Senate Budget Committee

Opening Statement of Chairman Patty Murray at the Senate Budget Committee's Hearing on Supporting Broad-Based Economic Growth And Fiscal Responsibility Through Tax Reform

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

“This hearing will now come to order.

“I would like to thank Senator Sessions, and all of my colleagues, for joining me to explore the ways in which tax reform can support broad-based economic growth, while helping us tackle our long-term debt and deficit challenges.

“And I would like to thank our three witnesses: Michael Linden, managing director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress; Adam Looney, senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, and Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center. We appreciate you coming and sharing your expertise on these issues.

“I’m pleased that the possibility of broad reform to our tax code has gained some momentum in recent months. With a tax code that we all realize is complicated, inefficient, and too often skewed to benefit the well-off and well-connected, there is much to improve.

“And reforming our tax code also offers opportunities to make progress on major challenges we face today, like the need to grow our middle class, ensure we can compete in the 21^st century global economy, and restore our nation’s long-term fiscal health.

“So I want to take this opportunity today to discuss a key principle, reflected in the Senate Budget we passed earlier this year, which should guide any tax reform effort.

“Tax reform must be fair to the middle class.

“That means we will need more revenue from those who can most afford it, both to reduce the deficit and to make necessary investments in our future economic strength. Because expanding and supporting our middle class in the 21^st century global economy is going to be a challenge.

“And to make sure we can do it, we’ve got to focus on what the original Simpson-Bowles report called “high-priority” investments: those in education, infrastructure, and research.

“Our schools need to prepare our workers—of all ages—to compete for 21^st century jobs. Our roads, bridges, airports, and airways should be able to transport people and products quickly and reliably, so that companies want to invest here and hire American workers. And we need to maintain our edge in research and development, so that the innovations that drive future economic growth take root at home rather than overseas.

“At the same time, our nation has made promises to millions of Americans that we absolutely must uphold. Current and future seniors, who have worked hard all their lives, deserve to know that Medicare will be there when they need it. And in the United States, we have always worked to help those struck by hard times get back on their feet.

“These commitments, to our future and to those who need and deserve our support, must be met.

“If sequestration is not replaced, we will see deep cuts to these kinds of investments—so much so that even the House Republican appropriations chairman called this “an austere” budget year. This would hurt us in the short term, at a time when we should be focused on creating jobs and boosting the economy.

“And slashing these priorities even further would ultimately make us a very different country—one that has a weaker economy in the long run, and one I think most of us here would agree we don’t want to be.

“Also, while recent CBO analysis shows that we will run lower deficits in coming years than we expected, I think we all recognize that we have to get our long-term debt and deficits on a sustainable path. And we need to do this in a responsible way that allows us to confront the urgent need to create jobs and boost our country’s competitiveness.

“As Mr. Linden will discuss, this is why reducing the deficit with a combination of new revenue from tax reform, as well as smart spending cuts, is the fiscally responsible choice.

“Democrats are not alone in making this argument—bipartisan groups have consistently included revenue for deficit reduction in their tax reform plans. Simpson-Bowles and the Senate Gang of Six each proposed more than $2 trillion.

“That’s significantly more than the $600 billion in new revenue from the wealthiest that we’ve raised in deficit reduction efforts over the last two years. In fact, measured over the same time frame, Simpson-Bowles and the Senate Gang of Six each proposed more new revenue than what we got from the year-end deal, and what we proposed in the Senate Budget, combined.

“Let’s remember that reform will require eliminating wasteful and inefficient tax expenditures that are unfairly skewed towards those who need them the least— like special tax breaks for corporate jet owners and hedge fund managers, and loopholes that allow multinational corporations to shift jobs and profits offshore.

“These kinds of special tax breaks are just spending by another name. And they often do little to support our economy or our middle class.

“So if you really think, like many of my colleagues do, that our fiscal problems are the greatest long-term threat to our nation’s future, why wouldn’t you want to take some of the savings from ending inefficient and unfair tax breaks, and use it to tackle our debt and deficits?

“Especially if, in doing so, you could also continue to prioritize the kinds of investments that make our country great, and allow more Americans a shot at success.

“Unfortunately, some of the plans we’ve seen from the other side of the aisle take a very different approach. My Republican colleagues have put forward plans that prioritize dramatic reductions in tax rates, while bringing in no new revenue for deficit reduction.

“The tax reform plan outlined in the House Budget is a prime example. Experts have found that to remain revenue-neutral, the House Budget would cut taxes on those earning $1 million or more by an average of $245,000, while raising taxes on families with income under $200,000—by an average of $3,000.

“In other words, the only way the House Budget’s tax reform plan could avoid raising taxes on the middle class would be to dramatically increase the deficit.

“At a time when we need to be thinking about how to secure both our long-term fiscal health and our economic leadership, we really don’t need an expensive tax break paid for by shifting tax burdens onto the middle class. This approach would be deeply unfair. And it simply isn’t an option.

“As we’ll hear today from Mr. Looney, it’s very difficult to see how tax reform can dramatically lower rates, help to reduce our deficit, and protect the middle class and most vulnerable from paying more, all at the same time.

“I believe we need to focus on what is best for the middle class by ensuring that any tax reform effort helps more Americans share in and contribute to our economic strength, and helps to reduce our deficit.

“Only once we’ve met these goals does it make sense to look at lowering rates.

“Until then, I think it would be very difficult to explain a plan to middle class Americans that asks them to sacrifice but gives the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations a pass, and does nothing to invest in our future or our fiscal health.

“So as we continue this debate, I encourage my Republican colleagues to be open to working with us on tax reform that puts the middle class—and our economic and fiscal strength—first.

“Some leading Republicans have acknowledged in the past that there are opportunities for this kind of balanced approach. Speaker Boehner proposed raising $800 billion for deficit reduction by closing what he called “special interest loopholes and deductions.”

