Chair's Press

(Washington, D.C.) – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) introduced the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The Raise the Wage Act would also index the federal minimum wage to the median wage, and gradually eliminate the...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) introduced the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The Raise the Wage Act would also index the federal minimum wage to the median wage, and gradually eliminate the...

Top Democrats laid down their minimum-wage marker on Capitol Hill on Thursday, setting up their party's middle-class-focused economic message heading into the 2016 elections campaigns. Their pitch: "$12 by '20" — a $12 per hour federal minimum wage by 2020, which they say will give a pay raise to nearly 38 million Americans. "This is a...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 29 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced a bipartisan, full committee working group to identify ways to improve electronic health records (EHRs). “After $28 billion in taxpayer dollars spent subsidizing electronic health...

On Workers’ Memorial Day, Murray calls for Congress to support the Protecting America’s Workers Act (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee delivered remarks on the Senate floor on Workers’ Memorial Day to remember those who...

Murray writes letter to eight Washington state insurers about failure to provide approved contraception, accurate information on Washington Healthplanfinder Murray: “A lack of consumer awareness and transparency about what is covered for women is unacceptable.” (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and...

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) is calling on health insurance companies to follow the requirements for contraceptive coverage under ObamaCare.  Murray wrote to eight insurance companies offering coverage on the ObamaCare marketplace in her home state of Washington on Tuesday raising concerns about the results of a report from Northwest Health Law...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks at a HELP Committee hearing on Continuing America’s Leadership: The Future of Medical Innovation for Patients. In her opening statement, Murray called for Congress to work to find ways to...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, a bipartisan group of 29 Senators led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), wrote a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff to express concern over continued delays in establishing updated final advice to pregnant women on seafood...

Murray: “In Congress, we need to be looking for ways to make sure our economy and workplaces work for all families – not just the wealthiest few. Expanding access to paid sick days couldn’t be more important to achieving that goal.” (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) launched #HFAnow: Share Your Story a new tool to hear from workers and business owners in Washington state and across the country on why paid sick days are so important. This effort is the latest in Senator...

Last month the Senate passed a measure during the midnight hours that has one lawmaker pretty pumped up. The issue: paid sick days for all Americans. It’s something Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) feels "really strongly about.” And after 15 Republican senators voted in favor of her amendment during a budget vote-a-rama, she sees an...

While most of the Senate spent the week wrestling with a human trafficking bill and arguing over the confirmation of a new attorney general, the Senate education committee was collegially zipping through its rewrite of No Child Left Behind. The bill includes toxic education topics like testing and school performance ratings. It’s been...

Murray: “I am hopeful that we can keep this momentum going and get this done.”  Bipartisan agreement unanimously passes HELP Committee, moves to Senate floor  Murray amendments passed through committee with strong bipartisan support (Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) offered an amendment at the HELP Committee markup of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 to help schools and communities in the aftermath of violent or traumatic events. Murray’s amendment would authorize the...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) offered a bipartisan amendment at the HELP Committee markup of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 to improve and expand early learning programs. The amendment would create a competitive grant program for states that...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) offered an amendment at the HELP Committee markup of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 to help ensure that military-connected children are succeeding in school. In remarks prior to the vote, Murray highlighted that...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day: “We’re 103 days into 2015, and on Equal Pay Day, that number takes on significant, unfortunate meaning. Today marks just how far into the...

Murray: “Students and parents across the country are looking to us to put politics aside, break through the gridlock, and fix this broken law.” (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks at a HELP Committee Executive Session to...

MURRAY: “Systemic challenges leave 1 in 10 older women living in poverty–we must make sure women are better able to have a secure retirement.”  Approximately 1.1 million people in Washington state don’t have access to retirement savings plans at work   (SEATTLE, WA) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty...