Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke at this afternoon's Senate Democratic leadership press conference about her efforts to hammer out the strongest possible bicameral, bipartisan appropriations bills.
Senator Murray expressed her satisfaction with the spending framework that has been established, stating, "After really months of needless delay caused by House Republicans going back on their word, we now have a spending framework that ultimately maintains the overall funding levels Congress agreed to last year and allows us to finally get to work negotiating and passing bipartisan, bicameral funding bills."
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, she emphasized, "This is a critical step that lets us move forward, and we have no time to lose. I am working with my colleagues in both chambers now to begin hammering out our final bills—and my staff and I will be working around the clock until we get this done."
Senator Murray acknowledged the challenges that come with negotiating final funding bills but reaffirmed her commitment to the task at hand, stating, "But make no mistake: negotiating final funding bills is no walk in the park. We are all working nonstop right now to get this done, but we are obviously crunched for time."
She also criticized House Republicans for their delay tactics, saying, "It is obvious to anyone who's watched weeks and months go by as House Republicans insisted on renegotiating the very deal that they cut." She made it clear that Democratic lawmakers would not accept any partisan poison pill changes proposed by House Republicans, stating, "So let me repeat: Democrats will not accept Republican poison pill changes. No changes—period."
Senator Murray stressed the importance of the funding decisions made in these bills, highlighting their implications for communities. "Every single decision we make in these bills has huge implications for our communities. We owe it to our constituents to treat this work seriously—that means not using a shutdown threat to push extreme partisan policies, and it means working together to avoid senseless and costly shutdowns and pass reasonable bills that help our constituents."
Expressing her hopes for a productive and bipartisan process, she concluded, "So now that we have this agreement, I hope we can all work together to keep this process on a productive, bipartisan track. And I hope we keep that momentum going to address the other pressing challenges that Leader Schumer spoke to—getting aid to our allies and delivering critical humanitarian relief, addressing the child care crisis, and more."
As Senator Murray and her colleagues in both chambers work tirelessly to negotiate and pass bipartisan, bicameral funding bills, the importance of maintaining the agreed-upon funding levels and avoiding partisan poison pills cannot be overstated. The decisions made in these bills will have significant implications for communities across the country. It is crucial for lawmakers to approach this work seriously and to prioritize the needs of their constituents.
The progress made in establishing a spending framework is a critical step forward, but time is of the essence. Senator Murray and her staff are dedicated to working around the clock to ensure that this process moves forward promptly and efficiently.
Now, with the agreement in place, it is essential for both Democrats and Republicans to work together to keep the process on a productive, bipartisan track. By doing so, they can address not only the funding bills but also other pressing challenges, such as providing aid to allies, delivering humanitarian relief, and addressing the child care crisis.
In the coming days and weeks, the focus will be on finalizing the funding bills and passing them in a manner that benefits the American people without unnecessary delays or partisan roadblocks. The work being done by Senator Murray and her colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee is crucial in ensuring that the government functions effectively and meets the needs of the citizens it serves.
###
Committee on Appropriations | Room S-128, The Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510 | (202) 224-7363
To find out more, go to this link: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/murray-remarks-on-next-steps-in-passing-full-year-appropriations-bills
