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© 2026 Govwatch

Lisa Murkowski

Lisa Murkowski

RRepublicanAK · Senator
71
/ 100
Above Average
Attendance98
Avg: 98
Independence71
Avg: 55
Bipartisan Tone10
Avg: 15
Ethics Record100
Avg: 100
Transparency66
Avg: 47

Accountability Score — composite of attendance, independence, bipartisan tone, ethics record & transparency.

Methodology
OverviewStatementsBillsFinanceVotesElections
52
Bills Sponsored
2
Enacted into Law
2
Passed a Chamber
39
In Committee

Bills That Became Law

S3802Mount Stevens and Ted Stevens Icefield Designation ActS1053A bill to amend the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to extend the termination date.

All Sponsored Bills

S4638In Committee

A bill to remove administrative barriers to participation of Indian tribes in Federal child welfare programs, and increase Federal funding for tribal child welfare programs, and for other purposes.

This bill would make it easier for Native American tribes to participate in federal child welfare programs by reducing bureaucratic obstacles and would increase federal funding available to tribes for their own child welfare services. The changes would help tribes better serve Native American children and families in their communities by giving tribes more control and resources over child welfare decisions that affect their members. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Finance Committee.

2026-05-21
S2098In Committee

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025

Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convey approximately 3.4 acres in Anchorage, Alaska, to the Southcentral Foundation (SCF) for use in connection with health and social services programs. The conveyance must be made by warranty deed. The conveyance may not (1) require any consideration (such as payment) from the SCF for the property; (2) impose any obligation, term, or condition on the SCF relating to that property; or (3) allow for any U.S. reversionary interest in the property. HHS must be accorded any easement or access to the property as may be reasonably necessary to satisfy any retained obligation or liability of HHS. The bill prohibits the SCF from being liable for certain environmental contamination that occurred on or before the date on which the property is conveyed to the SCF. In turn, HHS may not be liable for any contamination that occurred after the date that the SCF controlled, occupied, and used the property.

2025-06-17
S4472In Committee

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026

The proposal would extend a program designed to speed up approval and access to treatments for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) through 2031, allowing the government to continue supporting faster development and availability of therapies for patients with this serious neurological condition. The extension would help maintain streamlined pathways that allow drug companies and researchers to bring new ALS treatments to patients more quickly than the standard approval process.

2026-04-30
S749In Committee

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025 This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran whom the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death. Under the bill, such extension of increased compensation applies retroactively to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.

2025-02-26
S4416In Committee

PHS ACCESS Act

The bill would create a system allowing Public Health Service officers to be temporarily assigned to work in communities that lack adequate healthcare services, helping to expand medical care access in underserved areas. These temporary assignments would be governed by specific procedures and rules to ensure the process works smoothly and fairly. The measure would primarily affect Public Health Service officers and residents of communities struggling to access quality healthcare.

2026-04-28
S4399In Committee

Geese House Site Conveyance Act

The bill would transfer certain parcels of land in Alaska to Native Alaskan corporations and communities as allowed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, a 1971 law that set aside land and money for Alaska Native groups. These land conveyances would affect Alaska Native communities, the corporations that represent them, and potentially impact land use and resource development in Alaska. The measure is currently being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

2026-04-27
S4236In Committee

American Seafood Competitiveness Act of 2026

This bill aims to help American seafood producers compete better in domestic and international markets by likely addressing issues like fishing regulations, processing standards, trade barriers, or support for the fishing industry. The changes would affect commercial fishermen, seafood companies, and potentially consumers through impacts on seafood prices and availability. The bill is still in early stages and has been sent to the agriculture committee for review.

2026-03-26
S4276In Committee

Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026

This bill would extend federal funding and programs that help Native American tribes build and maintain housing for their communities, as well as support tribal self-governance in housing decisions. The legislation renews a law from 1996 that provides grants and loans to tribes for constructing homes, improving existing housing, and managing their own housing programs. Native American families and tribes would benefit from continued access to these housing resources and the ability to control how they're used in their communities.

