fisheries they have lived off of for generations. We want to thank Sen. Lisa Murkowski for her dedication in serving the people of the Yukon River and the salmon they rely on. Quyana.\u201d - Serena Fitka, Executive Director, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association\n\nEnergy and Water Development\n\nStatewide: $4 million to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation to assist in conducting the necessary analysis for a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for a liquid natural gas pipeline in Alaska.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of AGDC, we are grateful Senator Murkowski included this vital funding. This legislation bolsters federal backing for the Alaska LNG Project and adds to the federal record of support for exporting LNG from Alaska, which includes $28 billion in federal loan guarantees. This project funding will kickstart front-end engineering and design work to finalize technologies and execution strategies, and update cost estimates and schedules. Alaska LNG is poised to reduce energy bills and improve air quality in Alaska and achieve national objectives such as supplying Asian allies with clean, reliable, and stable energy, greatly reducing global carbon emissions, and strengthening energy security.\u201d -Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) President Frank Richards\n\nStatewide: $1.5 million to the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative to study the feasibility of deploying marine energy in rural Alaska.\n\nAmbler: $650,000 to the City of Ambler to expand the City\u2019s current fuel storage capacity to be able to adequately store enough fuel supply for the community\u2019s stove oil and gasoline needs without having to rely on costly air deliveries in winter months.\n\nFalse Pass: $1.25 million for procurement, assembly, and installation of a hydrokinetic power system for the City of False Pass. This system will provide for renewable energy as an alternative to high-cost diesel generation.\n\nHomer: $300,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the feasibility study for the proposed large vessel harbor expansion in Homer.\n\nSt. George: $2.5 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District to support priority funding for the federal share for Preliminary Engineering and Design and Construction of St. George Harbor.\n\nUnalaska: $2.5 million to the City of Unalaska for reliability and efficiency upgrades for Unalaska\u2019s electrical distribution system.\n\nUnalaska Channels: $25.6 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expand Dutch Harbor.\n\nFinancial Services and General Government\n\nAnchorage: $6 million to the Alaska Community Foundation to support the preservation, processing, and digitization of records of Alaskan leaders.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful for Senator Lisa Murkowski and her staff, and the entire Alaska delegation, for their support in advancing the Alaska Leaders Archive project. This is an important first step as we work to ensure a deeper understanding of Alaska\u2019s unique history from the leaders who helped build our state.\u201d - Hugh Ashlock, board member of the Alaska Leaders Archive\n\nStatewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to expand UAA\u2019s business development services to rural and young entrepreneurs in Alaska.\n\n\u201cWith the unprecedented amount of new infrastructure, broadband and transportation projects coming to Alaska due to the amazing work of our Congressional delegation, economic opportunities have never been better for the state's small businesses. This appropriation will enable the Alaska SBDC to help Alaskans all over the state take advantage of those opportunities through the expansion of the BuyAlaska program which helps promote the power of buying local, our Rural Development program which will help remote and rural entrepreneurs, thrive and grow as well as supporting the newly launched State Small Business Credit Initiative which will drive hundreds of millions of dollars in new private sector investments into Alaska's businesses. On behalf of the Alaska SBDC, thank you to Senator Murkowski for her efforts to secure funding to support our work to help all of Alaska's small businesses.\u201d - Jon Bittner, Executive Director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC), located at the University of Alaska Anchorage\n\nHomeland Security\n\nAnchorage: $500,000 to the Municipality of Anchorage to replace the roof of the Anchorage Emergency Operations Center.\n\nDillingham: $5 million to the City of Dillingham for shoreline protection for the City\u2019s sewage facility.\n\nOuzinkie: $2 million to the Native Village of Ouzinkie to mitigate potential disaster threat implications from major tsunami events through the construction of an Emergency Response Shelter and Equipment Staging Complex.\n\nInterior, Environment, and Related Agencies\n\nAnchorage: $13 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Anchorage.\n\n\u201cI want to thank Senator Murkowski for bringing close to $60 million dollars in federal funding to Anchorage. I appreciate the partnership and collaboration of the Senator and her staff to advance work on critical projects that will enhance public safety and infrastructure across Anchorage and create jobs for Alaskans.\u201d - Municipality of Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson\n\nAnchorage: $4 million to implement the Municipality of Anchorage's Community Wildfire Protection Plan.\n\n\u201cThe threat of a major wildland-urban interface fire in the Municipality is the single largest safety hazard facing our community. Thanks to this funding secured by Senator Murkowski, we will be able to fully implement our Community Wildfire Protection Plan and resume addressing the dangerous fuels that have accumulated during the last decade. We thank Senator Murkowski for hearing our concerns and taking action for the benefit of the Municipality and those we serve.\u201d - Anchorage Fire Chief Doug Schrage\n\nChickaloon: $250,000 for the Chickaloon Native Village for a community well.\n\n\u201cChickaloon Village Traditional Council is excited to partner with Senator Murkowski on an initiative to bring healthy, drinking water to the community of Chickaloon. We are grateful for the opportunity to develop this collaborative public project. This new facility will strengthen community health and resilience through the creation of a public water system.\u201d - Lisa Wade, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council\u2019s Executive Director\n\nChignik: $5.3 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for safe drinking water in Chignik.\n\n\u201cQuyana (thank you) to Senator Murkowski for your unwavering advocacy and commitment to the health of our people and communities. These projects are essential to maintain access to clean drinking water and safely dispose of solid waste, addressing longstanding safety and providing improved health for children and families in these communities.\u201d - Valerie Nurr\u2019araluk Davidson, President/CEO of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium\n\n\u201cThe new water distribution system would reverse the negative impacts of the significant daily loss of clean water, and bring relief to our operators and staff, who work tirelessly to maintain the current system which has caused years of anxiety and panic on a regular basis. Finally a clean and reliable water source for our families, children, fishing and subsistence lifestyles that we all depend highly on!\u201d - Michelle Anderson, Chignik Lagoon Village Council Administrator\n\nChugach National Forest: $2.3 million to construct and improve recreational trails and access on the Iditarod National Historic Trail.\n\n\u201cAlaska Trails is excited about the funding for significant trail projects included in the omnibus appropriations package. These projects will be a great benefit to both outdoor recreation and the economy in Alaska. We are grateful to Senator Murkowski for her efforts to spur this investment in Alaska\u2019s trail infrastructure and are excited to hit the ground in the new year to make them happen. From a pedestrian pathway along the Parks Highway to trail connections in the Chugach National Forest \u2013 these projects will bring benefits to Alaskan communities. Alaska Trails is especially pleased to see the National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study for the Alaska Long Trail in the package as that project will have long-lasting benefits to the state and we are eager to help plan and build that visionary trail from Seward to Fairbanks.\u201d - Alaska Trails Executive Director Steve Cleary\n\nCraig: $760,000 for upgrades to Craig's wastewater treatment plant.\n\n\u201cThis project will help us replace sewer lift stations that are at the end of their expected life. New lift stations will increase effectiveness; help protect the environment and public health; and will decrease operations and maintenance costs for the system.While these might not be the most exciting projects that we get to work on, funding for critical aging water and sewer infrastructure in communities is critical to the health, viability, and growth of our Southeast Alaska towns. The congressionally directed spending process has helped us to close a funding gap that is traditionally difficult to fill while keeping utility rates for small town Alaskans affordable.\u201d - Brian Templin, Craig City Administrator\n\nDenali: $2.2 million for the design and construction of pedestrian pathways along the Parks Highway corridor in the Denali Borough.\n\nEagle River: $4.5 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Eagle River.\n\nGirdwood: $1.6 million to replace the Ruane Road culvert in Girdwood.\n\nGirdwood: $2.5 million for a sewer access project, for the safe disposal of wastewater in Girdwood.\n\nJuneau: $2.5 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to design and construct a commercial-scale composting facility to serve Juneau residents and businesses.\n\n\u201cThis project is a game changer for waste treatment and reduction in Juneau. The community has 20 years left in our current landfill; the Assembly has committed to a zero-waste initiative to extend the life of the facility. Approximately 25% of the waste stream is organics which in addition to filling up valuable landfill space creates unpleasant odors. Organics that don\u2019t go in the landfill sometimes go down the drain in garbage disposals, driving up the cost of wastewater treatment. A municipal composting facility is a triple win for Juneau: less odors, less trash, less costly wastewater treatment. It will provide an important example for communities across southeast that struggle with solid waste.\u201d \u2013 Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt\n\nKenai: $875,000 to the Alaska Electric & Energy Cooperative, Inc. for the installation of a combined heat and power project at the Kenai Peninsula Borough\u2019s Central Peninsula Landfill.\n\n\"Homer Electric Association, Inc. (HEA) appreciates federal investment in its landfill gas to energy project on the Kenai Peninsula. This project will save the Kenai Peninsula Borough money, increase HEA's generation capabilities and reduce harmful methane emissions. The project produces positive outcomes for the State of Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula Borough and HEA members. We appreciate Senator Murkowski's tireless efforts to invest in our state and local communities.\" - Brad Janorschke, General Manager of Homer Electric Association, Inc.\n\nKenai: $2.9 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Kenai.\n\nFunding for the City of Kenai Wastewater Treatment Plant Digester Blower Replacements Project will replace 40+ year old highly inefficient and failing equipment with new. This activated sludge plant, which discharges into Alaska\u2019s Cook Inlet waters at the mouth of the Kenai River, was originally constructed in the early 1970s. This project will modernize our operations while reducing utility and maintenance expenses. \u201cThanks to Senator Murkowski, this Congressionally Designated Spending allocation will allow the City to complete this important project that will allow the City to continue to safely discharge water from our plant into the Cook Inlet at the mouth of the Kenai River.\u201d - Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander\n\nKenai: $1.5 million to implement the Kenai Peninsula Borough Community Wildfire Protection Plan.\n\nKetchikan: $1.7 million to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.\n\n\u201cThis funding for upgrades to the Mountain Point Wastewater Treatment Plant will ensure high quality treatment of wastewater which is an improvement for the environment, will minimize impacts to the rate payers, and will make a safer work environment. Plant improvements include upgrades to treatment basins, operational systems, and disinfection processes. We appreciate Senator Murkowski\u2019s attention to this important project for our City of Saxman, Forest Park, and Mountain Point residents.\u201d - Ketchikan Gateway Borough Mayor Rodney Dial\n\nKivalina: $8 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to construct a new Kivalina landfill that meets state regulatory standards.\n\n\u201cThe current landfill is not only at capacity, it is also located next the airport runway, where ravens and seagulls congregate, creating safety hazards for airplanes. A new landfill, away from the runway, will accommodate trash from the new school and existing community, and reduce airplane hazards.\u201d - Leroy Adams, Vice Mayor of Kivalina\n\nKodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment.\n\n\u201cMarine debris is an eyesore, a hazard to navigation, a danger to wildlife and a looming threat to the nation\u2019s seafood resources. There is an urgent need to recover these materials before they break up and become more difficult and costly to remove. This Congressionally Directed Spending Request proposed by Sen. Murkowski will trigger Kodiak\u2019s largest-ever cleanup and will have an immediate and dramatic impact on our coastline, including the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and numerous Alaska state parks and public lands.\u201d - Andy Schroeder, Executive Director, Island Trails Network\n\nKotzebue: $140,000 to build cyanotoxin analysis capacity at the Native Village of Kotzebue.\n\n\u201cThe Native Village of Kotzebue appreciates Senator Murkowski assisting us in securing a Congressionally Directed Spending allocation to allow the Tribe to build local capacity to understand the changes occurring in the marine ecology of the Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound. In particular, to understand better how warming waters and decreasing ice cover is impacting the microbiology of the marine system and contributing to the emerging phenomenon of harmful algae blooms and the implications for Arctic marine food webs which are central to the food security for Arctic coastal communities. Northwest Alaska and the community of Kotzebue will benefit for years to come by leveraging this assistance into additional research funding and programs to continue to improve the local capacity to understand these relationships. We applaud Senator Murkowski\u2019s long-term commitment to understanding and protecting the Ocean systems that Alaskans rely on for their cultural, nutritional, and economic way of life.\u201d - Alex Whiting, Environmental Program Director, Native Village of Kotzebue\n\nNome: $1.6 million for safe drinking water distribution and wastewater collection.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the City and community of Nome, we are very grateful for Senator Murkowski\u2019s efforts to secure much-needed federal funding for sewer and water projects in remote Alaska communities. She really understands how much of a difference this will make in Nome, and it is yet another example of how hard she fights for Alaskans when she is stuck down there in DC.\u201d - Mayor John Handeland, City of Nome\n\nNorth Slope: $1.2 million for a wastewater replacement project.\n\n\u201cTNHA\u2019s mission is to excel in the delivery of opportunities for affordable housing that empower, build and sustain vibrant self-determined communities on the Arctic Slope for generations to come. We are so excited to see our Wastewater Replacement Project included in the omnibus passed by Congress. Sanitation needs look a lot different in remote, rural Alaska than they do in urban centers, and we\u2019d like to say thank you to Senator Lisa Murkowski and her staff for supporting this critical request, which will provide insulated wastewater tanks meeting Arctic design criteria for 30 TNHA homebuyer units in the villages of Anaktuvk Pass, Atqasuk, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Lay and Wainwright. Quyanaqpak, Senator Murkowski!\u201d - Griffin Hagle-Forster, Chief Executive Officer, Ta?iu?miullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority\n\nNorth Slope: $2.5 million for the Northern Route of the North Slope Borough Community Winter Access Trails pilot program, which provides for the creation of temporary winter trail access between communities where year-round connecting roads do not exist.\n\nPalmer: $6.9 million for wastewater treatment system upgrades.\n\n\u201cThe City of Palmer has been challenged over multiple years to meet the federal requirements of our Water Pollution Control operation. Our citizens have willing stepped up in this effort. The funding approved by Congress on the impetus of Senator Murkowski will financially and operationally permit us to complete this need.\u201d - Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington\n\n\u201cWe have been in discussions with Senator Murkowski on our local challenges. She and her team listened, assisted and put fulfilling this need in motion. This award will directly benefit the citizens of Palmer and our utility user group.\u201d - John Moosey, Palmer City Manager\n\nPetersburg: $1.6 million for water treatment plant upgrades.\n\n\u201cThe Petersburg Borough is very grateful to receive $1.6 million due to the support of Senator Murkowski so that we may improve the safety and security of our water treatment system. The money provided through the omnibus appropriations bill will serve to replace a vital portion of Petersburg's water treatment system and will ensure that the potable water produced by the treatment plant is safe for all residents, businesses and visitors. We truly appreciate her hard work on behalf of Alaska.\u201d - Mark Jensen, Mayor of Petersburg\n\nSt. Paul: $3 million to improve solid waste disposal facilities.\n\nSeldovia: $746,000 for a sewer line replacement.\n\nSeldovia: $414,000 for safe drinking water.\n\n\u201cCommunities like Seldovia require and deserve infrastructure that protects public health and is well maintained. But that comes at a high expense, especially since we are small, rural and located off the road system. With less than 250 residents in the city, we rely on partnerships at the tribal, state, and federal level to help us provide services including clean drinking water, safely collected wastewater, and material to help us resurface our roads. The CDS funding Senator Murkowski secured for Seldovia means we are taking care of our community now and into the future. In short, we aren't just remaining here - we can, and will, grow.\u201d - Seldovia Mayor Jeremiah Campbell\n\nSeward: $2 million for the safe disposal of wastewater.\n\nSoldotna: $680,000 for a wastewater treatment plant.\n\nSoldotna: $320,000 to improve wastewater effluent before discharge to the Kenai River.\n\nSoldotna: $960,000 for upgrades to upgrade equipment used to dewater treated solids at the Soldotna Wastewater Treatment Plant.\n\nSt. George: $3 million to replace the 50-year-old water distribution and wastewater collection infrastructure.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the City of Saint George, we are beyond thankful for your support and advocation for our Congressionally Directed Spending allocation request. The need for a new potable water and wastewater system is at its most critical point. After nearly 40 years of use, the potable water distribution lines are ready for replacement. We have had instances in the past where our storage tank froze, along with the distribution lines. These scenarios have led to many repairs in the water lines. We are currently repairing the old repairs that have been made. The wastewater system was constructed during the same time and needs replacement as well. The community has faced many hardships regarding the water distribution system over the years. These repairs will ensure safe drinking water for community members and anyone working on and traveling through Saint George. Thankfully, we are a resilient community and have overcome associated issues. We are also thankful for the support from our regional entities and state authorities, in response to these difficulties. The inclusion of our CDS request in the upcoming omnibus is a great victory for us in our small community. This announcement will make for a great holiday season. Thank you!\u201d - Mark Merculief Jr., Mayor, City of St. George\n\nStatewide: $2 million for salmon monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River watersheds.\n\nStatewide: $500,000 to the Tanana Chiefs Conference to address the large data gap regarding salmon populations on the Yukon River.\n\n\u201cTanana Chiefs Conference applauds Senator Murkowski\u2019s advocacy to secure funding for a Middle Yukon River Sonar. For the past three years, the Yukon River salmon populations have suffered catastrophic declines, preventing our tribal communities from subsistence fishing which is essential to the overall health and wellbeing of our people. A Middle Yukon River Sonar supports building tribal data, and develops a pathway for co-stewardship to ensure balanced management and harvest decisions for all Tribes and people that rely on the Yukon River to meet subsistence needs.\u201d \u2013 TCC Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley\n\nStatewide: $880,000 for implementation of the Intertribal Federal Subsistence Cooperative Management Program at the Kuskokwim River Watershed.\n\n\u201cThis is great news for the communities of the Kuskokwim river as we continue to research and respond to this unprecedented salmon crisis and the food security issues caused by our declined chinook, chum, and coho salmon.\u201d - Kevin Whitworth, Executive Director, Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC)\n\nStatewide: $1.2 million for ecological monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.\n\n\u201cThere lies a growing need to support and encourage residents of rural communities to engage and participate in the collection of environmental data which lends itself to better management of salmon populations in the Arctic, Yukon and Kuskokwim regions of Alaska. These data help to tell the story of changing environmental patterns and conditions and systematically informs a clearer picture of the health and abundance of salmon populations in these regions. Jobs provided by these funds are essential for rural communities and encourage youth to participate in the health and wellbeing of their area.\u201d - Karen Gillis, Executive Director, Bering Sea Fishermen\u2019s Association\n\nStatewide: $1.5 million for the Denali Commission to develop regional solid waste management plans.\n\n\u201cThe Denali Commission is very pleased to have the opportunity to support comprehensive regional strategies for waste management that are otherwise lacking in many parts of Alaska. This funding will allow communities to address the risk posed by waste to the environment and human health and promote community aesthetics. We thank Senator Murkowski for her commitment to funding waste management.\u201d - Garrett Boyle, Federal Cochair of the Commission\n\nStatewide: $1 million for to complete a National Scenic Trail feasibility study to connect Seward and Fairbanks.\n\nStatewide: $3 million for the Alaska Native Justice Center for Alaska tribal public safety empowerment activities.\n\nStatewide: $7 million to support the State of Alaska in conducting an inventory and verification of contaminated sites conveyed to Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.\n\nStatewide: $300,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to study the need and economic feasibility of constructing and operating a hazardous waste processing facility and landfill in the State of Alaska.\n\nStatewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association to build further tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.\n\nStatewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to build further tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.\n\nStatewide: $33.9 million for abandoned well remediation in the NPR-A.\n\nValdez: $5 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Valdez.\n\n\u201cThe Community of Valdez is extremely grateful to Senator Murkowski for acquiring this funding to assist in the replacement of our sewer force main. This infrastructure is critical to our core of town and we are in desperate need for replacement as our current system is well past its useful life. We hope this money will help us overcome rising construction costs and inflation so that we can replace this critically important piece of our waste water system. We are all tax payers and it is great to see some of the Federal support coming back to small towns like ours in Alaska.\u201d - Mark Detter, Valdez City Manager\n\nWasilla: $5.7 million for improvements to wastewater treatment facilities.\n\n\u201cThe City of Wasilla provides sanitary sewer collections and treatment to more than 700 businesses and residents within the city. The City\u2019s request for support with three sewer sludge projects reflects the need for assistance in meeting the growing population with additional customers and new stipulations by regulators. The three projects include a much needed second sludge digester to increase daily capacity to meet current and future wastewater demands, a lagoon sludge dredge to safely remove the collected sludge at the end of the treatment process, and sludge drying beds to meet new sludge management regulations. Being the fastest growing city in the State of Alaska, support for our critical infrastructure like this project is the first step to building redundancy and resiliency in our community. Our priority is to deliver innovative and more environmentally responsible ways to deliver quality WWT services.\u201d - Erich Schaal P.E., Director of Public Works, City of Wasilla\n\nWhittier: $1.2 million for well field upgrades.\n\n\u201cThanks to Senator Murkowski for her dedication and attention to Alaska's, and Whittier's needs, we will have new critical water well infrastructure installed. This opportunity will replace post WWII systems and provide us a fire safety margin in summer when cruise ships are filling up with our untreated water and fish processing is operating at a high level. This threat has been a burden on our 272 People residents. Many thanks from all of us and our annual visitors numbering in the hundreds of thousands!\u201d - Jim Hunt, Whittier City Manager\n\nYakutat: $5.1 million for a water line extension project.\n\n\u201cThe 5.1 million for a water line extension project will provide clean drinking water In Yakutat. We have struggled for the last 5 years addressing water pollution and Senator Murkowski congressional allocation is heaven sent!\u201d - Jon Erickson Manager Yakutat\n\nLabor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies\n\n\u201cAlaska Community Health Centers form the backbone of our primary care system in Alaska. These capital improvements secured by Senator Murkowski will improve health clinic spaces that make comprehensive, coordinated care more easily accessible for more than 120,000 Alaskans.\u201d - Nancy Merriman, CEO, Alaska Primary Care Association\n\nAnchorage: $2.25 million to the University of Alaska to renovate UA\u2019s facilities for nursing education, telehealth training, and inter-professional education programs.\n\n\u201cWe are so thankful to have this funding to increase simulation capacity at UAA. This will increase our ability to teach students the clinical knowledge and competencies needed to be work-ready graduates. It will help us address the high demand workforce needs in Alaska\u2019s health care industry.\u201d - Debbie Craig, Dean of the College of Health, University of Alaska Anchorage\n\nAnchorage: $290,000 for Providence Alaska to establish and launch the Alaska Psychiatry Residency Program.\n\nAnchorage: $1.2 million to update and improve the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center.\n\nAnchorage: $500,000 to the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center to establish a new Dental Assistant Training Apprenticeship.\n\n\u201cThis incredible support for Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center will create a safer and more energy efficient space for patients and a pathway to train more dental assistants and professionals to provide critical dental care for people in Anchorage and Alaska. Thank you to our federal government and Senator Murkowski and her office for working to prioritize high quality, accessible, safe and effective healthcare for Alaskans. We are so grateful!\u201d - Lisa Aquino CEO, Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center\n\nAnchorage: $5 million to Southcentral Foundation to construct the Fireweed Specialty Dental Clinic.\n\nAnchorage: $2 million for a Southcentral Foundation Workforce Development Program, to provide resources and support to students training as nurses, certified medical assistants, dental health aid therapists, and as behavioral health providers.\n\n\u201cThe last few years have been extremely challenging for health care systems in Alaska. This critical funding will allow Southcentral Foundation to expand and enhance our workforce through recruiting, training, and mentoring Alaska Native and American Indian people in clinical careers that are often hard to fill or have high turnover rates. The funding will also consolidate SCF\u2019s Specialty Dental Clinic allowing better access to care which will directly benefit those with complex dental needs. These improvement projects, made possible through the efforts of Senator Murkowski, will have a direct impact on the health and well-being of our community.\u201d - April Kyle, MBA, Southcentral Foundation President and CEO\n\nAnchorage: $400,000 to the Alaska Center for FASD to connect individuals with FASD to services.\n\n\u201cAccording to a recent report, an estimated 47,860 Alaskans have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and costs the State of Alaska millions of dollars each year in direct health and other services. Monies from the omnibus legislation will increase the capacity of the Alaska Center for FASD to not only mitigate these economic costs but more importantly, continue to work with the State of Alaska to support individuals impacted by this life-long disability and increase the awareness of the effects of alcohol on our families and communities throughout Alaska and the nation. Senator Murkowski understands this need for focused attention on FASD and her commitment to improving systems of care for all Alaskans is evident by her concrete actions. On behalf of the Alaska Center for FASD we deeply appreciate Senator Murkowski\u2019s efforts to elevate these complex issues to refuel and stimulate momentum for system advancement and growth.\u201d - Alaska Center for FASD, Board of Directors\n\nAnchorage: $750,000 for construction of a Crisis Stabilization Center at Providence Alaska Medical Center.\n\n\u201cProvidence is grateful for Senator Murkowski\u2019s ongoing support to secure funding to address Alaska\u2019s behavioral health needs and bolster our mental health workforce as well as provide supportive housing to seniors with significant health conditions experiencing homelessness.\u201d - Ella Goss, RN, Chief Executive, Alaska Region\n\nAkiak: $500,000 to the Rural Alaska Community Action Program to recruit and train local community members to become early educators and certified teachers.\n\n\u201cThe Omnibus Appropriations Bill will benefit communities and initiatives statewide by increasing rural communities\u2019 capacity to provide quality, local education. Thanks to Senator Murkowski, RurAL CAP\u2019s pilot Teacher Apprenticeship Program will address the high turnover rates of educators and ongoing shortages of certified, local teachers that rural communities face. Aimed at improving rural Alaskans' ability to obtain early education teaching credentials locally, the project ultimately works to increase our state's rural workforce, increase protective factors against adverse childhood experiences, and bolster the early education of our state's future leaders.\u201d - Tiel Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP)\n\nBethel: $100,000 to purchase a portable X-Ray and other medical equipment for the Bethel Family Clinic in Bethel.\n\nBethel: $600,000 to the Bethel Family Services Community Health Center to provide well child exams to children in 55 locations throughout YK Delta.\n\n\u201cBethel Family Clinic's board of directors and all staff are excited and grateful for Senator Murkowski's dedicated work on securing $700,000 appropriation grant. $600,000 for well child examination/village travel program which will assist Bethel Family Clinic to send providers to the school districts villages to provide medical exams to their staffs, and students. Bethel Family Clinic service area is large and most communities don\u2019t have a medical clinic or local health aide to meet the needs of the community. Through our child examination / village travel program our medical providers will be able to provide much need referral for addition services such as; dental, behavioral health, which that would not have access to previously due to limited funding\u2019s. $100,000 for medical equipment purchase. Bethel Family Clinic will spend the funds on blood hematology analyzer, portable x-ray machine, computer, laptop, fire proof safe and fire proof cabinet. Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Senator Murkowski and her team to support Bethel Family Clinic on this funding.\u201d - M. Enayet U. Chowdhury, Chief Executive Officer Bethel Family Clinic\n\nHealy: $2.5 million to construct a health center in Healy.\n\n\u201cThe funds enable the Interior Community Health Center to construct a health facility on its lot on the Parks Highway in Healy, Alaska to best serve the year round primary care needs of the Denali Borough - a population of just over 1,600 - scattered 79 miles between the towns of Cantwell to the Anderson, Alaska. The impact of this congressionally directed spending will be to improve access to primary care services, including preventive health and oral health screenings, manage chronic disease and overall health.\u201d - Cheryl Kilgore, Chief Executive Officer Interior Community Health Center\n\nHomer: $633,000 to the Seldovia Village Tribe to expand the Homer Health Center.\n\n\u201cWe would like to remind you of the primary benefits that our Tribe, patients and staff, as well as the community, will be able to enjoy upon project completion, thanks to you. Those include: Expanded services to support Healthy Alaskans 2030 health priorities; Reduce health disparities to low-income, underinsured and uninsured Alaskans; Provide community education sessions to improve the health and well-being of Alaskans.\u201d - Crystal Collier, President Seldovia Village Tribe\n\nJuneau: $870,000 to renovate and expand the JAMHI Health & Wellness specialty behavioral health facility.\n\n\u201cThis congressionally directed allocation will relocate, expand and improve JAMHI Family services in Juneau at a larger facility at 2075 Jordan Avenue and through technology, for youth and families throughout Alaska, as well as increase overall capacity to meet service needs across the lifespan. Improved access, increased space for more staff with specific specialization in evidence-based therapies, integrated on-site pediatric care and physical and mental wellness services will be provided and the additional capacity will also be used to support other groups and entities throughout Juneau to better meet the behavioral health needs of youth and families in our community as well.\u201d - Dave Branding Chief Executive Officer\n\nJuneau: $750,000 to establish and operate a commercial driver's license education training program at the University of Alaska Southeast.\n\n\u201cWe can't thank Senator Murkowski enough for the $750,000 to develop a CDL program in Southeast Alaska. This program has been greatly needed in Southeast Alaska and we look forward to being able to report on the progress we make.\u201d - Dr. Karen Carey, Chancellor of the University of Alaska Southeast\n\nKetchikan: $600,000 for facilities and equipment at the Peacehealth Ketchikan Medical Center.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Senator Lisa Murkowski for championing this allocation of federal funds for a new CT scanner for PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center. Along with PeaceHealth's financial commitment to the project, Senator Murkowski's successful advocacy for this funding will help ensure local patients can continue to access the very latest diagnostic imaging services right here in our community.\u201d - Dori Stevens, Chief Administrative Officer, PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center\n\nKodiak: $7.9 million to expand the Kodiak Community Health Center.\n\n\u201cKodiak Community Health Center is ecstatic to be included in the Congressionally Directed Spending Omnibus bill for $7.9M toward a capital expansion of our clinic. This funding will allow us to meet the growing healthcare needs of our community including behavioral health, substance abuse and primary care. In remote Alaska, healthcare takes a high level of skill and creativity to be successful. Expanding our facility and equipment will allow our team to provide next level care for our patients. Thank you Senator Murkowski for your diligence and hard work for Alaska!\u201d - Carol Austerman, Executive Director, Kodiak Community Health Center\n\nNaknek: $3 million to renovate and expand the Camai Community Health Center.\n\nSeward: $5 million to expand the Seward Community Health Center.\n\n\u201cThis Congressionally Directed Spending Allocation via Lisa Murkowski\u2019s office represents a giant step toward transforming the face of healthcare in Seward. This is the first stepping-stone to building a new clinic that will help improve the health and quality of life for Alaskans on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula. A new clinic will allow us to provide expanded primary care services to our community, including preventive/wellness educational programs, access to specialists, and greater telehealth connectivity. Along the way, a new facility is expected to increase staff satisfaction and retention, which will result in a higher quality of care for our community. We are excited about the possibilities that lie before us through this funding and are grateful for the opportunity to elevate the level of care we can provide.\u201d - Craig Ambrosiani, Seward Community Health Center Executive Director\n\nSeward: $2.5 million to expand the Chugachmiut Health Clinic.\n\n\u201cI want to thank Senator Murkowski for securing these funds! This one-time allocation will have a huge impact far into the future. Chugachmiut will now be able to improve and expand health services to the underserved and remote communities it serves. Adding services that are desperately needed but that were inaccessible before this generous gift by Congress will generate improved health outcomes for, at minimum, the next 30 years. \u201c - Jan Vanderpool, Executive Director\n\nStatewide: $2.5 million to expand the Alaska Primary Care Association\u2019s community health worker program into rural areas.\n\nStatewide: $350,000 to expand the University of Washington\u2019s Alaska Pediatric Residency Track, to increase opportunities for pediatric residents to train in Alaska.\n\n\u201cWe thank Sen. Murkowski for her longstanding support in securing funds to strengthen access to pediatric health care for children living in rural Alaska Native communities. This appropriation will enable the University of Washington/Seattle Children\u2019s Alaska Track pediatric residency program to send pediatricians to more Alaska Native villages where they can provide direct care to children and provide pediatric specific education for our community health aides. The funding will also help to expand programs for adolescent well-being, including mental health, sports medicine and infectious disease prevention, through school-based health clinics located at high school campuses in Bethel and Anchorage.\u201d - Richard Shugerman, MD Director, Pediatric WWAMI, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington\n\nStatewide: $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Southcentral Alaska to provide behavioral health support to children and youth.\n\n\u201cThe lasting effects of childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences not only impact mental and physical health, but also educational outcomes, economic stability, and generational health and welfare. Our youth are facing civil unrest, racial inequality, online social pressure, and systemic inequalities that create barriers to success. According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, 62.9% of Alaskan youth ages 12-17 who have depression did not receive care last year. Youth face many barriers to accessing behavioral health services including transportation, financial, and cultural stigma. They need hope and an easier way to access help. That is why our program will bring care directly to kids through Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state. We will use prevention and intervention services to help the youth who need it most. To do this we will employ mental health professionals to support our youth and to empower our staff to understand, identify, and respond to youth who may be facing challenges and to connect them with proper care, if necessary.\u201d - Jen Patronas, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs-Alaska\n\nStatewide: $2 million to Covenant House Alaska to strengthen Alaska's workforce and provide pathways to permanent housing.\n\nStatewide: $230,000 to the Rural Alaska Community Action Program to identify, train, and support a cohort of interested youth peer mentors.\n\n\u201cThe passing of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill is a great success for all Alaskans as we face the mental health crisis, especially with youth in rural communities. This bill supports RurAL CAP\u2019s Peer Mentor and Mental Health First Aide in Rural Alaska project. This pilot project will pair a cohort of youth peer mentors with local professionals to provide suicide prevention and mental health first aid to youth in rural communities. With these efforts, we strive to empower rural youth to increase mental health awareness and resources, and strengthen the future for all Alaskans.\u201d - Tiel Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP)\n\nStatewide: $950,000 for Bree\u2019s Law Inc. to address and prevent teen dating violence.\n\n\u201cWe are overjoyed that Senator Murkowski was successful in securing funding for the Bree's Law Curriculum Development project, included in the FY23 omnibus released yesterday. As parents who have experienced the devastation of losing our daughter, Bree Moore, to dating violence, we know prevention is the key to keeping future generations safe from interpersonal violence. This Bree's Law funding will expand teen dating violence awareness and prevention education, first developed and implemented in Alaska, and make it available to all teens throughout the United States. We are incredibly thankful to Senator Lisa Murkowski and her staff for their tenacity, passion, and commitment to the passage and funding of Bree's Law. We are truly indebted to everyone who has helped make this law possible.\u201d - Butch and Cindy Moore, Parents of Bree Moore\n\nUnalaska: $500,000 to Iliuliuk Family & Health Services to purchase a CT scanner and fund associated facility and site work to provide expanded health services at the clinic in Unalaska.\n\n\u201cThrough this congressional directed spending award Iliuliuk Family and Health Services can now offer CT services to our community for the first time in our 50 years. This will bring better care to our friends, families and neighbors by reducing the need to travel to Anchorage some 800 miles away. This will also reduce the need for unnecessary medevacs for the region having the ability to better diagnose and treat patients at home. Unalaska and neighboring communities all benefit from this improvement in imaging services \u2013 Thank You Senator Murkowski!\u201d - Noel Reo, CEO of Iliuliuk Family & Health Services\n\nUpper Susitna River Valley (Talkeetna): $2 million to purchase a complete mobile medical unit to provide medical treatment across the Upper Susitna River Valley.\n\nWillow: $1 million to expand the Sunshine Clinic in Willow.\n\nMilitary Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies\n\nAnchorage: $63 million to build an aircraft maintenance hangar at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.\n\nAnchorage: $5.2 million to remove PFAS contaminated soil on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.\n\nFairbanks: $99 million to build a physical fitness center annex at Fort Wainwright.\n\nTransportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies\n\nAmbler: $1.5 million to construct a new firehall and search and rescue facility.\n\nAnchorage: $5 million to the Port of Alaska to make site improvements.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019d like to thank Sen. Murkowski for her continued advocacy and support of the Port of Alaska\u2019s infrastructure modernization efforts. This contribution helps us to continue to move forward while reducing the financial burden that could be placed on port users and Alaskans.\u201d - Steve Ribuffo, Port of Alaska Director\n\nAnchorage: $7.5 million to Providence Community Foundation to provide permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness in Anchorage.\n\nAnchorage: $1.6 million to the Rural Alaska Community Action Program to address homelessness in Anchorage by improving and expanding permanent supportive housing facilities.\n\n\u201cThe Omnibus Appropriations Bill will benefit the health, safety, and well-being of all Alaskans, with particular support to those experiencing homelessness. Among many other great successes, Senator Murkowski\u2019s efforts with this bill have ensured that 126 vital units of new and existing permanent supportive housing are available to individuals in Anchorage as they navigate out of homelessness. These housing services ultimately increase the clients' self-sufficiency and reduce the strain on expensive local and statewide emergency response systems.\u201d - Tiel Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP).\n\nJuneau: $7 million to build a bridge over the Gastineau Channel between Douglas and Juneau.\n\n\u201cA second crossing between Juneau proper and Douglas Island has been a priority for the community for over 40 years - since I was in high school!. A crossing project will improve traffic congestion, reduce travel times, provide critical alternate access to thousands of households in the event of an emergency and open up new land for housing and development. A big push for outreach and engagement with the community has been underway for over a year through a Planning and Environmental Linkages study and this $7M will build on that success and keep the project moving forward.\" \u2013 Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon\n\nFairbanks: $2.5 million to the North Star Council on Aging to expand the Fairbanks Senior Center.\n\n\u201cThis wildly generous gift provided by the passage of the omnibus bill, and spearheaded by Senator Murkowski, comes at a time of great need as the Fairbanks Senior Center works hard to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the 18,000 pioneers who built the amazing community of Fairbanks. Please allow North Star Council on Aging to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every member of congress who voted to support the passage of the omnibus bill, with a special thanks to the tirelessly supportive Senator Lisa Murkowski and her dedicated staff. This appropriation will touch every Interior senior house hold in a profound and caring way for years to come.\u201d - Darlene Supplee, Executive Director of the Fairbanks Senior Center, North Star Council on Aging\n\nFairbanks: $6.9 million to acquire and expand a facility to provide a permanent location for Presbyterian Hospitality House.\n\n\u201cToday, we got word from Senator Murkowski\u2019s team that Presbyterian Hospitality House will be awarded funding for our new building in Fairbanks. The Senators strong commitment to Children\u2019s mental health issues and youth who are homeless has long been established. The new building will help bring Alaskan youth and families together. It will be a place that allows for healing and growth. PHH serves youth in several ways. We provide residential treatment, mental health counseling, Therapeutic Treatment homes. PHH serves youth from all over the State of Alaska. Working to stabilize and keep our youth safe is the most important.\u201d - Ty Tigner, Executive Director, Presbyterian Hospitality House (PHH)\n\nHomer: $750,000 to acquire and construct a facility to support South Peninsula Haven House in building a new financial empowerment facility.\n\nJuneau: $5 million to provide a building to house multiple nonprofits which serve children and families.\n\n\u201cThe creation of a family services center in Juneau has been a long-held dream for AEYC-SEA, and we are so excited that Senator Murkowski was able to secure funding to get it started. Social service supports for children and families are currently spread out all over the Juneau community, making access a challenge for many families. This new facility will bring together multiple partner nonprofits to provide a seamless resource opportunity for families, including an on-site childcare center. I think the true impact of this project won't be realized until the building/dream has been built, but for now this funding is a strong message of support to families with young children in SE Alaska from Senator Murkowski and we could not be more grateful.\u201d - Blue Shibler, Executive Director, Association for Education of Young Children Southeast\n\nKlawock: $500,000 to build a RISE Campus which will include domestic shelter units and outbuildings to support cultural activities.\n\n\u201cWe are so incredibly grateful for the funding Senator Murkowski was able to secure for help in the construction of the RISE Tribal DV Shelter on Prince of Wales! Having a local shelter on the Island allows domestic violence survivors to receive assistance and safety in their own community instead of having to leave their support systems behind- not to mention schools and jobs- and go to a different Island to be safe. This additional funding is crucial for completion of the shelter. Thank you to Senator Murkowski and her team for helping us make this dream a reality for Prince of Wales!\u201d - Tiffany Mills, Executive Director, HOPE Prevention\n\nMcCarthy: $200,000 to build a fire hall for the Kennicott-McCarthy Volunteer Fire Department.\n\nNome: $2 million to rehabilitate the Bering Sea Women\u2019s shelter.\n\nNome: $5 million to the Norton Sound Health Corporation to construct patient housing and affordable housing for low-income employees.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of NSHC, thank you for dedicating funds to our region. NSHC has been expanding health care services over the past decade. While the workforce has grown and higher -level care is being delivered in-region, [neither] NSHC, nor the community, has adequate capital infrastructure to meet these growing patient lodging and employee housing needs. Additionally, a new wellness center was opened in summer 2021, which will offer in-region long-term substance abuse treatment, which requires additional housing. This funding award will contribute to both of these critical needs to allow NSHC to continue to provide the highest level of care to the region.\u201d - Angie Gorn, President & CEO, Norton Sound Health Corporation\n\nRural Alaska: $3 million for the acquisition of facilities, including housing, necessary to establish Alaska State Trooper posts in rural locations.\n\nSeldovia: $22,000 for a road resurfacing project.\n\nSitka: $1 million to provide basic housing for chronically homeless Sitka residents.\n\nTeller: $5.1 million to the Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority to move homes out of the flood zone and construct affordable housing at safe locations.\n\nWainwright: $1.2 million to Tagiugmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority to remodel and convert former National Guard Armory buildings into a modern, energy efficient, tribal childcare facility and multi-use community building.\n\n\u201cGood afternoon from the village of Wainwright, I\u2019m Muriel Panik, Tribal Council Member and Commissioner for the Ta?iu?miullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority. As our local Community-Based Development Organization, TNHA provides services that empower, build and sustain vibrant self-determined communities on the Arctic Slope for generations to come. I want to share Wainwright\u2019s gratitude for Senator Lisa Murkowski and her staff for recommending the Wainwright Childcare Center project for funding consideration by the U.S. Senate. If funded, we will be able to convert a former National Guard armory into a much-needed community facility that will support working parents of young children and help grow the village economy. The facility will be resilient and comfortable with healthy indoor air, using energy-efficient renovation practices and on-site production of renewable energy from to reduce its reliance on costly imported diesel. Again, we want to say quyanaqpak, Senator Murkowski, for supporting our village and regional housing authority in this request.\u201d - Muriel Panik, Tribal Council Member and Commissioner for the Ta?iu?miullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority\n\nWasilla: $5 million to Set Free Alaska to build a therapeutic campus consisting of recovery residence facilities.\n\n\u201cSet Free Alaska would like to thank Senator Murkowski for securing funding for our recidivism reduction and recovery program! Individuals struggling with substance misuse and mental health problems often experience increased incarceration. Services and infrastructure are lacking in our communities to address this problem. This money will be used to build facilities that will provide counseling support services for individuals and families in Mat-Su. These programs will support the agencies vision of all Alaskans experiencing God\u2019s love, lasting freedom, and abundant life!\u201d - Philip Licht, President & CEO, Set Free Alaska, Inc.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-year-end-omnibus-packed-with-good-news-for-alaska", "Murkowski: Year-End Omnibus Packed with Good News for Alaska", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, an omnibus package that contains all 12 appropriations bills and funds the federal government through September 30, 2023.\n\nU.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior Appropriator, helped write major parts of the bill and secured significant funding and assistance for Alaska throughout it. She championed provisions to strengthen Alaska\u2019s economy, accelerate workforce development, and support military members and their families. She also directed funding to water and wastewater infrastructure, public safety, childcare, fisheries, military readiness, affordable housing, mental and behavioral health programs, contaminated lands cleanup, wildfire prevention, recreation on public lands, and much more.\n\nThrough her vote in favor of the measure, Murkowski supported funding authorized by major legislation passed in this Congress \u2013 including the National Defense Authorization Act, bipartisan infrastructure bill, CHIPS and Science Act, Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, and the PACT Act \u2013 while ensuring robust funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA\u2019s disaster relief fund, mental health, child nutrition, rural housing assistance, energy development and lower energy costs, and many additional state priorities.\n\nIn FY 2023, Murkowski was the only member of Alaska\u2019s congressional delegation to pursue Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects. Through this bill, she secured nearly $500 million for more than 130 projects across Alaska that were proposed by local communities to address their most pressing needs.\n\nThe omnibus also features a number of authorizing provisions sponsored by Murkowski, including her University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, the PUMP Act, and emergency disaster assistance for Alaskan fisheries. The legislation includes a historic plus-up for the Department of Defense to benefit service members and protect national security, as well as critical emergency funding for Ukraine.\n\nMurkowski released the following statement about the Consolidated Appropriations Act:\n\n\u201cThis year-end bill contains a huge number of wins for Alaska and is the culmination of all the hard work my team and I put in for our home state throughout the 117th Congress.\n\n\u201cThis measure supports our men and women in uniform and our veterans. It strengthens our economic opportunities and addresses some of our greatest challenges, from workforce and supply chains to the Denali Park Road. It makes major investments in mental and behavioral health, including initiatives to help address the growing issue of death by suicide. Nutrition, public safety, telecom, port and road infrastructure, ocean and coastal mapping, the clean-up of contaminated lands, climate research, natural disaster preparedness, the Arctic, and so much more\u2014there is literally no part of our state that this legislation doesn\u2019t benefit.