Press Releases
Currently showing results in the 114th Congress
Sullivan Comments on Statoil’s Withdrawal from Alaska
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) issued the following statement in response to the news that Statoil is closing its Alaska office and pulling out of the state. "This is extremely bad news for our state. When I was Alaska's Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, I remember the excitement surrounding the opening of Statoil's office in Anchorage, just as I remember the excitement surrounding Shell's Arctic drilling program. At that time, I don't think that most Alaska… Continue Reading
11.12.15
Senate OKs Sullivan bill to promote free lawyers for domestic violence, sexual assault victims
by Casey Grove
FAIRBANKS-The U.S. Senate passed a bill Wednesday introduced by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan that would encourage lawyers to provide free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. It is Sullivan's first standalone bill to pass the Senate. If signed into law, the Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act would require U.S. attorneys in all 94 judicial districts across the country to hold at least one event every year promoting pro bono legal work on domestic viole… Continue Reading
11.12.15
Senate Passes Sullivan, Heitkamp Bill to Combat Domestic Violence
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) today applauded the Senate's unanimous passage of their bipartisan bill which they recently introduced, to help combat domestic abuse and sexual violence. The Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent (POWER) Act mandates that each year, the United States Attorney in each judicial district across the country work with domestic violence service providers or coalitions and an area volunteer lawyer project to hold at least o… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Sen. Sullivan Lays Wreath at Marine Corps Memorial on 240th Anniversary
Washington, DC - Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, today issued the following statement in recognition of the Corps' 240th Birthday. "Today I was honored to lay the wreath at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington alongside Commandant General Robert Neller and many of my fellow Marines and their families," said Sen. Dan Sullivan. "The title of Marine is my proudest achievement. It always has been and always will be. The Marine Corps symbolize… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Sullivan Supports Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Today U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) voted in support of H.R. 2029, The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. The bipartisan funding package, which passed the U.S. Senate unanimously, funds military construction projects across the nation, including facilities that support active duty military members and their families. This bill also funds the health care and benefits services and programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). "Th… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Sullivan Applauds Passage of NDAA after “Months of Partisan Politics”
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) joined 90 of his Senate colleagues in passing S. 1356, the latest version of FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Act contains all of the major policy provisions passed by the House and Senate earlier this year, but makes minor adjustments to reflect new budget levels established by the Bipartisan Budget Deal of 2015. "Today, after months of partisan politics from the White House and Senate Democrats, even to the point of… Continue Reading
11.06.15
Senator Sullivan on President Obama’s Rejection of Keystone: “Poster-child for what’s wrong with America”
ANCHORAGE, AK - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan released the following statement after President Obama rejected the cross-border permit for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline project: "President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline is the poster-child for what's wrong with America. We simply don't build things anymore. Instead of building symbols of technological wonder, national pride, and American ingenuity, we hear story after story of delay, discord, and disappointment, all of… Continue Reading
11.04.15
Sullivan Applauds Passage of Bill to Overturn Harmful WOTUS Rule
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today after the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. "Today, on behalf of the American people, the U.S. Senate sent a strong message to the Obama Administration that this kind of federal-agency overreach will not be tolerated," said Senator Sullivan. "The WOTUS rule is a prime example of this Administration's persisten… Continue Reading
10.30.15
Sullivan to Obama Administration: Where is Your Plan to Lift Anemic Economic Growth Rate?
