Murkowski Morning Meeting For Wednesday, May 13, 2015

What DC is Reading

• New York Times: An Opening for Arctic Oil
• Washington Post: Hillary Clinton, AWOL
• USA Today: U.S., China to Face Off in South China Sea

U.S. Senate Events

Alaskans “Feeling Burned” by BLM

Alaskan Impact: Nearly a quarter of all BLM-managed lands are in Alaska, and these lands (including the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska) are important economic drivers – as well as areas set aside for recreation and conservation. Responsible development of our nation’s energy resources is a big part of the BLM’s mission – but Senator Murkowski is concerned that its inefficient regulatory structure and royalty hikes and land withdrawals are stifling development in Alaska. Today, Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Murkowski questioned the BLM about how their agenda is adversely impacting Alaska.

6:00a.m. AKST

Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing

Topic: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Hearing on Proposed Budget Estimates for FY2016 for the Bureau of Land Management.

Witness:

• Neil Kornze, Director, Bureau of Land Management

(Click image to view excerpt)
Murkowski: Regulatory burdens and permitting delays hurting Alaska’s energy prospects.

(Click image to view excerpt)
Murkowski: I know I sound apocalyptic, but …. Alaskans are feeling burned by the federal land withdrawals taking away development opportunities.

Teaching Alaska Native Children Effectively

Alaskan Impact: The challenges facing education in rural Alaska are numerous—from preserving Native languages to incorporating cultural traditions into the curriculum. In last month’s markup of the Every Child Achieves Act, Senator Murkowski made sure to include provisions requiring the federal government to consult with tribal authorities as they develop education policies. Today the Senate Indian Affairs Committee evaluated the challenges facing students throughout rural America.

2:30 pm

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Hearing

Topic: “Bureau of Indian Education: Examining Organizational Challenges in Transforming Educational Opportunities for Indian Children”

Witnesses:

• Dr. Charles “Monty” Roessel, Director, Bureau of Indian Education
• Melissa Emrey-Arras, Director of Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, U.S Government Accountability Office
• Honorable Carri Jones, Chairwoman, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake, MN
• Tommy Lewis, Superintendent of Schools, Department of Dine Education, Window Rock, AZ

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.

U.S. House Events

Safety in the Skies

Alaskan Impact: Ted Stevens International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the nation—among the top 5 in the world in terms of cargo throughput. With so many passengers and cargo moving through Alaska’s skies, Senator Murkowski wants to ensure that the airports these plans are arriving to and leaving from are as safe as possible. Today the House Oversight Committee reviewed how to best ensure the security in our nation’s airports.

6:00a.m. AKST

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Hearing

Topic: “Transportation Security: Are Our Airports Safe?”

Witnesses:

• John Roth, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Jennifer Grover, Acting Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office
• Rafi Ron, President & CEO, New Age Security Solutions

Watch the entire hearing by clicking here.