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Patty in the News
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Officials declare victory in decades long battle to eradicate spartina
United States Sen. Patty Murray and Congressman Brian Baird, along with state and local officials, civic leaders, community businessmen and activists gathered this week at the Willapa Harbor Community Center in South Bend to celebrate what is being touted as an unprecedented eradication of the invasive marsh grass.
- The Daily World - October 24, 2008
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Senator Touts Proposed Energy Education Complex
The Democratic senator met with members of the Lewis County Mentoring Project, a project to build a farm and green energy education complex along Sawall Avenue in North Centralia. Murray said the Growing Places Farm and Energy Park is a great example of what the county needs.
- The Chronicle- October 17, 2008
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Murray speaks on bailout, education, veterans services
Summoned to a late-night meeting with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and told that the bailout was the only lifesaver to throw to a floundering economy, "I felt like most Americans that, 'You've got to be kidding.'"
Soon, though, Murray said, her home state banks, businesses and local government officials convinced her that inaction "would have impacted every one of you."
- Peninsula Daily News - October 9, 2008
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Washington lawmakers cheer air tanker delay
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the decision is good news for Boeing Co., which had complained that it needed more time to bid on the massive contract for the Air Force. If Boeing wins the contract, it would mean years of work for its assembly plants in Washington state.
"It's absolutely the right decision to allow a $40 billion, 40-year contract to continue in a fair way," Murray said.
- Associated Press - September 11, 2008
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Pentagon delays $35B Air Force tanker decision
Patty Murray called it a "reality check on a procurement process that got very complicated and a little muddied,"
- Associated Press - September 11, 2008
.........................................More banks backing out of loans for community college students
Democratic Sens. Christopher Dodd and Patty Murray in June introduced legislation that would stop lenders from discriminating against students based on the school they attend, the length of their college program, or their income level.
- Daily Herald - September 11, 2008
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Senate approves $8 billion for highway trust fund
Because highway money is paid out over a number of years, postponement or delay in starting a project can have long-term ramifications. "The urgency of this bill is very critical. We cannot delay it," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Without the money, she said, next week federal reimbursements for state projects could drop to as little as 64 percent of promised funds.
- The Washington Post - September 11, 2008
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Murray says Bush, GOP block energy solutions
"Every day, American scientists, innovators and venture capitalists are researching new technologies that could one day end our addiction to oil forever. We should fast-track their efforts by making new investments and keeping their taxes low," Murray said.
- Associated Press - July 19, 2008
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Family Planning: Striking Plan B
Sens. Patty Murray and Hillary Clinton have sent a letter to Michael O. Leavitt, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (where the proposal is being circulated), urging him to reconsider the regulations. Besides implying that rape victims should be forced to give birth to the offspring of their attackers, the proposal also offers a broad, scientifically inaccurate definition of abortion.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Ed Board - July 16, 2008
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Air Force tanker rebid fair to Boeing, Northrop
Boeing protested this, backed by Sen. Patty Murray, Rep. Norm Dicks and others in our delegation. The Government Accountability Office report gave them ground to stand on, and they made the most of it. When the national press refers to "lawmakers from Washington and Kansas" raising hell, Murray's name comes up first. For this, our senior senator deserves senior credit.
- Seattle Times - July 10, 2008
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Supreme Court: A win for big oil
"The Supreme Court's opinion today is a disappointing and undeserved loss for the tens of thousands of families and business owners who were devastated by the Exxon Valdez disaster," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said shortly after the ruling. "Nearly 20 years later, the Northwest's fisheries and environment are still affected by Exxon's negligence, and years of legal wrangling shouldn't allow them to fall short of their responsibility to make amends."
- Seattle PI Editorial Board - June 26, 2008
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GAO says Air Force mishandled tanker deal
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., led the charge to get the contract reconsidered, arguing from the outset that the process was deeply flawed, anti-competitive and illogical. The Air Force responded by digging in. And it's still dug in, defending its decision, even after the GAO issued its withering report.
- Tri-City Herald - June 20, 2008
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GAO decision affirms Murrray’s view of Airbus-Boeing dogfight
But there’s one clear winner at this point. Murray has taught another piece of the bureaucracy to do its homework properly before it makes a decision she’s likely to question.
It will be interesting to see if the Air Force bureaucracy can grasp that lesson any quicker than its counterparts at the federal Departments of Veterans Affairs and Energy, which Murray has sparred with in the past.
- Tri-City Herald - June 19, 2008
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GAO ruling gives Boeing fair chance
Sen. Patty Murray's relentless investigation and questioning of the contract award likely made GAO's work easier. In explaining the decision, the agency said the Air Force made seven major mistakes in its procurement process...
- Everett Herald - June 19, 2008
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Air Force likely to seek new tanker contract, despite delay
"The process was clearly flawed," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said on the Senate floor. "We need to know why. We shouldn't buy more expensive planes built by France. By re-evaluating this deal with proper criteria, I am confident the Air Force will finally agree with me, they'll award the contract to Boeing in short order and our airmen and women will have the best possible plane to carry out their missions."
- McClatchy Newspapers - June 19, 2008
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Wild Sky Wilderness supporters take a victory lap
After nine years of meetings, compromises and political battles won and lost, wilderness enthusiasts gathered in the small town of Index on Friday to celebrate the long-sought creation of the Wild Sky Wilderness.
"Oh my God, can you believe this?" U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said to the cheers of a crowd of more than 100 people gathered in the back yard of a home next to the North Fork Skykomish River.
- Everett Herald - May 31, 2008
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Army tallies record number of suicides
The statistics show the Army must meet its goal of hiring more mental health professionals, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
"Today's numbers are a tragic reminder that repeated deployments … are taking a heavy toll," she said.
- USA Today - May 3, 2008
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Wild Sky backers finally can celebrate
"I could not be more proud of the spirit of togetherness and dedication that has surrounded Wild Sky from the very beginning," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa. "Today is a tribute to so many people who never gave up and never lost sight of the goal -- preserving the heart and soul of this beautiful land."
- Everett Herald - May 9, 2008
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Editorial: Murray's asking good questions about tanker
"These are the people who are responsible for devising the Department of Defense's budget and yet the Air Force never consulted them on all the costs associated with awarding this contract to Airbus. That's like handing your teenager a credit card to go on a car shopping spree, no questions asked. No family runs like that, no business runs like that, and as taxpayers we certainly shouldn't allow the military to run like that."
- Everett Herald - May 9, 2008
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Congress finally OKs Wild Sky Wilderness
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who championed Wild Sky, said it was "an example of wilderness done the right way," with support from local groups and elected officials
- Seattle Times - April 30, 2008
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Wild Sky wilderness: well worth the wait
On Tuesday, Congress finally gave its approval for creating Washington's first new wilderness area in more than two decades. That's 3,405 days after the effort began, according to a triumphant Sen. Patty Murray, who with Rep. Rick Larsen led the arduous legislative charge.
- Everett Herald - April 30, 2008
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Democrats seek program to create summer jobs for young
The program would create jobs for people aged 16 to 19 at hospitals, parks and day care and senior centers.
"Young people are facing one of the toughest job markets in years," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chairwoman of the employment and workplace safety subcommittee of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions panel.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 18, 2008
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The cleanup of nuclear waste at Hanford must be high priority
Sen. Patty Murray is, as she should be, outraged. We all should be. Murray called the reduction in spending "disgraceful" saying the federal government has a moral and legal obligation to make the site safe.
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - April 16, 2008
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No one wants to jinx a bill that has been pummeled, held hostage and resuscitated so many times. But with victory in sight, Murray was eager to recognize a critical factor: the bipartisan support of Idaho Republican Sen. Mike Crapo. She lavishly praised his work to help make Wild Sky happen.
– Seattle Times - April 14, 2008
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Murray rips administration for no funds for Chehalis flood project
"In Centralia and the surrounding areas, we still have people who are picking up the pieces from homes that were damaged or destroyed and businesses that went under water... "Now I know that this is not an inexpensive project. The federal portion is authorized around $74 million with the state taking responsibility for about $50 million...
"But in the budget we are discussing today the president has requested zero dollars."
– The Olympian - April 10, 2008
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Sen. Murray rebukes DOE over Hanford budget
Among changes to the proposed 2009 budget is a $77 million cut for cleanup of Hanford along the Columbia River, a project that is making admirable progress, Murray said.
"I don't understand why we are going to pull the rug out from under a high performing project," Murray said.
– Tri-City Herald - April 10, 2008
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Island leaders plead with senator for housing help
“We expect approximately two million homeowners this year to go into foreclosure,” Murray said. “But they don’t have to.”
Homeowner counseling will be tantamount to turning the impending foreclosure tsunami into manageable tidal action. Education, she said, needs to come before the damage is irreparable.
