Looking for Alaska

Today, much of the country was waiting to see how Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted on the One Big Beautiful Bill. Across party lines, concerns have been raised about the budget bill, with members like Senator Tillis of North Carolina breaking ranks to express their thoughts while still supporting Donald Trump's overall vision. Some people hope Senator Murkowski would do the same, but was her vote swayed by one visitor? We're diving into today's vote in this episode. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome
• 0:16 Dear Senator Murkowski
• 5:25 Until next time!

Transcript

Welcome to The Friday Brief, a news podcast by Girl Friday. I’m Phoenix Ricks, the CEO of Girl Friday and your host. This is your brief for June 30, 2025. 

Who helped Senator Lisa Murkowski make her final decision about the One Big Beautiful Bill? It certainly wasn’t the thousands of people from across the country writing to her on social media. Given her vote, I don’t think the people calling her office, begging her to vote no to prevent Americans from losing healthcare, made much of an impact either. So, who convinced her to vote yes? Was it the Vice President? CNN reported that a source told them that JD Vance was the last person to meet with Senator Murkowski. Vance, apparently, thanked her for being a “team player” despite having serious concerns about the One Big Beautiful Bill.  What else did Vance, or potentially someone else, say to Senator Murkowski to get her to vote yes despite serious doubts from her constituents and much of the country? 

I think back to April. There was an article in Politico, where Senator Murkowski was quoted expressing fear of this current administration. She said, “We’re in a time and place where — I don’t know, I certainly have not — I have not been here before. And I’ll tell you, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice because retaliation is real. And that’s not right. But that’s what you’ve asked me to do, and so I’m going to use my voice to the best of my ability.” Now, despite this purported fear, Murkowski has spoken up about things she disagrees with. For instance, Politico noted that she’d been displeased with this administration’s relationship with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin. She has also discussed DOGE and how drastic cuts and mass layoffs would impact Alaska. 

And more recently, Axios reported that she said she wasn’t thrilled with the version of the One Big Beautiful Bill she ultimately voted yes on. So it seems, if there is a real fear of retaliation, she does still have a voice and power as a U.S. Senator. It just seems a bit confusing, to me at least, when and how she chooses to exercise that authority. For instance, today, in the aftermath of this marathon of voting in the Senate, she seemed almost displeased with the outcome, even though she had voted for the bill. In a statement posted to the app formerly known as Twitter, she said in part, "My sincere hope is that this is not the final product. This bill needs more work across chambers and is not ready for the President's desk. We need to work together to get this right." 

How will that happen by the artificial July 4th deadline the White House has imposed? Who exactly is she working with on the House side to make changes that would ensure everyone is able to keep critical benefits, like Medicaid and SNAP? 

Senator Murkowski fought for Alaska and secured several beneficial carveouts for her state. In her statement, she talked about rural aid and tribal exemptions in Alaska. Honestly, I applaud her for thinking about the needs of Indigenous Americans. But as she knows, from her time working to get Savanna’s Act through Congress in 2020, Indigenous Americans do not just live in Alaska. They’re across the entire country, in rural, suburban, and urban areas. According to Medicaid.gov, “Medicaid and CHIP can serve as a critical source of care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. More than 1 million in this community are enrolled in coverage through Medicaid and CHIP, and many more are eligible for coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.” 

In this instance, today, I feel like Senator Murkowski acted like a state-level representative. Yes, our members in Congress represent our districts and states, but they vote on legislation that impacts everyone. She believes Alaska is unique. That is true. But so is Louisiana. Mississippi is also pretty special. As is California. Every state has its own independent considerations and distinct budget concerns, based on its population. Members of Congress may answer to the people who elected them locally, but they vote on legislation that affects all of us, and they are accountable to the entire nation. And We, the People, needed Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska to be brave enough to remember that her single vote affects millions of lives. That’s something Senator Tillis of North Carolina remembered this week. 

Thank you for listening to The Friday Brief. We are now on daily, so make sure you and your friends don’t miss an episode! Check out thefridaybrief.com, and follow The Friday Brief on Instagram and TikTok. Until next time, I’m Phoenix Ricks signing off from Washington, DC. Let’s work together for a world of good.