Murkowski Morning Meeting For Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Note to readers: If you’re anything like us, you’re a bit groggy after last night and this morning’s dramatic duel in the final stretch of the Iditarod. Senator Murkowski and the entire MMM team want to say ‘Congrats, Dallas Seavey’ for winning your 2^nd Iditarod in three years! (And way to go to Aliy, too – what a finale!) Now go get some rest; we definitely plan to.

As always, the Murkowski Morning Meeting is a team effort to make sure Alaskans are fully plugged into what’s going on in Congress. If you have any suggestions or want to subscribe to receive this daily, drop us an e-mail at
MMM@Murkowski.Senate.gov.

What DC is Reading

• Washington Examiner: Union: Health Care Reform Worsening Income Inequality
• Washington Post: Democrats Global Warming Filibuster Nothing But Hot Air
• Roll Call: Senator: CIA Spied on Intelligence Committee
• Wall Street Journal: Energy Exports Could Undermine Russian Influence (Paywall)

U.S. Senate Events

Protecting Privacy and Americans

Alaskan Impact: With the collection of mass data from personal cellular devices, Alaskans are growing concerned about their privacy. Recently, the National Security Agency has done little to assuage Alaskan’s fears. Here in Alaska, lawmakers have been working on ways to prevent the warrantless spying on both the state and federal level. Senator Murkowski has been wary for the last decade of government surveillance, and today’s hearing focused on the nomination of the next N.S.A. Chief of Central Security Services.

5:30 am AKDT Senate Armed Services Committee – Hearing

Topic “The nominations of Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the U.S. Transportation Command; and Navy Vice Adm. Michael Rogers to be admiral and director of the National Security Agency, chief of Central Security Services and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.

Watch the hearing here: armed-services.senate.gov

(Click to watch)
VADM Rogers tells Sen. King (I-ME) how he plans to run NSA and U.S. Cyber Command

(Click to watch)
Sen. Lee (R-UT): How will you protect Americans’ privacy rights? What promises can you make?

Grass Roots Health Care Improvements

Alaskan Impact: The recent roll out of the Healthcare law has left many Alaskans feeling lost and confused by the broken promises and high costs of healthcare. But there are unique and original approaches to health care that cut costs and improve well-being without changing healthcare laws. We can always learn more ways to evolve by looking at other countries to see what can be done with this tricky law.

6:00 am AKDT

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Hearing

Topic: “Access and Cost: What the U.S. Health Care System Can Learn from Other Countries.”

Witnesses:

• Tsung-Mei Cheng, health policy research analyst at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Health, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
• Ching-Chuan Yeh, former minister of health for Taiwan, and professor in the School of Public Health in Tzu-Chi University’s College of Medicine
• Hualien City, Taiwan; Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, San Francisco, Calif
• Danielle Martin, vice president of medical affairs and health system solutions at the Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, Canada;

Watch the Hearing here: help.senate.gov