WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at this afternoon’s Senate Democratic leadership press conference. Senator Murray stressed the importance of passing a comprehensive supplemental security package, of working in a bipartisan, bicameral way to pass full-year spending bills, and of House Republicans getting serious and getting back to the spending agreement they negotiated to enable that to happen. Video of Senator Murray’s remarks is available HERE.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“It is really good we avoided a senseless and catastrophic shutdown, but we are very far from mission accomplished. It’s time now to roll up our sleeves, talk to one another, and get our work done.
“First of all, we need to pass a robust supplemental package that actually meets this moment by providing urgently needed funding for Ukraine, Israel, humanitarian support, and our allies in the Indo-Pacific.
“We cannot do half our job and essentially tell the world America only stands with some of its allies some of the time.
“Secondly, we don’t want to be back in the same place again with funding in a few weeks, facing a devastating shutdown and no good options. And make no mistake: CRs are better than a shutdown but they are not a good option. We have to get serious about full-year funding bills.
“And that starts with getting on the same page when it comes to toplines. The good news here is that the negotiating already happened: House Republicans just need to remember the toplines they passed into law under the Fiscal Responsibility Act—a bill that Speaker Johnson actually voted for along with many other Republicans.
“And what’s more, here in the Senate we even have 12 bipartisan bills Senator Collins and I wrote that follow the terms of that deal. So I hope our colleagues in the House will spare us drama and dysfunction and further brinksmanship—it is not only unnecessary but deeply dangerous.
“We may not agree on everything, but we can get something done if we put partisanship and poison pills aside. Compromise never means getting your dream bill. It means listening to the other side, making tough decisions, and writing a bill you can actually pass and get signed into law—and make a difference for the folks back home.
“That’s how Vice Chair Collins and I have been able to work with members across the political spectrum to craft our twelve bipartisan spending bills—carefully negotiated and with overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle—these bills can actually become law.
“And I absolutely want Speaker Johnson to join us at the negotiating table so long as he leaves the partisanship at the door and is genuinely ready to work in good faith on reasonable, bipartisan bills that address the challenges we are seeing around the world, and address the needs of families here at home, including child care, WIC, and more.”
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