***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Remarks***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at this afternoon’s Senate Democratic leadership press conference. Murray discussed the bipartisan efforts she led to pass six of the twelve full-year funding bills for fiscal year 2024 and what it will take to finalize and pass the remaining six. Murray also applauded the announcement by the Biden Administration that access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) would be expanded to veterans and announced her plans to seek unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass her bill that would help even more veterans and service members build their families. Video of Senator Murray’s remarks are available HERE.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Last Friday, we passed six of the twelve full-year funding bills for fiscal year 2024.
“I’ve said it all along, but we actually can fund the government in a reasonable, bipartisan way if we just stick to a few basic principles that Democrats have no problem understanding: government shutdowns are bad and doing the job the American people sent us here to do is good!
“And look—these bills were a compromise. We had to work with tough numbers and even tough cuts.
“But because we reached a reasonable compromise, we’re able to do things like hire more air traffic controllers, fully fund WIC to help feed 7 million moms and babies, keep food safety inspectors on the job, and fund many other basic functions of government that the American people rely on in their daily lives.
“And we were only able to do that by agreeing to bipartisan spending levels—rejecting devastating cuts that were pushed by the House Republicans and by keeping out literally dozens and dozens of far-right poison pills.
“I have full confidence we get there on our final six bills so long as far-right, poison pill policy riders are off the table and House Republicans agree to reasonable, bipartisan funding levels.
“The order of the day—every day until we pass the last six bills—is to leave the extreme demands at the door and work together to pass our full-year spending bills.
“And let’s not forget that the Senate-passed national security supplemental will pass the House if Speaker Johnson simply allows an up-or-down vote.
“In the midst of all of that, we do need to be thinking about Fiscal Year 2025—and the President’s budget offers a strong roadmap for that work.
“I think it’s notable that yesterday we all heard Donald Trump say quote ‘There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.’
“It does not get any more painstakingly obvious that this guy wants to cut your Social Security and Medicare. Meanwhile, Joe Biden laid out exactly how we can actually strengthen Medicare and Social Security all while putting our country on more stable fiscal footing.
“Finally, I want to celebrate the expansion of IVF care for veterans that was announced yesterday by the Biden administration—this has been my priority for well over a decade.
“And later this afternoon, I will seek unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass my bill that would help more veterans and service members build their families and ensure that no future administration can rip away the progress that DOD and VA have made.
“We’re talking about a bill that would help wounded warriors get the care and coverage they need to start a family. I hope my Republican colleagues who claim to support IVF will not stand in the way. Thank you.”
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