Minority News Releases
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
07.16.25
Murray Slams Republicans’ Rescissions Package on Senate Floor
FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Shutter Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriatio… Continue Reading
07.15.25
Murray Urges Colleagues to Vote Down Rescissions Package in Its Entirety
FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Shutter Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks*** Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriation… Continue Reading
07.11.25
Murray, Sanders, Baldwin, Colleagues Demand Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America
32 senators demand Trump admin stop blocking funding signed into law by President Trump in March and end freeze that has sent districts scrambling just weeks out from the new school year Washington, D.C. — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee… Continue Reading
07.10.25
On Senate Floor, Murray Slams Rescissions Package, Warning Against Senselessly Abandoning Communities at Home and Leadership Abroad
FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Devastate Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes—Murray Urges Congress to Reject Package in its Entirety Murray on claims passing the bill is about fiscal responsibility: “You could cut the equivalent of th… Continue Reading
07.10.25
Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of CJS, Ag-FDA, and Legislative Branch Appropriations 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 draft fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch appropriations acts. Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are belo… Continue Reading
07.10.25
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Ag-FDA and Legislative Branch Bills
Committee approves Agriculture-FDA bill in 27-0 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE Committee approves Legislative Branch bill in 26-1 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 and approved its draft fiscal year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies and Legislative Branch appropriations bills. The Committee als… Continue Reading