2026-03-26
S4179In Committee

AI/AN CAPTA

This bill would modify child protection laws to better address the specific needs of American Indian and Alaska Native families involved in the child welfare system. It likely aims to strengthen tribal sovereignty in child custody decisions and ensure that Native children are kept with their families and communities whenever possible, rather than being separated and placed in non-Native homes. The changes would affect how federal child protection agencies work with tribes and how courts handle cases involving Native American children and families.

2026-03-24
S2903In Committee

Safe Step Act

The Safe Step Act aims to improve health and safety standards, likely by establishing new requirements or protections in a specific area of healthcare or public health. Based on its referral to the health committee and recent hearings, the bill is still in early stages of development and debate. Without access to the full bill text, the exact provisions remain under review by lawmakers.

2025-09-18
S4097In Committee

State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act

This bill would require states to provide clear information to students and families about education loan options available through state-based programs, helping borrowers understand their choices before taking on debt. The measure aims to increase awareness of state loan alternatives that might offer different terms or benefits compared to federal loans, giving students better tools to make informed decisions about financing their education.

2026-03-16
SRES650Introduced

A resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States.

This resolution celebrates the successes of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and the contributions they have made in the United States. The resolution also recognizes the importance of providing for the safety and upholding the interests of these women.

2026-03-18
S3518In Committee

FLOWS Act

The FLOWS Act would likely address water management and hydroelectric power generation on federal lands and waterways. Based on the subcommittee focus, it probably aims to balance water usage for power generation, irrigation, environmental protection, or recreation by adjusting how federal agencies manage dams and water flows. This would affect utilities that generate hydroelectric power, farmers who rely on irrigation, environmental groups, and communities dependent on these water systems.

2025-12-17
S3684In Committee

Water Power Research and Development Reauthorization Act

This bill would continue federal funding and support for research into hydroelectric power and other water-based energy technologies, allowing scientists and engineers to develop better ways to generate electricity from rivers and dams. The legislation affects energy companies, research institutions, and the Department of Energy, which would oversee these research programs aimed at making water power more efficient and environmentally sustainable.

2026-01-15
S4087In Committee

A bill to exempt public school employees from non-processing related fees for H-1B visas imposed by Presidential Proclamation 10973.

This bill would allow public school employees to apply for H-1B work visas (which allow employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations) without paying certain fees that were added by a recent presidential order. The exemption would help schools hire foreign teachers and other specialized staff without the extra financial burden of these visa fees. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

2026-03-12
S2554In Committee

Alaska Native Landless Equity Act

Alaska Native Landless Equity Act This bill allows five Alaska Native communities in Southeast Alaska to form urban corporations and receive land entitlements. Specifically, the bill allows the Alaska Native residents of each of the Alaska Native villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, to organize as Alaska Native urban corporations and to receive certain settlement land. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey specified land to each urban corporation. Further, Interior must convey the subsurface estate for that land to the regional corporation for Southeast Alaska. The land conveyed to each urban corporation must include any U.S. interest in all roads, trails, log transfer facilities, leases, and appurtenances on or related to the land conveyed to the urban corporation. The bill also allows each urban corporation to establish a settlement trust to (1) promote the health, education, and welfare of the trust beneficiaries; and (2) preserve the Alaska Native heritage and culture of their communities.

2025-07-30
S1353In Committee

A bill to extend the authority for modifications to the Second Division Memorial in the District of Columbia.

This bill extends through September 30, 2032, the authority to modify the Second Division Memorial located in President’s Park in the District of Columbia. Specifically, it extends the authority of the Second Indianhead Division Association, Inc., Scholarship and Memorials Foundation to place additional commemorative elements or engravings on the raised platform or stone work to honor the members of the Second Infantry Division who have given their lives in service to the United States.

