Senator Murray Statement on Inflation Reduction Act

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), issued the following statement on The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

“As prices increase, one of my top priorities is to lower everyday costs for the basics—I’m thinking of the mom in Seattle or Spokane who is figuring out how she’ll pay for her kid’s medication and afford rent this month. People in Washington state and all across the country should never have to choose between their prescription or other basic necessities—because lifesaving drugs don’t do any good if people can’t afford them. This legislation would drastically lower prescription drug costs and finally let Medicare negotiate drug prices—this is a big deal and a huge step forward.

“Washington state leads the nation in clean energy investments and climate action—but we can’t tackle the climate crisis alone. This legislation would deliver a landmark federal investment in climate action and clean energy—to help us establish sustainable energy independence, lower energy costs in the long term, and create good-paying jobs everywhere in America and Washington state.

“Last year, Democrats took action to lower Americans’ health care premiums by hundreds of dollars a year—this has helped hundreds of thousands of people in Washington state save money on their health care. This package would extend the tax credits that made that possible for three years because no family should have to worry about how they’d cover higher health care costs now, too.

“And critically, this legislation is all fully paid for by making sure the very wealthiest and giant corporations simply pay their fair share in taxes.

“We absolutely have to deliver on these critical priorities—to save Americans thousands on their prescriptions, lower health care costs, combat climate change before it’s too late, and create a fairer tax system that finally puts working people first—and I’m committed to doing exactly that and passing this legislation as quickly as we’re able to.

“But at a moment like this, when child care is already really unaffordable and too hard to find for so many families, with our child care sector on the brink of collapse—and now with Republicans forcing women to give birth no matter their circumstance—it is even more urgent we lower child care costs. The simple reality is that if we don’t act now, the child care crisis will only get worse—so as we fight inflation, we must help parents find and afford the child care they need so they can get back to work, and help child care providers stay in business. Senator Kaine and I have a plan that will lower child care costs for working families, and I’m going to keep fighting to tackle the child care crisis however I can—because we simply can’t leave kids, families, or moms behind.”

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