– Whidbey News Times - March 29, 2008
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Sen. Murray hears from emergency workers
Murray said after the meeting that she took two major suggestions from Skagit County’s first responders at the Wednesday forum: Volunteer firefighters need more incentives to join and stay with their community departments, and emergency personnel need long-term steady funding.
– Skagit Valley Herald - March 27, 2008
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Foreclosure forum puts face on crisis
"We are not doing enough to help educate people about the complexities of buying a home or the help they can get if they find themselves in trouble, whether it's a health care crisis or a divorce or a loss of job, and they get in a position where they can't afford to pay their mortgage," Murray said afterward. "There's help out there, but if they sit at home and don't ask for it, they get to a point where it's too late."
- The Spokesman Review - March 25, 2008
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Boeing Machinists say tanker decision is 'outsourcing our future
But it's going to be a long, uphill battle to do so, said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Not everyone in Congress understands or supports Boeing and the unions' position on the tanker.
"We've got to spread the word: if we do not protect our aerospace industry, we will lose it," she said.
– Everett Herald - March 20, 2008
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Sen. Murray hears veterans' concerns during local stop
Local veterans told a key lawmaker on Monday that they need quicker access to health care, more beds in veteran hospitals and more rural veteran clinics.
But U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said she was most shocked to learn 1,100 veterans in Cowlitz County are homeless or living in transitional housing.
"That's appalling," she said.
– Longview Daily News - March 18, 2008
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U.S. Senator Patty Murray got an earful Monday about Southwest Washington’s housing woes, amid the national mortgage crisis and rising foreclosures.
“I think it’s one of the most pressing challenges facing our nation,” said the Washington Democrat, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
– The Columbian - March 18, 2008
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U.S. aerospace industrial base causes alarm
"The Air Force seems to be acknowledging that ... there are factors of concern that were outside what was requested by the law to be considered," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., during a Senate Defense Appropriations hearing.
– Everett Herald - March 13, 2008
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Hot pursuit of answers on tanker decision
Sen. Patty Murray squares off today with Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Murray will pursue the national-security risks with having the refueling tankers built by Northrop Grumman and EADS, the European parent of Airbus
– Seattle Times - March 12, 2008
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Boeing to Protest Loss of Tanker Contract
“The Air Force’s short-sighted decision to place the future of America’s aerospace industry and national security in the hands of an illegally subsidized foreign competitor is simply wrong for America,” Ms. Murray said.
– New York Times - March 10, 2008
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Boeing to challenge tanker decision
"Since their beginnings as a small company in Seattle, Boeing has never once protested a contract decision," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It is my hope that the GAO moves forward with its review in a thorough manner."
– The Everett Herald - March 11, 2008
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Air tanks contract award dumb move by Air Force
"Until now, our tankers have been built by manufacturers, designers, and engineers who have been able to pass on the skills and knowledge that 50 years of experience brings -- and who are bound by law from selling technology to countries that sponsor terrorism," she added.
Murray wonders how we're supposed to control the fate of our national security when we put other countries in charge of building essential military aircraft.
– Tri City Herald - March 10, 2008
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At Boeing, shock -- and then anger
The state's senior senator said she couldn't understand the choice of giving a massive contract to a foreign-based business, considering that the U.S. is teetering on a recession.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 29, 2008
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Murray Delivers Hard-Hitting Speech On Senate Floor
She started off telling her fellow senators that Boeing workers in Everett are frustrated, angry and dismayed that they'll no longer be building the refueling tankers. Boeing has had the military contract for 50 years. Murray said one worker called the decision a slap in the face.
– KIRO 7 Seattle - March 4, 2008
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Military planes must be made by U.S. firms
"Instead of securing the American economy and military at a time while we are at war we are creating a European economic stimulus package at the expense of U.S. workers," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
– Walla Walla Union Bulletin - March 5, 2008
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VA starts treating veterans in Mount Vernon
Both Murray and Larsen have long sought a clinic to serve veterans in the northern counties. The aim is to prevent long and tiresome drives to Seattle, and to cut down on time getting services, they said.
- Everett Herald - February 21, 2008
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VA to build $6.7 million unit for recovery in Walla WallaAbout 20 percent of those enrolled with the VA have a mental health diagnosis, said Sen. Patty Murray, who invited Peake and Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers to the medical center.
- Tri-City Herald - February 21, 2008
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Military Culture: Wrong sacrificesThere has to be some legislation requiring the government to not only research military sexual trauma (something Sen. Patty Murray is working on), but also a process that allows victims of such crimes to feel secure enough to report the incidents and name their attackers.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 21, 2008
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Warning on cuts in veterans' health care
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the proposals -- part of the Bush administration's budget request for fiscal 2009 -- "would close the VA's door to thousands of our nation's veterans."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 13, 2008
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Iraq war vets' suicide rates analyzed
"Until this administration understands that repeated and prolonged deployments are stretching our brave men and women to the brink, we will continue to see these tragic figures," Murray said.
- AP - February 13, 2008
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Hanford jobs could get axe under budget
"Instead of sending the critical dollars needed to meet our federal commitment to Hanford cleanup, the president's budget sends mixed messages," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement.
- Tri-City Herald - February 5, 2008
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U.S. Senate: Best care possible
Indeed, life expectancy for American Indians remains nearly six years less than the rest of the U.S. population. Murray's goal: "The Indian Health Service is badly in need of updating."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 27, 2008
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Murray listens after the storm
Grays Harbor leaders pleaded for better weather detection devices, federal aid for a slew of emergency generators and help in cutting through red tape on a number of disaster-related issues when U.S. Sen. Patty Murray visited the Harbor Tuesday for a follow-up tour of storm-damaged areas.
- Grays Harbor Daily World - January 9, 2008
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Murray acts for wounded warriors
Life for returning American soldiers is going to get better, thanks to the dogged determination of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.
The Shoreline Democrat is being hailed by disabled veterans advocates and some Senate colleagues for her role in getting a bill passed to help returning soldiers get better and more-responsive medical attention they need.
- Seattle Times - December 20, 2007
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Country's veterans deserve better care
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray is an outspoken and effective spokeswoman for veterans as a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Last week she held a hearing in Yakima and got an earful of harsh words from area veterans about poor care and indifference from the Veterans Administration.
- The Yakima Herald - December 6, 2007
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In our view: Their 'Worst' Years?
But, as Murray said, care for veterans is not just the responsibility of the White house: "It's time for all of us to wake up to the reality and consequences of this war."
- The Columbian - November 16, 2007
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Report: Veterans health care costs around $650 billion
Murray was expected to announce that as many as 30 percent of injured soldiers have suffered a traumatic brain injury and research on the subject is still lacking.
The data from the heavily cited new report written by the group of physicians also says Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among returning soldiers is high, perhaps around 20 percent.
– KING5.com - November 8, 2007
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Spokesman Review: Three things we should be doing for war veterans
Sen. Patty Murray has been such a champion of military veterans that when President Bush threatened to veto health-care funding for troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Democrat was the natural choice to take him on.
Touting the $65 billion Veterans Affairs measure during last week's national Democratic radio address, Murray said, "More than 3,800 service members have died; thousands upon thousands have suffered physical and mental wounds at war. For all of President Bush's hollow talk of 'supporting the troops,' he has not done nearly enough to provide our veterans with the care and support they need. And that is simply outrageous."
- Spokesman Review - November 7, 2007
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Patty Murray becomes voice of veterans care
Her charges were young men who had returned from Vietnam. As Murray exercised their arms and legs, they described buddies blown apart and children, mistaken for guerrillas, shot and killed. Some stared vacantly; others shouted in anger.
Murray saw some of these same patients slip through cracks in the veterans-care network, left jobless, homeless and unable to find help.
"We didn't have a name for what they were suffering," Murray said of what is now called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
– Seattle Times - November 4, 2007
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Farm proposal would aid Washington farmers
"I am thrilled that for the first time the Farm Bill includes specialty crops in a comprehensive and meaningful way," said Murray. "Specialty crop growers contribute greatly to making agriculture Washington's largest industry.
- The Chronicle - October 29, 2007
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Murray rips program for ill workers
"These workers and their families shouldn't have to struggle with a very frustrating bureaucracy as they seek their compensation," Murray said.
– Tri-City Herald - October 24, 2007
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Skamania County officials air concerns to Murray
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray came to Skamania County Monday to find out what was on people's minds.
– The (Vancouver) Columbian - October 9, 2007
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Panel tells Murray that area needs health care workers
"Everywhere I go in the state, I hear the same thing you do," she said of health care access, affordability and employment.
– The (Vancouver) Columbian - October 9, 2007
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Senate to OK law enforcement funds
The Senate has agreed to provide $20 million to help state and local law enforcement agencies along the 4,000-mile northern border pay for policing and prosecuting border- related crimes.