So I’m hopeful that there is some room for agreement here.

Because even though it won’t be easy, tax reform offers substantial opportunities to make our tax code work better for families and for our economy.

If we do this the right way—meaning the fair way—tax reform has the potential to make our tax system simpler and more efficient, to ensure that those who invest here in the U.S. and play by the rules see the benefit, and to encourage the kind of long-term, broad based economic growth that we saw back in the 1990s.

“So we should do everything we can to move this forward.

“And, before I turn it over to Senator Sessions, I do want to note that any significant change to our tax code will have very real consequences for families and businesses across the country, and it will be very difficult to enact any changes without taxpayers’ full trust.

“This is one reason I was so appalled at the recent revelations about practices at the IRS, which indicate completely unacceptable and wrong-headed behavior.

“The federal government, and particularly the IRS, should maintain the highest ethical standards, and should be held fully accountable for any failure to do so. I know that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are working with President Obama to ensure that those involved are held responsible, and that such a breach of public trust cannot occur again. I thank them for doing this crucial work.

“I’m looking forward to what I think will be a very productive conversation.

“I would like to thank our witnesses again for joining us today, and with that, we’ll hear from my colleague Senator Sessions.

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Wed, 22 May 2013 02:31:00 EST

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:30:00 EST

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:11:00 EST

Murray Calls on Senate Republicans To Stop Giving Excuses and Move to a Bipartisan Budget Conference—McCain and Collins Agree

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:00 EST

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor urging Senate Republicans to stop coming up with excuses and allow the Senate to move to a bipartisan budget conference with the House.

Chairman Murray asked for unanimous consent to move to conference for the ninth time. Her request was blocked by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). Senator McCain (R-AZ) opposed Senator Paul’s objection, and asked his fellow Republicans to follow regular order and work with Democrats on a bipartisan budget deal in conference. Senator Paul then objected to Senator McCain’s request. Senator Collins (R-ME) gave remarks strongly agreeing with Senator McCain, and opposing the Senate Republican leadership’s intransigence.

Senator McCain on Senate floor while objecting to his party blocking a conference: “For four years, four years, we complained about the fact that the Majority Leader...would refuse to bring a budget to the floor of the United States Senate…all of us patted each other on the back and we were so proud we did the budget and by golly, now we'll move with the House of Representatives and we will have a budget— hopefully at least begin negotiations with the House of Representatives…”

“So what do we keep doing? What are we on my side of the aisle keep doing? We don't want a budget unless we put requirements on the conferees that are absolutely out of line and unprecedented.”

“If my colleagues on this side of the aisle think that we are helping our cause as fiscal conservatives by blocking going to a conference on the budget, which every family in America has to be on, because of certain requirements that they demand, then we are not helping ourselves with the American people at all.”

In her speech, Chairman Murray noted that over the last few weeks, Republicans have offered many different excuses for blocking conference, including calling for a pre-conference “framework” and most recently, demanding a “do-over,” with 50 hours of debate and unlimited amendments—just two months after praising the open and thorough floor debate on the Senate Budget.

Murray expressed hope that her Senate Republican colleagues would reverse course and instead listen to members of their own party, such as Senators McCain and Collins, and agree to a bipartisan budget conference with the House, rather than waiting for the next manufactured crisis.

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“…it has now been 59 days since the Senate and House have both passed our budget resolutions. The American people are now expecting us to get together and do everything possible to bridge the partisan divide and come to a bipartisan deal—and Senate Democrats are ready to get to work.”

“But over the past few weeks we have tried to move to conference 8 times, and each time, Senate Republicans have stood up and said no. They have managed to stall for weeks now—but their excuses for not wanting to move to conference keep changing.”

“At first Republicans told us we needed “a framework” before they would allow us to move to conference—though they never explained what that meant. Then, the story changed, and they told us they would only let us move to conference if we made certain guarantees about the outcome. Then, just last week, the story changed again, and Senate Republicans claimed that despite the fact that we engaged in a fair and open budget process here in the Senate less than two months ago, they think we need a do-over—with another 50 hours of debate on top of the 50 hours of debate less than two months ago, and another round of unlimited amendments on top of the unlimited amendments that were allowed already.”

“…to claim that regular order involves a second full Senate budget debate is simply not true. The Senate has never been forced to go through a full debate and open amendment process twice just to get to conference. Not one case. It would be completely unprecedented.”

“…it’s not just Democrats who want to go to conference—quite a few Senate Republicans disagree with their leadership’s position.”

“…instead of scrambling to find new excuses for their budget conference flip-flops, Senate Republicans should realize that their opposition to bipartisan negotiations is simply not sustainable and should come back to the table.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“M. President, it has now been 59 days since the Senate and House have both passed our budget resolutions. The American people are now expecting us to get together and do everything possible to bridge the partisan divide and come to a bipartisan deal—and Senate Democrats are ready to get to work.

“But unfortunately, despite their focus over the past two years on the need to return to regular order, Republicans are now refusing to allow us to move to a bipartisan budget conference.

“Many Republicans, including the Ranking Member on the Budget Committee, Senator Sessions, had been very clear up until recently that after the Senate engages in an open and fair budget markup process, “the work of conferencing must begin.”

“Minority Leader McConnell said back in January that if the Senate Budget is different than the House Budget, then “Send it off the conference. That’s how things used to work around here. We used to call it legislating.” M. President, I couldn’t agree more with Minority Leader McConnell’s words from back in January.

“Then, just last week, the story changed again, and Senate Republicans claimed that despite the fact that we engaged in a fair and open budget process here in the Senate less than two months ago, they think we need a do-over—with another 50 hours of debate on top of the 50 hours of debate less than two months ago, and another round of unlimited amendments on top of the unlimited amendments that were allowed already.

“M. President, this is absurd.

