Press Releases
Alaska Delegation Introduces Stand-Alone King Cove Legislation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, and U.S. Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, this week introduced identical bills in both chambers of Congress to facilitate a life-saving road for the isolated community of King Cove, Alaska. Without the road, local residents continue to be at the mercy of high winds, dense fog, and strong storms that prevent safe and timely transportation during medical emergencies. "It has now been more than 30 months since Sec. Jewell callously … Continue Reading
07.14.16
Sullivan Cosponsors Countering Iranian Threats Act
WASHINGTON, DC - One year to the day since President Obama's Iran nuclear deal was announced, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) joined U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) as an original cosponsor of the Countering Iranian Threats Act of 2016. This legislation would extend the Iran Sanctions Act; expand sanctions for ballistic missile development, support for terrorism, and other illicit Iranian activities; sanction transfer… Continue Reading
07.13.16
Bill to Combat Opioid Epidemic Headed to President
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today lauded the Senate's passage of the conference report on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), legislation to combat the opioid epidemic across the nation, including Alaska. CARA overwhelmingly passed the Senate on a vote of 92-2 and last week passed the House 407-5. "After months of gridlock, senators today came together to pass a comprehensive package to combat the opioid and heroin addiction crisis," said Senator Dan Sul… Continue Reading
07.13.16
Sullivan Supports FAA Reauthorization Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, today supported the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through September 2017. The legislation contains several key provisions secured by Senator Sullivan that are important to Alaska. "With more than 100 communities in our state wholly reliant on aviation to get in or out - including regional centers like Bethel, Nome and Kotzebue - today's reau… Continue Reading
07.12.16
Senators Decry Democratic Filibuster of Critical Troop Funding
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today joined in a colloquy on the Senate floor to speak about the Democratic filibuster of the FY 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill. The funding bill came out of the Senate Committee on Appropriations with the unanimous support of Democrat and Republican members. However, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said that his members are blocking critical funding for our troops so that his party… Continue Reading
07.12.16
Sullivan Keynotes South China Sea Policy Conference
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) delivered the keynote address at the Center for Strategic and International Study's (CSIS) 6th Annual South China Sea Conference today, where he highlighted the need for the U.S. to strengthen economic ties and military partnerships with its regional partners and to regularly navigate the disputed areas of the South China Sea to preserve the freedom of navigation in international waters. "Freedom of the seas is a bedrock commitment ingrained into the… Continue Reading
07.12.16
Statement by Senators McCain and Sullivan on South China Sea Arbitration Award
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), released the following statement on the Permanent Court of Arbitration's award in the case of Philippines v. China concerning the South China Sea: "We welcome today's award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the case of The Republic of the Philippines v. The People's Republic of China, and view it as binding on all parties involved. "Today's completion of … Continue Reading
07.08.16
Sullivan Comments on Interior’s Final Regulations for Drilling in the Arctic OCS
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of the Interior's final regulations for drilling in the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS): "While I am still reviewing the specifics of this regulation, it is important to remember this alarming statistic: it took Shell 7 years and more than $7 billion to drill one exploratory well in less than 100 feet of water in the Arctic. This was a direct result of an overly burdensome regul… Continue Reading
06.30.16
Missile Defense Agency Moves Forward on Missile Defense Tests in Kodiak
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the Alaska Congressional Delegation praised the announcement by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) that it has awarded a sole source contract to the Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) to support two flight tests of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Systems (THAAD) at the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska on Kodiak, Alaska. The contract, which could total up to $80.4 million, will support MDA's flight test requirements for the 3rd Quarter of Fiscal Year 2017 and will inc… Continue Reading
06.29.16
Senators Pass Bill out of Committee to Give Fishermen Voice in Grant Process, Boost U.S. Seafood
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, S. 3087, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), passed unanimously out of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The Saltonstall Kennedy (SK) Act, enacted in 1954, provides funding for fisheries research and development. These funds are derived from a portion of fishery import duties. To inform how these funds are allocated, Congress authorized a gr… Continue Reading
06.29.16
