Today, Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to wrap up the debate on the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2014. Murray urged her colleagues to support the balanced and responsible Senate Budget and talked about some of the stories, values, and priorities that went into the budget plan. Following Murray’s remarks, the Senate will begin a series of votes that will conclude with a vote on final passage of the resolution.

Key excerpts of Murray’s remarks:

“As chair of the Senate Budget Committee, a critical part of my role is making sure the voices of the American people are heard in the budget process. I believe that budgets are about far more than numbers on a page.  They are about the values and priorities of the American people. In their daily lives, families across the country will feel the impact of the plan we lay out in our budget—and they deserve a seat at the table.”

“The first priority of the Senate Budget is creating jobs and economic growth from the middle out, not the top down. With an unemployment rate than remains stubbornly high, and a middle class that has seen their wages stagnate for far too long, we simply cannot afford any threats to our fragile recovery.”

“…this budget also recognizes that getting our debt and deficits under control is crucial to our nation’s economic strength in coming years. So the Senate Budget puts forward serious, responsible deficit reduction that reflects the recommendations of bipartisan experts, and the values and priorities of the American people.” 

“I realize there are serious differences between the parties, and the last few years have been especially polarized here in Congress. But the House has now passed its budget resolution, and we will be working here in the Senate to pass ours this evening. We have presented very different visions for how our country should work and who it should work for—but I am hopeful that we can bridge this divide.” 

“…the Senate Budget…is a balanced and responsible plan that will tackle our economic and fiscal challenges in a way that puts the middle class and broad-based economic growth first.  And when this comes up for a vote on final passage tonight, I am going to be proud to vote for it—and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.”

“…when this passes the Senate, the work is far from complete. I am going to be working with Chairman Ryan in the House, and anyone else who is interested in coming together, to make some compromises, and get to the balanced and bipartisan deal the American people expect and deserve.” 

The full text of Murray’s remarks follow:

“Thank you, M. President. 

“I’d like to thank all of my colleagues in the Senate, and particularly ranking member Senator Jeff Sessions, for their valuable contributions to the debate we’ve had over the last few days.

“While there are clear areas of disagreement about how to strengthen our economy and restore our nation’s fiscal health, this was a productive conversation and one I hope we can build on in the coming weeks. And if there’s one thing we do all agree on, it’s that we all really like the word ‘balance.’ 

“As chair of the Senate Budget Committee, a critical part of my role is making sure the voices of the American people are heard in the budget process. I believe that budgets are about far more than numbers on a page.  They are about the values and priorities of the American people. In their daily lives, families across the country will feel the impact of the plan we lay out in our budget—and they deserve a seat at the table.

“That’s why in one of my first hearings as Chairman, we invited inspiring Americans to speak about how the federal budget impacts their day-to-day lives, and the opportunities they have had to reach their goals.

“A young woman from New Hampshire named Katyanne Zink attended our hearing. Katyanne grew up in a low-income neighborhood in New Hampshire.  Her parents didn’t go to college themselves, but they desperately wanted the best for their children.  Thanks to a great public school teacher who encouraged her to aim high, and with the help of Pell grants and student loans, Katyanne was able to go to college.  Now, she’s giving back to her community as an urgent-care nurse.

“Tara Marks of Pittsburgh also spoke at our hearing.  Tara never expected to find herself in poverty, but when she was suddenly hit by hard times, Tara temporarily depended on food stamps to feed herself and her son.  Tara firmly believes that without help when she needed it most, she would not have been able to get back on her feet. 

“And we heard from Patrick Murray, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.  Patrick explained that after suffering severe injuries while serving his country, federal support helped him live independently and focus on finishing his degree.  

“The stories Katyanne, Tara, and Patrick shared are just a few of the millions we must keep at the forefront of this discussion, because the interests of hardworking Americans must come first in our decision-making. 

“I’m proud that the Senate Budget my colleagues and I put forward does exactly that. 

“The first priority of the Senate Budget is creating jobs and economic growth from the middle out, not the top down. With an unemployment rate than remains stubbornly high, and a middle class that has seen their wages stagnate for far too long, we simply cannot afford any threats to our fragile recovery. 

“That’s why our budget responsibly replaces the harmful and arbitrary cuts from sequestration, removing an unnecessary burden on our economy that would lower employment by an estimated 750,000 jobs this year alone.

“And M. President, following the advice of experts across the political spectrum, the Senate Budget invests  in job creation now through targeted infrastructure and training initiatives, while putting in place a responsible plan for deficit reduction over the long term.

