The U.S. Senate passed the Violence Against Women reauthorization act Thursday with a last minute amendment that lets Alaska tribes continue to issue domestic violence protective orders but excludes them from powers given to Lower 48 tribes to criminally prosecute offenders.
Begich breaks with Democrats, Obama on oil tax breaks
President Obama says Congress should end billions of dollars in tax breaks for the global oil companies, but Sen. Mark Begich has broken with nearly every other Senate Democrat to oppose the idea.
Alaska Railroad faces big cut in budget courtesy US Senate
The Alaska Railroad faces a huge budget cut from the U.S. Senate that could mean large-scale layoffs, reduced passenger service and a default on the state-owned corporation's bonds.
Senate women lead fight to expand domestic violence law
U.S. Senate Democrats -- aided by moderate Republicans including Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski -- on Thursday battled conservative Republicans who say they don't want to expand an 18-year-old federal law that created a national strategy to prevent domestic violence against women.
Stevens prosecutors lose bid to delay release of report
An appeals court denied an attempt to stop Thursday's release of an investigative report into misconduct by prosecutors in the case against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. A jury found Stevens guilty in 2008 of lying on financial disclosure forms, but the convictions were thrown out a year later when the Justice Department admitted that it failed to turn over evidence to the defense that would have helped Stevens.
Senate rejects drilling for oil in Arctic refuge
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday resoundingly rejected a sweeping measure to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other protected areas to drilling as well as approve construction of the Keystone pipeline project.
In wake of birth control vote, senators debate Murkowski role
Some say Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski may be a natural heir to the centrist role played by retiring Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe at a time when their party is hurting for female leaders. Others say she first needs to show more decisiveness and consistency.
Julia O'Malley: If Murkowski is moderate, her votes should be too
Murkowski questions expense of defending Stevens prosecutors
The U.S. Justice Department has so far paid $1.8 million for private attorneys to represent seven prosecutors facing a criminal contempt investigation in the botched case against the late Sen. Ted Stevens, and members of the Senate are saying it's inappropriate.
JULIA O'MALLEY
If Murkowski calls herself moderate, her votes should be too
Back from Washington, D.C., for the start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Sen. Lisa Murkowski learned the hard way not to get between women and birth control. She said she now regrets her support for a measure that would have allowed employers to opt out of providing birth control or other health insurance coverage required by the 2010 health-care law for moral reasons.
Murkowski to Salazar: Clean up legacy wells
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski had tough words recently for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on the subject of "legacy wells" drilled by the federal government on the North Slope.
Murkowski sides with Republicans on birth control
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who in the past has broken with the Republican Party on women's rights issues, is among those fighting the president's stand that all women should get insurance coverage for free birth control.
Obama joins in assailing Limbaugh for calling student 'slut'
Alaska delegation vows to resist base closures
Members of the Alaska delegation and others in Congress are vowing to resist a recommendation from the Pentagon to close military bases around the country.
State provides about $4 billion in tax credits
Under Alaska's current tax regime, the state has invested about $4 billion in tax credits. That figure is expected to rise slightly by the end of this fiscal year.
Alaska politicians pledge to oppose military base cutbacks
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's announcement that the Pentagon will seek new rounds of military base closures drew a swift response from Alaskans who watched a similar process nearly gut Eielson Air Force Base in 2005.
Sens. Begich, Snowe partner for State of Union address
Alaska Democratic Sen. Mark Begich has a Republican seat mate for the State of the Union address: Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe.
End partisan seating at State of Union, Murkowski says
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is urging a permanent end to the partisan seating arrangement at the State of the Union address.
End partisan seating at State of Union address, Murkowski says
Picking up where they left off last year, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall are urging a permanent end to the partisan seating arrangement at the annual State of the Union address.
Senate confirms Alaska justice to U.S. appeals court
Alaska Supreme Court Justice Morgan Christen won Senate confirmation to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, ending a lengthy congressional standoff to become the second jurist approved for the powerful Western appeals court during the Obama administration.
Congress has 18 days to settle tax, Social Security issues
President Barack Obama and a bitterly divided Congress have 18 days to figure out whether to continue a Social Security payroll tax cut, avoid a huge drop in Medicare payments to doctors and maintain many unemployment benefits.
