Chairman's Press
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lift themselves out of poverty, and noted that too many struggling workers and families are still left behind under our outdated tax code.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
03.10.14
Chairman Murray’s Statement on Building on the Two-Year Budget Deal
"I went into my negotiations with Chairman Ryan hoping we could give the American people some much needed certainty after years of lurching to crisis to crisis, and I was very glad that our two-year budget deal accomplished that. Fiscal Year 2015 is settled, the Appropriations Committees are already working with their bipartisan spending levels, and now we should work together to build on our two-year bipartisan budget, not create more uncertainty for families and businesses by immediately relit… Continue Reading
03.10.14
Chairman Murray Releases Memo To The Caucus On Updated Fiscal Outlook, Opportunity To Refocus on Creating Jobs And Investing in Opportunity
(Washington, D.C.) - Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released a memo to Senate Democrats that outlines the $3.3 trillion in deficit reduction put in place since August 2010. The memo describes the improved near-term fiscal outlook, and makes the case for focusing more on job creation, expanding opportunity and generating broad-based economic growth while looking for ways to tackle our long-term debt challenges using a balanced and responsible approach. See below for Senator… Continue Reading
02.25.14
Murray on GOP Debt Limit Turnaround: Republican Leaders Finally Bowed to Reality, Put Economy Before Tea Party
Washington, D.C-Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Budget Committee released the following statement on the House Republican plan to move forward with a debt ceiling bill with no ransom demands attached, as she and other Democrats have been demanding. "I'm glad that Republican leaders finally bowed to reality and put families and the economy before the Tea Party. The era of economic hostage-taking, ransom demands, and manufactured crises should finally be behind us, and we now… Continue Reading
02.25.14
BUDGET HEARING: Murray Calls for Investments in Broad-Based Growth, Fair and Responsible Deficit Reduction
Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing with Congressional Budget Office Director Dr. Douglas Elmendorf, who testified and answered questions about CBO's Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024. At the hearing, Murray highlighted that while many in Congress have singularly focused on reducing the budget deficit, it has left a deeper deficit in areas including infrastructure, education, job training and innovation, and that these job creating prioriti… Continue Reading
02.25.14
DEBT LIMIT: Murray Calls for Compromise and Bipartisanship Following GOP Turnaround On Debt Limit
Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Budget Committee released the following statement after the Senate vote on a clean debt limit bill. "I am pleased that Congress has put the latest round of threats and brinkmanship firmly behind us, hopefully for the last time. We have taken another basic but critical step toward showing the American people that their leaders can focus on the real challenges workers and families face, rather than getting caught up in the manufactured crises we… Continue Reading
02.25.14
BUDGET HEARING: Murray Hears From Americans on How Federal Budget Decisions Affect Them
Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the Economic and Budget Outlook for Individuals, Families, and Communities. Majority witnesses included Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress, Edith Kimball, Elementary School Food Services Professional at Lee Elementary School, and Courtney Johnson, High School English Teacher at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High school. In her opening statement, which was submitted for the record, Murray highl… Continue Reading
02.05.14
Murray Statement on Congressional Budget Office Projections That Repealing Critical Affordable Care Act Program Would Increase Deficits
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on Congressional Budget Office projections showing that risk corridors in the Affordable Care Act will result in net savings for the federal government. "Today's CBO report shows that Republicans' most recent debt-limit ransom idea would not only cause premiums to skyrocket for American families, it would also add billions to the deficit. It's a reminder that Republicans are so desperate to a… Continue Reading
02.05.14
BUDGET HEARING: Murray Calls on Congress to Expand Opportunities for Families and Communities, Stop Playing Games With Economic Recovery
Washington, D.C- Today, Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on transitioning from constant crises to broad-based economic growth in 2014. Democratic witnesses included Dr. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's Analytics and Robert Greenstein, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities At the hearing, Murray highlighted that while gridlock and dysfunction have had serious consequences for economic growth in the past few years, the Bipartisan … Continue Reading
02.05.14
Murray Statement on Congressional Budget Office Budget and Economic Outlook
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on the Congressional Budget Office's Budget and Economic Outlook for 2014 through 2024. "Today's announcement from the Congressional Budget Office offers encouraging evidence that our near-term fiscal outlook continues to improve, although there is much more we need to do to tackle our long-term budget challenges. I am committed to finding fair and responsible ways to bring down our long-term … Continue Reading
02.05.14
SOTU: Murray Delivers Floor Speech Urging Republicans to Build on Bipartisanship for Year of Action
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks on the Senate floor following President Obama's State of the Union Address last night. Murray highlighted polices from the President's speech including raising the minimum wage, ensuring women have equal economic opportunity, and investing in a national preschool initiative, which would bolster economic growth now and in the future. Murray called on Republicans to build on bipartisan progress demonstrated in the budget deal… Continue Reading
