Senator Lisa Murkowski on Monday spoke on the Senate floor, attempting to further convince the White House and federal government to seize the opportunities opening up in the Arctic and invest in an Arctic future.
Murkowski stated her frustrations on the Senate floor.
Sen. Murkowski: “Both have responded that the Arctic is a priority – that it is important to the United States – but neither could tell me what their Department’s budget request contained for the Arctic. That to me is symbolic of the Arctic’s overall standing within the Administration. Lots of good words when asked, but not important enough to be proactive on or be familiar with without prompting.”
Murkowski closed her remarks with a call to action to her United States Senate colleagues.
Sen. Murkowski: “The United States has never been last in a race to the future, but absent any visionary leadership and meaningful resourcing, we will continue to take a back seat and fail to capitalize on all the Arctic has to offer. We will miss out on resource development and shipping efficiencies, and in turn new opportunities to create new jobs and generate needed economic growth. We cannot afford to sit on the sideline any longer – which means it is time for the federal government, and particularly this Administration, to start taking the Arctic seriously and dedicate the necessary resources to the region.”