Sullivan, Cantwell, Murkowski Applaud Committee Passage of Alternate Safety Compliance Program Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, S. 3088, legislation to provide increased fishing industry consultation and to ease the deadline for compliance with the pending Coast Guard Alternate Safety Compliance Program, introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), passed unanimously out of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The 2010 and 2012 Coast Guard Authorization bills imposed a number of new safety requirements on fishing vessels. On… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Top Air Force General Commits to Looking at Alaska for Future KC-46 Basing, Says “Alaska is Strategic”
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today received the commitment of General David Goldfein, nominee to be chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, to travel to Alaska in his first year, should he be confirmed, and to look seriously at basing the KC-46 fuel tanker in Alaska in the upcoming Air Force decision. The exchange took place in a confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "With the Air Force's recent decision to base two squadrons of F-35As at Eielson, placi… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Sullivan Convenes Polar Bear Summit to Resolve Concerns over Subsistence Quota
WASHINGTON, DC - Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) convened a summit between Alaskans from the North Slope and representatives with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the State Department regarding a dispute over the number of Chukchi Sea polar bears that may be harvested for subsistence purposes. The harvest of the bears is subject to a treaty between the U.S. and Russia. "Alaskans on the North Slope are very concerned about the real threat of criminal penalties for doing what their communi… Continue Reading
06.15.16
Cantwell, Sullivan Introduce Bill to Bolster Marine Mammal Rescue and Response
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 2016, a bill that would strengthen the government's efforts to protect and preserve marine mammals such as orcas, seals, sea lions, and sea otters. The Act would reauthorize and expand the NOAA John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Grant Program, the primary funding source for organizations that rescue and rehabilitate sick or injured marine mammals. … Continue Reading
06.14.16
Sullivan Fights for Arctic and Alaska Defense Priorities
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the United States Senate, with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan's (R-AK) support, passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017 by a vote of 85-13. This bill authorizes $602 billion in critical defense spending and includes numerous Arctic and Alaska priorities. "As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I know that our military depends on the annual defense authorization to ensure that our fighting men and women have everything they need to… Continue Reading
06.13.16
Delegation Comments on Alaska Changes Within VA Choice Program
WASHINGTON, DC - The Department of Veterans Affairs has informed Alaska's congressional delegation that as of July 10, 2016, the scheduling for Choice Act medical appointments in Alaska will revert back to being handled by local VA integrated care personnel, instead of its current practice of outsourcing scheduling requests to contractor-operated call centers in the Lower 48. The delegation has been demanding this change after hearing from numerous Alaska veterans who have been ill-served by the… Continue Reading
06.12.16
Sullivan Statement on Orlando Shooting
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement in response to the tragic shooting in Orlando, Florida: "I join with my fellow Alaskans and the country in mourning the horrific acts of violence and terrorism in Florida. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and to the state of Florida. The killer, regardless of official ties to ISIS or any other extreme Islamic terrorist organization, shared their goal of destroying everything that binds us … Continue Reading
06.08.16
Sullivan, Ernst, Gardner Conclude Productive CODEL to East Asia
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) returned this week from a congressional delegation trip to South Korea, Burma, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan focused on critical issues underpinning U.S. relations in the region, including strengthening our security ties, growing trade opportunities to bolster American exports, and promoting homegrown American energy. "Our visit reinforced that America has a wealth of allies, especially in Asia, and th… Continue Reading
06.08.16
Sullivan Applauds Indian Prime Minister Modi’s Address to Congress
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today after attending Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's joint address to Congress: "I want to extend my deep respect and thank Prime Minister Modi for his remarks to Congress today. His visit reflects both the continuation of the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries, as well as an era of new partnerships on many fronts. "U.S.-India economic ties have expanded for the last several decades. … Continue Reading
05.29.16
Senator Sullivan Releases Special Memorial Day Message
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following video message in observance of Memorial Day. "Memorial Day holds a special significance to those of us who wear the uniform and to the families and communities who sustain us. On this day we not only honor the fallen but take time to remember those who are still missing. "Words cannot express and monuments cannot console the heartfelt loss we feel. "But we have a solemn obligation to mark this day in honor of the… Continue Reading