Senator: Highway Bill's New Formula Would "Unravel" Efforts in Rural Alaska

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Lisa Murkowski today took to the U.S. Senate floor to educate her colleagues about the harm that could be done to Alaska’s Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) program through the Surface Transportation Bill being considered on Capitol Hill.

Earlier today, Senator Murkowski introduced an amendment that would protect the existing IRR funding formula from a newly-proposed one “written behind closed doors by a handful of people with no government-to-government tribal consultation.”

This legislation before us today seeks to undo, it takes apart all of the gains Alaska made through TEA-21, the 2004 rulemaking, through SAFETEA-LU – it’s all unraveled by this legislation. Alaska is unfairly harmed by MAP-21 more than any other region in the country. Alaska loses $16 million a year under MAP-21 and tribes throughout the state will be effectively shut out of the program. This is not acceptable, Mr. President. The current negotiated regulation, which was developed by consensus from tribes throughout the entire country, is focused on need. The new formula – which we see reflected in this legislation – was written behind closed doors by a handful of people with no government-to-government tribal consultation…

“What I am trying to do is restore some parity… Mr. President, I have other concerns, with this transportation bill. I have mentioned the Denali Commission. I have joined together with my colleague Senator Begich to file an amendment to this bill that will restore Denali Commission’s transportation program – an incredibly important program to our state. I have also raised concerns about a provision within in the banking section that relates to the Alaska railroad. These are concerns that while they might not register fully with all of our colleagues here in the Senate to Alaska they’re critical. Our transportation needs are different. Some might say they are unique, but we have risen to the challenge with limited funding and smart people trying to do good things to connect us in ways that make sense.”

Source: Office of Senator Murkowski