Murkowski Morning Meeting For Thursday, May 8, 2014

Note to readers: Senator Lisa Murkowski took to the United States Senate floor this week to honor and remember the two fallen Alaska State Troopers who died in the line of duty in Tanana. If you missed her remarks, you can click here to watch them.

What DC is Reading

• Wall Street Journal: Some Democrats Targeting the IRS
• USA Today: National Women’s History Museum Gets Key House Vote
• Politico: Opposition to Tea Party on Rise

U.S. Senate Events

Alaskans Facing New “Financial Burdens” with Health Care Reform, Seeing “Chilling Effect” on First Responders

Alaskan Impact: Alaskans were incredibly frustrated by the Healthcare.gov website’s botched rollout – including site shutdowns at key time periods in the Alaska time zone and broken rate calculators – but now that reports suggest Alaskans are enrolling, a new truth is emerging: they’re paying much higher than previously for comparable coverage, many times more than double. Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski made the case that Alaskans still need better access to more affordable care.

5:30 am

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Hearing

Topic: “The Nomination of Sylvia Burwell to be Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department”

Witness:

• Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Secretary of Health and Humans Services-Designate

(click to view)

Senator Murkowski: We have not worked to reduce the cost of health care.

Watch full recording of hearing here: http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=31aea134-5056-a032-5285-b992eaf58cca

Strengthening Alaska’s Tourism Industry

Alaskan Impact: Thousands of Alaskans are already seeing the tourists begin to trickle in for the season, but many don’t realize that the visitor industry means $3.9 billion to Alaska and we had just shy of 2 million tourists last summer. Senator Murkowski recently co-sponsored the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act, to keep the momentum of this Alaskan economic driver moving forward through the public-private Brand USA partnership. Today the Brand USA leadership testified about efforts to make strategic improvements to bring more visitors to the United States.

6:00am AKDT

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Hearing

Topic: “The State of U.S. Travel and Tourism: Industry Efforts to Attract 100 Million Visitors Annually”

Witnesses:

• Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association;
• Christopher Thompson, President and CEO of Brand USA;
• Mike McCartney, President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority

A recording of the hearing can be seen by clicking: http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/