Women

Murray's Work

Increasing Women's Health Care Access
Ensuring Women's Access to Medical Care
Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care
Protecting Reproductive Rights
Domestic Violence
Pay Equity
Child Care
Women in Retirement

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Increasing Women's Health Care Access

Senator Patty Murray has worked to build awareness and increase funding to address the medical needs of women. Murray's own life experience as an educator, a working mother of two children, a grandmother, and a caregiver for her parents have given her a unique perspective on the challenges women face in obtaining medical care.

In her years in the Senate, Murray has fought to ensure women have access to the care they need, increased screening and treatment options for breast and cervical cancer, and worked to promote equity in health research.

Senator Murray has been honored as a “Leader in Women's Health” by the Women Legislators' Lobby and Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories. In addition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists honored Murray with a “Public Service Award” and she has received the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association’s “Distinguished Public Servant Award.”

Expanding Health Care Access for Low-Income Women

There are serious challenges facing our country when it comes to health care. Low-income women and their families in particular face tremendous challenges accessing needed care. Census data shows that one in five women of childbearing age are uninsured, and at least one in eight pregnant women are uninsured. Lack of insurance leads to increased health complications, including complications during pregnancy. Senator Murray has also been working to increase coverage of low-income women and newborns.

Opposing Cuts in Medicaid and Medicare

For many low-income women, Medicaid and Medicare are critical safety nets. Medicaid finances over one-third of all births in the U.S. and accounts for over half of all publicly-funded family planning services. Senator Murray has been a longtime champion of Medicaid and Medicare and has fought attempts to cut funding for these programs.

In 2008, Senator Murray supported legislation that imposed a moratorium on Medicaid regulations that would have cut funding to states and health care providers by $15-$21 billion over the next five years.
In 2007, Murray successfully fought suggested cuts that would have cut $80 billion from Medicare and Medicaid over the next five years.
In 2006, Senator Murray fought efforts to cut these programs by $10 billion over the next five years. Unfortunately, Congress passed these cuts, which will reduce the affordability and accessibility of health care for low-income Americans.
Murray has also fought the Administration's plans to block grant Medicaid, which would dismantle the health care safety net that women and their families rely on. Scaling back these programs seriously threatens the health care safety net for millions of women and their families.

Working to Increase Women’s Health Care Coverage

Senator Murray has been working to increase coverage of low-income pregnant women and newborns.

In 2009, after multiple attempts, Senator Murray helped pass a renewed CHIP bill. This bill extends health insurance coverage to almost 10 million children – up from the 6 million children currently covered.
In 2007, she fought for legislation that would have strengthened CHIP by increasing funding by $35 billion over five years, expanding health insurance to an additional 3.8 million low-income children and children of middle class families that cannot afford care.
She is a cosponsor of the “Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Act,” which would give states new options to cover low-income pregnant women under Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
In 2003, Senator Murray lead the fight for an SCHIP “fix” for Washington state. This fix provided an additional $24 million for low-income women and their families.
Murray has also consistently supported legislation to expand eligibility for children under Medicaid and SCHIP.

Fighting Breast and Cervical Cancer By Increasing Funding for Screening, Treatment and Research

This year in the U.S., over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and nearly 40,000 women will die from this devastating disease. Many of these deaths could be prevented with early detection. Senator Murray believes that it is critical for the federal government to support increased funding for screening, treating and ultimately curing this disease.

Senator Murray has successfully increased funding for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) breast and cervical cancer screening program for uninsured, low-income women.
Murray helped provide funding to the Medicaid program to expand treatment benefits for low-income women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Senator Murray has cosponsored legislation to require health plans to provide coverage for a minimal hospital stay for mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissection performed for the treatment of breast cancer.
In 2006, Murray helped pass legislation to expand research on the relationship between environmental factors and the development of breast cancer.
She also supported the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, which was singed into law. This act reauthorizes the National and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and authorizes appropriations for grants for screening and referral services.