“First of all, to claim that regular order involves a second full Senate budget debate is simply not true. The Senate has never been forced to go through a full debate and open amendment process twice just to get to conference. Not one case. It would be completely unprecedented.

“In fact, every single time since 1994 that the Senate moved to conference, it was done by unanimous consent—with bipartisan support. Which is exactly the way it ought to be done.

“And second of all, M. President, the Senate engaged in a full and open debate in which any member could offer any budget amendment they wanted to—and we did that less than two months ago. I know my colleagues remember this, but I would be happy to quote some of what was said about the process if any reminders are needed.

“As the debate and votes came to a close, Minority Leader McConnell said that the Senate had just engaged in “an open and complete and full debate.”

“He continued, saying “I know everyone is exhausted, and people may not feel it at the moment, but this is one of the Senate’s finest days in recent years, and I commend everyone who has participated in this extraordinary debate.”

“Ranking Member Sessions said that the Budget Committee markup was “an open process,” where, “everybody had the ability to offer amendments.” Senator Sessions also said on the Senate floor as the debate was wrapping up he was thankful that Republicans had “free ability to speak and debate.” And for “helping us move a lot of amendments fairly and equitably tonight.”

“So M. President, there is no question that the Senate engaged in a fair, open, and lengthy debate about our budget before we passed it. And there is absolutely no good reason to ask that we do it all over again—unless the intention was to stall the process and push us closer to a crisis.

“So M. President—instead of scrambling to find new excuses for their budget conference flip-flops, Senate Republicans should realize that their opposition to bipartisan negotiations is simply not sustainable and should come back to the table.

“Senate Republicans may not agree with the substance of our budget—but they will have another opportunity to fight for changes in a bipartisan conference that they would be included in. That’s the appropriate and responsible path forward, and I hope that Senate Republican leaders decide to move back to the position they maintained just a few months ago.

“M. President—it’s not just Democrats who want to go to conference—quite a few Senate Republicans disagree with their leadership’s position.

“My colleague Senator McCain said blocking conference is “incomprehensible” and “insane.”

“Senator Corker said that to “keep from appointing conferees is not consistent.”

“And Senator Flake said he “would like to see a conference now.”

“M. President, House Republican have been spending a lot of their time recently trying to decide among themselves what they would like to demand in return for allowing the federal government to pay its bills.

“They seem to think they have something to gain by pushing our country closer to crisis—but they are misjudging just how sick and tired the American people are of these kind of partisan games and the constant brinksmanship. So I urge them to reconsider this deeply damaging and unsustainable approach, and to join us in a bipartisan conference where we can get to work without waiting for the next manufactured crisis.

“Senate Democrats don’t think there’s any reason to wait, and I am hopeful that at least Senate Republicans will agree with us today and allow us to move to a conference and work together toward a balanced and bipartisan budget deal.

“M. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 33, H. Con. Res. 25; that the amendment, which is at the desk, the text of S. Con. Res. 8, the budget resolution passed by the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; that H. Con. Res. 25, as amended, be agreed to; the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, and the chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate, all with no intervening action or debate.

Opening Statement of Chairman Patty Murray at the Senate Budget Committee's Hearing on the Nomination of Brian Deese to be Deputy Director of OMB

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 EST

“This hearing will now come to order.

“Before we begin, I want to take a moment to join the President in expressing my sadness at the heartbreaking destruction in Oklahoma.

“Too many people have lost so much—loved ones, their children, their homes and livelihoods – and many more are injured and fighting for their lives. I know I join the President, all of my colleagues here and all Americans in saying that my thoughts are with all of those affected by this tragedy.

At times like these, I know that we are all also incredibly grateful for the heroic work of our first responders who are working to help those impacted by the storm. And I will work with my colleagues to do everything I can to provide them, and the communities affected, with the resources they need for relief and to recover from this disaster as quickly as possible.

“I’d like to thank ranking member Senator Sessions—and all of my colleagues for joining me here today.

“As well as members of the public here or watching online.

“Today we are considering President Obama’s nomination of Brian Deese to be the next Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“Brian – thank you for joining us here today.

“I’d also like to recognize and welcome Brian’s family, who are also with us today -- his wife, Kara, and mother, Patricia.

“As we all know, the support of our families is so important to those of us in public service – so thank you to Kara and Patricia, as well as the rest of Brian’s family, for your dedication and sacrifices as well.

“This nomination comes at a critical time for our country. We continue to face serious fiscal and economic challenges that we need to work together to address.

“The American people are looking to us to end the constant artificial crises and political brinksmanship that is threatening our fragile economic recovery.

“It’s time that we stop governing from crisis to crisis, and return stability and regular order to our budget process.

“That’s why I am proud of the work we did here in the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor last month to write, debate, and pass a responsible budget plan that puts economic growth and the middle class first, and that tackles our deficit and debt responsibly.

“It has now been 59 days since the Senate and House have each passed budgets—the President has weighed in with his proposal—and the next step in the budget process is for the two sides to come together in a conference committee and work toward a bipartisan deal.

“Democrats and Republicans have been talking about the need to return to regular order—Including some of my Republicans colleagues on this committee who just a few months ago were explicit about the fact that once the two chambers passed their budgets, the work of conferencing must begin.

“So I have been very disappointed that Senate Republicans seem to now be backtracking from that, and have blocked us from moving to conference every single time we have asked over the past few weeks.

“But I am hopeful that this obstruction ends soon—because I had thought that the one thing Democrats and Republicans could agree on is that we should be working together to return stability and regular order to a budget process that has been broken and chaotic for far too long.

“Aside from the recent budget conference obstruction, there have been some recent positive steps.

“Last month, the Senate voted unanimously—96 to 0—to confirm Sylvia Burwell as the next director of OMB.