2025-04-08
S3764In Committee

Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026

This bill would expand and improve federal programs that help families experiencing domestic violence, including funding for shelters, counseling services, and support for victims trying to leave abusive situations. It aims to strengthen protections and resources for people affected by family violence, such as spouses, children, and other household members who need emergency assistance and long-term support. The legislation would likely increase funding and coordination among organizations that work to prevent domestic abuse and help survivors rebuild their lives.

2026-02-03
S3763In Committee

ALS Better Care Act

This bill would improve care and support for people living with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a serious neurological disease that gradually weakens muscles. The legislation likely aims to expand access to treatments, improve insurance coverage for ALS patients, and provide better support services for people dealing with this disease and their families.

2026-02-03
S1626Passed Senate

National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes federal funding and programs that help communities prepare for and respond to landslides, which are natural disasters that can destroy homes, roads, and infrastructure. The legislation supports research, early warning systems, and emergency planning efforts that protect residents and property in areas prone to landslides, particularly in mountainous and coastal regions. The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.

2025-05-06
S2016In Committee

Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025

Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025 This bill authorizes a land exchange between the Chugach Alaska Corporation (also known as Chugach, an Alaska Native regional corporation in southcentral Alaska) and the federal government. Specifically, if Chugach offers to convey to the Department of the Interior all rights, title, and interest of Chugach in and to approximately 231,000 acres of subsurface estate within one year of the bill's enactment, then Interior must accept the offer and convey in exchange all rights, title, and interest of the federal government in and to approximately 65,374 acres of fee simple land located in the Chugach region. (The Chugach region includes portions of land on the Kenai Peninsula and the coast of Prince William Sound in Alaska.) The bill directs Chugach to exclude from its conveyance to Interior all rights, title, and interest in any land, not to exceed a total of 209 acres, for which a village corporation has retained development rights (other than timber development rights) or that has been designated for a shareholder homesite program.

2025-06-10
S620Passed Senate

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act This bill expands support for public health veterinary services (e.g., disease surveillance or vaccination) in tribal communities to address zoonotic infectious diseases (i.e., diseases that spread between humans and animals). Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Indian Health Service (IHS), to expend funds for public health veterinary services to prevent and control zoonotic disease infection and transmission in IHS areas where the risk for disease occurrence in humans and wildlife is endemic. HHS may assign or deploy veterinary public health officers from the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to IHS areas. Additionally, HHS must submit a biennial report to Congress on the use of funds, the assignment and deployment of veterinary public health officers from the USPHS Commissioned Corps, data related to the monitoring and disease surveillance of zoonotic diseases, and related services. The bill also includes the IHS as a coordinating agency in the National One Health Framework. (This framework addresses zoonotic diseases and advances public health preparedness in the United States.) The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on the delivery of oral rabies vaccines to wildlife reservoir species that are connected to the transmission of rabies to tribal members living in Arctic regions of the United States. The study must (1) evaluate the efficacy of the oral rabies vaccines, and (2) make recommendations to improve the delivery of these vaccines.

2025-02-18
S573In Committee

A bill to designate a mountain in the State of Alaska as Denali.

This bill would officially rename a mountain in Alaska to Denali, changing what the peak is called on federal maps and documents. The change affects how the mountain is referred to in government records and by the public, and it has been sent to a congressional committee that oversees national parks and public lands for review.

2025-02-13
SJRES91In Committee

A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision".

This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), issued on December 9, 2024, and related to the record of decision (ROD) for the program that leases, develops, produces, and transports oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain program area within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The 2024 ROD that is being nullified by this resolution replaced the 2020 ROD that made all of the approximately 1.6 million acres of the program area available for oil and gas leasing. The 2024 ROD adopted Alternative D2 in the 2024 Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which made approximately 1.2 million acres unavailable for leasing or exploration in order to protect and conserve resources and certain uses in these areas. However, the 2024 ROD requires the statutory minimum of 400,000 acres to be made available for oil and gas leasing in a specified lease sale, subject to certain stipulations and operating procedures. Under current law, those acres must be located in the areas with the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons.

