Chair's Press

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter today to President Trump’s Secretary of Labor nominee Alexander Acosta asking him to voluntarily provide three years of tax returns to ensure the HELP committee has the opportunity to...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today delivered the following floor speech urging her colleagues to reject a Congressional Review Act (CRA) that would weaken the Every Student Succeeds Act and give Secretary DeVos a blank check to...

Murray vows to “fight back against” House GOP bill that guts Medicaid, investments in mental health care and opioid epidemic fight   Trumpcare doubles down on defunding Planned Parenthood   Murray: “Bill is a wish list by and for the extreme politicians who insist on telling women what to do with their own...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U. S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on House Republican legislation to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and undermine the health care system.   “Trumpcare falls miles short of the promises...

Led by Murray, Senate Dems took to Senate floor to speak against Republican-led vote to eliminate “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” rule   “Fair pay” rule is critical step to safeguard workers, taxpayers, and level playing field for businesses—LINK     Workers, advocates, unions all support rule—ACLU:...

Marathon Pharmaceuticals announced plans to sell recently approved treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at prices exponentially higher than are justified by research and development costs     In new letter, Senator Murray and colleagues question the dramatically high price Marathon expected patients to pay for a compound that...

President Trump and senior Administration officials have expressed skepticism of unemployment statistics in the past   Bureau of Labor Statistics provides independent, unbiased data on key economic indicators   In new letter, Ranking Members of eight key Senate committees urge President Trump to commit to providing objective data on...

Trump Administration Department of Justice stalls rather than defending birth control requirements included in the Affordable Care Act   (Washington, D.C.) – Today  U. S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement after the...

  (Washington, DC) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s delay of the conflicts of interest rule:   “This misguided delay is yet another clear signal from the Trump Administration...

Title X family planning centers provide millions of low-income women and men health care services   President Obama reinforced protections in the Title X family planning program before leaving office—LINK   In new letter, Senators urge Leader McConnell not to consider House Republican legislation seeking to overturn these...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on new information about House Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and undermine the health care system.   “The deeply harmful path House...

President Trump has reportedly asked Jerry Falwell Jr., President of Liberty University, to lead new “task force” recommending changes in higher education   Falwell has repeatedly stated interest in rolling back so-called “overreaching regulation” protecting students and loan borrowers from abuse     Today...

(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 decision by the Trump Administration to instruct the Departments of Education and Justice to withdraw guidance for schools and institutions of higher education...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the vote in the House of Representatives to roll back protections for Title X family planning programs.   “Millions of people have spoken out, marched, and...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the nomination of Alexander Acosta for Secretary of Labor, following Andrew Puzder’s withdrawal from consideration.   “People across the country...

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray, D-Wash. and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today issued statements following the release of a proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule related to the individual and small group health insurance...

Murray: “Workers and families across the country spoke up loud and clear that they want a true champion for all workers in the Labor Department”   Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement today on the withdrawal of CEO Andrew Puzder from consideration for the role of Secretary of...

President Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee failed to pay years of taxes for a household employee   Puzder only paid taxes owed after being nominated for a Cabinet position—LINK   Murray is calling on Puzder in new letter to release three years of tax returns to “fully understand” past hiring practices before...

Today Senators are seeking a “detailed explanation” from now-Secretary DeVos for the disappearance of the resource website for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)   The IDEA governs how states and schools must provide services to more than 6 million students with disabilities   Prior to Secretary...

Senate Republicans are jamming through a final vote on the nomination of Rep. Price despite unanswered questions about his qualifications and ethical conduct   New information about Rep. Price’s medical stock trades continues to emerge and raise serious concerns—LINK   Hearing flashback—“HHS nominee’s mix of...