Murkowski Visits Kodiak

Jay Barrett/KMXT

Alaska’s junior senator, Lisa Murkowski was in Kodiak over the weekend. She visited the Coast Guard base to praise those involved in the Alaska Ranger rescue earlier this year, and held a community meeting at Fishermen’s Hall. She also dropped by the KMXT studio to chat with Jay Barrett.

Murkowski pins a medal to the chest of rescue swimmer Obrien Hollow, at a ceremony on base Saturday. (USCG Kurt Fredrickson photo)

Senator Lisa Murkowski isn’t – like the rest of Alaska’s congressional delegation – on the campaign trail this year, but she’s been through a handful of Alaska cities and towns during the Memorial Day break. And despite the rain, she did make it into Kodiak on Saturday.

— (Lisa 1 39 sec “… and just to say ‘thank you.’”)

Back in D.C. this year Murkowski pushed unsuccessfully to have a tax break bill for plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill lawsuit included in the recently passed farm bill. But, she says she’s not giving up, and with a Supreme Court ruling expected this month, the issue is timelier than ever.

— (Lisa 2 25 sec “… unless and until there are no other options.”)

Despite the fact that all three remaining presidential hopefuls are against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Murkowski thinks she can make the case that drilling there is vital to national security:

— (Lisa 3 36 sec “…him to look at it, this is a national security issue.”)

Murkowski said she hopes the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which is meeting here this week, will hear from fishermen over the way they and the town were affected by crab rationalization:

— (Lisa 4 28 sec “… way the plan was written, was a healthy one.”)

She added that the sign of a good governing body, like the council, is when it is able to critically re-examine its past decisions in light of new information, and make the adjustments needed to benefit the largest amount of people.

I’m Jay Barrett.

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