Ranking Member's Press
#FreeThePill: Murray, Pressley, Ocasio-Cortez, Bera, Hill Introduce Legislation in Push for Affordable Over-the-Counter Birth Control
Democrats make clear to Republicans any meaningful effort to increase access to over-the-counter birth control must ensure affordability Legislation issues challenge to Republicans who have yet to support ensuring any FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control is covered by insurance without cost-sharing and without requiring a prescription FreeThePill: "1 in 3 women who have tried to get prescription birth control face obstacles." Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murr… Continue Reading
06.13.19
Murray Slams Republicans’ Attempts to Sabotage Medicaid and Jeopardize Health Care for Millions of People
Murray and Democrats take to the Senate floor to call out Republicans' efforts to undermine Medicaid and health care for millions of people Murray: "People across the country have been absolutely clear they want us to fight for families struggling with high health care costs, and help make sure everyone in our country can get quality, affordable care. Unfortunately, Republicans so far have been equally clear in their answer-we don't care." Murray: "State after state has worked to expand … Continue Reading
06.11.19
Murray, Brown, Scott, Takano Reintroduce Bill To Expand Overtime Pay For Millions Of Workers
Bill Would Make Millions of Workers Newly Eligible for Overtime Pay WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Mark Takano (D-CA) today reintroduced legislation to make millions of American workers newly eligible for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours a week, providing economic security to millions of working familie… Continue Reading
06.07.19
Murray Demands Department of Labor Reverse Decision to End Program to Help At-Risk Youth and Protect Natural Lands and Parks
Murray sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Acosta on DOL's decision to end the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC) program and permanently close nine centers Job Corps CCCs provide underserved youth in rural areas with job training and help the U.S. Forest Service conserve natural parks and lands, as well as respond to natural disasters DOL has provided virtually no information for the reasoning behind the closures, or what will happen to the thousands of students and staff at … Continue Reading
06.06.19
PATIENTS OVER PROFITS: Joined by Providers, Patients, and Families, Senator Murray Lays Out Plans to Tackle High Drug Costs
Senator Murray, joined by patients, shared stories of families struggling with prescription drug costs and outlined her plans to help bring costs down Recently, Senator Murray released legislation to remove roadblocks companies use to keep more affordable versions of expensive brand-name drugs off the market and tackle high drug prices Senator Murray: "Our country may be responsible for some of the most advanced medical science in the world… but we can't lose sight of the point of… Continue Reading
06.05.19
Murray Pans SEC’s Flimsy Investor Protection Rule Which Represents a Step Down From Proposed Rule
Murray: "People across the country deserve to know the professionals they turn to for help planning their financial futures are putting their clients' financial security ahead of their own bottom line." Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and, Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) new rule which was authorized by the Dodd-Frank Act… Continue Reading
06.04.19
Murray Commemorates Centennial of Amendment Guaranteeing Women’s Right to Vote, Emphasizes Need to Continue Tackling Barriers to the Ballot
Murray joins bipartisan effort from all 25 female Senators to Commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Senate passage of the amendment securing women's right to vote Murray reflects on progress women have made since securing the right to vote Murray emphasizes the need to continue fighting to make sure all communities have access to the ballot Murray: "Today, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of that important milestone in the march for equality, it's inspiring to see how far wom… Continue Reading
05.24.19
Murray Slams Trump Administration’s Latest Move to Encourage Discrimination and Undermine Health Care
Trump Administration proposal would undermine access to care for the LGBTQ community, women, and individuals who already face barriers to care Murray: "Patients don't need the ideological judgment of President Trump, Vice President Pence, or anyone else for that matter-they need to know that when they seek the health care they need, they won't be turned away because of who they are." Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Educatio… Continue Reading
05.23.19
Murray, Cornyn Introduce Legislation to Crack Down On Sham Drug Patents, Remove Obstacles for Lower Cost Generic Drugs
New legislation aims to prevent drug companies from using sham patents to block competition from cheaper generic drugs Murray: "As families across the country struggle to fill their prescriptions and make ends meet, drug companies should be focused on getting more people the treatments they need, not on keeping cheaper drugs off the shelf." Cornyn: "Americans deserve greater access to lower-cost medications. This legislation will increase transparency and help stop abuse of the patent sy… Continue Reading
05.22.19
Murray, Brown, Sanders Lead 20 Senators In Urging Labor Dept To Withdraw Proposed Rule That Would Deny Millions Of Workers Overtime Pay They Have Earned
Senators to DOL: New Rule would Set Overtime Threshold at Level Not Nearly High Enough, would Deprive Estimated 3 Million Low- to Middle- Income Workers Potential Wages WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Patty Murray (D-WA) led 20 Senators in writing a letter this week to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), urging it to withdraw a proposed rule that would deprive an estimated 3 million workers of the overtime pay they have earned. In March, Brown a… Continue Reading
