Ranking Member's Press

President Trump has nominated Gordon Hartogensis to lead the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation   If confirmed, Hartogensis would replace Director Reeder who was sworn in for a five-year term in 2015   News comes as the nation grapples with multiemployer pension crisis threatening many workers’ retirement...

Senate HELP Committee held second hearing on the 340B program that helps make drugs more affordable for safety net care providers   President Trump delayed a rule to prevent drug companies from overcharging 340B care providers and withdrew guidance that aimed to provide clarity on program rules.   The Trump Administration has cut Medicare...

Murray Urges Senate to Reject Secretary DeVos’ Right Hand Man, Calls for Department of Education to Once Again Stand Up for Students   Murray calls on colleagues to reject Deputy Secretary of Education nominee General Mick Zais   Zais has a controversial history as South Carolina State Superintendent of Education   Like DeVos...

Contract paid lawyer connected to President Trump over one million dollars as pharmaceutical company sought access to White House   Murray: “It’s important that people have the transparency they need to hold their government accountable, and that must include transparency about how money is spent in efforts to gain attention and...

Following President Trump’s lackluster drug pricing speech, Senator Murray criticized his efforts as “all tweets and no leadership”   Murray: Unless Republicans come to the table to work on substantive solutions, “speech was simply more of the same from a President who hasn’t done the work and hasn’t...

CFPB is eliminating the watchdog unit responsible for handling student loan borrower abuses   Murray: “It’s telling that President Trump’s reaction to millions of borrowers struggling to pay back their student loans and asking for help with unmanageable debt is to shut down the only office focused on serving student loan...

Menu labeling law passed eight years ago as part of the Affordable Care Act   Law requires food menus to provide more nutritional information to consumers, including calorie counts   Information about sodium, saturated fat, sugar, and other nutrients must also be available in writing   Murray called out the Food and Drug...

In letter, 21 Senators urge Department of Labor to reconsider its decision not to collect data on the economic impact of workplace harassment   BLS declined a request from Gillibrand and Murray, citing complexities and costliness of collecting economic data   BLS is uniquely qualified to collect complex economic data   Senators:...

Speaking at World Heath Care Congress, former Secretary Price admitted Republican efforts to sabotage health care would drive up costs for families   Former Secretary Price: “… there are many, and I’m one of them, who believes that [repealing the individual mandate] actually will harm the pool in the exchange market, because...

In letter to Secretary Azar, Senator Murray asks about the Department’s use of a restricted hiring authority to bring on Dr. Redfield as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   Director Redfield was hired through Title 42, a hiring authority intended specifically to fill scientific positions only after other efforts...

Cite recent reports that White House budget office has directed NLRB to freeze funding, in violation of law   Labor board top lawyer is also reportedly attempting to reorganize the Board based off President Trump’s budget request, also in violation of the law   These actions directly contradict the bipartisan agreement that Congress...

HELP Committee voted unanimously to advance extensive, bipartisan opioid response bill after months of bipartisan work spearheaded by Murray, Alexander   The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 includes more than 40 proposals, which were considered over seven months of bipartisan hearings, to support families and communities facing the opioid...

(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 news that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would shift its approach in funding programs to prevent teen...

Last year, Senator Murray and Senate Democrats sent a letter voicing concerns with the draft strategic plan issued by the Department   Department’s final plan fails to address key issues raised by the Senators   Plan retains ideological language and priorities   Plan makes no mention of LGBTQ populations and fails to address...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and nine other Democrats submitted a public comment to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)...

Murray urges colleagues to vote against the nomination of Carlos Muniz for General Counsel of the Department of Education   As Secretary DeVos continues to undermine protections for students, Murray voiced concerns about Muniz’s willingness to stand up to DeVos   FL Attorney General decided not to investigate Trump University while...

Department of Education announced it would begin proactively notifying veterans with disabilities that they can discharge their federal student loans   Higher Education Act allows for full discharge of federal student loans for veterans unable to work due to service-connected disabilities   Murray urged Secretary DeVos to work with VA to...

Speaking from Senate floor, Murray strongly denounced Patrick Pizzella’s nomination to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor   Senator Murray: “With this nomination, President Trump is once again breaking his promise to put workers first.”   Nominee worked with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff to block worker protections in...

In floor speech yesterday, Murray voiced her opposition to NLRB nominee and pro-business lawyer John Ring   Ring’s nomination is being jammed through in an unprecedented manner, while current Trump-appointed Board members’ integrity is clouded by conflicts of interest scandals   Senator Murray also highlighted Equal Pay Day,...

Last week Ranking Member Murray and Chairman Alexander announced a discussion draft of bipartisan legislation to address the opioid crisis   The package of proposals was developed over 6 months of HELP Committee hearings highlighting the perspectives of families and experts facing the epidemic   Senator Murray has also held events on the...