Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The past Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed will produce lasting benefits for Wrangell and across Southeast.
Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Those dollars are helping us build, expand and modernize everything from roads, bridges, ports and airports to our water, broadband, energy and ferry systems. In doing so, they’re creating jobs, boosting our economy, and transforming lives.
The investments I added to the infrastructure bill for ferries should support the Alaska Marine Highway System and help restore important transportation connections for Wrangell. The recent announcement of $285 million for the ferry system will allow us to upgrade docks in five communities, modernize several vessels including the Tazlina and Kennicott, and design a new mainliner.
In addition, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes have been chosen to receive funding to increase internet connectivity, including in Wrangell, which will improve educational and business opportunities.
There’s still a lot more funding to come, and I’m hopeful that the next few years will feature funding for Wrangell that advances your harbor modernization and dam stability priorities.
In addition to the infrastructure bill, the budget packages we passed over the past year included hundreds of millions of dollars in standard allocations for Alaska.
In Wrangell, I directed funds for a connection pipe between the upper reservoir and the water treatment plant, which will help prevent future summer water shortages. I also ensured the federal payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program was fully funded so communities like Wrangell can budget for essential services.
We’ve provided historic investments for our Alaska-based Coast Guard — upgrading assets, investing in shoreside infrastructure, and improving emergency communications. Through the Don Young Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, we’re working to improve the quality of life and mental health of our servicemembers.
Knowing how important healthy fisheries are to Alaska, we created a federal research task force to get to the bottom of our alarming salmon declines. I also secured funding for additional research, indigenous co-management, surveys, fisheries management, marine debris removal, transboundary watershed monitoring and many related priorities.
We saved the 2021 cruise season through the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, paving the way for a rebound this past summer in Wrangell and across Southeast.
We also passed my legislation to provide 360,000 acres to the University of Alaska —helping to fulfill its land grant in support of its students, faculty, and campus infrastructure.
Congress also ensured that Alaska will remain a place of unrivaled natural splendor. We invested in outdoor recreation and trails, including improvements at Anan Creek. And we passed my BLUE GLOBE Act to support the rapidly growing blue economy, which will pair nicely with the excellent work being done to establish a vibrant mariculture industry in Southeast.
Finally, we took great care to address some of the most acute sources of pain and suffering in our state. In addition to the work we did to reduce homelessness, we reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act and continued to prioritize the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and children.
While we still have a hole in our hearts from the loss of Congressman Don Young, we honored his legacy by passing many of the bills he was working on. We also named one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutians after him.
As the 118th Congress begins, I’m proud of what our congressional delegation accomplished over the past two years, and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the state and people I love.
Lisa Murkowski has represented Alaska in the U.S. Senate since 2002.
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