Latest news with #Alaska-specific
The Hill
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Democrat calls Murkowski ‘cheap date' over whaling tax carve-out
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) quipped that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was a 'cheap date' for voting for President Trump's giant tax and spending package, seemingly for a tax break for fishermen, during a House Rules Committee hearing on Tuesday. The comment came after Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) asked House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) about a new tax break on whalers and fishermen. It was one of many Alaska-specific items that were added to the bill in the final weeks. 'Are you talking about allowing someone who uses a harpoon to deduct the cost of that harpoon? That's correct, that's included,' Smith responded. 'It's a business expense.' 'It's a new tax break,' Neguse interrupted. 'It's a business expense that was capped at 10,000 dollars and now they can deduct it,' Smith continued. 'Up to $50,000, right?' Neguse added, which Smith confirmed. 'Why was that added? I think we all know, right?' Neguse asked while smiling, seemingly referring to Murkowski, who was initially a 'no' on the bill but flipped after grueling last-minute negotiations. She sealed the deal as a crucial 50th vote for Republicans. 'You'd have to talk to the senators,' Smith responded. McGovern, a ranking member of the House Rules Committee, later interrupted Neguse to ask if that addition to the bill was 'all it took' for Republicans to get a 'yes' from Murkowski. 'Is that all it took?' McGovern asked Neguse. 'I'm not sure,' Neguse responded. 'Boy, she's a cheap date,' McGovern said before Neguse continued questioning Smith. The bill, which passed in the Senate on Tuesday and now heads to the House, allows a tax exemption for fishers from western Alaska villages and a separate provision that gives some whaling captains in the state the ability to deduct $50,000 of their expenses, a fivefold increase. Murkowski said on Tuesday that the process that led her to vote for the bill was 'agonizing,' noting that she hopes more will be done to improve the bill. She also said she 'struggled mightily' with the potential impact of cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on vulnerable populations. 'This is probably the most difficult and agonizing legislative 24-hour period that I have encountered, and I've been here quite a while and you know I've got a few battle scars underneath me,' Murkowski told reporters.
Politico
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
How Republicans got Murkowski to yes on Trump's megabill
But this was not one of Murkowski's moments to buck her party: Even as she held out to get extra wins for her home state, she ultimately voted for a bill she just minutes later decried as 'rushed' and 'imperfect.' 'She has a reputation, almost relishing being rebellious,' Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said in an interview before the vote, predicting she would be with them. 'She certainly doesn't want to be the reason it didn't happen. ... I just can't imagine she's got John McCain in her,' referring to the late GOP senator's dramatic thumbs-down vote to save Obamacare. Murkowski's indecision was a driving force behind the more than 24-hour vote-a-rama, in which votes dragged out for hours to accommodate lobbying and negotiations for her proposed changes to the bill. Just before 4 a.m., Sen. Jim Justice ( indicated the fate of Trump's bill fell into Murkowski's hands, calling her 'the key to the whole thing.' What Murkowski was wrangling for was pretty basic: How to blunt the impact of the bill on her state. 'What I tried to do was to ensure that my colleagues understood what that means when you live in an area where there are no jobs, it is not a cash economy,' she told reporters. 'And so I needed help, and I worked to get that every single day.' Even when the vote-a-rama reached a full day — and after the Senate parliamentarian greenlit several Alaska-specific sweeteners designed specifically to win her vote — Murkowski formally wasn't on board. 'Every state truly does have a voice and it manifests at different times by different people in different ways. And sure, this one Lisa had an opportunity to be very influential,' said Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) in an interview. Murkowski met with Thune shortly after 3 a.m. on Tuesday in his office off the floor as her vote remained in doubt. She also subsequently had long conversations with Majority Whip John Barrasso, who escorted her around the Capitol, including to the votes that ultimately led to passage of the bill. At one point, while she was negotiating, Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced he was retiring after coming under fire for his criticism of the bill, was perched by her left shoulder. Amid the overnight drama — as Trump's bill appeared to be headed for failure — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) summed up how many of his colleagues privately viewed leadership's decision as 'coming down between Lisa and Rand,' referring to the Kentucky Republican senator. Thune acknowledged in a brief interview that he had flirted with pursuing Paul's vote when it seemed that Murkowski might be slipping away, adding: 'We had multiple strategies in place.' Holding out clearly paid some dividends for Murkowski. In one case, the parliamentarian OK'd a provision that allows for Alaska, Hawaii and several other states to temporarily escape higher costs for SNAP, the food assistance program for the poor, if certain conditions are met.
