Lisa Murkowski made a little history when she was formally installed today as the ranking Republican and Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs. The post opened up after the recent death of Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas. Murkowski is also the first Alaskan to hold a leadership role on the Indian Affairs panel. Wearing an Alaska Native necklace, Murkowski said she looks forward to working in a non-partisan way on Native American issues. And she says she will depend on Native leaders to help find solutions for the range of complex issues facing Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. She says completing an overhaul of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act tops her agenda.
Joel Southern, APRN – Washington, D.C. (read by Lori Townsend, APRN)