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement after yesterday's announcement by the Commerce Department that the U.S. economy limped along at only 1.5 percent GDP growth last quarter: "It's remarkable that quarter after quarter, year after year, the Obama Administration seems to be satisfied with such tepid economic growth, which clearly undermines the future of our country and makes addressing challenges like the deficit and exploding debt all the more diff… Continue Reading
10.30.15
Sullivan Votes Against Debt Limit Deal
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, legislation to suspend the federal debt limit until March 2017: "I voted against this bill for a number of reasons. It spends too much on growing federal agencies like the EPA, IRS and the Department of the Interior, and spends too little on our nation's defense and the brave young men and women who serve in our military. It also does nothing to… Continue Reading
10.27.15
NEW YORK TIMES: White House Moves to Reassure Allies With South China Sea Patrol, but Quietly
by Helene Cooper and Jane Perlez
WASHINGTON - For months, lawmakers and national security hawks have urged President Obama to stand up to China's land reclamation of disputed islands in the South China Sea. But now that the Obama administration finally has, the White House does not want to talk about it. In sending a guided missile destroyer late Monday into waters China considers its territory, the Obama administration sought to exercise what officials called the right to freedom of navigation in international waters. The m… Continue Reading
10.22.15
Senate Passes Legislation to Combat Pirate Fishing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate last night unanimously passed the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015. In May, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced legislation to combat the multi-billion dollar threat posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. The legislation is the House companion to the Senate bill, which passed the House of Representatives in July. The bill now heads to the President… Continue Reading
10.21.15
Alaska Delegation Continues to Promote Strategic Buildup of Interior Alaska
WASHINGTON, DC - The Alaska Congressional Delegation today welcomed news from the Missile Defense Agency that they have awarded a $784,289,883 contract to Lockheed Martin to build the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR). The contract specifies that the work is to be done at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska as well as Lockheed Martin's facility in New Jersey. The LRDR is a critical MDA project which will substantially improve our nation's Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) capabilities. The L… Continue Reading
10.14.15
Sullivan Testifies In Support of Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) recently testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining in support of S. 1955, the Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act. The legislation, introduced by Senator Sullivan and co-sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski, would allow approximately 2,800 Alaska Natives who served in Vietnam, and missed an earlier opportunity because of that service, to apply for their government-promi… Continue Reading
10.09.15
Bipartisan Tsunami Bill Unanimously Passes Senate, Strengthens Coastal Disaster Preparedness
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) announced their tsunami detection and warning systems legislation unanimously passed the Senate. The bill reauthorizes and enhances tsunami preparedness and increases investment in research to protect coastal communities. The Tsunami Warning, Education and Research Act of 2015 would strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) tsunami warning system and advance new res… Continue Reading
10.09.15
Sullivan Statement on Nationwide Stay of EPA’s WOTUS Rule
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works' Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, released the following statement regarding the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to issue a nationwide stay on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) flawed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule: "I'm grateful that the court has halted this over-reaching jurisdictional expansion - known as the Waters of the U.S. r… Continue Reading
10.07.15
Sullivan Applauds Senate Passage of NDAA Conference Report
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the U.S. Senate passed the conference report for the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, successfully included an amendment in the final NDAA Conference Report that aims to respond to the plan to downsize the 4-25 Airborne Brigade Combat Team currently stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, AK. As Russia militarizes the Arctic Region, Sen. Sullivan's amend… Continue Reading
10.07.15
VA Announces Pilot Program to Help Fix Alaska’s Broken VA Health Care System
WASHINGTON, DC - At a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on pending health care and benefits legislation, Dr. Thomas Lynch, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health Clinical Operations, announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be creating a new pilot program in Alaska to address the failed implementation of the Veterans Choice Program in the state. The announcement of an Alaska VA pilot program follows a Veterans' Affairs Committee field hearing held by Senator Sull… Continue Reading
09.28.15
Sullivan Reacts to Shell Arctic OCS Announcement
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today after Shell's announcement that it is abandoning its Arctic drilling program, citing high costs and the "challenging and unpredictable federal regulatory environment." Senator Sullivan said: "Shell's announcement is being cheered by environmental groups, but it's a very sad day for Alaska and for working Alaskans and Americans across the country. From the beginning, through unprecedented regulatory hurdles … Continue Reading
09.18.15
Senator Continues to Drive Timeline On Fixing Alaska’s Broken VA System
WASHINGTON, DC - At a recent Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, committee member Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) continued to press the Veterans Administration (VA) on the importance of immediately fixing the implementation of the Choice Act, which has resulted in a broken VA healthcare program in Alaska. At the hearing, Thomas Lynch, the VA's assistant deputy under-secretary for Health Clinical Operations, gave assurances that the VA was working to fix the problems and committed to moving up the … Continue Reading