SC Alaska News

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has expressed her concerns and insights regarding H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill. In a statement released on July 2, 2025, she described the vote as one of the most challenging in her Senate career.

Murkowski stated, "My goal throughout the reconciliation process has been to make a bad bill better for Alaska, and in many ways, we have done that." She highlighted several improvements made through the bill, including tax provisions beneficial to Alaskans and significant investments in infrastructure and security.

The bill includes measures such as extending pro-growth tax cuts, increasing child tax credits, exempting taxes on tips or overtime work, modernizing the Coast Guard, enhancing border security and national defense, funding aviation safety systems like AWOS/VWOS, and providing tax-exempt status for the Community Development Quota Program.

Murkowski also emphasized new opportunities for resource development in areas like NPR-A and Cook Inlet. She noted efforts to restore wind and solar tax credits while removing punitive excise taxes against them.

However, Murkowski voiced concerns about potential impacts on social safety net programs such as Medicaid coverage and SNAP benefits. To mitigate these issues, she mentioned securing a $50 billion rural health fund aimed at supporting Alaska's healthcare providers. Commitments from CMS Administrator were obtained to assist hospitals like Bartlett and Fairbanks Memorial directly.

Regarding SNAP program adjustments, Murkowski pointed out tribal exemptions for work requirements and other flexibilities secured with commitments from the Secretary of Agriculture.

She concluded with criticism of the legislative process: "But let's not kid ourselves. This has been an awful process—a frantic rush to meet an artificial deadline that has tested every limit of this institution." Murkowski hopes for further revisions before it reaches final approval: "This bill needs more work across chambers and is not ready for the President’s desk."