\n\n\u201cOn top of those major wins for Alaska, I secured funding allocations to directly benefit nearly 130 projects through Congressionally Directed Spending. This process continues to give Alaskans a voice in the federal budget by allowing them to identify their communities\u2019 greatest needs, helping federal agencies identify spending priorities.\n\n\u201cAs a year-end measure, I also worked hard to make sure the omnibus would be a vehicle for as many of Alaska\u2019s outstanding legislative priorities as possible. We ultimately added more than a dozen bills and authorizing provisions focused on everything from the University of Alaska to healthcare in rural and underserved areas.\n\n\u201cThis omnibus is very significant for Alaska. It builds on our successes over the past several years and will help create jobs, reduce costs, improve all types of care, protect our fisheries, bolster public safety, and more. Combined with all we have been able to deliver as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure law, I\u2019m excited about the benefits this measure will provide across our state for a long time to come.\u201d\n\nBILL HIGHLIGHTS\n\nSupports the Military and Veterans\n\nThe omnibus includes significant support to boost our nation\u2019s defense capabilities and enhance military readiness by fully funding the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which includes provisions of the Don Young Arctic Warrior Act to address service member well-being and Alaska\u2019s unique strategic role in national security. The bill supports military construction projects, such as funding for an aircraft maintenance hangar for the Alaska National Guard, and significant projects on Fort Wainwright, Clear Space Force Station, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.\n\nTo support the health and well-being of military members and their families, Murkowski secured robust funding for mental health and suicide prevention programs, as well as a much-deserved 4.6 percent pay raise for troops, housing and food allowances, and childcare support.\n\nIn support of veterans, Murkowski included language to improve their quality of care and worked to expand access to mental healthcare and training for the VA workforce. She also secured significant support for individuals exposed to toxic chemicals during their service and for health-related research initiatives, such as peer-reviewed ALS research.\n\nBolsters America\u2019s Arctic Presence\n\nAs America\u2019s Arctic Senator, Murkowski secured funding for the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, the Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) first regional center in the Arctic. Murkowski previously introduced and helped usher into law the legislation to create this center. She also secured support for the 2024 Arctic Winter Games, which will be held in the Mat-Su Valley, the Arctic Youth Ambassadors Program, and the Permanent Participants to the Arctic Council. As part of her push for a greater diplomatic presence in the Arctic, Murkowski provided funding for an Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic Region, an initiative she advocated for until the State Department announced its establishment in August 2022. The bill also funds the Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Arctic Energy.\n\nInvests in Alaska\u2019s Communities\n\nThe omnibus provides full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which provides compensation to local governments throughout Alaska with federal lands that are not subject to state or local taxation. These dollars help local governments provide vital services, such as firefighting and police protection, search-and-rescue operations, and construction of public schools and roads. The bill also protects and robustly funds the Essential Air Service program, which maintains commercial air service for approximately 60 communities in Alaska. The bill includes a provision led by Murkowski and colleagues to allow unspent COVID relief dollars to be used for infrastructure investments and disaster relief, including providing a fix which will benefit Alaska\u2019s unified municipalities who unfortunately were left out on relief funding intended to help address the economic impacts of the pandemic.\n\nThe year-end package strengthens Alaska\u2019s infrastructure in many ways. It invests in restoring the Denali Park Road. It allocates significant resources to the EPA to construct and improve wastewater and drinking water systems throughout rural Alaska. New funding for the Denali Commission will boost roads, ports, and boat ramps, which will help the agency continue to build infrastructure in rural Alaska. The City of Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula Borough will receive funding for wildfire prevention activities in accordance with their community protection plans.\n\nTo address food security, Murkowski increased funding for her Micro-grants for Food Security Program, which she authored to help Alaskans grow more food in the state. The omnibus provides long-sought flexibility for Alaska\u2019s rural Summer Food Service Program providers, allowing them to serve food in non-congregate ways to children in rural communities who cannot access program sites. It also increases funding for the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Program that helps Alaska\u2019s farmers offset the high costs of importing seeds, fertilizer, and other inputs and transporting their crops out of Alaska.\n\nThe omnibus provides additional funding for Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant programs, which help low-income parents afford high-quality childcare and set the youngest Alaskans on the path to healthy and successful futures.\n\nCapitalizing on Alaska\u2019s Tourism Sector\n\nAlaska is the crown jewel of America\u2019s tourism industry. The omnibus finally cements a federal champion and planning role for the federal government to ensure that our nation makes the most of tourism-based economic opportunities. It establishes an Assistant Secretary of Tourism within the Commerce Department, who will be appointed by the President and required to collect and make public aggregate data on domestic travel and tourism trends. The provision also requires the Commerce to develop a 10-year strategy with annual goals to boost the industry and establishes the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. It also funds, for the first time, the Denali Access Program.\n\nFinally, the omnibus requires Commerce to develop recovery strategies in response to the pandemic and future threats. Notably, it requires the Secretary to conduct a cost-benefit analysis between the economic and health effects of its strategies. It also contains Murkowski\u2019s cruise ship and tourism reforms, which were adopted as part of the PREVENTS Pandemics Act.\n\nSupports Workforce Development\n\nTo help Alaskans train for good-paying jobs, the year-end package invests in workforce development for veterans, youth, and adults through programs like Job Corps, registered apprenticeship programs, and the Young Fishermen\u2019s Development grant program. The omnibus continues to require that timber sales in Alaska be economically viable and requires that Alaska sawmills be given the first right to process the timber to keep these jobs in the United States. In addition, the package includes several Murkowski-led efforts to help build out Alaska\u2019s healthcare workforce, such as the Improving Access to Health Care in Rural and Underserved Area Act, the BIO-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program, and the Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act. Those measures will bolster the state\u2019s primary care, allied health, and infectious disease workforce. Also included are Murkowski\u2019s Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program Act, which reauthorizes a program to provide loan repayment in exchange for working in a local or public health department, and her bill to reauthorize a community health worker grant program to recruit, hire, train, and retain community health workers.\n\nAddresses High Energy Costs\n\nAs Alaskans grapple with some of the highest home heating costs in the nation, the omnibus provides increased funding to help lower-income families cover the costs of heating their homes. It also funds the Weatherization Assistance and State Energy Programs, which help to improve the energy efficiency of low-income families\u2019 homes and invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emergency preparedness.\n\nPrioritizes Alaska\u2019s Lands\n\nThe omnibus features Murkowski\u2019s University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, which will provide long-term fiscal stability for the University of Alaska by fulfilling its promise as a land grant university to generate additional revenues that help support its students and operations.\n\nMurkowski-led legislation designating the 16-mile-long U.S. segment of the Chilkoot Trail, which first served as a Tlingit trade route and then was used during the gold rush, as a National Historic Trail is included. Murkowski\u2019s bill also requires and provides funding for the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study to determine if the proposed 500-mile Alaska Long Trail, which will connect Seward to Fairbanks, should become a National Scenic Trail.\n\nThe omnibus prioritizes public lands, including investments in land cleanup. It increases funding for legacy well cleanup to support the next set of sites that need remediation. It likewise increases support for the Alaska Land Conveyance Program, to help fulfill legal requirements to transfer lands to the State and Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).\n\nThe year-end package also establishes a new EPA ANCSA Contaminated Lands grant program with first-of-its-kind dedicated funding for the assessment and remediation of contaminated sites in Alaska. It recognizes the importance of Alaska Public Land Information Centers and encourages agencies to seek to strengthen partnerships with them. The measure also provides additional funding for critical operations and management of our National Park System.\n\nEnsures Cleaner Air, Water, and Wastewater Infrastructure\n\nThe omnibus addresses drinking water and wastewater challenges in Alaskan communities by providing increased funding for the construction of new drinking water and wastewater systems and the improvement of existing systems. It also provides support for grant programs that help bring basic water and sewer infrastructure to communities in need.\n\nTo support communities such as Fairbanks in their efforts to reduce air pollution, the year-end package includes increased funding for Targeted Airshed Grants. It also prohibits EPA from implementing its small, remote incinerators rule in Alaska while Alaskans work with the agency to develop a rule that will work better to address the state\u2019s unique rural needs.\n\nPromotes Safer Communities\n\nThe omnibus supports state and local law enforcement and includes funding for Bipartisan Safer Communities Act programs, legislation passed earlier this year to address gaps in the law that have enabled mass shootings at schools. One example is additional resources for mental health and school safety. Significant increases are included for Violence Against Woman Act programs, legislation shepherded into law by Murkowski in March 2022. Increased funding is included for Public Law 280 states, such as Alaska, to help them develop tribal court systems for communities.\n\nCommunity safety is also bolstered through funding for wildland fire management and wildfire suppression as well as important programs that help emergency responders react to natural hazards and to quickly inform the public about those hazards. Funding for the earthquakes hazard program and volcano hazards program will allow Alaska to develop and upgrade monitoring capabilities to keep Alaskans safe. The omnibus retains Murkowski\u2019s report language directing the USGS to expand its landslide work in Southeast Alaska.\n\nBuilds Safer, Healthier Communities\n\nThe year-end package makes significant investments in mental and behavioral health, including through a Murkowski-led provision to improve the identification, assessment, treatment, and transition to follow-up care for individuals in emergency departments who are at risk of suicide. This dovetails with Murkowski\u2019s provision to reauthorize the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which supports numerous suicide prevention programs for youth and children.\n\nThe omnibus includes a Murkowski-led provision which supports grants for states, tribes, and tribal organizations to establish and maintain maternal mental health and substance use disorder programs, codifies the maternal mental health hotlines, and supports a pilot program for pregnant and postpartum women.\n\nAs a result of an amendment adopted during floor debate, the omnibus includes the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bill Murkowski helped lead that would ensure that pregnant women receive reasonable accommodations in the workplace needed to have healthy pregnancies. Murkowski\u2019s bipartisan Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act was also included, which expands breastfeeding protections for workers.\n\nIn light of the rising number of overdoses and deaths caused by substance misuse in Alaska, the year-end measure funds numerous programs for substance use disorder treatment and recovery for homeless individuals, access to treatment in areas with high rates of opioid use, efforts to prevent and respond to underage drinking, and increased access to emergency treatment for opioid overdoses.\n\nIn support of Alaska\u2019s most vulnerable communities, the bill package includes a number of housing-related initiatives to help support quality, accessible recovery for those in need. Murkowski\u2019s bipartisan legislation to help health care providers more effectively treat patients suffering from substance use disorder\u2014the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act\u2014is also incorporated.\n\nSupports Alaska\u2019s Fisheries and Oceans\n\nIn addition to fishery disaster funding, the omnibus supports this foundational industry through investments in surveys, management, electronic monitoring, and research. It includes $15 million in CDS for research on our oceans and rivers that will be performed by Alaskans. Murkowski\u2019s requests also support citizen science, co-management, data collection, and the addition of new technologies to Alaska\u2019s tool chest like eDNA monitoring. Murkowski\u2019s legislation with Senator Sullivan, the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, was included and directs NOAA to convene a task force to review current research and applied research gaps on migration patterns and declining returns of Pacific salmon in Alaska to support sustainable management.\n\nTo protect and invest in our oceans, the year-end package provides funding to address ocean acidification and for data collection and treaty obligations. Language authored by Murkowski will maintain and service the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Array, which provides tsunami prediction capacity and directs the National Weather Service (NWS) to ensure that all DART buoys in Alaska, especially those in Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska, are deployed and fully operational. Additional funding for the NWS will support staffing efforts in Alaska. Also included are funding for mapping the nearshore and shoreline of Alaska, as well as language directing NOAA to continue coordinating and implementing an interagency mapping, exploration, and characterization strategy for the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The omnibus also requires a strategy for mapping the Arctic and sub-Arctic shoreline and nearshore of Alaska.\n\nEnhancing Retirement Benefits & Access\n\nThis year-end omnibus builds off provisions enacted in 2019 by including the package known as Secure 2.0, which will provide Alaskans greater access and an easier path to strengthening their retirement savings. As 401k and 403b plans make up a greater share of Americans\u2019 retirement savings, the Secure 2.0 package works to ensure they are participating and maximizing the benefits of employer-sponsored retirement plans. Murkowski supported the package as it advanced through the committee process and worked to ensure parity for all populations.\n\nSpecifically, the Secure 2.0 package:\n\nAutomatically enrolls employees into an employee sponsored retirement account;\n\nAllows for increased \u201ccatch up\u201d contribution limits for individuals aged 60-63;\n\nCreates a federal savers match of up to $2000 for those in qualifying income brackets;\n\nExpands access to retirement plans for part-time workers;\n\nExpands access to the Saver\u2019s Credit (a tax credit for contributions) for lower- and middle-income employees; and\n\nAllows employers to offer emergency rainy day savings accounts through their retirement plans.\n\nElection Integrity\n\nThe package includes bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Murkowski, the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, which reforms and modernizes the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The measure ensures that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state\u2019s vote for President. It replaces ambiguous provisions within the original law with clear procedures that maintain appropriate state and federal roles in selecting the President and Vice President of the United States as set forth in the Constitution. If there is more than one apparent successful candidate for President, each candidate must be provided with equal access to federal government resources and information.\n\nRelated Issues: Budget & Spending", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/schatz-murkowski-bills-supporting-native-language-revitalization-tribal-water-access-economic-development-mmip-resources-set-to-become-law", "Schatz, Murkowski: Bills Supporting Native Language Revitalization, Tribal Water Access, Economic Development, MMIP Resources Set To Become Law", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "House-Passed Package Includes Two Bipartisan Native Languages Bills Led By Schatz And Murkowski\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i), 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 eight bills set to become law \u2013\n\nS. 989, the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021;\n\nS. 1402, the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021;\n\nS. 3168, a bill to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to modify the enforceability date for certain provisions, and for other purposes;\n\nS. 3308, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2021\n\nS. 4104, the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022;\n\nS. 3773, a bill to authorize the leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation;\n\nS. 5087, a bill to amend the Not Invisible Act of 2019 to extend, and provide additional support for, the activities of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice Joint Commission on Reducing Violent Crime Against Indians, and for other purposes;\n\nS. 4439, the Katimi\u00een and Ameeky\u00e1araam Sacred Lands Act; and\n\nH.R. 897, the Agua Caliente Land Exchange Fee to Trust Confirmation Act.\n\n\u201cIn addition to three bills we sent to the President earlier this week, with passage of these bills in the House and Senate, 12 Indian Affairs bills are set to become law,\u201d said Chairman Schatz. \u201cThese bills advance key legislative priorities, including expansion of culturally-based Native American language revitalization efforts, construction of life-saving water systems for Tribes and surrounding communities, support for Tribal economic development, and more resources to combat the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. I thank my friend and colleague, Vice Chairman Murkowski, whose partnership has been critical to advancing these important bills.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am pleased that the Senate and the House have approved these 12 bills important to Native peoples from the Indian Affairs Committee. These bills will promote and expand Native American languages, support economic development, resolve disputes related to Indian water rights and provide resources and support to address the crisis of missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous people. I appreciate all of my colleagues and their staff for the hard work moving our legislation forward,\u201d said Vice Chairman Murkowski.\n\nThe bills now head to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/year-end-omnibus-supports-readiness-security-military-construction_and-servicemember-and-veteran-well-being", "Year-End Omnibus Supports Readiness, Security, Military Construction,  and Servicemember and Veteran Well-Being", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Includes More Than $335 Million for Military Construction in Alaska\n\nThe U.S. Senate recently passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, an omnibus package that contains all 12 appropriations bills and funds the federal government through September 30, 2023. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior Appropriator, secured funding and assistance for Alaska throughout the measure.\n\nThrough her role as a senior member of the Defense and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittees, Murkowski added significant funding and support for military members and their families, veterans, readiness and security needs, and military construction. The omnibus fully funds the recently-passed the National Defense Authorization Act, provides a historic plus-up for the Department of Defense, sends critical emergency aid to Ukraine, and continues to rebuild U.S. supply chains through critical mineral development.\n\n\u201cThe omnibus invests in the health and wellbeing of military service members while making sure they have the equipment and infrastructure they need to complete the mission. We provide crucial assistance to Ukraine, to combat Chinese influence in the Pacific, and to ensure that Alaska is the best place to serve in the best military in the world,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI\u2019m particularly proud of the direct investments I secured for Alaska military installations\u2014from JBER to Fort Wainwright to Clear\u2014and the resources we added to support veterans. We increased funding for VA facilities, medical care, and services, expanding access to mental health care and programs to help veterans transition to civilian life. In the span of a single week, we have passed an NDAA and an appropriations package with more support for our military and veterans than we have seen in years.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Murkowski\u2019s successes in prioritizing defense spending in Alaska put our nation on stronger footing in the Arctic,\u201d Retired Air Force Lt. Gen David Krumm, former Commander of Alaska Command, said. \u201cIncreases in capacity to maintain our aircraft at JBER and building a world-class soldier readiness center for our Arctic Angels at Ft. Wainwright are a few examples of her continuing to be a champion for national security in the Arctic.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe thank Senator Murkowski for being the leader in Congress on critical mineral issues, drawing a straight line from their domestic development to the defense technologies that safeguard national security,\u201d Anthony Huston, CEO of Graphite One, said. \u201cWhether for lithium-ion batteries or a safer foam fire suppressant for defense or civilian use, it\u2019s essential to develop Alaska\u2019s rich graphite resources. The 2023 Defense Appropriations bill reflects that imperative.\u201d\n\nBILL HIGHLIGHTS\n\nImproving Quality of Life\n\nPay Raise: Provides a well-deserved 4.6 percent pay raise for military servicemembers.\n\nBasic Needs Allowance: Provides funding for a supplemental basic needs allowance for eligible families as well as a Basic Allowance for Subsistence.\n\nInflation: Includes funding to help servicemembers and families bear the cost of inflation.\n\nMental and Behavioral Heath: Provides funding for mental and behavioral health programs, including an increase in funding for mental health providers and funding for suicide prevention with a focus on rural, remote, and isolated locations.\n\nMedical Programs: Includes significant funding for medical and health care programs.\n\nMedical Research: Provides for medical research, including funding for ovarian cancer research and peer-reviewed ALS research.\n\nEnvironmental Restoration: Provides funding for environmental clean-up, including the clean-up of formerly used defense sites (\u201cFUDS\u201d) and remediating contamination caused by PFOS/PFOA.\n\nInfrastructure and Equipment\n\nMilitary Construction:\n\n$99 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for military construction (fitness/training) at Fort Wainwright.\n\n$63 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for military construction (airport hanger) on JBER.\n\n$5.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to remove PFAS contaminated soil on JBER\n\n$100 million for a runway extension on JBER.\n\n$68 million for military construction (housing) on Clear Air Force Station.\n\nCold Weather Gear: Supports our military serving in the High North through funding for Arctic clothing and individual equipment.\n\nAircraft:\n\nFunds 20 HH-60W combat rescue helicopters, which are used by the Alaska National Guard.\n\nIncludes funding for 16 C-130J aircraft for the Air National Guard.\n\nProvides funding for F-35 aircraft including funds for restoration, spares, and repair facilities.\n\nFunds 12 MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range UAVs for the Army National Guard, like those used at Fort Wainwright.\n\nJPARC: Provides funding for the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), the premier Air Force training range.\n\nHypersonics: Provides funding for the development and fielding of hypersonic weapons.\n\nDefense Community Cooperation: Provides funding for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, which supports infrastructure projects that impact both installations and communities.\n\nNuclear Energy: Provides funding for Pele Micro nuclear reactor. Eielson AFB was selected as the first installation to deploy a microreactor.\n\nIndustrial Base: Provides significant investments in our defense industrial base.\n\nShipyards: Provides funding for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan to recapitalize Navy shipyards.\n\nSpaceports: Supports state operated spaceports, which includes Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, and launch and range complexes that support defense space priorities\n\nArctic Presence and Domain Awareness\n\nTed Stevens Center: Increases funding for the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies.\n\nPermafrost: Includes funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to expand and modernize their capability to conduct research in permafrost.\n\nArctic Awareness: Provides funding for Arctic terrain sensing through the use of Drone platforms to support military operations.\n\nArctic Operations: Provides funding to support Arctic defense capabilities including:\n\nRapid entry and sustainment for the Arctic\n\nSnowmachines\n\nShelters and heaters\n\nVisual and tactical Arctic reconnaissance\n\nEnergy: Provides funding for Arctic energy research and resiliency.\n\nVeterans\u2019 Health\n\nVA Medical Care: Provides significant funding for medical care for the 7.3 million veterans across our nation who receive their healthcare through the VA.\n\nPACT Act: Puts a down payment into the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund to begin the important work of caring for veterans who are victims of toxic exposure.\n\nProvides increased funding for rural health priorities, caregivers, women\u2019s health, and homelessness.\n\nAging Veterans\n\nRequires the VA Secretary to develop a standardized process throughout the VA for entering into sharing agreements between State homes and medical centers.\n\nDirects the VA to examine the contracts entered into with each State for nursing home care to determine if adequate compensation is provided for the cost of furnishing care in those locations.\n\nRequires the VA Secretary to develop a strategy for the long-term care of veterans.\n\nNative Veterans\n\nDirects the VA to appoint a single point of contact to coordinate federal tribal and veteran healthcare in areas where it may be difficult for a veteran to find proper representation of care due to the limited presence of VA facilities.\n\nEstablishes a Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program.\n\nRequires the VA to provide minority veteran coordinators with training in delivery of culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.\n\nVeterans\u2019 Mental Health\n\nProvides historic levels of investment in mental health and suicide prevention services.\n\nMakes the first three calendar-year visits for mental health services free for qualifying veterans.\n\nGrows the mental health workforce at the VA.\n\nExpands existing scholarship and loan repayment programs to those pursuing degrees or training in mental health fields.\n\nRequires the VA Secretary to establish a Buddy Check Week.\n\nCritical Minerals\n\nProvides additional Defense Production Act funding for feasibility studies that will help advance domestic graphite, cobalt, and platinum mines into production.\n\nProvides funding for the development of flake graphite-based solutions for PFAS contamination, including foam fire suppressants.\n\nRelated Issues: Defense, Veterans", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/merkley-murkowski-bill-expanding-breastfeeding-protections-for-workers-poised-to-become-law-", "Merkley-Murkowski Bill Expanding Breastfeeding Protections for Workers Poised to Become Law", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Washington D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that their bipartisan Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support as an amendment to Congress\u2019s fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations package, which is expected to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law by President Biden this week.\n\n\u201cBreastfeeding is great for the baby and great for moms,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cWe must make it possible for every new mom returning to the workplace to have the option to continue breastfeeding. That option is also really good for business. With this bill, parents will be empowered to make their own choices on breastfeeding, and businesses can improve retention of valuable employees. It\u2019s a win-win-win.\u201d?\n\n\u201cThe health benefits of breastfeeding are without question. What has been a question is a women\u2019s protection at the jobsite to pump safely. If a mother chooses to breastfeed her baby, she deserves the legal protection to do so without having to worry about it impacting her career,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI am encouraged to see the PUMP Act pass the Senate\u2014good progress toward ensuring no mother ever has to choose between a job and nursing her child.\u201d\n\nInadequate time and space to pump in the workplace subjects countless employees to?harassment, reduced wages, and job loss, while others are forced to stop breastfeeding\u2014with consequences for their own health and the health of their children. According to the Surgeon General, breastfeeding can help protect babies from illnesses like ear, skin, and respiratory infections, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as longer-term conditions such as obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and asthma. It also lowers mothers\u2019 risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and other ailments.\n\nThe bipartisan?PUMP Act expands a 2010 law authored by Merkley and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), which provides space and time for hourly employees to pump and store breast milk at work. This enables parents to continue breastfeeding, which is of enormous value to the health of our infants and breastfeeding parents. The new legislation expands these rights to salaried employees. Additionally, the legislation includes an anti-retaliation provision so workers have recourse against employers who flout the law.?", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-votes-against-17-trillion-spending-bill", "Sullivan Votes Against $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) released the following statement today after voting against H.R. 2617, the 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2023.\n\n\u201cEnd of year omnibus votes are always difficult because of the looming threat of a government shutdown and the fact that some of the provisions in these bills inevitably are ones that benefit Alaska. However, these massive spending bills are usually crafted through backroom deals with no debate and no time for Senators to do their appropriate due diligence on what is actually in them. This dysfunctional process is not worthy of the country and people we represent.\n\n\u201cThere are a number of things in this bill that I support and strongly advocated for, such as robust funding for our military to counter the threats of this new era of authoritarian aggression led by Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin and China\u2019s Xi Jinping. Specifically, this bill increases defense spending by $45 billion above the President's anemic request, which is something I fought for as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and will continue the significant buildup of the U.S. military in Alaska. This bill also addresses other important Alaska priorities, including items I authored and coauthored, like the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, the Visit America Act, language granting the University of Alaska\u2019s land transfer, and funding to provide disaster relief for Alaska fishermen.\n\n\u201cHowever, this is a more than $1.7 trillion dollar spending bill consisting of 4,155 pages, with thousands more in supporting documents, negotiated and agreed to only by House and Senate leadership, and their staff. We were given approximately 48 hours to read and analyze it. Decisions were made behind closed doors, many of which are clearly beyond the expertise of those making them, and the legislative process once again provided no meaningful opportunity for further input from Senators.\n\n\u201cCase in point: The final package we\u2019ve been asked to support undermines national security in the Arctic by cutting funding for the building of Polar Security icebreakers and striking funding for the purchase of an icebreaker that the Coast Guard is planning to home-port in Juneau. This was a priority for the Alaska delegation. We have worked hard to get both the Trump and Biden administrations to support these critical American Arctic assets, and we were able to get them included in President Biden\u2019s budget request, as well as in appropriation and authorization bills. But in the final hours of this opaque omnibus process, these funds were removed. By whom and for what reason, is not clear. This decision could further set back our nation\u2019s ability to provide persistent presence in the Arctic for years. This is a major disappointment for our state and country.\n\n\u201cAs I have repeatedly emphasized, we need to fix our broken budget process that is not serving our military, government or the American people well.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-peltola-secure-new-white-house-commitments-on-willow", "Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Secure New White House Commitments on Willow", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), today released the following joint statement after a meeting at the White House about the Willow Project on Alaska\u2019s North Slope.\n\n\u201cWe met today with senior officials from the White House, Department of the Interior, and Department of Labor regarding Alaska\u2019s Willow Project, our second meeting in the past ten days. The Administration committed to having a final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement released by the end of January 2023, and the Record of Decision completed by the end of February 2023. That commitment includes all federal agency work required to comply with applicable laws in the permitting process. During the meeting, we urged the Administration to select Alternative E, which is responsive to the Alaska District Court\u2019s ruling, and reiterated that approval of a project that is not viable would be viewed as a denial. We also underscored the strong support the Willow Project has among all Alaska stakeholder groups, including Alaska Native communities, as well as labor unions and building trades.\u201d\n\nTimeline\n\nOn September 20, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete the permitting process for the Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) by the end of the year, in time for the winter construction season.\n\nIn July 2022, BLM Alaska issued a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Willow Project.\n\nOn July 15, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan wrote a letter to Secretary Haaland reiterating their strong support of the Willow Project and urging the Department of the Interior to promptly approve it.\n\nOn March 8, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and the late Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) wrote a letter to Secretary Haaland urging the Department of the Interior to expeditiously complete an SEIS and re-approve the Willow Project.\n\nOn May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief with the U.S. District Court for Alaska defending the Willow Project. After reviewing the final ROD for the Willow Master Development Plan (MDP), approved in October 2020 by the Trump administration, for consistency with the Biden administration\u2019s initial executive orders on addressing climate change, the administration found the ROD legally sufficient. The filing followed weeks of advocacy and outreach by the Alaska delegation to President Biden and his administration.\n\nOn April 26, 2021, the municipal mayors of Utqiagvik, Wainwright, and Atqasuk\u2014three communities located within the boundaries of NPR-A\u2014wrote to Secretary Haaland asking her to allow the Willow MDP to move forward.\n\nOn April 21, 2021, George Edwardson, president of the I\u00f1upiat Community of the Arctic Slope, wrote to Secretary Haaland in support of the Willow MDP.\n\nOn April 15, 2021, North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, Jr. and Alaska Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige wrote to Secretary Haaland urging her to allow responsible oil and gas development on federal lands in Alaska to proceed.\n\nOn February 13, 2021, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals extended a District Court injunction of the Willow MDP, pending appeal.\n\nOn February 1, 2021, the U.S. District Court for Alaska issued an injunction on the Willow MDP.\n\nOn October 27, 2020, BLM issued the ROD for the Willow MDP.\n\nOn August 14, 2020, BLM published the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Willow MDP.\n\nRelated Issues: Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/us-senate-reauthorizes-bipartisan-star-act-to-combat-childhood-cancer", "U.S. Senate Reauthorizes Bipartisan STAR Act to Combat Childhood Cancer", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Reed, Capito, Van Hollen & Murkowski Lead Effort to Advance Childhood Cancer Research, Improve Efforts to Identify and Track Incidence of Childhood Cancer, and Enhance the Quality of Life for Childhood Cancer Survivors\n\nIn an effort to help thousands of children who undergo cancer treatment each year, support the pediatric cancer community, and find new cures and effective treatments, the U.S. Senate voted to reauthorize the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act of 2022 (S. 4120).\n\nIntroduced by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) with strong bipartisan support from cosponsors Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), this bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever passed by Congress, for another five years.\n\nThe STAR Act helps advance pediatric cancer research and child-focused cancer treatments, while also improving childhood cancer surveillance and providing resources for survivors and those impacted by childhood cancer. Since being signed into law the STAR Act has helped deliver over $120 million to fund promising childhood cancer research and assist patients and families battling cancer.\n\n\u201cEvery two minutes, a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer and we're in a race to find better treatments, therapies, and a cure. Reauthorizing the STAR Act means more help for kids battling cancer. It targets federal research to ensure the medical community is better equipped to diagnose and treat pediatric cancers and assist young patients and their families,\u201d said Senator Reed. \u201cThis reauthorization will help lead to major advancements in treating and curing pediatric cancer. It will develop new strategies to help survivors overcome late health effects, such as secondary cancers, and offer a lifetime of support.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was incredibly proud to be part of the passage of the STAR Act in 2018, which has made an important difference in the lives of children with cancer, as well as childhood cancer survivors and their families. Since that time, the legislation has resulted in unprecedented opportunities and funding for childhood cancer research, allowed us to better understand and track the incidence of disease, and improved the quality of life for childhood cancer survivors. I\u2019m thrilled the Senate has passed this meaningful legislation, which will ultimately allow these opportunities to continue and bring us closer to a world without childhood cancer,\u201d Senator Capito said.\n\n\u201cWe want a future where no child has to fight for their life in a battle with cancer. That\u2019s why we authored and passed the Childhood Cancer STAR Act to bolster childhood cancer research, and why we fought to further build on its progress through this reauthorization of funds. This important bill will support continued advances in cancer research to deliver better treatments and lifesaving cures, many of which are being developed at Maryland\u2019s NIH and NCI. The House should take up this legislation immediately so we can take another step forward in the fight against childhood cancer,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cThis bill takes a multifaceted approach to addressing childhood cancer by boosting research efforts and bolstering data collection. Through this legislation, we have an opportunity to help improve the quality of life for all the brave children who\u2019ve survived cancer\u2014and hope that future generations don\u2019t experience this terrible disease at all,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cOur bipartisan bill is comprehensive, focusing on supporting survivors and finding treatments. I\u2019m proud to be part of this effort to end childhood cancer.\u201d\n\nThere are over one hundred different subtypes of childhood cancers. Most new cancer diagnoses in children are for leukemia (28.1%) and brain/CNS cancers (26.5%), while malignant epithelial neoplasms and melanomas (23.3%) and brain/CNS cancers (21.9%) are top cancers for adolescents, according to Children\u2019s Cancer Cause.\n\nChildhood cancer research has progressed in recent years, but after accidents, cancer is still the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14, according to the American Cancer Society. Health experts estimate that nearly 10,500 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022.\n\nU.S. Representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX), Jackie Speier (D-CA), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Mike Kelly (R-PA), co-authored companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. House must act before the bill can be sent to President Biden\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nSummary: The Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Reauthorization Act of 2022 (S. 4120)\n\nExpand Opportunities for Childhood Cancer Research: Due to the relatively small population of children with cancer and the geographic distance between these children, researching childhood cancer can be challenging. As such, the Childhood Cancer STAR Act reauthorizes and expands existing efforts at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to collect biospecimens for childhood cancer patients enrolled in NCI-sponsored clinical trials to collect and maintain relevant clinical, biological, and demographic information on all children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer.\n\nImprove Childhood Cancer Surveillance: Building upon previous efforts, this bill authorizes grants to state cancer registries to identify and track incidences of child, adolescent, and young adult cancer. This funding will be used to identify and train reporters of childhood cancer cases, secure infrastructure to ensure early reporting and capture of child cancer incidences, and support the collection of cases into a national childhood cancer registry.\n\nHelp Improve Quality of Life Opportunities for Childhood Cancer Survivors: Unfortunately, even after beating cancer, as many as two-thirds of survivors suffer from late effects of their disease or treatment, including secondary cancers and organ damage. This legislation will enhance research on the late effects of childhood cancers, improve collaboration among providers so that doctors are better able to care for this population as they age, and establish a new pilot program to begin to explore innovative models of care for childhood cancer survivors.\n\nEnsure Pediatric Expertise at the National Institutes of Health (NIH): Requires the inclusion of at least one expert in pediatric oncology on the National Cancer Advisory Board and would improve childhood health reporting requirements to include pediatric cancer.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-peltola-secure-new-white-house-commitments-on-willow", "Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Secure New White House Commitments on Willow", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), today released the following joint statement after a meeting at the White House about the Willow Project on Alaska\u2019s North Slope.\n\n\u201cWe met today with senior officials from the White House, Department of the Interior, and Department of Labor regarding Alaska\u2019s Willow Project, our second meeting in the past ten days. The Administration committed to having a final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement released by the end of January 2023, and the Record of Decision completed by the end of February 2023. That commitment includes all federal agency work required to comply with applicable laws in the permitting process. During the meeting, we urged the Administration to select Alternative E, which is responsive to the Alaska District Court\u2019s ruling, and reiterated that approval of a project that is not viable would be viewed as a denial. We also underscored the strong support the Willow Project has among all Alaska stakeholder groups, including Alaska Native communities, as well as labor unions and building trades.\u201d\n\nTimeline\n\nOn September 20, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete the permitting process for the Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) by the end of the year, in time for the winter construction season.\n\nIn July 2022, BLM Alaska issued a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Willow Project.\n\nOn July 15, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan wrote a letter to Secretary Haaland reiterating their strong support of the Willow Project and urging the Department of the Interior to promptly approve it.\n\nOn March 8, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and the late Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) wrote a letter to Secretary Haaland urging the Department of the Interior to expeditiously complete an SEIS and re-approve the Willow Project.\n\nOn May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief with the U.S. District Court for Alaska defending the Willow Project. After reviewing the final ROD for the Willow Master Development Plan (MDP), approved in October 2020 by the Trump administration, for consistency with the Biden administration\u2019s initial executive orders on addressing climate change, the administration found the ROD legally sufficient. The filing followed weeks of advocacy and outreach by the Alaska delegation to President Biden and his administration.\n\nOn April 26, 2021, the municipal mayors of Utqiagvik, Wainwright, and Atqasuk\u2014three communities located within the boundaries of NPR-A\u2014wrote to Secretary Haaland asking her to allow the Willow MDP to move forward.\n\nOn April 21, 2021, George Edwardson, president of the I\u00f1upiat Community of the Arctic Slope, wrote to Secretary Haaland in support of the Willow MDP.\n\nOn April 15, 2021, North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, Jr. and Alaska Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige wrote to Secretary Haaland urging her to allow responsible oil and gas development on federal lands in Alaska to proceed.\n\nOn February 13, 2021, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals extended a District Court injunction of the Willow MDP, pending appeal.\n\nOn February 1, 2021, the U.S. District Court for Alaska issued an injunction on the Willow MDP.\n\nOn October 27, 2020, BLM issued the ROD for the Willow MDP.\n\nOn August 14, 2020, BLM published the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Willow MDP.\n\n# # #\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/cornyn-padilla-tester-and-murkowski-bill-to-allow-unspent-covid-relief-dollars-for-infrastructure-disaster-relief-passes-senate", "Cornyn, Padilla, Tester, and Murkowski Bill to Allow Unspent COVID Relief Dollars for Infrastructure, Disaster Relief Passes Senate", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statements after the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act, which would make changes to several categories of infrastructure investments and disaster relief eligible for unspent COVID-19 relief dollars, passed the Senate unanimously:\n\n\u201cTexas leaders from across the state have been left with more pandemic relief funding than eligible expenses, a problem not unique to the Lone Star State,\u201d said Sen. Cornyn. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to my Senate colleagues for working with me on this legislation to give state and local governments more flexibility to invest unspent funds in critical projects their communities need, and I am urging the House to send this to the President\u2019s desk as soon as possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cState, local, tribal, and territorial governments need flexibility to use the resources provided by the federal government to care for and serve their constituents as best they can. This bipartisan effort will help each region of the country respond to the unique challenges they face,\u201d said Sen. Padilla. \u201cAs we continue to face unprecedented natural disasters both in California and across the country, our bill will also allow our communities to more quickly access the resources they need in times of tragedy.\u201d\n\n\u201cButte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge counties were left out of this critical funding source through no fault of their own\u2014that\u2019s wrong, so I\u2019m fighting to ensure they get the resources they need,\u201d said Sen. Tester. \u201cMontanans can always expect me to hold Washington, D.C. accountable regardless of who is in charge.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan effort will benefit many of Alaska\u2019s unified municipalities, who unfortunately were left out on relief funding intended to help address the economic impacts of the pandemic,\u201d said Sen. Murkowski.\u201cThis legislation resolves the errors that made it harder for those communities to access and use those funds. I want to thank my colleagues for working on this common sense legislation, and for agreeing to a simple fix that will make a difference for communities across Alaska.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act would provide additional flexibility for states, tribes, and units of local government to spend their allocations of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The bill allows these funds to be used to provide emergency relief from natural disasters and creates a process for local officials to decline funds if their jurisdictions did not suffer budget shortfalls during COVID, an option not currently available to them. Under this legislation, the cap on how much of the COVID money can be spent on these new purposes would be the greater of $10 million or 30% of the funds. This bill does not place spending mandates on recipients of COVID funding and does not reclaim any distributed funding.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/electoral-count-reform-act-included-in-year-end-omnibus", "Electoral Count Reform Act Included in Year-End Omnibus", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Washington, DC\u2014 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the inclusion of bipartisan legislation to reform and modernize the Electoral Count Act of 1887 within the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which is scheduled to be voted on this week.\n\nThe legislation, known as the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, is led by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) and cosponsored by Senator Murkowski, along with 36 of their Senate colleagues. Murkowski was part of a small, core group who negotiated and authored the bill.\n\nThe measure ensures that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state\u2019s vote for President. It replaces ambiguous provisions within the original law with clear procedures that maintain appropriate state and federal roles in selecting the President and Vice President of the United States as set forth in the Constitution. If there is more than one apparent successful candidate for President, each candidate must be provided with equal access to federal government resources and information.\n\n\u201cThere is nothing more fundamental to American democracy than free and fair elections that are conducted with integrity and clear processes for determining the winners. There is no place within that for the manipulation of vague language from old laws, which occurred after the 2020 election and prompted this effort to improve the Electoral Count Act,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cThese reforms are the result of numerous meetings, diligent research and counsel, and bipartisan compromise. Our final product is a bill that modernizes the current system for counting and certifying electoral votes in Presidential elections. I\u2019m proud to have been part of this effort and thank my colleagues who put in the work to help restore vital trust in our Electoral College system.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Senate\u2019s ECA reform effort is the result of nearly a year of bipartisan negotiation, including numerous meetings and debates among our colleagues as well as conversations with a wide variety of election experts and legal scholars,\u201d said Senators Collins and Manchin. \u201cOur bipartisan group worked tirelessly to draft this legislation that fixes the flaws of the archaic and ambiguous Electoral Count Act of 1887 and establishes clear guidelines for our system of certifying and counting electoral votes for President and Vice President. We are pleased that our legislation has been included in the Omnibus Appropriations bill and are grateful to have the support of so many of our colleagues. We look forward to seeing this bill signed into law.\u201d\n\nBackground: The Senators first introduced the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act on July 20, 2022. On August 3, the Rules Committee held a legislative hearing on the legislation. On September 27, the Rules Committee favorably reported the bill to the full Senate by a vote of 14-1.\n\nClick HERE for a one-pager on the Electoral Count Reform Act.\n\nClick HERE for a one-pager on the Presidential Transition Improvement Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-leads-senate-passage-of-land-transfer-legislation-to-improve-alaska-native-health-care-access-", "Murkowski Leads Senate Passage Of Land Transfer Legislation To Improve Alaska Native Health Care Access", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 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\u2019s Desk.\n\n\u201cI thank my Senate colleagues for approving the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act. I have worked for several Congresses to advance these land transfers with Senator Sullivan and Congressman Young. I wish he could have been here to see it through with us,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis legislation will allow for Tanana Tribal Council and Alaska Native health consortiums to modernize and continue to provide the highest quality health care for Alaskans. Whether it\u2019s long overdue renovations to existing facilities, assisting in the delivery of water and sanitation construction to remote parts of the state, or expanding elder care and family wellness, these land transfers will improve public health in the communities they serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Tanana Tribal Council would like to express our deep appreciation to Senator Murkowski, our late Congressman Young, and all the congressional staff that have worked tirelessly to assist in transferring the Old Indian Health Service Hospital site to the Native Village of Tanana,\u201d said Victor Joseph, Executive Director of Tanana Tribal Council.\n\n\u201cSEARHC extends its deepest gratitude to Senator Murkowski and her continued commitment to all of Alaska - specifically rural and tribal healthcare in this legislation. Her leadership and support ensure that quality healthcare can be delivered throughout Alaska in some of the most challenging of environments in this country,\u201d said Charles Clement, President and CEO of Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.