“It is critical that we continue to have strong and consistent leadership at OMB—especially now as we work together toward a responsible, bipartisan budget agreement.

“I know that Sylvia will be a great leader – but we can’t afford to have vacancies in other key budget positions during this important time for our economy.

“That’s why today’s hearing in consideration of Brian Deese to be the next Deputy Director of OMB is so important.

“Brian has been a key part of the Administration’s economic team over the past six years—as a top economic advisor on the campaign and transition team, then as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and now as the Deputy Director of the National Economic Council.

“In these roles, he was instrumental in pulling our economy back from the Great Recession, making sure key American industries remained healthy and strong, and investing in policies that boosted the economy and created millions of new jobs.

“As a chief architect of the auto rescue plan, Brian reinvigorated a definitive American industry during a time of deep economic uncertainty – and he did it in a way that also helped our economy recover.

“Brian recognized that letting Detroit go bankrupt would actually increase federal spending on programs like Medicaid and unemployment insurance – and that by instead investing in American workers and jobs we could spur economic growth.

“And he was right – the auto rescue helped save a million American jobs, and the auto industry today is thriving.

“We’ve also started to see the government make important headway on reducing our deficit responsibly during Brian’s time in the Administration.

“Just last week, CBO released its latest baseline.

“These revisions show that we’ve begun to make significant progress on reducing our short and medium-term deficits.

“This is welcome news. CBO now estimates that the deficit for 2013 will be more than $200 billion less than its February projection.

“This means that in two years, CBO expects the deficit will have fallen in half.

“To be clear, we still have important work to do to continue to tackle our longer-term debt and deficit challenges in a responsible and fair way – but we should acknowledge that under this administration, we’ve begun to make significant progress.

“In fact, just on Friday, CBO informed us that the President’s 2014 budget continues this important progress, by first stabilizing the debt by 2015, and then lowering it further as a share of the economy to down below 70 percent by 2023.

“As a key economic expert over the past four-and-a-half years in the administration, Brian has been part of these efforts.

“So I am pleased that he will bring this important knowledge of fiscal and economic policy with him to his new role at OMB. We’ll discuss these issues further with him here today.

“Brian also made comprehensive Wall Street reform a priority during his time in the administration – working to put in place measures to protect the country against the devastating impact of another financial crisis.

“As someone who grew up working at my dad’s five and dime store on Main Street in Bothell, Washington—I couldn’t agree more that we need to bring Main Street values back to our financial system.

“That’s why as Chairman of this committee, I’ve made an effort to bring those values to our budget process as well.

“I believe that budgets are a reflection of our priorities, and they are about families across America who are impacted by the decisions we make.

“So I’m glad that Brian has a track record of putting middle class families over Wall Street profits —and it is my belief that he will bring these values to the budget process at OMB.

“Brian also knows that we need to create a sustainable path for future economic growth.

“Our country has serious deficit and debt challenges, but we also face equally significant deficits in education, worker skills, infrastructure, and innovation.

“We need to keep investing in infrastructure, jobs, our students and our workers.

“We can’t continue to sacrifice long-term investments to solve short term problems.

“So I appreciate that, as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, Brian emphasized that we need to do more than just recover from our current fiscal challenges – we need to invest in future growth and ensure that we can compete in the global economy of tomorrow.

“I share this commitment to investing in our future – and I look forward to working with Brian to make sure these important investment priorities are reflected in our budget process.

“There are tough challenges before Brian, Sylvia, and all of us here on the Budget Committee.

“I had the chance to sit down with Brian earlier this month, and I’m looking forward to hearing from him more today.

“It is clear that he has a strong understanding of economic and budgetary policy.

“And, he knows firsthand how to create fiscal policies that work for middle class families and help our economy grow.

“So I am confident Brian possesses the kind of experience, knowledge, and judgment necessary to succeed in this leadership position – and to help bring a balanced and responsible approach to our budget challenges.

“I hope that we can move quickly on this nomination since we need to return stability to our budget process, and filling this position is an important part of that effort.

“And I hope to schedule a Committee vote on this nomination soon so that the full Senate can confirm the nominee in a timely manner.

“I look forward to asking Brian some questions following his testimony.

“But we will first turn to Senator Sessions, the Ranking Member of this Committee, for his opening statement.”

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:38:00 EST

Murray Continues Calling for Republicans to Choose a Bipartisan Budget Conference Over Brinkmanship

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:30:00 EST

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor urging Senate Republicans to stop blocking the Senate from moving to a budget conference with the House. Murray asked for unanimous consent to move to conference and for the eighth time, Senate Republicans refused.

Murray expressed hope that Senate Republicans will change course, agree to a bipartisan budget conference, and work with Democrats toward a balanced and fair deal. She criticized House Republicans for debating what to demand in return for not pushing the government into default and devastating the economy, rather than moving towards bipartisan negotiations.

Over the past few days, more and more Senate Republicans have come out in opposition to their leadership’s budget conference obstruction. Read more about Senate Republicans fracturing on this in Politico and CQ.

Watch Murray’s speech HERE

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“…I am here today to ask again that Senate Republicans stop blocking the next step in regular order, and allow us to move to a bipartisan budget conference with the House. We have waited long enough, 54 days, in fact, and it is really time to get to work on a bipartisan budget agreement.”

“Senate Democrats see no reason to delay. We are proud of our budget, which puts forward a strong, fair vision for getting more Americans back to work, tackling our long term debt and deficit challenges, and laying a foundation for a strong middle class in the future.”

“…some of our Republican colleagues in the Senate and the House would rather wait until the next crisis, and see if they can extract political concessions with the clock ticking. Or maybe they don’t want to have to air the details of the unpopular House Budget. But either way, there is no excuse for putting the American people through another round of partisan brinkmanship. We’ve already seen that it hurts our economy, and it causes Americans to question whether their government is really working for them.”

