Murkowski Morning Meeting For Wednesday, June 4, 2014

What DC is Reading

· Los Angeles Times: Obama: Ignoring Congress Was “Oversight” with Bergdahl Deal

· Congressional Quarterly: Health Care Law Likely Adding to National Debt

· Washington Post: VA Considering Cleveland Clinic CEO as Next Head

U.S. Senate Events:

Protecting our Port

Alaskan Impact: Though there are some cities considered ‘port cities’ in the Lower 48, the Port of Anchorage handles between 85 to 90 percent of our state’s goods and fuel. Port security in the state’s largest city is a priority of the U.S. Coast Guard, which held exercises to make sure its operations were airtight in April. Every entry point into the United States is a potential target to enemies of the country, today the Senate Homeland Security Committee examined what is being done to keep our ports safe.

6:30am AKDT

Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee

Topic: “Port Security in the United States”

Witnesses:

• Ellen McClain, Deputy Assistant Homeland Security Secretary for Transborder Policy;
• Rear Admiral Paul Thomas, Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy;
• Customs and Border Protection Acting Deputy Commissioner Kevin McAleenan;
• Stephen Sadler, Assistant Administrator for Intelligence and Analysis at the Transportation Security Administration.

(Click to watch)
Rear Admiral Paul Thomas: Guarding America’s ports includes monitoring foreign ports.

To watch the recording of the hearing, click here.

Veterans, Our Next Entrepreneurs

Alaskan Impact: With the highest concentration of veterans in the nation, Alaskans know the same qualities that make a great soldier frequently make a good businessman: hard work, strong strategic thinking and the ability to set long-term goals. This is one of the reasons that Senator Murkowski co-sponsored the Veteran Entrepreneurship and Training (VET) Opportunities Act of 2014 last month in order to empower our men and women coming back from combat by transitioning their battle skills into the business sector. Today the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee considered the legislation.

11:00am AKDT

Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Topic: “From Military Service to Small Business Owner: Supporting America’s Veteran Entrepreneurs”

Witnesses:

• Rhett Jeppson, Small Business Administration Office of Veteran’s Business Development;
• Julianna Duso, Program Director of the SBA Region X Veterans Business Outreach Center;
• Trena Payton, President of ABN Technologies, Lacey, Wash;
• Gary Multanen, CEO of Best Bath Systems, Inc., Caldwell, Idaho.

To watch the hearing LIVE, click here.