Inouye, D-Hawai'i, visited a wildlife refuge visitor center in Homer on Thursday where he made a few statements in support of his Republican colleague. The two senators are traveling together in Alaska through the weekend.

"I'm here to tell the people of Alaska that I support him, that you're fortunate to have him," Inouye said.

Stevens is being investigated by the FBI, which is looking into his ties with the VECO oil services field company and a renovation of his Girdwood home, as well as the awarding of a large National Science Foundation contract.

Inouye deemed national press coverage of the Stevens investigation "overkill," citing repeated mentions of the recent FBI search of his friend's Girdwood home.

"It should be reported. It's news. But good God," Inouye said.

Inouye is a frequent visitor to Alaska. He was honored Wednesday by the Alaska Federation of Natives in Anchorage. The two senators were headed to Kodiak on Friday and planned to be in Fairbanks on Saturday.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined them Thursday to cut a ribbon at a new Alaska Railroad whistle stop in the Chugach Mountains south of Portage.

In Homer, the reception was friendly. Thanked by Homer Mayor Jim Hornaday for the many buildings constructed with federal funds, Stevens said, "Every one of these came from an earmark. None of them was requested by the president."

Stevens and Inouye defended the practice of earmarking funds for specific projects in the federal budget, saying it had long been necessary to allow their remote home states to catch up with the rest of the country.

In Hawai'i, Inouye said, a town the size of Homer, with an area population of about 10,000, would never have such a grand facility as the Islands and Oceans Visitor Center. The senators spoke in the $18 million facility for an hour with about 100 people.

Stevens said the corruption investigation has not limited his effectiveness. In answer to a local reporter, Stevens said only one member of Congress had objected, while many others had come up to him and offered support.

"It's not a problem," he said.

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