“Just yesterday, House Republicans met to discuss what they’ll demand in exchange for not tanking the economy. Apparently they are considering “a laundry list” including repealing Obamacare, which the House will vote on for the 37^th time today, and restrictions on women’s health choices. But House Republicans’ practice of leveraging crises for their own gain died with the Boehner Rule, and no amount of wishing is going to bring it back.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“M. President, I am here today to ask again that Senate Republicans stop blocking the next step in regular order, and allow us to move to a bipartisan budget conference with the House. We have waited long enough, 54 days, in fact, and it is really time to get to work on a bipartisan budget agreement.

“It seems, M. President, that some of our Republican colleagues in the Senate and the House would rather wait until the next crisis, and see if they can extract political concessions with the clock ticking. Or maybe they don’t want to have to air the details of the unpopular House Budget. But either way, there is no excuse for putting the American people through another round of partisan brinkmanship. We’ve already seen that it hurts our economy, and it causes Americans to question whether their government is really working for them.

“Because M. President, House Republicans may think brinkmanship helps them win political fights, but it certainly doesn’t help American families and communities, and that is who we are here to serve. And so I urge my Republican colleagues in the Senate to take a step toward a responsible, bipartisan budget agreement, and a step away from governing by crisis.

“Thank you, and I yield the floor.”

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:12:00 EST

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:11:00 EST

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:09:00 EST

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:08:00 EST

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:07:00 EST

Chairman Murray Continues Push for Budget Conference; Calls on Republicans to End the Hostage-Taking and Debt Limit Brinksmanship

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:30:00 EST

Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on Senate Republicans once again to stop blocking the Senate from moving to a budget conference with the House. Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans blocked a request move to a budget conference for the 7^th time.

Murray criticized House Republicans for spending the day debating with each other over what they plan to demand in return for not pushing the government into default and devastating the economy. She expressed hope that they change course and work with Democrats in a conference toward a balanced and bipartisan budget deal that works for families and the economy.

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“…it has now been 53 days since the Senate passed a budget…we have tried to do so seven times, and each time, a Senate Republican has stood up and said no. Given how much Senate Republicans have talked about regular order over the past two years, we are surprised that they are now resisting this next step in bipartisan negotiations.”

“…we should start working towards a bipartisan budget deal that works for families and our economy as soon as possible, and engage the American people in a thorough and responsible debate.”

“…instead of meeting to discuss moving towards a bipartisan conference, House Republicans met to discuss what they’ll ask for in exchange for not tanking the economy several months from now….Instead of moving toward the middle, and joining us at the table ready to compromise, they spent their afternoon debating what to write on the ransom note.”

“…a lot of families across the country are very concerned that House Republicans haven’t learned any lessons at all from the past two years, and that we are looking at more brinkmanship, more governing by crisis, and more harm for American families and businesses. House Republicans are even telling us they are willing to put foreign creditors before our seniors, veterans, and businesses, and claiming that this plan would somehow protect the economy.”

“Let’s get to work. Our country’s challenges, rather than a looming artificial deadline or crisis, should guide our debate.”

“It would be deeply irresponsible for the House to continue delaying a conference, and for Senate Republicans to continue to cover for them, especially if they are doing so for political reasons, to keep the negotiations out of the public eye, or to avoid taking a few tough votes.”

“So I urge my Republican colleagues to reconsider their approach, join us in a budget conference ready to compromise, and work with us towards the bipartisan budget deal the American people deserve.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“M. President, it has now been 53 days since the Senate passed a budget. Senate Democrats are pushing to keep this process moving and go to conference. We believe that with all of the urgent challenges we face, there is every reason to get to work right away on a bipartisan deal, and absolutely no reason to delay until the next crisis.

“But M. President, we have tried to do so seven times, and each time, a Senate Republican has stood up and said no. Given how much Senate Republicans have talked about regular order over the past two years, we are surprised that they are now resisting this next step in bipartisan negotiations.

“And it’s not just Democrats who want to go to conference; quite a few Senate Republicans seem as surprised as we are. My colleague Senator McCain said blocking conference is “incomprehensible” and “insane.” Senator Corker said that to “keep from appointing conferees is not consistent.” And Senator Flake said he “would like to see a conference now.”

“M. President, I sincerely hope Republican leaders in the Senate will listen to these members of their own party, because we’ve got a lot of problems to solve, and we should get started.

“Our children and young adults need a world-class education system to succeed in the global economy. Too many Americans are still out of work or underemployed. Our national infrastructure is quickly becoming an obstacle rather than an asset to our competitiveness. And we need to do more to responsibly tackle our long-term deficit and debt challenges and make our tax code work better for the middle class. The debate about these kinds of challenges could not be more important.

“So we should start working towards a bipartisan budget deal that works for families and our economy as soon as possible, and engage the American people in a thorough and responsible debate.

“That’s why, M. President, I was very disappointed to see that today, instead of meeting to discuss moving towards a bipartisan conference, House Republicans met to discuss what they’ll ask for in exchange for not tanking the economy several months from now.

“Instead of moving toward the middle, and joining us at the table ready to compromise, they spent their afternoon debating what to write on the ransom note, and saying that if they don’t get what they want, they will allow the U.S. to default, an unprecedented event that would devastate our economy.

“So, M. President, I think a lot of families across the country are very concerned that House Republicans haven’t learned any lessons at all from the past two years, and that we are looking at more brinkmanship, more governing by crisis, and more harm for American families and businesses.

“House Republicans are even telling us they are willing to put foreign creditors before our seniors, veterans, and businesses, and claiming that this plan would somehow protect the economy.

“But M. President, we all know this is absurd. A default is a default. If the federal government pays its foreign creditors but defaults on its obligations to our families and communities, the results would be catastrophic. Ratings agencies would rightly see that as a serious abdication of our responsibilities. Our fragile economic recovery would be threatened. And people across the country would lose faith in their government’s ability to function.