– Bellingham Herald - October 6, 2007
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Senate passes Murray bill to ban asbestos
Thursday, the Senate voted unanimously to pass Murray's ban on the importation of asbestos, which still is found in more than 3,000 consumer products. If approved by the House and not vetoed by the president, the United States will finally join more than 40 other nations that have banned the cancer-causing material.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - October 4, 2007
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"Bid to strengthen FBI in Northwest gains ground"
Sen. Patty Murray's quest to increase the strength of the FBI in the Pacific Northwest took a step forward Thursday, when the Senate approved a Murray proposal requiring the bureau to disclose exactly where and how its agents are deployed.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - October 4, 2007
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Senate discusses Crandall Canyon accident
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said at a Senate hearing this morning that she plans to introduce legislation designed specifically to model mine accident communication after the National Transportation Safety Board's policies following plane crashes, which outlines how families of victims receive information.
- Deseret Morning News - October 2, 2007
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Murray-Clinton bill requires women be told of 'morning after' pill
"By raising awareness of the availability of emergency contraception, we will help protect women's reproductive health, reduce unintended pregnancies and decrease the number of abortions," Murray said in a statement.
- The Columbian - September 28, 2007
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Murray urges Bush to sign college aid bill
Speaking at the University of Washington on Thursday, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., encouraged President Bush to sign a bill that would make more money available for low-income college students and would lower interest rates on student loans.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 13, 2007
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Treating the mental wounds of war
The hearing, called by Sen. Patty Murray, comes on the heels of what she called a “heartbreaking” new Department of Defense report indicating that Army suicides are at a 26-year high. Murray on Friday said that Department of Defense and Veterans Administration need to do a better job of treating both physical and mental wounds.
- The Spokesman Review - August 18, 2007
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At last, a clinic for 'our heroes'
Helman and Murray applauded the efforts of the local veterans who fought to have the clinic established. Two of the group's leaders, Elwood "Bud" Link and Bill Forte, died before they were able to see their persistent political lobbying come to fruition. Murray submitted legislation earlier this year to have the clinic named for Bud Link, but the name has yet to become official.
- Wenatchee World - August 17, 2007
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FAA dedicates new control tower
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was at the dedication and was cited for her role in finding more than $16 million in federal funds for the project.
“This tower insures and increases the efficiency and safety of travelers and military flights in Spokane,” Murray said. “It’s good to know the eyes and ears of the people we count on to keep us in the air safely will soon be in a newer facility.”
– Spokesman Review - August 10, 2007
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Murray delivers payload to port
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray heard how an intersection of rail lines in Vancouver created a choke point that affected the entire West Coast.
– The Columbian - August 8, 2007
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray met with housing and veterans services officials Tuesday in Vancouver to find out how well the federal government is meeting the needs of homeless military veterans here.
– The Columbian - August 8, 2007
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Murray's Asbestos bill advances
"My bill is moving forward quickly with strong bipartisan support, and we shouldn't jeopardize this historic opportunity to finally protect American workers and their families from deadly asbestos," she said.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 31, 2007
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Murray: Senate’s Woman of the People
In a town known more for long-winded discourses on intricate policy minutiae or partisan bomb-throwing than average work-a-day talk, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has earned a reputation as a bastion of common sense in the Senate.
- Roll Call - July 26, 2007
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Don’t expose state to terrorism, Murray says in defense of funds
Sen. Patty Murray delivered an impassioned plea Tuesday for an increase in anti-terrorism funding for ports and cities, saying that just as intelligence experts are projecting an increase in the threat of domestic attacks the Bush administration is trying to cut preparedness spending.
- The News Tribune - July 25, 2007
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Murray criticizes federal cuts in homeland security funding
Sen. Patty Murray delivered an impassioned plea Tuesday for an increase in anti-terrorism funding for ports and cities, saying that just as intelligence experts are projecting an increase in the threat of domestic attacks the Bush administration is trying to cut preparedness spending.
- The News Tribune - July 24, 2007
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Murray applauds departure of VA chief
"The VA secretary's duty is to protect veterans, not a dishonest administration," Murray said. "Our veterans deserve to know that the head of the VA system can stand up to the White House and fight for the resources and benefits our veterans need."
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 17, 2007
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Reserve visitors center supported
A bill that would provide $850,000 to renovate the visitors center at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., included the money in the interior and environment appropriations bill, which now goes to the full Senate for debate.
- The Columbian - June 22, 2007
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Murray inspects Seattle VA hospital
We are all clearly very, very concerned about the report that has come out,” Murray told the administrators when she arrived at the hospital. “It set alarm bells off for all of us.”
- The Bellingham Herald - June 16, 2007
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Sen. Murray outlines bill to improve care for wounded soldiers
“The days of not paying attention to our service members are over,” declared Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a leading force behind the legislation for the Senate Democratic leadership.
- The News Tribune - June 14, 2007
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Murray asks VA for WW clinic funds
``Our veterans in Southeast Washington and Northern Oregon rely on the Walla Walla (VA medical center) for their care, and it is the VA's responsibility to make sure that this facility meets their needs,'' said Murray, D-Wash.
- Walla Walla Union- Bulletin - June 14, 2007
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Temporary VA clinic opens its doors
Opening of the limited-service clinic is an encouraging sign for thousands of regional veterans who have previously had to travel long distances to claim their military benefits. Several veterans under the lead of Elwood "Bud" Link led the campaign to get the clinic established beginning in 2001. With the help of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Doc Hastings, congressional appropriations were won to open the clinic in February 2006.
- Wenatchee World - June 14, 2007
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Murray pushes for asbestos ban this year
"It's been shocking to me that after six years and a number of deaths of good people, we're still sitting in a committee. I have more hope this year than I've had in six years," Murray said after her bill was the focus of a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 12, 2007
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Wash. Senators sound off about Gonzales vote
"I voted against Mr. Gonzales' nomination two years ago because I believed the he lacked the independence and honesty to be Attorney General and because his record did not ensure public confidence in the fair administration of justice. Unfortunately, his tenure at Justice has confirmed these fears," said Murray.
- King5.com - June 11, 2007
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Congress considers court in Vancouver
Baird and Murray, both Democrats, introduced identical legislation in each house Thursday that would add Vancouver to the list of locations where court can be held.
– The Columbian - May 25, 2007
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Wild Sky bill passes key committee
"The finish line is finally in sight for all of us who have worked over the years to protect the Wild Sky area and improve recreational opportunities in our state," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has been Wild Sky's prime sponsor in the Senate.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 24, 2007
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Gas May Have Harmed Troops, Scientists Say
On May 2, after learning about the research, Senators Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, and Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, wrote the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments, asking about their plans for outreach and expanded benefits for exposed troops.
– New York Times - May 17, 2007
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VA official vows better information
While he received generally friendly comments and questions about the VA’s ability to treat soldiers back from Iraq and Afghanistan, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she had “serious doubts about the level of frankness we can expect from a VA that has tried to minimize the cost, both in money and in lives, of this war.”
– Tacoma News Tribune - May 17, 2007
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DXM restriction proposed again
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, DWash., introduced legislation Monday to restrict the sale of unfinished Dextromethorphan, a drug found in cough medicines that teens increasingly are abusing.
– Bellingham Herald- May 15, 2007
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Port safety screeners tackle moving targets
"If we want to secure our ports, we have to work to develop and test new technologies and processes. We know that current technologies that are effective for trucks do not necessarily work for trains," said Murray, who has advocated increased port security and whose legislation SAFE Port Act of 2006 provides funding for the endeavor.
– Seattle Times - May 12, 2007
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In Our View: Wild Sky On Horizon
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has led the Wild Sky efforts in the Senate. "I remain completely optimistic that I will be standing there in Wild Sky for a signing ceremony," this summer, she said."
- The Columbian - April 20, 2007
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Bill calls for all vets to get VA care
Murray said the Bush administration cut off enrollment for new Priority 8 veterans in the face of budgetary problems and growing backlogs for patients when there were other options. “Instead of confronting the VA’s shortfall head on by asking for the resources necessary to address them, this administration cut off care to veterans of modest means,” she said.
- Army Times - April 19, 2007
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Senate eyes help for abuse victims
"Each day we get terrible reminders that domestic violence does not stay at home," Murray said.
Murray used the hearing to introduce a bill that would require employers to grant unpaid leave to employees seeking legal protection from abusers. It also would make domestic-violence victims eligible for unemployment benefits if they quit their jobs to get away from abusers.
- The Seattle Times - April 18, 2007
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Patty Murray, No Newcomer to Advocating for Veterans
Long before the uproar over the long-term medical care of troops returning home from Iraq made it fashionable to advocate for veterans rights, Sen. Patty Murray was on the front lines.
- The Washington Post - March 29, 2007
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Senate panel works toward bigger vet budget
“With the country at war, and with failures in veterans’ care being exposed each day, it is an absolute imperative that we take this step to correct the administration’s funding failures,” she said. “Shortchanging our veterans has become an unfortunate pattern in past budgets, and I am so pleased that we are breaking that cycle.”