2025-10-28
SRES501Introduced

A resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native Americans to the United States.

This resolution recognizes November 2025 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.

2025-11-18
S761In Committee

Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025

This bill would establish a commission to investigate and document the historical harms caused by Indian boarding schools, which forcibly removed Native American children from their families and communities for assimilation purposes. The commission would gather testimony, research records, and work toward healing and reconciliation for Native American tribes and survivors affected by these policies. The goal is to create an official record of what happened and recommend ways the federal government can address the lasting damage to Native American communities.

2025-02-26
S2431Introduced

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and several related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to Interior for the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, Departmental Offices, and Department-Wide Programs. The bill also provides appropriations to the EPA and the Forest Service. Within the Department of Health and Human Services, the bill provides appropriations for the Indian Health Service, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The bill provides appropriations to several related agencies, including the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Commission of Fine Arts, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. the National Capital Planning Commission, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

2025-07-24
S2348In Committee

Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act

This bill would establish or expand partnerships between healthcare providers and organizations that support survivors of trauma, abuse, or other serious hardships, aiming to improve mental health and recovery services. The legislation likely directs federal health agencies to coordinate with nonprofits and community groups to make counseling, treatment, and support programs more accessible to survivors. It would affect patients seeking mental health care, healthcare providers, and community organizations working with vulnerable populations.

2025-07-17
SRES266Introduced

A resolution designating May 2025 as "ALS Awareness Month".

This resolution officially recognizes May 2025 as "ALS Awareness Month" to increase public understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a serious neurological disease that gradually weakens muscles and affects people's ability to move, speak, and breathe. The designation encourages awareness campaigns and education about ALS, which impacts patients, their families, and caregivers who deal with the disease's progressive effects. The Senate has already approved this resolution unanimously.

2025-06-05
S1892In Committee

Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025

This bill would strengthen the Crime Victims Fund, which provides money to help crime victims pay for counseling, medical care, and other support services. The legislation likely aims to ensure the fund has stable, reliable funding so victim assistance programs don't run short of money when crime-related penalties and fines fluctuate. Crime victims and the organizations that serve them would benefit from more predictable resources to help them recover from their experiences.

2025-05-22
S1292In Committee

Save Our Seafood Act

This bill would likely address immigration policies affecting the seafood industry, possibly by adjusting visa programs or work authorization rules for workers in fishing and seafood processing. The measure would impact seafood companies that rely on immigrant labor, as well as workers seeking employment in these industries. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

2025-04-03
SRES142Introduced

A resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States.

This resolution celebrates the successes of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and the contributions they have made in the United States. The resolution also recognizes the importance of providing for the safety and upholding the interests of these women.

2025-03-26
SJRES38In Committee

A joint resolution establishing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

This joint resolution provides that the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, was ratified by three-fourths of the states and is therefore a valid constitutional amendment, regardless of any time limit that was in the original proposal. The Equal Rights Amendment was originally proposed to the states in 1972. The original proposal included a deadline for ratification of March 22, 1979; Congress subsequently extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Although the requisite 38 states have ratified the amendment, three of these states did so after the deadlines, and five states subsequently rescinded their ratifications. The status of the amendment has been the subject of litigation.

2025-03-25
S1052In Committee

A bill to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, and for other purposes.

The bill would continue funding and support for a federal system that monitors active volcanoes in the United States to provide early warnings of eruptions and other volcanic hazards. This program helps protect communities living near volcanoes by detecting dangerous activity before it happens and giving people time to evacuate if needed. The bill is currently being reviewed by the Senate's energy and natural resources committee.

