Murray Statements at Bipartisan HELP Committee Executive Session
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) submitted remarks for the record at an Executive Session to consider bipartisan legislation and nominations. At the markup, the Committee moved forward with the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015 and the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act of 2015, as well as nominations for Victoria Lipnic to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Michael Michaud to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training, Department of Labor.
Senator Murray’s opening statement, as submitted for the record:
“Thank you, Chairman Alexander.
“I am pleased we’re able to move forward this morning on legislation that is a result of strong bipartisan work from members of this Committee, as well as on nominees to two important positions.
“Today, we will pass legislation from Senators Collins and Baldwin to help us understand and better meet the needs of millions of family caregivers in our country who are balancing work, child care, and other demands with supporting their loved ones in need.
“And, we will pass a bill from Senators Hatch, Reed, Burr, and Franken to ensure that patients with diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia get the treatments they need.
“We will also be moving forward on two nominations today.
“Former Representative Michael Michaud to serve as the Assistant Security of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training, an important position that helps ensure our veterans have a strong and clear pathway to meaningful employment once they return home from brave service.
“And, Victoria Lipnic to serve a new term on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she can continue helping workers across the country…
“I am confident that both will serve effectively in their respective roles.
“So thank you to our Committee members for joining us today.
“This is a big week for this Committee, and I look forward to continued bipartisan efforts to deliver results for families and communities across the country.”
Senator Murray’s statement on the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act as submitted for the record:
“Thank you, Chairman Alexander.
“I really appreciate the bipartisan work that Senators Collins and Baldwin have done on this important legislation.
“Especially as our population ages and the demand for long-term care increases, we need to ensure support for the millions of family members providing critical care to their loved ones.
“Today, there are 43 million family caregivers in the United States. Most of them are employed and struggle to balance their family responsibilities with their work.
“By launching a National Family Caregiving strategy and advisory council, the RAISE Family Caregivers Act would help us better understand and meet the needs of numerous people across the country who are making an enormous contribution to their families and to our health care system—and who, too often, are overlooked.
“I also want to thank Senators Collins and Baldwin for supporting my legislation to support caregivers of servicemembers and veterans.
“I am proud to support this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with Senators Collins and Baldwin on this critical issue.”
Senator Murray’s statement on the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015 as submitted for the record:
“Thank you, Chairman Alexander.
“I’m grateful for the bipartisan work that Senators Hatch, Reed, Burr, and Franken have done on this bill.
“The C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program ensures access to life-saving adult stem-cell transplants that may give patients with diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia the chance to live longer, healthier lives.
“This legislation will ensure that patients continue to have access to the treatments they need.
“I’m pleased to support this bill and thank my colleagues again for working across the aisle on legislation that will support the health and wellbeing of patients with blood cancers or other blood disorders.”
Senator Murray’s statement on nominations, as submitted for the record:
“Thank you, Chairman Alexander. I am pleased that we will be able to move forward with these two nominations today.
“First, I support former Representative Michael Michaud to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training.
“Mr. Michaud has spent much of his career working in public service at state and federal levels, including six terms in Congress as a Representative from Maine, and Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“Ensuring veterans have a strong and clear pathway to meaningful employment after they come home from their brave service to our nation is a major priority for me. And I am confident Mr. Michaud will work tirelessly to oversee veterans’ employment and training.
“Mr. Chairman, I also support Victoria Lipnic’s nomination to a new term to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“In addition to already serving with distinction at the EEOC, Ms. Lipnic also has experience in employment law, as the U.S. Secretary of Labor for Employment Standards, and in Congress, where she worked as Workforce Policy Counsel for the Committee on Education and Workforce.
“These qualifications make her an excellent choice to continue serving workers across the country as part of this important agency.
“Again, I support moving forward with these two nominations today.”
