Chair's Press

  (Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the Secretary of Education’s decision to halt Obama-era reforms that included new consumer protections for borrowers and improvements to the quality of...

Senators: “Our nation’s student loan borrowers who uphold their commitments expect the federal government to do the same.”   Recent announcements by the U.S. Department of Education suggest some borrowers can’t rely on their prior notices about debt relief – LINK     (Washington, D.C.) –...

Murray, top Democrat on the Senate HELP Committee, today pressed Dr. Scott Gottlieb about his “unprecedented financial entanglements”   Murray at today’s hearing: I am concerned about “how you can provide the strong, independent, and science-based leadership that families in my state and across the country rightly...

  (Washington, DC) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s delay of the conflict of interest rule:   “I am deeply disappointed the Trump Administration has decided to double down...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the statement below following reports that the U.S. Department of Education has decided to reconsider a February 2015 decision to end contracts of four companies that collect student loans on...

Murray “alarmed” Olympus duodenoscopes have once again been linked to an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant infections   In new letter, Murray presses Olympus for confirmation that “repaired” duodenoscopes are safe for use   Back in 2015, Olympus duodenoscopes were linked to tragic infections at Virginia Mason...

Murray: “Moving forward with these agreements is absolutely necessary if Congress wants to advance safe, effective, and innovative medical products for patients and families across the country”   During a hearing on the user fee agreements, Murray warned of efforts by the Trump Administration to “undermine” and...

Equal Pay Day marks the amount of time women have to work to catch up to what men earned in 2016   Murray: “This shouldn’t be a partisan issue, and I’m proud to join my colleagues to keep up the fight to ensure that all the hardworking women across this country are getting paid what they’ve...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the announcement from the U.S. Department of Education that they will begin restoring Pell Grant eligibility to students who attended now-closed...

Robert Eitel is a senior advisor to Secretary DeVos and still employed at for-profit college, Bridgepoint Education, Inc.   Murray: “The Department’s policies related to higher education… directly and substantially impact Bridgepoint, raising questions about how Mr. Eitel has addressed conflicts of interest between his...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on today’s vote by Senate Republicans to thwart cities from expanding retirement savings programs for over 2 million workers, including workers in Seattle,...

Murray: “Workers made clear that they want a true champion as Secretary of Labor, who will stand up for their rights, wages, and wellbeing”   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on the nomination of Alexander Acosta as Secretary of Labor. Acosta was nominated...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after meeting with Scott Gottlieb, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner.   “Today I met with President Trump’s nominee for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, to discuss the...

President Trump signed two resolutions jammed through Congress by Republicans that weaken both the Every Student Succeeds Act and accountability for teacher preparation programs   Murray: “I am disappointed – but not surprised – that President Trump is following the lead of Congressional Republicans in retreating from the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on the decision by President Trump and Speaker Ryan to pull Trumpcare from the House floor.   “Republicans spent seven years vowing to turn back the clock on health care for women, seniors and families—but it took just a few weeks of...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the updated Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the House Republican Trumpcare bill:     “CBO has yet again confirmed that Trumpcare would be an...

On 7th Anniversary of ACA Signing, Sen. Murray Calls on Republicans to Reverse Course on Plan to Rip Away Health Care for Millions of Americans   House could vote as soon as today on Trumpcare, legislation that would jeopardize care for millions of people, including hundreds of thousands in WA state   In floor speech, Murray spoke about...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to appoint Roger Severino, Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):...

Last year, Sen. Murray, Rep. Scott led a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case—LINK   (Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on today’s...

Following failed nomination of Andrew Puzder, today Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on second Trump Labor nominee, Alexander Acosta   At the hearing, Acosta faced questions about his troubling record leading the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division   Murray cited concerns that Acosta can be an “independent voice for...