2025-03-13
S1008Introduced

Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2025

Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2025 This bill waives a statutory core township selection requirement for the Cape Fox Corporation and allows Cape Fox to receive other lands to fulfill its remaining land entitlement. Cape Fox is an Alaska Native village corporation for the Alaska Native village of Saxman, Alaska. Specifically, the bill states that Cape Fox shall not be required to receive its previously selected land of approximately 185 acres located within the township in which the Alaska Native village of Saxman, Alaska, is located. Instead, the bill allows Cape Fox to receive land outside of Cape Fox's current exterior selection boundary upon written notice of the new selection to the Department of the Interior. In particular, if Cape Fox submits written notice of its selection of approximately 180 acres of surface land within the Tongass National Forest in Alaska to Interior within 90 days of the bill's enactment, then Interior must convey the federal land to Cape Fox. Upon conveyance of the surface estate of the federal land to Cape Fox, Interior must convey the subsurface estate of the federal land to Sealaska Corporation (the Alaska Native regional corporation representing southeastern Alaska). The bill reserves a public access easement on the federal land conveyed to Cape Fox and Sealaska.

2025-03-12
S870In Committee

Native ELDER Act

Enhancing Native Elders' Longevity, Dignity, Empowerment, and Respect Act or the Native ELDER Act This bill establishes a tribal advisory committee, revises certain grants, and requires reporting related to older (i.e., aged 60 or older) American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Specifically, the bill directs the Administration on Aging (AOA) to establish a tribal advisory committee to provide advice and guidance on matters relating to older Native Americans. Additionally, the bill specifies that the technical assistance and training programs provided to grant recipients (e.g., tribal organizations providing supportive services) may include topics such as program management, data development and use, basic business skills, grant development, program and service innovations, and staff training and certification. The bill directs the AOA, when making grants to tribal organizations to provide supportive services for older Native Americans, to prioritize organizations that will use these grants for necessary home modifications that will facilitate the ability of older Native Americans to remain at home. The AOA must also report to Congress on (1) the feasibility of modeling the Native American Caregiver Support Program after the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, (2) the level of need for in-home services that include accessible home modifications for older Native Americans, and (3) the barriers to Indian tribes accessing programs for older Native Americans. This report must be made publicly available. The Department of Labor must report to Congress on how recipients of funding under the Senior Community Service Employment Program are serving older Native Americans.

2025-03-05
S3802Enacted

Mount Stevens and Ted Stevens Icefield Designation Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on September 27, 2010. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Mount Stevens and Ted Stevens Icefield Designation Act - Directs the United States Board on Geographic Names to designate: (1) a specified unnamed peak in the Alaska Range near Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska as "Mount Stevens"; and (2) a specified icefield in the northern Chugach National Forest in Alaska as the "Ted Stevens Icefield."

2010-09-20
S3521In Committee

RESTART Act

Rare Earths Supply Technology and Resources Transformation Act of 2010 or RESTART Act - Establishes within the Department of the Interior the Rare Earth Policy Task Force to monitor and assist federal agencies in expediting the review and approval of permits to accelerate the completion of projects that will increase investment in, exploration for, and development of domestic rare earths. Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and of Energy to assess and report to Congress on: (1) the domestic rare earth supply chain; (2) rare earth elements critical to clean energy technologies and the national security; and (3) whether critical rare earth materials should be stockpiled. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) report to industry describing available mechanisms for obtaining government loan guarantees to reestablish a domestic rare earth supply chain; and (2) issue guidance for the rare earth industry on obtaining federal loan guarantees. Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on past, current, and future projects to support the domestic rare earth supply chain. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States faces a shortage of key rare earth materials that form the backbone of both the defense and energy supply chains; (2) the urgent need to reestablish a domestic rare earth supply chain warrants a statutory prioritization of projects to support such reestablishment; (3) there is a pressing need to support innovation, training, and workforce development in the domestic rare earth supply chain; and (4) the Departments of Energy, of the Interior, of Commerce, and of Defense should each provide funds to academic institutions, federal laboratories, and private entities for innovation, training, and workforce development in the domestic rare earth supply chain.

2010-06-22
S1053Enacted

A bill to amend the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to extend the termination date.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Amends the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to extend by three years the authority to construct the National Law Enforcement Museum.

