{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=b0886ad9-103b-4d24-8103-c5160d873838", "Murkowski: Defense Bill Bolsters Alaskas Military Footprint", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.03.14\n\t\t\t Murkowski: Defense Bill Bolsters Alaska\u2019s Military Footprint \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Senator\u2019s Missile Defense Advocacy Reaps Improvement Funds, Eielson Confirmed as Preferred Location for F-35s\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Senator Lisa Murkowski today announced that the House and Senate negotiations to craft a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to fund America\u2019s military for the upcoming year reflect a number of the key Alaskan priorities she has worked with Congressional leadership to advance. \r\n\u201cAlaska\u2019s tactical position on the globe has long made us an ideal investment for the nation\u2019s defense, and the results of this year\u2019s NDAA discussions demonstrate that Congressional leadership continues to prioritize not only Alaska\u2019s current missions, but also a range of operations in the mid- and long-term,\u201d said Murkowski.\u00a0 \u201cWhile I welcome Congressional testimony expressing verbal support of Alaska\u2019s military, the funding levels and Congressional commitments are where the rubber meets the road in terms of our nation\u2019s defense and Alaskan benefits.\u201d\r\nAmong the results for Alaska: \r\n \r\n$40 Million \u2013 and Certainty \u2013 for Missile Defense in Alaska: With the momentum of June\u2019s successful interceptor test, the Department of Defense has slotted $40 million for improvements and expansions to the missile defense system at Fort Greely.\u00a0 Of similar importance, the NDAA also blocks funding for consideration of an East Coast missile site \u2013 demonstrating the Pentagon\u2019s focus on Alaska\u2019s capacity rather than envisioning alternatives elsewhere.\r\n \r\n \r\nLong Range Discrimination Radar Project Gets Green Light: A priority the Missile Defense Agency described as \u2018absolutely vital\u2019 to Senator Murkowski in June, this year\u2019s NDAA authorizes funding to begin design of a missile defense radar that will be built within Alaska \u2013 with a construction timeframe of roughly ten years. \r\n \r\n \r\nAffirming Eielson\u2019s F-35s: The NDAA\u2019s \u2018explanatory report\u2019 that details the reasoning behind the bill\u2019s provisions clearly states that Eielson Air Force Base is the preferred location for two squadrons of F-35s and delivers full funding to keep the goal of 2019 aircraft basing on track.\u00a0 Congressman Don Young successfully included language in the House to express Congress\u2019 support for stationing the F-35 at\u00a0Eielson AFB. \r\n \r\n \r\nAdditional Considerations for Eielson AFB:\u00a0 The Defense authorization bill requires the United States Air Force to conduct an analysis of the merits of having additional KC-135 refueling aircraft at Eielson that would require more Air Force personnel to man and maintain, where this is currently only an Alaska Air National Guard operation.\u00a0 The language, which the Alaska National Guard considered their top priority for FY2015, was included by Congressman Young as an amendment in the House. \r\n \r\n \r\nNome Gets Desired Land Transfer: The negotiated National Defense Authorization Act also transfers 7 acres of land in Nome near the Port to the City of Nome in order to expand possible economic development opportunities.\r\n \r\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t  \n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=b0886ad9-103b-4d24-8103-c5160d873838"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4164061285555363, "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"}