Begich tops Murkowski, Young in estimated worth
Sen. Mark Begich appears to be the most affluent among the Alaska congressional delegation, with a net worth estimated by the Center for Responsive Politics at $2.3 million.
Murkowski is lone GOP dissenter as filibuster blocks Obama pick
Senate Republicans have blocked President Obama's nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., as majority Democrats failed to break a filibuster. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican voting with Democrats to end the filibuster.
Murkowski has "great concerns" about Obama consumer-watchdog pick
Despite federal earmark ban, lawmakers target pet projects
Members of the U.S. House and the Senate attempted to pack hundreds of special spending provisions into at least 10 bills in the summer and fall, less than a year after congressional leaders declared a moratorium on earmarks, congressional records show.
Alaska programs survive in US Senate appropriations bill
Subsidies for rural Alaska air travel and farmers in the 49th state survived in the $182 billion spending bill the U.S. Senate passed on Tuesday.
Senate Republicans vote to filibuster Obama jobs bill
United against Barack Obama, Senate Republicans voted Tuesday night to kill the jobs package the president had spent weeks campaigning for across the country.
EPA proposes to fine Eielson for violations
A proposed fine against Eielson Air Force Base has spurred the three members of Alaska's congressional delegation to step in.
Senators say 31 post offices no longer in danger of closing
Alaska's two senators say 31 Alaska post offices are no longer under the threat of closure.
Murkowski to push for ban on genetically modified salmon
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski plans to offer an amendment to an agriculture-related appropriations bill that would ban the so-called "frankenfish" being developed for the salmon farming industry and awaiting federal approval.
Alaska senator remembers her mentor 1 year after crash
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is remembering her mentor, Ted Stevens, on the one-year anniversary of his death in a plane crash in Southwest Alaska.
Alaska senators join in support of bill
The natural habitat for Alaska's two senators is a long distance from the extremes of each of their respective parties, so it wasn't surprising that both plan to vote for the debt-limit compromise Tuesday and would wonder why it took so long.
In debt debate, pols drive off metaphorical cliff
Not too long ago there was lofty talk of doing something big. Of a reasonable path. Of a grand bargain.That was a few weeks and a few thousand tortured metaphors ago.
As talks go on, Senate rejects Democratic plan
Senate Republicans have blocked action on a Democratic approach to resolving the debt-ceiling crisis. It was a test vote largely unrelated to the talks between the White House and congressional leaders on a compromise that can clear both the House and Senate.
Senate action on treaty could unlock Arctic riches, panel told
Melting Arctic sea ice presents a wealth of new economic opportunities for the United States, but the nation can't take advantage of them until it joins an international treaty that has languished in the Senate, a Senate subcommittee was told Wednesday.
Begich, Murkowski split on debt plan vote
Alaska's U.S. senators split on whether to consider a House-passed bill requiring steep spending cuts and passage of a balanced budget amendment to increase the nation's debt limit.
Miller won't appeal order he pay fees for election challenge
Unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller won't appeal a judge's order that he pay more than $17,300 in legal fees incurred by the state in fighting his challenge to last year's race.
An attorney says no decision has been made on whether to appeal a court ruling that Joe Miller pay state legal fees related to his election challenge last year.
Miller campaign settles with FEC over complaint
Joe Miller's U.S. Senate campaign has settled with the Federal Election Commission over allegations Miller violated rules for flying on a private aircraft.
Murkowski and Young file annual family financial reports
Financial disclosure forms made public Wednesday show that Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young have a wide range of investments in land, real estate and stocks. Sen. Mark Begich asked for an extension in filing his forms.
ALASKA POLITICS BLOG
Disclosures show wealth of congressional delegation
Financial disclosure forms made public Wednesday show that Alaska's congressional delegation has a wide range of investments in land, real estate and stocks.
Obama abandons plan for increasing wildland protections
Under pressure from Congress, the Obama administration is backing away from a plan to make millions of acres of undeveloped land in the West eligible for federal wilderness protection.
Murkowski votes against party to end judicial filibuster
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican senator to vote to end the filibuster of a controversial judicial nominee.
25 most expensive energy items in the budget
The Legislature's special session in Juneau is about to enter the fourth week of gridlock with no clear end.