In addition, Senator Murray has worked to increase funding for breast cancer screening and treatment for women on Medicaid. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Murray helped increase funding for screening and early diagnosis. To ensure treatment for low-income women, Murray helped secure passage of the “Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000,” which provides immediate health care support to low-income women who are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer.

Promoting Equity in Health Research

For years, medical research and clinical trials have excluded women. For example, one famous early medical study on breast cancer examined hundreds of men – but no women.

This bias has made it harder for scientists to address the unique medical needs of women.
This can be dangerous because drugs can affect women differently than due to differences in biology. Women can have different symptoms for the same diseases, such as heart attacks and certain diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, affect women at much higher rates. Senator Murray has worked to address equity in today's medical research.

In 2007, Senator Murray was key to getting the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to halt efforts to raid funding from the Office of Women’s Health for other uses.
In 1993, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray worked to establish a new office at the National Institutes for Health to ensure that federally-funded research addresses the needs of women. More recently, Murray cosponsored the “Women's Health Office Act” to establish a permanent Office on Women’s Health within the Department of Health and Human Services.
Senator Murray has also helped to increase the focus on women's health at the CDC by funding new programs on arthritis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of women in America.
Murray has also worked with the administrator of the FDA to encourage pharmaceutical companies to include women in advanced clinical trials of new, life-saving drugs.

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Ensuring Women's Access to Medical Care

Although women's health has advanced tremendously in recent decades, women still face special challenges in accessing comprehensive health care. Senator Murray is working to ensure that the unique health needs of women are met, including:

Ensuring direct access to Obstetricians and Gynecologists (OB/GYNs)
Preventing "drive-through mastectomies"
Protecting access to mammography
And extending insurance coverage of pap testing.

Direct Access to OB/GYNs

Many insurance and HMO plans require women to see a primary care physician before they are able to see an obstetrician or gynecologist. Senator Murray recognizes that OB/GYN care is a major component of comprehensive women's health care. She has fought for legislation to ensure women have direct access to an OB/GYN for all health care needs by:

Consistently supporting legislation creating a "Patient’s Bill of Rights"
Protecting the ability of Washington state patients to have direct access to an OB/GYN by offering a "direct access" amendment to proposed small business health insurance plan legislation.

Preventing “Drive-Through Mastectomies”

Senator Murray believes that no woman should be forced by her insurance company to leave a hospital prematurely after a mastectomy. She has supported legislation to require health plans to provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for a woman who has undergone a mastectomy by:

Cosponsoring the "Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act."
Ensuring that Washington state patients are not stripped of their right to a minimum hospital stay after a mastectomy by offering a "drive-through mastectomy" amendment to proposed small business health plan legislation.

Increasing Access to Reproductive Health Care

Senator Murray is dedicated to ensuring that all women have access to comprehensive reproductive health care. Reproductive health is a critical component of women's health. Birth control and medically accurate sexual education are important parts of preventative health care for women, and help reduce unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and the need for abortions.

Murray is working to improve women's access to reproductive health services, boost funding for important reproductive health programs, and increase education and awareness about reproductive health issues.

Supporting Efforts to Reduce Unintended Pregnancies

Senator Murray is a strong advocate for policies that reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies in Washington state and the nation.

Senator Murray has consistently supported the Title X Family Planning program, which provides high-quality contraceptive services and other preventative health care to low-income women and men who would otherwise lack access to health care.
Murray is a cosponsor of the “Prevention First Act,” which will increase funding for the National Family Planning Program (Title X), expand Medicaid family planning services, end insurance discrimination against women, improve awareness about Emergency Contraception, provide compassionate assistance for rape victims, reduce teen pregnancy and ensure that federally funded programs provide medically accurate information.
She is also a cosponsor of the Unintended Pregnancy Reduction Act, which will expand access to contraceptive services for women and men under the Medicaid program, help low income women and couples prevent unintended pregnancies, and reduce abortion.