- Military Times - March 16, 2007
.........................................
Army pledges to investigate injured troop charge
Murray took the lead over in the Senate during a hearing of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, peppering Geren and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker with questions about Salon's article that depicted an effort by the 3rd Brigade of that division to deploy troops with serious injuries, some severe enough that doctors had previously said the troops seemed unfit for combat.
- Salon.com - March 15, 2007
.........................................
The Walter Reed debacle -- a national disgrace
Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, cited reports of maltreatment of wounded veterans in her home state and said she holds Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, presently the Army's surgeon general and a former Walter Reed commander, "accountable for every disturbing story I'm hearing."
- Yakima Herald Republic - March 9, 2009
.........................................
Murray leads the fight for wounded vets of Iraq war
"They have lowballed the cost of this war, and the cost of caring for our soldiers. ... It goes to the top, to the highest level. The Bush administration wants this country to feel there is no cost to war," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said this week after a testy exchange with Army brass.
The fighting words come from a senator who voted against Congress' war resolution in 2002. Since then, Murray has emerged as a tireless, relentless advocate for the 23,000 non-fatal American casualties of the Iraq conflict.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 9, 2007
.........................................
In Our View: Treatment Trouble
We're glad Murray is involved and that Senate Leader Harry Reid has named her to oversee Democrats' response.
- The Columbian - March 9, 2000
.........................................
Military prodded on brain injuries
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., an advocate of improved brain injury treatment, called the panel's finding "outrageous." She added, "Four years into the war and we still don't have a systemwide plan."
– USA Today - March 8, 2007
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Wounded Soldiers: Do right by them
Speaking to Army Surgeon General Kevin Kiley, at the center of the Walter Reed scandal, Sen. Patty Murray sought assurances that the soldiers would be protected from such reprisal. "General, I want you to know many soldiers are very worried that if they speak out publicly they will be punished or it will end their military careers," said Murray in a meeting on Wednesday. Kiley responded, "Senator, you have my word." Uh-huh.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 8, 2007
.........................................
Leave whistle-blowers alone, Murray says
Murray questioned Kiley closely on reports that wounded soldiers at Madigan routinely received disability ratings that were lower than expected, meaning they would not qualify for some benefits.
– Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 7, 2007
.........................................
Murray to general: "I hold you accountable" for military health care
Murray questioned Kiley closely on reports that wounded soldiers at Madigan routinely received disability ratings that were lower than expected, meaning they would not qualify for some benefits. She also told Kiley that some soldiers had to wait more than two years for a clear diagnosis, of soldiers "being hurried out of DoD care'' before receiving surgery, and being "pressured'' to sign medical evaluations that separate them from Department of Defense medicine.
"I want answers,'' Murray told Kiley.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 7, 2007
.........................................
Murray blasts surgeon general over Madigan, other reports
Murray said it takes a 30 percent rating to qualify for an Army disability pension. But she said she was told that such ratings are rare compared to other military branches, citing the example of a woman soldier in a wheelchair, with a back injury and heart problems, who was given a 10 percent rating.
“I have to tell you there is suspicion that medical and physical boards are giving artificially low disability ratings simply to save money for the Army,” Murray charged.
- The News Tribune - March 7, 2007
.........................................
"I've been saying almost since the start of the war that there is a cost we cannot ignore, and that's the care of men and women after they return home," Murray says. Veterans being treated in military hospitals, she says, "have become the forgotten stepchildren of the war."
- The Oregonian - March 7, 2007
.........................................
Emboldened Murray re-introduces asbestos bill
"The stakes are just too high. To anyone who says, 'We don't need this bill,' I would just pose one question: How many more Americans have to die before our government finally does the right thing and bans asbestos?"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 2, 2007
.........................................
The crux of the problem, says Murray, is that the administration is "low-balling the cost of this war," adding it's never been honest with the public or Congress.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 4, 2007
.........................................
VA to test all combat vets for brain injury
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee member, is not impressed. “My real worry is that this administration continues to be slow to react to these problems and rarely, if ever, takes proactive measures to stop the many problems before they even begin,” Murray said.
- Army Times - February 28, 2007
.........................................
Shortchanging Veterans' Health Care
The Department of VA predicts it will need to treat 5.8 million patients next year, including 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan vets returning with serious injuries requiring expensive care. Murray and her Democratic colleagues believe the Bush budget will force new costs—such as increased prescription copayments and new enrollment fees—onto veterans themselves.
- Newsweek - February 26, 2007
.........................................
VA to test all combat vets for brain injury
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee member, is not impressed. “My real worry is that this administration continues to be slow to react to these problems and rarely, if ever, takes proactive measures to stop the many problems before they even begin,” Murray said.
- Army Times - February 28, 2007
.........................................
With the White House promising the president would approve a bill, Murray hopes for a bill signing in time for a Fourth of July party. After such a long wait, that would be wildly appropriate.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 19, 2007
.........................................
On war, Murray's voice is heard over others'
Calling the new strategy deeply disconcerting, Murray said, "The Bush administration is just trying to minimize the number of troops that will be required so we don't question it."
A few hours later, Murray took to the Senate floor and denounced the lack of a debate on the war. "I'm not going to let anyone silence me, the troops I speak for, or the constituents I represent," she vowed.
- The Seattle Times - February 10, 2007
.........................................
Wild Sky Wilderness area back in Congress' sights
Both Murray and Larsen hope that the bill will become law by summer. Murray said the White House has indicated President Bush would sign the bill into law.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 8, 2007
.........................................
Power shift gives Wild Sky Wilderness clear sailing in Congress
Murray's confidence stems from the power shift in which Republicans who kept it bottled up the past five years are now gone and Democrats who want it to happen are in charge.
- Everett Herald - February 8, 2007
.........................................
McKay got good review 7 months before ouster
"I would like the Justice Department to inform me exactly what it means by 'performance-related' reasons and reassure me that Mr. McKay was not dismissed solely on the basis of partisan politics," Murray wrote in a letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the judiciary committee.
- The Seattle Times - February 8, 2007
.........................................
Democrats here respond to some of the proposals
"We've had the Iraq study commission. You couldn't pick a more knowledgeable or experienced group of people, and he turned down their advice," she said. The Iraq Study Group was co-chaired by former Secretary of State Jim Baker.
As for the president's words about the consequences of failure in Iraq, she said, "No one wants failure in Iraq. That's why so many of us are opposed to the surge.
- Seattle Times - January 24, 2007
.........................................
Veterans plan rally to voice VA doubts
"The people on the ground told the VA what they need for it to happen. Now we'll see if the VA follows through," Murray said Monday. The proof will be when the president sends over his budget in a couple of weeks, she said.
- Tri-City Herald - January 23, 2007
.........................................
Yakima won't be losing postmark
Murray put pressure on postal officials by including language in a transportation appropriations bill that directed the service not to move ahead with consolidation in Pasco until an independent review was conducted. Murray said the postal service failed to subject its own study to rigorous public scrutiny.
- Yakima Herald-Republic - January 23, 2007
.........................................
Murray warns against burdening Veterans Department
A White House plan to send additional U.S. troops to Iraq will only increase the burden on an already over-stressed Department of Veterans Affairs, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., warned Thursday, saying soldiers returning from combat already face long delays in securing benefits and health care.
- The News Tribune - January 19, 2007
.........................................
Senators want to toughen air rule
"Northwest residents are exposed to some of the highest levels of benzene in the country, and the EPA's plan could make it even worse," Murray said. "There is a proven, cost-effective way to protect the health of our residents, and I want to know why the EPA has rejected it."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 13, 2007
.........................................
State's Democrats line up against Bush
Instead of escalating the war, Murray said troops Sen. Patty Murray said no one mentioned a new Iraq plan when she visited the White House on Dec. 8 to discuss Bush's ideas for strategy in the war.
After Bush's speech Wednesday, she said in a statement, "Despite
the warnings of his top generals, and the message sent by the American
people, the president has again decided to go it alone."
- Seattle Times - January 11, 2007
.........................................
Murray said Congress might not have a lot of leverage when it comes to halting any additional deployments because Bush is the commander-in-chief. She also said she would be reluctant to cut off military funding, though suggesting Democrats were exploring other options.
- The News Tribune - January 11, 2007
.........................................
Democrats take charge of Congress
Murray, in her third term, will play a vital role in the Senate. As secretary of the Democratic caucus, she will be among the Senate's top leaders and one of those determining what legislation will be brought to the floor for action.
"Rather than getting up in the morning and figuring out what to fight against, I'll be getting up in the morning and deciding what to fight for," she said.
- Everett Herald - January 5, 2007
.........................................
Senators act fast on sales tax deduction
Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray introduce a bill to make the deduction permanent.
