Senator Murray Remarks on Government Funding

***WATCH: Senator Murray's remarks***

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on government funding at this afternoon's Senate Democratic leadership press conference.

Senator Murray's remarks, as delivered, are below:

"Well, less than a month until the next funding deadline, and here's the bottom line: just as we have worked in a bipartisan fashion here in the Senate on fiscal year 2026 funding, Republicans and Democrats need to work together to fund the government with a short-term CR at the end of the month. That CR agreement needs to reflect Democratic values and principles, and it needs to be a real bipartisan compromise.

"For the last few months, we have shown a bipartisan way forward on the Appropriations Committee.

"Democrats have shown that we are willing to work in good faith to write bipartisan funding bills that protect investments in education, lifesaving research, and a lot more.

"We've already passed eight out of committee and three on the floor: MilCon-VA, Agriculture, and Leg Branch.

"As part of a bipartisan, short-term CR, I support conferencing those three bills and passing them with a short-term CR for the remaining 9 bills. And I hope that we can continue to make progress on our Senate-passed bills so they will be ready at the end of the month.

"Now is the time to continue with that responsible, bipartisan work - just as we have shown all summer.

"If House Republicans, however, go a different route and try and jam through a partisan CR without any input from Democratic members of Congress, and they suddenly find they don't have the votes they need from our caucus to fund the government, well then, that is a Republican shutdown.

"But there is no reason for Republicans to walk away from this table, not after the progress we have made this summer.

"Republicans need to work with us to keep the government funded. They need to ignore Russ Vought, the guy who is tearing apart the federal budget, breaking the law, and destroying things like cancer research for kids while Trump spends his time golfing. That's not even hyperbole; that's the facts.

"Now, I stand exactly where I have always been: I support a bipartisan path to fund the government, like we have been doing so far here in the Senate.

"And that's because I believe that elected Members of Congress should decide how to spend taxpayer dollars on behalf of our constituents, not Russ Vought, not Donald Trump, and that means preventing another yearlong slush fund CR.

"Now, on another note, since Congress should be able to do more than one thing at a time: will Republicans work with us to stop the health care premiums from skyrocketing this fall for millions of Americans?

"So far, Republicans have refused to lift a finger to extend the tax credits and save families from massive new health care costs.

"For many, higher premiums will mean cuts to the family budget. For others, it will mean giving up their health insurance entirely.

"That is wrong. Republicans are choosing right now to let that happen.

"They could easily extend that policy and stop premiums from spiking - Democrats have already written the bill to do just that.

"Don't try to tell the American people, you could afford to cut taxes for billionaires just weeks ago, but now working families will have to tighten their belts and have to pay literally thousands more dollars per year for health insurance.

"So, Democrats are ready to fund the government in a bipartisan way, and we are ready as well to protect health care for millions. Democrats have our priorities straight.

"To my Republican colleagues: You are lawmakers. Write some laws - help people. Do your jobs. Don't just hand that pen to Russ Vought and call it a day."

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