Murray has introduced and cosponsored numerous amendments that would increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sexual education programs. She is also a cosponsor of the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, which would provide federal funds to support science-based, medically accurate sex education.

Pushing the FDA to Make a Decision on the Morning-After Pill

For three years, the FDA stalled the decision to make the morning-after pill (commonly known as Plan B) available over-the-counter. Making it easier for women to access emergency contraception such as Plan B has the potential to dramatically reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in the U.S. Each year, 3,000,000 pregnancies, or one-half of all pregnancies, in the United States are unintended, and half of all of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion. However, despite overwhelming support for approval from FDA's own scientific advisory boards, the FDA rejected the manufacturer’s first application and delayed making a decision on the new application.

In response to the FDA's actions, Senator Murray decided to place a “hold” on the confirmation of two nominees to head the FDA (first Dr. Lester Crawford and more recently Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach). Senator Murray has always supported a strong and independent FDA – an FDA that follows science, not ideology. By ignoring sound science, the FDA was jeopardizing public confidence and the health of American women.

In August of 2006, the FDA finally approved over-the-counter access to Plan B for people over age 18. Senator Murray applauded the FDA's decision, and she lifted her hold on Dr. von Eschenbach’s nomination. While Murray urges the FDA to revisit placing age restrictions on the sale of Plan B, it is real progress that millions of American women will now have increased access to emergency contraception.

Raising Awareness About Emergency Contraceptives

In addition to pushing the FDA to make a decision about Plan B, Senator Murray has introduced legislation to increase awareness of emergency contraception. It is estimated that the use of emergency contraception may cut the number of unintended pregnancies in half, thereby reducing the need for abortion. However, a third of women of reproductive age don't know that emergency contraceptives are available.

Senator Murray has introduced legislation and supported amendments which would establish a public education and awareness program to provide women with information on the availability of safe and effective emergency contraceptives.

Murray is a supporter of the “Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act,” which would require hospitals who receive federal funds to offer emergency contraceptives to a woman who is a victim of sexual assault.

Senator Murray has also fought to ensure that pharmacies cannot prevent women from filling a prescription for emergency contraception or other forms of contraception. She has cosponsored the “Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act” and the “Access to Birth Control Act,” both of which would prohibit pharmacists from preventing or deterring an individual from filling a legal prescription.

Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives

While almost all insurance plans cover prescription drugs, many do not cover all of the contraceptive drugs and devices approved by the FDA. In fact, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, women pay more out-of-pocket for their health care needs than men do – in large part due to the exclusion of contraceptives from so many plans.

Senator Murray successfully fought to require health plans for federal employees to provide contraceptive equity.

Murray has also consistently supported legislation to prohibit health insurance providers from excluding the FDA-approved contraceptive drugs or devices from normal coverage and to prohibit patients from being denied coverage for requesting contraceptives.

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Protecting Reproductive Rights

Senator Murray is one of the Senate's leaders in protecting women's reproductive rights and freedom of choice. Reproductive rights are an integral part of reproductive health care. One of her priorities as a Senator -- and as a mother -- is to ensure that all women in this country have the opportunity to make decisions about their bodies and their health. Murray believes the government must not interfere with a woman's private decision, and she is concerned when attempts are made to restrict a woman from making her own choices.

Fighting Attempts to Weaken Roe v. Wade

Senator Murray has consistently cosponsored the “Freedom of Choice Act,” which will codify into law that women have the absolute right to make decisions affecting their reproductive health. It also prevents the federal or state government from discriminating against women who exercise their right to choose.
Murray has fought efforts to undermine women's constitutionally-protected right to choose. She has opposed misguided, politically motivated legislation and amendments that would restrict women’s rights.

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Domestic Violence

Throughout her service in the United States Senate, Senator Murray has stood with victims of domestic violence and their advocates. She has helped provide federal support for efforts in communities throughout our state and country. Senator Murray has focused on passing legislation, increasing funding, and raising awareness.

