U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, addressed the Senate floor regarding the spending caps imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). She argued that these caps undermine America's economy, competitiveness, and future by severely limiting funding for essential nondefense programs.
Senator Murray emphasized the importance of nondefense discretionary (NDD) funding to families' well-being, public safety, and national competitiveness. She highlighted the need for Congress to provide more than the 1% increase in nondefense funding stipulated by the FRA for FY25.
“The Appropriations Committee has now held nearly 40 hearings on the resources we’ll need in FY25,” Murray stated. “We’ve discussed exactly what our nation needs to stay strong, safe, and competitive.”
Murray criticized the FRA's impact on nondefense funding: “In FY24, the FRA froze nondefense funding while increasing defense funding by nearly $30 billion more.” She warned that a one percent increase for both defense and nondefense in FY25 would not keep pace with inflation or rising expenses, effectively resulting in net cuts across government services.
She attributed these caps to House Republicans’ demands during debt ceiling negotiations. “House Republicans took the debt ceiling hostage and demanded funding caps and cuts in exchange for not destroying our nation’s credit,” she said.
Drawing parallels with past fiscal policies, Murray recalled sequestration from 2011 as a result of similar tactics. “Nondefense funding—excepting veterans’ medical care—is down six percent from 2010 when you adjust for inflation,” she noted.
Murray underscored how NDD spending impacts everyday life: “Here in Washington D.C., we call it ‘nondefense discretionary spending’... But back home, we call it: making sure parents have child care, helping families put food on the table.”
She expressed concern over potential consequences if additional resources are not allocated beyond current caps. “One percent means pain,” she declared. “It means we let families down… It means we leave our nation vulnerable.”
Murray also highlighted specific areas that would suffer under continued funding constraints such as WIC programs, rural rental assistance, law enforcement positions at FBI and DOJ, federal firefighters’ pay, NIH research initiatives, opioid crisis interventions, Head Start programs, Social Security services wait times, meat inspection staffing levels and NASA missions.
The Senator concluded by calling for bipartisan cooperation to address these challenges: “The Senate needs to come together and chart a different path—a bipartisan path—that says yes to a stronger America.”
She emphasized parity between defense and nondefense investments: “I will not let us boost defense alone while leaving families and our country’s future in the dust.”
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