Minority News Releases
Senator Murray on Passage of DHS Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on House passage of the fiscal year 2026 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill that passed the Senate unanimously on March 27 and then again on April 2. “Speaker Johnson extended the DHS shutdown for over a month for no reason at all. This is the same bill the Senate unanimously passed five weeks ago. “After Republicans spent m… Continue Reading
04.29.26
Senator Murray Presses Administration Officials on Trump Pitch to Bloat War Budget While Shortchanging Nonproliferation Programs
MURRAY: “At the same time Trump is demanding trillions for a war in Iran and trying to justify this war on the threat of nuclear proliferation, he is completely blowing off the very program that works around the clock to prevent state and non-state actors from developing nuclear weapons, or acquiring weapons-usable materials, equipment, technology, and expertise.” ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** **… Continue Reading
04.29.26
As Disaster Relief Fund Runs Dry, Murray Again Calls on House Republicans to Pass DHS Funding Bill
With only $1.6 billion remaining in the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), today FEMA implemented Immediate Needs Funding (INF), which suspends all disaster relief expenditures that are not lifesaving or life-sustaining Senate-passed DHS funding bill would provide $26.4 billion to replenish the DRF—but Speaker Johnson has failed to put it up for a vote for over a month Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the fo… Continue Reading
04.28.26
Senator Murray Grills McMahon on Dismantling the Department of Education, Proposing More Cuts to Investments in Students
ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today,—at a Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the FY27 budget request for the Department of Education (ED)—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary Linda McMahon on how her efforts to dismantle the Department of … Continue Reading
04.28.26
Senator Murray to House Republicans: Put the DHS Funding Bill on the Floor Today
Murray: “If Speaker Johnson and House Republicans are looking for someone to blame for the shutdown, we need to find them a mirror.” ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senate Democratic leadership at a press conference to call on Speaker Johnson to stop blocking the bipartisan bill that the Senate twice passed unanimously to fund the Department of Homeland Sec… Continue Reading
04.22.26
Senator Murray Blasts Trump’s Pitch to Gut Cost Saving Energy Programs, Slams Wright for Shortchanging Hanford
ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request Pressed on whether gas will dip to $3/gallon again before the end of the year, Wright says: “Nobody can offer guarantees about the future.” ***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today—during a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request for the D… Continue Reading
04.22.26
OPENING REMARKS: Senator Murray Blasts Trump’s Energy Budget as Skyrocketing Energy Costs Squeeze American Families
Murray: “This budget really is a war-bloated disaster. We’re talking $1.5 trillion on war, that is an increase of half a trillion dollars. And this budget takes a hatchet to programs that lower families’ energy bills, research that keeps us ahead of China, crucial water projects that our communities rely on. And gas prices are sky high and energy bills are ticking up month after month, just so Trump can help defense contractors make a killing. And I will tell you, at home that is not what our… Continue Reading
04.22.26
On Senate Floor, Murray Slams Republicans for Cutting a Blank Check for ICE While Costs Skyrocket for Families Across the Country
Murray: “Republicans are making clear, their biggest priority is not lowering prices or helping families with the basics, not stopping Trump’s warmongering, it’s giving tens of billions of dollars more of your hard-earned tax dollars to ICE and Border Patrol.” ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full floor speech*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on Republicans’ efforts to provide at l… Continue Reading
04.22.26
Senator Murray Slams Trump and Burgum’s Interior Budget that Fires Park Staff and Cuts Funding for Tribes
ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, slammed Secretary Doug Burgum’s continued efforts to fire staff across the Department and cut f… Continue Reading
04.22.26
Senator Murray Blasts Republicans’ Plans to Pad ICE’s Budget Without Any Strings Attached—While Doing Nothing to Lower Families’ Costs
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke at a press conference with Senate Democratic leadership on Republicans’ efforts to provide at least $70 billion—but as much as $140 billion—in new funding for ICE and CBP without any strings attached or basic reforms. Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are… Continue Reading
04.21.26
Senator Murray Slams RFK Jr. for Endorsing Cuts to Critical Programs Families Rely on to Fund Trump’s Wars Abroad