Not long ago, domestic violence was considered a “family problem.” It was something people didn't talk about, which made it difficult for victims to seek help. It prevented friends and neighbors from getting involved in what was considered “someone else's business.”

In 1994, attitudes started to change, thanks in part to passage of the historic Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which Senator Murray proudly helped draft and pass.
Senator Murray has also played a major role as VAWA has been reauthorized (updated) twice since.

VAWA - for the first time:

Recognized domestic violence as a violent crime and a national public health crisis.
Laid out a coordinated strategy to bring advocates, shelters, prosecutors, and law enforcement professionals together to fight domestic violence.

Each year, Senator Murray fights to strengthen VAWA programs, to increase funding, and to help raise awareness. In addition she has introduced legislation, the Survivors’ Empowerment and Economic Security Act, which addresses the economic barriers that trap victims in abusive relationships. This bill:

Allows victims to take time off from work without penalty in order to make court appearances, seek legal assistance, and get help with safety planning.
Allows victims in every state access to unemployment benefits if they are fired or forced to leave their job because of abuse.
Prohibits discrimination in employment and insurance based on domestic or sexual violence, to ensure that victims are never punished for their abusers' crimes.
Strengthens the Family Violence Option in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF), in order to protect some of the most economically vulnerable victims.

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Pay Equity

Women have made great strides in America, but still make only 76 cents for every dollar paid to men. As a mother and a grandmother, Murray wants her children to live in a country where all children can grow up and be treated equally.

This wage disparity is a life-long problem for women, because it follows them into retirement. Women are twice as likely to live in poverty over age 65. Women are more dependent upon Social Security for a greater percentage of their retirement income. And because of lower lifetime wages, many women are unable to contribute to private pensions or retirement savings.

Murray was a strong supporter of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act out of the Senate. This legislation would reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co that seriously undermined the laws that protect workers against pay discrimination. She was pleased that this legislation was signed into law in January of 2009.
Since 1996, Senator Murray has cosponsored the Fair Pay Act, legislation that would prohibit wage discrimination on the basis of sex, race or national origin.
Senator Murray has consistently fought to prevent the Bush Administration from rolling back efforts to fight the wage gap.

Child Care

Senator Murray understands that many families struggle to provide adequate childhood for their children while working to make ends meet.

“Every parent wants his or her child to succeed. Unfortunately, for many of Washington State's working parents – particularly those with infants or who work night shifts – childcare is either too expensive or not accessible. We must make critical investments on the state and federal level to ensure that no child is left behind.”

- Sen. Patty Murray

Budget shortfalls in Washington state have resulted in cuts in eligibility for many low-income families seeking quality childcare for their children. Senator Murray has worked actively towards improving the quality of child care and helping more kids access Head Start. Senator Murray believes that high quality early education efforts can help all kids start school ready to succeed. Murray opposes moving Head Start to the Department of Education and supports increased funding for this critical and successful program.

Women in Retirement

Senator Murray recognizes that women face special challenges in retirement. In general, women live longer than men and are more likely to live with a chronic medical condition. Unfortunately, women have less access to pensions, leave the workforce for an average of at least 10 years to care for their families, and make less money than men do. That is why Senator Murray has fought for Social Security and Medicare protections for women by:

Working to adjust survivors' benefits so widows can receive 75% of their spouses' benefit,
Working to provide a family caregiver credit so women aren't penalized for leaving the workforce to raise a family,
And working to guarantee Social Security benefits for all to keep older women out of poverty.

Senator Murray has also fought against the Bush Administration's plan to privatize Social Security. Murray joined with her Democratic women colleagues in opposing the Social Security privatization plan because it would actually cut benefits for widows and survivors.

Murray also led the successful effort to expand access to retirement security for women through private pensions and retirement savings.