2009-05-14
S2907Reported

Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2010

Federal Land Avalanche Protection Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to establish an avalanche protection program to provide information and assistance to users of avalanche-prone National Forest System lands. Includes as objectives of the program: (1) informing and educating the public about the risks posed by avalanches; (2) providing avalanche forecasts for avalanche-prone areas of the National Forest System that are frequented by recreational or other users; (3) providing oversight of activities relating to the prevention and control of avalanches by ski area and other special use permit holders on National Forest System land, including the procurement, control, and use of artillery; and (4) facilitating research on the program's objectives, including research on the development of alternatives to military artillery. Requires the Secretary to: (1) use the resources of the Forest Service's National Avalanche Center and other partners; and (2) work with the Avalanche Artillery Users of North America Committee and other partners to improve coordination among the users of artillery used to prevent and control avalanches. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to further the program's objectives and requires giving priority to grants that enhance public safety. Authorizes appropriations.

2009-12-18
S3570In Committee

Hydropower Improvement Act of 2010

Hydropower Improvement Act of 2010 - Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should increase substantially the capacity and generation of clean, renewable hydropower resources which will improve environmental quality in the United States and support hundreds of thousands of green energy jobs. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish: (1) a grants program for increased hydropower production; and (2) a plan for research, development, and demonstration to increase hydropower capacity. Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a notice of inquiry for the licensing of proposed minimal impact hydropower projects that take not more than two years from the beginning of the prefiling licensing process to the issuance of a FERC license. Amends the Federal Power Act to authorize FERC to extend the term of a preliminary permit once for not more than two additional years if it finds that the permittee has carried out activities under the permit in good faith and with reasonable diligence. Directs FERC to enter into a memorandum of understanding with relevant federal agencies that have conditioning authority to: (1) establish a coordinated and streamlined approach to any environmental impact statement or similar analysis relating to the consideration of conduit hydropower projects; and (2) develop an expedited approval process for conduit hydropower projects. Directs the Commissioner of Reclamation and FERC to conduct public workshops on and develop pilot conduit hydropower projects. Requires the Commissioner also to study and report to Congress on barriers to non-federal hydropower development at Bureau of Reclamation projects. Instructs the Secretary to study and report to Congress about federal land that is well-suited for pumped storage sites and is located near existing or potential sites of intermittent renewable resource development, such as wind farms. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary to establish a national renewable energy construction grants program. Directs the President to report to Congress on actions taken by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out the memorandum of understanding on hydropower entered into on March 24, 2010. Declares this Act inapplicable to the Federal Power Marketing Administrations.

2010-07-13
S3369In Committee

Connell Lake Watershed Protection and Recreation Act

Connell Lake Watershed Protection and Recreation Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) and the Secretary of the Interior to convey specified federal land and interests (approximately 880 acres of federal land and interests in land in the Connell Lake area) to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough in Alaska. Requires the conveyed land to be managed in accordance with the terms of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act.

2010-05-13
S3175In Committee

A bill to amend the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to require the Bureau of Land Management to provide a claimant of a small miner waiver from claim maintenance fees with a period of 60 days after written receipt of 1 or more defects is provided to the claimant by registered mail to cure the 1 or more defects or pay the claim maintenance fee, and for other purposes.

Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 regarding waivers of small miner claim maintenance fees to extend the allowance of a certain period to cure a defect in the waiver application to a failure to timely file either a waiver application or an affidavit of annual labor associated with the application and the required application fees. Considers specified claimholder claims as: (1) having received a first half final certificate for application before September 30, 1994; and/or (2) qualifying for specified relief under the Act, including opportunity to cure.

2010-03-25
S522Reported

Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act

Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act - Ratifies the Salmon Lake Area Land Ownership and Consolidation Agreement, which was initially executed by the United States, the state of Alaska, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation on July 18, 2007. Requires the conveyance to include specified easements developed and agreed upon by the parties. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out all actions required by the Agreement.