\n\n\u201cQuyana (thank you) to Senator Murkowski for securing passage of Congressman Young\u2019s Alaska Native land transfer bill, that enables ANTHC to more efficiently support sanitation construction projects in Alaska. This will help lower costs, directing more resources toward construction in rural communities. We applaud Senator Murkowski for her leadership and thank our Congressional delegation for helping ANTHC achieve this milestone,\u201dsaid Valerie Nurr\u2019araluk Davidson, President/CEO of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.\n\nThe bill, H.R.441, includes three conveyances of property to the Tanana Tribal Council, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The three conveyances do the following:\n\nConveys Indian Health Service (IHS) lands in Tanana, Alaska to the Tanana Tribal Council (TTC), to expand and construct new health care facilities and to provide improved health services.\n\nConveys IHS lands in Sitka, Alaska, to the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). The property transfer authorized would enable SEARHC to renovate existing, and construct new, health care facilities in order to provide improved services to surrounding communities in southeast Alaska.\n\nConveys IHS lands in Anchorage, Alaska to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) to help improve the land and to ensure ownership of any improvements. The land transfer will allow ANTHC to ramp up their work providing water and sewer systems across rural Alaska.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska Natives & Rural Alaska", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/schatz-murkowski-tribal-land-transfer-bills-set-to-become-law", "Schatz, Murkowski: Tribal Land Transfer Bills Set To Become Law", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Five More Indian Affairs Bills Head To House For Further Consideration\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i), 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 \u2013\n\nH.R. 441, the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Land Transfers Act of 2022;\n\nH.R. 478, the Blackwater Trading Post Land Transfer Act;\n\nH.R. 4881, the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act;\n\nS. 989, the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021;\n\nS. 1402, the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021;\n\nS. 3168, a bill to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to modify the enforceability date for certain provisions, and for other purposes;\n\nS. 3308, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2021; and\n\nS. 4104, the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022.\n\n\u201cThe bills headed to the President\u2019s desk restore Tribal homelands, support Native health care and economic development, and help fulfill the federal trust responsibility to Tribal nations,\u201d said Chairman Schatz. \u201cStill more legislation that passed the Senate last night \u2013 which now head to the House \u2013 strengthen the U.S.\u2019s support for Native American language revitalization efforts and provide life-saving water delivery systems while boosting conservation efforts by communities. I look forward to getting all these bills across the finish line.\u201d\n\n\u201cYesterday, the Senate unanimously approved eight Indian Affairs bills. Three of the bills will head to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law, including the Don Young Alaska Native Health Care Transfers Act. These bills advance priorities important to Native communities, such as promoting Native American languages, development of water and sanitation systems, and returning lands of significance and cultural value to Tribes. I thank my friend and colleague, Chairman Schatz, for his partnership in advancing these important bills, as well as other Senate colleagues for their help in moving these important measures unanimously,\u201d said Vice Chairman Murkowski.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska Natives & Rural Alaska", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-approves-sullivan-legislation-to-modernize-va-home-loan-program", "Senate Approves Sullivan Legislation to Modernize VA Home Loan Program", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of H.R. 7735, the Improving Access to the VA Home Loan Act of 2022. H.R. 7735, which was sponsored by Congressman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, will enhance the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan program by streamlining the home buying process for veterans and their families. The Senate version of this bill, S.4208, was introduced by Senator Sullivan earlier this year.\n\n\u201cMy team and I have heard from many Alaska veterans, particularly in the Interior, who have experienced lingering issues and delays regarding their VA home appraisals,\u201d Sen. Sullivan said. \u201cCongressman Bost and I put forward legislation to help save our veterans and their families time and money when possible. I thank my Senate colleagues for helping us pass our legislation, which will make the home buying process less burdensome and more expedient for those who have honorably served our country in uniform. I look forward to President Biden signing our bill into law.\u201d\n\nThe Improving Access to the VA Home Loan Act of 2022 will direct the VA to update their regulations on appraisals. Because of this law, the VA will be required to consider when an appraisal is not necessary and when a desktop appraisal should be used. Desktop appraisals are faster and less expensive than in-person appraisals because they allow appraisers to view and assess property virtually rather than in-person, which cuts down on closing costs for homebuyers and expedites the purchase of a home.\n\nTo learn more about the Improving Access to the VA Home Loan Act of 2022, click here.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-led-efforts-to-protect-alaskas-oceans-and-environment-pass-in-annual-ndaa_", "Murkowski-Led Efforts to Protect Alaska\u2019s Oceans and Environment Pass in Annual NDAA", "2022-12-19", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Alaska\u2019s Blue Economy, Ports, and More Benefit from Annual Defense Bill\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a co-chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus, applauded the recent passage of H.R. 7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), which included several Murkowski-led provisions aimed at supporting the blue economy and protecting Alaska\u2019s oceans and environment, such as the bipartisan BLUE GLOBE Act she championed with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The bill also invests in port and harbor infrastructure through the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA), which authorizes funding for Alaska community port projects.\n\n\u201cThe security and safety of Alaska\u2019s oceans and coastal communities are among my top priorities. I\u2019m incredibly proud that the bipartisan BLUE GLOBE Act I led with Senator Whitehouse, legislation to support our blue economy, was included in the NDAA. Through passage of the NDAA, we are investing in technologies and programs meant to better understand and monitor our oceans and atmosphere while also authorizing funding for our port and coastal infrastructure,\u201d said Senator Lisa Murkowski. \u201cFrom protecting Alaska\u2019s fishermen to advancing ocean monitoring and technology innovation, I\u2019m proud to see this bipartisan effort includes so many provisions which place a priority on Alaska\u2019s waters.\u201d\n\nThis year\u2019s NDAA authorizes $857.9 billion for national defense, including support for our servicemembers and their families, and providing significant investments for national security efforts. Alaska priorities included in the annual funding bill, including the Murkowski-led Don Young Arctic Warrior Act, will provide continued support for enhanced Arctic security and work to improve the wellbeing and livelihoods of Alaska-based servicemembers. (Click here for highlights in the NDAA which include defense provisions and the Coast Guard reauthorization.)\n\nBILL HIGHLIGHTS:\n\nProtecting Alaska\u2019s Oceans, Wildlife, and People\n\nBLUE GLOBE Act (Bolstering Long-term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries): Legislation introduced by Senators Murkowski and Whitehouse which will harness innovation, drive development of new marine technology and strengthen the federal maritime workforce in support of responsible stewardship of America\u2019s oceans, bays, Great Lakes, and estuaries.\n\nVolcanic Ash and Fumes: Integrates the work of the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers in both Anchorage and in D.C. and creates a Memorandum of Understanding between NOAA and the Department of Commerce for support of emergency activities.\n\nCoral Reef Conservation Act: Explicitly makes Alaska, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Native Corporations eligible to participate in and benefit from the programs within the Act.\n\nRegional Ocean Partnerships: Authorizes funding for Regional Ocean Partnerships and Indian Tribes that participate in or engage with the Partnerships to manage and conserve ocean and coastal areas that span multiple jurisdictions.\n\nMarine Mammal Protection Act: Reauthorizes the Act, increases the study of marine mammal strandings in the Arctic and assesses training and resource needs in the Arctic.\n\nWestern Alaska Oil Pollution Standards: Directs the USCG to promulgate a new higher standard for oil spill response organizations and regulated tank vessels to comply with in Western Alaska. The new standards will improve response time, response capacity and resource deployment during a time of increased vessel traffic.\n\nPort and Coastal Infrastructure\n\nWater Resources Development Act of 2022:\n\nAuthorizes the navigation project for the Elim Subsistence Harbor.\n\nModifies the cost share for Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port to provide the community with significant savings.\n\nCreates a program for projects to address storm damage prevention and reduction, coastal erosion, and ice and glacial damage in Alaska with a 10 percent cost share for economically-disadvantaged communities.\n\nProvides relief to the City of St. George from retroactive cost increases associated with the previously completed harbor project.\n\nDirects the Corps to expedite the Juneau Auke Bay wave attenuator study.\n\nAuthorizes and improves the Tribal Partnership Program, revising the cost share requirements for projects and studies carried out in partnership with Indian tribes.\n\nImproves the technical assistance authorities of the Corps.\n\nIncludes a technical fix to ensure the Unalaska Dutch Harbor project may be dredged to the appropriate depth at the existing cost share basis.\n\nSupporting the Maritime Administration (MARAD): Extends the ability of the MARAD Port Infrastructure Development Grant program for one year to pay for shore side dock electrification projects that serve passenger vessels and cargo vessels.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure, Alaska's Fisheries", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-peltola-announce-disaster-declarations-for-alaska-fisheries", "Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Announce Disaster Declarations for Alaska Fisheries", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) welcomed determinations from the U.S. Department of Commerce that fishery disasters have occurred in numerous Alaska fisheries, allowing Alaska fishermen to receive critical relief funding. The funding can be distributed to fishermen and their crews, seafood processors, and research initiatives in the impacted regions.\n\n\u201cOur fisheries have faced incredible challenges\u2014from the fall red king crab and winter snow crab harvests being cancelled to a number of salmon fishery disasters. These are not only devastating to Alaska\u2019s fishing and seafood industry and Alaskan families, but Alaska\u2019s economy as a whole. I\u2019m working to push policy initiatives to help understand the underlying issues, including through appropriations and legislation like the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, a bill Senator Sullivan and I led which just passed the Senate. But, as we work to learn as much as we can, as fast as we can, to get to the root of the problem and help Alaska get our fisheries back on track\u2014this vital industry needs support now,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI thank Secretary Raimondo for listening to the urgency of the Alaska Delegation\u2019s request and understanding the importance of not only granting these disaster declarations, but doing so expeditiously. I\u2019m now working diligently on the next step\u2014securing the funding necessary to support these fishery disasters.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur state has suffered extraordinary economic hardship over the last few years with the impacts of the pandemic layered on top of an unprecedented number of fishery disasters,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cOur great fisheries resources provide a pillar within Alaska\u2019s economy and culture. Now that a fishery disaster has been declared, we can work to secure appropriations to fund these fishery disaster declarations. I want to thank Secretary Raimondo for working so closely with the Alaska congressional delegation on these important determinations that will allow for much needed fishery disaster relief to reach Alaskans who are reliant on this resource.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Secretary Raimondo for making these fishery disaster declarations in a timely manner,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cThis is an important first step and I will continue to work with Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan to secure additional funding needed to provide relief to the Alaskan fishing communities impacted by poor returns and closed fisheries while stocks have a chance to recover.\u201d\n\nU.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today issued determinations that fisheries disasters occurred in:\n\n2021/2022 Alaska Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab Fisheries\n\n2021 Alaska Kuskokwim River Salmon and Norton Sound Chum and Coho Salmon Fisheries\n\n2021 Chignik Salmon Fisheries\n\n2020 Copper River/Prince William Sound Coho and Pink Salmon Fisheries\n\n2020/2021 Alaska Norton Sound Red King Crab Fisheries\n\n2022/2023 Alaska Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab Fisheries\n\nBackground:\n\nOn November 15, 2022, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo in support of Governor Dunleavy\u2019s 2020-2023 fisheries disaster declarations.\n\nOn November 17, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, along with Senators Cantwell and Murray (both D-Wash.), sent a letter to Secretary Raimando requesting a federal disaster for several crab fisheries.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska's Fisheries", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-supports-bipartisan-permitting-reform", "Murkowski Supports Bipartisan Permitting Reform", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "Broken Federal Process is Holding Back Vital Projects in Alaska, Across the Nation\n\nWashington, DC\u2014U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following statement after voting for the Building American Energy Security Act, a measure to reform the dysfunctional federal permitting process for energy and natural resource projects. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, offered it as an amendment to H.R. 7776, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, after negotiations with U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, and a small group of bipartisan members.\n\n\u201cWhile this measure did not go as far as I wanted it to, it would have improved the federal permitting process and helped reduce some of the worst abuses within it. That is critical for the nation and especially for Alaska, a resource producing state where virtually every development project faces an absurd combination of litigation and bureaucratic delay,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI thank Senator Manchin for pushing this to the fore, for putting concrete ideas on the table, and for creating an opportunity for permitting reform that would not otherwise have existed. I also thank Senator Capito for helping to better the text through bipartisan negotiation. While today\u2019s vote did not succeed, it sets a clear marker for the 118th Congress to prioritize an agreement on permitting reform that is at least as strong as this one.\u201d\n\nThe Building American Energy Security Act would make a number of improvements to the federal permitting process, including streamlined reviews for project authorizations and transparency for litigation. Among other features, the measure would require federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management to establish clear timelines to make decisions and complete any supplemental analysis ultimately required by courts.\n\nUnder those timelines, federal permitting for Alaska\u2019s Willow Project could have been completed 11 months ago, while permitting for the Ambler Access Project could have been completed 18 months ago. Instead, permitting for Willow is now at four years and three months (and counting), while permitting for Ambler is at five years and nine months (and counting). The interminable delays these projects \u2013 and many others \u2013 have faced serve mainly to deprive Alaskans of good jobs and economic opportunities, while denying the nation access to domestic sources of needed and responsibly developed energy and minerals.\n\nThe Senate\u2019s vote on the Building American Energy Security Act was 47-47, with 60 votes required for passage. More information about measure is available here.\n\nRelated Issues: Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senate-passes-sullivan-murkowski-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act", "Senate Passes Sullivan-Murkowski Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014The U.S. Senate this week voted unanimously to pass the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) that would form a panel of Alaska\u2019s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support robust salmon runs. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska.\n\n\u201cSalmon are a fundamental part of life in Alaska\u2014for our families, our communities, our economy, and our cultural traditions,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cIn recent years, Alaskans have witnessed shocking and unprecedented declines among some salmon species in parts of the state while, in other parts, runs have been strong and historic. Many have speculated on the causes of these declines, but all Alaskans can agree\u2014we need to identify and address research prioritization gaps with comprehensive data and the best scientific minds, including Indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. I want to thank my Senate colleagues for passing this legislation to expand our understanding of this challenge so we can realize increased abundance and stability in our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.\u201d\n\n\u201cSalmon are the lifeblood of Alaska\u2019s economy, history, and the subsistence way of life. In some regions, we are unfortunately not only seeing a decline in salmon runs, but stock crashes that are devastating to local economies as well as the culture and spirit of those who call Alaska home,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cWe must act to address the problem, and gather the information we need to understand the root of it. That\u2019s why Senator Sullivan and I are spearheading the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act. Our legislation unanimously passing the Senate takes us one step closer to better understanding salmon and their ecosystems during a time of ongoing change. We must work together \u2013 Alaskans, stakeholders, and all levels of government \u2013 to find solutions to sustain this precious resource.\u201d\n\nThe Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state.\n\nThe bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska's Fisheries", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-peltola-announce-disaster-declarations-for-alaska-fisheries", "Murkowski, Sullivan, Peltola Announce Disaster Declarations for Alaska Fisheries", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) welcomed determinations from the U.S. Department of Commerce that fishery disasters have occurred in numerous Alaska fisheries, allowing Alaska fishermen to receive critical relief funding. The funding can be distributed to fishery participants such as harvesters, processors, communities, and households, along with research initiatives in the impacted regions.\n\n\u201cOur fisheries have faced incredible challenges\u2014from the fall red king crab and winter snow crab harvests being cancelled to a number of salmon fishery disasters. These are not only devastating to Alaska\u2019s fishing and seafood industry and Alaskan families, but Alaska\u2019s economy as a whole. I\u2019m working to push policy initiatives to help understand the underlying issues, including through appropriations and legislation like the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, a bill Senator Sullivan and I led which just passed the Senate. But, as we work to learn as much as we can, as fast as we can, to get to the root of the problem and help Alaska get our fisheries back on track\u2014this vital industry needs support now,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI thank Secretary Raimondo for listening to the urgency of the Alaska Delegation\u2019s request and understanding the importance of not only granting these disaster declarations, but doing so expeditiously. I\u2019m now working diligently on the next step\u2014securing the funding necessary to support these fishery disasters.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur state has suffered extraordinary economic hardship over the last few years with the impacts of the pandemic layered on top of an unprecedented number of fishery disasters,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cOur great fisheries resources provide a pillar within Alaska\u2019s economy and culture. Now that a fishery disaster has been declared, we can work to secure appropriations to fund these fishery disaster declarations. I want to thank Secretary Raimondo for working so closely with the Alaska congressional delegation on these important determinations that will allow for much needed fishery disaster relief to reach Alaskans who are reliant on this resource.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Secretary Raimondo for making these fishery disaster declarations in a timely manner,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cThis is an important first step and I will continue to work with Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan to secure additional funding needed to provide relief to the Alaskan fishing communities impacted by poor returns and closed fisheries while stocks have a chance to recover.\u201d\n\nU.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today issued determinations that fisheries disasters occurred in:\n\n2021/2022 Alaska Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab Fisheries\n\n2021 Alaska Kuskokwim River Salmon and Norton Sound Chum and Coho Salmon Fisheries\n\n2021 Chignik Salmon Fisheries\n\n2020 Copper River/Prince William Sound Coho and Pink Salmon Fisheries\n\n2020/2021 Alaska Norton Sound Red King Crab Fisheries\n\n2022/2023 Alaska Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab Fisheries\n\nBackground:\n\nOn November 15, 2022, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo in support of Governor Dunleavy\u2019s 2020-2023 fisheries disaster declarations.\n\nOn November 17, 2022, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, along with Senators Cantwell and Murray (both D-Wash.), sent a letter to Secretary Raimando requesting a federal disaster for several crab fisheries.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-significant-infrastructure-provisions-for-alaskas-port-of-nome-other-projects", "Senate Passes Significant Infrastructure Provisions for Alaska\u2019s Port of Nome, Other Projects", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, celebrated the passage yesterday of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 on the Senate floor by a vote of 83 to 11 as part of the FY 2023National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation includes key victories for Alaska infrastructure, including increased federal cost-sharing for the Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port (resulting in community savings of an estimated $132 million) and authorization for the Elim Subsistence Harbor project.\n\n\u201cAlaska is a resource-rich, but infrastructure-poor state,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cThe Army Corps of Engineers continues to do its vital work throughout Alaska, and this legislation provides the tools needed to support new water resources infrastructure and improve existing projects. Since serving as a senator for Alaska, I\u2019ve been advocating for projects that will help our state realize its full economic potential and keep our citizens safe.\n\n\u201cI also want to thank my fellow committee members for their continued recognition of the vital role Nome\u2019s deep-water port will play in advancing America\u2019s capabilities in the Arctic. The Port of Nome is positioned to play a critical role in ensuring the United States is a leader in the Arctic region in terms of national security, international trade, and geopolitical influence.\u201d\n\nKey provisions for Alaska in WRDA 2022:\n\nIn recognition of the strategic importance to the nation, the bill modifies the cost share for Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port to provide the community with an estimated savings of $132 million.\n\nCreates a program for projects to address storm damage prevention and reduction, coastal erosion, and ice and glacial damage in Alaska with a 10% cost share for economically-disadvantaged communities.\n\nAuthorizes the navigation project for the Elim Subsistence Harbor: Federal cost share: $99.057 million. Nonfederal cost-share: $2.517 million. Total cost: $101.574 million.\n\nAuthorizes the Corps to dredge a deeper entrance channel in Unalaska Bay to meet keel clearance safety standards while maintaining the cost share for the community at the existing amount.\n\nProvides relief to the City of St. George from retroactive cost increases associated with the previously completed harbor project.\n\nDirects the Corps to expedite the Juneau Auke Bay wave attenuator study, and, upon completion, to immediately proceed to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design.\n\nAuthorizes and improves the Tribal Partnership Program, revising the cost share requirements for projects and studies carried out in partnership with Indian tribes.\n\nRequires each Corps district to have on staff a Tribal liaison to serve as a direct line of communication between the District Commander and the Tribal communities.\n\nImproves the technical assistance authorities of the Corps.\n\nTimeline on the Port of Nome Expansion:\n\nWater resource projects developed by the Corps undergo a multi-stage process. Standard Corps project delivery consists of the Corps leading the study, design, and construction of authorized projects. However, each stage of that process must qualify for an existing authorization or receive a separate authorization from Congress, as well as receive congressional appropriation at each stage to proceed. Congress authorizes the Corps\u2019 actions through periodic Water Resource Development Acts in the Senate EPW Committee and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.\n\nIn 2012, the Corps launched the Alaska Deep Draft Arctic Port System Study to evaluate potential locations on the northern and western coasts of Alaska, and to determine the feasibility of constructing navigation improvements as part of a larger system of port facilities in the Arctic and sub-Arctic region. Following the selection of Nome as the location for an Arctic port, the Corps began a feasibility study, assessing the costs of the port versus the benefits. The Corps paused the feasibility study following the departure of Shell Oil Company from the Arctic, which significantly tipped the cost-benefit ratio against the port project.\n\nIn the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, Senator Sullivan and the late Representative Don Young (R-Alaska) included two provisions to justify a potential Arctic port based on its value to surrounding communities and its importance to national security.\n\nIn 2017, following enactment of the WIIN Act, senior Corps leaders committed to Sullivan and Young to utilize the new authority to restart the feasibility study for the port.\n\nOn February 2, 2018, the City of Nome and the Corps initiated a cost-sharing agreement.\n\nOn October 23, 2018, President Trump signed America\u2019s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA), which included Sullivan-Young language to expedite completion of a Corps feasibility study for the Nome port.\n\nOn May 29, 2020, the Corps announced the completion of the chief\u2019s report for the Port of Nome Modification Feasibility Study, making the project eligible for congressional authorization and funding.\n\nIn December 2020, President Trump signed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, which included language, championed by Sullivan and Young, authorizing $379 million for the federal share of the Nome Deep Draft Port Project.\n\nOn November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law. The bill provides $250 million over five years for the construction of remote and subsistence harbor projects. These projects are in locations that are not connected to a road system, and the ports are vital to the long-term viability of the community.\n\nOn January 19, 2022, the Corps of Engineers announced that the entire $250 million from the IIJA for remote and subsistence harbor projects will be directed to the Port of Nome.\n\nOn July 28, 2022, the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. The legislation includes key victories for Alaska infrastructure, including increased cost-sharing for the Nome Deep Draft Port Project.\n\n# # #\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-sullivan-murkowski-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act", "Senate Passes Sullivan-Murkowski Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014The U.S. Senate this week voted unanimously to pass the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) that would form a panel of Alaska\u2019s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support robust salmon runs. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska.\n\n\u201cSalmon are a fundamental part of life in Alaska\u2014for our families, our communities, our economy, and our cultural traditions,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cIn recent years, Alaskans have witnessed shocking and unprecedented declines among some salmon species in parts of the state while, in other parts, runs have been strong and historic. Many have speculated on the causes of these declines, but all Alaskans can agree\u2014we need to identify and address research prioritization gaps with comprehensive data and the best scientific minds, including Indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. I want to thank my Senate colleagues for passing this legislation to expand our understanding of this challenge so we can realize increased abundance and stability in our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.\u201d\n\n\u201cSalmon are the lifeblood of Alaska\u2019s economy, history, and the subsistence way of life. In some regions, we are unfortunately not only seeing a decline in salmon runs, but stock crashes that are devastating to local economies as well as the culture and spirit of those who call Alaska home,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cWe must act to address the problem, and gather the information we need to understand the root of it. That\u2019s why Senator Sullivan and I are spearheading the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act. Our legislation unanimously passing the Senate takes us one step closer to better understanding salmon and their ecosystems during a time of ongoing change. We must work together \u2013 Alaskans, stakeholders, and all levels of government \u2013 to find solutions to sustain this precious resource.\u201d\n\nThe Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state.\n\nThe bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-kishida-government-national-security-strategy-has-potential-to-transform-us-japan-alliance", "Sullivan: Kishida Government National Security Strategy has Potential to Transform U.S.-Japan Alliance", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in support of the new national security strategy and related documents released today by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida:\n\n\u201cI want to congratulate and commend Prime Minister Kishida and his cabinet for the groundbreaking leadership they have demonstrated with these transformative national security plans. The documents finalized and released today by the Kishida government have the potential to dramatically transform the U.S.-Japan alliance. Many of us in the U.S. Senate and in successive administrations have been encouraging Tokyo for many years to strengthen its national defense capabilities.\n\n\u201cToday, Japan is taking bold and historic steps forward in this regard. And for the sake of the U.S. and Japan\u2019s national security interests in the region, the peace and security of the entire Indo-Pacific region, and our common interest in combating authoritarian aggression from dictators like Putin and Xi Jinping, today\u2019s bold announcement by Prime Minister Kishida and his government has the potential to secure peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region for decades to come. I\u2019m especially pleased to see the convergence between our assessments of the strategic environment. Tokyo has become increasingly vocal about the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s military threat to Taiwan, and now, in its national security strategy, it calls China what it is \u2013 an \u2018unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge.\u2019\n\n\u201cIn the months to come, there will be opportunities to bring this extraordinary moment to bear on the alliance. I encourage the Biden administration to make the most of it. It will have my full support.\u201d\n\nIn October, Sen. Sullivan was in Japan to host a summit on the Alaska LNG Project and to meet with senior Japanese officials.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-helps-send-ndaa-bill-to-presidents-desk", "Murkowski Helps Send NDAA Bill to President\u2019s Desk", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Supports Military Readiness, Servicemember Well-Being, and Alaska\u2019s Unique Strategic Role in National Security\n\nClick here to watch Senator Murkowski\u2019s statement.\n\nU.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of H.R. 7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, which authorizes $857 billion for national defense priorities. The bill strengthens America\u2019s national security, supports military members and their families through provisions to improve quality of life, ensures those who serve have needed equipment and resources, and invests in everything from aircraft and ships to ports and harbors.\n\nH.R. 7776 contains a suite of provisions inserted by the Alaska delegation that highlight the state\u2019s strategic importance. The bill provides additional support for the Coast Guard\u2019s presence in Alaska waters, infrastructure on Alaska military installations, and military equipment for operating in cold weather climates. The majority of the Don Young Arctic Warrior Act \u2013 legislation championed by Senator Murkowski \u2013 is included in the bill to address hardships military members face while stationed in Alaska.\n\nThe Don Young Coast Guard Reauthorization Act and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) are also part of this year\u2019s NDAA. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 83-11 and now heads to the President to be signed into law, as Murkowski concurrently pushes for the NDAA\u2019s funding levels to be reflected in a year-end omnibus appropriations package.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to support America\u2019s brave men and women in uniform and believe this year\u2019s NDAA will help ensure all of them, especially those based in Alaska, have the training, equipment, and resources needed to complete their mission. We make significant investments in hard infrastructure, and we take real steps to improve the livelihoods of those who serve and their families, including through pay raises and funding to address the effects of inflation,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI\u2019m very proud that we were able to add many provisions of our Arctic Warrior Act, which aims to improve quality of life and expand mental health resources for military personnel. We designed these provisions as a direct response to the hardships of moving to and living in Alaska that service members and their families articulated to us. This bill will help address identified needs in Alaska and further strengthen our national security.\u201d\n\nBILL HIGHLIGHTS\n\nImproving Quality of Life\n\nDon Young Arctic Warrior Act: Includes legislation introduced by Senators Murkowski and Sullivan to alleviate some of the hardships faced by servicemembers in Alaska through provisions that:\n\nAuthorize a new special duty pay for service members who perform cold weather operations.\n\nCreate a pilot program to reimburse Alaska-based servicemembers for cost of airfare to their home of record.\n\nEstablish a pilot program for car sharing on remote or isolated military installations.\n\nEstablish a voluntary pilot program for safe storage of firearms.\n\nSeek to train and retain more behavioral health providers to work with the military by authorizing annual bonuses up to $50,000 and developing a graduate program in counseling and social work at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.\n\nBehavioral and Mental Health: Based on Senator Murkowski\u2019s Guarding Mental Health Act, requires the Coast Guard (USCG) to achieve parity with the policies of the Department of Defense (DoD), allowing members to seek treatment for mental and behavioral health challenges without automatically being processed for discharge.\n\nHealth Care Benefits for National Guard: Authorizes transitional health care benefits for members of the National Guard who are separated from full-time duty, called or ordered by the President or Defense Secretary for a period of active service greater than 30 days in response to a national emergency declaration.\n\nPay Raise: Supports a 4.6 percent pay raise for military servicemembers.\n\nBasic Needs Allowance: Increases the eligibility threshold from 130 percent of the federal poverty line to 150 percent and authorizes the Secretary of Defense to approve eligibility up to 200 percent of the poverty line when appropriate.\n\nMilitary Children: Requires a pilot program to hire special educator inclusion coordinators at Child Development Centers with high populations of military children enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member program.\n\nCoast Guard Recruitment and Retention: Makes improvements for pregnant cadets to have more options and authorizes the USCG to enter into partnerships for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps for underrepresented minorities or rural areas, to include Tribal Colleges and Alaskan Native-serving institutions.\n\nMilitary Travel: Authorizes Military Space-A travel for eligible USCG members, including retirees and dependents.\n\nCoast Guard Mental Health: Expands USCG service members\u2019 access to counseling.\n\nInfrastructure and Equipment\n\nMilitary Construction:\n\n$99 million for military construction at Fort Wainwright\n\n$72 million for military construction at Clear Space Force Station\n\n$68 million for Air Force military construction at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson\n\nAircraft: Authorizes funding for ten times more HH-60s, which are used by the Alaska National Guard. Accelerates production of E-7s, to upgrade early warning capabilities in Alaska and elsewhere.\n\nCold Weather Gear: Supports our military serving in the High North through $32 million for Arctic clothing and individual equipment and $9 million for Cold Weather Clothing Systems.\n\nEmergency Equipment: Requires the USCG to develop an operations and maintenance plan for Rescue 21 (Channel 16 emergency communications) upgrades in Alaska to achieve 98 percent operational availability for remote fixed facility sites.\n\nSupply Chain: Authorizes over $2.7 billion for munitions production and capacity expansion for increased production, following our nation\u2019s munitions count depletion in providing support to Ukraine. Authorizes $1 billion for the National Defense Stockpile to acquire strategic and critical materials required to meet the nation\u2019s defense, industrial, and civilian needs.\n\nPorts and Harbors Projects (included within WRDA):\n\nAuthorizes the navigation project for the Elim Subsistence Harbor.\n\nIn recognition of its strategic importance to the nation, modifies the cost share for Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port to provide the community with significant savings.\n\nCreates a program for projects to address storm damage prevention and reduction, coastal erosion, and ice and glacial damage in Alaska with a minimal 10 percent cost share for economically disadvantaged communities.\n\nProvides relief to the City of St. George from retroactive cost increases associated with the previously completed harbor project.\n\nDirects the Army Corps to expedite the Juneau Auke Bay wave attenuator study.\n\nAuthorizes and improves the Tribal Partnership Program, revising the cost share requirements for projects and studies carried out in partnership with Indian tribes.\n\nImproves the technical assistance authorities of the Army Corps.\n\nIncludes a technical fix to ensure the Unalaska Dutch Harbor project may be dredged to the appropriate depth at the existing cost share basis.\n\nMaritime Administration:\n\nExtends for one year the ability of the MARAD Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP, a grant program) to pay for shore side dock electrification projects that serve passenger vessels and cargo vessels, which could benefit Southeast Alaska communities interested in dock upgrades to support cruise ships.\n\nThe Transportation Secretary is allowed to consider a port\u2019s location in a noncontiguous state or territory, the geographic isolation of the state or territory and the economic dependence of the state or territory on the port in a proposed project for PIDP, benefitting the Port of Alaska Modernization Program.\n\nFor PIDP grants, the Transportation Secretary may factor infrastructure improvements identified by DoD for strategic seaports for projects that would improve the commercial operations of the Port of Alaska.\n\nArctic Presence and Domain Awareness\n\nCommercially Available Icebreaker: Authorizes the acquisition of a commercially available icebreaker and includes Senator Murkowski\u2019s language ensuring that the procured vessel will have the capability to operate consistently in the Arctic.\n\nCoast Guard Presence in St. Paul Island: Enables the USCG to lease the hangar on St. Paul to house deployed helicopters and personnel, which will be essential for search and rescue operation in the Bering Sea as the fishing fleet moves further north in search of their catch.\n\nArctic Operations: Requires the Government Accountability Office to produce a study on the Arctic operations and infrastructure of the USCG to include how the DoD and USCG are collaborating in the Arctic domain.\n\nNorthern Sea Route: Requires the USCG to report to Congress on their ability and timeline to conduct a transit of the Northern Sea Route and periodic transits of the Northwest Passage.\n\nWestern Alaska Oil Pollution Standards: Directs the USCG to promulgate a new higher and robust standard for oil spill response organizations and regulated tank vessels to comply with in Western Alaska. The new standards will improve response time, response capacity, and resource deployment at a time of increasing vessel traffic.\n\nPoint Spencer: Amends the membership of the Point Spencer Coordination Council to make Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC) the Council chair, while also adding the Denali Commission, an Oil Spill Removal organization, and a salvage and marine firefighting organization to the Council.\n\nArctic Research: Includes a provision sponsored by Senator Murkowski that requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy put together a crosscut report on Arctic research programs.\n\nRelated Issues: Defense", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022-coast-guard-authorization-act-includes-sullivans-alaska-priorities", "2022 Coast Guard Authorization Act Includes Sullivan\u2019s Alaska Priorities", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Bill Focuses on Arctic Capabilities, Improved Maritime Communications, Support for Coast Guardsmen & Families\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation (CST) Committee, voted today with 82 of his Senate colleagues to pass the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022. The bill was passed as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\nSen. Sullivan championed an increase in appropriation levels that will enable the Coast Guard to carry out vessel capitalization and infrastructure development, particularly in the Arctic and Alaska, and support the Coast Guard\u2019s wide range of missions, including stopping the movement of drugs and illegal migrants, enforcing U.S. laws at sea, combating illegal fishing, and protecting the nation\u2019s borders. The authorization also provides significant support for Coast Guardsmen and their families through pay and benefits improvements, adjustments to basic housing allowances, and increased support for members serving in remote locations, providing service members with greater peace of mind as they fulfill their duties to the country.\n\n\u201cThe United States Coast Guard is vital to the security of our nation, particularly in Alaska. This authorization bill makes great strides in fulfilling our commitment to this branch of the U.S. military with the support, funding and attention the Coast Guard deserves,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cAmerica\u2019s Coast Guardsmen will have the most advanced and robust fleet of vessels and shore-side infrastructure to continue successfully executing their wide array of critical missions in defense of our nation.\u201d\n\nMajor authorizations in the 2022 Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act include:\n\n$300 million for the acquisition of a twelfth National Security Cutter.\n\n$650 million for the continued acquisition of Offshore Patrol Cutters.\n\n$167 million for a third Polar Security Cutter.\n\n$150 million for the procurement of a commercially available icebreaker.\n\n$420 million for six additional Fast Response Cutters.\n\nArctic and Alaska Focus\n\n\u201cAlaska is a critical focus of the U.S. Coast Guard\u2014the state with America\u2019s only Arctic territory and the largest Coast Guard base in the country,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWith this bill, we are no longer just discussing the Arctic theoretically\u2014we are making substantial investments. Those investments include fully funding the acquisition of a commercially available icebreaker as a gap strategy to support the Arctic mission while the Polar Security Cutters are being built, and better positioning Alaska to be the homeport location for the vessel. Also important for our state, this legislation will improve the communication systems our mariners rely on to stay safe and alert on the high seas\u2014a key concern of Alaska fishermen in the wake of the Russian naval exercises off of our coastline in 2020.\u201d\n\nSen. Sullivan authored a number of Alaska-focused provisions in the bill, including language:\n\nDirecting the Coast Guard to submit a report on the ability and a timeline to conduct a transit of the Northern Sea Route and periodic transits of the Northwest Passage. This provision is an excerpt from Sen. Sullivan\u2019s Arctic Focus Act.\n\nAuthorizing the conveyance of 2.4 acres of waterfront property from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the Coast Guard to facilitate icebreaker homeporting. If not claimed by the Coast Guard, the property would instead be conveyed to the City and Borough of Juneau for use in the Juneau Small Cruise Ship Infrastructure Master Plan.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to achieve 98 percent operational availability of remote Alaska Rescue 21 communications systems no later than August 30, 2023. This provision will improve how the public, particularly the North Pacific maritime and fishing industry, is made aware of certain outages and activities.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to work with the Defense and State Departments, and the fishing community, to improve how U.S. mariners are notified of military exercises and activities within the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This provision comes in response to a dangerous encounter between Russian warships and Alaska fishermen in the U.S. EEZ in August 2020.\n\nCreating a civilian position to oversee and develop Alaska oil spill planning criteria, and requiring the Coast Guard commandant to develop training on the program for all personnel with duties that involve the program.\n\nDirecting the Coast Guard to provide contract assurances to better ensure the ability of the United States to carry out oil spill clean-ups.\n\nEnsuring that oil spill response vessels, vessels of opportunity, and fishing vessels towing boom or fishing nets are not subject to misplaced requirements to receive towing endorsements, thus eliminating discrepancies in enforcement across Districts.\n\nReauthorizing the fishing safety training grant program.\n\nProviding regulatory certainty for commercial fishing vessels from onerous, unenforced regulations.\n\nAllowing the use of Automatic Identification Systems to mark fishing equipment for two years, or until the FCC promulgates a final rule to authorize a device to mark the equipment.\n\nProviding relief from ill-fitting, onerous regulations for certain fishing vessels that also operate as tender vessels while the GAO conducts a study identifying an appropriate application of load line regulations.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to maintain at least one Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program in every Coast Guard District. The provision is an outgrowth of previous legislation from Senator Sullivan that required the Coast Guard to report on the feasibility of creating a Coast Guard ROTC program.\n\nTaking actions to assist the completion of the Pribilof Island transition.\n\nImproving the Port Coordination Council for Point Spencer by expanding membership and establishing a chair of the council.\n\nRequiring the secretary of homeland security to deny port access for vessels receiving negative certifications under the High Seas Drift Net Moratorium Protection Act, or vessels that are registered with certain nations with reports under the same act\u2014as included in provisions of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s FISH Act.\n\nProhibiting Russian vessels from operating in U.S. waters.\n\nThe Coast Guard Authorization Act also provides significant support for the health and well-being of Coast Guardsmen and their families. These provisions:\n\nProvide a discount at military child development centers (CDCs) for families with multiple children; require certain standards of every CDC; and establish a child care subsidy program to provide financial assistance to eligible providers.\n\nBetter align the Coast Guard\u2019s behavioral health policy with the DOD\u2019s policies, an effort led by Sens. Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).\n\nEnsure certain members of the Coast Guard are eligible for the military\u2019s basic needs allowance.\n\nRequire the Coast Guard to develop a strategy to improve the quality of life at remote installations that addresses housing, health care, and child care.\n\nRequire a study on housing access, costs, and associated challenges facing members of the Coast Guard.\n\n# # #\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-robust-fy-2023-defense-authorization-with-key-sullivan-provisions", "Senate Passes Robust FY 2023 Defense Authorization with Key Sullivan Provisions", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Legislation Continues Alaska Military Build-up, Blocks Far-Left \u201cWoke\u201d Agenda in Military\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), voted with 82 of his Senate colleagues today to pass the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which raises the Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) budget by $45 billion beyond President Joe Biden\u2019s inadequate defense budget proposal that amounted to an inflation-adjusted cut. The legislation includes 33 provisions offered by Sen. Sullivan and authorizes $332 million in military construction and equipment for Alaska and the Arctic.\n\n\u201cIn 2022, the world saw the first outbreak of war on the European continent in decades and escalating provocations in the Taiwan Strait. We are living in an increasingly volatile and dangerous time, given the aggressive aims of the dictators in Moscow and Beijing,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cMy colleagues and I have crafted a defense budget that rises to these serious national security challenges and accounts for the super-charged inflation unleashed by the Biden administration\u2019s policies. This bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act significantly raises the top-line military budget for our troops and their families, addresses the threats posed by this new era of authoritarian aggression, and invests in the capabilities and equipment necessary for our forces to deter and, if necessary, defeat our global adversaries.\n\n\u201cI want to thank my colleagues for supporting provisions I authored that will enable our military to continue to focus on its primary mission: lethality and winning our nation\u2019s wars.\u201d\n\nThe Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA:\n\nAuthorizes $857 billion in defense funding, increasing the topline by $45 billion over the Biden administration\u2019s anemic proposal, to address the effects of inflation and accelerate implementation of the National Defense Strategy. This budget would represent 4.6% in real growth over the FY 2022 enacted defense budget.\n\nIncreases funding for the procurement of combat aircraft, naval surface and undersea vessels, armored fighting vehicles, munitions, long-range fires, and short-range fires.\n\nIncludes a Sullivan-led authorization of $1 billion for the National Defense Stockpile, nearly $750 million more than the Biden administration\u2019s request, to acquire strategic and critical minerals currently in shortfall.\n\nIncludes a provision offered by Sen. Sullivan requiring the Navy to maintain a minimum of 31 amphibious warships to support the U.S. Marine Corps.\n\nAuthorizes FY 2023 active-duty end strengths for the Army of 473,000; the Navy, 354,000; the Marine Corps, 177,000; the Air Force, 325,344; and the Space Force, 8,600.\n\nAuthorizes significant funding increases for game-changing technologies, like microelectronics, hypersonic weapons, and low-cost attritable aircraft.\n\nAuthorizes the full FY 2023 budget request for the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), a DOD effort established in 2014 to increase the readiness and responsiveness of U.S. forces in Europe, in partnership with U.S. allies, following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.\n\nExtends through FY 2023 the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), a DOD effort established in 2021 to increase the readiness and responsiveness of U.S. forces in the Pacific, in partnership with U.S. allies, following China\u2019s militarization of the South China Sea and other provocative actions in Asia.\n\nContinues research and development of the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile.\n\nAuthorizes $10 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Taiwan over 5 years for key capabilities and training, and authorizes $1 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority specifically for Taiwan\u2014something Sen. Sullivan insisted on in order to get Taiwan weapons fast and to begin the training they need to deter the Chinese Communist Party.\n\nRefocusing the Pentagon on Core Mission and Priorities\n\nDuring the committee process on the NDAA, Sen. Sullivan secured report language pushing back on the \u201cwoke\u201d agenda in the military being pursued by the Biden administration. Report language is sent to the Pentagon after the committee process and is not included in the NDAA text. Senator Sullivan\u2019s report language provisions:\n\nDirect the Pentagon to discontinue further investment in a DOD-wide effort to root out \u201cextremism\u201d given the extraordinarily low rate of extremism in the military, as determined by the Secretary of Defense\u2019s Countering Extremist Activity Working Group.\n\nRe-emphasize lethality, deterrence and winning wars as the primary considerations when determining and implementing defense policies.\n\nContinuing the Military Build-up in the Arctic and Alaska - $332 Million Dollars\n\nSenator Sullivan secured a number of Alaska- and Arctic-focused provisions in the FY 2023 NDAA, including $332 million in military construction and equipment.