Press Releases

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, at a mark-up, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, advanced the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 by voice vote. Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) highlighted how this bill, which was led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), makes...

Senate votes to confirm Jennifer Abruzzo by a vote of 51-50   Senator Murray: “Jennifer Abruzzo is the type of dedicated public servant who will make sure the NLRB is enforcing the law and protecting the rights of workers, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting to discharge her nomination and confirm her as General Counsel of...

Murray discussed progress made so far, the recent uptick in nationwide COVID cases, and stressed urgent need for action against future public health crises   Senator Murray: “Even after we are through this crisis, our work won’t be done. We have to make sure we learn from this history, and take action so we never repeat...

Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing entitled, “The Path Forward: A Federal Perspective on the COVID-19 Response.” This is the Committee’s third hearing with federal officials on the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Ranking Member Richard Burr’s Prepared Opening...

Roll Call Op-ed: We already have child care and early education programs that work. Let’s invest in them By Sen. Richard M. Burr July 19, 2021  The strength of the relationship between a family and their child care provider is deeply important. It’s one of the many reasons parents today spend months, if not years, researching...

Today, Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Better Wound Care at Home Act, bipartisan legislation to update payment rules at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to give Americans better access to cutting-edge technology and treatment options used in home health settings. “Outdated...

Senator Murray: “Confirming these highly qualified nominees is an important step to reversing the damage of the last four years, rebuilding our country stronger and fairer,  and making our economy truly work for workers and their families.”   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, during a hearing, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA),...

Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held itsnomination hearing for David Weil to be the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division for the Department of Labor and Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty to be Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Excerpt of Ranking Member Richard Burr’s...

Senate votes to confirm Jocelyn Samuels by a vote of 52-47   Senate votes to confirm Seema Nanda by a vote of 53-46   Senator Murray: “Workers are the backbone of our economy. That means, every one of us should be fighting for them, and voting to confirm Commissioner Samuels and Ms. Nanda who will fight for them as...

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after voting against advancing the nomination of Jennifer Abruzzo to serve as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel from the Committee: “At the same time President...

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted 50-47 to confirm Julie Su as Deputy Secretary of Labor: “Under Ms. Su’s leadership, California suffered one of the largest cases of unemployment insurance...

Senate votes to confirm Julie Su by a vote of 50-47   Senator Murray: “With millions out of a job and millions more struggling to get by, it’s clear that workers need a Deputy Secretary of Labor committed to building back a stronger, fairer economy … This is why I’m so glad to support Julie Su’s...

Senator Murray: “It’s clear all of our witnesses are well qualified for the positions they have been nominated for, and I look forward to hearing from them about how we tackle the challenges facing schools and students across the country.”   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, during a hearing, Senator Patty Murray...

Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held itsnomination hearing for Catherine Lhamon to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, Elizabeth Brown to be General Council of the Department of Education, and Roberto Rodriguez to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and...

In June, Garcia and Murray led 27 of their House and 18 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in re-introducing the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act   Washington D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia...

Murray, Democrats to Secretary Cardona: “We encourage the Department to pursue policies that reduce disparities in the burden of student debt, simplify loan repayment, close donut holes in forgiveness programs, and improve the overall confidence of borrowers in the federal student loan system.”    Washington,...

  After full implementation in 2022, the No Surprises Act will end the practice of surprise billing for medical care, which leaves patients with exorbitant, unexpected charges   The No Surprises Act was passed after years of bipartisan work led by Senators Murray and Alexander   Murray: “This is a significant new protection for...

Murray, Scott to President Biden: “The relief provided by the current pause has been a financial lifeline to tens of millions of student loan borrowers nationwide.”    (Washington, D.C.)–Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Representative...

Legislation would expand access to home care and community supports for seniors and people with disabilities and invest in home care workers   Almost 820,000 Americans sit on wait lists to receive home and community-based services   40 Senators support legislation   (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair...

Today, U.S. Senator Richard Burr, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, announced three new areas of bipartisan oversight as part of their ongoing work to develop policy proposals aimed at improving the nation’s...