“Fortunately, I don’t think it will come to this. Republicans have said themselves that default would be a ‘financial disaster’ for the global economy and that ‘you can’t not raise the debt ceiling.’ And just a few months ago, Republicans acknowledged how dangerous it would be to play games with the debt limit, and how politically damaging it would be to play politics with potential economic calamity, and they dropped their demands.

“So M. President, what’s changed since then? Why are Republicans once again using this empty threat that does nothing more than rattle the markets and increase uncertainty?

“Maybe House Republicans think that since we won’t hit the debt ceiling until later than we originally expected, there could be less pressure to get a deal, and more opportunity for them to extract political concessions.

“But that’s exactly the wrong way to think about this. Because even if we know they will reverse course eventually, the Republican strategy of holding the economy hostage, creating uncertainty, and trying to push us toward another crisis has terrible consequences.

“All of my colleagues remember the summer of 2011, when extreme elements in the Republican Party demanded economically damaging policies, leading to a downgrade of our nation’s credit. Economic growth and job creation slowed to a halt. Consumer confidence plummeted.

“And out of that summer came sequestration, a policy that was meant to serve only as a trigger, and was only implemented because Republicans were focused on protecting the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations from paying a penny more in taxes, rather than making a deal.

“Today, sequestration is forcing families and communities across the country to cope with layoffs and deep cuts to services they count on, like child care and even public safety. Just yesterday, M. President, we learned that DOD civilian employees, many of whom are veterans, will be furloughed.

“So we need to replace sequestration with balanced and responsible deficit reduction, but we also need to stop the lurching from crisis to crisis that allows these kinds of policies to be enacted. There is absolutely no reason to double down on an approach that has these kinds of effects on the families and communities we serve, and on those who have bravely served our country.

“And so, contrary to what we’re unfortunately hearing from the House, I believe that with more time to reach a fair, bipartisan agreement, we have all the more reason to move to conference quickly. Let’s get to work. Our country’s challenges, rather than a looming artificial deadline or crisis, should guide our debate.

“M. President, this shouldn’t be controversial. There are responsible leaders on both sides of the aisle who agree. I hope Senate Republican leaders listen to the members of their own party who are calling for conference, and bring us one step closer to negotiating a bipartisan budget deal in a responsible way, instead of insisting that we run down the clock.

“I know there are factions in our government that believe compromise is a dirty word, and that getting a deal won’t be easy. But I continue to believe it can be done. Because alongside those who refuse to compromise, there are responsible leaders who came here to show Americans that their government works.

“Thank you, and I yield the floor.”

Chairman Murray’s Statement on Continued GOP Budget Obstruction

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:30:00 EST

Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after Majority Leader Harry Reid asked for consent to move to a budget conference but then withdrew it after no Republicans came to the floor to respond.

“It has now been 51 days since the Senate and House have passed our respective budgets. Senate Democrats have tried five times to move to a conference committee where we can work together toward a balanced and bipartisan budget deal, but Senate Republicans have stood up and objected each time. This obstruction has lasted too long already, and I call on my Republican colleagues to stop blocking the budget process and allow us to move to conference.

“It’s not just Democrats who think we should move to conference, many Republicans agree. One of my Republican colleagues said it was ‘incomprehensible’ that his own leadership is blocking a budget conference after spending so much time talking about the importance of the Senate passing a budget and Congress returning to regular order. Another Senate Republican said he would ‘like to see a conference now.’ Hopefully Senate Republican leaders start listening to their own members and stop blocking what shouldn’t be a controversial step in the budget process.

“Instead of joining us in a bipartisan conference, House Republicans seem to be more focused on their party’s conference this week where they plan to decide what they’ll demand in exchange for not tanking the economy. This kind of brinksmanship is wrong, and it needs to end.

“The debt limit should not be a pawn that Republicans use to keep their Tea Party base happy. Republican leaders admitted earlier this year that, despite their rhetoric, they were not actually willing to drive the government into default and the economy over a cliff. The Boehner rule is already dead, even if the Tea Party won’t allow Speaker Boehner to admit it. So Republicans should stop stalling and playing political games that will do nothing more than hurt the economy and cause needless uncertainty.

“The American people are sick and tired of the lurching from crisis to crisis that is hurting the economy and causing uncertainty for families and communities across the country. I call on Republicans to allow us to move to a budget conference and join us at the table willing to make compromises and work toward a bipartisan deal.”

Murray to Senate Republicans: Return to Regular Order; End the Constant Lurching From Crisis to Crisis

Thu, 09 May 2013 01:00:00 EST

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on Senate Republicans again to stop blocking the Senate from moving to a budget conference with the House. Murray urged Republicans to end the constant lurching from crisis to crisis and instead, choose a responsible path to a deal by moving to a formal, public conference under regular order.

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“I think a lot of people, myself included, expected that after calling for regular order so consistently, Republicans would be eager to take the next step in the process.”

“House Republicans have announced a conference—but it’s not a conference about getting a budget deal. It’s a conference to decide what they’ll demand in exchange for not tanking the economy….This is absurd, and it’s not going to happen. We know because we went through the same thing last time we approached the debt limit.”

“Just a few months ago, Republicans realized how dangerous it would be to play games with the debt limit, and how politically damaging it would be to play politics with potential economic calamity, and they dropped their demands. The so-called Boehner rule died, and no amount of wishing from the Tea Party is going to bring it back.”

“…the Republican strategy of holding the economy hostage and trying to push us to another crisis is absolutely the wrong approach. Because, while getting a deal certainly won’t be easy, we need to end the constant lurching from crisis to crisis that has defined this issue for far too long. And there is no reason to wait.”