Axios
28-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Thune's troublesome senators to watch
Majority Leader John Thune wants to force an initial vote on the " big, beautiful bill" around 4pm ET — here is an update on the senators most likely to cause headaches. Why it matters: Thune can only afford to lose three GOP senators and still manage to move forward with — and eventually pass — the bill, with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance. It could be close. The nos: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has long been clear that he would vote against the package because it raises the debt ceiling. He is not one to fold — like, ever. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told reporters after a GOP lunch Saturday that he would vote "no" both on Saturday afternoon's initial procedural vote and on the final bill. He has concerns about how the Medicaid changes would impact his state, and he's up for re-election next year. The question marks: Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are coordinating and planning to vote as a conservative bloc. "We are waiting, among other things, to see how this scores," Lee told reporters on Saturday. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is no stranger to being a swing vote. She has raised concerns about the Medicaid measures in the bill, but has also managed to win Alaska-specific caveats and tax breaks, which could be enough to win her over. Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) is threatening to vote no to move forward if a public lands sale measure makes it into the bill. A tweaked version of that language is awaiting a decision from the parliamentarian. Several GOP senators are adamantly opposed to the provision. The reluctant yeses: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is another frequent swing vote and is running for re-election next year in a blue state. She said she will vote yes to move forward, but is leaning toward "no" on final passage. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is also running for re-election next year and had been raising some concerns about the provider tax provision, but told reporters he was a "yes" on the motion to proceed and was "still reviewing" the overall bill. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters Saturday that he plans to vote yes on both the procedural vote and bill passage, due to the newest text delaying the implementation of reduced Medicaid provider taxes.
Hamilton Spectator
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump administration plans to rescind rule blocking logging on national forest lands
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration plans to rescind a nearly quarter-century-old rule that blocked logging on national forest lands, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday. The so-called roadless rule adopted in the last days of Bill Clinton's presidency in 2001 long has chafed Republican lawmakers, especially in the West where national forests sprawl across vast, mountainous terrain and the logging industry has waned. The roadless rule impeded road construction and 'responsible timber production' that would have helped reduce the risk of major wildfires, Rollins said at the annual meeting of the Western Governors Association. 'This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation's forests,' Rollins said. The rule affected 30% of national forest lands nationwide, or about 59 million acres (24 million hectares), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency over the Forest Service. State roadless-area rules in Idaho and Colorado supersede the boundaries of the 2001 roadless rule, according to the USDA, meaning not all national forest land would be affected by a recission. The announcement came amid talk of selling off federal lands, an idea that received a mixed reception from governors at the same meeting. In Alaska, home to the country's largest national forest, the Tongass, the roadless rule has long been a focus of litigation, with state political leaders supporting an exemption to the rule that they argue impedes economic opportunities. During the latter part of President Donald Trump's first term, the federal government lifted restrictions on logging and road-building in the Tongass, something the Biden administration later reversed . Trump in January called for reverting to the policy from his first term as part of an Alaska-specific executive order aimed at boosting oil and gas development, mining and logging in the state. The Tongass is a temperate rainforest of glaciers and rugged coastal islands. It provides habitat to wildlife such as bears, wolves, salmon and bald eagles. Environmental groups, who want to keep restrictions on logging and road-building in place for the Tongass, criticized the possibility of rolling back the protections. 'Any attempt to revoke it is an attack on the air and water we breathe and drink, abundant recreational opportunities which millions of people enjoy each year, havens for wildlife and critical buffers for communities threatened by increasingly severe wildfire seasons,' Josh Hicks, conservation campaigns director at The Wilderness Society, said in a statement of USDA's plans. ___ Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska. Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed to this report.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump administration plans to rescind rule blocking logging on national forest lands
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration plans to rescind a nearly quarter-century-old rule that blocked logging on national forest lands, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday. The so-called roadless rule adopted in the last days of Bill Clinton's presidency in 2001 long has chafed Republican lawmakers, especially in the West where national forests sprawl across vast, mountainous terrain and the logging industry has waned. The roadless rule impeded road construction and 'responsible timber production' that would have helped reduce the risk of major wildfires, Rollins said at the annual meeting of the Western Governors Association. 'This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation's forests,' Rollins said. The rule affected 30% of national forest lands nationwide, or about 59 million acres (24 million hectares), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency over the Forest Service. State roadless-area rules in Idaho and Colorado supersede the boundaries of the 2001 roadless rule, according to the USDA, meaning not all national forest land would be affected by a recission. The announcement came amid talk of selling off federal lands, an idea that received a mixed reception from governors at the same meeting. In Alaska, home to the country's largest national forest, the Tongass, the roadless rule has long been a focus of litigation, with state political leaders supporting an exemption to the rule that they argue impedes economic opportunities. During the latter part of President Donald Trump's first term, the federal government lifted restrictions on logging and road-building in the Tongass, something the Biden administration later reversed. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Trump in January called for reverting to the policy from his first term as part of an Alaska-specific executive order aimed at boosting oil and gas development, mining and logging in the state. The Tongass is a temperate rainforest of glaciers and rugged coastal islands. It provides habitat to wildlife such as bears, wolves, salmon and bald eagles. Environmental groups, who want to keep restrictions on logging and road-building in place for the Tongass, criticized the possibility of rolling back the protections. 'Any attempt to revoke it is an attack on the air and water we breathe and drink, abundant recreational opportunities which millions of people enjoy each year, havens for wildlife and critical buffers for communities threatened by increasingly severe wildfire seasons,' Josh Hicks, conservation campaigns director at The Wilderness Society, said in a statement of USDA's plans. ___ Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska. Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed to this report.
