U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, addressed the Senate floor today ahead of the consideration of a continuing resolution. She called on her colleagues to engage in serious bipartisan and bicameral negotiations to pass full-year funding bills before year-end.

Murray emphasized the importance of avoiding a government shutdown through a bipartisan compromise. "I am very pleased we have a straightforward, bipartisan compromise to fund the government, and avoid a pointless, devastating shutdown. I hope every single one of my colleagues will join us in voting to pass this bill," she stated.

However, she underscored that more work remains. "My hope is that now we can get going in earnest on hammering out bipartisan, full year funding bills—including providing long-overdue disaster assistance," Murray said. She criticized certain House Republicans for pushing extreme partisan cuts and policies.

Murray stressed the need for genuine governance efforts over placating those who seek shutdowns. "You cannot strike a deal to govern with people who do not really want to govern," she remarked.

Highlighting past successes in the Senate, Murray noted that Vice Chair Collins and she had passed 11 funding bills out of Committee with strong bipartisan support. "We negotiated strong bills, that could actually be signed into law, and would make a real difference for folks back at home," she said.

She urged her colleagues to vote for the continuing resolution and then focus on negotiating full-year funding bills. "Let’s all vote to pass this CR. And then let’s get right to work, in a serious, bipartisan way on full year funding bills," Murray concluded.

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