Sen. Murkowski is first woman vice chair of SCIA

Thursday, July 19, 2007  

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was officially installed as the vice chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee this morning.

"She is the first woman vice chair of this committee in all of its years," said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the chairman, to enthusiastic applause.

Murkowski said she was honored to fill a seat that was left vacant by the death of Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyoming). "He was not only a friend to us in the Senate, he was a friend to all those throughout Indian Country," she said of her late colleague.

Murkowski vowed to work with Dorgan to advance high-priority legislation, such as the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. "It's the mission of this committee to ensure that our nation's promises to our Native people are upheld -- that's not a partisan issue," she said.

Relevant Links:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee - http://indian.senate.gov

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