“Democrats are ready to take the steps to make this work but we need a negotiating partner on the other side of the table…. I really believe many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle want to return to regular order and move away from the constant crises. I think that’s what the American people want as well. And I urge those who are blocking us to reverse course and choose a responsible path to a deal.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“M. President, it has now been 47 days since the Senate passed our budget. Senate Democrats have requested unanimous consent to move to conference five times. We want to take this next step in the process….to move forward under regular order….and to continue this debate in an open and public way.

“But every time we’ve tried, Senate Republicans stood up and said no.

“M. President, I think this truly comes as a surprise to many people across the country. I think they are disappointed. I think a lot of people, myself included, expected that after calling for regular order so consistently, Republicans would be eager to take the next step in the process.

“Some Republicans say they want to negotiate a “framework” behind closed doors before going to conference, but that is what a budget really is, a framework that lays out our values and priorities, and helps us plan for our country’s future.

“So why can’t we discuss that framework in a formal, public conference?

“M. President, I am sure Republicans aren’t excited about the prospect of defending their extreme budget all over again in a conference committee. We’ve seen time and time again that Americans aren’t interested in more tax breaks for the wealthiest or Medicare vouchers. But Republicans wrote that budget, they voted for it, they passed it, and they should be happy to defend it.

“I know Senate Democrats are happy to stand up and talk about ours.

“M. President, the American people deserve to see the two visions for our nation’s future side by side, and contrasted with each other. They deserve to see who is willing to compromise, or who isn’t.

“We’ve heard that House Republican leadership is concerned that as a result of going to conference, the House might have to take a lot of difficult votes.

“Well, I’m sure my colleagues in the House remember the vote-a-rama before we passed the Senate Budget in March, when we were here until 5AM trying to make sure that as many Senators’ voices were heard as possible. We considered more than a hundred amendments from both sides of the aisle. But holding a thorough, open debate was the right thing to do. And I don’t think the American people are going to be very sympathetic to the argument that Republicans don’t want to go to conference because they are afraid of taking a few tough votes.

“M. President, it is deeply disappointing to me that Republicans are running away from regular order, and right towards another crisis. And that they’re willing to take American families and our economy along for the ride.

“M. President, this is absurd, and it’s not going to happen. We know because we went through the same thing last time we approached the debt limit.

“M. President, the Republican strategy of holding the economy hostage and trying to push us to another crisis is absolutely the wrong approach. Because, while getting a deal certainly won’t be easy, we need to end the constant lurching from crisis to crisis that has defined this issue for far too long. And there is no reason to wait.

“Democrats are ready to take the steps to make this work but we need a negotiating partner on the other side of the table. I know there are those who think compromise is a dirty word, and that those voices are often louder than others. But I really believe many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle want to return to regular order and move away from the constant crises. I think that’s what the American people want as well. And I urge those who are blocking us to reverse course and choose a responsible path to a deal.

“Thank you. I yield the floor.”

Chairman Murray’s Statement on the House Passage of HR 807, Debt Prioritization

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

“Instead of working with us to avoid another manufactured crisis, House Republicans now seem like they are actively working to drive us toward one.

“The bill the House passed today would put foreign creditors ahead of American seniors, veterans, students, and small business owners—and it would do nothing to ease the economic harm and uncertainty caused by a new round of Republican brinksmanship. The President has said he would veto this bill and it is a nonstarter in the Senate.

“Instead of debating with each other about what ransom they should demand in return for not tanking the economy, Republicans should join Democrats in a budget conference and allow us to get back to regular order and away from the constant crises.”

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Murray to Senate Republicans: Return to Regular Order, Come To The Table Ready To Compromise, And Give American Families And Businesses The Certainty They Deserve

Wed, 08 May 2013 05:30:00 EST

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on Senate Republicans to stop blocking the Senate from moving to a budget conference with the House. Murray urged her colleagues to begin negotiations in a formal, public conference under regular order, and work towards a bipartisan deal that would provide American families and businesses with the certainty they deserve.

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“It is so disappointing to me that four times now the Republicans have objected to us now taking the necessary next step.”

“…there is no doubt moving to conference is not going to be easy. Solving this problem is not going to be easy. But I want our colleagues to know what I have consistently heard from the Democratic side is we understand the word ‘compromise.’”

“…we have constituents at home who are wondering how they are going to manage their budgets whether they have a business, or whether they have a school, or whether they are delivering Meals on Wheels, or whether they are planning their military operations for the next year, whether it's the agricultural industry wondering what their plan is for the future. And what they're being told now for the fourth time in a row by the Republicans in the Senate is we're not going to give you any certainty.”

“…We’re willing to take the step to make it work and I urge our Republican colleagues to step forward and allow us to move. Do not object to us trying to solve problems. That's what's happening here and I urge our Republican colleagues and the House as well to move to conference and let's have a debate and discussion on this deeply urgent matter for our country.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“I want to thank my Budget colleagues that are here with me today who spent many, many hours putting together a budget, coming to floor with all of the Senate to work over a hundred amendments, way into the middle of the night to get a budget passed.

“And we are all here ready because we came to the Senate, to this Congress, to solve problems. And we decided as a Committee, we decided as a...Democratic caucus, to show where our priorities are, and solve this problem and come back to regular order where our country knows what our priorities are, and so our businesses, our communities, everyone knows what path we're on so we can bring some certainly to this country again.

“It is so disappointing to me that four times now the Republicans have objected to us now taking the necessary next step. Which is to work together with our House colleagues, find a compromise, and move forward.

We're working for certainty here, Mr. President, and it is disappointing to me that those on the other side of the aisle who we all remember spent months, and months telling us that we hadn't passed a budget, we needed to go to regular order—are now themselves saying no regular order, no budget, no process, no certainty—and no conclusion to this really important problem that we have all come here together to work on.

