Murkowski Morning Meeting For Thursday, August 1, 2013

U.S. Senate Events

Following Alaska’s Territorial Lead

Alaskan Impact: Alaska’s decision to shift from a territory to a state was driven by Alaskans support. Puerto Rico in 2013 is having the same conversation about “what next?” The Commonwealth held a referendum last year where they asked if residents were happy with its territorial status. A majority said they were not, but a clear alternative was not selected among statehood, independence or free association. Today as Ranking Republican on the Energy Committee, Senator Murkowski shared her views on the issue as the only Senator to have been born in a territory.

(Click image to view)
Murkowski: The process for determining Puerto Rico’s political status should come from Puerto Rico – not Washington, DC.

Addressing Alaskan Military Needs

Alaskan Impact: Earlier this week, the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee – where Senator Murkowski serves – included a provision she requested in the FY2014 Defense Appropriations bill to block federal funding from the controversial proposal to move F-16s from Eielson Air Force to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Today the full Appropriations Committee took up and passed the measure, and also included a new provision suggested by Murkowski that directs the United States Army to review safety procedures surrounding exercises when a risk level for wildfires is present – as Alaskans are still trying to get to the bottom of the source of the Stuart Creek 2 Fire.

6:30am AKDT

Senate Appropriations Committee Markup
Topic: Full committee markup of the FY2014 Defense Appropriations Bill

Watch the entire meeting online: appropriations.senate.gov

Bringing Soldiers Home

Alaskan Impact: Yellow ribbons line the home town of Prisoner of War (POW) Bowe Bergdahl, who was stationed in Alaska when he was captured in Afghanistan. Bergdahl and many other American military members have been captured or are Missing in Action (MIA). Resolution for families of POW/MIA can take years, and some may never know what happened to their loved one. In July Sen. Murkowski’s staff helped unite the family of a pilot who went MIA during the Vietnam War with an Alaskan woman who had honored and remembered him for decades. Today the Senate examines the issue.

6:30am AKDT

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing

Topic: Financial and Contracting Oversight Subcommittee hearing on “Mismanagement of POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) Accounting.”

Testimony from:

• Maj. Gen. Kelly McKeague, Commander of Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
• Retired Maj. Gen. W. Montague Winfield, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for POW/Missing Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office
• John Goines, Chief of the U.S. Air Force’s Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory

Watch the meeting online: appropriations.senate.gov

U.S. House Events

Benghazi: No Answers, No Arrests

Alaskan Impact: Months after the deadly attack on the consulate in Benghazi that left four Americans dead, Alaskans remain outraged and many questions are left unanswered. Yesterday, House GOP members asked why no one responsible for the attack has been captured and asked the new FBI Director to report to them within a month about the progress of the investigation. Today, the House takes up security at American Embassies around the globe.

6:00am AKDT

House Foreign Affairs Committee Markup

Topic: Full committee markup of the “Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act, FY2014”; and H.R.419, the “Taiwan Policy Act of 2013.”

Watch the entire meeting online: foreignaffairs.house.gov