\n\n\u201cAlaska constitutes three pillars of America's military might,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWe are the cornerstone of missile defense. Almost all of the radar systems and all of the ground-based missile interceptors protecting the whole country are located in Alaska. With over 100 fifth-generation fighter jets, we are the hub of air combat power for the Arctic and Indo-Pacific. We are a platform for expeditionary forces\u2014Arctic-tough warriors of the newly-minted 11th Airborne Division who can quickly get to all parts of the world. Lastly, we are home to the DOD\u2019s newest regional center, the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. Now, with $332 million authorized for military construction and maintenance, and many other provisions we were able to secure in this NDAA, our state will be further cemented as the center of gravity for America's Arctic security operations.\u201d\n\nThe Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA:\n\nBuilds on the historic military build-up in Alaska and the Arctic over the past several years, including the arrival of the F-35 fighters at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, the establishment of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies in Anchorage, and the activation of the 11th Airborne Division.\n\nIncludes $300 million more than the President\u2019s budget request to accelerate acquisition of the E-7 Wedgetail, which will replace the E-3 AWACS at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER).\n\nAuthorizes $100 million for an extension of the runway at JBER.\n\nAuthorizes $68 million for a dormitory at Clear Space Force Station.\n\nAuthorizes $63 million for an aircraft maintenance hangar at JBER, which was zeroed-out in the President\u2019s budget proposal.\n\nAuthorizes $50 million to upgrade Fort Wainwright recreational facilities, upgrades that were zeroed-out in the President\u2019s budget proposal.\n\nProvides $32.5 million for Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) and $9 million for cold-weather gear.\n\nAuthorizes $5.2 million for the removal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-contaminated soil at JBER, which was zeroed-out in the President\u2019s budget proposal.\n\nAuthorizes $5 million for Alaska Long Range Radar Site Digitalization, which was zeroed-out in the President\u2019s budget proposal.\n\nRequires the secretary of defense to consider infrastructure improvements to strategic seaports required by the FY 2020 NDAA, like the Port of Alaska, for inclusion in the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot (DCIP) Program.\n\nPrioritizing Service Member Health & Well-being\n\nThe FY 2023 NDAA includes significant provisions focused on the mental health and well-being of service members, including seven provisions offered by Senator Sullivan, some of which are from the Don Young Arctic Warrior Act, introduced by Senators Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).\n\nThese provisions seek to expand access to mental health providers and support at remote military installations, incentivize behavioral health students to work in the military health care system upon graduation, and improve the living conditions of service members stationed in Alaska.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-colleagues-urge-interior-secretary-to-withdraw-guidance-that-would-impede-energy-infrastructure-projects", "Sullivan, Colleagues Urge Interior Secretary to Withdraw Guidance That Would Impede Energy Infrastructure Projects", "2022-12-14", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Angus King (I-Maine), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) this week sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland urging the Biden administration to withdraw recent draft guidance proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The guidance puts onerous requirements on energy infrastructure projects before allowing them to take advantage of permitting benefits, such as a structured process for enhanced coordination with agencies, that are available to them under the law. The guidance also imposes additional cost and delay on job-creating energy projects.\n\n\u201cAffordable and abundant energy is critical to our national defense, to our economic future, and to the daily life of every American. One of the biggest barriers to building energy infrastructure is the red tape and bureaucracy that allows the permitting process for new energy projects to drag on for years,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cThe recent proposed guidance by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management would put onerous requirements on the sponsors of infrastructure projects before allowing them to take advantage of permitting benefits\u2026 that are available to them under the law. This proposed guidance is flatly inconsistent with the law, and imposes additional cost and delay on energy projects that our country simply cannot afford. We urge the Department of the Interior to withdraw this proposed guidance and to take no additional action to make it final.\u201d\n\nSince arriving to the Senate, Senator Sullivan has made permitting reform a top priority, most recently by passing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to reverse President Biden\u2019s updated NEPA regulations that delay American infrastructure and energy projects.\n\nTimeline of Senator Sullivan\u2019s efforts on permitting reform:\n\nMay 16, 2019 \u2013 Sullivan Introduces the Rebuild America Now (RAN) Act.\n\nJuly 15, 2020 \u2013 Sullivan Applauds Trump Admin. Modernizing NEPA Environmental Reviews, Incorporating Sullivan\u2019s Rebuild America Now Act.\n\nAugust 10, 2021 \u2013 Sullivan Ensures Permitting Reform Included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.\n\nNovember 2021 \u2013 The Federal Permitting Reform and Jobs Act to make FAST-41 (Title 41 of the 2015 Fixing America\u2019s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act) permanent, improve the federal permitting process for some of the largest infrastructure projects, and build on efforts to update this process created in 2015 is signed into law as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.\n\nJuly 13, 2022 \u2013 Sullivan Introduces S. J. Res. 55.\n\nAugust 2, 2022 \u2013 Sullivan Leads Press Conference on NEPA Reform.\n\nAugust 2, 2022 \u2013 Over 40 Organizations Support S.J Res. 55 and Hard-Working Americans.\n\nAugust 4, 2022 \u2013 Sullivan Leads Colleagues in Passing S.J. Res. 55 Overturning Onerous Biden NEPA Regulations.\n\nThe text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Haaland:\n\nAs sponsors and proponents of the FAST-41 permitting improvements, we write to express serious concern about recent draft guidance proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on October 24, 2022. This guidance puts onerous requirements on the sponsors of infrastructure projects before allowing them to take advantage of permitting benefits (such as a structured process for enhanced coordination with agencies) that are available to them under the law. As such, this proposed guidance is flatly inconsistent with the law. It also imposes additional cost and delay on energy projects that our country simply cannot afford. We urge you to withdraw this proposed guidance and to take no additional action to make it final.\n\nAffordable and abundant energy is critical to our national defense, to our economic future, and to the daily life of every American. One of the biggest barriers to building energy infrastructure is the red tape and bureaucracy that allows the permitting process for new energy projects to drag on for years.\n\nThe permitting improvements reflected in the FAST-41 legislation were the result of a bipartisan effort to improve and clarify/demystify the federal permitting process while retaining all environmental protections. To accomplish this, the legislation made several significant benefits available to our nation\u2019s most important infrastructure projects\u2014defined as \u201ccovered projects\u201d in the statute. Under FAST-41, covered projects are posted to a \u201cpermitting dashboard\u201d and the agencies involved are required to coordinate with the project sponsor and each other to timely develop and maintain a coordinated project plan and publicly posted \u201cpermitting timetable.\u201d If the agencies miss deadlines, they are required to explain why. The legislation also created a Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (\u201cthe Council\u201d), composed of representatives from 15 government agencies (including the Department of the Interior) and the Council Executive Director. This Council standardizes interagency consultation and coordination practices, resolves interagency conflicts, and reduces inefficiencies for covered projects. We enacted this legislation to ensure that complex \u201ccovered projects\u201d\u2014including renewable and conventional energy projects\u2014could easily obtain the early and ongoing coordination and transparency benefits that FAST-41 and the Council provides.\n\nThe recent draft guidance proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management flouts the law and undermines the very benefits that FAST-41 offers. Under the law, a project qualifies as a \u201ccovered project\u201d and is entitled to FAST-41 coverage if certain defined criteria are met. Additionally, the \u201cfinal and conclusive\u201d authority to determine whether these criteria are met is vested in the Executive Director of the Council, and the specific information that must be submitted by a project sponsor in support of this determination is defined by statute.\n\nIn spite of these clear statutory requirements, the proposed guidance by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management purports to require the completion of a \u201cchecklist\u201d where all responsibility for coordinating with regulatory agencies falls solely on project sponsors before the Bureau will \u201cconsider\u201d a project a FAST-41 \u201ccovered project.\u201d This checklist includes, for example, consultations with numerous different federal agencies and at least nine different studies, assessments, or reports. The guidance also requires project sponsors to identify and provide all federal, state, and local authorizations, approvals, consultations, or permits necessary to conduct the proposed activities and states that the applicant should meet with all agencies that must either permit or be consulted regarding the proposed action at least once. These very activities are captured by the FAST-41 process for covered projects and assigned to the facilitating or lead agency, and not the project sponsor. Within 60 days of FAST-41 coverage, the facilitating or lead agency is required to communicate with each coordinating and participating agency to develop the Coordinated Project Plan. This includes: a list of, and roles and responsibilities for, all entities with environmental review or authorization responsibility for the project; a permitting timetable; a discussion of potential avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategies; and plans and a schedule for public and tribal outreach and coordination. The plan provides a formal coordination process to ensure all agencies\u2019 critical needs to timely complete FAST-41 requirements are addressed and documented in a singular place that can be relied upon for schedule and resource planning for all agencies involved in the environmental review and authorization process. The extra-statutory requirements imposed by this new guidance are an improper attempt to limit access to the FAST-41 process and its considerable efficiencies.\n\nThe recent draft guidance also appears to be an attempt to usurp the statutory authority of the Executive Director to make a final determination concerning whether a project qualifies as a \u201ccovered project.\u201d In a recent written decision, the Executive Director of the Council applied the text of FAST-41 to conclude that an offshore wind energy project qualified as a \u201ccovered project\u201d notwithstanding the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management\u2019s attempts to prevent coverage by imposing extra-statutory requirements. This determination was both correct as a matter of law and within the authority of the Executive Director to decide. Nevertheless, we are concerned the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is attempting, under the guise of new guidance, to circumvent this decision and undermine the authority of the Executive Director. This is improper and inconsistent with the statutory scheme.\n\nIn addition to being unlawful, this guidance is also poor policy. Although many of the required items on the \u201cchecklist\u201d would benefit from the interagency coordination and scheduling provisions provided by FAST-41, the guidance requires project sponsors to complete them before the Bureau will consider a project for coverage and coordination under the statute that would require the agency to perform these functions. The FAST-41 process enhances transparency for all involved entities through the development and maintenance of a Coordinated Project Plan and permitting timetable for covered projects identifying all relevant completion dates for agency action on any environmental review or authorization required for a covered project. The filings identified in this guidance can and should be identified, coordinated, and tracked according to the transparency and accountability mechanisms provided by FAST-41.\n\nWith families experiencing record energy costs, the United States government should make every effort to encourage and facilitate new energy infrastructure. The draft guidance promulgated by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management seems to take the opposite approach. It limits access to existing permitting transparency and efficiency measures while imposing even more red tape, cost, and delay on energy permitting. This is deeply concerning.\n\nIn light of these serious legal and policy concerns, we urge you to withdraw this proposed guidance and to take no additional action to make it final.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/bill-recognizing-congressman-don-youngs-legacy-passes-senate-", "Bill Recognizing Congressman Don Young\u2019s Legacy Passes Senate", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) applauded Senate passage of their legislation, the Don Young Recognition Act. The bill honors the legacy of the late Don Young, Congressman for All Alaska and Dean of the House, who passed away in March 2022 after serving Alaska in the House of Representatives for 49 years. The legislation recognizes Congressman Young\u2019s lifelong contributions to Alaska by designating one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, currently known as Mount Cerberus, as Mount Young; the Federal office building in Fairbanks as the Don Young Federal Office Building; and the Job Corps Center located in Palmer as the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center.\n\n\u201cThe work Congressman Don Young did for Alaska during his lifelong public service were defined by his loyalty and staunch love for Alaskans as well as his effectiveness in delivering transformative legislation. Don brought light and energy to every room he entered. He is missed every single day,\u201d said Senator Lisa Murkowski. \u201cDon\u2019s legacy will live on in many ways: His family, his landmark legislative accomplishments, and now, the most active volcano in the Aleutian Islands named after him\u2014a fitting representation of the always-active, sometimes unpredictable Congressman for all of Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving fought so hard for countless federal investments, projects and economic opportunities for Alaskans, our late great Congressman Don Young\u2019s name deserves to grace lands and projects in our state in recognition of his important legacy,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cI can\u2019t think of a symbol that better captures Don\u2019s authentic, tenacious, indomitable Alaskan spirit than a rumbling Aleutian volcano. Mt. Young, the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center, and the Don Young Federal Building will remind future Alaskans about this once-in-a-generation public servant and all that he accomplished for the people and state he loved so much. Senator Murkowski and I thank our Senate colleagues for helping us pass this important legislative honor for our larger-than-life congressman.\u201d\n\nFollowing Senate passage, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan spoke on the Senate floor in support of the Don Young Recognition Act, and in honor of the late Congressman for All Alaska and the legacy he left behind.\n\nTo watch Senator Murkowski\u2019s floor speech, click here.\n\nTo watch Senator Sullivan\u2019s floor speech, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bill-recognizing-congressman-don-youngs-legacy-passes-senate", "Bill Recognizing Congressman Don Young\u2019s Legacy Passes Senate", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the Senate\u2019s passage of their legislation, theDon Young Recognition Act. The bill honors the legacy of the late Don Young, congressman for all of Alaska and the dean of the House of Representatives, who passed away in March 2022 after serving Alaska in the House for 49 years. The legislation recognizes Congressman Young\u2019s lifelong contributions to Alaska by designating one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, currently known as Mount Cerberus, as Mount Young; the federal office building in Fairbanks as the Don Young Federal Office Building; and the Job Corps Center located in Palmer as the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center.\n\n\u201cThe work Congressman Don Young did for Alaska during his lifelong public service were defined by his loyalty and staunch love for Alaskans as well as his effectiveness in delivering transformative legislation. Don brought light and energy to every room he entered. He is missed every single day,\u201d said Sen. Murkowski. \u201cDon\u2019s legacy will live on in many ways: His family, his landmark legislative accomplishments, and now, the most active volcano in the Aleutian Islands named after him\u2014a fitting representation of the always-active, sometimes unpredictable Congressman for all of Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving fought so hard for countless federal investments, projects and economic opportunities for Alaskans, our late great Congressman Don Young\u2019s name deserves to grace lands and projects in our state in recognition of his important legacy,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cI can\u2019t think of a symbol that better captures Don\u2019s authentic, tenacious, indomitable Alaskan spirit than a rumbling Aleutian volcano. Mt. Young, the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center, and the Don Young Federal Building will remind future Alaskans about this once-in-a-generation public servant and all that he accomplished for the people and state he loved so much. Senator Murkowski and I thank our Senate colleagues for helping us pass this important legislative honor for our larger-than-life congressman.\u201d\n\nFollowing Senate passage, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan spoke on the Senate floor in support of the Don Young Recognition Act and in honor of the late congressman for all Alaska, and the legacy he left behind.\n\nTo watch Senator Murkowski\u2019s floor speech, click here.\n\nTo watch Senator Sullivan\u2019s floor speech, click here.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-effort-to-recognize-female-veterans-honor-colonel-mary-louise-rasmuson-passes-senate", "Murkowski Effort to Recognize Female Veterans, Honor Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Passes Senate", "2022-12-12", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) applauded Senate passage of her bill, the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System Act of 2022. Murkowski introduced the bill in October 2022 with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) as a cosponsor.\n\nThe bill, which has garnered widespread support from Alaska\u2019s veteran organizations, designates the name change from the \u201cAlaska VA Clinic\u201d to \u201cColonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System,\u201d after the late Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson\u2014a leader in the Women\u2019s Army Corps who helped expand opportunities for women serving in the military, including integrating racial diversity into the corps.\n\n\u201cWith over a twenty-year military career and a member of several military organizations in Alaska, it is no wonder Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson is a well-known name in our great state. During her service, Colonel Rasmuson spent her life advocating for women in the military, expanding their opportunities, and was later awarded the Legion of Merit for her work. As a veteran, Mary Louise continued that same level of service as a civic leader and philanthropist for the betterment of communities across Alaska,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cColonel Rasmuson left a legacy worthy of recognition \u2013 as did the growing number of female veterans she fought for throughout her distinguished career.\u201d\n\n\u201cMary Louise Rasmuson pushed through many barriers to selflessly help others and to improve the quality of life for veterans of the U.S. military. Senator Lisa Murkowski\u2019s effort to lead this legislation through Congress adds to the abundance of evidence that Mary Louise is a giant among remarkable Alaskan women who dedicate their life in service to others. The family is honored Mary Louise will permanently be associated with the ongoing care for Alaska\u2019s veterans,\u201d said Cathy Rasmuson, family member of Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/12/09/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-12-09", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Over $9 million in federal funds to benefit and strengthen Alaska\u2019s communities and economy\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, tribal entities, and communities in Alaska:\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska-Statewide: $1.4 million to the Alaska Conservation Foundation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to identify coastal resilience challenges in remote communities and identify nature-based solutions through regional workshops that will ultimately benefit Native Villages in Alaska.\n\nBering Strait\n\nShaktoolik: $121,593 to the Native Village of Shaktoolik from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program, for building capacity and developing programs to protect the tribal environment and health such as solid waste management and scrap metal/appliance/vehicle mitigation.\n\nBristol Bay\n\nDillingham: $88,465 to the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nNaknek: $58,306 to the Borough of Bristol Bay from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nInterior\n\nFairbanks: $200,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to improve economic conditions in rural Alaska by establishing and strengthening new cooperatives.\n\nFairbanks: $93,541 to the Dena\u2019 Nena\u2019 Henash from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nFort Yukon: $61,555 to the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nNorth Slope\n\nPoint Hope: $934,600 to Point Hope from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to design and permit a dynamic revetment and reinforcement dune system along the Chukchi Sea shoreline.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $150,781 to the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nAnchorage: $63,094 to the Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nEyak: $117,458 to the Native Village of Eyak from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nCooper Center: $61,366 to the Ahtna\u2019 T\u2019Aene Nene\u2019 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nGlennallen: $74,911 to the Cross Road Health Ministries, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nSeward: $22,054 to the City of Seward from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nSoutheast\n\nKlukwan: $669,600 to the Chilkat Indian Village from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore Chinook salmon spawning habitat that was lost due to river flooding and bank erosion.\n\nSouthwest\n\nAlakanuk: $125,000 to the Village of Alakanuk from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program, for developing administrative capacity for the tribe, water quality and environmental monitoring, solid and hazardous waste improvements, and addressing potential Brownfield Sites.\n\nBethel: $62,833 to the Bethel Family Clinic from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration for expanding COVID-19 vaccination.\n\nHooper Bay: $250,000 to Alaska Wildlife Alliance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to engage community members through onsite workshops and listening sessions to identify potential nature-based solutions that will address flood vulnerabilities in the Asqinaq, or Hooper Bay Region.\n\nKotlik: $3.9 million to the Village of Kotlik from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore coastal wetlands in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to protect the rearing habitat of forty-four specifics of fish and sixty species of birds.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/cantwell-murkowski-bill-would-spur-hydropower-upgrades-restore-free-flowing-rivers-", "Cantwell, Murkowski Bill Would Spur Hydropower Upgrades, Restore Free Flowing Rivers", "2022-12-09", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Bipartisan legislation would establish new 30% tax incentive for dam safety and environmental improvements and to remove obsolete river obstructions\n\nWashington, DC \u2013U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), along with Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), introduced legislation that will help ensure that existing hydroelectric facilities are able to continue to provide emissions-free, affordable electricity to millions of Pacific Northwest ratepayers.\n\nThe Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2022 creates new a federal tax incentive to encourage safety, security, fish migration, water quality, and public use upgrades at our nation\u2019s hydropower dams. The bill also establishes a new federal cost-share to encourage the removal of obsolete river obstructions that harm the health of our river ecosystems and inhibit outdoor recreation opportunities.\n\n\u201cClean and affordable hydropower is the backbone of Washington state\u2019s economy and prosperity,\u201d said Senator Cantwell. \u201cThis measure will help ensure we can meet our urgent emission reduction goals while restoring miles of fish habitat.\u201d\n\n\u201cSmall hydro projects across Alaska are already demonstrating innovative practices while powering neighborhoods and communities. I\u2019m proud to help lead this legislation, which will facilitate investments in Alaskan projects, while protecting our critical fisheries and waterways,\u201d said Senator Lisa Murkowski. \u201cThis bill incentivizes and taps into the immense renewable resources available in our state, and it will also help lower energy costs for Alaskans.\u201d\n\nHydroelectricity accounted for over six percent of all U.S. electricity generation in 2021 is an irreplaceable component of any regional or national greenhouse gas emission reduction goal. Hydropower also has the unique ability to provide black start capabilities, grid voltage support, and integrate and balance increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources. However, many hydroelectric dams are decades old and need costly upgrades to keep them operating safely.\n\nThe Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2022 leverages the federal tax code by providing a 30 percent federal investment tax credit that would spur investments in dam safety and environmental improvements. Eligible investments include adding fish-friendly turbines or other fish passage infrastructure, managing river sediments to improve habitat, upgrading or replacing floodgates and spillways, and improving public use of and access to public waterways impacted by existing dams. The legislation includes a direct pay option that allows not-for-profit public power entities to also access these incentives.\n\nThe bipartisan bill would also support local efforts to remove non-power producing river barriers, including abandoned or obsolete dams, dikes, or embankments, allowing those rivers to run free and naturally once again. Private, state, local, and non-profit groups could use the 30 percent federal tax incentive, with a direct pay option, to support efforts to demolish and remove unnecessary barriers with the owner\u2019s consent. Removing obsolete river obstructions that no longer meet their intended purpose or benefit society can provide a new outdoor recreation opportunities, add fish and wildlife habitat, spur local economic development, and increase the resilience of rivers to the effects of climate change.\n\nA recent joint proposal from the hydropower and river conservation community estimated that increased support for existing dam removal efforts could double the removal rate over the next ten years. That would result in the removal of 2,000 obsolete river obstructions and restore ecosystem functions essential for salmon recovery by opening up 20,000 miles of free-flowing river habitat.\n\nMalcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association (NHA), spoke in support of the bill: \u201cOur nation\u2019s efforts to transition to a clean energy grid has stopped just short of the finish line, as it failed to recognize the importance of hydropower\u2019s existing fleet. Hydro powers 30 million American homes with zero-carbon electricity. With the right tools, our industry can make environmental enhancements, bolster dam safety and prevent the hydropower fleet from retiring \u2013 outcomes that will lead to healthier rivers and a more reliable grid. Simply put, today\u2019s hydropower fleet complements other renewables by providing power when the sun isn\u2019t shining and wind isn\u2019t blowing. We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Sens. Cantwell, Murkowski, Stabenow and Sullivan for recognizing that we can\u2019t ensure a reliable grid without the nation\u2019s second largest renewable electricity resource.\u201d\n\nTom Kiernan, President of American Rivers, said: \u201cSenator Cantwell\u2019s leadership is bringing to fruition a groundbreaking partnership between the hydro industry and conservation groups. This bill includes critical provisions that will make dams safer, remove obsolete river obstructions, and improves environmental performance of hydro facilities.\u201d\n\nJoy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association (APPA) wrote to Congressional leaders on December 1, 2022 in support of the bill: \u201cOn behalf of APPA, I am writing to express our strong support: \u201cThis bill provides a 30 percent investment tax credit for hydropower environmental and safety improvements \u2013 investments needed to maintain these facilities and continue providing reliable, renewable energy.\u201d\n\nRelated Issues: Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sullivan-discusses-willow-project-and-the-ccps-greatest-weakness-in-radio-interview", "ICYMI: Sullivan Discusses Willow Project, and the CCP\u2019s Greatest Weakness in Radio Interview", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014In an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show Tuesday morning, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) called out the Biden administration for delaying the Willow Project in Alaska, while authorizing oil development in Venezuela that is more than 18 times more polluting and will pad the pockets of an authoritarian, human-rights-violating, despotic regime. Senator Sullivan also explained why he led a letter co-signed by a bipartisan group of 41 senators warning the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime of the consequences of a violent crackdown on peaceful protestors.\n\nThe full interview can be found here.\n\nSULLIVAN: As the Biden Admin Begs Dictators For More Oil, they Delay the Willow Project, the Most Environmentally Responsible Major Oil and Gas Project On Planet Earth\n\nHUGH HEWITT: \u201cIs he [President Biden] actually obstructing oil and gas development in Alaska?\u201d\n\nSENATOR SULLIVAN: \u201c110%. Hugh, it's 110%. Look, there are a lot of Biden policy disasters, but his energy policy is the biggest disaster of them all. From day one and I've seen this not just in America, but as expressly in Alaska, They have focused on shutting down or delaying production of American energy, shutting down or killing American energy infrastructure, going to American banks, and financial institutions, and, believe it or not, pressuring them not to invest in the American energy sector. And then you see what they do. They go bend the knee, literally, the President of the United States bent the knee in Saudi Arabia, embarrassing as hell for our country. And bent the knee to dictators to produce more oil. I mean, it is unbelievable. You saw what they just did with Venezuela. But in Alaska, you know, we got ANWR passed in the law - two lease sales mandated by the Congress. Day one, the president suspended those. You can't suspend those. That's in the law. The president's job is to faithfully execute the laws of our nation, not to block them.\n\n\u201cAnd then now we have this incredible project called The Willow Project. It has been in permitting, if you can believe this, you for almost 20 years. It's in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska. It is ready to go. If the Biden administration gives the green light on this, it will produce over 2,500 jobs and at peak production Willow will produce 190,000 barrels a day. And they're delaying it. They're green lighting Venezuela and they're delaying the Willow Project! Every one of your listeners should call these guys saying, let the Willow Project and American workers, and by the way, the Willow Project is the most environmentally responsible, sensitive, major oil and gas project on the planet Earth. Lowest greenhouse gas emissions of any major project in the world. Meanwhile, Venezuela 18 times more polluting than the average American energy project. This is the definition of policy insanity.\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: President Biden Has Approved Fewer Oil and Gas Leases Than Any President Since WWII\n\nHEWITT: \u201cSo, Senator, when you hear the president say we've given thousands of permits to the oil and gas industry isn't using. They should use those first. or you hear Kareen doing that at the White House, what should the follow-up question be to focus folks on the facts of their obstruction as opposed to their talking point deflection?\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: \u201cLet me give you three. First, Mr. President approve the Willow Project almost 200,000 barrels a day. You look, I pressed the President of the United States directly on this project 18 months ago. Directly. I even gave him a memo on it. He said he wasn't aware of it, which I believe he is not aware of a lot of things. And two days later, his White House called me, saying the president is going to support Willow. Okay. End of story. When I worked for George W. Bush, if the United States talked to U.S. senators and a congressman, he was going to do something, that was it. So number one, approve Willow. That's the biggest American energy project in the country right now, ready to go, been in permitting for almost 20 years.\n\n\u201cSecondly, this president has put out the lowest amount of leases since any president since World War II. That is a fact.\n\n\u201cAnd the third one they should be pressed on. Now, this is a little more technical, but it's in the energy sector. There are things, these aren't just the leases. There are these things once you get a lease, are called applications to drill. That's actually the real thing that needs to be approved. There are 8,000 applications to drill, including in Alaska, that this administration is sitting on. That's how you get production going.\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: Xi Jinping\u2019s Biggest Fear Is His Own People\n\nHEWITT: \u201cYou signed a letter, I believe you authored it, and you got 41 co-signers to the Chinese ambassador warning them against the Tiananmen Square repeat. Did you get an answer, Senator?\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: \u201cOur letter was very simple. By the way, almost half the Senate, including a lot of Dems, signed on to my letter. And it essentially just said, we're watching very closely these historic protests. Last time you had a protest of this magnitude, you undertook a violent crackdown. 1989 Tiananmen Square that killed hundreds, if not thousands of peacefully protesting students. And we caution the Chinese Communist Party in the strongest possible terms not to kill your people again Simply because they want more freedom. You know, Hugh, this goes exactly to the biggest vulnerabilities Xi Jinping has. And it's this: These guys fear their own people. They fear their own people and we need to exploit that vulnerability every opportunity we can.\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: World Leaders Need To Speak up and Show Support For Brave People Pushing for Freedom\n\nHEWITT: \u201cDo you think that [Iranian] regime is close to tumbling?\u201d\n\nSULLIVAN: \u201cNot yet. Not yet. But it's the same issue, the terrorist regime in Iran. The biggest thing they fear is their own people. And it's the same thing we need to be doing with regard to China. When the protesters take to the streets, these brave Iranian women, I mean, you want to talk about courage. When they take to the streets, the United States needs to lift its voice in support of these kind of heroes in my view. That was the purpose of the letter we sent to the Chinese Communist Party. I thought that world leaders response to the protests in Beijing and throughout China, to the protests in Iran been much too tepid, including from Joe Biden. World leaders need to speak up and actually show support for these brave people who are are pushing for freedom. That was the point of our letter to the Chinese Communist Party, and we need to do it in Iran.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-romney-introduce-bill-to-secure-us-critical-mineral-independence-from-china", "Sullivan, Romney Introduce Bill to Secure U.S. Critical Mineral Independence from China", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) today introduced the Critical Mineral Independence Act of 2022, legislation to help ensure that the U.S. secures critical mineral independence from China. The U.S. cannot afford to allow the critical minerals used by the Department of Defense (DoD) to be mined or processed in adversarial countries, and it must urgently invest and build its capabilities to achieve critical mineral independence in coordination with allies.\n\n\u201cWe cannot continue to be dependent on China for critical minerals\u2014resources that are crucial to our economy, and which we have in abundance in the U.S., particularly in Alaska like the significant copper and zinc resources in the Ambler Mining District that the Biden administration\u2014remarkably\u2014continues to delay,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cIf we are going to build out and support our domestic clean energy industries and national security initiatives, we need to get serious about a strategy for unleashing America\u2019s national supply chains and processing capabilities. In doing so, we will create thousands of good-paying jobs, protect our national security interests, deny economic support for violators of basic human rights and build out America\u2019s all-of-the-above energy sector.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe put our national security and economic vitality at risk when we rely on countries like China for critical minerals,\u201d Senator Romney said. \u201cRapid, strategic investments by the U.S. and its allies in the mining and processing of critical minerals are needed to meet the security challenges we face today. These mining and processing investments will also help bolster our domestic critical mineral capabilities, where minerals like copper, lithium, and cobalt are essential components in everything from batteries and computers to electric vehicles and satellites. China\u2019s rise in power is aided by its monopolization of raw materials and the U.S. must secure critical mineral independence to bolster our security.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nChina controls much of the world\u2019s critical mineral mining and processing. The DoD must work with U.S. allies immediately to have sufficient independence of critical minerals to successfully implement the National Defense Strategy. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) gives a boost to funding for critical mineral mining and processing, and the Romney/Sullivan bill strengthens the provisions of that funding to meet the threats of this decade.\n\nRomney and Sullivan\u2019s Critical Mineral Independence Act of 2022:\n\nDirects the expansion of critical mineral mining and processing in the U.S. and allied countries to achieve critical mineral supply chain independence for the Department of Defense by 2027.\n\nRequires the director of the Defense Logistics Agency to develop a strategy to expedite critical mineral mining and processing, and then requires the implementation of that strategy.\n\nAuthorizes the use of the underlying $1 billion in the NDAA to execute the procurement strategy.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-barrasso-lujan-lead-bipartisan-letter-to-expand-high-speed-internet-access-in-rural-communities", "Sullivan, Barrasso, Luj\u00e1n Lead Bipartisan Letter to Expand High-Speed Internet Access in Rural Communities", "2022-12-06", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) led their Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter to the secretaries of the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce about the need to expand high-speed internet access in rural communities.\n\nInternet service providers are required to obtain permits from the federal government when installing telecommunications infrastructure on federal lands or for projects using federal funding. Right now, they face extensive delays in the permitting process. In their letter, the senators encourage the Biden administration to streamline the permitting process, close the digital divide, and expand high-speed internet in rural areas across the country.\n\n\u201cAccording to the most recent Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Broadband Deployment report, approximately 14.5 million Americans in rural areas lack access to basic broadband service,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cMany of our communities rely on rights of way and service corridors through federal lands for transportation and essential utilities.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is crucial we close the digital divide by expanding access to high-speed internet\u2014a top priority for our rural areas\u2014and we cannot accomplish that without improving the permitting process,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cWe urge you to build upon recent actions taken by Congress and various federal agencies to streamline permitting on federal land.\u201d\n\nSenators signing onto the letter include Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Jacky Rosen (R-Nev.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (R-Nev.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Haaland, Secretary Vilsack, and Secretary Raimondo,\n\nWe write today concerning the extensive delays internet service providers are experiencing when obtaining permit approvals. As you know, these permits are required when installing telecommunications infrastructure on federal lands or for projects seeking federal funding through a multitude of programs dedicated to broadband deployment. It is crucial we close the digital divide by expanding access to high-speed internet\u2014a top priority for our rural areas\u2014and we cannot accomplish that without improving the permitting process.\n\nAccording to the most recent Federal Communication Commission Broadband Deployment report, approximately 14.5 million Americans in rural areas lack access to basic broadband service. However, due to mapping issues, this number may be significantly higher. Additionally, as reported by the Congressional Research Service, the federal government owns 45.9% of the land across 11 western states, and about 28% nationwide. Many of our communities rely on rights of way and service corridors through federal lands for transportation and essential utilities. Furthermore, duplicative permitting processes delay permit approvals for broadband infrastructure, drastically slowing down efforts to close the digital divide, especially on federal lands.\n\nOver the years, presidential administrations have identified opportunities to streamline this permitting process. Most recently, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)\u2014the agency that is principally responsible for advising the President on telecommunications issues\u2014required States and eligible entities to \u201cexpedit[e] permitting timelines and waiv[e] fees where applicable, where doing so does not undermine other critical policy goals.\u201d Federal agencies should similarly expedite permitting timelines and waive fees in accordance with existing environmental protection and historic preservation laws.\n\nThe current process has a significant impact on our communities. For example, one Wyoming internet provider regularly waits between 12 and 36 months for a permit to be approved from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and in New Mexico, permitting for broadband projects on BLM or National Forest Service land can take anywhere between 16 and 48 months. In Utah, one provider waited almost three years for approval from the U.S. Forest Service to repair a fiber optic line on federal land. The Forest Service often tells a Colorado provider that they don\u2019t have the resources to process an application and will instead look at it the following year. Prolonged delays jeopardize broadband projects by increasing costs and may even cause a provider to default on their buildout deadline that accompanies federal funding. This process should not take years.\n\nAdditionally, rural broadband providers have reported significant delays between the notice of an award and receipt of the funds necessary to deploy the proposed broadband networks. While the delays seemingly occur at many steps throughout the process, those posed by environmental and historical preservation reviews significantly contribute to the long wait times leading up to the disbursement of funds to an awardee. We urge you to expedite permitting timelines and waive fees in accordance with existing environmental protection and historic preservation laws.\n\nThe burden of these delays falls heavily on small businesses and unserved families in our most rural areas. Access to high-speed internet is crucial for economic development. The internet is also essential to educating our children as well as connecting Americans with their healthcare providers through telehealth services. In the Western United States, first responders are often called to areas on remote federal lands with little-to-no access to communications networks. A lack of strong communications capabilities for our first responders puts the public at risk, and these continued delays are worsening the problem.\n\nWe urge you to build upon recent actions taken by Congress and various federal agencies to streamline permitting on federal land. We are encouraged by the recent agreement to streamline permitting for high-speed internet projects on Tribal lands as well as the recent proposed rule announcement by BLM. To build on this progress, we request the following information regarding the permit approval process:\n\nWhat are your plans for modernizing the environmental review and permitting process to expedite the approval of applications for broadband projects on federal land?\n\nDo your respective agencies have sufficient staff and resources to meet current statutory and regulatory requirements to process permit applications and meet the expected increase in permit applications for broadband projects in a timely manner?\n\nDo your respective agencies require additional appropriations or new statutory authority to expedite permitting approval?\n\nWhat is the escalation process for resolving potential permitting bottlenecks and conflicts?\n\nIn May of 2022, the White House announced a Permitting Action Plan to accelerate Federal permitting and environmental reviews. The plan requires the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to improve coordination among agencies to avoid potential bottlenecks, and identify and share best practices. How are you leveraging this existing program to address conflicts, improve communication, and accelerate information sharing amongst agencies?\n\nWhat actions are the Council and the respective agencies taking to reduce permit approval times to close the digital divide as quickly as possible?\n\nIn August, NTIA and BIA announced an agreement to coordinate responsibilities in ensuring compliance with environmental, historic preservation, and cultural resources requirements related to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. Is there a similar agreement between NTIA, FCC, and the federal land management agencies under USDA and DOI?\n\nHow many outstanding broadband infrastructure projects are awaiting permit approvals on federal lands?\n\nWhat is the average time for agencies in your department to approve such permits?\n\nWhat is the average interval between a USDA ReConnect award announcement and the final disbursement of funds to the applicant?\n\nWhat is the average interval between a NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program award announcement and the final disbursement of funds to the applicant?\n\nWhat amount of time do you expect between a NTIA Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment award and final disbursement of funds to subgrantees?\n\nThank you for your consideration of this matter. We look forward to your response.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/12/02/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska-", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Over $24 million in federal funds to benefit and strengthen Alaska\u2019s communities and economy\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, tribal entities, and communities in Alaska:\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $8.7 million to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Alaska Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce and Data Systems Project.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $21,100 to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau State Systems Development Initiative Program.\n\nAleutians\n\nSt. Paul Island: $254,850 to the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program, to help residents of Public and Indian Housing make progress toward economic and housing self-sufficiency.\n\nBering Straits\n\nNome: $2.3 million to the Norton Sound Health Corporation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, for the Health Center Cluster Program.\n\nKodiak\n\nKodiak: $224,548 to the Kodiak Island Housing Authority from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program, to help residents of Public and Indian Housing make progress toward economic and housing self-sufficiency.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $255,750 to the Cook Inlet Housing Authority from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program, to help residents of Public and Indian Housing make progress toward economic and housing self-sufficiency.\n\nAnchorage: $1.2 million to the Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, Inc, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health Services for the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, Category II Treatment and Service Adaptation Centers.\n\nAnchorage: $100,876 to the University of Alaska Anchorage from the National Science Foundation to help advance microgrid related initiatives as well as to improve the reliability of microgrids operating in harsh climates such as Alaska.\n\nAnchorage: $2.9 million to the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Center Cluster Program.\n\nEyak: $1.3 million to the Native Village of Eyak from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, for the Health Center Cluster Program.\n\nKenai: $1.1 million to the Kenaitze Indian Tribe from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Head Start for the American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start and Early Head Start Program.\n\nSoutheast\n\nKetchikan: $1.9 million to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health Services for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Trauma-informed, Culturally Responsive Support Services for Students.\n\nSitka: $255,750 to the Baranof Island Housing Authority from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program, to help residents of Public and Indian Housing make progress toward economic and housing self-sufficiency.\n\nSouthcoast Region: $1.5 million to the Department of Transportation Southcoast Region from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs of roads and culverts damaged as a result of severe storms.\n\nSouthwest and Western\n\nBethel: $1.3 million to the Bethel Family Clinic from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, for the Health Center Cluster Program.\n\nBethel: $1.4 million to the Association of Village Council Presidents, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start for the American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Program.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-applauds-senate-passage-of-the-stop-act", "Murkowski Applauds Senate Passage Of The Stop Act", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Bipartisan Legislation Will Protect Native Cultural and Sacred\n\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 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\u2019s 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.\n\n\u201cSafeguarding 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 to advance this legislation with Senator Heinrich so to see it finally come to fruition is significant,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cPassage of the STOP Act will provide the tools to put an end to illegal trafficking of tribal relics and artifacts and restore those items to their rightful owners.\u201d\n\nThe STOP Act builds on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, a 1990 law that made it illegal to traffic Native American cultural items, funerary objects and objects of patrimony by doubling existing penalties on those who steal or traffic in stolen items of Native American tribal heritage. It would also confirm the President\u2019s authority to enter into agreements with foreign countries to return tribal items to their appropriate Tribes and create a federal framework to support voluntary return of sacred items, including a referral program whereby museums, Tribes and the federal government can identify tribal cultural items, and work to get them back to the appropriate Tribe. Oversight of the implementation of the law will be conducted by a seven-member commission that will also settle disputes between individuals and Tribes over repatriation of items.\n\nPress Contact\n\nContact:\n\nJacqueline Bisille (Murkowski) at jacqueline_bisille@indian.senate.gov\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska Natives & Rural Alaska", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-supports-new-rail-contract-votes-to-prevent-harmful-rail-strike", "Murkowski Supports New Rail Contract, Votes to Prevent Harmful Rail Strike", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today voted in favor of H.J.Res.100, a resolution to codify the \u201cTentative Agreement\u201d reached earlier this year between railroad carriers, union representatives, and officials in the Biden administration. Its imposition will prevent a railway strike that would have cost the U.S. economy an estimated $2 billion per day, disrupted supply chains, harmed public health, and negatively impacted consumers and businesses\u2014including in Alaska. H.J.Res.100 passed by a vote of 80-15-1.\n\nThe Tentative Agreement provides for a range of new benefits for our nation\u2019s hardworking rail workers. The Agreement provides for a 24 percent wage increase by 2024 with a 14.1 percent increase effective immediately and five $1,000 annual lump sum payments, resulting in $11,000 in immediate payments to employees; a 15 percent cap on health insurance premiums; an additional day of paid personal leave; three days of scheduled leave for medical exams and procedures; up to five weeks of paid vacation each year; and 14 paid holidays.\n\nProvisions that are currently in effect and which will remain in place under the new contract, include providing either 26 weeks of paid sick leave at 60 percent wage replacement or 52 weeks of paid sick leave at 70 percent wage replacement, depending on the union, after four days of unpaid sick leave. The Agreement was ratified by eight of the 12 railway unions, while four unions voted no in an effort to include additional paid sick days in a final agreement.\n\n\u201cWhile it is unfortunate that Congress had to intervene in this matter, a rail strike would have had severe economic and public health consequences that could have harmed families and businesses just as we move into the holiday season. Those consequences would have been felt in Alaska, as goods that are moved across the country by rail and then shipped to our state would have been stranded along the way. While the Tentative Agreement provides important benefits, including better wages, lower health care costs and more days off, I have great empathy for the rail workers and their efforts to negotiate paid sick leave. Ultimately, however, I recognize it is not Congress\u2019 role to intervene in the details of labor negotiations. Doing so would set a bad precedent for other industries who are also negotiating contracts.