Minority News Releases
Murray Grills Secretary Wright on Illegal Funding Freeze, Mass Firings, Devastating Proposed Funding Cuts
Murray highlights how DOE’s actions and proposals undermined American innovation and will raise energy costs for American families ***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** ***WATCH: Senator Murray questioning Secretary Wright*** ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s closing remarks*** Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Senato… Continue Reading
05.21.25
Senator Murray Presses Trump’s Small Business Administrator on Canceled Grants, Immense Costs of Trump’s Trade War for Small Businesses
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with SBA Administrator Loeffler*** Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler at a Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for SBA. Murray pressed Administrator Loeffler on the Trump administration’s cancellation o… Continue Reading
05.21.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Hearing on the Department of Energy’s Budget
WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, kicked off a hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), emphasizing in her opening remarks how important the Department’s work is—and how this administration’s illegal funding freeze, mass reductions in staffing, and steep proposed budg… Continue Reading
05.21.25
Murray Slams Secretary Burgum’s Plans to Fire National Park Staff, Sell Off Public Lands, & Slash Funding for Tribes
Murray: “Our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.” NEW REPORT: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriati… Continue Reading
05.20.25
Murray Slams Rubio’s Defiance of Congress & Federal Law, Says Trump Admin Has Undermined American Leadership and Caused Preventable Suffering
Murray: “Secretary Rubio… you have overseen a systematic campaign to dismantle USAID, impound billions of dollars that this Committee actually provided, and unilaterally remake the Department of State—without the slightest bit of concern that you lack the authority to do that without Congress. It has created chaos, it’s caused preventable deaths across the globe, and it has undermined American leadership… what you have done is outright illegal.” Murray calls for bipartisan pushback: “Ar… Continue Reading
05.19.25
Murray, Kaptur Call for Energy Department to Reverse New, Expanded Caps on Indirect Research Costs
ICYMI: Murray, Kaptur call for reversal of arbitrary cap on DOE-funded research—a policy already blocked in federal court for university grants Washington, D.C. — Today, 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, sent a letter to Department of Energy (… Continue Reading
05.16.25
Murray, DeLauro, Baldwin Call on Secretary McMahon to Promptly Inform K-12 Schools About Their Federal Funding After Harmful Delays, Uncertainty, and Chaos
Top Democratic appropriators call out delays in notification of federal education funding Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human … Continue Reading
05.15.25
Murray, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin, Sanders Decry Trump Administration’s Illegal Firings, Cuts at AmeriCorps
Top appropriators and authorizers call on Interim Head of AmeriCorps to reverse layoffs and grant terminations that have debilitated the agency’s core functions Washington, D.C. — Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, alongside Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member o… Continue Reading
05.15.25
Senator Murray on Trump Defunding Blue State Army Corps Construction: “This is Some Corrupt B-S”
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, issued the following statement on the release of the Army Corps’ work plans detailing how it will spend the funding provided by Congress under Republicans’ yearlong continuing resolution for fiscal year 2025. The plans show how Trump’s Army Corps of Engineers intends to zero out and significantly cut funding for essent… Continue Reading
05.15.25
Murray Slams Sweeping Funding Freeze at DOT, Grills Duffy on Massive Staffing Cuts at FAA, Across DOT
WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called out how this administration has illegally frozen, cancelled, and slow-walked federal funding for transportation projects across America and grilled Se… Continue Reading
05.14.25
Murray Grills Administrator Zeldin Over Plans to Destroy EPA
Murray calls out ongoing defiance of appropriations laws ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Interior Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, blasted the Trump administration’s mass firings and proposed budget cuts at the EPA and called out Administrator Lee Zeldin for canc… Continue Reading
05.14.25
Merkley Remarks at EPA Budget Hearing with Administrator Zeldin
Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley - the Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee - delivered the following remarks at the hearing reviewing the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency with Administrator Lee Zeldin: Senator Merkley’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below: “Thank you, Chair Murkowski and congratulations on your chairmanship, a role you have already previou… Continue Reading
05.13.25
Murray, Van Hollen, Tillis, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Calling on DHS to Reinstate Disaster Mitigation Program Critical to Local Communities
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter with over 80 of their colleagues urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports local efforts to protect and harden our communities from natural disaster. The BRIC program provides grants for hazard mitigation… Continue Reading
05.08.25
Murray Grills Kristi Noem on Frozen Disaster Relief, Slams Trump’s Lawless, Inhumane Immigration Policy
ICYMI: In Senate Floor Speech, Senator Murray Calls Out Trump’s Staggeringly Lawless and Inhumane Immigration Policy WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the FY26 budget for the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, blasted the Trump administration’s lawless and inhumane immigration policies and grille… Continue Reading
05.08.25
FBI Director Shows Up to Budget Hearing With “No” Timeline for Budget, Walks Back His Criticism of Trump’s Plan for Big Cuts at FBI
Asked about FBI budget, Patel tells Senate Appropriations Committee: “I’m not asking you for anything at this time.” ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning*** Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee hearing on the FY26 budget for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, grilled Director Kash Patel on President Trump’s proposed budg… Continue Reading
05.08.25
Education Leaders Urge McMahon to Reject Waiver Requests for K-12 Education Funds That Allow States to Avoid Accountability
Washington, D.C. — Today, congressional Democrats urged Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reject any efforts by states to undermine the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which specifically directs funding to high-poverty schools, English as a Second Language programs, afterschool and summer learning, and more. The letter was sent by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member… Continue Reading
05.05.25
Top Committee Leaders Press Energy Department for Answers on Detrimental Departmental Policies and Unlawful Funding Freeze—Following Up on Repeated Requests
Murray, Heinrich, DeLauro, Pallone, Lofgren write to Secretary Wright, calling on him to restore lawful operations at DOE and provide promised transparency about the Department’s harmful actions to date Washington, D.C. — Today, the top Democrats in Congress with oversight over the Department of Energy (DOE) sent a letter to Secretary Chris Wright demanding information the Department has thus far failed to provide about its suspension of critical energy programs, cancellation of awards an… Continue Reading
05.02.25
Senator Murray Statement on President Trump’s Preliminary Budget Request
Murray: “This is a proposal to raise costs and make life harder—and worse—for working people in every part of the country.” Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget request, which proposes slashing critical investments in non-defense programs that matter immensely to families and our country’s competitiveness and future. The Tru… Continue Reading
04.30.25
At Hearing, Senator Murray Slams Trump Administration for Threatening Biomedical Research and Jeopardizing Americans’ Health
***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s questioning*** *WATCH AND READ: Emily Stenson’s testimony* Washington, D.C. - Today—at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on biomedical research—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, underscored why the investments we make in biomedical research are so vital, what’s at stake for patients and families as Trump takes a wrecking ball to this research, and wh… Continue Reading
04.30.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Appropriations Hearing on Biomedical Research
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today—at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on biomedical research—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, underscored in her opening remarks how important biomedical research is for patients and families across the country and how President Trump’s unprecedented attacks on our nation’s premier biomedical research enterprise threatens to unravel decades of progress. Sen… Continue Reading