- Everett Herald - January 5, 2007
.........................................
Murray has key role as Democrats take reins in Congress
After more than a decade in the "minority wilderness," Washington will command more raw power in Congress than the delegation has had in a generation. Murray will lead both the gender and power charge, relying on her clout as the fourth-ranking member of the Senate leadership and her senior position on the Appropriations Committee.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 4, 2007
.........................................
Editorial: Wild Sky a welcome addition to wilderness
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) who has guided the bill to unanimous passage in the Senate three times, said she'll reintroduce it in that chamber next month, too, where easy passage is expected again. The Bush administration has said the president will sign a Wild Sky Wilderness bill when it reaches his desk.
- The Everett Herald - December 19, 2006
.........................................
Murray outlines Democratic priorities
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray says Democrats who take over Congress next month are ready to pass legislation to raise the minimum wage, tighten ethics and curb budget "earmarks" that lead to pork-barrel spending.
- The Olympian - December 15, 2006
.........................................
PI Editorial Board: Family Planning: Slap in the face
The problem is that Keroack doesn't even need a Senate vote. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray called the appointment a "slap in the face for women" who value the ability to make their health decisions.
- Seatlle Post-Intelligencer - December 5, 2006
.........................................
Audio of the Senator's Ed Board visit with the Seattle PI
Yesterday we met with Sen. Patty Murray. She talked about the new Democratic leadership -- and a new sense of responsibility in the nation's capital.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - November 29, 2006
.........................................
Power swings to Sen. Patty Murray
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the new majority whip, said Murray was the leaders' first choice for the post. He cited Murray for being an early and lone voice warning that the Veterans Administration had woefully underestimated its budgets needs.
- Seattle Times - November 28, 2006
.........................................
Murray fourth from top in Senate
Senate Democrats on Tuesday selected Patty Murray as their fourth-ranking leader, giving the Washington state lawmaker major influence over the issues and priorities that the Senate will confront next year.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - November 15, 2006
.........................................
“I hope to bring to this leadership team a reminder of who we are,” Murray said, singling out students with college loans, seniors trying to figure out Medicare prescription drug benefits, middle- class families without health insurance, and veterans — particularly those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Bellingham Herald - November 15, 2006
.........................................
Wild Sky headed for fast approval
"Pombo is gone and the Democrats are in the majority, so we have all the cards in line," Murray said. "And this is a top priority of mine."
- Everett Herald - November 13, 2006
.........................................
Government must do better by our veterans
"I talk with a lot of these people who are coming back from Iraq for the second time and can't get a job," Murray said. "We've got to find out why and provide transition assistance. But we haven't even had a chance to have hearings to find out where we're coming up short."
- Everett Herald - November 13, 2006
.........................................
Monday's event included a visit by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to the top of the nearly 272-foot-tall tower. Murray, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, played a key part in obtaining $16.6 million in federal dollars for the tower, said Spokane Airport Board Chairman David Brukardt.
- Spokesman Review - November 7, 2006
.........................................
Sen. Murray hears complaints about Medicare drug plan at Sequim Senior Center
Washington's senior senator, a Democrat from Shoreline, came to the Sequim Senior Center to gather ammunition for what she called ``an uphill battle in Congress,'' to change Part D's parameters and perhaps lift patients out of the ``doughnut hole,'' where Medicare premium payers receive no help from their drug plans.
- Peninsula Daily News - October 31, 2006
.........................................
Murray listens to Tri-City wish list
Murray met Thursday afternoon with city managers, mayors and other community leaders during a panel discussion presented by TRIDEC at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. "I feel like Sam Volpentest is looking down over us as we look toward the future," she said, referring to the longtime TRIDEC leader who died last year at 101.
- Tri-City Herald - October 27, 2006
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Patty Murray Makes Swing Through Kitsap
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray listened Wednesday morning as government officials from Kitsap County told of their needs, from better funding to preserving the funding that exists to reduced paperwork to get the money in the first place — and to simple encouragement from the federal government.
- Kitsap Sun - October 26, 2006
.........................................
East Pierce mayors bend Murray’s ear
Sen. Patty Murray visited Puyallup on Monday and listened to East Pierce County mayors share their needs and plead for help from the federal government.
- The News Tribune - October 24, 2006
.........................................
Schools ask Murray for No Child help
Southwest Washington school leaders met with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray on Monday, not to blast the controversial No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, but rather suggest ways to improve it.
- The Columbian - October 10, 2006
.........................................
State worker speaks up at SafePlace event
She introduced and continues to work to pass the Security and Financial Empowerment Act to provide economic assistance and employment security to women seeking legal protection.
- The Olympian - October 7, 2006
.........................................
Speaking at a celebration at the Port of Everett, Murray said her Green Lane Act, approved last week by Congress, is scheduled to be signed into law by the president a week from today.
- Everett Herald - October 6, 2006
.........................................
Murray listens to traffic woes
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., invited the public officials to a roundtable discussion in Marysville to pinpoint the county's needs and give her a flavor of how she may be able to help.
- Everett Herald - October 6, 2006
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Audit: V.A. used flawed methods to determine budget
Murray's anger was intensified by the GAO's conclusion that the VA failed to comply with a legal requirement to fully inform Congress each quarter of its budget.
The report found that the VA left out key information about the cost to treat patients in its reports and submitted the information months late.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 21, 2006
.........................................
"They took us to war and didn’t have a plan," charged Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and one of VA Secretary Jim Nicholson’s sharpest critics on Capitol Hill.
- The News Tribune - September 21, 2006
.........................................
Murray gets dual credit for creativity and tenacity.
Government and business have to cooperate to make more secure ports a reality. Murray worked tirelessly to keep the topic in front of Congress.
- Seattle Times Editorial - September 18, 2006
.........................................
Senate
OKs measure to tighten port security -
Murray's bill approved 98-0
And in a personal victory for Murray, the bill would establish a "green lane" in which businesses would win expedited handling of their cargo in return for proving that they have a robust security system. The program, Murray said, would improve security because standards would be set by the federal government and aggressively monitored to ensure compliance.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 15, 2006
.........................................
Nobody campaigns for these awards
The "Plugging Away Prize," for refusing -- ever -- to get discouraged, goes to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray has spent the past five years pointing to omissions and gaps in security at the nation's ports.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 15, 2006
.........................................
Port Security: It's about time
Murray has been a tireless champion of beefing up security at the nation's most obvious terrorist targets: its marine ports, including those at Seattle and Tacoma.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 15, 2006
.........................................
Senate unanimously backs port security effort
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the bill's lead author, who has been pushing for tougher port security since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, said Senate approval cleared the way for possible final action before the end of the year.
"A big hurdle has been passed," Murray said. "It's a huge step in a very positive direction."
- The News Tribune - September 15, 2006
.........................................
Senate should endorse good port security bill
The opportunity lies in a port security bill long championed by Washington’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and now embraced by leading Republicans in the Senate. The measure is expected to come to a floor vote today or Friday.
- The News Tribune - September 14, 2006
.........................................
NW Newsmaker: Senator Patty Murray on her Port Security Bill (Video)
- Northwest Cable News - September 14, 2006
.........................................
Senator Murray Pushes Port Security Bill (Video)
Senator Patty Murray works to push through a bill to beef up security at U.S. ports.
- KIRO TV - September 13, 2006
.........................................
Thanks largely to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, Congress is finally paying proper attention to port security. Murray's GreenLane bill co-authored with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine has been approved by the House and passed by the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Last Thursday, senators announced agreement on port security legislation, and they are expected to vote on the measure this week.
- The Columbian editorial writers - September 11, 2006
.........................................
Fully fund Murray's bill on port security
On Thursday, Congress sent a signal that it may be ready to give port security the serious attention it needs. Senators announced an agreement on bipartisan legislation that Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) introduced shortly after the 9/11 attacks and has been pushing ever since.
- Everett Herald - September 10, 2006
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On pill victory, Murray pulled out all stops
Murray doesn't jump on every issue. But she has embraced two as though they were her own children: veterans' welfare and women's health, including choice. Like the Little Engine, she has pushed them forward over rough terrain. From now on, call her Persistent Patty.
- Seattle Times - August 26, 2006
.........................................
President Bush's political advisers and a succession of ranking Food and Drug Administration officials repeatedly blocked, sidelined or delayed proposals that had received thorough scientific review. U.S. Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton played key roles in forcing action, by holding approval of an FDA commissioner nominee.
- Seattle PI Editorial Board - August 25, 2006
.........................................
Plan B Pill Cleared for Sale Over the Counter
Caught up in the controversy is President Bush's nomination of acting FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach to permanently lead the agency. Angry about FDA delay in acting on Plan B, Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Patty Murray of Washington had prevented a Senate vote on the nomination. But after Thursday's FDA action, they said they would withdraw their objections.