“To secure strong, broad-based economic growth in the future, our budget invests in our greatest resource—the American people—by strongly supporting high-quality education, from preschool through college and career training.

“And as my colleague Senator Warner said so eloquently here on the Senate floor, we’ve got to stay ahead of our competition. So our budget supports federal R&D, which will help us ensure that growing industries—and the jobs that come with them—take root in the United States, rather than China or India.

“M. President, this budget also recognizes that getting our debt and deficits under control is crucial to our nation’s economic strength in coming years. 

“So the Senate Budget puts forward serious, responsible deficit reduction that reflects the recommendations of bipartisan experts, and the values and priorities of the American people. 

“In 2010 the Simpson-Bowles Fiscal Commission recommended finding roughly $4 trillion in deficit reduction over ten years.  This has since become the benchmark of other serious, bipartisan proposals. 

“Building on the $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction put in place over the last two years, the Senate Budget pushes us past that $4 trillion benchmark, with $1.85 trillion in deficit reduction, evenly divided between responsible spending cuts and new revenue from the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations.

“This budget cuts spending responsibly by $975 billion, and we make some tough choices to get there. And taking the balanced approach the American people have consistently called for, the Senate Budget matches those responsible spending cuts with $975 billion in new revenue, which is raised by closing loopholes and cutting unfair spending in the tax code for those who need it the least.

“This shouldn’t be controversial—there is bipartisan support for reducing the deficit by making the tax code more fair and efficient.

“M. President, if the Senate Budget is enacted, the total deficit reduction since the Simpson-Bowles report will consist of 64% spending cuts, 14% tax rate increases on the rich, and 22% new revenue by closing loopholes and cutting wasteful spending in the tax code for the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations. And we will have put our debt and deficit on a downward, sustainable path. 

“This is a responsible approach. It’s a balanced and fair approach.  It’s the one endorsed by bipartisan groups and experts, and it’s the one supported by the vast majority of the American people. 

“M. President, the Senate Budget takes the position that the solution to our fiscal challenges will not be found in deep cuts to programs vulnerable families depend on. 

“It maintains crucial services that mothers like Tara, and millions of other families struck by hard times, have used as a way to make ends meet while they recover.

“M. President, the Senate Budget preserves and protects Medicare for seniors today and in the future. As Senator Stabenow explained on the floor so well yesterday, Medicare is vital to the health and wellbeing of more than 50 million seniors and Americans with disabilities.  Upholding our commitment to seniors and helping struggling Americans get back on their feet is not just good for our economy—it’s the right thing to do.

“M. President, I realize there are serious differences between the parties, and the last few years have been especially polarized here in Congress. But the House has now passed its budget resolution, and we will be working here in the Senate to pass ours this evening. We have presented very different visions for how our country should work and who it should work for—but I am hopeful that we can bridge this divide. 

“As we look ahead, I urge my colleagues to think of the millions of  Americans like Katyanne, Tara, and Patrick—I urge them to think of the millions of middle class families across the country who are looking to us to get this right.

“Families who want us to invest in them—in their communities. Who want us to focus on the economy—on opportunity—and on the future. Who aren’t looking for a handout—just a hand up when they need it—a government that works for them during the good times and the bad.  And who desperately want us to break through the gridlock and end the dysfunction that is hurting our economy and costing them jobs.

“They are what this debate is about. They are who we were all sent here to represent.

“M. President—the Senate Budget works for families like these. It is a balanced and responsible plan that will tackle our economic and fiscal challenges in a way that puts the middle class and broad-based economic growth first.  And when this comes up for a vote on final passage tonight, I am going to be proud to vote for it—and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.

“M. President—when this passes the Senate, the work is far from complete. I am going to be working with Chairman Ryan in the House, and anyone else who is interested in coming together, to make some compromises, and get to the balanced and bipartisan deal the American people expect and deserve. 

“It won’t be easy—but I am hopeful that it can be done. And I know the families who sent us here expect nothing less. 

“I want to thank Senator Sessions once again for working with me on this.  We have different views on many of the issues, but I am proud of the work we did together to make sure we had a robust and fair debate in the Committee and here on the Senate floor. 

“I also want to thank the staff who worked so hard behind the scenes to put this together.  As well as all of my colleagues on the Budget Committee and off for contributing the ideas, thoughts, and values that went into this resolution. 

“Thank you M. President. I yield the floor.”

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