Washington, D.C—Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement on her intention to serve as Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee when the new Congress convenes in January. Senator Murray served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee this past Congress and will continue to serve as a senior member of that Committee.
“I look forward to continuing my work on a Committee that does so much to impact policies that define who we are as a nation, what we value, and what we are doing to help all workers, families, and children succeed.
“I approach this new role the way I have approached my work representing Washington state families throughout my career. I will fight as hard as I can to make sure that that the voices, values, and priorities of students, workers and families, are heard loud and clear. I will work every day to be a voice for those who too often struggle to be heard in our nation’s capital. I will never give on my core principles and values, and I will never stop fighting to make government work better for families and communities, but I will always look for ways to find common ground and get results for the people I represent.
“I plan to work with incoming-Chairman Alexander and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure that our country is doing everything possible to create jobs and economic growth that benefits all families, not just the wealthiest few. I am hopeful that this Committee can work together to tackle some of the most critical issues facing families in Washington state and across the country, like reforming the broken No Child Left Behind law, reducing the crushing burden of student loan debt, investing in early education, continuing to improve health care access and affordability, and fighting for higher wages, better jobs, secure retirement, and better working conditions for all workers and all families.
“Making progress on these priorities will take continued bipartisanship, but I believe the work we did to pass a bipartisan budget deal last year showed that Democrats and Republicans can come together on challenging issues and deliver results. Our budget deal moved our country away from years of manufactured crises and helped to restore critical investments in education, research, infrastructure, and jobs. And I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure our federal budget puts jobs and economic growth first, invests in Washington state priorities, and is fair for families and communities.
“In my time on this Committee, I have served under Chairmen who have done so much to improve the lives of millions of people across the country. Chairman Harkin has left a strong legacy of accomplishments that will live on and serve as a foundation for continued work. And Chairman Kennedy was a passionate and unmatched advocate, visionary, and leader who was a mentor to me and a great example of a legislator who knew how to lay out his vision with strength and clarity, and then work toward compromise and common ground.”
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