Murkowski Morning Meeting For Tuesday, August 4, 2015

What DC is Reading

• Washington Post: Lifting Crude Oil Export Ban Would Be A Boon to U.S. Economy
• New York Times: Revenge of the Ideologues: Killing the Export-Import Bank
• Wall Street Journal: Murkowski Op-Ed – The U.S. Digs Itself Into a Hole on Vital Minerals

U.S. Senate Events

Verify First, Then Trust

Alaskan Impact: An advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader recently said that the UN is forbidden from entering Iran’s military sites—in direct contradiction to the Administration’s assurances that inspections can be conducted “anytime, anywhere.” Senator Murkowski continues to have more questions than answers on the Iran deal, in particular the side deals that were permitted between Iran and the IAEA, and remains skeptical of the soundness of the verification process. Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing to discuss the feasibility of the Iran nuclear agreement’s verification provisions.

6:00a.m. AKDT

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing

Topic: “JCPOA: Non-Proliferation, Inspections, and Nuclear Constraints.”

Witnesses:

• David Albright, Founder and President, Institute for Science and International Security
• Ambassador Robert G. Joseph, Senior Scholar, National Institute for Public Policy
• Dr. Gary Samore, Executive Director for Research, Harvard University, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

(Click image to watch video.)

Sen. James Risch (R-ID): “What I’m scared to death of is down the road…out falls the language of the secret agreement and they say you really screwed up…you trusted us!”

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.

EPA Overreach

Alaskan Impact: Alaska is one of 18 states in a lawsuit against the EPA over the agency’s “Waters of the U.S.” rule—one of the largest federal land grabs ever. Senator Murkowski recently included a provision in the Interior Appropriations bill to block the EPA from using federal funds to implement this burdensome and overreaching regulation. Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee convened a hearing to review pending legislation against the EPA.

5:30a.m. AKDT

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing

Topic: “Oversight of Litigation at EPA and FWS: Impacts on the U.S. Economy, States, Local Communities and the Environment.”

Witnesses:

• Jose Alfredo Gomez, Director of Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office
• Dallas Baker, Air Director and Chief of Air Division, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
• Kathleen Sgamma, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs, Western Energy Alliance
• Andrew Grossman, Associate, BakerHostetler
• Justin Pidot, Associate Professor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.

U.S. House of Representatives Events

The House of Representatives is in the August state work period.