- LA Times - August 25, 2006
.........................................
Murray, Cantwell were pressed on vote
Both Murray and Cantwell voted against the bill Thursday. The two Washington senators have said they favor increasing the federal minimum wage and some form of change in the federal estate tax. But they said they couldn't support the present bill, which they said would have cut the wages earned by employees who receive tips as part of their pay.
- Seattle Timses - August 4, 2006
.........................................
After days of heavy lobbying from all sides, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell on Thursday voted against advancing a bill that would cut estate taxes for the wealthy, worried that the complex measure would bloat an already large deficit and cut wages of workers in Washington state who rely on tips for part of their income.
"I must oppose this bill because it directly overrides the will of Washington state voters," she said. "By initiative, Washington state residents supported a minimum wage law that keeps pace with inflation because we understand the needs of our working families and our communities."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - August 4, 2006
.........................................
Labor Dept. Nominee Is Nearly Unnoticed in Hearing
DeCamp also drew criticism for having represented Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in a class-action lawsuit by 1.6 million low-wage female workers over alleged sex discrimination. "Have you ever defended a worker in a lawsuit against an employer?" asked Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). "I have not," DeCamp replied.
- Washington Post - August 2, 2006
.........................................
Plan B should be readily available
Although the Food and Drug Administration's acting head, Andrew von Eschenback, is seeking more information on the proposal, Democratic U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Hillary Clinton are properly cautious about lifting a hold on his nomination as permanent director. Both in D.C. and here, progress on the issue is uncertain at best.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Ed Board- August 2, 2006
.........................................
Contraception: Politics of Plan B
Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., placed a hold on his nomination, pending an overdue FDA decision on the drug manufacturer's 3 ½-year-old application to make Plan B available over the counter. The FDA's handling of the Plan B application has been frustratingly ham-handed and, as a Government Accountability Office report indicated, political. Three years ago, an FDA advisory committee ruled 23-4 to make the drug available without a prescription or age restrictions.
- Seattle Times Editorial - August 2, 2006
.........................................
Driven in part by the fatal shooting last week in Seattle, Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland as well as Republicans Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and others sharply criticized the department for not issuing a single grant more than nine months after Congress approved the money.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - August 2, 2006
.........................................
F.D.A. Shifts View on Next-Day Pill
Assuming that the committee approves Dr. von Eschenbach’s nomination, Mrs. Clinton and Ms. Murray said they would block a floor vote on his confirmation until the F.D.A. made a final yes-or-no decision on the drug’s sale. Under Senate rules, any senator may place a “hold” on a floor vote to approve a nominee.
- New York Times - August 1, 2006
.........................................
FDA to Reopen Discussions With Plan B Manufacturer
Sens. Murray and Clinton yesterday reasserted their intention to keep their "hold" on von Eschenbach's nomination until the agency makes a "yes or no" decision on Plan B, saying they had been fooled before by FDA intimations that it was ready to make a decision.
- Washington Post - August 1, 2006
.........................................
Plan B Pill May Be Approaching Wider Release
Murray pointed out that as recently as last year, the Bush administration had promised a final decision -- only to backpedal after a prior FDA commissioner won Senate confirmation. "Fool me once," she said. "We're not going to go there again. We will keep our hold on this nomination until we get a 'yes' or 'no' on Plan B."
- LA Times - August 1, 2006
.........................................
Sen. Murray keeping pressure on VA
It all sounds good on the surface, but he offered no cost estimates or timeline for when the improvements would be made. That lack of data concerned Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who always has been a strong supporter of veterans.
- Tri-City Herald - July 26, 2006
.........................................
Murray urges placing new veterans clinic in Bellingham
A new proposal urges placing a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Bellingham, though VA officials only say one will be put somewhere north of Seattle. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., inserted language into the VA’s appropriations bill to encourage placing the clinic in Bellingham.
- Bellingham Herald - July 20, 2006
.........................................
VA secretary to meet with Murray; pledges NW Wash. clinic
Veterans Administration Secretary James Nicholson on Thursday agreed to meet with Sen. Patty Murray and provide details on a so-far cryptic plan to preserve medical services for military veterans in the Walla Walla area.
- The Columbian - July 20, 2006
.........................................
Nicholson defends decision to withdraw credit monitoring for veterans
Testifying to a Senate panel, Nicholson acknowledged there were no 100 percent guarantees that names, birthdates and Social Security numbers stored on a VA employee's stolen laptop and external drive were not accessed or copied. But he said the low risk did not justify a year of personalized monitoring at a taxpayer cost of $160.5 million.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 20, 2006
.........................................
VA politicking does nothing for veterans
The announcement surprised Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. In years past, Murray has toured VA medical facilities with secretaries from administrations of both parties. She was not informed of Nicholson's visit.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 10, 2006
.........................................
Nicholson did not offer a price tag or a timeline. He also had no details about redevelopment of the property. Those decisions, he said, will need to be made through further community meetings.
The lack of details left a bad taste for some, including U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and a proponent of the facility since the CARES recommendation. Murray said she was not invited to the meeting and heard about the plan second-hand.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - July 10, 2006
.........................................
Nicholson's arrival kept secret
A press release announcing the visit was sent to media Friday morning. Murray never did receive official word. In a telephone interview after the secretary touched down, the senator was clearly frustrated. "We've been waiting for him to make a decision, but the lack of communication is just symbolic of what is wrong with the VA right now,'' Murray said.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - July 10, 2006
.........................................
U.S. may slap China with suit in intellectual-property dispute
Instead of demonizing China, Murray said, the U.S. needs to keep an open door, stay engaged, hold it accountable for trade violations and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.
- Seattle Times - July 7, 2006
.........................................
Amtrak outsourcing idea decried by Byrd
Amtrak should not send jobs to foreign countries, Sens. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday
- Charleston Gazette - July 7, 2006
.........................................
Senators Criticize Payment Plan for Monitoring Veterans' Credit
Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, said, "It's outrageous to first expose millions of Americans to credit fraud and identity theft, and then try to cut food stamps, student loans and youth programs to pay for it."
- The New York Times - June 28, 2006
.........................................
Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a comprehensive mental
health program.
“They (the administration) have put blinders on and been dishonest
about the cost of the war,” the senator said in an interview.
“As I see it, treating veterans is part of the cost. They don’t
see it that way.”
- The News Tribune - June 26, 2006
.........................................
The VA provoked sarcasm from a senator when it said it would pay for the monitoring: "I don't think it's acceptable to tell our veterans we lost your personal information, and by the way, we're going to cut your health care to pay for it," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Neither do we.
- The Journal News - June 24, 2006
.........................................
Sen. Murray welcomes war debate
"Back home, people want us to talk about Iraq," Murray said that day. "They want answers. But here in the Senate the Iraq war is the proverbial elephant in the room. It's right there, everyone can see it, no one talks about it. ... Well, I'll tell you, we're not going to get better results in Iraq if we ignore it here in Congress."
- Seattle Times - June 23, 2006
.........................................
Iraq at center of emotional day in Senate
"Like all of us, I want the troops home as soon as possible. In fact, I think they should start coming home this year. It is absolutely time for a new strategy in Iraq. An arbitrary date for full withdrawal, however, could force us to ignore facts on the ground -- facts that could have a direct impact on the security of our troops, or the interests of our nation."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 23, 2006
.........................................
Missing data puts hospital in limbo
Sen. Patty Murray and her peers in Idaho and Oregon have been asking the VA's Nicholson about the Walla Walla facility's future.
- Tri-City Herald - June 20, 2006
.........................................
Murray seeks federal curbs on ID theft
"The issue of identity theft is catching up with the government that has incredible, vast information about a lot of people and is not taking the steps needed to be taken to protect and encrypt that information," the Washington state Democrat said.
- Seattle Times - June 14, 2006
.........................................
Stolen computer puts 575,000 vets in state at risk
Three things need to be done, Murray said.
First, the Veterans Affairs Department needs to provide a "full
story" about what happened. Second, the department needs to help
military personnel and their families deal with the potential breach.
Last, she said, the department needs to put safeguards in place so this
can't happen again.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 13, 2006
.........................................Port laments loss of extra security funds
“I absolutely cannot understand the mindset of this administration when it comes to port security,” Murray said. “You can’t do this for free.”
- The News Tribune- June 9, 2006
.........................................
Congress drops financing for increased port security
Murray said that ports need the kind of hardened security now present at the airports, and that the cost of doing so far exceeds the bill's budget for it.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 8, 2006
.........................................
Democrats Blast Administration Over Data Theft
Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who joined Senators Leahy and Jack Reed of Rhode Island at a Capitol Hill news conference, said the data theft was undermining faith in the veterans agency. "Can you imagine being a young woman with a couple of children, your spouse is overseas in Iraq, and now you find out that your address has been stolen and your personal safety is at risk?" Ms. Murray said.
