Murkowski Morning Meeting For Tuesday, February 4, 2014

What DC is Reading

• Washington Post – Rural Americans Finding Health Care Law Unaffordable
• New York Times – Afghan President in Secret Talks With Taliban
• Wall Street Journal – No Environmental Concerns, No More Keystone Pipeline Excuses (Paywall)

U.S. Senate Events

Alaska Should Not Be “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” for Administration

Alaskan Impact: Over 70 percent of the National Wildlife Refuge System and two-thirds of the National Park System is located in Alaska. Rhea Suh has been nominated to be assistant Interior secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, which would put her in charge of many fish, wildlife, and national parks issues that affect the lives of Alaskans on a daily basis. Today, Senator Murkowski – as top Republican on the Committee – revisited the ‘heartless’ Interior decision two days before Christmas rejecting the King Cove emergency access road.

6:00 am AKDT

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing
Topic: “Rhea Suh nomination to be Ass’t Interior secretary for fish and wildlife and parks”

(Click image for video excerpt)
Murkowski: I told the Secretary and I will tell you ‘this wouldn’t happen anywhere else’
Watch the hearing here: energy.senate.gov

Health vs Politics

Alaskan Impact: Alaska has unique rural health challenges that many outside of these rural areas never see. The Surgeon General is supposed to be an independent medical advisory to the President with an eye on the wide range of health care needs we face, but some concerns have been raised that the nominee – who ran an organization supporting the President’s health care bill – has too much of a bias, and that he is a stranger to rural concerns. Today he appears before a Senate Committee.

6:30 am AKDT

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Hearing
Topic: “Nomination of Vivek Murthy to be U.S. surgeon general.”

Watch the Senate hearing here: help.senate.gov

U.S. House Events

Alaskan Impact: The Coast Guard protects hundreds of thousands of square nautical miles around Alaska, including search and rescue efforts, fishery enforcement, and protecting America’s interests in the Arctic. With the use of Coast Guard icebreakers in missions around the world, the Coast Guard is important to the security of America’s borders. Admiral Robert Papp, who is testifying, is a friend of Alaska and has a unique perspective on the Coast Guard’s future.

6:00 am AKDT

House Homeland Security Committee Hearing
Topic: “The Future of the Homeland Security Missions of the Coast Guard.”

Witness:

• Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Watch the hearing here: homeland.house.gov