U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Gov. Mike Dunleavy today issued very different statements about the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration.
Murkowski was gracious and complimented the new president on his inauguration:
“Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris were sworn into office. President Biden’s message to the country was filled with hope for a more unified nation and a commitment to work for all Americans. Vice President Harris being sworn in as the first female to hold the nation’s second-highest office is an inspiration to women around the world. I congratulate them both.” – Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Murkowski said she may not always align with the Biden Administration, “but no matter how different our opinions or challenging the subject, I have and always will do my best to build consensus that is in the best interest of all Alaskans. I’m counting on the Biden administration to do the same.”
But Gov. Dunleavy was unimpressed and had a very different reaction. He blasted the Biden Administration for halting oil and gas activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and said he would use every means possible to preserve Alaska’s energy economy.
“Today’s announcement to shut down development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) should come as no surprise. As a candidate, Joe Biden campaigned on stopping oil and gas development on federal lands. Make no mistake about it, President Biden appears to be making good on his promise to turn Alaska into a large national park,” Dunleavy said.
The governor noted that Alaska is responsible in its oil and gas development, does it better than anyone, and yet has its future now threatened and its sovereignty challenged by the Biden Administration’s actions.
“During the 20 years I spent in rural Alaska, I saw firsthand the pain we cause when we deny our fellow Alaskans the right to pursue opportunity. Not only do these projects have the potential to responsibly develop Alaska’s abundant natural resources – of which there is a demand that would be driven to countries with lower environmental standards – these projects bring good-paying jobs, quality healthcare, and lifechanging possibilities to communities who need it most,” Dunleavy wrote. “I’m prepared to use every resource available to fight for Alaskans’ right to have a job, and have a future by taking advantage of every opportunity available to us.”
Among the laws, regulations, and orders from the Trump Administration that Biden will undo immediately are southern border wall construction, travel bans from Muslim countries, and the 1776 Commission, whose report was immediately removed from federal pages today.