- New York Times - June 7, 2006
.........................................
Gay marriage debate draws accusations of political pandering
"I went to Rotary Club meetings and chambers of commerce all over the state and nobody asked me about flag burning or estate taxes or gay marriage," a fuming Murray said, referring to her travels during the weeklong break for Memorial Day.
"We have so few days left (in the legislative year). We should be ashamed of a Senate leadership who sends smoke screens to avoid dealing with issues that people care about."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 7, 2006
.........................................
Pipeline safety sees 'good step forward'
"So you have a lot more people on the ground who are inspecting these pipelines so when they find something, they get it fixed. That is a huge difference between now and seven years ago," Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 5, 2006
.........................................
Iraq dominates talk during Murray visit
“I think the challenge is we don’t have a president who has defined what the mission is,” the third-term Democrat from Seattle said, noting that the original goal of getting rid of dictator Saddam Hussein is completed. Murray also urged those in a position to hire staff to “reach out” to veterans, to give them jobs and give them help, which the government hasn’t done enough of.
- The Olympian - May 31, 2006
.........................................
Time for action
The Senate, thanks largely to Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., has taken a far more balanced and reasonable approach while rightfully demanding progress from the Department of Homeland Security. Despite concerns on certain clauses, the trade seems largely OK with the legislation moving through Congress.
- Journal of Commerce - May 29, 2006
.........................................
Memorial Day: Duty to veterans
Nearly 1.3 million U.S. military men and women have returned from duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, and like veterans of previous wars, they may face mental health issues as a result.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is concerned that the military is not sufficiently prepared. The senator points to alarming comments by the VA's undersecretary for health policy coordination, Dr. Frances Murphy.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board - May 29, 2006
.........................................
Murray, Congress assail VA over loss of data
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., sharply criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs Thursday for losing private data on 26 million veterans, calling the episode "just another demonstration of the agency's incompetence."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 26, 2006
.........................................
Murray lashes out at VA over data theft
The theft of personal data involving 26.5 million veterans is part of a “pattern of incompetence” at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Sen. Patty Murray said Thursday, adding that the 700,000 vets in Washington state need to be aware that their identities are vulnerable.
- The News Tribune - May 26, 2006
.........................................
Senators question Bush's FDA moves
"It is outrageous that under this Administration, an agency entrusted with making unbiased decisions based on science, has abused its authority and allowed ideology to govern its decision-making," Clinton and Murray said in a prepared statement. "The FDA should not be playing politics with the health of American women."
- Newsday - May 26, 2006
.........................................
State's lawmakers express outrage over NSA data collection
Sen. Patty Murray raised a frequent concern -- that the White House has refused to fully describe the program to lawmakers and dodged questions.
"Today's press reports that our government is amassing phone records of millions of ordinary Americans are very concerning. It is yet another example of the administration keeping Congress and the American people in the dark on issues of national security," she said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 12, 2006
.........................................
Deadline Looms for Senior Medicare D Benefit
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., came to Kitsap County last month to specifically hear from the professionals and volunteers who’ve been working with seniors. They bent her ear with sad tales of long delays and information glitches that kept the neediest in limbo and required a temporary state bailout to make sure they got their drugs.
- Kitsap Sun - May 11, 2006
.........................................
Editorial: Port Security Bill Poised to Succeed
Murray’s port measure is not about demagoguery. It’s a solid, well-crafted piece of legislation that she has patiently advanced by working with members of the Senate’s Republican majority.
- The News Tribune - May 7, 2006
.........................................
Improved cargo screening is a cornerstone of Sen. Collins' legislation. The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, has five parts: standards for cargo security; higher standards that give shippers preferred treatment under a voluntary program called GreenLane, which tracks their cargo from factory until it reaches the United States; protocols for restarting port operations after an attack; $400 million for security grants for ports; and deadlines and accountability for the Department of Homeland Security to ensure port security occurs.
- The Bangor Daily News - May 4, 2006
.........................................
Port Security: Not a Stepchild
An important step is the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. It would provide incentives to shippers who voluntarily meet the highest levels of security and container screening. Their cargo would get preferential treatment and move faster through the system. And time is money.
- Seattle Post Intelligencer - April 30, 2006
.........................................
Slipping through the net - and into our ports
According to the findings in Murray's bill, only 17.5 percent of cargo assessed as high-risk is inspected overseas, and the inspections are carried out by foreign officials using equipment that is "untested and of unknown quality."
The Seattle Times - April 22, 2006
.........................................
Officials decry cuts in funds to fight meth
Murray came to Vancouver to ask law enforcement officials what else the U.S. Department of Justice could do for them. Judging from Thursday's discussion, they still regard combating meth as their biggest unmet challenge.
- The Columbian - April 21, 2006
.........................................
Murray offers 'pragmatic' approach to immigration
Border patrols should be beefed up to keep out illegal aliens, but those already in the United States should be allowed to stay if they pay a fine and take steps to become U.S. citizens, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said Thursday.
"The Washington economy right now depends on a high factor of immigrant workers, and if we just simply deport everyone unless they can prove they came here legally, we will have a huge impact on our Washington state economy," said Murray, D-Wash.
- Longview Daily News - April 21, 2006
.........................................
VA must show commitment to region by funding hospital
Last week, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., visited Walla Walla to meet
with local veterans about the future of the VA hospital. "It really
is critical that we make sure and have these services here for the veterans,"
Murray told the crowd of veterans who had gathered at the hospital to
voice their concerns. "I hear your frustrations and your anger.
You have my commitment on a footprint here in Walla Walla."
- Editorial Board of WW Union Bulletin - April 18, 2006
.........................................
In testimony recently before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Murray described the fear that many have if a port - Seattle in her state; on a smaller scale, Portland here - were to suffer from an attack.
- Bangor Daily News - April 17, 2006
.........................................
Since 2003, Sen. Murray has been able to get federal appropriations of about $2 million to help in Washington. The Housing Trust panel, which she convened with four representatives each from growers, farmworker advocates, rural housing developers and other community stakeholders, has proven to be an effective political force. Growers and worker advocates have found common ground not only on housing but other issues, such as immigration reform.
- Seattle Times - April 17, 2006
.........................................
Murray hears VA worries, progress
"'Two years ago we were looking at this facility being closed,'' she said after the session. 'Today it is not closed.''
But she said the federal administration has failed to include any money for progress on the issue in the VA's proposed budget. She intends to continue the fight in Washington, D.C., she said.
"Their budget comes to us with not one dollar in it to move forward on this process,'' Murray said. "They need to put their money where their mouth is.''
- WW Union Bulletin - April 13, 2006
.........................................
Don Schack, a chaplain with American Veterans group, said of Washington's senior Democratic senator, who was known as the "mom in tennis shoes" when she was first elected in 1992, "We need to give her a good set of combat boots and let her go to work back in Congress."
"I've got them on," Murray said later.
- Tri-City Herald - April 13, 2006
.........................................
End the delays in naming FDA commissioner
But Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., are blocking the nomination until the FDA announces its decision on over-the-counter sales of the controversial emergency morning-after contraceptive known as Plan B. To those unfamiliar with the issue, the Democratic senators' political maneuvering would seem to be an overreaction. But those who have been watching the Bush administration play politics with the Plan B decision understand that it is instead the Senate drawing a line in the sand and saying enough is enough.
- San Jose Mercury News - April 13, 2006
.........................................
Murray Hears Medicare War Stories
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray heard from the troops on the ground on Tuesday about the new senior prescription drug plan, and told her that they’re backing her proposal to improve the flawed program.
By all means, extend the deadline for enrollment or risk dire consequences among the most vulnerable of our clients, a group of medical professionals and senior advisers told the Washington state Democrat at a Silverdale forum on Medicare Part D.
- Kitsap Sun - April 12, 2006
.........................................
Senator Rallies Support for U.S. Grant Funding
"That's what we see. When we invest some dollars and make something better, then people take care of it themselves and that creates development around it, and that's what CDBG funds are all about," Murray said.
- Kitsap Sun - April 12, 2006
.........................................
Living proof: ports are vulnerable
Washington Sen. Patty Murray has been pressing for years to enhance port security. Bolstering port security is a good idea in a post 9/11 world.
Democrat Murray and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Republican from Maine, have proposed the GreenLane Maritime Security Act to better track and secure goods shipped from overseas.
- Seattle Times - April 8, 2006
.........................................
Editorial: Port Security: Alarming lapse
“Washington Sen. Patty Murray has been at the forefront of efforts to persuade a recalcitrant Bush administration to make the investments and undertake the diplomatic efforts necessary to upgrade and integrate security systems for marine cargo.”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 7, 2006
.........................................
Officials discuss inspecting cargo before it arrives
"That incident is a stark reminder that we are not doing enough to keep our cargo-container system secure," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "This appears to have been a case of human smuggling, but that cargo container could have been filled with anything from a dirty bomb to a cell of terrorists."