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/house-passes-bill-to-make-sullivan-shaheen-power-act-permanent-supporting-survivors-of-violence", "House Passes Bill to Make Sullivan-Shaheen POWER Act Permanent, Supporting Survivors of Violence", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "2018 POWER Act, expanding pro bono legal services, was previously set to expire at end of the year\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) thanked their House colleagues, led by Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), for passing their bill today to permanently authorize the Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent (POWER) Act. Since it was signed into law for a four-year term in 2018, thePOWER Act has been helping combat domestic violence and sexual assault by requiring every federal district court across the country to host an annual summit encouraging lawyers to offer pro bono legal services to survivors. The bill also requires that, every two years, an event be held in areas with high numbers of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, with a focus on addressing these issues among Native populations. To date, the POWER Act has resulted in 248 pro bono legal summits across the nation, reaching more than 61,000 attorneys. The permanent extension passed the Senate unanimously in August.\n\n\u201cSurvivors of domestic violence and sexual assault have a much better chance of securing a protective order and escaping the cycle of violence when they are represented by a lawyer. But the cost of obtaining legal representation is too often an obstacle for survivors,\u201d said Sullivan. \u201cMany lawyers are more than willing to donate their time and expertise to help vulnerable survivors navigate the complex legal system. The key is letting attorneys know about the significant need that exists and how they can help. This was the motivation behind my 2018 POWER Act\u2014a continuation at the national level of our efforts in Alaska with the Choose Respect initiative. In the years since the POWER Act became law, we\u2019ve amassed an army of thousands of lawyers who are lifting women and children out of horrible situations. But the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault has not stopped\u2014and neither will we. I want to thank my colleagues in the House for passing this important legislation that will continue to bring hope and healing to many more survivors across the country, and in our great state.\u201d\n\n\u201cSurvivors of domestic and sexual violence deserve every support possible to find safety and justice through the legal system \u2013 ensuring they have access to free legal services is an important first step. I\u2019m proud the House passed my bipartisan legislation with Senator Sullivan today to extend authorization of an important program that extends pro bono legal services to survivors. This bill now heads to the President\u2019s desk to become law, ensuring there is no gap in access to services and helping survivors escape cycles of violence,\u201d said Shaheen. \u201cAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee that oversees funding to assist survivors, I\u2019ll continue uplifting survivors as we work to end the scourge of domestic and sexual violence in our communities.\u201d\n\nBackground on the POWER Act:\n\nResearch has shown that when abuse survivors are represented by an attorney, their ability to break out of the cycle of violence increases dramatically. For example, one study found that 83 percent of survivors represented by an attorney were able to obtain a protective order compared to just 32 percent of survivors without an attorney.\n\nThe POWER Act is modeled after the pro bono summits Sen. Sullivan organized throughout Alaska while he was attorney general working on the \u201cChoose Respect\u201d initiative.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-cotton-introduce-bill-to-support-9/11-beirut-bombing-victims", "Sullivan, Cotton Introduce Bill to Support 9/11, Beirut Bombing Victims", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), have introduced the Fairness for American Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Act, which would expand and improve a federal program that helps terrorist attack victims and their families get justice.\n\nSpecifically, the bill repurposes no-longer-needed COVID-19 funding to help American victims of terrorism recover court-awarded payments for acts of terrorism committed by foreign nations. It would expand and improve H.R. 8987, the Fairness for 9/11 Victims Act, by extending coverage to victims of the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing and their families, and increasing the available funds to help satisfy their judgments. Bill text is here.\n\n\u201cSurviving family members of the victims of both the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the horrific Iran-sponsored 1983 terrorist attack in Beirut\u2014the single deadliest day for the United States Marine Corps since World War II\u2014should be eligible to receive compensation they rightfully deserve,\u201d said Sullivan. \u201cThese families deserve to know that their loved ones will never be forgotten, especially those who served and sacrificed on our behalf. Senator Cotton and I are putting forward legislation to make these families eligible for our nation\u2019s terrorism victims\u2019 fund, ensuring all victims of terrorism are cared for and treated fairly.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe pandemic is long over\u2014unnecessary funding should shift to more worthy causes, like helping U.S. victims of terror attacks. This legislation will allocate funding to ensure that the brave Americans who were killed in brutal attacks like 9/11 and the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing are repaid the debt of gratitude America owes,\u201d said Cotton.\n\n\u201cI would like to thank Senator Cotton and Senator Sullivan for their leadership. I am honored to support this bill. I know 1983 is a long time ago, and the bombing has faded in the public\u2019s memory. But it\u2019s something I live with every day. All these years later, it would rub salt in the wound if the family members of those who were lost are left behind again. I can\u2019t believe that is what Congress intends. We have always had support from leaders on both sides of the aisle and I hope that continues,\u201d said Paul Rivers, a former Marine sergeant who survived the bombing in Beirut after being buried alive for two hours.\n\nThe bill would:\n\nRepurpose nearly $3 billion in unspent CARES Act pandemic funds to provide \u201ccatch-up\u201d funds for 9/11 victims and their families who were previously excluded from the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund;\n\nAmend the law to allow victims of the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing and their families to join the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, just as excluded 9/11 victims and their families were allowed to join the fund in 2019;\n\nRepurpose an additional $3 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act pandemic funds to provide \"catch-up\" funds for the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing victims and their families who were previously excluded from the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund;\n\nDirect the nearly $2 billion in estimated leftover funds after the catch-up payments to 9/11 victims and Beirut Marine families back to the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, to be distributed fairly to 9/11 and non-9/11 American victims of terrorism; and\n\nProvide oversight of the catch-up payments through a Government Accountability Office audit to ensure that catch-up payments put American victims of terrorism on equal footing and don't result in anyone receiving more than their court-awarded judgments.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-merkley-lead-bipartisan-group-of-senators-in-warning-ccp-against-violent-crackdown-on-protesters", "Sullivan, Merkley Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Warning CCP Against Violent Crackdown on Protesters", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, today led a bipartisan letter with nearly half of their Senate colleagues to the Chinese ambassador to the United States warning the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime of the consequences of a violent crackdown on peaceful protesters. Demonstrations have erupted across China in response to the CCP\u2019s severe measures restricting freedoms to contain rising COVID-19 infections.\n\n\u201cThere are historic and heroic protests by the Chinese people pushing back on Xi Jinping\u2019s dictatorial rule and calling for more freedom. Unfortunately, the response of most world leaders has been tepid at best,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cThe United States Senate has a long and distinguished bipartisan history of speaking up for the Chinese people when they are threatened with communist brutality\u2014and for Taiwan. This bipartisan letter continues this important Senate tradition of standing up for courageous, peaceful protesters who are risking their lives simply because they want more freedom.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe historic protests in China are showing the Chinese Communist Party just how courageous the people of China are,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cThe freedom of expression and of assembly are fundamental rights protected under international law, and like all other countries, China has an obligation to respect these universal rights. The protestors in China are sending a very important message, and the Chinese authorities need to listen to the people, not suppress their voice, their courage, or their pursuit for more freedom.\u201d\n\nThe letter is signed by Senators Sullivan, Merkley, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) John Thune (R-S.D.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-La.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).\n\nBelow is the full text of the letter.\n\nAmbassador Qin Gang\n\nEmbassy of the People\u2019s Republic of China\n\n3505 International Place NW\n\nWashington, D.C. 20008-3025\n\nDear Ambassador Qin:\n\nWe are following the current peaceful protests in China over your government\u2019s policies very carefully. We are also closely watching the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s (CCP) reaction to them.\n\nIn 1989, the Chinese Communist Party and People\u2019s Liberation Army undertook a violent crackdown on peacefully protesting Chinese students, killing hundreds, if not thousands.\n\nWe caution the CCP in the strongest possible terms not to once again undertake a violent crackdown on peaceful Chinese protesters who simply want more freedom. If that happens, we believe there will be grave consequences for the US-China relationship, causing extraordinary damage to it.\n\nSincerely,\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/today-4pm-sullivan-gop-senators-to-seek-expedited-passage-of-bill-protecting-camp-lejeune-vets-from-unscrupulous-trial-lawyers", "TODAY 4PM: Sullivan, GOP Senators to Seek Expedited Passage of Bill Protecting Camp Lejeune Vets from Unscrupulous Trial Lawyers", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Legislation would cap fees charged by lawyers in Camp Lejeune water contamination cases\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) today at 4:00pm will attempt to pass the Protect Camp Lejeune Victims Ensnared by Trial-lawyers\u2019 Scams (VETS) Act by unanimous consent, meaning the bill will pass unless any senator objects. The bill would cap the fees trial lawyers can charge in cases representing sick Marines and other individuals impacted by water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Impacted individuals are able to seek compensation as a result of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which became law in August in the larger Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. During consideration of the PACT Act, Senate Democrats blocked votes on any amendments, including an amendment to cap legal fees. Since passage of the law, trial lawyers across the country have unleashed hundreds of millions of dollars in television ads and social media campaigns, seeking out Marines and other victims for Camp Lejeune-related cases and charging contingency fees reportedly as high as 60 percent.\n\n\u201cYou can\u2019t turn on a TV in America without seeing ads from trial lawyers trying to get rich at the expense of sick Marines who served at Camp Lejeune,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWorst of all, we knew this was coming. The Biden Justice Department warned us that, without a cap, predatory law firms could grab the lion\u2019s share of these judgments and leave Marines and their family members with crumbs. This is an outrage\u2014all Americans know it, all senators know it. My Republican colleagues and I put forward an amendment to fix this in the PACT Act, but Democrats blocked it. It\u2019s outrageous. With our legislation, my colleagues will again have an opportunity to protect these courageous service members who\u2019ve served and sacrificed to protect all of us. The American people will know where every U.S. senator stands.\u201d\n\n\u201cGenerations of brave Kentuckians joined the U.S. Marines to protect and defend our nation, only to ingest contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune and suffer debilitating lifelong illnesses as a consequence. These heroes deserve justice \u2013 and deserve protection from predatory trial lawyers,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join with Senator Sullivan and cosponsor the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act. This legislation was designed to support sick veterans, not enrich greedy lawyers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis commonsense proposal should have been included in this legislation from the beginning and should be adopted unanimously today. When Congress enacted this law, the intent -- which I fully support -- was to provide compensation to Marines and their families who were harmed by contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. Greedy trial lawyers saw a blank check from Congress with no limits on the fees they could charge and are using it to get rich at the expense of veterans,\u201d Sen. Grassley said.\n\n\u201cThe funds for Camp Lejeune victims should be used to care for the affected Marines and their families, not to enrich predatory lawyers. As a member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, I am committed to protecting those who have protected us. This includes doing what I can to fix poorly written provisions included in the hastily passed PACT Act. This bill closes a legislative loophole to ensure no one is able to profit from the misfortune of our veterans. I hope my Democratic colleagues will also affirm their commitment to protecting our veterans by supporting this legislation,\u201d said Sen. Tuberville.\n\n\u201cAs those who served at Camp Lejeune pursue their much-deserved compensation, the federal government should not be lining the pockets of trial lawyers,\u201d said Senator Ernst, a veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\u201cWithout a cap on fees, predatory lawyers have the chance to get rich quick off the plight of our veterans. Any compensation for these lawyers should reflect their effort and not come in the form of a blank check from the federal government.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe lawyers who profit from veterans\u2019 service and sickness are despicable and must be stopped. The bill caps the fees attorneys can charge so our Marines and Sailors will not be taken advantage of. I will continue to fight for our veterans and ensure their legacy is honored, not exploited,\u201d said Sen. Cramer.\n\n\u201cCamp Lejeune veterans have already given so much \u2013 they shouldn\u2019t have to give up their lifesavings to trial lawyers and ambulance chasers who are trying manipulate an already tragic situation,\u201d Sen. Daines said.\n\n\u201cTrial attorneys shouldn\u2019t be preying on innocent veterans who became ill after serving at Camp Lejeune. I\u2019m proud to join my colleague Sen. Sullivan in introducing the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act to ensure attorneys aren\u2019t charging exorbitant fees under the guise of helping those who served our country honorably,\u201d said Sen. Lummis.\n\nSullivan, Tuberville, Cassidy and Cramer are members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Grassley is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.\n\nThe Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act is endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion.\n\n\u201cIn recent years, there has been a spike in predatory companies offering veterans help with their claims and lawsuits. This has been highlighted by the incessant ads about compensation for contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The VFW believes there should be guardrails put in place to make sure that veterans are represented by individuals or organizations that follow the rule of law and aren\u2019t just looking to make a quick buck. We applaud Senator Sullivan for highlighting this issue with the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act and look forward to working with him to put in place reasonable fees for Camp Lejeune contaminated water suits,\u201d said Ryan Gallucci, VFW\u2019s deputy executive director of the Washington office.\n\n\u201cWith the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, veterans and their families were finally able to pursue legal action against the government for their exposure to toxic contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. After decades of waiting, and suffering the realities of life-threatening medical conditions, they were bombarded by advertisements from unscrupulous law firms charging exorbitant fees. We commend Senator Sullivan for correcting this injustice by introducing legislation that caps legal fees at a reasonable amount to ensure our veterans and their families are not taken advantage of,\u201d said Chanin Nuntavong, executive director of government affairs for the American Legion.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-from-sen-dan-sullivan-on-respect-for-marriage-act-vote", "Statement from Sen. Dan Sullivan on Respect for Marriage Act Vote", "2022-11-29", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C.\u2014Today, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) released the following statement after voting for final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA):\n\n\u201cWhile I\u2019ve long held that marriage should be an issue left up to the states, the Supreme Court nationalized the issue in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015. Although I disagreed with Obergefell, I said then I would respect the Court\u2019s decision and also continue to fight for, respect, and defend the religious liberty of all Americans.\n\n\u201cEven with a Republican president and Republican majorities in the House and Senate, we were unable to codify any substantive religious liberty protections into law\u2014until today. The protections included in the Respect for Marriage Act are vital because the Supreme Court in Obergefell changed the law of the land on marriage in America, but did not also include robust religious liberty protections for religious organizations and the millions of Americans who believe in, preach, and practice traditional marriage.\n\n\u201cI worked relentlessly to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act codifies several religious liberty protections into law, including several protections for churches and non-profit Christian universities that hold traditional views of marriage. While the final product does not include every religious liberty protection I voted to include, it is my sincere judgment that the bill we passed in the Senate today\u2014unlike the House bill\u2014is much more about promoting and expanding religious liberty protections than same-sex marriage.\n\n\u201cThis bill has the strongest religious liberty protections for religious organizations that believe in traditional marriage since the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 1993. For this reason, many prominent religious groups that believe in traditional marriage, like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, supported this bill and its strong religious liberty protections.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/11/18/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Over $178 million in federal funds to benefit and strengthen Alaska\u2019s communities and economy.\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, tribal entities, and communities in Alaska:\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $2 million to State of Alaska from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development replace the septic tank effluent pumping system's tanks, demolish and properly dispose of the used tanks, purchase a new pumper truck, add solar-powered surface mixers and miscellaneous yard improvements at the treatment plant, and improve the blower house's electrical, HVAC, and piping equipment.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $11.7 million to Anchorage from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, health, and safety measures.\n\nAnchorage: $3.4 million to the Launch Alaska from the Department of Energy for three large scale energy projects in collaboration with Alaska communities, Alaska Native regional corporations, and others.\n\nKenai: $7 million to the Kenaitze Indian Tribe from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author.\n\nKnik: $330,000 to the Knik Tribal Council from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support pollution prevention outreach and technical assistance efforts at businesses located in rural and underserved Alaska communities and tribal villages.\n\nSeldovia: $1.6 million to the Seldovia Village Tribe from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Center Cluster Program which helps support the costs of operating health centers that serve medically underserved populations.\n\nSeward: $10 million to the Chugachmiut from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to construct a regional health center which will serve as a regional hub providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services for Alaskans in rural medically underserved areas.\n\nSeward: $1 million to the Chugachmiut from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to construct a tribally-owned and operated regional hospital.\n\nSoldotna: $2.3 million to the Peninsula Community Health Services of Alaska, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Center Cluster Program which helps support the costs of operating health centers that serve medically underserved populations.\n\nInterior\n\nFairbanks: $35,483 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks from the National Science Foundation for its permafrost and infrastructure symposium: merging science, engineering and community-based knowledge.\n\nRampart: $1.2 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to provide well and wastewater treatment systems.\n\nRampart: $67,500 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to develop a preliminary engineering report and environmental report for a new landfill.\n\nRuby: $66,375 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to complete preliminary engineering and environmental reports to explore options for a new solid waste facility.\n\nTanacross: $66,375 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to complete preliminary engineering and environmental reports for a community landfill.\n\nNorth Slope\n\nKotzebue: $68.4 million to the NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author.\n\nSoutheast\n\nJuneau: $630,700 to the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition from the U.S. Department of the Interior for restoring salmon watersheds on tribal homelands and the Tongass National Forest.\n\nJuneau: $5 million to the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program.\n\nJuneau: $49.8 million to the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author.\n\nMetlakatla: $10.4 million to the Metlakatla Power and Light from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author.\n\nSouthwest and Western\n\nBristol Bay: $1 million to the Bristol Bay Native Corporation from the U.S. Department of the Interior for mapping millions of acres of ecologically, economically, and culturally important wetlands in Bristol Bay and to improve region-wide prioritization and management for sockeye salmon and salmon habitat.\n\nDillingham: $824,990 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus from the U.S. Department of Education for the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Program.\n\nIgiugig: $339,900 to the Igiugig Village Council from the U.S. Department of the Interior to assist with climate resilience and adaptation planning efforts for six rural Indigenous communities in the Lake Iliamna region.\n\nKodiak: $1.4 million to the Kodiak Island Health Care Foundation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Center Cluster Program which helps support the costs of operating health centers that serve medically underserved populations.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/12/08/2022/schatz-murkowski-lead-bipartisan-national-native-american-heritage-month-resolution", "Schatz, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan National Native American Heritage Month Resolution", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i), 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.\n\n\u201cIn November we celebrate Native American Heritage Month to recognize American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian peoples and their unique cultures and contributions,\u201d said Chairman Schatz. \u201cI am honored to lead this year\u2019s Senate resolution with Vice Chairman Murkowski and remain committed to upholding the federal trust responsibility and strengthening self-determination for Native communities across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cDuring National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Alaska Natives, American Indians and Native Hawaiians, and we acknowledge the many contributions of Indigenous peoples to our nation. And as we do so, we must also take time to reflect on our responsibilities to Native people and rededicate ourselves as elected leaders to improving the economic and social health of Native communities everywhere,\u201d said Vice Chairman Murkowski.\n\nSenators Baldwin (D-Wis.), Bennet (D-Colo.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Booker (D-N.J.), Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Daines (R-Mont.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Heinrich (D-N.M.), Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i), Hoeven (D-N.D.), Inhofe (R-Okla.), Kaine (D-Va.), King (I-Maine), Lankford (R-Okla.), Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Lummis (R-Wyo.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Moran (R-Kan.), Murray (D-Wash.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Rosen (D-Nev.), Rounds (R-S.D.), Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sinema (D-Ariz.), Smith (D-Minn.), Tester (D-Mont.), Warren (D-Mass.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Cramer (R-N.D.), and Sullivan (R-Alaska) joined the resolution as original co-sponsors.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska Natives & Rural Alaska", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/-alaska-and-washington-senators-call-on-administration-to_quickly-declare-federal-fishery-disaster", "Alaska and Washington Senators Call on Administration to  Quickly Declare Federal Fishery Disaster", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Today U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Raimondo urging her to rapidly declare a federal fishery disaster for the 2022-2023 Bering Sea snow crab, the 2022-2023 Bristol Bay red king crab, and the 2021-2022 Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries. Following last month\u2019s harvests being canceled, declaring a fishery disaster for the Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries is needed before Congress can secure assistance for fishing families, businesses, and communities that depend on the fisheries.\n\n\u201cMany of these fishermen and businesses hail from both Alaska and Washington, and the impacts of these fishery disasters extend far beyond our states to consumers across the United States and the world. The State of Alaska estimates the ex-vessel losses from the Bristol Bay red king crab and Bering Sea snow crab fisheries for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons to be $287.7 million,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cThe economic impact to downstream businesses such as seafood processors, gear suppliers, shipyards, and other downstream businesses will be even greater. Red king crab and snow crab are highly valued commodities traded internationally and relied upon by businesses that advertise these specialty foods at their restaurants and shops. Yet, the longer the disaster declaration and funding process takes, the greater the impact on our fishermen who are already facing incredibly difficult decisions that could include closing their businesses or filing for bankruptcy this year.\u201d\n\nClick here to read the full letter.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska's Fisheries", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-applaud-an-additional-1359-million-in-broadband-investment-for-alaska", "Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud An Additional $135.9 Million in Broadband Investment for Alaska", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the announcement of an additional $135.9 million in federal broadband grants for communities across Alaska. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) announced the grants Thursday for broadband programs in Western, Southcentral, and Southeastern Alaska. Newly announced grant recipients include the NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Kenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA), and Metlakatla Power and Light.\n\n\u201cWhen I visit Alaska\u2019s rural and remote communities, one of the top issues raised to me is the lack of internet connectivity, as well as the astronomical cost of the limited broadband speeds that do exist\u2014impacting education, healthcare, opportunities for economic development, and more. A specific example that was shared with me: the internet speed is so slow, a community couldn\u2019t even download a grant application to apply for broadband support,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cAs a result of the bipartisan infrastructure law, we continue to see investments in broadband for communities across the state. Improving access, reliability, and affordably for Alaskans \u2013 in urban and rural hubs \u2013 is paramount.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across Alaska.\u201d\n\nThese grants were largely made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that both Senators Murkowski and Sullivan played roles in crafting. Alaska has now received more than $2.5 billion total from the IIJA, which includes broadband investments, with billions more expected to flow to the state in the months and years ahead.\n\nGRANT DETAILS [provided by NTIA]:\n\nNANA Regional Corporation: $68.5 million to install fiber directly connecting 1,379 unserved Native American households, 451 businesses, and 212 anchor institutions, such as libraries and schools, with 1 Gbps symmetrical service.\n\nCentral Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska: $49.9 million to install fixed wireless and deploy Low-Earth Orbiting Satellite-enabled service to directly connect 14,032 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband service of no less than 25/3Mbps for all with options up to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds, where available.\n\nKenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA): $7 million to install fiber directly connecting 1,055 unserved Native American households of which 45% are below the 150% poverty line with qualifying broadband service at speeds up to 336/36 Mbps.\n\nMetlakatla Power and Light: $10.5 million to install fiber directly connecting 586 unserved Native American households, as well as businesses and government entities, with fiber to the home service of 1Gbps symmetrical.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-applaud-an-additional-1359-million-in-broadband-investment-for-alaska", "Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud An Additional $135.9 Million in Broadband Investment for Alaska", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the announcement of an additional $135.9 million in federal broadband grants for communities across Alaska. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) announced the grants Thursday for broadband programs in Western, Southcentral, and Southeastern Alaska. Newly announced grant recipients include the NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Kenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA), and Metlakatla Power and Light.\n\n\u201cWhen I visit Alaska\u2019s rural and remote communities, one of the top issues raised to me is the lack of internet connectivity, as well as the astronomical cost of the limited broadband speeds that do exist\u2014impacting education, healthcare, opportunities for economic development, and more. A specific example that was shared with me: the internet speed is so slow, a community couldn\u2019t even download a grant application to apply for broadband support,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cAs a result of the bipartisan infrastructure law, we continue to see investments in broadband for communities across the state. Improving access, reliability, and affordably for Alaskans \u2013 in urban and rural hubs \u2013 is paramount.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across Alaska.\u201d\n\nThese grants were largely made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that both Senators Murkowski and Sullivan played roles in crafting. Alaska has now received more than $2.5 billion total from the IIJA, which includes broadband investments, with billions more expected to flow to the state in the months and years ahead.\n\nGRANT DETAILS [provided by NTIA]:\n\nNANA Regional Corporation: $68.5 million to install fiber directly connecting 1,379 unserved Native American households, 451 businesses, and 212 anchor institutions, such as libraries and schools, with 1 Gbps symmetrical service.\n\nCentral Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska: $49.9 million to install fixed wireless and deploy Low-Earth Orbiting Satellite-enabled service to directly connect 14,032 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband service of no less than 25/3Mbps for all with options up to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds, where available.\n\nKenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA): $7 million to install fiber directly connecting 1,055 unserved Native American households of which 45% are below the 150% poverty line with qualifying broadband service at speeds up to 336/36 Mbps.\n\nMetlakatla Power and Light: $10.5 million to install fiber directly connecting 586 unserved Native American households, as well as businesses and government entities, with fiber to the home service of 1Gbps symmetrical.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-demands-congress-protect-sick-marines-from-predatory-trial-lawyers", "Sullivan Demands Congress Protect Sick Marines from Predatory Trial Lawyers", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Criticizes Senate for Failing to Cap Exorbitant Camp Lejeune Lawyer Fees in PACT Act\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), criticized some of his committee colleagues in an SVAC hearing yesterday for enabling predatory trial lawyers to charge sick Marines exorbitant fees in court cases related to water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Impacted Marines are able to seek compensation for service-related toxic exposure as a result of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which became law in August in the larger Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. Since passage of the law, trial lawyers across the country have unleashed hundreds of millions of dollars in television ads and social media campaigns seeking out Marines for Camp Lejeune-related cases.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s going to be billions of dollars going to these predatory law firms at the expense of United States Marines,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cThis was predicted. This is now happening. The American Legion is raising the alarm bell. The VA is raising the alarm bell. The Biden administration Justice Department raised the alarm bell. And, unfortunately, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee didn't do anything. As a matter of fact, some of you guys blocked it. So we need to fix it and I want to work with the VA and the Justice Department to fix it. But U.S. Marines who are sick should not have to go begging unscrupulous trial lawyers who are going to take all of the money\u2026 This is despicable. We have to fix it.\u201d\n\nDuring deliberations on the PACT Act, an amendment was offered to cap the filing and contingency fees charged by trial lawyers in Camp Lejeune cases, but the amendment was blocked by Senate Democrats. Sen. Sullivan announced he will soon introduce legislation protecting Marines and their families from these predatory practices.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m going to resubmit the Inhofe legislation and I\u2019m going to try to \u2018UC\u2019 it, and I hope every senator on this committee supports it, because it is sickening to enrich trial lawyers at the expense of sick United States Marines. As a Marine, I take a little bit of umbrage about this,\u201d Sen. Sullivan added.\n\nSen. Sullivan noted that the Biden administration Justice Department had provided technical guidance warning committee members about the risk of trial lawyers taking advantage of unsuspecting Marines if a fee cap was not included. Additionally, the American Legion passed a resolution in October asking Congress to pass legislation capping the fees.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-statement-on-respect-for-marriage-act", "Murkowski Statement on Respect for Marriage Act", "2022-11-16", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after voting in favor today on the motion to proceed to the Respect for Marriage Act:\n\n\u201cToday, I voted to begin debate on a bipartisan compromise of the Respect for Marriage Act. This bill protects the marriage of countless couples across the country. States will continue to set their own definitions of marriage, the federal government will be required to recognize all lawful marriages, and no out-of-state marriages will be able to be denied on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.\n\n\u201cI have long supported marriage equality and believe all lawful marriages deserve respect. I thank my colleagues who improved the bill\u2019s protections for religious liberty and continued prohibitions on polygamy, allowing it to move forward this week. All Americans deserve dignity, respect, and equal protection under the law.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-marks-one-year-of-infrastructure-law-nearly-3-billion-and-counting-for-alaska-", "Murkowski Marks One Year of Infrastructure Law: Nearly $3 Billion and Counting for Alaska", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today released the following statement marking the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, under which nearly $3 billion has already been announced for Alaska.\n\nMurkowski helped write, negotiate, and shepherd this historic law through Congress last year with a small bipartisan group of Senators. It focuses on building and rebuilding the nation\u2019s roads, bridges, rail, ferries, ports, airports, water systems, and broadband; strengthening electric grid resiliency and minerals supply chains; and providing for wildfire mitigation.\n\n\u201cThe Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is one of the most significant measures I\u2019ve ever worked on, and Alaskans are now receiving good news from it on a near-daily basis,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cThe nearly $3 billion announced for Alaska over the past year is creating jobs throughout our state and helping us build the basic infrastructure that the Lower 48 already enjoys. It is bringing clean water and broadband to every corner of Alaska, facilitating the improvement of airports and the expansion of strategic ports, and has given the Alaska Marine Highway System a new lease on life. Many of the projects being funded under this new law are just beginning, but will ultimately make our communities safer, more connected, and a better place to live.\u201d\n\nTo view an interactive map of funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, click here.\n\nClick here for a list of funding announcements for Alaska, listed alphabetically by community, under the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nMurkowski championed numerous provisions within the new infrastructure law to ensure Alaska would directly benefit from it. Following the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act being signed into law, Murkowski has continued to serve as a resource to help Alaskans seize the vast opportunities being made available, hosting two statewide Infrastructure Grant Symposiums and numerous virtual townhalls and making her team available to work with interested Alaskans.\n\n###\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senators-call-out-doi-usda-failure-to-produce-permitting-report-required-by-infrastructure-law", "Senators Call Out DOI, USDA Failure to Produce Permitting Report Required by Infrastructure Law", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) this week led a letter to the Departments of the Interior (DOI) and Agriculture (USDA), questioning whether they would produce a report outlining options to improve the federal mineral permitting process on the timeframe required by federal law. Under Section 40206 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Departments were required to complete the report within one year of enactment\u2014which is today\u2014but have failed to adhere to that statutory deadline.\n\nU.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) also signed the letter.\n\nThe Senators wrote, in part:\n\n\u201cAs you may know, Section 40206 requires the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, acting through the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, to improve the quality and timeliness of the federal permitting and review process for critical mineral production on certain federal lands.\n\n\u201cThe section lays out nine ways to improve permitting [and] establishes a deadline of one year from enactment for your Departments to issue a new report that identifies additional regulatory and legislative measures that would increase the timeliness of permitting, ensure adequate staffing for the timely consideration of authorizations on federal land, and quantify the period of time required to complete each step of the permitting process.\n\n\u201cThe nine improvement priorities and the report are the basis of a new performance metric required under Section 40206 to meet the permitting and review process improvements it requires and will serve as the basis of new annual reporting to Congress to accompany the President\u2019s budget.\n\n\u201cThese are serious and substantial requirements that represent a first step to address serious deficiencies in the federal permitting process. Yet DOI and USDA have outwardly paid little attention to them, and internally appear to have devoted critical resources to discretionary projects that trace back to Executive Orders, rather than legally binding federal statutes\u2026\n\n\u201cAs our mineral security and foreign mineral dependence become more important at a time of rising global demand, Congress remains focused on a variety of means to encourage new domestic production.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, click here.\n\nBackground:\n\nSection 40206 of the bipartisan infrastructure law is drawn from the American Mineral Security Act, which Murkowski sponsored and Sullivan, Risch, Crapo, and Cramer all cosponsored.\n\nRather than focusing on the statutory requirement to complete the permitting report and associated work, DOI and USDA have instead prioritized a discretionary Interagency Working Group that has pursued mining law reform, especially new royalties and fees that would raise the costs of hardrock mining and limit domestic supply.\n\nMurkowski\u2019s letter follows a series of letters she and Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) sent to multiple departments and agencies in May 2022, questioning their failure to implement several critical mineral mandates from the Energy Act of 2020.\n\nIt also follows Biden administration-led setbacks and delays for a number of key mining projects across the country, including the Ambler Access Road in northwest Alaska.\n\n###\n\nNote: Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is unattended. For further information, please contact Senator Murkowski\u2019s press office at 202-224-9301. Visit our website at http://murkowski.senate.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-continue-to-press_for-fair-process-timely-re-approval-of-ambler-access-project", "Murkowski, Sullivan Continue to Press  for Fair Process, Timely Re-Approval of Ambler Access Project", "2022-11-14", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) sent a new letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reiterating their strong support for the Ambler Access Project (Ambler Road). The Senators\u2019 letter, in response to the Department of the Interior\u2019s (DOI) recent request for public input as it scopes a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the project, urges DOI to limit its analysis to court-identified issues and to quickly complete the SEIS so development of this vital road link can finally begin.\n\nFrom the Senators\u2019 letter:\n\n\u201cGiven the delays to date and the strategic importance of the Project, it is essential that DOI limit the scope of its additional analysis to the two specific deficiencies that BLM identified to the Court. BLM states in its notice of intent published on September 20, 2022, however, that it is seeking comments \u2018concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant information, and studies.\u2019 It would be inappropriate and a waste of taxpayer resources for the scope of the analysis to go beyond what the BLM identified to the Court in its request for a voluntary remand. Further setbacks for this Project will ultimately benefit no one, while directly undermining the administration\u2019s own policy goals.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, click here.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Ambler Road is needed to provide access to the world-class Ambler Mining District and facilitate the responsible development of high-grade mineral deposits\u2014including copper, cobalt, zinc, silver, gold, and other metals\u2014located within it. In addition to good jobs and economic diversification for Alaska, the Ambler District will serve as a domestic source of key strategic minerals and metals at the outset of an era where global demand for them is projected to soar.\n\nThe Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 guarantees a right-of-way across federal land to ensure the Ambler Road can be constructed. Only a small part of the road\u2019s route crosses federal land, but in recent years, DOI has ignored the law to use that as a mechanism to repeatedly delay this important project.\n\nThe Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) submitted its application to develop the 211-mile road project in November 2015. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a draft EIS on August 30, 2019 and held 22 public meetings in local communities, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Washington, DC. Together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, BLM issued a favorable Record of Decision (ROD) for the project in July 2020.\n\nDespite extensive public process and years of exhaustive environmental review, the Biden administration was granted Court approval for a voluntary remand of the Environmental Impact Statement and suspended the right of way for the project on February 22, 2022.\n\nIn May 2022, the U.S. District Court for Alaska granted the Biden administration\u2019s remand request. BLM requested remand to conduct additional, narrowly-tailored analysis for potential subsistence impacts under Section 810 of ANILCA and consultation with tribes pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.\n\nAfter four months of delay, BLM initiated a 45-day public scoping process for an SEIS on September 20, 2022. BLM\u2019s notice of intent states that the agency will evaluate a \u201crange of alternatives\u201d related to a variety of topics and provides no timeframe for the completion of the review. In their letter, the Senators reiterated to DOI that the project has already been the subject of extensive scoping and emphasized that adding new topics to the SEIS would be directly contrary to the agency\u2019s stated intentions before the court.\n\nThis letter supplements Murkowski and Sullivan\u2019s recent call for DOI to promptly complete its work to re-approve the Ambler Road. The Senators urged DOI to commit to a concrete timeline, allow the project proponent to continue important baseline scientific work, and allow geotechnical drilling to proceed; no response has been received to date.\n\nRelated Issues: Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-continue-to-press-for-fair-process-timely-re-approval-of-ambler-access-project", "Murkowski, Sullivan Continue to Press for Fair Process, Timely Re-Approval of Ambler Access Project", "2022-11-14", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Anchorage, AK \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) sent a new letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reiterating their strong support for the Ambler Access Project (Ambler Road). The Senators\u2019 letter, in response to the Department of the Interior\u2019s (DOI) recent request for public input as it scopes a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the project, urges DOI to limit its analysis to court-identified issues and to quickly complete the SEIS so development of this vital road link can finally begin.\n\nFrom the Senators\u2019 letter:\n\n\u201cGiven the delays to date and the strategic importance of the Project, it is essential that DOI limit the scope of its additional analysis to the two specific deficiencies that BLM identified to the Court. BLM states in its notice of intent published on September 20, 2022, however, that it is seeking comments \u2018concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant information, and studies.\u2019 It would be inappropriate and a waste of taxpayer resources for the scope of the analysis to go beyond what the BLM identified to the Court in its request for a voluntary remand. Further setbacks for this Project will ultimately benefit no one, while directly undermining the administration\u2019s own policy goals.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, click here.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Ambler Road is needed to provide access to the world-class Ambler Mining District and facilitate the responsible development of high-grade mineral deposits\u2014including copper, cobalt, zinc, silver, gold, and other metals\u2014located within it. In addition to good jobs and economic diversification for Alaska, the Ambler District will serve as a domestic source of key strategic minerals and metals at the outset of an era where global demand for them is projected to soar.\n\nThe Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 guarantees a right-of-way across federal land to ensure the Ambler Road can be constructed. Only a small part of the road\u2019s route crosses federal land, but in recent years, DOI has ignored the law to use that as a mechanism to repeatedly delay this important project.\n\nThe Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) submitted its application to develop the 211-mile road project in November 2015. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a draft EIS on August 30, 2019 and held 22 public meetings in local communities, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Washington, DC. Together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, BLM issued a favorable Record of Decision (ROD) for the project in July 2020.\n\nDespite extensive public process and years of exhaustive environmental review, the Biden administration was granted Court approval for a voluntary remand of the Environmental Impact Statement and suspended the right of way for the project on February 22, 2022.\n\nIn May 2022, the U.S. District Court for Alaska granted the Biden administration\u2019s remand request. BLM requested remand to conduct additional, narrowly-tailored analysis for potential subsistence impacts under Section 810 of ANILCA and consultation with tribes pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.\n\nAfter four months of delay, BLM initiated a 45-day public scoping process for an SEIS on September 20, 2022. BLM\u2019s notice of intent states that the agency will evaluate a \u201crange of alternatives\u201d related to a variety of topics and provides no timeframe for the completion of the review. In their letter, the Senators reiterated to DOI that the project has already been the subject of extensive scoping and emphasized that adding new topics to the SEIS would be directly contrary to the agency\u2019s stated intentions before the court.\n\nThis letter supplements Murkowski and Sullivan\u2019s recent call for DOI to promptly complete its work to re-approve the Ambler Road. The Senators urged DOI to commit to a concrete timeline, allow the project proponent to continue important baseline scientific work, and allow geotechnical drilling to proceed; no response has been received to date.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senator-murkowski-honors-american-veterans-", "Senator Murkowski Honors American Veterans", "2022-11-11", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) shared the following message with Alaskans in recognition of Veterans Day:\n\nFor video of Senator Murkowski, click here.\n\n\u201cVeterans Day is an opportunity to honor Americans who have answered the call to serve, whether in times of peace or in times of war. We owe so much to those who have sacrificed their safety, their time, and so much more in the name of America\u2019s freedom and security.\n\n\u201cWe are so fortunate that so many Veterans call Alaska home. They are our friends, our family, our co-workers, and our neighbors. Veterans demonstrate commitment, courage, strength, and perseverance. Today we honor them for their devotion to duty.\n\n\u201cWe also thank the families of our Veterans, as we know their lives have been deeply impacted by the duty of their loved ones.\n\n\u201cMy deepest gratitude goes out to all those who have fought and served honorably. We owe each of them a sincere thank you for the lives we live today and the freedoms they protect.\n\n\u201cGod bless.\u201d\n\nRelated Issues: Veterans", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-to-receive-13-million-to-address-high-energy-costs", "Alaska to Receive $13 Million to Address High Energy Costs", "2022-11-03", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Anchorage, AK \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that Alaska was awarded $13.7 million through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this funding will help low-income individuals and families pay for home heating costs this winter and cover unpaid utility bills.These funds will also help families make cost-effective home energy repairs to lower their heating and cooling bills. The funding announced today comes from a combination of regular appropriations and from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author and negotiator.\n\n\u201cAlaskans face some of the highest home heating costs in the nation, which is why LIHEAP has been such a critical program to help families get through the cold winter months,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cThrough my roles as a senior appropriator and lead negotiator on the bipartisan infrastructure law, I championed this funding to provide a critical supplement for the Alaskans who face exorbitant energy prices. I\u2019m pleased to announce this support and look forward to the benefits it will provide for Alaskan families.\u201d\n\nIndividuals interested in applying for energy assistance can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at 1-866-674-6327.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-tribes-and-organizations-receive-over-18-million-for-tribal-climate-resilience-projects", "Alaska Tribes and Organizations Receive over $18 Million for Tribal Climate Resilience Projects", "2022-11-02", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Anchorage, Alaska \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today announced 48 awards benefitting Tribes and tribal organizations in Alaska amounting to more than $18 million to address the impacts of climate change. These investments will support adaptation planning, climate implementation actions, ocean and coastal management planning, capacity building, relocation, managed retreat, and protect-in-place for climate risks projects.