Oversight
Murray Continues Push to Avoid an Unnecessary Highway Trust Fund Crisis
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks on the Senate floor, continuing her effort to warn colleagues of the looming potential crisis before the Highway Trust Fund reaches critically low levels this summer. Murray highlighted that various states across the country have started preparing to stop new construction projects, and explained that if the Highway Trust Fund crisis hits, we could potentially see a construction shutdown which would leave workers without a … Continue Reading
04.15.14
Senator Patty Murray: Department of Transportation Update on the Highway Trust Fund Should Be a ‘Wake-Up Call to Congress’
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement calling on Congress to address the looming crisis in the Highway Trust Fund, which could reach critically low levels in July, according to a status report issued today by the Department of Transportation. "Today's update from the Department of Transportation should be a wake-up call to Congress. The Highway Trust Fund is heading toward an avoidable crisis as early as July, and if we don't act, could lead to a c… Continue Reading
04.15.14
Statement from Chairman Murray on Tax Day: Congress Should Take Steps Now to Make the Tax Code Fairer for Workers and Families
WASHINGTON, D.C.-On Tax Day, April 15th, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement calling on Republicans to join Democrats in making changes to our tax code, like the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act she recently introduced, which would help workers and families keep more of what they earn: "Leading up to Tax Day, workers and families across the country sat down at the kitchen table and made sure they paid their fair share of taxes, even as they were … Continue Reading
04.14.14
Statement from Chairman Murray on CBO Projections that the Affordable Care Act Will Cost Less, Cover More Americans, and Reduce the Deficit Further
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on new information from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which projected that the Affordable Care Act will decrease the federal deficit over the next ten years by $104 billion more than was projected only two months ago. "Today's CBO update shows once again that the Affordable Care Act will help reduce our deficits while offering more Americans access to quality, affordable health care," said Chairman … Continue Reading
04.11.14
Chairman Patty Murray’s Statement on the Nomination of Sylvia Burwell for HHS Secretary
"Sylvia Burwell is an outstanding choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services as it continues working to ensure that families and seniors have access to high quality affordable health care. She has done a great job as Director of the Office and Management and Budget in a challenging year, and she would bring strong management skills, deep experience, integrity, and a passion for helping people to this new role. "Director Burwell was unanimously confirmed as OMB Director last year… Continue Reading
04.10.14
Murray Warns of Looming Highway Trust Fund Crisis, Calls for Multi-Year Fix to Provide Certainty
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) spoke on the Senate floor to warn her colleagues of a looming potential crisis when the Highway trust fund reaches critically low levels this summer and to call on them to work together to avoid it. Murray explained that if a solution is not reached, construction projects that would improve roads and bridges could be shut down, leaving workers without a paycheck and hurting communities with needless delays on the improvements that would… Continue Reading
04.10.14
Chairman Patty Murray’s Statement on the Passage of the House Republican Budget
"It is disappointing that just four months after Congress came together to pass a two-year budget that set spending levels for next year, House Republicans decided to retreat into their partisan corner instead of working with us to build on our bipartisan deal. "The partisan budget that passed the House today includes massive cuts to job-creating investments in economic growth, radical and irresponsible changes to Medicare and Medicaid, and tax cuts for the rich paid for with tax hikes on the … Continue Reading
04.09.14
ICYMI: Chairman Murray Holds a Hearing on Supporting Broad-Based Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility through a Fairer Tax Code
Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on Supporting Broad-Based Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility through a Fairer Tax Code. The hearing featured majority witnesses John L. Buckley, J.D., former Chief Tax Counsel of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and former Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, and Jane G. Gravelle, Ph.D., Senior Specialist in Economic Policy at the Congressional Research Service. Chairman Murray called for clos… Continue Reading
04.08.14
BUDGET HEARING: Supporting Broad-Based Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility through a Fairer Tax Code
Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on Supporting Broad-Based Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility through a Fairer Tax Code with majority witnesses John L. Buckley, J.D., former Chief Tax Counsel of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and former Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, and Jane G. Gravelle, Ph.D., Senior Specialist in Economic Policy at the Congressional Research Service. At the hearing, Murray discussed policies… Continue Reading
04.02.14
ICYMI: Chairman Murray Holds a Hearing on Opportunity, Mobility, and Inequality in Today’s Economy
Yesterday, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on Opportunity, Mobility, and Inequality in Today's Economy. Majority witnesses were Joseph Stiglitz, University Professor of Economics at Columbia University, and Raj Chetty, William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Chairman Murray discussed the lack of economic mobility and rise of economic inequality in the United States. "…Something happened to our economy over the la… Continue Reading
