Minority News Releases
Senator Murray Floor Remarks on Senate Passage of Five More Funding Bills
ICYMI: Senate Passes Five Funding Bills, Strips Out DHS Bill to Ensure Negotiations Proceed to Rein in ICE and CBP ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor after Senate passage of five more fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills she helped negotiate: the Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education,… Continue Reading
01.30.26
Senator Murray Remarks at Press Conference Following Senate Vote to Pass Five Funding Bills While Splitting Off DHS Bill
WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks ICYMI: Senate Passes Five Funding Bills, Strips Out DHS Bill to Ensure Negotiations Proceed to Rein in ICE and CBP Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at a press conference, alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), after final passage of five more fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills. The amended pac… Continue Reading
01.30.26
Senate Passes Five Funding Bills, Strips Out DHS Bill to Ensure Negotiations Proceed to Rein in ICE and CBP
Washington, D.C. — Today, in a 71-29 vote, the Senate passed five more fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills: the Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. The amended package strips the Homeland Security bill out of the six-bill package sent over by the House las… Continue Reading
01.28.26
Senator Murray Calls on Senate Republicans to Work with Democrats to Quickly Pass Five Funding Bills While Working on Serious Reforms to Rein in ICE and CBP
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on government funding at this afternoon’s Senate Democratic leadership press conference. Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below: “Democrats are ready to avert a shutdown. We have 5 bills we all agree on—about 95 percent of the remaining budget—it is ready to go. “We can pass these f… Continue Reading
01.28.26
Senator Murray Floor Remarks on Horrific Shooting of Alex Pretti and the Imperative for Republicans to Work with Democrats to Rein in ICE and CBP and Quickly Pass Other Five Funding Bills to Avert an Unnecessary Shutdown
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about the killing of Alex Pretti and the violence we are seeing from ICE and CBP agents in Minneapolis and all across the country—and the urgent need to rein in these rogue agencies. Senator Murray emphasized that Democrats are ready to avert a Republican shutdown by passing the five other appropriations bill… Continue Reading
01.20.26
Appropriations Committees Release Remaining Funding Bills
Legislation rejects draconian Trump cuts and 85+ Republican poison pill riders—protecting investments in Americans’ health, financial security, and futures while reasserting Congress’ power of the purse Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees released text of the four remaining fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills: the Defense; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Develop… Continue Reading
01.15.26
Senate Passes Three-Bill Funding Package in 82-15 Vote
Democrats protect funding to lower families’ energy bills, key investments in scientific research, and much more Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate, in a 82-15 vote, passed three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year appropriations bills: the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bills. The bills now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law. The House cleared the package in an overwhelming 397-… Continue Reading
01.15.26
Senator Murray Urges Colleagues to Support Final Passage of Three-Bill Funding Package
ICYMI: Murray, Top Appropriators Release Three-Bill Minibus ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Ahead of the Senate’s vote today on final passage of a three-bill funding package, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks, encouraging passage of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies fiscal year 2026 … Continue Reading
01.14.26
Senator Murray Statement on Trump Axing Thousands of Grants to Treat and Prevent Addiction, Provide Mental Health Services
Overnight, Trump admin wiped out billions in mental health and substance use disorder grants awarded by SAMHSA to communities nationwide—including in Washington state Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administration’s decision overnight to reportedly terminate as many as 2,800 grants totaling approximately $2 billion for communities across the country to combat substa… Continue Reading
01.13.26
Senator Murray Remarks on Three-Bill Funding Package at Senate Democratic Leadership Press Conference
Senate advanced package in 80-13 preliminary procedural vote on Monday night Package of funding bills rejects draconian cuts and policies pushed by President Trump, House Republicans—and reasserts congressional control over key funding decisions ICYMI: Murray, Top Appropriators Release Three-Bill Minibus ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Remarks*** Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks … Continue Reading
01.12.26
Murray Floor Remarks on CJS, Energy & Water, Interior Funding Bills as Senate Takes Up Package
Senate advances package in 80-13 preliminary procedural vote following House passage of the package in a 397-28 vote on Thursday Package of funding bills rejects draconian cuts and policies pushed by President Trump, House Republicans—and reasserts congressional control over key funding decisions ICYMI: Murray, Top Appropriators Release Three-Bill Minibus ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Ap… Continue Reading
01.11.26
Appropriations Committees Release Two-Bill Minibus
Legislation rejects drastic Trump cuts and 80+ extreme Republican riders—protecting key investments in America’s small businesses and reasserting Congress’ control over key spending decisions Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees released text of two bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year appropriations bills: the Financial Services and General Government and the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bills. In a statement, Senator P… Continue Reading
01.05.26
Appropriators Release Three-Bill Minibus
Package of funding bills rejects draconian cuts and policies pushed by President Trump, House Republicans—and reasserts congressional control over key funding decisions Democrats protect program to lower families’ energy bills, key investments in scientific research, and much more Washington, D.C. — Today, top appropriators in the Senate and House released text of three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year appropriations bills: the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energ… Continue Reading
01.03.26
Vice Chair Murray, Leader Schumer, National Security Committees Ranking Members Condemn Trump Administration Plan To Run Venezuela
Washington, D.C. - Today, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chris Coons (D-DE), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed (D-RI), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark Warne… Continue Reading
12.19.25
Senator Murray Statement on Release of Partisan Homeland Security Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the draft fiscal year 2026 Homeland Security appropriations bill that Senate Republicans released today. “Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have chosen to release a partisan bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security instead of working with Senate Democrats to finalize a negotiated bill. We need more accountability from President Trump’s out-of-con… Continue Reading
12.09.25
Senator Murray Grills Trump’s Trade Representative Over Administration’s Reckless Tariffs Driving Up Prices, Devastating Small Businesses
Murray raises example of Tacoma-made Almond Roca while pressing Trump administration on effect of trade war on American businesses Senator Murray has been outspoken about the harm Trump’s tariffs are causing in WA—one of the most trade-dependent states in the country; Murray has held numerous events in every corner of the state to hear from businesses, farmers, and border communities about effects of Trump’s trade war ***WATCH: Senator Murray exchange with U.S. Trade Representat… Continue Reading
12.04.25
Senator Murray Statement Following Briefing on Lethal Second Strike of Boat in the Caribbean
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement following a bipartisan briefing on the Trump administration’s follow-up strike of a boat it attacked in the Caribbean on September 2, which killed all remaining survivors. “I’m glad there is finally some bipartisan oversight of actions taken by this administration. That must continue. “What we heard today was truly disturbing, and more accountab… Continue Reading
12.04.25
Murray, Baldwin, Sanders, Schumer, Colleagues Slam Latest Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education; Call on McMahon to Reverse Illegal Moves That Weaken Support for Students
Washington, D.C. — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon slamming the … Continue Reading
12.03.25
At Hearing, Senator Murray Highlights Russia’s Barbaric Kidnapping of Ukrainian Children, Slams Trump for Eliminating Funding for Efforts to Track Victims
Senator Murray: “Unfortunately, we simply cannot have this conversation without talking about the fact that, as Ranking Member Schatz mentioned, earlier this year the Trump Administration abruptly cut off funding to help track victims of Russian kidnapping and deliver justice.” ***WATCH: Senator Murray questions witnesses on holding Russia accountable for kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children*** Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Fo… Continue Reading
11.24.25
Senator Murray Statement on Release of Partisan Energy and Water Development Bill
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, issued the following statement on the draft fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations act that Senate Republicans released today. “While I am disappointed that Senate Republicans released a partisan bill instead of working with Senate Democrats—and I am especially disappointed by the cuts to critica… Continue Reading