\n\n\u201cCommunities across Alaska face growing risks from coastal erosion, flooding, ocean acidification, threats to food security, degrading permafrost, need for relocation, and more. The $18 million in awards announced today will support Alaskan communities build much needed climate resilience, whether that is funding for Golovin to continue their retreat management, an erosion and flood assessment for Tuluksak, a Kodiak food systems vulnerability assessment, an ocean and coastal monitoring plan for the Qawalangin Tribe, a permafrost assessment for Chefornak, or a managed retreat housing prototype for Unalakleet,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThrough the bipartisan infrastructure law, I prioritized funding for BIA climate resilience programs to assist communities who are facing threats to their infrastructure and ways of life.\u201d\n\nThe funding for the projects announced today comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), $20 million, and Fiscal Year 2022 annual appropriations, $25 million. The IIJA provided $216 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) over five years for climate resilience programs, with $130 million for community relocation and $86 million for Tribal climate resilience and adaptation projects.\n\nClick here for more information on the awards.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/10/28/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-10-28", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, tribal entities, and communities in Alaska. Grants also include funding announced for Alaska from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $395,000 to the Wrangell Public School District, $68.7 million for the Port of Alaska, $10.1 million for the Port of Adak, $5.3 million for the Sand Point Floating Dock, $28.2 million to Prince William Sound ferry terminals (Cordova, Tatitlek, & Chenega) and $30.3 million for the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area for federal broadband.\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $28.2 million to the Prince William Sound Economic Development District from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Port Infrastructure Development Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $3 million to the Alaska Railroad Corporation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for permanent repairs to the Alaska Railroad at mile point 52.24 as a result of major disaster.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $324,237 to the State of Alaska from the U.S. Department of Treasury for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $30.3 million to the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the fiber-to-the-premises ReConnect Program.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $7.2 million to the Municipality of Anchorage from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Emergency Protective Services.\n\nAnchorage: $68.7 million to the Municipality of Anchorage from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Port Infrastructure Development Program for the Port of Alaska to reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the area.\n\nAnchorage: $2.4 million to the Head Start Program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Kids\u2019 Corps Inc.\n\nEklutna: $5,000 to the Eklutna Native Village from the U.S. Department of Treasury for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.\n\nSoutheast\n\nHaines: $1.2 million to the Haines Borough from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for permanent repairs to Porcupine Trail Road as a result of damage caused by severe storms.\n\nJuneau: $237,408 to Alaska Department of Health and Human Services from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Maternal and Child Health Services.\n\nWrangell: $395,000 to the Wrangell Public School District from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Clean School Bus Program.\n\nSouthwest and Western\n\nAdak: $10.1 million to the Aleut Corporation from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Port Infrastructure Development Program to make repairs and updates to the primary supply pier.\n\nSand Point: $5.3 million to the Sand Point Floating Dock Project from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Port Infrastructure Development Program to install a new floating dock.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/dea-drug-take-back-day-collection-sites", "DEA Drug Take Back Day Collection Sites", "2022-10-28", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "DEA Office of Diversion Control, NTBI Site Search Screen (NTBI Saturday, October 29, 2022) (usdoj.gov)\n\nTake Back Day: Saturday, October 29, 2022 10:00 am - 2:00 pm\n\nCOLLECTION SITE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nPROVIDENCE ALASKA MEDICAL CENTER\n\nOUTSIDE COLLECTION SITE - PHARMACY ENTRANCE Map ANCHORAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nALASKA REGIONAL HOSPITAL\n\nOUTSIDE DRIVE THRU - E BUILDING, EAST SIDE OF BUILDING) Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - MULDOON Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - ABBOTT Map WASILLA POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFRED MEYER - WASILLA Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nWILLOW COMMUNITY CENTER Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - EAGLE RIVER Map PALMER POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFRED MEYER - PALMER Map SOLDOTNA POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nSOLDOTNA POLICE DEPARTMENT Map SEWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nSEWARD CITY HALL Map\n\nJUNEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nJUNEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT Map SITKA POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nHARRIGAN CENTENNIAL HALL Map\n\nDRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nFRED MEYER - EAST Map FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nCOLLECTION SITE - INSIDE LOBBY Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nWALMART Map NORTH POLE POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nNORTH POLE POLICE DEPARTMENT Map UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nUNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nFRED MEYER - WEST Map\n\nSOLDOTNA POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nSOLDOTNA POLICE DEPARTMENT Map HOMER POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nHOMER POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFRONT LOBBY ENTRANCE Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nWILLOW COMMUNITY CENTER Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - MULDOON Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - ABBOTT Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nPROVIDENCE ALASKA MEDICAL CENTER\n\nOUTSIDE COLLECTION SITE - PHARMACY ENTRANCE Map ANCHORAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nALASKA REGIONAL HOSPITAL\n\nOUTSIDE DRIVE THRU - E BUILDING, EAST SIDE OF BUILDING) Map WASILLA POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFRED MEYER - WASILLA Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION\n\nFRED MEYER - EAGLE RIVER Map SEWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nSEWARD CITY HALL Map PALMER POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFRED MEYER - PALMER Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nFRED MEYER - WEST Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nFRED MEYER - EAST Map FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nFAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nCOLLECTION SITE - INSIDE LOBBY Map DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION - FAIRBANKS\n\nWALMART Map UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nUNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS POLICE DEPARTMENT Map NORTH POLE POLICE DEPARTMENT\n\nNORTH POLE POLICE DEPARTMENT Map\n\nFor other locations please click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/interior-alaska-receives-30-million-to-deploy-high-speed-internet-", "Interior Alaska Receives $30 Million to Deploy High-Speed Internet", "2022-10-28", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today announced that the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is receiving a $30.3 million federal broadband grant, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant comes through USDA\u2019s ReConnect Program, which aims to build out broadband infrastructure to connect communities across the United States with high speed internet access. TCC\u2019s grant will help to fund a fiber network in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, delivering affordable, high-speed internet for families, businesses, and educational facilities.\n\nTCC\u2019s project will be supported by the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Tribal Lifeline programs, which will serve the Hughes, Huslia, Alatna, and Allakaket Native Village Statistical Areas as well as communities in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the many communities in the Yukon Koyukuk region who will benefit from the transformational change this investment in broadband infrastructure will bring,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThrough my work on the bipartisan infrastructure law, including investments for broadband was a top priority\u2014from closing services gaps to addressing reliability and affordability in such a rural state like Alaska. These investments in expanded connectivity will bring new opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development\u2014truly real-life benefits for Alaskans.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across the Interior of Alaska.\u201d\n\n\"TCC is proud to have secured funding for this vital infrastructure project on behalf of our tribes along the Koyukuk River. This network is a key part of TCC\u2019s ongoing strategy to narrow the digital divide for our tribal members and to improve the standard of living for our people. We appreciate the USDA for this substantial opportunity and Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and the late Congressman Young for fighting to make these opportunities available to our state,\u201d said TCC Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley.\n\nIn 2022 alone, over $461.2 million in federal broadband funding has been announced for Alaska, of which over $210.9 million stems from the USDA Reconnect Program.\n\nTo learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/interior-alaska-receives-30-million-to-deploy-high-speed-internet", "Interior Alaska Receives $30 Million to Deploy High-Speed Internet", "2022-10-28", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today announced that the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is receiving a $30.3 million federal broadband grant, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant comes through USDA\u2019s ReConnect Program, which aims to build out broadband infrastructure to connect communities across the United States with high speed internet access. TCC\u2019s grant will help to fund a fiber network in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, delivering affordable, high-speed internet for families, businesses, and educational facilities.\n\nTCC\u2019s project will be supported by the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Tribal Lifeline programs, which will serve the Hughes, Huslia, Alatna, and Allakaket Native Village Statistical Areas as well as communities in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the many communities in the Yukon Koyukuk region who will benefit from the transformational change this investment in broadband infrastructure will bring,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThrough my work on the bipartisan infrastructure law, including investments for broadband was a top priority\u2014from closing services gaps to addressing reliability and affordability in such a rural state like Alaska. These investments in expanded connectivity will bring new opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development\u2014truly real-life benefits for Alaskans.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across the Interior of Alaska.\u201d\n\nIn 2022 alone, over $461.2 million in federal broadband funding has been announced for Alaska, of which over $210.9 million stems from the USDA Reconnect Program.\n\nTo learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/112-million-announced-for-alaska-ports-and-ferry-terminals_", "$112 Million Announced for Alaska Ports and Ferry Terminals", "2022-10-26", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today announced that four Alaska coastal communities will receive a total of $112 million in investments this year for critical port-related infrastructure and ferry terminal projects, marking the first wave of these type of investments attributable to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The awards, made possible by the IIJA\u2019s investments in Alaska\u2019s maritime infrastructure and supply chain, will benefit the Alaska Marine Highway System, coastal communities, supply chains and consumers across Alaska. The IIJA made a significant down payment in the nation\u2019s maritime infrastructure, making $2.25 billion in additional funds available over five years to the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which is a key funding avenue for Alaska coastal communities. These new grants, from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Maritime Administration also received funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.\n\n\u201cPorts, harbors, and the Alaska Marine Highway System are all essential to our state, serving as a lifeline that connects our coastal communities. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve prioritized doing what I can at the federal level to ensure we have the resources necessary to maintain and improve them. In my work as an appropriator and as a key architect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I\u2019ve secured funding to help build, expand, and improve ports and harbors across our state to ensure that key ports such as the Port of Alaska and the Alaska Marine Highway System has the necessary support,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThese new Port Infrastructure Development Program grants will be the first of many additional opportunities to deliver vital port related infrastructure funding to our state that will bring benefits to Alaska for decades to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs I often say, Alaska is a resource-rich but infrastructure-poor state. The Port of Alaska is critical for Alaska\u2019s supply chain and America\u2019s national security,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cServing as Alaska\u2019s principal transportation hub for the vast majority of goods the U.S. military and Alaskans rely on, the port needs significant reconstruction to combat corrosion, something I\u2019ve pressed repeatedly as a member of both the Senate EPW and Commerce Committees. Working together with Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young, we\u2019ve been able to secure roughly $120 million in federal grants for the Port of Alaska in the last three years. I want to thank the Department of Transportation, the Maritime Administration, and the U.S. Transportation Command for taking action after I emphasized in multiple meetings with senior officials the critical role the Port of Alaska serves. I\u2019m also glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed for other port projects across the state that Senator Murkowski and I have long advocated for, including the Sand Point and the Port of Adak projects. These infrastructure improvements will provide several Alaska communities with the ability to safely and efficiently transport goods to and from their communities, benefitting both local communities and the national supply chain.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis grant award comes at a crucial time for the Port of Alaska and Municipality, as we work to rebuild and modernize Alaska\u2019s most important piece of infrastructure,\u201d said Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson. \u201cThe nearly $70 million Senators Sullivan and Murkowski secured will ensure we permanently fix the North End of the Port. Progress like this puts us one step closer to delivering food security for Alaska through a seismically resilient and modern Port of Alaska. My deepest thanks to our Senators for being tireless champions for the Port.\u201d\n\nGRANT RECIPIENTS (information provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation)\n\n1. Port of Alaska (Anchorage): $68.7 million for the Port of Alaska, one of the nation\u2019s commercial strategic seaports located in Anchorage, to reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the area north of the existing general cargo terminals as well as for the demolition of a sheet pile wall, removal of approximately 1.3 million cubic yards of material, and construction of a shoreline revetment of armor rock.\n\n2. Port of Adak (Adak): $10.1 million for the Port of Adak, in the Aleutian Islands, for making repairs and updates to the primary supply pier as well as for planning and permitting work, removal of the deteriorated timber pile fender system, repairs to damaged concrete piles and caps, installation of a high-energy absorbing fender system, and installation of new sewer, firefighting water, potable water, electrical and communications utilities, and LED lighting.\n\n3. Sand Point Floating Dock Project: $5.3 million for installing more than 1,000 feet of new floating dock and supporting access, utility, and safety infrastructure within the existing harbor. The Project will complete the Aleutians East Borough's long-term efforts to fully build out the community's harbor.\n\n4. Prince William Sound ferry terminals (Cordova, Tatitlek, & Chenega): $28.2 million for upgrades and modifications at three Prince William Sound ferry terminals\u2014Cordova, Tatitlek, and Chenega\u2014to accommodate Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. The Cordova improvements include removal of floating fenders and construction of fixed-fender mooring dolphins and catwalks and modifications to the stern berth to accommodate the ferries. The Tatitlek improvements include the provision of new end-loading ferry terminal structures, including a vehicle transfer bridge and bridge support float. The Chenega improvements include the construction of a new ferry terminal facility, including a pile-supported approach dock structure, vehicle transfer bridge, bridge support float, and two mooring dolphins.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/112-million-announced-for-alaska-ports-and-ferry-terminals", "$112 Million Announced for Alaska Ports and Ferry Terminals", "2022-10-26", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today announced that four Alaska coastal communities will receive a total of $112 million in investments this year for critical port-related infrastructure and ferry terminal projects, marking the first wave of these type of investments attributable to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The awards, made possible by the IIJA\u2019s investments in Alaska\u2019s maritime infrastructure and supply chain, will benefit the Alaska Marine Highway System, coastal communities, supply chains and consumers across Alaska. The IIJA made a significant down payment in the nation\u2019s maritime infrastructure, making $2.25 billion in additional funds available over five years to the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which is a key funding avenue for Alaska coastal communities. These new grants, from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Maritime Administration also received funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.\n\n\u201cPorts, harbors, and the Alaska Marine Highway System are all essential to our state, serving as a lifeline that connects our coastal communities. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve prioritized doing what I can at the federal level to ensure we have the resources necessary to maintain and improve them. In my work as an appropriator and as a key architect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I\u2019ve secured funding to help build, expand, and improve ports and harbors across our state to ensure that key ports such as the Port of Alaska and the Alaska Marine Highway System has the necessary support,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThese new Port Infrastructure Development Program grants will be the first of many additional opportunities to deliver vital port related infrastructure funding to our state that will bring benefits to Alaska for decades to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs I often say, Alaska is a resource-rich but infrastructure-poor state. The Port of Alaska is critical for Alaska\u2019s supply chain and America\u2019s national security,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cServing as Alaska\u2019s principal transportation hub for the vast majority of goods the U.S. military and Alaskans rely on, the port needs significant reconstruction to combat corrosion, something I\u2019ve pressed repeatedly as a member of both the Senate EPW and Commerce Committees. Working together with Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young, we\u2019ve been able to secure roughly $120 million in federal grants for the Port of Alaska in the last three years. I want to thank the Department of Transportation, the Maritime Administration, and the U.S. Transportation Command for taking action after I emphasized in multiple meetings with senior officials the critical role the Port of Alaska serves. I\u2019m also glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed for other port projects across the state that Senator Murkowski and I have long advocated for, including the Sand Point and the Port of Adak projects. These infrastructure improvements will provide several Alaska communities with the ability to safely and efficiently transport goods to and from their communities, benefitting both local communities and the national supply chain.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis grant award comes at a crucial time for the Port of Alaska and Municipality, as we work to rebuild and modernize Alaska\u2019s most important piece of infrastructure,\u201d said Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson. \u201cThe nearly $70 million Senators Sullivan and Murkowski secured will ensure we permanently fix the North End of the Port. Progress like this puts us one step closer to delivering food security for Alaska through a seismically resilient and modern Port of Alaska. My deepest thanks to our Senators for being tireless champions for the Port.\u201d\n\nGRANT RECIPIENTS (information provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation)\n\n1. Port of Alaska (Anchorage): $68.7 million for the Port of Alaska, one of the nation\u2019s commercial strategic seaports located in Anchorage, to reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the area north of the existing general cargo terminals as well as for the demolition of a sheet pile wall, removal of approximately 1.3 million cubic yards of material, and construction of a shoreline revetment of armor rock.\n\n2. Port of Adak (Adak): $10.1 million for the Port of Adak, in the Aleutian Islands, for making repairs and updates to the primary supply pier as well as for planning and permitting work, removal of the deteriorated timber pile fender system, repairs to damaged concrete piles and caps, installation of a high-energy absorbing fender system, and installation of new sewer, firefighting water, potable water, electrical and communications utilities, and LED lighting.\n\n3. Sand Point Floating Dock Project: $5.3 million for installing more than 1,000 feet of new floating dock and supporting access, utility, and safety infrastructure within the existing harbor. The Project will complete the Aleutians East Borough's long-term efforts to fully build out the community's harbor.\n\n4. Prince William Sound ferry terminals (Cordova, Tatitlek, & Chenega): $28.2 million for upgrades and modifications at three Prince William Sound ferry terminals\u2014Cordova, Tatitlek, and Chenega\u2014to accommodate Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. The Cordova improvements include removal of floating fenders and construction of fixed-fender mooring dolphins and catwalks and modifications to the stern berth to accommodate the ferries. The Tatitlek improvements include the provision of new end-loading ferry terminal structures, including a vehicle transfer bridge and bridge support float. The Chenega improvements include the construction of a new ferry terminal facility, including a pile-supported approach dock structure, vehicle transfer bridge, bridge support float, and two mooring dolphins.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-dan-sullivan-ambassador-emanuel-lead-ak-lng-summit-in-tokyo", "Sen. Dan Sullivan, Ambassador Emanuel Lead AK LNG Summit in Tokyo", "2022-10-24", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "TOKYO\u2014Today, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) released the following statement at the conclusion of the Alaska LNG Summit of U.S. and Japanese energy and policy leaders convened in Tokyo by U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. The summit was a significant gathering of stakeholders seeking to advance the Alaska LNG Project\u2014a proposed 800-mile pipeline from Alaska\u2019s North Slope to tidewater in Cook Inlet that would supply abundant natural gas to Alaskans and to Indo-Pacific allies of the United States, such as Japan.\n\n\u201cSince the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, global energy markets and assumptions have been completely upended. It has become imperative that America, as well as our European and Asian allies, get off of Russian oil and gas. In this regard, we have strong and growing opportunities for the Alaska LNG project to supply abundant, clean, natural gas to Alaskans at home as well as to the people of Japan,\u201d Sen. Sullivan said. \u201cOver the last several months, my team and I have worked relentlessly on meeting with key stakeholders\u2014investors, producers, engineering firms, Biden Administration and Japanese government officials\u2014to educate them on this project. This action-oriented Alaska LNG Summit is an outgrowth of these meetings that we believe will advance the prospects of the Alaska LNG project. In particular, I want to thank Ambassador Emanuel for hosting this summit and for his tireless advocacy of Alaska LNG. I also want to thank all of the participants at the summit, particularly representatives from the Japanese government and from the private sector.\u201d\n\nIn-person attendees included Sen. Sullivan, Ambassador Emanuel, Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) President Frank Richards, and U.S. and Japanese government and LNG industry representatives from INPEX, Mitsubishi Corporation, Tokyo Gas, and JERA. Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska), U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Energy Security Amos Hochstein, and U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt attended via video conference.\n\nClick here to read Ambassador Emanuel's statement following the summit. Click here to read Governor Dunleavy and Mr. Richards\u2019 joint statement following the summit.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-emphasizes-the-power-of-unity-at-alaska-federation-of-natives-convention", "Sullivan Emphasizes the Power of Unity at Alaska Federation of Natives Convention", "2022-10-22", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), in a speech yesterday at the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) annual convention, celebrated AFN\u2019s history of being a uniting force in Alaska, and spoke about how such unity among Alaska Native communities, as well as with the state and federal government, has resulted in great successes for all Alaskans.\n\nThe successes Sullivan highlighted included battling COVID-19; securing funding for broadband, water and sewer in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); defending resource development projects, such as the Willow Project; and recovering from the devastation of Typhoon Merbok in portions of Western Alaska. Sullivan also stressed the need to remain united to combat sexual abuse and domestic violence in Alaska and to solve a fishing crisis that has negatively impacted the life, cultures and economies of parts of Alaska.\n\nClickhere to watch Sen. Sullivan\u2019s remarks.\n\nFULL TRANSCRIPT:\n\nThank you, Ana. It\u2019s great to hear from my good friend\u2014I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s up there anymore, Brian Schatz, who is a strong friend of Alaska Natives. I want to begin by thanking the AFN leadership\u2014Ana, Joe, Julie, so many others.\n\nIt's great to be back in person, isn't it? I don't know about you, but I have Zoom fatigue. I'm sick of Zoom. We need to be in-person here. And it's great to see so many of our elders and youth and mothers and fathers. I just want to thank you.\n\nI want to talk about some of the things that we've been working on in Washington, but also just to recognize what a seminal event in our state for everybody that AFN is. It's certainly one of the highlights of the year for me, and for my wife, Julie, who is all over the AFN convention hall, seeing all her cousins and buying Christmas gifts for our friends and family.\n\nI know that we feel the loss today of someone who isn't in the room with us. Congressman Young's sudden passing has left a hole in our state, in our country, and certainly at AFN. We miss him terribly. I appreciate Representative Peltola\u2019s tribute to him yesterday. And I am wearing my AFN bolo in Don Young's honor. We all miss him and his family and friends. Thank you for keeping his legacy alive.\n\nI also want to mention another very tragic, sudden, shocking loss of another great friend of our Alaska Native community, and that's former state Senator Ben Stevens, a great leader in our state. And we\u2014Julie and I\u2014respectfully ask for prayers for the Stevens family as they're going through an incredible, shocking loss.\n\nI believe that the theme of this year is something we can all celebrate: celebrating our unity. And it's a perfect theme for this time in the history of AFN. To understand why unity is such an important theme, particularly as we work on federal issues, I think it's good to go back in time, to the formation of AFN and its goals which, at its core, were all about unity.\n\nMany of you know this story, because many of our elders here today were part of this story. Fifty-six years ago, more than 400 Alaska Natives representing 17 Native organizations gathered right here in Anchorage to address Alaska Native land claims. Unity was vital, but it wasn't a given.\n\nThis is from a Tundra Times editorial shortly after that first AFN conference. It\u2019s titled, \u201cA Great Achievement.\u201d When you listen to the editorial, it's all about unity. Here's what it said: \u201cThe delegates of the statewide Native conference in Anchorage last week came from all parts of Alaska, from the Arctic to the Panhandle. When the conference was over, there was no doubt that unity of the Native organizations had been achieved, a fact that has been long-sought by our people. It is what we have been desiring all along. It is a hard-fought achievement, unity. It is worth keeping, because the strength that it represents will be invaluable in helping us gain the benefits that we wish for, for our people.\u201d\n\nSo for Howard Rock, who no doubt wrote that very influential Tundra Times editorial, unity equaled strength, and strength equaled power, and power equaled results for Native people.\n\nFast forward two years later, after that first AFN conference, 1968 and 1969, a time of great social turmoil in America, when proud and determined First Peoples from all across our state traveled to Anchorage, and to Fairbanks, to give their testimony in field hearings held by Congress about Alaska land claims and other issues.\n\n[There were] dozens of women and men, young and old, all of them testifying over this time period. In front of U.S. senators and congressmen, telling their stories, how a proud and strong people lived off of this land and had been able to thrive in some of the harshest conditions on the planet, for thousands of years. There was a special American patriotism on display at these hearings, as you all know, something I love to talk about.\n\nThe Native people of Alaska, have always been very patriotic, for decades serving in the U.S. military at higher rates than any other ethnic group in the country. Yes, special patriotism. Even when America wasn't treating our Native people well and with respect, this service and special patriotism has remained a hallmark of Native culture, Native heritage and Native tradition for decades. Now, I know we have hundreds of such American patriots in the audience today. If you are an Alaska Native veteran or a family of an Alaska Native veteran, please stand or raise your hand and be recognized with a strong round of applause.\n\nBack in 1968, members of Congress holding these hearings in Alaska were not aware of your special patriotism. But in one of my favorite quotes from any congressional hearing ever, the president of the Arctic Native Brotherhood, a proud Marine, Jerome Trigg, educated these members of Congress about the Alaska Native tradition of military service at a time in 1968, during the height of the Vietnam War, when many Americans were actually avoiding military service.\n\nHere's what Jerome Trigg said to the senators in a field hearing in Alaska: \u201cWe have showed our patriotism as proudly as any Americans on earth. We have answered the call of duty with pride in serving our country. We answered the call in World War II 100 percent. Every man in every village, old and young, volunteered with the Alaska National Guard. I have never heard of an Alaska Native burning the draft card or burning the flag of our country. We love our lands, and we will fight and sacrifice to protect them.\u201d\n\nNow, with the determination of a tough Marine, and the recognition of the moral high ground Alaska Native military service brought to him and his people, he concluded his testimony before the senators with this statement: \u201cSometimes I think the wrong people are running this hearing and taking our testimony. It seems that we should be the ones on the bench, and you people should be in front of us giving us testimony.\u201d\n\nI love that! Powerful.\n\nThis testimony was said to have brought tears to the eyes of so many in the audience.\n\nSo how were Alaska Natives able to unite? Here's how my late, beautiful and beloved mother-in-law, Mary Jane Fate, put it in her testimony back then, when she was just 36 years old: \u201cThe unique circumstances of Alaska Native life and culture have led to unity and the development of leadership, not only for our own people, but for the entire citizenry in which we find ourselves.\u201d\n\nIn other words, unity equaled strength, not only for Alaska Native people, but for the whole state. Everybody working together for common purpose.\n\nSuch beautiful and powerful wisdom from Mary Jane Fate has been born out again and again. When the Alaska Native communities unify, particularly unify together with the state and with our congressional delegation, we can get very important things done.\n\nFor example, because of unity, on December 18, 1971, during that year's AFN convention, 600 delegates listened to a tape from President Nixon when he told the delegates, \u201cI want you to be the first to know that I just signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.\u201d\n\nThat was ANCSA, a little over 50 years ago. While it hasn't been everything that everybody wanted, it has helped achieve enormous progress. And it again signifies that when all of us are working together, we can get a lot done.\n\nLet me highlight a few recent examples that were achieved as the result of unity. First, as Governor Dunleavy mentioned in his remarks yesterday, I think it\u2019s important to talk first about the unity that occurred over the last three years during a very challenging time for all of us. That was dealing with this global pandemic. With the history of what pandemics have done to Rural Alaska, it was a particularly stressful and challenging time. Over the past three years, we all knew the specter of the 1918 Spanish flu was lurking. That legacy, over 100 years ago, devastated entire Alaska Native villages.\n\nSo, what we did together, was to work, particularly on the delegation side, to make sure the federal government knew the history of Rural Alaska and did not forget about Rural Alaska during the pandemic. Now, as many of you know, I'm a Marine. As a Marine, I know how to take orders, and I know how to give orders. I took my orders from all of you during that time. Those orders were focused on ensuring that all Alaska communities got the resources they needed to survive and recover from the pandemic.\n\nSo I got the orders. Then I started to give the orders. My team and I and the whole delegation\u2014Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young\u2014we did not put down the telephone for months. Everybody from the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, cabinet officials, CEOs of major lab companies\u2014we were telling them daily, you can\u2019t forget about Rural Alaska, Rural Alaska needs resources. I, and I'm sure Don Young\u2014I don't want to call Lisa a pain in anyone's rear\u2014but I became a pain in the rear. So did Don, we all did, to make sure whether it was testing, vaccines, or other resources, the brave people of Rural Alaska were not forgotten. And you weren't.\n\nNow, we all know we lost many wonderful people during the pandemic, too many people, some of our elders. But there's no doubt that the pandemic would\u2019ve been worse for all of Alaska had all of us\u2014state, federal, tribes, Alaska Native health organizations\u2014not been unified. I think that's a really powerful lesson that we learned.\n\nLet me talk about another powerful lesson that we learned from the pandemic. It was, in some ways, a silver lining about a huge shortcoming that we already knew existed in Rural Alaska. But the pandemic put it in stark relief, and that relates to the issues of infrastructure.\n\nWhen the CDC says to Americans, you need to wash your hands five times a day during the pandemic and we said, wait, we don't have running water, or flush toilets in our communities! How can we do that?\n\nOr when the federal government says you have to go home, you can't go to school, you can't go to work\u2014get in front of your computer and do everything on the internet. And you say, wait a minute, we don't have internet connectivity! So these issues became highlighted even more during the pandemic. It has provided us an opportunity to press on the pressing needs that we all know exist with regard to infrastructure in Alaska.\n\nLet me talk about a few of these briefly. Water and sewer. This has been a passion of mine since I started in the Senate almost eight years ago. It's [an issue] of basic fairness. Think about it. You have senators, and it's fine with me, they make the argument\u2014hey, my state, my city, we need to upgrade our existing infrastructure. You hear that a lot. My argument has been\u2014wait, what about communities that have no infrastructure? What if you have no water and sewer, and, by the way, from some of the most patriotic communities in America, because everybody who lives there serves in the military.\n\nSo what we've been able to do\u2014and this argument is now starting to work\u2014is to enact new programs, and hundreds of millions of dollars of federal assistance, focused on finally getting water and sewer and flush toilets and running water to every community in Alaska. We're going to keep working hard on that until it is done.\n\nThe same arguments apply for other infrastructure, what I call 21st century infrastructure\u2014broadband and internet connectivity. As we have debated funding for the internet in the Congress, and broadband, and cell service, some senators have been saying, I want to take the service of my communities from 4G service to 5G service.\n\nMy argument has been, what about communities who have \u201cno G?\u201d Come on, we have to start first with the communities that don't have anything. And, unfortunately, most of those communities exist in our state\u2014in Rural Alaska. We were able to prioritize communities with no internet service in the recent infrastructure bill that Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young and I worked on.\n\nHere's a great opportunity: In the next five years, because of that infrastructure bill, and a number of other federal funding areas, the state of Alaska is going to have billions of dollars coming to us for internet, and broadband, and self-service connectivity. This is a great opportunity.\n\nSome of you may have attended the summit that I held in August. The entire purpose of that summit on this issue is the same as the purpose of this AFN conference, which is unity. All of us\u2014the feds, state, tribes, ANCs, telecoms, the private sector\u2014we have an opportunity right now to coordinate, work together, unify, with the goal of connecting every community, every village with internet and broadband connectivity.\n\nThink about what that could do for opportunities\u2014for telehealth, for education, for small businesses. This is an exciting time. It\u2019s starting to happen. You may have seen, just in the past few weeks, we've had federal broadband and internet announcements, upwards of $350 million for many of our rural communities. I want to thank so many who\u2019ve been working on this, particularly Senator Hoffman and Representative Edgmon, who've done a great job in setting up the state framework. And Nicole Borromeo. Where's Nicole? Right there. How about a round of applause. She's doing an amazing job. We got to keep working together. This is a great opportunity for all of us.\n\nLet me talk about another issue that I know is on everybody's mind, and that is salmon.\n\nI was introduced to what salmon means to Native culture and people through my amazing wife, Julie, who is right there, and her family's fish camp on the Yukon. As a family, we have so many amazing memories and experiences at the Fates\u2019 fish camp.\n\nI'll give you one that's a little embarrassing for me. But it's still important because I've been learning. Many years ago, we were a newly married couple, having babies. I had been working in the Bush administration for President Bush. We had come back home from the White House, and I had just been on a trip with the President. So I was kind of doing, I think in retrospect, with my mother- and father-in-law maybe a little bit too much talking about my job and patting myself on the back.\n\nThose of you who knew my late father-in-law, Budd Fate, I can just tell you very quickly, he was not impressed. As a matter of fact, I'll never forget this. I told him the story. I'm looking for a little approval, you know? He said, \u201cHey, Dan, that's great. That's a great story. Now, here's the shovel. Remember that outhouse that you dug last year? Well, you screwed it up, and you need to go fix it.\u201d\n\nThe joys of fish camp. Nothing like your father-in-law telling you to go dig the outhouse that you screwed up the year before. It's a true story.\n\nBut, in all seriousness, the other memories that we've had\u2014Julie and I\u2014particularly with our three daughters, and I know so many people have the same memories from the time they were toddlers to the time that they're now young women, learning to head and gut and strip and cut salmon on the banks of the Yukon.\n\nThey were doing this as a family. But, as you all know, they were learning about their culture and about sharing, and about family, and about spiritual sustenance. I will admit, I was learning right alongside my kids.\n\nWhen the kings are running on the Yukon, it's the most spiritual place in the world. When the fish aren't running, it feels like something is very wrong with the universe, a sickness, a black hole. And we all know the fish have not been running for the past several years on the Yukon, and many of Alaska's other great rivers.\n\nWe need answers to why this has happened to our salmon throughout our entire state. And we need the voices of all Alaskans involved on this very important issue. That is why I've introduced legislation with Senator Murkowski called the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act. The whole purpose of this is to bring together all of the stakeholders\u2014the best minds in the world, especially our indigenous communities, traditional knowledge, where the harvest of salmon has been occurring for thousands of years\u2014and figure out exactly what is happening, to get the answers we need to then address this very difficult challenge.\n\nThis legislation is moving in the Congress. I'm hopeful that by next year at AFN, I\u2019ll be able to say it's been passed into law and we're getting on this very important issue.\n\nAnother area that is critical to unite on\u2014and I know we talk about it a lot, but I want to highlight it\u2014is public safety, particularly as it relates to the abuse of women and girls, where we still have so much work to do.\n\nI got involved in this issue many years ago when I was your attorney general and led our governor's rural sub-cabinet and was out in a number of communities with other cabinet members in the state government, including Commissioner Bishop who's right here and a great friend of our Alaska Native people.\n\nIn one of those meetings early on, I had a meeting with the superintendent of a school in Rural Alaska. He told me a story that still haunts me to this day. He's said his best student, a young girl, had called in that morning and had a big final exam that she was supposed to be taking, and said she couldn't take it because she had been sexually assaulted the night before.\n\nYou know, I knew that sexual abuse was a huge problem in our state. But there was something about that particular story that broke my heart and steeled my resolve to do all I can to work on this horrendous problem in Alaska\u2014all of Alaska.\n\nSo, together, we unified to start a statewide initiative, you might remember it\u2014the Choose Respect initiative. When I arrived in the Senate, one of the first bills I introduced was modeled on the legal representation aspect of Choose Respect. We called it the Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent Act, or the POWER Act.\n\nThe goal of the POWER Act is to create an army of lawyers, free legal services across the country, to represent survivors of sexual assault. The POWER Act also has a focus on the needs of indigenous women in America.\n\nWhy is this important? Studies have shown that when abused victims are represented by an attorney, their ability to break out of the cycle of violence increases dramatically with a lawyer. For example, one study found that 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney were able to attain a protective order compared to just under 30 percent when there's no lawyer involved. The POWER Act was passed into law a few years ago, temporarily, for a five-year period. Because of that, we have reached more than 60,000 lawyers to encourage them to do pro bono work for women across the country. 60,000!\n\nJust a few weeks ago, the Senate unanimously voted to reauthorize the POWER Act for good, so it will be a permanent part of Alaska's and America's legal framework. It's over in the House now. I'm confident it will pass shortly. So that will be a very important goal of ours.\n\nWe have so much more work to do on this critical issue of sexual assault and domestic violence and in the related and heartbreaking and horrendous issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.\n\nBut there's light on the horizon here, because these issues are finally starting to get the attention they deserve. Thanks to initiatives like Savannah\u2019s Act, which is led by Senator Murkowski, and Operation Lady Justice, led by former AFN Co-Chair and Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney. Both of them have done such great work on this important issue. We're going to continue to unify on it, but I ask for a round of applause for the great work that they've done on this issue.\n\nTurning to something that is also important to our state, I know we haven't always been unified on resource development in certain areas. I am a strong supporter of resource development, as I believe many in this community are too, because it brings benefits and jobs and resources and pride and work to our rural communities.\n\nThere is a project that's on the cusp of development right now that there's actually strong unity on in Alaska. That is the Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska. It could be transformative to our state: thousands of jobs, millions of [dollars in] revenues for rural communities. So many Alaskans from so many different groups support Willow. I want to thank the North Slope Borough, North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower, and Representative Josiah Patkotak who wrote an amazing article in the Wall Street Journal recently on this, read by millions and millions of their fellow Americans.\n\nThe State of Alaska, the entire congressional delegation and, importantly, AFN, all support this important project. For our state, we have unity on this project. But there are some outside groups who are very unaware of our way of life here, and trying to divide us on this issue and stop this project. I want to make sure that for any federal officials\u2014Department of Interior or others\u2014who are here at AFN today, please let everybody know back in D.C. on this important project: Alaskans, AFN, and so many stakeholders throughout our state are supportive of Willow.\n\nLet me conclude my remarks with a cautionary tale. When the pandemic was raging, Senator Murkowski, Congressman Young and I had the idea of setting aside funds for Native people across America, given how dangerous this pandemic could be, particularly to vulnerable communities in Alaska and throughout the whole country. We were able to get in the CARES Act an $8 billion dollar set-aside to focus on Native communities and Alaska and the Lower 48, working closely with the Trump White House and Assistant Secretary of Interior Tara Sweeney.\n\nAt the time, that was the biggest investment in our Native communities in U.S. history. We crafted the language in that bill to make sure that all Alaska Native groups would benefit. Unity. How do I know that was the intent of the law? Because we wrote the law. We knew it. We focused on it. Unity for everybody. It was a big amount of money at a very stressful time. And it was going really well.\n\nUnfortunately, as many of you know, some folks filed a lawsuit on this, led by certain groups in the Lower 48. They wanted to carve out tens of thousands of Alaskan Natives from any benefit to this bill. Tens of thousands of you. It was wrong. We knew it was wrong legally, but it's also wrong morally. Had their lawsuit prevailed, it would have negatively impacted our state in an enormous way.\n\nSo what happened? The theme of this convention happened. Unity happened. We all came together. This was a mighty and really important struggle, even beyond the $8 billion at stake. The federal delegation, AFN, other Native groups, we came together to fight against this. Unfortunately, we had to take it all the way to the United States Supreme Court. But working together, we won that case in the Supreme Court. I want to thank so many people here for that huge victory.\n\nBut, as I mentioned, this victory entails a cautionary tale about the need to remain vigilant. The groups that did not prevail and many of their supporters in Congress decided that the next batch of pandemic relief for Native peoples in America would exclude tens of thousands of Alaska Natives. We fought it. Trust me, your delegation fought it. But they prevailed. So the $20 billion American Recovery Act monies to Native peoples across America had a big carve-out to make sure that thousands and thousands of Alaska Natives were not included.\n\nThis is an attempt to divide Alaskans. I think it's even discriminatory. We need to continue to fight against it.\n\nThere was a discussion here at AFN yesterday led by two outstanding Alaskan Native leaders, Hallie Bissett, and Kim Reitmeier. We are working closely with them and so many of you on keeping vigilance over this kind of division. We can't have it. The system that we have put together\u2014all of you and the Congress over the last 50 years\u2014is unique. It's different from the Lower 48, the tribal service delivery. The ANC structure is different, but it was implemented by Congress. We believe it's all about unity. We're going to continue to work together with all of you and stay vigilant on those issues.\n\nDespite these challenges, I want to end on a positive note: the spirit of unity that we're celebrating here at AFN is alive and well. I think you all know it.\n\nI had the great opportunity to see it on display just a few days ago. I was out in Western Alaska earlier this week, in Nome, Golovin, and Unalakleet. I was honored to be accompanied by my good friend, an exceptional Alaska Native and Alaskan leader, Gail Schubert. What we saw in these communities was remarkable. Alaska Native Corporations, tribes, church groups, nonprofits, young Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans, thousands of individual Alaskans\u2014Native and non-Native\u2014coming together, working together very effectively, to help these communities that had been hit by this very powerful typhoon.\n\nHomes are being built. Roads are being cleared and paved. Volunteers were delivering services. FEMA, and other federal agencies were working well with us. The state was working well. It was remarkable. Everybody working together to help these communities in need.\n\nIt was a great display of unity. But, again, it took some work. Once again, trust me, I took orders from all of you. You may have seen about four weeks ago, there was an issue in the federal government where Puerto Rico had been hit by a disaster. And the federal government said, we're going to give Puerto Rico 100 percent relief for the cost paid to those communities. But they weren't going to do it for Western Alaska.\n\nWe said, no way. No way. I won't give you the gory details. But we made sure that Western Alaska got the same 100 percent match that Puerto Rico did. That's only fair.\n\nSo that's the power of unity. And, again, it's so great to be back here with Julie and her cousins, Georgiana. God bless you. Anna-basse. We look forward to seeing you around AFN the next couple of days. Thank you very much.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/10/14/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-10-14", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, tribal entities, and communities in Alaska:\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $339,500 to the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Alaska Pesticide Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $1 million to the Alaska Energy Authority from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Alaska Clean Diesel Project.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $2 million to the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Rural Utility Business Advisor Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $520,321 to the Alaska Department of Public Safety from the Department of Justice for analyzing forensic materials associated with criminal investigations statewide.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $1.4 million to the Department of Transportation \u2013 South coast Region from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs/replacement of roads and culverts damages as a result of sever storm.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $550,000 to the Alaska Native Justice Center Inc. from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women for the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $30 million to the State of Alaska from the Denali Commission\u2019s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act program grants.\n\nInterior\n\nFairbanks: $1.9 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Place-Based Solutions for Alaska Native Food & Energy Sovereignty project.\n\nRegional: $123,587 to the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission from the Environmental Protection Agency for the Indian Environmental Assistance Program.\n\nRegional: $335,755 to the Healing Native Hearts Coalition from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women for the Sexual Assault Coalitions Program.\n\nNorth Slope\n\nNorth Slope: $30 million to the North Slope Borough from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 476 people, 15 businesses and a public school to high-speed internet in North Slope Borough, Alaska.\n\nUtqia?vik: $17,471 to the North Slope Borough from the Department of Justice for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $1 million to the Anchorage School District from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Eagle River Elementary School for building repairs caused by earthquake damage.\n\nAnchorage: $386,183 to the Abused Women\u2019s Aid in Crisis Inc. from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women for the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Program.\n\nDenali: $91,820 to the Denali Borough from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to fund the installation of street signs in the Denali Borough.\n\nHomer: $7,395 to Homer Soil and Water Conservation Services from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide training for agricultural producers who will sell their products on the Alaska Food Hub.\n\nPort Lions: $29.3 million to the Native Village of Port Loins from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.\n\nRegional: $449,661 to the Copper River Region from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the Copper River Watershed Project.\n\nSoutheast\n\nHaines: $178,620 to the Takshanuk Watershed Council from the Bureau of Reclamation for Greater Chikat Watershed Working Group.\n\nJuneau: $40,000 to Juneau Economic Development Council from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand the local frequency shopping rewards program.\n\nMetlakatla: $75,000 to the Metlakatla Indian Community from the Department of Transportation to initiate a new fixed-route service between the Metlakatla Municipal Building and the Annette Islands Ferry Terminal.