Murkowski Morning Meeting For Wednesday, February 25, 2015

What DC is Reading

• USA Today Editorial: Override Keystone Pipeline Veto
• Washington Post: Kerry Says Major Decisions Coming On Iran, Ukraine And Islamic State
• The Hill: Washington Health Care Exchange Overcharges 13,000 People

U.S. Senate Events

JBER, Model for Joint Basing

Alaskan Impact: Alaska is the only place in America that can launch planes and reach anywhere in the northern hemisphere in 9 hours, proving that our state is the most strategic military location in the world. The Administration has recognized this as well—recently allocating $37 million in this year’s budget proposal to build an F-35 flight simulator at Eielson Air Force Base. As the U.S. Army considers troop reductions in Alaska, Senator Murkowski questioned top Air Force officials about how Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is performing as an efficient, productive partnership between the Army and Air Force.

6:30a.m. AKST

Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing

Topic: Defense Subcommittee Hearing on the FY2016 funding request and budget justification for the U.S. Air Force.

Witnesses:

• Deborah Lee James, Secretary, U.S. Air Force
• General Mark Welsh III, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force

(Click image to watch video.)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski: Can you give me your impression of the value of JBER and joint basing?

(Click image to watch video.)

Sen. Murkowski: What’s the timetable of the commencement of the F-35s at Eielson?

Expanding and Improving Rural Health Care

Alaskan Impact: Senator Murkowski last month introduced a bill to transfer federal land in Bethel to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, to construct a new hospital for the area and make improvements on the clinic currently there. With the YKHC having won an Indian Health Service Venture Award, this bill would open the door to funding certainty and getting construction underway. Today the Indian Affairs Committee will debate and vote on this legislation.

10:30a.m. AKST

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Hearing

Topic: S.230, to provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation located in Bethel, Alaska.

Witnesses:

• Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
• Yvette Roubideaux, Senior Advisor, Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.

Obama’s Immigration Action: Constitutional?

U.S. House Events

Alaskan Impact: Alaskans are sick of executive overreach – highlighted in yesterday’s hearing with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. Another troubling example is President Obama announced he is using executive action to change immigration enforcement, a move that he himself referred to as unlawful 22 separate times. Today the House Judiciary Committee spoke with legal experts on whether or not this type of unilateral action is constitutional.

6:15a.m. AKST

House Judiciary Committee Hearing

Topic: “The Unconstitutionality of Obama’s Executive Actions on Immigration.”

Witnesses:

• Adam Laxalt, Attorney General of Nevada
• Josh Blackman, Assistant Professor of Law, South Texas College of Law
• Elizabeth Price Foley, Professor, Florida International University College of Law
• Steve Legomsky, Professor, Washington University Law School

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.