2009-03-04
S782Reported

National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program Act

National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the United States Geological Survey (USGS) a National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program, consisting of a national volcano watch office and data center, to oversee and coordinate the activities of USGS regional volcano watch and data centers. Sets forth as Program purposes: (1) to monitor and study volcanic activity throughout the United States at a level commensurate with the threat; and (2) to warn and protect people and property from harm. Requires the Secretary to prepare a management plan for the Program, which shall include: (1) annual cost estimates of operating the Program and updating the data collection, monitoring, and analysis systems; (2) annual standards and performance goals; and (3) recommendations for establishing or enhancing partnerships with state agencies or universities. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements or partnerships under which state agencies or universities are designated as volcano observatory partners for the Program. Directs the Secretary to coordinate activities under this Act with the heads of relevant federal agencies, including the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). Authorizes the Secretary to establish a competitive grant program to support research and monitoring of volcanic activities in furtherance of this Act.

2009-04-02
S881In Committee

Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act

Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act - Authorizes Sealaska Corporation, the Regional Corporation for southeast Alaska, notwithstanding specified provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and subject to conditions and restrictions, to select and receive conveyance of its remaining land entitlement under the ANCSA from federal land in southeast Alaska from each of the following categories: (1) specified economic development land; (2) sites with sacred, cultural, traditional, or historical significance; and (3) Alaska Native futures sites with traditional and recreational use value. Authorizes the Director of the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative management agreement with Sealaska, other village corporations and urban corporations, and federally recognized Indian tribes with cultural and historical ties to Glacier Bay National Park to recognize and perpetuate National Park Service values, including those associated with the Tlingit homeland and culture, wilderness, and ecological preservation. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete the conveyance of lands to Sealaska within one year of selection. Prohibits Sealaska from selecting or receiving any conveyance of lands under this Act from within any conservation system unit, federally designated wilderness area, or certain land use designation areas. Amends the National Historic Preservation Act to add to the definition of "tribal lands" land held under the ANCSA by an incorporated Alaska Native group, a Regional Corporation, or a Village Corporation.

2009-04-23
S1770In Committee

Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act

Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act - Requires federal public land management officials to exercise their authority under existing law, including regarding land use planning, to provide for the use of, and access to, federal public lands and waters for fishing, sport hunting, and recreational shooting, except as described in this Act. Requires the heads of federal public land management agencies to exercise their discretion in a manner that supports, promotes, and enhances recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting opportunities, to the extent authorized under applicable law. States that Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands, excluding lands on the Outer Continental Shelf, shall be open to recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity. Permits closures or restrictions on such lands for purposes including resource conservation, public safety, energy or mineral production, energy generation or transmission infrastructure, water supply facilities, national security, or compliance with other law. Requires publication of a public notice preceding any such closures or restrictions, unless mandated by other law. Requires annual reports on closures of federal public lands to recreational fishing, sport hunting, or shooting. Sets forth requirements for specified closures or significant restrictions involving 640 or more acres of federal public lands or waters to fishing or hunting. Establishes the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and the Sporting Conservation Council.

2009-10-08
S1517In Committee

Domestic Energy Security Act of 2009

Domestic Energy Security Act of 2009 - Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to: (1) prohibit the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) from offering, until June 30, 2022, any oil and gas exploration lease in the Eastern Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico that is within 45 miles of the coastline of Florida. (The current leasing moratorium prohibits leasing activities within 125 miles of such coastline.) Authorizes the Secretary to offer for leasing specified areas currently under moratorium. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to: (1) instruct the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to recommend to the President whether certain areas of the outer Continental Shelf (OCS) should remain under energy exploration restrictions; and (2) authorize the DOD Secretary to offer for leasing any areas made available for leasing under this Act. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit specified OCS revenues into a special account in the Treasury for disbursement to Gulf producing states. Prescribes revenue sharing from OCS areas in certain coastal states, including coastal political subdivisions of states and areas in the Alaska Adjacent Zone. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to require oil transportation by pipeline in Arctic waters. Authorizes: (1) all transactions necessary for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction from any foreign Exclusive Economic Zone contiguous to the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone; and (2) exportation without license authority of all equipment necessary for hydrocarbon exploration or extraction. Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to authorize under a general license specified travel-related transactions for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection with hydrocarbon resources exploration in any part of a foreign maritime Exclusive Economic Zone that is contiguous to the United States' Exclusive Economic Zone.