Deal struck to avoid government shutdown
Less than an hour away from a government shutdown, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders reached a historic agreement late Friday night to cut about $38 billion in spending and avert the first federal closure in 15 years.
Alaska stations rely on public broadcasting subsidies
Outside of Alaska's most populated areas, tune your radio up and down the AM and FM dials, and you'll often lock in on just one station: a public radio broadcast.
Murkowski warns of future with no oil
The state faces the prospect of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline shutting down within the next decade if oil production isn't boosted, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Thursday in her annual address to the Legislature.
The Senate on Thursday voted 61-38 to defeat a motion that would have gutted $200 million in annual airfare subsidies to rural and hard-to-reach places across the country, particularly Alaska.
US Senate votes to preserve subsidies for rural airfare
The Senate on Thursday voted 61-38 to defeat a motion that would have gutted $200 million in annual airfare subsidies to rural and hard-to-reach places across the country, particularly Alaska.
Lynn wants hold on election legislation
An Anchorage lawmaker wants to wait until a state review of the 2010 election is complete before advancing legislation that would change election law.
Alaska must accept 'new reality' on earmarks, Parnell says
Gov. Sean Parnell says the state must accept "the new reality" and deal with a federal earmark ban.
RURAL BLOG
Federal subsidies for rural Alaska flights take heat in D.C.
A federal program that sends millions of dollars annually to Alaska air carriers to subsidize flights to remote communities is under fire in the U.S. Senate.
Alaska senators decry call for earmark moratorium
Both of Alaska's senators said Tuesday they were disappointed the top Senate appropriator was calling for a moratorium on earmarking, the practice that has directed billions of dollars in federal spending to Alaska.
Murkowski retains post as ranking Senate committee member
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has retained her spot as ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She resigned her leadership post within the Republican conference when she began a write-in re-election campaign last year.
Murkowski funds raised nearly $74,000 in last part of 2010
A campaign aide says U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski raised nearly $61,000 for her legal defense fund in the final five weeks of last year.
ALASKA POLITICS BLOG
Murkowski: 'Why not start with a symbolic gesture' toward civility
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who was among the first senators to call for bipartisan seating at tonight's State of the Union address, acknowledged that the move might be little more than a nod to civility at a time of rancorous political discourse. But even if it's mere symbolism, she said, "why not start with a symbolic gesture?"
Murkowski and Begich urge lawmakers to mix during address
Alaska's two U.S. senators have joined the call for members of both houses of Congress to mingle during the president's Jan. 25 State of the Union speech.
ALASKA POLITICS BLOG
Murkowski, Begich join call for State of Union bipartisanship
Alaska's two U.S. senators have joined the call for members of both houses of Congress to mingle during the president's Jan. 25 State of the Union speech.
Murkowski welcomed back to US Senate
After losing her Republican primary, winning an unprecedented write-in campaign and then surviving weeks of legal challenges, Sen. Lisa Murkowski was sworn in Wednesday to her second full term in the U.S. Senate.
ALASKA POLITICS BLOG
Murkowski sworn in for second full term in US Senate
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who came back from an Alaska Republican primary loss to win the general election with a write-in campaign, was sworn in today after being escorted to the ceremony by her father.
Murkowski certified Senate election winner
Sen. Lisa Murkowski was officially named the winner of Alaska's U.S. Senate race Thursday after a period of legal fights and limbo that lasted longer than the write-in campaign she waged to keep her job.
Alaska lawmaker thinks election law should be reviewed
Alaska's Legislature should consider changing election law to make clear that voter intent is what matters in counting write-in ballots, a state lawmaker said Wednesday.
2010 U.S. SENATE ELECTION
Miller keeps an eye on his future in politics
Joe Miller is renewing his election challenge in federal court, saying that even if he can't beat Sen. Lisa Murkowski, he'll be a more viable political figure if her lead is reduced.
BLOG
The Frontier Scientists blog is for travelers, teachers, students, aspiring scientists, and anyone interested in scientific discovery in the Alaskan arctic.
SECTION
A string of deaths in the homeless community over the last year has given new exposure to a long-standing issue in Anchorage.
SECTION
The controversial massive dock replacement project at the Port of Anchorage has seen its progress stalled and its price tag soar.
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