Senator Lisa Murkowski fell into a long, uncomfortable silence on Tuesday when asked whether her support for the GOP’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” was little more than a political favor to her home state of Alaska. The tense moment followed the Senate’s razor-thin 51–50 vote, with Murkowski casting one of the deciding votes in favor of the legislation.
NBC’s Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent Ryan Nobles brought up Senator Rand Paul’s criticism, suggesting the bill had been crafted to benefit Alaska at the expense of other states.
“Senator Paul said that your vote was a bailout for Alaska,” Nobles said.
Murkowski stared at him for over ten seconds, blinking just once before softly replying, “Oh my…”
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
Nobles clarified he was quoting Paul, not speaking for himself. Still, Murkowski remained silent before answering with visible frustration.
“I have an obligation to the people of the state of Alaska, and I live up to that every single day,” she said. “I fight for my state’s interest and I make sure that Alaskans are understood.”
Calling the legislative process “agonizing,” Murkowski said she wouldn’t apologize for prioritizing her constituents. She emphasized Alaska’s unique needs and pushed back on the idea that securing federal funds was inappropriate.
“When people suggest the federal dollars go to one of our 50 states in a quote, ‘bailout,’ I find that offensive,” she added.
Later in the exchange, Murkowski acknowledged her discomfort with the bill but stood by her decision.
“Do I like this bill? No,” she said. “Because I tried to take care of Alaska’s interests… you can either say I don’t like it and not try to help my state or you can roll up your sleeves.”
The bill—nicknamed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill”—passed by a single vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie after some Republicans joined Democrats and Independents to support it. Senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Thom Tillis voted against it. Notably, no Democratic senators backed the measure.
Central to the controversy is a provision granting Alaska an exemption from new SNAP (food stamp) requirements and cost-sharing rules. The exemption only applies if the state submits a plan to fix its administrative issues, as Alaska currently has the worst SNAP error rate in the nation.
Murkowski defended the clause, arguing that it addressed real problems without penalizing vulnerable residents.
She also criticized the fast-tracked process behind the bill’s passage, saying artificial deadlines led to rushed decisions rather than thoughtful policymaking.
The legislation now returns to the House of Representatives for final approval, following a weekend of intense negotiations and last-minute changes.
Featured image via Screengrab
