Minority News Releases
Senator Murray on Partial Restoration of Spending Transparency Website After Court Orders Trump, Vought to Stop Breaking the Law to Hide Their Tracks
Murray demands all apportionment data be published online as court order requires Murray: “It’s clear now why Vought and Trump have fought so hard to prevent this information from being public: they have used this process to secretly and illegally exert even more control over funding approved by Congress, freezing key investments from going out the door for agencies to conduct critical work and help the American people.” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice C… Continue Reading
08.05.25
Trump Illegally Blocking NIH Funding, Top Government Watchdog Concludes
Murray responds as GAO finds Trump has illegally impounded enacted funding for 5th time in recent weeks ICYMI last week: OMB chokes off virtually all NIH research funding, then reverses itself after decision is made public—but billions of dollars remain illegally impounded Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on a Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision issued today, which con… Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senate Passes Bipartisan Bills to Fund VA, Military Construction, Agriculture, FDA, and More
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding bill — BILL SUMMARY HERE Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies funding bill — BILL SUMMARY HERE Legislative Branch funding bill —BILL SUMMARY HERE Washington, D.C. — Today, in a 87-9 vote, the U.S. Senate passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding bill and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), … Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senator Murray on OMB Blocking CDC Funds to Protect People’s Health—Just Days After OMB Froze $15 Billion in NIH Funding
Murray slams reckless funding freezes, complete lack of transparency as OMB cuts off funds in secrecy despite legal requirement to make public its funding decisions Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on new reports today that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is preventing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from spending large chunks of funding for mission cri… Continue Reading
08.01.25
Senator Murray Urges Passage of Military Construction-VA, Agriculture-FDA, and Legislative Branch Funding Bills
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding bill — BILL SUMMARY HERE Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies funding bill — BILL SUMMARY HERE Legislative Branch funding bill —BILL SUMMARY HERE ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks on the Senate Floor*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the Senat… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Government Watchdog Finds Trump Has Illegally Impounded Funding for 4th Time in Recent Weeks
GAO finds Trump illegally impounded funding for K-12 schools across America to make energy efficiency upgrades—lowering schools’ costs and upgrading students’ classrooms Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on another Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision announced this morning, which concludes that President Trump has—in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA)—illegal… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Bills
Committee approves Defense funding bill in a 26-3 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE Committee approves LHHS bill in a 26-3 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. “These are not the bills I would have written on my own—bu… Continue Reading
07.31.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Bills
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below: “As I have said, these are not the bills I would have w… Continue Reading
07.29.25
Senator Murray Slams Trump Admin for Choking Off Lifesaving NIH Medical Research
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on reports today that President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is now explicitly preventing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from spending funding Congress appropriated for lifesaving research into treatments and cures for devastating diseases. This escalation by the Trump administration would choke off approximately $15 billion i… Continue Reading
07.28.25
Murray, Kaptur Ask GAO to Look Into Energy Department’s Decision to Steer Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Away from Wind, Solar In Defiance of Spending Law
Washington, D.C. — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to issue a legal decision on whether President Trump’s Department of Energy (DOE) violated key appropriations laws in shifting hundreds of millions… Continue Reading
07.25.25
In Face of Widespread Blowback, Trump Admin Finally Releases Education Funds It’s Blocked for Weeks—Forcing Layoffs, Program Closures, & Needless Chaos
Senator Murray responds after raising alarm bells for weeks ICYMI: Senator Murray Demands All Remaining Education Funds Blocked By Trump Get Released Immediately Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration finally relented and gave notice it will release the remaining $5.5 billion in federal funding for K-12 schools and adult education programs that it… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Interior-Environment, Transportation-HUD Bills
Committee approves Interior-Environment bill in a 26-2 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE Committee approves Transportation-HUD bill in a 27-1 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropria… Continue Reading
07.24.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Interior-Environment and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Bills
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below: “Thank you very … Continue Reading
07.24.25
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Interior-Environment, Transportation-HUD Bills
Committee approves Interior-Environment bill in a 26-2 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE Committee approves Transportation-HUD bill in a 27-1 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. … Continue Reading
07.23.25
Government Watchdog Finds Trump Has Illegally Impounded Head Start Funding for Families Across America—Murray Responds
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on another Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision announced this morning, which concludes that President Trump has illegally impounded funding provided by Congress for Head Start programs across America, in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA): “Today, a top government watchdog confirmed what we’ve known for months: President… Continue Reading
07.18.25
Senator Murray Demands All Remaining Education Funds Blocked By Trump Get Released Immediately
Trump relents, finally releasing a fraction of withheld education funds while continuing to block $5.5 billion more ICYMI: Senator Murray Blocks Fast-Track Consideration of Education Nominee as Trump Continues Blocking Nearly $7 Billion for Students & Schools Nationwide Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on President Trump to release every penny of the $5.5 billion in federal funding for K-1… Continue Reading
07.17.25
Senator Murray Blocks Fast-Track Consideration of Education Nominee as Trump Continues Blocking Nearly $7 Billion for Students & Schools Nationwide
ICYMI: Murray, Sanders, Baldwin Lead Colleagues in Demanding Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America ICYMI: Senator Murray Calls on Trump Admin to Immediately Release Billions in Funds K-12 Schools Across America are Counting On Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, objected to fast-track consideration of Mary Christina Riley, President Trump’s nominee to serve … Continue Reading
07.17.25
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves MilCon-VA, CJS Bills
Committee approves Military Construction-VA bill in a 26-3 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE Committee approves Commerce-Justice-Science bill in a 19-10 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations act and to resume consideration of its draft… Continue Reading
07.17.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Military Construction-VA, Commerce-Justice-Science Bills
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below: “Thank you very much, Chai… Continue Reading
07.16.25
Senate & House Education Leaders Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Moving Department of Education Programs to DOL as Part of Its Efforts to Dismantle the Department
ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin Call on Department of Education to Immediately Cease Illegal Plan to Transfer Career and Technical Education Program Responsibilities to Labor Department Washington, D.C. — Today, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee; Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human … Continue Reading