\n\nRegional: $33 million to Alaska Power & Telephone from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 211 people and five businesses to high-speed internet in Haines, Skagway, and Klukwan.\n\nSkagway: $19,605 to the Skagway Development Corporation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide financial and technical assistance to create an industry and infrastructure report that includes asset and transportation network map for Skagway.\n\nSouthwest and Western\n\nBethel: $42.3 to the Bethel Native Corporation from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.\n\nBristol Bay: $60,000 to the City of New Stuyahok from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prepare preliminary engineering and environmental reports for community municipal solid waste projects.\n\nEmmonak: $25,000 to the Emmonak Village from the Department of Transportation to develop a transit plan.\n\nDillingham: $824,990 to the Bristol Bay Campus from the United States Department of Education for the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Program.\n\nGeorgetown: $199,996 to the Native Village of Georgetown from the Bureau of Reclamation for the Development of a Middle and Upper Kuskokwim Watershed Council.\n\nIgiugig: $187,168 to the Igiugig Village from the Department of Transportation to initiate a tribal program and to buy a new, accessible vehicle.\n\nNorton Bay: $182,831 to Norton Bay Inter-Tribal Watershed Council from the Bureau of Reclamation for the Norton Bay Watershed Restoration Program.\n\nRegional: $52.5 million to the Calista Corporation from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.\n\nRegional: $31 million to Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, and Tuntutuliak from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services program.\n\nRegional: $29.5 million to the Choggiung Limited from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.\n\nRegional: $335,755 to the Yup\u2019ik Women\u2019s Coalition from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women for the Sexual Assault Coalitions Program.\n\nTooksok Bay: $187,168 to the Nunakauyarmiut Tribe from the Department of Transportation to develop and operate a transit program and buy a new access vehicle.\n\nTununak: $187,168 to the Native Village of Tununak from the Department of Transportation to develop a transit plan, buy a vehicle, and operate a new transit system.\n\nUnalakleet: $1.6 million to the Native Village of Unalakleet from the Department of Transportation to build a bus garage and maintenance facility.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-applaud-an-additional-1244-million-in-broadband-investment-for-western-and-southwestern-alaska", "Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud An Additional $124.4 Million in Broadband Investment for Western and Southwestern Alaska", "2022-10-13", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHNGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the announcement of an additional $124.4 million in federal broadband grants for Western and Southwestern Alaska.\n\nThe National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) announced Tuesday that the Bethel Native Corporation received a $42 million grant to build a fiber network for Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, and Oscarville, $52.6 million to Calista to install fiber across 10 villages in the region, and $29.5 million to Choggiung Limited to connect unserved households in the Bristol Bay region. The USDA\u2019s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program announced in July that GCI also received a $31 million grant to construct long-haul fiber and local fiber across communities in Western Alaska.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to the Bethel Native Corporation, Calista, Choggiung, and the many communities in the YK Delta and Southwest Alaska who will benefit from these awards,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cOver the last two years, I worked with my colleagues to draft and enact bipartisan legislation that is translating today into long awaited investments in broadband infrastructure. Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I was able to create and secure funding for broadband connectivity programs in Native communities. I know these investments in expanded connectivity will bring new opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Thanks to all who are working to expand broadband connectivity across Alaska, especially our unserved and underserved communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across Southwestern and Western Alaska.\u201d\n\nAfter hosting the Alaska Broadband Summit and Workshop in August, Senator Sullivan led a delegation of federal officials, including NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson, USDA Assistant Administrator Laurel Leverrier, and FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington, to Bethel and other nearby communities in need of high speed, reliable internet.\n\nThese grants were largely made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that both Senators Murkowski and Sullivan played key roles in crafting. Alaska has now received more than $2.4 billion total from the IIJA, which includes broadband investments, with billions more expected to flow to the state in the months and years ahead. Previously announced grants for improving high-speed internet access include:\n\nSeptember 23, 2022: $63 million in broadband investments announced for communities in Southeast Alaska and the North Slope Borough from the USDA\u2019s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program.\n\nSeptember 22, 2022: More than $29 million announced for the Native Village of Port Lions for their Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project to install fiber directly connecting 930 unserved households and businesses.\n\nJuly 28, 2022: Over $116 million announced for infrastructure funding for high-speed internet in communities across Alaska, of which $31 million was announced to construct long-haul fiber and local fiber in the Y-K Delta communities of Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, and Tuntutuliak.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-applaud-an-additional-1244-million-in-broadband-investment-for-western-and-southwestern-alaska", "Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud An Additional $124.4 Million in Broadband Investment for Western and Southwestern Alaska", "2022-10-13", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHNGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) applauded the announcement of an additional $124.4 million in federal broadband grants for Western and Southwestern Alaska.\n\nThe National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) announced Tuesday that the Bethel Native Corporation received a $42 million grant to build a fiber network for Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, and Oscarville, $52.6 million to Calista to install fiber across 10 villages in the region, and $29.5 million to Choggiung Limited to connect unserved households in the Bristol Bay region. The USDA\u2019s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program announced in July that GCI also received a $31 million grant to construct long-haul fiber and local fiber across communities in Western Alaska.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to the Bethel Native Corporation, Calista, Choggiung, and the many communities in the YK Delta and Southwest Alaska who will benefit from these awards,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cOver the last two years, I worked with my colleagues to draft and enact bipartisan legislation that is translating today into long awaited investments in broadband infrastructure. Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I was able to create and secure funding for broadband connectivity programs in Native communities. I know these investments in expanded connectivity will bring new opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Thanks to all who are working to expand broadband connectivity across Alaska, especially our unserved and underserved communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-speed, reliable internet can be life-changing for a community, enhancing the delivery of health care and education, and opening doors for small businesses and entrepreneurs,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMany of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too long have found themselves without the broadband connectivity that most Americans take for granted. I\u2019m glad to see the significant federal infrastructure dollars we secured being deployed to break down the digital divide and improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Alaskans across Southwestern and Western Alaska.\u201d\n\nAfter hosting the Alaska Broadband Summit and Workshop in August, Senator Sullivan led a delegation of federal officials, including NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson, USDA Assistant Administrator Laurel Leverrier, and FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington, to Bethel and other nearby communities in need of high speed, reliable internet.\n\nThese grants were largely made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that both Senators Murkowski and Sullivan played key roles in crafting. Alaska has now received more than $2.4 billion total from the IIJA, which includes broadband investments, with billions more expected to flow to the state in the months and years ahead. Previously announced grants for improving high-speed internet access include:\n\nSeptember 23, 2022: $63 million in broadband investments announced for communities in Southeast Alaska and the North Slope Borough from the USDA\u2019s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program.\n\nSeptember 22, 2022: More than $29 million announced for the Native Village of Port Lions for their Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project to install fiber directly connecting 930 unserved households and businesses.\n\nJuly 28, 2022: Over $116 million announced for infrastructure funding for high-speed internet in communities across Alaska, of which $31 million was announced to construct long-haul fiber and local fiber in the Y-K Delta communities of Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, and Tuntutuliak.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-introduces-roar-act-to-refill-strategic-reserve-with-american-produced-petroleum", "Sullivan Introduces ROAR Act to Refill Strategic Reserve with American-Produced Petroleum", "2022-10-12", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) yesterday introduced the Replenishing Our American Reserves (ROAR) Act, legislation that would require that the nation\u2019s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) only include petroleum products produced in the United States, and only sell to domestic buyers.\n\n\u201cLast November, President Biden began draining our country\u2019s Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a shortsighted attempt to control the skyrocketing gas prices his administration\u2019s energy policies have wrought on American families,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cAt the time, I urged the President to drop the political window dressing and tap into a different strategic reserve\u2014Alaska\u2014by getting his boot off the neck of our producers. But President Biden has not relented in his war on American energy, and now our country\u2019s strategic oil reserve is depleted to a level we haven\u2019t seen in 35 years. We need to refill the SPR, and every drop of that oil should be produced by the hard-working men and women of the American energy sector.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-responds-to-new-biden-administration_strategy-for-the-arctic-region", "Murkowski Responds to New Biden Administration  Strategy for the Arctic Region", "2022-10-07", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK), today released the following statement after the Biden administration released an updated National Strategy for the Arctic Region:\n\n\u201cOn Monday, two Russian asylum seekers landed on St. Lawrence Island seeking freedom from conscription into a tyrant\u2019s bloody, misbegotten war. The federal agencies responsible for processing these men were more than 700 miles away and it took them an entire day to respond. What this incident makes clear is that even as Putin undertakes rapid military and industrial development in Russia\u2019s Arctic, the United States is behind in its Arctic initiatives.\n\n\u201cWhile somewhat underwhelming in detail, this updated 10-year strategy from the Biden administration is an important message to the American people that the United States must continue to advance Arctic priorities. It does contain positive elements, many of which implement my priorities to drive greater federal attention and resources to the U.S. Arctic. For example, I\u2019m pleased with the administration\u2019s emphasis on security, infrastructure, climate adaptation and resilience, greater consultation with the State of Alaska and Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations, and its elevation of Arctic diplomacy through the creation of the Arctic Ambassador position \u2013 all of which I have called for.\n\n\u201cAt the same time, this strategy very clearly falls short when it comes to our Arctic resources. It gives very little attention to the opportunity and necessity of domestic production of the vast resources in our Arctic. There is no mention of responsible oil and gas development to help offset Russia and ensure reliable, affordable, and cleaner energy supplies for our nation and the world. The strategy suggests that critical minerals can be produced in the Arctic, but the administration\u2019s obstruction of the Ambler Road project makes it impossible to take that seriously. The strategy even invokes the 30x30 initiative, suggesting it is \u2018consistent\u2019 with further conservation in the Arctic, in blatant disregard of ANILCA and its \u2018no more\u2019 wilderness clauses.\n\n\u201cThere is no question this administration and the country need to pay greater attention to the Arctic. This strategy document has promising elements, but it is deliberately incomplete, and that will only work against the United States\u2019 ability to assume a true global leadership role in this crucial region.\u201d\n\nBackground: Through her legislative efforts, Senator Murkowski has comprehensively developed Arctic leadership throughout the federal government. In just the last two years, she used her role on the Appropriations Committee to establish the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies \u2013 a Department of Defense Regional Center dedicated to the Arctic located in Anchorage, Alaska. The aim of the Ted Stevens Center is to support defense strategy objectives and policy priorities through a unique academic forum and to foster strong international networks of security leaders to support multilateralism and diplomacy in the region. Murkowski welcomed the news that Major General (Ret.) Randy \u201cChurch\u201d Kee was selected by the Department of Defense to serve as the Senior Advisor for Arctic Security Affairs.\n\nMurkowski served as a distinguished guest during the grand opening of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies in Anchorage. At her urging, the U.S. State Department in August 2022 announced the establishment of an Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic Region.\n\nSenator Murkowski worked through the Appropriations process and with former Secretary Dan Brouillette to re-establish the Department of Energy\u2019s Arctic Energy Office in Fairbanks, Alaska. She also was behind the reactivation of the Arctic Executive Steering Committee within the Executive Office of the President to enhance coordination of federal Arctic policies. She led legislation that created the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Arctic and Global Resilience, ensuring that the Arctic was properly represented in senior levels within the Pentagon. Murkowski, along with Senator Dan Sullivan, have also been the catalysts behind every military service crafting new Arctic strategies, which has resulted in the reactivation of the 11th Airborne Division \u2013 the Arctic Angels \u2013 in Alaska.\n\nMurkowski is co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus and heavily engaged in international mediums dedicated to sustaining the Arctic as a zone of peace. She is the U.S. Representative for the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, where she serves as Vice Chair, and participates in international forums held by the Arctic Council. In 2021, Murkowski was presented with the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, the highest honor Iceland can bestow on individuals, in recognition of her efforts on Arctic diplomacy.\n\nRelated Issues: Arctic", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-reacts-to-new-national-strategy-for-the-arctic", "Sullivan Reacts to New National Strategy for the Arctic", "2022-10-07", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today issued the following statement in response to the White House\u2019s release of a new \u201cNational Strategy for the Arctic Region.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen I first came to the Senate, the Obama administration had an Arctic strategy document that was thirteen pages long, filled with mostly pictures, mentioned climate change five times, and only mentioned Russia in a footnote. I fought for legislation requiring the Pentagon and all of the military services to produce serious, detailed strategies to protect our nation\u2019s interests in the Arctic. These strategies are intended to send a strong message to our allies and adversaries that the United States will project and sustain power throughout the Arctic now and into the future.\n\n\u201cThe White House\u2019s new Arctic Strategy, released today, is an improvement from where we were in 2013, but still lacks a level of detail and sober-minded seriousness that we need to contend with this new era of authoritarian aggression led by Russia\u2019s dictator, Vladimir Putin, and China\u2019s dictator, Xi Jinping.\n\n\u201cI appreciate the strategy\u2019s full-throated support for increasing America\u2019s operational capabilities, infrastructure, and Coast Guard and naval vessels in the Arctic, and for elevating the voices and interests of the people who actually live in the Arctic\u2014Alaskans who\u2019ve inhabited these lands for millennia\n\n\u201cHowever, the document\u2019s excessive focus on climate change\u2014in a security strategy\u2014sends a troubling message: that despite America\u2019s increasing national economic and security interests in the Arctic that are being directly challenged by Russia, and increasingly challenged by China, the administration will continue to focus on shutting down responsible resource development, like oil, natural gas, and critical minerals in Alaska. Such actions clearly undermine America\u2019s national security interests. For example, while the strategy highlights the opportunity presented by \u2018significant deposits of in-demand minerals,\u2019 this assertion is completely at odds with the Biden administration\u2019s own actions, like shutting down Alaska\u2019s Ambler Access Project.\n\n\u201cGoing forward, the administration needs to undertake a dramatic course correction on resource development opportunities in the Arctic, fully acknowledge the implications of long-term strategic competition, not only with Russia, but in particular with China, and support this security strategy with the investments necessary to defend our homeland.\u201d\n\nIn the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Sen. Sullivan secured a provision requiring the secretary of defense and the service secretaries to submit a plan on how they will implement the Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) 2019 Arctic Strategy to defend the homeland, preserve freedom of the seas, and develop Arctic infrastructure and capabilities.\n\nIn December 2021, the Senate passed the FY 2022 NDAA that included the Sullivan-authored Arctic Security Initiative Act of 2021. This legislation requires the DOD to conduct a security assessment of the Arctic region and establish an Arctic Security Initiative (ASI) with a five-year plan to fully resource the DOD and individual service-specific strategies for the Arctic that have been released over the past several years. U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) would lead the independent assessment in coordination with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and U.S. European Command (USEUCOM).\n\nTimeline\n\nIn April 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard released its \u201cArctic Strategic Outlook.\u201d\n\nIn June 2019, the DOD released its Arctic strategy document.\n\nIn July 2020, the U.S. Air Force released its Arctic strategy document, which Sullivan called the \u201cmost robust U.S. Arctic strategy document to date.\u201d The strategy lays out an expansion of the competitive space in the Arctic under four lines of effort: vigilance in all domains, projecting power through a combat-credible force, cooperation with allies & partners, and preparation for Arctic operations. Importantly, this strategy also emphasizes continued work and collaboration with Alaska Native communities.\n\nIn January 2021, the U.S. Navy released its Arctic strategy document, titled \u201cA Blue Arctic.\u201d The strategy states that naval forces must expand their role in Alaska\u2014and the greater Arctic region\u2014through the pursuit of three main objectives: maintaining enhanced presence, strengthening cooperative relationships, and building a more capable Arctic naval force.\n\nIn January 2021, the Department of Homeland Security released it\u2019s first-ever Arctic strategy.\n\nIn March 2021, the U.S. Army released its first-ever strategy for the Arctic.\n\nIn January 2022, the Army Corps of Engineers announced $250 million for the Port of Nome, which would be America\u2019s first strategic Arctic port, following strong advocacy by Sen. Sullivan and the Alaska congressional delegation.\n\nIn June 2022, U.S. Army Alaska was re-designated as the 11th Airborne Division to help fulfill the aims of the Army\u2019s Arctic strategy.\n\nIn July 2022, the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 with a provision secured by Sen. Sullivan to increase the federal cost share for the Nome Arctic Deep Draft Port, resulting in community savings of roughly $132 million.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-respond-to-russian-nationals_requesting-asylum-on-st-lawrence-island-", "Murkowski, Sullivan Respond to Russian Nationals  Requesting Asylum on St. Lawrence Island", "2022-10-06", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today released the following statements after two Russian nationals landed at a beach near Gambell, located on the northwest tip of St. Lawrence Island in Alaska, and requested asylum in the United States.\n\n\u201cWe are actively engaged with federal officials and residents in Gambell to determine who these individuals are, but right now, we already know that the federal response was lacking. Only local officials and state law enforcement had the capability to immediately respond to the asylum seekers, while Customs and Border Protection had to dispatch a Coast Guard aircraft from over 750 miles away to get on scene,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cThis situation underscores the need for a stronger security posture in America\u2019s Arctic, which I have championed throughout my time in the Senate.\u201d\n\n\u201cGiven current heightened tensions with Russia, I called the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and spoke to him as well as another senior DHS official when I was first contacted about this situation on Tuesday morning by a senior community leader from the Bering Strait region. Since those calls, Customs and Border Protection is responding and going through the process to determine the admissibility of these individuals to enter the United States. I continue to be in regular communication with DHS Secretary Mayorkas and officials at Customs and Border Protection and have encouraged them to have a plan ready with the Coast Guard in the event that more Russians flee to Bering Strait communities in Alaska,\u201d said Sullivan. \u201cThis incident makes two things clear: First, the Russian people don\u2019t want to fight Putin\u2019s war of aggression against Ukraine. Second, given Alaska\u2019s proximity to Russia, our state has a vital role to play in securing America\u2019s national security. This is why Senator Murkowski and I have been pressing officials in Washington D.C. so hard on the need to prioritize capabilities in the Arctic -- including infrastructure, Coast Guard assets, ports and strategic defense assets.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-us-must-increase-production-to-reduce-opecs-market-power", "Murkowski: U.S. Must Increase Production to Reduce OPEC+\u2019s Market Power", "2022-10-05", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement after the members of OPEC+ reached an on-paper agreement to reduce their oil production by two million barrels per day starting in November 2022. The agreement, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, threatens to harm the global economy and highlights the utter folly of production restrictions in the United States\u2014particularly those imposed by the Biden administration.\n\n\u201cThe members of OPEC+ clearly have little regard for the consequences of their actions. While higher oil prices may be good for their coffers for a time, they will harm families and businesses around the world. Even if this agreement is predicated on a global recession, their actions today will only contribute to it.\n\n\u201cWhile I will never object to lower production from OPEC+, it is deeply regrettable that the U.S. is essentially caught flat-footed by this agreement. The Biden administration has had more than a year and a half to prepare for this turn of events, including more than seven months since the start of Russia\u2019s catastrophic war against Ukraine, but failed to do so.\n\n\u201cInstead of approving key projects and reforming the broken processes that hold them back, the administration has sold unprecedented volumes from our emergency oil reserves. They have claimed that domestic companies are engaged in price gouging. They have imposed regulations that work against domestic supply and threatened counterproductive bans on our energy exports.\n\n\u201cMost absurd, news reports indicate that senior administration officials spent recent weeks pushing OPEC+ to drop its supply cuts, calling it a \u2018total disaster\u2019 and \u2018hostile act\u2019 \u2013 despite having the exact same policy for production from the federal areas under their control.\n\n\u201cOPEC+\u2019s latest agreement highlights what many of us have known for a long time: there is no substitute or equal for U.S. oil production. If there was ever a time for the Biden administration to reverse course and work with our energy producers, instead of against them, it is right now. I call on the administration to do that, immediately, so that Alaska, in particular, can help rebuild our nation\u2019s energy security and lower prices at the pump for all Americans.\u201d\n\n###\n\nMurkowski: U.S. Must Increase Production to Reduce OPEC+\u2019s Market Power", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-and-colleagues-demand-administration-end-its-war-on-us-oil-and-gas", "Murkowski, Sullivan, and Colleagues Demand Administration End Its War on U.S. Oil & Gas", "2022-10-04", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) joined nineteen of their Republican Senate colleagues, in a letter led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), to demand the Biden administration end its assault on domestic oil and gas production and continue to sell oil and gas leases on federal land and water. The push comes in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior\u2019s draft proposal for the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, in which the department hinted that it might cancel future lease sales for the next five years.\n\n\u201cAmerican families are struggling to keep up with rising costs due to inflation, high energy prices, and persistent supply chain issues,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cIt is our obligation to do everything within our power to help ease these burdens and remove this uncertainty for both Americans and our allies.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the most effective ways we can do this is to increase future domestic oil and natural gas production through long-term leasing certainty,\u201d continued the senators. \u201cThe Department can help domestic energy production and put American energy consumers first.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Cassidy, Murkowski, and Sullivan, the following signed onto the letter: U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mike Crapo (R-ID).\n\nRead the full letter here or below:\n\nDear Secretary Haaland:\n\nWe are writing regarding your July 1, 2022, release of the \u201cProposed Program\u201d for the Interior Department\u2019s Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. While the release of a \u201cProposed Program,\u201d after months of delay, is a step in the right direction, we are concerned by the Department\u2019s suggestion that a no lease option is a possibility for the final program. Further, failure to conduct any lease sales which encourage bidding could, as the Department says, cause increased air emissions from substitute production, primarily from overseas imports. We are also closely monitoring efforts by the administration to halt lease sales or to make lease sales economically unattractive in order to discourage bidding.\n\nAmerican families are struggling to keep up with rising costs due to inflation, high energy prices, and persistent supply chain issues. In addition, local businesses that are part of the ecosystem of U.S. energy production are being confronted with decisions that impact their employees and employees\u2019 families due to uncertainty about future natural resource development. Also, our allies in Europe are facing an energy crisis forcing the closure of manufacturing businesses and impacting supply chains which also leads to inflationary pressures throughout their economy. It is our obligation to do everything within our power to help ease these burdens and remove this uncertainty for both Americans and our allies.\n\nOne of the most effective ways we can do this is to increase future domestic oil and natural gas production through long-term leasing certainty. That is why we are encouraging 10 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and one lease sale in the Cook Inlet in the next five-year offshore leasing program.\n\nThe Department can help domestic energy production and put American energy consumers first. While the Department has awarded leases to the high bidders in Lease Sale 257, the Department should also 1) conduct the three congressionally mandated offshore lease sales with economically competitive terms and robust acreage that will attract significant industry interest; and 2) offer quarterly lease sales with desirable acreage across federal lands. Finalizing the five-year program with a commitment to semi-annual area-wide lease sales will also be a big step for American energy security and demonstrate to the American people the administration is serious about actions that can contribute to lower energy costs.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to seeing the release of the Final National OCS Program for 2023-2028.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-introduces-legislation-to-support-alaskas-veterans", "Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Support Alaska\u2019s Veterans", "2022-10-03", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Anchorage, AK \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced two legislative efforts to support Veterans and their families, which have garnered widespread support from Alaska\u2019s veteran organizations.\n\nSenator Murkowski introduced, with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) as a cosponsor, the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System Act of 2022 to name the Alaska VA Clinic after the late Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson\u2014a leader in the Women\u2019s Army Corps who helped expand opportunities for women serving in the military, including integrating Black women into the corps.\n\nSenator Murkowski also responded to Alaskan veteran\u2019s concerns surrounding a lack of health long term care options for veterans by cosponsoring the Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act. This bill aims to delay the need to send veterans to long-term institutional care by expanding access to quality home and community-based programs and increasing coordination efforts.\n\n\u201cColonel Mary Louise Rasmuson is a well-known name in Alaska. She spent her life advocating for women in the military and expanding their opportunities within the service. Following her twenty-year military career, Mary Louise continued that same level of service as a civic leader and philanthropist for the betterment of our Alaska communities. It\u2019s fitting that we not only honor her legacy of service, but also the growing number of female veterans she fought on behalf of throughout her distinguished career. I\u2019ve worked hard to ensure female veterans have equity to their male counterparts and access to the benefits they\u2019ve earned. This bill builds on those efforts to ensure their service is explicitly recognized and well-represented in Alaska,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cI\u2019m also proud to cosponsor the Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act. In Alaska, we are proud to have the highest rate of veterans per capita, which also includes a large population of aging and older veterans. This bill addresses a real need and expands access to care and community-based programs, making it easier for veterans to maintain their independence and get the care they need at home. Supporting all veterans remains one of my top priorities.\u201d\n\nColonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System Act of 2022\n\n\u201cCOL Mary Louise Rasmuson is proof our military women are not invisible. She served in the 40\u2019s, 50\u2019s and 60\u2019s when women did not normally serve and in doing so broke through many glass ceilings. Her efforts in gaining equality for all women in the military set the stage that push\u2019s all equality standards we see today. Alaska is so honored to count COL Rasmuson as one of our state\u2019s treasures, and I am so honored to support this renaming of the Alaska Campus after Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson.\u201d\n\n- Verdie A. Bowen, Sr., Director, State of Alaska, Office of Veterans Affairs\n\n\u201cThe American Legion, Department of Alaska, fully supports the legislation necessary to rename the Alaska VA Medical Center to the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson VA Campus. Colonel Rasmuson dedicated her time and energy to her military career and particularly to women in the military. Women veterans owe her a great debt for her activism in ensuring women had equal opportunities to serve. She served with great honor. And she was tireless in serving her Alaska community. It would be a privilege for Alaska to have the Alaska VA Medical Center named in her behalf.\u201d\n\n- Deborah Davis, Department Commander, the American Legion-Department of Alaska, U.S. Army, Retired\n\n\u201cMary Louise was a trailblazer for women in the military and women veterans in Alaska and beyond. Her work lives on today in all of us, and we all stand on her shoulders as women and as veterans.\u201d\n\n- Vanessa Meade, Operation Mary Louise, Project Coordinator\n\nElizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act\n\n\u201cThank you Senator Murkowski for supporting Alaska Veterans and their caregivers. Whether in Alaska's Pioneer Homes or their own, knowing you are taken care of is so reassuring.\u201d\n\n- Bob Pawlowski, Board Chair, Alaska Pioneer Homes Advisory Board\n\nRelated Issues: Veterans", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-and-colleagues-demand-administration-end-its-war-on-us-oil-and-gas", "Murkowski, Sullivan, and Colleagues Demand Administration End Its War on U.S. Oil & Gas", "2022-10-03", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) joined nineteen of their Republican Senate colleagues, in a letter led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), to demand the Biden administration end its assault on domestic oil and gas production and continue to sell oil and gas leases on federal land and water. The push comes in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior\u2019s draft proposal for the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, in which the department hinted that it might cancel future lease sales for the next five years.\n\n\u201cAmerican families are struggling to keep up with rising costs due to inflation, high energy prices, and persistent supply chain issues,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cIt is our obligation to do everything within our power to help ease these burdens and remove this uncertainty for both Americans and our allies.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the most effective ways we can do this is to increase future domestic oil and natural gas production through long-term leasing certainty,\u201d continued the senators. \u201cThe Department can help domestic energy production and put American energy consumers first.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Cassidy, Murkowski, and Sullivan, the following signed onto the letter: U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mike Crapo (R-ID).\n\nRead the full letter here or below:\n\nDear Secretary Haaland:\n\nWe are writing regarding your July 1, 2022, release of the \u201cProposed Program\u201d for the Interior Department\u2019s Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. While the release of a \u201cProposed Program,\u201d after months of delay, is a step in the right direction, we are concerned by the Department\u2019s suggestion that a no lease option is a possibility for the final program. Further, failure to conduct any lease sales which encourage bidding could, as the Department says, cause increased air emissions from substitute production, primarily from overseas imports. We are also closely monitoring efforts by the administration to halt lease sales or to make lease sales economically unattractive in order to discourage bidding.\n\nAmerican families are struggling to keep up with rising costs due to inflation, high energy prices, and persistent supply chain issues. In addition, local businesses that are part of the ecosystem of U.S. energy production are being confronted with decisions that impact their employees and employees\u2019 families due to uncertainty about future natural resource development. Also, our allies in Europe are facing an energy crisis forcing the closure of manufacturing businesses and impacting supply chains which also leads to inflationary pressures throughout their economy. It is our obligation to do everything within our power to help ease these burdens and remove this uncertainty for both Americans and our allies.\n\nOne of the most effective ways we can do this is to increase future domestic oil and natural gas production through long-term leasing certainty. That is why we are encouraging 10 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and one lease sale in the Cook Inlet in the next five-year offshore leasing program.\n\nThe Department can help domestic energy production and put American energy consumers first. While the Department has awarded leases to the high bidders in Lease Sale 257, the Department should also 1) conduct the three congressionally mandated offshore lease sales with economically competitive terms and robust acreage that will attract significant industry interest; and 2) offer quarterly lease sales with desirable acreage across federal lands. Finalizing the five-year program with a commitment to semi-annual area-wide lease sales will also be a big step for American energy security and demonstrate to the American people the administration is serious about actions that can contribute to lower energy costs.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to seeing the release of the Final National OCS Program for 2023-2028.\n\n###\n\nRelated Issues: Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-unveils-working-waterfronts-framework", "Murkowski Unveils Working Waterfronts Framework", "2022-10-03", "2022", "2022-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Solicits Feedback from Alaskans on Draft Legislative Proposal\n\nU.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today publicized a legislative framework to address working waterfront project needs brought forward by Alaskans. According to the NOAA Office of Coastal Management, 83 percent of Alaskans live in coastal areas.\n\nThe Working Waterfronts framework seeks to support coastal and river communities by including provisions to help boost industries such as tourism, fisheries, and mariculture. It addresses the needs of smaller port and harbor communities through support for boat ramps, harbor floats, and bathhouses. Provisions also address food security by providing fisheries disaster assistance to subsistence users. The framework includes measures to help coastal communities upgrade their shoreside infrastructure, as well as places a focus on workforce development\u2014supporting educational and vocational training for maritime trades. To combat the physical impacts of climate change and mitigate the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, the framework promotes coastal renewable energy projects and strengthens federal research on the conservation and utility of coastal vegetation and ecosystems.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m announcing this framework to continue my conversations with Alaskans about the needs and great potential of our working waterfronts,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThe blue economy is set to be a $3 trillion industry by 2030. We have the biggest pieces of the puzzle already. Alaska\u2019s 66,000 miles of coastline and strong ties to our oceans and rivers prime us for growth in sustainable industries like fisheries and mariculture. I don\u2019t want to see us held back by a lack of infrastructure and support for our marine-based livelihoods. In many cases, tweaks to eligibility for existing programs would open up a world of possibility for communities who depend on our rivers and oceans. Alaskans brought these ideas to me and my team and I look forward to the work and collaboration that will make them a reality.\u201d\n\nClick here to view the Working Waterfronts framework.\n\nPublicizing Murkowski\u2019s Working Waterfronts framework is an effort to seek feedback from Alaskans, made available through an online portal. Alaskans can provide feedback to the Working Waterfronts legislative framework by emailing Working_Waterfronts@Murkowski.Senate.Gov, until December 2, 2022.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/10/03/2022/grant-roundup-senator-murkowski-announces-federal-grants-heading-to-alaska", "Grant Roundup: Senator Murkowski Announces Federal Grants Heading to Alaska", "2022-09-30", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the following grants to organizations, Tribal entities, and communities in Alaska. Grants also include funding announced for Alaska from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $14 million for recreation infrastructure within the Tongass and Chugach National Forests, $3.3 million to bolster wildfire resilience across nearly 8,000 acres of land across the state, and $1 million for watershed restoration in Interior Alaska.\n\nStatewide\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $580,000 to the Alaska Department of Public Safety from the Department of Justice to provide financial assistance to victims of crime.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $337,000 to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation from the Environmental Protection Agency for costs associated with the planning, design, and construction of eligible water quality improvement and protection projects.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $4 million to the Alaska State Department of Health Social Services from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for Alaska State Opioid Response Program.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $1 million to Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, Inc. from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.\n\nAlaska \u2013 Statewide: $547,316 to the Alaska Department of Public Safety from the Department of Justice to provide financial assistance to victims of crime.\n\nFar North\n\nAllakaket: $347,240 to Alatna Tribal Council from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nBarrow: $200,000 to Ilisagivik College from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support workforce as well as social and youth development.\n\nBuckland: $347,240 to Native Village of Buckland from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nHuslia: $347,240 to Huslia Village from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nHuslia: $1.7 million to Huslia Tribal Council from the Economic Development Administration for Indigenous Communities Program \u2013 Huslia Power Project.\n\nHuslia: $300,000 to Hulsia Village from the Department of Justice, for public safety programs that meet community needs.\n\nKiana: $295,599 to Kiana from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Kiana Governance, sustainability, marketing and outreach.\n\nKotzebue: $500,000 to Maniilaq Health Center from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nKotzebue: $1.5 million to Maniilaq Association from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSelawik: $410,246 to the Native Village of Selawik from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nVenetie: $346,930 to the Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSouthwest\n\nAkiachak: $347,240 to Akiachak from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nAleutian Pribilof Islands Association: $2.8 million to Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nAniak: $347,240 to Village of Aniak from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nAkiak: $249,999 to Akiak Native Community from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nBethel: $14,170 to the City of Bethel from the Department of Justice for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.\n\nBethel: $825,000 to the Yukon-Kuskokwin Health Corporation from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nChefornak: $300,000 to Village of Chefornak from the Department of Justice for Tribal alcohol law enforcement.\n\nEklutna: $347,240 to Eklutna Native Village from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nIgiugig: $347,240 to Igiugig Village from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKaltag: $347,240 to the Village of Kaltag from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKasigluk: $347,240 to Kasigluk Traditional Elders Council from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKipnuk: $410,246 to Native Village of Kipnuk from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKongiganak: $347,240 to the Native Village of Kongiganak from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKodiak: $2 million to Kodiak Area Native Association from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKodiak: $896,782 to Sun\u2019aq Tribe of Kodiak from the Department of Justice for the Inter-Tribal Justice System providing neutral legal review.\n\nKongiganak: $400,000 to Native Village of Kongiganak from the Department of Justice for establishing a Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court for the Tribe.\n\nKotlik: $347,240 to Village of Kotlik from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nKwigillingok: $347,240 to Native Village of Kwigillngok from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nGrayling: $347,240 to Village of Grayling from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nNew Stuyahok: $410,246 to New Stuyahok Village from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nNikolai: $347,240 to Nikolai Village from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nNondalton: $347,240 to Nondalton Village from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nTunukak: $300,000 to Native Village of Tunukak from the Department of Justice for Tribal Justice Program to support tribal efforts to prevent crime.\n\nTununkak: $347,240 to Native Village of Tununkak from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nPort Heiden: $347,240 to the Native Village of Port Heiden from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSaint Marys: $347,240 to Algaaciq Native Village from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSaint Paul Island: $882,077 to the Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island from the Department of Justice for enhancing programming for tribal members incarcerated or diverted to tribal or local correctional facilities or under community supervision to reduce their risks for reoffending.\n\nSaint Paul Island: $173,248 to the Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for strengthening food security through enhancing local growing on St. Paul Island.\n\nSaint Paul Island: $410,246 to Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nUnalaska: $342,565 Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska from the Department of Justice for the Victims of Crime Act, to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nInterior\n\nDelta Junction: $347,240 to Dot Lake Village Council from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nFairbanks: $19.7 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks from the National Science Foundation for Toolik Field Station Base.\n\nFairbanks: $149,634 to Dena\u2019 Nena\u2019 Henash from the Department of Justice, for designing a strategic plan for the TCC\u2019s Tribal Justice growth of the Tribes in the TCC region.\n\nFairbanks: $347,240 to Healy Lake Village from the Department of Justice to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nFairbanks: $609,751 to Fairbanks Native Association from the Department of Justice to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nFairbanks: $30,805 to the City of Fairbanks from the Department of Justice for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.\n\nFairbanks: $498,057 to the Fairbanks Native Association from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nFairbanks: $1 million to Fairbanks from the Bureau of Land Management for watershed restoration, made possible from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which Senator Murkowski was a lead author.\n\nTanana: $410,246 to Native Village of Tanana from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nTanana: $475,000 to Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nSouthcentral\n\nAnchorage: $900,000 to Chugachmiut from the Department of Justice, for providing viable treatment options for addicted tribal members to Tribal Courts within the region.\n\nAnchorage: $478,660 to the Municipality of Anchorage from the Department of Justice for the Edward Byme Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.\n\nAnchorage: $1 million to the Rural Alaska Community Action Profram, Inc. from the Department of Justice for the Alaska Native Youth Training and Technical Assistance Project.\n\nAnchorage: $360,000 to Covenant House of Alaska from the Department of Health and Human Services for the Covenant House Alaska Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking and Street Outreach Project.\n\nAnchorage: $450,000 to the Alaska Native Justice Center Inc. from the Department of Justice for the expansion of the Alaska Native Unit.\n\nAnchorage: $1.1 million to the Alaska Native Justice Center Inc. from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nAnchorage: $250,000 to Aleutian-Pribilof Island Association from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for Opioid Response.\n\nAnchorage: $1.9 to the Southcentral Foundation from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for Tribal Opioid Response.\n\nAnchorage: $1 million to the Anchorage Community Mental Health Services Inc. from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health Services for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.\n\nAnchorage: $1.9 million to Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nAnchorage: $1.2 million to Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nAnchorage: $81,150 to Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Lower Yukon Youth Agriculture Project.\n\nAnchorage: $2.4 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Epidemiology and Disease Prevention.\n\nAnchorage: $900,000 to the Alaska Native Justice Center Inc. from the Department of Justice for the Restorative Justice Adult Services Program.\n\nAnchorage: $1 million to the Alaska Native Heritage Center from the Economic Development Administration for the Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Program.\n\nChickaloon: $250,000 to Chickaloon Native Village from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nCordova: $347,240 to Native Village of Eyak from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nGokona: $249,400 to Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nGlennallen: $439,350 to Walks with Thunder LLC from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nKenai: $499,002 to Kenaitze Indian Tribe from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nKotlik: $322,908 to Village of Kotlik from the Department of Justice, to help young people with substance use disorders achieve sustained recovery and avoid reoffending.\n\nNinilchick: $249,972 to Ninilchik Village from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nPalmer: $606,751 to the Knik Tribe from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nPalmer: $144,602 to Chickaloon Native Village from the Department of Justice for hiring to assist the police with strategic planning.\n\nSeward: $85,408 to the Qutekcak Native Tribe from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for updating technology infrastructure at the Qutekcak Native Tribe tribal office.\n\nTyonek: $250,000 to Native Village of Tyonek from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Tribal Opioid Response Program.\n\nValdez: $347,240 to Valdez Native Tribe from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSoutheast\n\nAngoon: $347,240 to Angoon Community Association from the Department, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nCraig: $148,000 to Craig Tribal Association from the Department of Justice for tribal citizens residing in Craig, Alaska struggling with violence, substance misuse, incarceration, recidivism and many other behaviors from complex trauma.\n\nCraig: $1 million to H.O.P.E. (Helping Ourselves Prevent Emergencies) from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nHoonah: $410,246 to the Hoonah Indian Association from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nJuneau: $918,594 to Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska from the Department of Justice to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nJuneau: $881,184 to Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska from the Department of Justice to provide justice services to its 33,000 Tlingit & Haida Tribal citizens in Alaska and beyond, and deepen partnerships between the many branches of the tribal justice system.\n\nJuneau: $37,362 to the City and Borough of Juneau from the Department of Justice for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.\n\nJuneau: $475,000 to Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium from the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for the Opioid Response Program.\n\nKetchikan: $719,669 to Ketchikan Indian Community from the Department of Justice, to improve services for victims of crime.\n\nSitka: $802,170 to Sitka Tribe of Alaska from the Department of Justice for Sitka\u2019s Tribal Court.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senator-murkowski-secures-win-for-sportsmen-and-gun-owners", "Senator Murkowski Secures Win for Sportsmen and Gun Owners", "2022-09-30", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Works with DHS to Solve Long Standing Issue on Firearms Declaration Form\n\nU.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that following her advocacy on behalf of Alaska\u2019s sportsmen, the Department of Homeland Security updated the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 4457, Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad. Form 4457 is required for U.S. sportsmen and gun owners to travel abroad with firearms.\n\nPreviously, the CBP was providing Americans with expired forms which complicated travelers\u2019 arrival into foreign countries. After discussions between Senator Murkowski and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, CBP updated the form and eliminated the expiration date. This brings a multi-year effort led by Senator Murkowski and the Safari Club International to a positive conclusion and will ensure that lawful gun owners are not subjected to unnecessary complications when traveling internationally with firearms.\n\n\u201cThe logistics of travel can be stressful enough without onerous, flawed processes to further complicate the experience. Law abiding gun owners shouldn\u2019t have to endure needless obstacles when traveling internationally with firearms, whether that\u2019s crossing the border into Canada or going abroad,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI am glad that Secretary Mayorkas listened to me and other Alaskans to cut through bureaucratic red tape and find a permanent, common-sense solution to this issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cSince its inception, the internal, government expiration date on the CBP Form 4457 has caused undue headaches for U.S hunters travelling abroad. Thank you, Senator Murkowski, for your efforts to finally resolve this issue. With the international hunting season in full swing, hunters can focus on their legal pursuit rather than an irrelevant date,\u201d said Ben Cassidy, Executive Vice President of International Government & Public Affairs, Safari Club International.