RFK Jr. on Trump budget request to spend money on war instead of child care: “It’s not my department.” ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today,—at a Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the FY27 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair o… Continue Reading
04.21.26
Senator Murray on Republicans Releasing Their Budget Resolution to Cut Another Blank Check for ICE & Border Patrol
ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Murray Talks DHS Funding—Calling on House Republicans to Stop Extending Record-Breaking Shutdown Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the release of Republicans’ budget resolution that establishes the framework for Republicans to approve $70 billion in new funding for ICE and Border Patr… Continue Reading
04.16.26
On Senate Floor, Murray Blasts Trump’s Budget Request and Speaks About Path Forward for FY27 Appropriations
Murray: “None of the priorities Trump campaigned on are reflected in this budget. He’s breaking every single promise he made about lowering costs, and helping families, and putting America first. Instead of ‘putting America first,’ he is asking Congress to slash investments in families to help fund his reckless foreign wars, and line the pockets of defense company CEOs and their stockholders.” Murray: “We have to put more resources into helping people out, not funding Trump’s wars abroa… Continue Reading
04.16.26
On Senate Floor, Murray Talks DHS Funding, Calling on House Republicans to Stop Extending Record-Breaking Shutdown
Murray: “We cannot lose sight of the fact that the reason we find ourselves in this mess, is that last summer—in their Big Ugly Bill—Republicans did an end-run around the bipartisan appropriations process and handed ICE and Border Patrol vastly more money than they receive each year.” Murray on Republicans’ reconciliation plans: “Let’s be crystal clear about what that means: Republicans are choosing to cut another blank check for these agencies—and to forfeit Congress’ ability to put c… Continue Reading
04.15.26
Senator Murray Asks CBO About Impact of Trump’s Defense Budget on Deficits
CBO Director confirms: Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill is the single piece of legislation from last 10 years that’s added most to national debt CBO Director tells Murray that Trump’s requested defense increase would dramatically increase the deficit and add $200 billion in interest costs alone over 10 years ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today—at a Senate Appropriations Legislati… Continue Reading
04.03.26
Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request
Trump proposes slashing domestic investments while increasing defense spending by half a trillion dollars more ICYMI: Trump on Wednesday: “It’s not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare ... We have to take care of one thing: military protection.” Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the release of President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, which proposes increa… Continue Reading
04.02.26
Murray, Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Baldwin Blast New Trump Admin Attempt to Dismantle Education Department, Call for Immediate End to Illegal Transfer of Student Loans to Treasury
Committee Ranking Members argue that the scheme “will set the stage for more dysfunction in a federal student aid system that the Trump Administration has already made more expensive and confusing to navigate” Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) pressed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to rescind their plans to move the administrati… Continue Reading
03.27.26
Senator Murray Statement on DHS Funding
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “Democrats have been clear for weeks: there is absolutely no reason that TSA agents’ paychecks should be held hostage to Republicans’ demands to provide another blank check for ICE and Border Patrol—and it is just plain wrong that their pay has been held up this long. But finally, Republicans have relent… Continue Reading
03.25.26
Senate Republicans Block TSA Pay for the 11th Time
Senate Republicans have now blocked TSA pay 11 times & blocked bills to fund TSA, FEMA, CISA, & Coast Guard 14 times in total Washington, D.C. — This evening, Senate Republicans once again blocked two separate bills offered by Senate Democrats to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. First, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) sought unanimous consent to pass legislation to pay all TSA employees, but Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) objected. Then, Senator Merkley… Continue Reading
03.24.26
For 9th Time, Senate Republicans Block Legislation to Pay TSA
Senate Republicans have now blocked TSA pay 9 times & blocked bills to fund TSA, FEMA, CISA, & Coast Guard 12 times in total Washington, D.C. — Today, Senate Republicans once again blocked legislation offered by Senate Democrats to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sought to call up the TSA pay bill and vote on it—but Senate Republicans blocked Democrats from even bringing it up for a vote. _______________… Continue Reading