04.01.14
BUDGET HEARING: Opportunity, Mobility, and Inequality in Today’s Economy
Washington, D.C-Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on Opportunity, Mobility, and Inequality in Today's Economy with majority witnesses Joseph Stiglitz, University Professor of Economics at Columbia University, and Raj Chetty, William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Economics at Harvard University. At the hearing, Murray addressed the lack of economic mobility and rise of economic inequality, which threatens the middle class -as well as prospects for … Continue Reading
04.01.14
Chairman Patty Murray’s Statement on the House Republican Budget Proposal
"I was proud to work with Chairman Ryan last year on a two-year bipartisan budget deal that rolled back damaging across-the-board cuts, prevented another government shutdown, and restored some much-needed certainty to the budget process. I am disappointed that instead of working with us to build on that bipartisan budget deal, House Republicans are doubling down on failed Tea Party policies that would hurt seniors and families, hollow out investments in long-term economic growth, and protect the… Continue Reading
03.26.14
Murray Discusses the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act on the Senate Floor
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks on the Senate floor, discussing the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act. In her speech, Murray highlighted how policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit have succeeded in helping millions of households lift themselves out of poverty, and noted that too many struggling workers and families are still left behind under our outdated tax code. Murray explained that the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act would… Continue Reading
03.26.14
SENATOR PATTY MURRAY INTRODUCES THE 21st CENTURY WORKER TAX CUT ACT
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act, a bill that would update the tax code to help today's workers and families keep more of what they earn. Complementing critical reforms like raising the minimum wage, the 21st Century Worker Tax Cut Act would update the tax code to provide targeted tax cuts designed for today's workforce. The bill builds on work incentives both Republicans and Democrats agree have been… Continue Reading
03.13.14
ICYMI: Chairman Murray Holds Budget Committee Hearing on The Economic and Budget Outlook for Individuals, Families, and Communities
Chairman Patty Murray and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the economic and budget outlook for individuals, families, and communities. At the hearing Murray heard stories from Americans on how decisions made in Congress affect their lives. Chairman Murray highlighted that the recovery isn't reaching people fast enough, and investments must be made to expand opportunity and help those in need get ahead. "The simple truth is, across the country today, the recovery isn't reaching e… Continue Reading
03.13.14
ICYMI: Chairman Murray Holds Senate Budget Committee Hearing on The President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal
Chairman Murray and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing with Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell to discuss the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal. Murray explained that the President's budget is a strong proposal that can build on the two year bipartisan budget agreement. "The President's budget is a strong proposal for a long-term plan to build on our two-year budget deal, create jobs and broad-based growth, and expand opportunities for families a… Continue Reading
03.13.14
ICYMI: Chairman Murray Holds a Hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget and Revenue Proposals
Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate BudgetCommittee held a hearing with Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew to discuss the President's Fiscal Year 2015 budget and revenue proposals. At the hearing, Lew also answered questions from Murray and members of the committee on the situation in Ukraine. Chairman Murray called for bipartisanship on encouraging economic growth and job creation through the tax code. "As we're looking for ways to address each of these challenges-getting more Americans … Continue Reading
03.12.14
BUDGET HEARING: Murray Calls for Bipartisanship on Encouraging Economic Growth and Job Creation Through the Tax Code
Washington, D.C-Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget and Revenue Proposals with Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew. At the hearing, Murray addressed revenue proposals in the President's budget and discussed ways to encourage job creation and economic growth through the tax code, such as expanding work incentives for struggling Americans and closing wasteful corporate loopholes to invest in rebuilding our trans… Continue Reading
03.10.14
Chairman Patty Murray’s Statement on President Obama’s Budget Proposal
"The President's budget proposal is a strong blueprint for building on our bipartisan budget deal to create jobs, expand opportunities, and tackle our deficits and debt fairly and responsibly. "The two-year bipartisan budget deal signed into law in December was a strong step in the right direction, but it shouldn't be the last step we take. So while the American people have a budget in place and the certainty they deserve that there won't be another budget crisis through the end of 2015, we in … Continue Reading
03.10.14
BUDGET HEARING: The President’s FY15 Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C-Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal with Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell. At the hearing, Murray addressed proposals in the President's budget, discussed the importance of the two-year budget agreement Congress approved in December, and called on Congress to build on that deal and focus on creating jobs, opportunities, and economic growth, while tackl… Continue Reading