Murkowski Morning Meeting, 2/16/2012 -- Alaska's Natural Gas Market

Thursday, February 16, 2012

U.S. Senate Events 

Is Alaska’s Natural Gas Looked at Differently?

Alaskan Impact: Hydropower and Natural Gas – two key Alaskan concerns were discussed today in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu discussed the President’s 2013 budget – which showed a 66% cut in hydropower funding and answered Senator Murkowski’s question about whether Alaska should consider Asia or the U.S. its future market for natural gas.

5:30am AKST

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing

Topic: “Energy Department Priorities”

Testimony from:

• Energy Secretary Steven Chu

Murkowski: “Are we leaving hydropower behind?”         “How do you view Alaska’s natural gas?”

Watch the entire hearing online: http://1.usa.gov/zwT05j

House of Representatives Events

Combat Generation: Supporting Alaska’s Veterans

Alaskan Impact: Our veterans face new difficulties when they return: one in three ages 18-24 are jobless, 14% are likely to develop PTSD or mental illness, 39% face substance abuse, and hundreds in Alaska are homeless. Today, the House Appropriations Committee examined how to support veterans.

6:00am AKST

House Appropriations Committee Hearing

Topic: “Quality of Life in the Military”

Testimony from:

• Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy
• Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III
• Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett

Watch the entire hearing online: http://1.usa.gov/ySpedE

On the Senate Floor –

Alaska’s Infrastructure Needs Threatened

Yesterday, Senator Murkowski filed a number of amendments to the highway bill being debated – including one that would protect Alaska’s rural roads from a formula change that would divert the current existing pool of money for Alaska’s Indian Reservation Roads to larger populations in the Lower 48 – and then took to the Senate floor to educate her colleagues about Alaska’s infrastructure reality.  

Clip One: “Not Acceptable”           Clip Two: “This is everything”        Clip Three: “Restore Some Parity”