“Mr. President, it is disturbing for a number of reasons and my colleagues have talked about it, but we have constituents at home who are wondering how they are going to manage their budgets whether they have a business, or whether they have a school, or whether they are delivering Meals on Wheels, or whether they are planning their military operations for the next year, whether it's the agricultural industry wondering what their plan is for the future.

“And what they're being told now for the fourth time in a row by the Republicans in the Senate is we're not going to give you any certainty. We like to live with uncertainty.

“Mr. President, there is no doubt moving to conference is not going to be easy. Solving this problem is not going to be easy but I want our colleagues to know what I have consistently heard from the Democratic side is we understand the word ‘compromise.’

“And we know that in order to solve this huge problem we have to come to a table and compromise and listen to the other side. We can't do it in the dead of night, we can't do it with a couple people sitting in a room, that's been done before and it doesn't work. We need to have regular order and we need to have this process out in the open, we need the American people to hear what the different sides say and then we're all going to have to take some tough votes.

“I can assure the American people on this side we understand tough votes and the word ‘compromise’ and the need to get our country back on track. We need to say as the Senator from Virginia said, we need to show the country democracy can work. We're willing to take the step to make it work and I urge our Republican colleagues to step forward and allow us to move. Do not object to us trying to solve problems. That's what's happening here and I urge our Republican colleagues and the House as well to move to conference and let's have a debate and discussion on this deeply urgent matter for our country.”

Murray Calls for GOP to Stop Blocking Budget Conference, End the Lurching from Crisis to Crisis

Tue, 07 May 2013 01:30:00 EST

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate calling on Senate Republicans to allow the Senate to move to conference with the House and continue budget negotiations under regular order. She urged them to stop waiting until the last minute and to allow Congress to move away from the constant governing from crisis to crisis.

Following her remarks, Murray asked for unanimous consent to move to conference with the House, but her request was objected to by Minority Leader McConnell.

Key excerpts from Murray’s floor speech:

“We now have an opportunity to move through regular order to try to get a bipartisan budget agreement, and we should seize it.”

“…just a few months ago, it seemed that Democrats and Republicans did agree on at least one thing: the budget debate should proceed through regular order. Democrats chose to move forward with a budget resolution through committee, and said that an open process through regular order was the best way to reach a bipartisan agreement. Republicans agreed…[but] Senate Republicans have now blocked efforts to move to conference twice.”

“Waiting until the last minute is not an option. The uncertainty caused in the lead-up to every manufactured crisis over the past two years has hurt businesses and the economy and it’s threatening our fragile economic recovery. It keeps us from planning for and investing in our future. And it makes a lot of Americans question whether or not their government is capable of solving the big problems that confront us.”

“I know that there are some extreme elements in our political system that think compromise is a dirty word. I know many Republicans think they don’t have the political space to make a bipartisan deal until the very last minute. But I believe many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle want to return to regular order and move away from the constant crises. I am hoping that these voices of reason win out, because American families and businesses rightly expect us to do better than running down the clock.”

“Some Republicans say they want to negotiate a ‘framework’ behind closed doors before going to conference, but that is what a budget really is, a framework that lays out our values and priorities, and helps us plan for our country’s future. And I think that framework is exactly what we ought to be debating in a formal and public conference, and there’s no reason to wait.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech follows:

“Thank you, M. President. One thing I’ve heard a lot of from my constituents is that they are tired of all the dysfunction in Washington, D.C. They are tired of political gridlock impacting their businesses, their children’s schools, and their paychecks. And after spending last week with families and businesses impacted by sequestration in Washington state, I know that is especially true right now.

“M. President, when I became Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, I said I hoped that Democrats and Republicans would be able to work together to end the cycle of governing from crisis to crisis, and the attempts to negotiate budget policy through brinkmanship, which we’ve seen far too much of in recent years.

“I believe this goal is just as important today, and is in fact more attainable, but we need Republicans to meet us at the table and proceed to conference under regular order. We are at a unique moment in the debate about our country’s fiscal and economic challenges.

“Following the two years that the bipartisan Budget Control Act took the place of a congressional budget, the Senate returned to regular order this year and passed a budget resolution. The House also passed their budget, and the President weighed in with a proposal for a path forward.

“We now have an opportunity to move through regular order to try to get a bipartisan budget agreement, and we should seize it.

“M. President, Democrats and Republicans have different perspectives across a wide variety of issues. But just a few months ago, it seemed that Democrats and Republicans did agree on at least one thing: the budget debate should proceed through regular order.

“Democrats chose to move forward with a budget resolution through committee, and said that an open process through regular order was the best way to reach a bipartisan agreement. Republicans agreed.

“They said that once the Senate and House passed budgets ‘the work of conferencing must begin.’ They said that a conference was the ‘best vehicle’ for the budget debate ‘because we’re doing it in plain sight.’ And they said we needed the open, public debate that regular order requires. In fact, Senator McConnell said Senate Democrats should ‘return to regular order and transparency in the legislative process.’

“The Obama administration has also said that regular order is the way to proceed.

“But M. President, Senate Republicans have now blocked efforts to move to conference twice. Some Republicans say they want to negotiate a ‘framework’ behind closed doors before going to conference, but that is what a budget really is, a framework that lays out our values and priorities, and helps us plan for our country’s future. And I think that framework is exactly what we ought to be debating in a formal and public conference, and there’s no reason to wait.

“M. President, I know this will not be easy, there are vast differences between the House and Senate budgets and the visions for our country that each presents. But I believe we will be most effective at resolving these differences if we have time for open debate and discussion, and if we have opportunities to identify common ground.

“I am hoping that these voices of reason win out, because American families and businesses rightly expect us to do better than running down the clock.

“I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in proceeding to conference through regular order, as they have recently agreed that we should. Going to conference to reach a deal is both our best and most responsible opportunity to reach a bipartisan agreement. I hope we choose a responsible path to a deal over governing by crisis.