Chair's Press

Senator Murray on mental health crises: “Healing the scars of this pandemic won’t be quick or easy—this will take years, and we must act accordingly.”   ***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S OPENING REMARKS HERE***   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health,...

PREVENT Pandemics Act takes common sense steps to act on lessons learned from the pandemic response and improve the nation’s preparedness for future public health emergencies   Public health experts, officials, and industry stakeholders applaud important steps in bipartisan bill   Washington, D.C. – Earlier this week,...

14.5 million people signed up for quality, affordable coverage since November 1, 2021   WA state announced a record 240,000 people got coverage through the state marketplace for 2022   Tens of thousands of WA state patients now pay less than $10 a month for their health plan    American Rescue Plan is saving families across the...

Murray: “Facebook and Instagram block advertisements providing information on women’s health and sexual health, while allowing often graphic, sexual content targeted at men.”   Murray to Zuckerberg: “Explain Meta’s uneven application of its advertising policies and the steps you will take to immediately address...

PREVENT Pandemics Act takes common sense steps to act on lessons learned from the pandemic response and improve the nation’s preparedness for future public health emergencies   Murray: “After everything our nation has been through these past two years, we owe it to everyone who worked so hard to get us through this crisis to...

***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S FLOOR SPEECH HERE***   ICYMI: Senator Murray held a virtual roundtable with patients, providers and advocates from Spokane, WA on the importance of Roe v. Wade, and the urgent need to pass WHPA – 1/20/21   (Washington, D.C.) – On the 49th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade...

Senator Murray: “I want to be absolutely clear: I am doing everything—every way that I can—to protect reproductive rights in this country”   ***WATCH VIDEO OF THE EVENT HERE***    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the chair of the Senate health committee, held a virtual...

Senator Murray to Secretary Walsh: “Given this continuing danger, I urge OSHA to move forward with a permanent standard to protect workers in health care and health care support settings as soon as possible.”   Senator Murray also pushes OSHA to use its existing authority to ensure robust protections for all workers at risk of...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court decision blocking enforcement of the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine or testing OSHA safety standard and upholding the CMS vaccine...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a mark-up to consider qualified, experienced nominees for our health, education and labor agencies.   “As our nation continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientists and experts at...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the Biden Administration plan to distribute 5 million free, rapid tests to K-12 schools each month, and provide 5 million, free lab-based PCR tests per month to K-12...

Senator Murray: “We have the tools to get everyone tested quickly, easily, and for free, to keep schools safely open during the Omicron surge, and beyond, to keep workers—especially health care workers—safe and healthy in the workplace.”   Senator Murray to the Biden Administration COVID response team: “So what...

Ban on surprise billing from the No Surprises Act went into effect on January 1, 2022   Murray: “For too long, countless patients have been surprised by an exorbitant bill for care they thought was covered by their insurance. That ends now.”   (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of...

Biden Administration announced plan to make 500 million rapid tests available to the American people for free   Murray: “Providing free tests to the American people will mean they can get the testing they need to keep themselves and others safe without waiting in long lines, checking multiple locations, or worrying about...

Murray: “Joe Manchin might have woken up today and decided his job changed, but I know exactly what mine is: fighting for Washington state workers and families. So my fight for Build Back Better, and all it would do to help our state and country, will not stop until it’s on the President’s desk.”   (WASHINGTON,...

(Washington, D.C.)–Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent action removing barriers to accessing mifepristone, or medication abortion.   Mifepristone was approved by the...

Faith leaders representing Jewish, Catholic, Evangelical organizations say BBB must pass    ***Download Video of Press Conference HERE***   (Washington, D.C.) – ICYMI, yesterday, a broad coalition of faith groups joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to call on Congress to...

*** WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S FULL REMARKS HERE***   (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a hearing to consider the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf to serve as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At the...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to a lawsuit filed to block the Biden Administration’s rule implementing a law Senator Murray passed to ban surprise bills.     “The...

Washington, D.C. –Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) today released updated text of the HELP Committee’s title of the Build Back Better Act. The updates reflect policy and technical changes, including changes to comply with Senate budget rules.   “The HELP Committee’s title of...