\n\n\u201cThis is great news for both hunters across the nation and everyday Alaskans crossing the Canadian border with firearms,\u201d said John Sturgeon, Safari Club Alaska President. \u201cWe appreciate Senator Murkowski\u2019s steadfast partnership and tenacious advocacy for sportsmen and her willingness to work with anyone to cut through bureaucratic red tape to find common sense solutions that get the job done for our members.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murkowski-sullivan-introduce-bill-to-recognize-the-legacy-of-the-late-congressman-don-young", "Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bill to Recognize the Legacy of the Late Congressman Don Young", "2022-09-30", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Volcano, Federal Office Building & Job Corps Center to be Named After Young\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) yesterday introduced the Don Young Recognition Act, a bill to honor the legacy of the late Don Young, congressman for all Alaska. The legislation designates one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, currently known as Mount Cerberus, as Mount Young. In addition, the bill recognizes Congressman Young\u2019s lifelong contributions to Alaska by designating the federal office building in Fairbanks as the Don Young Federal Office Building and the Job Corps Center located in Palmer as the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center.\n\nCongressman Young, dean of the House, passed away on March 18, 2022 after serving Alaska in the House of Representatives for 49 years.\n\n\u201cDuring Congressman Young\u2019s decades long career of service, he made an outsized impact on our state. He loved the people of Alaska with every ounce of his being. His loyalty and commitment to the betterment of all who call Alaska home was evident throughout his work. He was determined and effective, shepherding critical legislation into law that impact generations,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThrough this legislation, my goal is that we not only pay tribute to a great man who did so much for our state, but that it ensures that what he has done for Alaskans is not forgotten. Don Young moved mountains for Alaska, it\u2019s only fitting we name one after him\u2013even if it is a bit unpredictable.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon Young left an indelible mark on the state he loved so much through his decades of service in Congress,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cHaving fought so hard for countless federal investments, projects and economic opportunities for Alaskans, it is a fitting tribute for some of these projects and lands to bear his name. Future generations will be reminded of this larger-than-life Alaskan, a true man of the people, who was ceaselessly invested in improving the livelihoods of Alaskans.\u201d\n\nFollowing Congressman Young\u2019s passing, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan introduced a resolution which passed the Senate unanimously in March of 2022, celebrating Congressman Young\u2019s life and legacy.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-barrasso-introduce-bill-to-end-chinas-unfair-advantage", "Sullivan, Barrasso Introduce Bill to End China\u2019s Unfair Advantage", "2022-09-30", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) have introduced legislation, the Ending China\u2019s Unfair Advantage Act, to end American taxpayer handouts to China. The Ending China\u2019s Unfair Advantage Act prohibits U.S. funding going to the Montreal Protocol, a United Nations (UN) treaty, until China is no longer treated as a developing country. Currently, China is defined as a developing nation under the Montreal Protocol. This allows China to abide by a different set of rules and access funding\u2014including American taxpayer dollars\u2014from the multilateral fund.\n\n\u201cChina is the second largest economy in the world. China is one of the most industrialized countries in the world. China has one of the biggest militaries in the world. The World Bank now even considers China to be an \u2018upper middle income\u2019 country. The idea that China is a \u2018developing country\u2019 is ridiculous,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWe cannot continue to allow China to exploit this status under international organizations and treaties to syphon off funds\u2014much of it coming from U.S. taxpayers\u2014intended for truly needy countries. The Senate is united in this regard, and I\u2019m glad to put forward legislation with Senator Barrasso to end this charade once and for all.\u201d\n\n\u201cChina is the second largest economy in the world \u2013 a far cry from a developing country. There is no reason why China should get to play by a different set of rules, let alone get a handout paid for by American taxpayers,\u201d said Barrasso. \u201cThe United States Senate recently voted unanimously in agreement that China should not be defined as a developing country. Our bill forces the United Nations to do the right thing and end this unfair advantage for China.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nUnder the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, developing countries are eligible for financial assistance through a special multilateral fund. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the fund, giving nearly $1 billion.\n\nChina has received nearly $1.4 billion from this multilateral fund over the years, due to its status as a \u201cdeveloping\u201d country under the Montreal Protocol.\n\nThe U.S. is required to phase down production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, by 85 percent by 2036 and China has until 2045 to reduce HFC use by 80 percent. China is given an extra decade, under the Kigali Amendment, to produce HFCs. It is also allowed an extra 5 percent in HFC production and consumption.\n\nEarlier this month, Senators Sullivan, Barrasso and Lee introduced amendments that would have conditioned Senate approval of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on the removal of China being defined as a developing country.\n\nOn September 21, 2022, the Senate passed Senator Sullivan\u2019s amendment by a vote of 96-0. It declared that China is not a developing country and the UN and other intergovernmental organizations should not treat China as such. It also conditioned the Senate\u2019s ratification on the administration submitting a proposal to remove China as a developing country before the meeting next year of the parties to the Montreal Protocol.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-applauds-announcement-of-100-federal-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster", "Alaska Delegation Applauds Announcement of 100% Federal Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster", "2022-09-29", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Biden has approved the State of Alaska\u2019s request to waive the state\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance for recovery efforts from the impacts of Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska. President Biden\u2019s order today increases the federal share for emergency assistance to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for the first 30 days following the incident, up from the original 75 percent federal cost share approved on September 23. The President approved a similar arrangement for the recovery from Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico.\n\n\u201cI thank the President for listening to us and approving our request for a 100% waiver of the State\u2019s cost share for federal assistance associated with recovery efforts from the Western Alaska disaster,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement is the result of the Alaska Delegation\u2019s dogged efforts to make the case to the administration, as well as our colleagues\u2014working to educate them on the needs of Western Alaska\u2014and it paid off,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThe storm damage from Typhoon Merbok is severe and the recovery needs are extensive. I saw destruction in every impacted community I visited\u2014damage to infrastructure like roads in Elim, homes floated off of their foundations in Golovin, extensive flood damage, subsistence camps literally wiped out, taking boats, nets, and four-wheelers. This waiver will go a long way in the regions\u2019 road to recovery, and with freeze-up just weeks away, approval of this waiver couldn\u2019t have come soon enough.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad to see that the federal government has honored our request to waive the state\u2019s cost share for the relief to Western Alaskans just as was done recently for Puerto Rico,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cI\u2019ve been working this issue non-stop, speaking directly several times in the past few days with the Secretary of Homeland Security and senior White House officials, and I had an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (CR) ready to go in the event those discussions with the Biden administration were not successful. The delegation also wrote a letter to the FEMA Administrator and I spoke on the Senate floor about this. I want to thank the federal officials who listened and ensured a prompt cost share waiver. Thank you also to all of the Alaskans who have come together and remained resilient and tough throughout this disaster. Help is on the way. Now is the time to start applying for aid that can assist with everything from emergency shelter to food and other needs. The delegation will continue to stay focused on the important rebuilding process.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank President Biden for listening to the Alaska delegation\u2019s concerns and approving a 100% federal cost share for our state,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cThis additional federal funding will lift a huge burden off Alaskans who are working so hard to rebuild after the devastation brought by Typhoon Merbok. These next few weeks are critical for making necessary repairs before the winter months and I\u2019m grateful that President Biden has answered our call for help.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe know the next few weeks will be critical for the communities impacted by the storm. From the beginning, we\u2019ve done everything to support recovery in Western Alaska, including asking for additional support from the federal government,\u201d said Governor Mike Dunleavy. \u201cRural Alaska is tough, but this storm damaged critical infrastructure and personal property \u2013 a cost too great to handle alone, which is why we asked for additional federal help. Thank you to Biden Administration for waiving 100 percent of the State\u2019s cost share for additional disaster assistance. Alaska\u2019s Congressional Delegation and I know the waiver will go a long way in helping repair the damage to these communities. Let\u2019s get our Alaskan families back on their feet.\u201d\n\nFor questions on applying for aid, please email storm@ready.alaska.gov.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nOn September 16, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska\u2014flooding of homes and businesses; damage to infrastructure for power and water, as well as roads and bridges; and impacts to approximately 1,000 miles of coastline.\n\nOn September 20, Governor Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration which was immediately followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging President Biden to expeditiously approve his request. On September 23, the President issued a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery.\n\nIn Governor Dunleavy\u2019s Major Disaster request, he requested a federal waiver for the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance recovery efforts in western Alaska, which was followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging FEMA to approve Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-sullivan-introduce-bill-to-recognize-the-legacy-of-the-late-congressman-don-young-", "Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bill to Recognize the Legacy of the Late Congressman Don Young", "2022-09-29", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Volcano, Federal Office Building & Job Corps Center to be Named After Young\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today introduced the Don Young Recognition Act, a bill to honor the legacy of the late Don Young, Congressman for All Alaska. The legislation designates one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, currently known as Mount Cerberus, as Mount Young. In addition, the bill recognizes Congressman Young\u2019s lifelong contributions to Alaska by designating the Federal office building in Fairbanks as the Don Young Federal Office Building and the Job Corps Center located in Palmer as the Don Young Alaska Job Corps Center.\n\nCongressman Young, Dean of the House, passed away on March 18, 2022 after serving Alaska in the House of Representatives for 49 years.\n\n\u201cDuring Congressman Young\u2019s decades long career of service, he made an outsized impact on our state. He loved the people of Alaska with every ounce of his being. His loyalty and commitment to the betterment of all who call Alaska home was evident throughout his work. He was determined and effective, shepherding critical legislation into law that impact generations,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThrough this legislation, my goal is that we not only pay tribute to a great man who did so much for our state, but that it ensures that what he has done for Alaskans is not forgotten. Don Young moved mountains for Alaska, it\u2019s only fitting we name one after him\u2013even if it is a bit unpredictable.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon Young left an indelible mark on the state he loved so much through his decades of service in Congress,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cHaving fought so hard for countless federal investments, projects and economic opportunities for Alaskans, it is a fitting tribute for some of these projects and lands to bear his name. Future generations will be reminded of this larger-than-life Alaskan, a true man of the people, who was ceaselessly invested in improving the livelihoods of Alaskans.\u201d\n\nFollowing Congressman Young\u2019s passing, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan introduced a resolution which passed the Senate unanimously in March of 2022, celebrating Congressman Young\u2019s life and legacy.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-applauds-announcement-of-100-federal-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster", "Alaska Delegation Applauds Announcement of 100% Federal Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster", "2022-09-29", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Biden has approved the State of Alaska\u2019s request to waive the state\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance for recovery efforts from the impacts of Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska. President Biden\u2019s order today increases the federal share for emergency assistance to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for the first 30 days following the incident, up from the original 75 percent federal cost share approved on September 23. The President approved a similar arrangement for the recovery from Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico.\n\n\u201cI thank the President for listening to us and approving our request for a 100% waiver of the State\u2019s cost share for federal assistance associated with recovery efforts from the Western Alaska disaster,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement is the result of the Alaska Delegation\u2019s dogged efforts to make the case to the administration, as well as our colleagues\u2014working to educate them on the needs of Western Alaska\u2014and it paid off,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThe storm damage from Typhoon Merbok is severe and the recovery needs are extensive. I saw destruction in every impacted community I visited\u2014damage to infrastructure like roads in Elim, homes floated off of their foundations in Golovin, extensive flood damage, subsistence camps literally wiped out, taking boats, nets, and four-wheelers. This waiver will go a long way in the regions\u2019 road to recovery, and with freeze-up just weeks away, approval of this waiver couldn\u2019t have come soon enough.\"\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad to see that the federal government has honored our request to waive the state\u2019s cost share for the relief to Western Alaskans just as was done recently for Puerto Rico,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cI\u2019ve been working this issue non-stop, speaking directly several times in the past few days with the Secretary of Homeland Security and senior White House officials, and I had an amendment to the Continuing Resolution (CR) ready to go in the event those discussions with the Biden administration were not successful. The delegation also wrote a letter to the FEMA Administrator and I spoke on the Senate floor about this. I want to thank the federal officials who listened and ensured a prompt cost share waiver. Thank you also to all of the Alaskans who have come together and remained resilient and tough throughout this disaster. Help is on the way. Now is the time to start applying for aid that can assist with everything from emergency shelter to food and other needs. The delegation will continue to stay focused on the important rebuilding process.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank President Biden for listening to the Alaska delegation\u2019s concerns and approving a 100% federal cost share for our state,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cThis additional federal funding will lift a huge burden off Alaskans who are working so hard to rebuild after the devastation brought by Typhoon Merbok. These next few weeks are critical for making necessary repairs before the winter months and I\u2019m grateful that President Biden has answered our call for help.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe know the next few weeks will be critical for the communities impacted by the storm. From the beginning, we\u2019ve done everything to support recovery in Western Alaska, including asking for additional support from the federal government,\u201d said Governor Mike Dunleavy. \u201cRural Alaska is tough, but this storm damaged critical infrastructure and personal property \u2013 a cost too great to handle alone, which is why we asked for additional federal help. Thank you to the Biden Administration for waiving 100 percent of the State\u2019s cost share for additional disaster assistance. Alaska\u2019s Congressional Delegation and I know the waiver will go a long way in helping repair the damage to these communities. Let\u2019s get our Alaskan families back on their feet.\u201d\n\nFor questions on applying for aid, please email storm@ready.alaska.gov.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nOn September 16, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska\u2014flooding of homes and businesses; damage to infrastructure for power and water, as well as roads and bridges; and impacts to approximately 1,000 miles of coastline.\n\nOn September 20, Governor Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration which was immediately followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging President Biden to expeditiously approve his request. On September 23, the President issued a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery.\n\nIn Governor Dunleavy\u2019s Major Disaster request, he requested a federal waiver for the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance recovery efforts in western Alaska, which was followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging FEMA to approve Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-carper-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-bill-to-implement-holistic-approach-to-childrens-health-care", "Sullivan, Carper Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Implement Holistic Approach to Children\u2019s Health Care", "2022-09-29", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, along with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas), today introduced the Kickstarting Innovative Demonstrations Support (KIDS) Health Act of 2022 to establish a \u201cwhole child health care\u201d model for children and youth eligible for Medicaid and the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The legislation would authorize federal dollars for state Medicaid programs to improve coordination between mental health and community health care providers to better support children\u2019s needs through a holistic approach.\n\n\u201cWe are in the midst of a heartbreaking spike in mental health challenges among young people,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cWorse still, our country\u2019s bureaucratic, siloed approach to health care and social services is not serving our kids well at a time when they need support the most. Senator Carper and I have crafted legislation that will remove unnecessary barriers and red tape that are limiting young Americans\u2019 access to mental health treatment. We want to empower communities to innovate, adapt to the unique needs and circumstances of our youth, and build more efficient and effective \u2018whole child\u2019 models of care that will hopefully save lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs Delaware\u2019s Governor, one of my first priorities was establishing the Family Services Cabinet Council to provide better mental and physical health care coordination for children and families in the First State. While we made great strides in meeting kids where they are, including by putting a wellness center in every public high school, today barriers such as cost or lack of access are still preventing children across the country from receiving the health care they need,\u201d said Senator Carper. \u201cI\u2019m proud to build upon my work as Governor to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill that will make it easier for a child enrolled in Medicaid to get the proper care they need, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic status. I want to thank Senator Sullivan and Representatives Blunt Rochester and Burgess for their support in crafting this important legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnsuring that we have the adequate resources and services to care for our young people is one of our most fundamental and important obligations. That\u2019s why I\u2019m so proud to introduce the KIDS Health Act of 2022, today, with my colleagues, Senators Carper and Sullivan, and Representative Burgess,\u201d said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. \u201cOur bill will ensure that children enrolled in Medicaid will be given appropriate and holistic care no matter who they are or where they live. I\u2019m particularly proud that our effort is bipartisan and bicameral and will continue working with my colleagues to send this crucial health care legislation to President Biden\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\n\u201cI practiced as an OB/GYN in North Texas for nearly three decades and can attest to the benefits of starting preventative care early in a child\u2019s life. I am proud to support the KIDS Health Act to provide integrated, preventative, value-based care for kids who need it most. If we jumpstart a child\u2019s health journey early, they will live longer, better, and healthier lives. It\u2019s more important than ever to come together and help kids across the country get the care they need,\u201d said Congressman Burgess, M.D.\n\n\u201cNemours Children\u2019s Health applauds the bipartisan sponsors of this important legislation, and their leadership to help the nation\u2019s children live healthy, fulfilled lives,\u201dsaid R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President & CEO, Nemours Children\u2019s Health. \u201cWorking with our nation\u2019s leaders is critical as Nemours strives to go well beyond medicine, getting one step closer to realizing our vision, to create the healthiest generations of children.\u201d\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by the Alaska Children\u2019s Trust, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Alaska Chapter, and the Alaska Primary Care Association.\n\nBackground\n\nIn December 2021, the U.S. surgeon general issued a public health advisory calling for a comprehensive and coordinated response to address the factors impacting youth mental health. In order to achieve a comprehensive response, Congress must empower providers to offer services in unique and innovative ways and break down the silos that make mental health integration and delivery so difficult, such as lack of access or socioeconomic status. For too long, providers have faced arbitrary limits on how and where they can meet the needs of the youth they serve. Furthermore, bureaucratic red tape, reporting requirements, and paperwork have made it difficult for providers to meet the new, emerging mental health needs of young people in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nEarlier this year, the Senate Finance Committee announced focus groups for addressing shortfalls in five areas of mental health care: youth, work force, care integration, mental health parity, and telehealth. Senator Carper was appointed as co-chair of the working group tasked with focusing on youth mental health, and the working group released a discussion draft of policy proposals in July. The KIDS Health Act of 2022 builds on the policy proposals from the discussion draft developed from the youth mental health working group.\n\nSpecifically, the KIDS Health Act of 2022 would:\n\nAuthorize a $125 million demonstration program to help states improve coordination between mental health and community health care providers, which will better support children\u2019s needs through a holistic approach;\n\nAllow states to establish or enhance payment models that reward doctors for providing higher-quality care that helps children stay healthier and invest in workforce recruitment and training;\n\nAllow participating states to design and implement a delivery model in which health care providers partner with community organizations and government agencies to coordinate services across multiple sectors;\n\nRequire GAO to issue a report, evaluating the individual, financial, and systems-level impacts associated with whole child health models implemented under the demonstration project; and\n\nRequire the secretary of health and human services to issue guidance on combining federal and non-federal funds to address social determinants of health in low-income populations.\n\nClick here to view the full text of legislation.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-united-in-urging-president-biden-to-waive-states-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster", "Alaska Delegation United in Urging President Biden to Waive State\u2019s Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster", "2022-09-27", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Following last week\u2019s federal Major Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) are urging President Biden to waive 100 percent of the State\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts for 30 days, citing the cost is too great to cover with currently available resources. This would mirror the FEMA arrangement for the ongoing disaster in Puerto Rico.\n\n\u201cFollowing last week\u2019s historic storm, I knew I needed to be boots on the ground with Alaskans to survey the damage and to learn more about what I can do to support recovery efforts. I visited a number of the impacted communities over the weekend, including Nome, Elim, Golovin, Hooper Bay and Chevak. Throughout my visits, I spent time talking with Tribal leaders, community members, the National Guard, and more, who showed me firsthand the severity of the damage and how much work lies ahead in their road to recovery. We recognize the cost that comes with the destruction to key infrastructure, but we must also consider the challenges that don\u2019t immediately meet the eye\u2014slow moving disasters such as water damage and the loss of cultural and subsistence tools. The financial needs to replace such substantial loss is far too great without additional assistance,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis waiver will go a long way in helping repair the storm\u2019s damage to bridges, roads, water treatment plants, homes, airstrips, and more. Rural communities prior to the storm were already challenged, and it\u2019s imperative that we help them get back on their feet and are able to return to their homes and meet basic needs like running water.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe're tough in Alaska. But every now and then\u2014in the aftermath of earthquakes, wildfires, typhoons, and tsunamis \u2014we're going to need federal help. Now is that time,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cJust like our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, Alaskans are racing to repair homes, foundations, seawalls, airports and other critical pieces of infrastructure. We are also contending with another complication\u2014freeze-up\u2014which leaves a very narrow window to get cash out the door and make these communities whole by winter. Now that FEMA has decided it will cover one-hundred percent of the recovery costs for one month for victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, FEMA needs to do the same for those recovering from Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska, where we have some of the most impoverished communities in the country. I reiterate my call on the Biden administration to treat Alaskans fairly and approve this commonsense accommodation for my constituents. I have written to the FEMA Administrator, spoke on the Senate floor about this, and twice talked directly with the Secretary of Homeland Security who told me he would address this matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving just visited Nome and other communities impacted by Typhoon Merbok over the weekend, I\u2019ve now had the chance to speak directly with state and local officials and see the destruction first-hand,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cI am extremely grateful that President Biden so quickly approved Governor Dunleavy\u2019s federal disaster declaration, however, I wish to strongly reiterate my call for FEMA to waive the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts. This 100% federal cost share is essential to the timely cleanup efforts that are ongoing.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter living and working in rural Alaska for 20 years, I know the next few weeks will be critical to getting essential infrastructure, homes and businesses back on their feet before winter takes over in western Alaska,\u201d said Governor Mike Dunleavy. \u201cLifting the cost share for both individual and public assistance means we can address the needs of these communities immediately, and prevent any further hardships for those Alaskan families that have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the storm.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nOn September 16, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska \u2013 flooding to homes and businesses; damage to infrastructure for power and water as well as roads and bridges; and impacts to approximately 1,000 miles of coastline.\n\nOn September 20, Governor Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration which was immediately followed by a letter from the Alaska Congressional delegation urging President Biden to expeditiously approve his request. On September 23, the President issued a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery.\n\nIn Governor Dunleavy\u2019s Major Disaster request, he requested a federal waiver for the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance recovery efforts in western Alaska, which was followed by a letter from the Alaska Congressional delegation urging FEMA to approve Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-united-in-urging-president-biden-to-waive-states-cost-share-for-western-alaska-disaster", "Alaska Delegation United in Urging President Biden to Waive State\u2019s Cost Share for Western Alaska Disaster", "2022-09-27", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Following last week\u2019s federal major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska), and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) are urging President Biden to waive 100 percent of the state\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts for 30 days, citing the fact that the cost is too great to cover with currently available resources. This would mirror the FEMA arrangement for the ongoing disaster in Puerto Rico.\n\n\u201cFollowing last week\u2019s historic storm, I knew I needed to be boots on the ground with Alaskans to survey the damage and to learn more about what I can do to support recovery efforts. I visited a number of the impacted communities over the weekend, including Nome, Elim, Golovin, Hooper Bay and Chevak. Throughout my visits, I spent time talking with Tribal leaders, community members, the National Guard, and more, who showed me firsthand the severity of the damage and how much work lies ahead in their road to recovery. We recognize the cost that comes with the destruction to key infrastructure, but we must also consider the challenges that don\u2019t immediately meet the eye\u2014slow moving disasters such as water damage and the loss of cultural and subsistence tools. The financial needs to replace such substantial loss is far too great without additional assistance,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis waiver will go a long way in helping repair the storm\u2019s damage to bridges, roads, water treatment plants, homes, airstrips, and more. Rural communities prior to the storm were already challenged, and it\u2019s imperative that we help them get back on their feet and are able to return to their homes and meet basic needs like running water.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe're tough in Alaska. But every now and then\u2014in the aftermath of earthquakes, wildfires, typhoons, and tsunamis \u2014we're going to need federal help. Now is that time,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cJust like our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, Alaskans are racing to repair homes, foundations, seawalls, airports and other critical pieces of infrastructure. We are also contending with another complication\u2014freeze-up\u2014which leaves a very narrow window to get cash out the door and make these communities whole by winter. Now that FEMA has decided it will cover one-hundred percent of the recovery costs for one month for victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, FEMA needs to do the same for those recovering from Typhoon Merbok in Western Alaska, where we have some of the most impoverished communities in the country. I reiterate my call on the Biden administration to treat Alaskans fairly and approve this commonsense accommodation for my constituents. I have written to the FEMA Administrator, spoke on the Senate floor about this, and twice talked directly with the Secretary of Homeland Security who told me he would address this matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving just visited Nome and other communities impacted by Typhoon Merbok over the weekend, I\u2019ve now had the chance to speak directly with state and local officials and see the destruction first-hand,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cI am extremely grateful that President Biden so quickly approved Governor Dunleavy\u2019s federal disaster declaration, however, I wish to strongly reiterate my call for FEMA to waive the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for federal individual and public assistance for recovery efforts. This 100% federal cost share is essential to the timely cleanup efforts that are ongoing.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter living and working in rural Alaska for 20 years, I know the next few weeks will be critical to getting essential infrastructure, homes and businesses back on their feet before winter takes over in western Alaska,\u201d said Governor Mike Dunleavy. \u201cLifting the cost share for both individual and public assistance means we can address the needs of these communities immediately, and prevent any further hardships for those Alaskan families that have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the storm.\u201d\n\nOn September 16, remnants of Typhoon Merbok produced widespread damage to communities in Western Alaska\u2014flooding to homes and businesses; damage to infrastructure for power and water as well as roads and bridges; and impacts to approximately 1,000 miles of coastline.\n\nOn September 20, Governor Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration which was immediately followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging President Biden to expeditiously approve his request. On September 23, the President issued a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery.\n\nIn Governor Dunleavy\u2019s Major Disaster request, he requested a federal waiver for the State of Alaska\u2019s cost share for individual and public assistance recovery efforts in western Alaska, which was followed by a letter from the Alaska congressional delegation urging FEMA to approve Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-introduces-bill-to-remove-obstacle-to-mental-telehealth-services-for-seniors", "Sullivan Introduces Bill to Remove Obstacle to Mental Telehealth Services for Seniors", "2022-09-27", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today introduced legislation to permanently waive a federal provision requiring seniors who are seeking mental health services to have an in-person visit before receiving services virtually. The Trump administration waived this requirement during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the declaration of a public health emergency (PHE). Without legislative action, these flexibilities will end when the federal PHE ends.\n\n\u201cJust like the \u2018originating site\u2019 requirement my FRONTIER Community Act eliminated in 2020, this one-size-fits-all federal rule does not work for Alaska seniors and has proven to be an obstacle to tackling our country\u2019s worsening mental health crisis,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWith lives on the line, our priority must be connecting patients with services, even if they live hundreds of miles from a provider. I urge my colleagues to recognize how unworkable this rule is for millions of rural Americans and help me get this legislation to the President\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\nSen. Sullivan has been a champion of improving mental health services and expanding access through telehealth delivery. Sullivan\u2019s FRONTIER Community Act, signed into law in December 2020, removed the federal rule requiring patients to travel to a pre-approved \u201coriginating site\u201d\u2014which can be hundreds of miles from a patient\u2019s home\u2014in order to receive mental telehealth services. Sullivan has also cosponsored the CONNECT for Health Act and the Telehealth Modernization Act to make telehealth flexibilities permanent.\n\nCongressmen Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), John Curtis (R-Utah) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, which passed the body in July.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-to-receive-over-14-million-for-recreation-infrastructure_", "Alaska To Receive Over $14 Million for Recreation Infrastructure", "2022-09-26", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will invest $37.75 million to improve recreation related infrastructure on national forests and grasslands, including $14.4 million specifically for projects within the Tongass and Chugach National Forests.\n\nThese investments are made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Murkowski helped write, negotiate, and shepherd into law last year. Maintaining both heavily used and remote cabins located along lakes, atop mountains and on coastal islands that are available year-around requires resources and staff capacity, which has been in short supply for many years threatening the very existence of the recreation cabin program. To respond to the call of local Alaskans and Alaska adventurers alike to save these cabins, Murkowski specifically included a carve-out for construction, reconstruction, and operation and maintenance of recreation public use cabins in Alaska in the bill.\n\nOf the $37.75 million announced nationwide:\n\n$18 million for recreational cabins and historic buildings to support improvements and construction of new cabins.?\n\n$19.75 million for recreation sites, including for maintenance, repairs, construction of new facilities, and the installation and expansion of individual campsites, powerlines, and other related improvements.\n\n\u201cAlaska is home to the best outdoor opportunities in the world, and recreation is a key part of our economy. To maintain and grow this world-class industry, we need infrastructure that is modern, safe, and accessible,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cMy efforts to support recreation infrastructure in Alaska \u2013 including recreational cabins and historic buildings \u2013 started long before the infrastructure bill was ever considered and date back to my time as Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The work we did there, along with the special consideration and funding that I ultimately added to the infrastructure bill, are a home run for all us who are blessed to call Alaska home and for our visitors.\u201d\n\nThere are more than 155 special use cabins in the Tongass and 50 in the Chugach. The USFS is planning a collaborative process to include local communities in determining a strategy on improving its cabins. For more information on public engagement opportunities, visit the Alaska Region Cabin Strategy website.\n\nBackground: The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law on November 15, 2021. The law provides historic investments into roads, bridges, ports, airports, broadband, ferries, water and wastewater, resilience, and energy projects\u2014modernizing and upgrading the nation\u2019s core infrastructure. Senator Murkowski was a lead author and negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure package, which also garnered support from Senator Sullivan and the late Congressman Don Young.\n\nRelated Issues: Infrastructure", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/63-million-in-broadband-investments-announced-for-alaska", "$63 Million in Broadband Investments Announced for Alaska", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Improving High-Speed Internet Affordably in Rural Alaska\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK) today announced that communities on the North Slope and in Southeast Alaska will receive a total of $63 million for high-speed internet network buildout / deployment projects. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Program grants, awarded to the Alaska Telephone Company and Arctic Slope Telephone, will help improve broadband access, including its affordability, for rural communities.\n\n\u201cHaving reliable internet has become a basic service that many in urban areas take for granted. In far too many remote communities in Alaska, I\u2019ve seen and heard firsthand accounts of the unreliability and high cost of internet, with some households paying upwards of $300 a month alone for an unstable service. Connectivity means so much\u2014for telehealth, education, our economy and so much more. That\u2019s why I led the infrastructure bill and why I\u2019ve made it a priority to expand broadband infrastructure and accessibility for unserved and underserved areas,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to see these grants for Alaska and what it will mean to so many of these rural communities for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s great to see the USDA continuing to award significant resources to assist with delivering high-speed internet access to rural Alaska\u2014an essential component of 21st century infrastructure,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cLast month, I hosted a broadband summit in Anchorage with critical stakeholders from federal agencies, including from USDA, state and local governments, Alaska Native communities, industry, and other key partners as Alaska prepares to receive significant funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law. As these federal funds from various agencies come to Alaska, it is critical that all Alaskan stakeholders are coordinated in their response. If we coordinate well and work together, we have the potential to connect every community across our state.\u201d\n\nGRANT RECIPIENTS [provided by USDA]:\n\nAlaska Telephone Company: $33 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 211 people and five businesses to high-speed internet in the Haines Borough, the Hoonah Angoon Census Area and the Skagway Municipality. Alaska Telephone Company will make high-speed internet affordable by implementing the FCC's Lifeline Program, which will serve Skagway and Chilkat Alaska Native Village areas.\n\nArctic Slope Telephone: $30.9 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 476 people, 15 businesses and a public school to high-speed internet in North Slope Borough. Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative Inc. will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs and will serve communities of North Slope Borough and portions of the Anaktuvuk and the Point Lay Alaska Native Village Tribal Areas.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-applauds-approval-of_major-disaster-declaration-for-western-alaska", "Alaska Delegation Applauds Approval of  Major Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Joe Biden just approved Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy\u2019s (R-Alaska) request for a Major Disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure. This announcement comes just two days after the delegation sent a letter urging the President for his approval.\n\n\u201cTyphoon Merbok was the strongest storm Alaska has experienced in seventy years, leaving a wake of destruction covering over 1,000 miles of coastline. I am grateful that no casualties and no serious injuries have been reported, but the impact on homes and infrastructure are extensive. So many communities throughout Western Alaska have been devastated and are in dire need of federal support. I appreciate the President for listening to us and recognizing the urgency of this situation. With winter weather looming, this federal assistance can\u2019t come soon enough,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI am on the ground in the region today and throughout the weekend traveling to the impacted communities. It is so important to see the needs firsthand and hear directly from residents as this helps guide how I can best assist them. I will be there for Alaskans through the recovery and rebuilding process by doing all I can in my role to help ensure that they have the support necessary to do so.\u201d\n\n\u201cI appreciate the quick response from the Biden Administration approving Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request for a Major Disaster declaration to support Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impacts of Typhoon Merbok on Alaska families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMy team and I continue to work closely with our partners in the federal, state, and local governments to ensure communities in Western Alaska are fully restored following this fierce storm. And I reiterate the arguments I recently made to the Secretary of Homeland Security and FEMA Administrator \u2013 that if other communities that have been impacted by natural disasters, like Puerto Rico, get 100 percent federal reimbursement, then so should Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am grateful that President Biden understood how urgent the need for federal assistance was to the people of Western Alaska and thank him for swiftly approving the governor\u2019s request for a disaster declaration,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cOver the next couple of days, I will be visiting areas impacted by this storm to see the destruction first-hand. My office and I will continue to work with state and local officials to provide any assistance that we can.\u201d\n\nTo read the delegation\u2019s full letter, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/63-million-in-broadband-investments-announced-for-alaska", "$63 Million in Broadband Investments Announced for Alaska", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "Grants to Improve High-Speed Internet Affordability in Rural Alaska\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) today announced that communities on the North Slope and in Southeast Alaska will receive a total of $63 million for high-speed internet network buildout / deployment projects. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Program grants, awarded to the Alaska Telephone Company and Arctic Slope Telephone, will help improve broadband access, including its affordability, for rural communities.\n\n\u201cHaving reliable internet has become a basic service that many in urban areas take for granted. In far too many remote communities in Alaska, I\u2019ve seen and heard firsthand accounts of the unreliability and high cost of internet, with some households paying upwards of $300 a month alone for an unstable service. Connectivity means so much\u2014for telehealth, education, our economy and so much more. That\u2019s why I led the infrastructure bill and why I\u2019ve made it a priority to expand broadband infrastructure and accessibility for unserved and underserved areas,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to see these grants for Alaska and what it will mean to so many of these rural communities for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s great to see the USDA continuing to award significant resources to assist with delivering high-speed internet access to rural Alaska\u2014an essential component of 21st century infrastructure,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cLast month, I hosted a broadband summit in Anchorage with critical stakeholders from federal agencies, including from USDA, state and local governments, Alaska Native communities, industry, and other key partners as Alaska prepares to receive significant funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law. As these federal funds from various agencies come to Alaska, it is critical that all Alaskan stakeholders are coordinated in their response. If we coordinate well and work together, we have the potential to connect every community across our state.\u201d\n\nGRANT RECIPIENTS [provided by USDA]:\n\nAlaska Telephone Company: $33 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 211 people and five businesses to high-speed internet in the Haines Borough, the Hoonah Angoon Census Area and the Skagway Municipality. Alaska Telephone Company will make high-speed internet affordable by implementing the FCC's Lifeline Program, which will serve Skagway and Chilkat Alaska Native Village areas.\n\nArctic Slope Telephone: $30.9 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 476 people, 15 businesses and a public school to high-speed internet in North Slope Borough. Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative Inc. will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs and will serve communities of North Slope Borough and portions of the Anaktuvuk and the Point Lay Alaska Native Village Tribal Areas.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-applauds-approval-of-major-disaster-declaration-for-western-alaska", "Alaska Delegation Applauds Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Western Alaska", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=28", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement that President Joe Biden approved Alaska Governor Michael Dunleavy\u2019s (R-Alaska) request for a major disaster declaration to support Western Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok on Alaskan families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure. This announcement comes just two days after the delegation sent a letter urging the President for his approval.\n\n\u201cTyphoon Merbok was the strongest storm Alaska has experienced in seventy years, leaving a wake of destruction covering over 1,000 miles of coastline. I am grateful that no casualties and no serious injuries have been reported, but the impact on homes and infrastructure are extensive. So many communities throughout Western Alaska have been devastated and are in dire need of federal support. I appreciate the President for listening to us and recognizing the urgency of this situation. With winter weather looming, this federal assistance can\u2019t come soon enough,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cI am on the ground in the region today and throughout the weekend traveling to the impacted communities. It is so important to see the needs firsthand and hear directly from residents as this helps guide how I can best assist them. I will be there for Alaskans through the recovery and rebuilding process by doing all I can in my role to help ensure that they have the support necessary to do so.\u201d\n\n\u201cI appreciate the quick response from the Biden Administration approving Governor Dunleavy\u2019s request for a Major Disaster declaration to support Alaska\u2019s recovery from the impacts of Typhoon Merbok on Alaska families, homes, businesses, schools, and infrastructure,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cMy team and I continue to work closely with our partners in the federal, state, and local governments to ensure communities in Western Alaska are fully restored following this fierce storm. And I reiterate the arguments I recently made to the Secretary of Homeland Security and FEMA Administrator\u2014that if other communities that have been impacted by natural disasters, like Puerto Rico, get 100 percent federal reimbursement, then so should Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am grateful that President Biden understood how urgent the need for federal assistance was to the people of Western Alaska and thank him for swiftly approving the governor\u2019s request for a disaster declaration,\u201d said Representative Peltola. \u201cOver the next couple of days, I will be visiting areas impacted by this storm to see the destruction first-hand. My office and I will continue to work with state and local officials to provide any assistance that we can.\u201d\n\nTo read the delegation\u2019s full letter, click here.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-native-leaders-appointed-to-new-tribal-advisory-council-", "ALASKA NATIVE LEADERS APPOINTED TO NEW TRIBAL ADVISORY COUNCIL", "2022-09-22", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=29", "scraper", "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 the GAO Tribal Advisory Council, include:\n\nSheila Carl, Tribal Council Member, Akiak Native Community\n\nSarah Lukin, Chief Strategy Officer, Cook Inlet Region, Inc.\n\nDiana Zirul, Tribal Council Treasurer, Kenaitze Indian Tribe\n\n\u201cEach of these Alaska Native women appointed to the new GAO Tribal Advisory Council will provide the U.S. Government Accountability Office with important insights on matters affecting the Indigenous peoples of Alaska. The government watchdog agency provides research that is invaluable to ensuring the federal government meets its constitutional responsibilities, including upholding the federal trust obligations to Native peoples. Whether its reviewing health care, economic development, housing, natural resources, telecommunications or funding for federal programs and services, GAO\u2019s findings and recommendations are important to Congress\u2019s oversight duties. I congratulate all of the Native leaders appointed to the newly formed Tribal Advisory Council,\u201d said Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).\n\nGAO established the Tribal Advisory Council to help inform the agency\u2019s future work and priorities in examining federal programs that serve tribal communities and Indigenous peoples. The appointments will last two to three years with terms beginning this month.\n\nRelated Issues: Alaska Natives & Rural Alaska", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:29:59Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 452, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "AK", "p2": "2022"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 452, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 452, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=AK&year=2022", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "AK", "label": "AK", "count": 452, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2022", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "2022", "label": "2022", "count": 452, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2022-09-22,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurkowski~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpress~2Frelease~2Falaska-native-leaders-appointed-to-new-tribal-advisory-council-", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=AK&year=2022&_next=2022-09-22%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurkowski~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpress~2Frelease~2Falaska-native-leaders-appointed-to-new-tribal-advisory-council-&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 130.0891642458737, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}