05.16.19
Senators Murray and Warren Lead Colleagues Expressing Support for Agreement That Will Help Military Borrowers Receive the Zero Interest Student Loan Benefit They Are Owed
Eligible servicemembers have potentially overpaid tens of millions in federal student loan interest payments that they did not owe because of lack of communication between federal agencies Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), led seventeen of their Senate colleagues today in sending a comment letter to the Department of Defense… Continue Reading
05.16.19
Murray Calls on Food and Drug Administration to Take Swift Action on Tobacco Following Court Ruling
Federal court rules against FDA's decision to delay review of newly regulated tobacco products, including e-cigarettes CDC study found one-in-five high school students using e-cigarettes as of 2018 Murray: "As youth tobacco rates skyrocket… it's clearer than ever we can't afford for the Food and Drug Administration to drag its feet on protecting our kids from a new generation of tobacco products." Murray has repeatedly called on FDA to prohibit the use flavors in e-cigarettes … Continue Reading
05.15.19
Murray, Nadler, Scott Introduce Bill to End Forced Arbitration in the Workplace, To Allow Workers to Band Together to Enforce Their Legal Rights
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor introduced the Restoring Justice for Workers Act, legislation to end forced arbitration clauses and protect workers' ability to pursue work-related claims in… Continue Reading
05.15.19
Murray Blasts Republicans for Pushing Extreme Laws and Extreme Judges in Efforts to Undermine Women’s Reproductive Rights
Murray speaks out against extreme abortion ban passed in Alabama, and judicial nominee with alarming track record attacking women's reproductive rights Murray on Alabama abortion ban: "I am appalled by the extreme, cruel, shameful abortion ban passed yesterday in Alabama. This legislation is nothing short of an attack on women." Murray criticized judicial nominee Wendy Vitter for her past activism against women's reproductive rights, including efforts to bolster lies and misinformation … Continue Reading
05.15.19
Murray, Baldwin, Pocan Introduce Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act to Reduce Bullying and Harassment at Colleges and Universities Across the Country
One in five college students are victims of cyberbullying, and LGBTQ students are nearly twice as likely to be harassed than their peers Legislation would require colleges and universities to establish policies to prohibit harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, or religion Bill is named after Tyler Clementi, a freshman college student who died by suicide after experiencing harassment and cyberbullying Wash… Continue Reading
05.15.19
Murray Statement on Meeting with Delta Air Lines
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statement following a meeting in her office with a Delta Air Lines representative regarding their ongoing efforts to coerce workers and infringe upon their rights to collectively organize and join a union. "Like so many others, I was appalled by Delta Air Lines' viral anti-union poster last week, but what's even more appallin… Continue Reading
05.09.19
SCOPES: Murray Continues Oversight of Device Connected to Fatal Outbreak in Washington State, Presses Manufacturers on Safety Following Alarming Food and Drug Administration Findings
FDA found one in twenty closed-channel duodenoscopes remained contaminated even after cleaned Murray asks three duodenoscope manufacturers how they plan to respond to the findings to ensure patient safety Murray released a report in 2016 detailing how contaminated duodenoscopes had led to patient deaths, and pushed to strengthen FDA's ability to address issues related to device safety in 21st Century Cures Murray: "It is unacceptable that one in twenty patients who undergo a procedur… Continue Reading
05.09.19
Murray, Cortez Masto Demand Answers After Third Migrant Child in Six Months Dies in U.S. Government Custody
Murray, Cortez Masto demand information from Health Department after 16-year-old unaccompanied minor dies in Health Department custody Over the last six months, three migrant children have died while in U.S. government custody Senators: "These tragedies are of serious concern, and raise grave questions about broader approaches to medical treatment for children in U.S. Government custody." Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health,… Continue Reading
05.08.19
Murray Slams Republican “Power Grab” on Critical Civil Rights Agency To Give Corporations Who Discriminate More of A Voice Than Workers
Republican leaders jammed through a nominee to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in an attempt to further stack the deck against workers The EEOC is a critical civil rights agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws, protects LGBTQ rights in the workplace, and addresses workplace harassment As so many brave people have come forward and shared their stories of harassment and assault in the workplace, Murray called on Senate Republicans not to politicize the EEOC … Continue Reading
05.08.19
Senator Murray: “Moms Deserve Better” Than President Trump’s Backward Agenda
In a floor speech ahead of Mother's Day, Senator Murray criticizes Trump Administration's agenda on issues important to women and families across the country Senator Murray shared stories from Washington state mothers illustrating the harm of President Trump's attacks on women's health and the need to address challenges families face Trump Administration's changes to Title X family planning program jeopardize access to care for millions Murray emphasized the need to address challenge… Continue Reading