2009-07-24
S923In Committee

Marine Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2009

Marine Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2009 - Requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a marine renewable energy research and development program, separate from any DOE wind and hydropower program, focused on: (1) developing new marine renewable energy technologies; (2) reducing the manufacturing and operation costs of such technologies; (3) increasing the reliability and survivability of marine renewable energy facilities; (4) integrating marine renewable energy into the national electric grid; (5) identifying opportunities for cross pollination and development of economies of scale between offshore wind and marine renewable energy sources; (6) identifying the environmental impacts of marine renewable energy and ways to address negative impacts; (7) applying advanced systems engineering and system integration methods to identify critical interfaces and develop open standards for marine renewable energy; (8) transferring the resulting intellectual property to industry stakeholders as public information through published interface definitions, standards, and demonstration projects; and (9) developing incentives for industry to comply with such standards. Requires DOE to establish a marine-based energy device verification program to provide a bridge from the wave, tidal, current, or thermal energy capture device design and development efforts underway across the industry to commercial deployment of marine renewable energy devices. Sets forth as purpose of the Program to fund, facilitate the development and installation of, and evaluate marine renewable energy projects, in partnership with the Electric Power Research Institute, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Marine Sciences Laboratory, and the Sandia National Laboratories in order to: (1) increase marine renewable energy experience; and (2) build and operate enough candidate devices to obtain statistically significant operating and maintenance data. Establishes an Adaptive Management and Environmental Fund to provide grants for complying with requirements through assessment and demonstration of the environmental effects of marine renewable energy projects.

2009-04-29
S784In Committee

Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act

Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act - Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to permit the Native residents of each of the Native Villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, to organize as Urban Corporations and to receive certain settlement lands and other compensation pursuant to this Act.

2009-04-02
S766In Committee

Denali National Park and Preserve Natural Gas Pipeline Act

Denali National Park and Preserve Natural Gas Pipeline Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to issue in non-wilderness areas within the boundary of the Denali National Park and Preserve (the Park) in Alaska right-of-way permits for: (1) the high-pressure transmission pipeline located within, along, or near approximately seven miles of the George Parks Highway; (2) pipeline system appurtenances; and (3) any distribution and transmission pipelines needed to serve the Park.

2009-04-01
S503In Committee

No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act

No Surface Occupancy Western Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act - Authorizes exploration, leasing, development, and production of oil and gas from the Western Coastal Plain. Defines the Western Coastal Plain as the area of Coastal Plain: (1) that borders the land of Alaska to the west and Alaska offshore waters of the Beaufort Sea on the north; and (2) from which the Secretary of the Interior finds oil and gas can be produced through horizontal drilling or other subsurface technology from sites outside or underneath the Coastal Plain surface. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Western Coastal Plain. Considers such program to be compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish lease sale procedures; and (2) offer for lease those tracts the Secretary considers to have the greatest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons. Authorizes the Secretary to grant a lease for land on the Western Coastal Plain to the highest responsible qualified bidder. Prescribes lease terms and conditions. Provides for expedited judicial review. Directs the Secretary to establish in the Treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to offset any planning, land use-related, or service-related impacts of offshore development caused by this Act. Prescribes a scheme for the allocation of revenues produced by bonus, rental, and royalty revenues from the federal oil and gas leasing and operations authorized under this Act, requiring 50% to be paid semiannually to the state of Alaska, and the remainder to designated federal entities.

2009-02-27