Murkowski Morning Meeting for Tuesday, June 18, 2013

U.S. Senate Events

Denali/McKinley, Legacy Wells and Sealaska Move Out of Energy Committee

Alaskan Impact: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a markup today, discussing three measures that impact Alaska. The Sealaska Lands bill will finalize the transfer of land owed to the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian tribes under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. It will also help sustain the timber industry, while providing new conservation areas to protect salmon and wildlife habitat. Another measure taken up by the committee would return Mount McKinley to its Athabascan name, “Denali.” A third measure, the Helium Stewardship Act, would provide $50 million for the cleanup of federal government’s abandoned exploratory oil wells, including Alaska’s legacy wells. All three passed out of the committee, where Senator Murkowski serves as the top Republican.

6:00 am AKDT

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Business Meeting

Topic: Pending Energy and Lands Legislation

Watch the entire recorded hearing online: energy.senate.gov

(Click images to watch)

(Murkowski: “It is not ‘A Mountain,’ it is ‘The Mountain.’

(Click images to watch)

Sealaska Bill hopefully will end “decades of frustration.”)

U.S. House Events

“Eight is Not Enough” for TWIC Centers in Alaska

Alaskan Impact: With hundreds of miles and the Pacific Ocean separating Alaska from the rest of the nation and world, our state’s ports are critical. Port workers are required to get a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card from a designated enrollment center, but that process can be cumbersome for those outside of Alaska’s largest cities – previously requiring two costly trips. Senator Murkowski has been working to streamline the TWIC Card process for years, and pursued a number of common sense improvements with the Department of Homeland Security. Today, the House took a look at the future of the TWIC program.

6:00am AKDT

House Homeland Security Committee Hearing

Topic: Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee hearing on “Threat, Risk and Vulnerability: The Future of the TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) Program.”

Testimony from:

• Rear Adm. Joseph Servidio, Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
• Steve Sadler, Assistant Administrator in the Transportation Security Administration’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis
• Stephen Lord, Director of Forensic Audits and Investigative Services at the Government Accountability Office
• Retired Coast Guard Capt. Marcus Woodring, Managing Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environmental at the Port of Houston Authority

Watch the entire hearing online: homeland.house.gov

(Senator Murkowski on TWIC Centers– “Eight is not enough.” CLICK to watch, April 23, 2013)