Murray is a co-sponsor of the GreenLane Maritime Security Act, which would offer incentives to companies complying with stricter security standards. The bill was discussed at Wednesday's hearing.
- Seattle Times - April 6, 2006
.........................................
Congress moves to protect ports against terrorism
"I'm here today because our country is vulnerable to terrorist attack, and time is not on our side," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told a Senate committee.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 6, 2006
.........................................
Lawmakers criticize porous border
“This completely and frighteningly underscores what I have been saying,” Murray said. “There are huge holes in our border security.”
- The News Tribune - March 29, 2006
.........................................
VA Clinic to be open by December
Murray, Hastings and Manley congratulated and thanked local veterans for all their hard work and persistence with this fight. Murray paid respect to the man who was directly involved in starting this process,veteran Bud Link, before he died. He was represented by his widow, Helen.
- Cashmere Valley Record - March 24, 2006
.........................................
Nothing unites Northwest leaders like threat to BPA
"I don't know if it's jealousy or they just don't understand what the concept is," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said of the White House's repeated attempts to claim some of the BPA's funding. Like her colleagues, Murray has promised an all-out fight to kill the budget provision.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 21, 2006
.........................................
Housing Authority reopens wait list
Since the purge, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., helped to secure $755,000 in federal housing money and the authority itself cut costs.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 18, 2006
.........................................
Bush Makes Pick for F.D.A. Chief, but Faces Confirmation Battle
"If they don't come to a decision on Plan B, the White House is going to need a Plan C on their nominee," said Ms. Murray, a Democrat from Washington State.
- New York Times - March 15, 2006
.........................................
Secure ports seize agenda in Congress
When seacoast Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., called for tougher port security last year, Washington all but yawned.
- Christian Science Monitor - March 15, 2006
.........................................
Holes in port security can cost us dearly
"The reason this (port takeover) is important is that we have not invested enough in port security: It is a huge hole in the war on terror," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has campaigned to upgrade the priority given to screening U.S.-bound cargo.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 1, 2006
.........................................
Why Port Insecurity Starts Abroad
The problem is "we don't know whether the manifests are accurate or not when the ships are loaded," says Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who has sponsored legislation to strengthen maritime security. "The containers are not tracked as they come overseas," Murray adds.
- Time - February 28, 2006
.........................................
A Port in the Storm Over Dubai
There is already a bipartisan bill that the White House and Congress could embrace to advance this effort. The GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security bill, co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, and Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, provides incentives for American importers to accept the modest fees associated with a global container inspection system. The bill would also establish minimum security standards and encourages the tracking and monitoring of containers throughout the supply chain.
- The New York Times - February 27, 2006
.........................................
Sound global policy must guide port issue
But if Congress wants to address port security in a meaningful way, it should be looking for ways to ensure that more containers entering the U.S. are inspected. A good step would be passing the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). Their bill would use existing duties to get more U.S.-bound cargo inspected before leaving its point of origin, create one office to coordinate cargo security policy, and allow U.S. ports to reopen more quickly in the event of a terrorist threat.
- The Everett Herald - February 26, 2006
.........................................
Murray, who hosted a panel discussion on the drug programs called Medicare Part D at the Kent Senior Center, said she is pushing in Congress to extend the deadline another year to give people more time to understand the drug subsidy program.
- King County Journal - February 23, 3006
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VA approves new veterans clinic for north-central Washington
"Today is a great day for the veterans of north-central Washington," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement. "These brave men and women have waited far too long for access to the care they were promised by our grateful nation."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 9, 2006
.........................................
"How do you justify a VA budget request that is not based on demand of services?" Murray asked. "How do you send that message to our men and women in uniform?"
- Spokesman Review - February 8, 2006
.........................................
DOE to put new safety regulations in place for Hanford workers
"Until now, contractors around the country got to set their own rules for worker health and safety, with inadequate oversight and enforcement," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in a statement. "Now all DOE contractors will have to follow the same standards."
- Tri-City Herald - February 3, 2006
.........................................
Mine Safety Nominee Fields Tough Questions From Senators
But Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, pressed Mr. Stickler on whether he would be willing to push the agency, which has been criticized as lax in enforcing its own regulations, to play a tougher role. "Are you going to move forward in an aggressive direction," Ms. Murray asked, "or are we going to hear more of the voluntary philosophy of they will do the right thing if we just sit back and let them?"
- The New York Times - February 1, 2006
.........................................
Washington's delegation reacts to the president's speech
“I am really disappointed he didn’t mention veterans once and what we owe these men and women when they return home. He also didn’t mention fixing the Medicare prescription drug problem. What he is missing, what he doesn’t understand, is what average Americans care about.” Murray also said he failed to mention border security and port security in talking about protecting America from terrorism. As for Iraq, Murray said “he talks about a plan for Iraq. I haven’t seen a plan for Iraq.”
- The News Tribune - February 1, 2006
.........................................
Sen. Murray hears tales of drug benefit hassles
Participants in Murray's panel discussion Thursday outlined a litany of short- and potentially long-term issues ranging from inconveniences to potential disasters. "I ended up voting against it for a number of reasons that have now come true," Murray said. "It is confusing, overwhelming and complicated. It is hard to get answers, hard to get online."
- The Columbian - January 13, 2006
.........................................
New drug plan hailed -- as a nightmare
After listening to horror stories Thursday about the new Medicare Plan D for drugs, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray declared the plan a nightmare but warned not to expect improvements from the president or Congress.
"They have said no changes unless they hear from the people," said the Washington Democrat. "We have to get the word out."
- The Oregonian - January 13, 2006
.........................................
Murray Praises Community Support of Returning Troops
"It is so great what you are doing on a volunteer basis here in Port Orchard." Murray said, "but our guard and reserve shouldn't have to rely on volunteer efforts. They need to know that we are taking care of them." It brought a loud round of applause.
- The Kitsap Sun - December 10, 2005
.........................................
Murray resets focus on future for vit project
After four months of wrangling with the Department of Energy for money for Hanford's vitrification plant in fiscal year 2006, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray has moved on to fighting for money for fiscal 2007.
- Tri-City Herald - December 8, 2005
.........................................
Murray, Collins plug holes in port security
Murray has teamed with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to propose the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act. As the senators note, the current cargo-security regime was developed pre-9/11, with an emphasis on efficiency, not security.
- Seattle Times - December 8, 2005
.........................................
Murray, Baird visit to push projects to ease congestion
"The investment we're making today to improve transportation infrastructure lays the foundation for future economic growth," Murray said. "With one out of three jobs in Washington related to trade, it is vital to our economy to have sufficient road and rail systems."
- The Oregonian - December 6, 2005
.........................................
Veterans health budget falls short, critics say
Murray, Schrier and others believe that VA funding should no longer be discretionary, but rather should be made mandatory, no longer subject to congressional and administration politics and federal budget pressures.
- The News Tribune - December 5, 2005
.........................................
Murray bill addresses gaping hole in security
While most security efforts were being directed to the sky, Sen. Patty Murray turned her attention to what she saw as the biggest threat to homeland security - our cargo container system. The 9/11 commission concurred, stating that the opportunities to hurt our nation are "as great or greater" in areas like maritime transportation as they are in aviation.
- Everett Herald - December 4, 2005
.........................................
Seniors worry about drug benefit plan
Murray, D-Wash., visited Anacortes and Oak Harbor on Wednesday as she met with residents and talked about Senate bills she’s promoting that would affect both U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs funding and implementation of Medicare Part D.
- Skagit Valley Herald - December 1, 2005
.........................................
Murray says some seniors will get lost in switch to Plan D
new program to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare, Sen. Patty Murray said Thursday.
- Spokesman Review - December 1, 2005
.........................................
‘Check is in the mail,’ Sen. Murray says
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was in Port Townsend on Monday as part of a series of Olympic Peninsula visits spotlighting federal funding which she helped secure.
- The Port Townsend Leader - November 30, 2005
.........................................
Seniors try to unknot Medicare
Murray, a Democrat who voted against the drug program in 2003, said she's worried many seniors who received information about the new system have simply thrown it away.
- King County Journal - November 30, 2005
.........................................
Help is at hand for prescription drug plan
There's no question that in its zeal to provide lots of choices, Congress has created a maze of confusion that has left many people frustrated and angry. Sen. Patty Murray, during a recent visit with the editorial board, had a good idea when she proposed postponing the plan a few months to give everyone involved more time to get up to speed.
- Yakima Herald Republic - November 25, 2005
.........................................
Dedicated leadership fights domestic violence
Economic independence is key to breaking the cycle of violence, Murray and victims' advocates say. If a victim can't make it on his or her own, the chances of returning to the abuser are high. Murray's ideas deserve serious consideration.
- Everett Herald - November 23, 2005
.........................................
Murray bill would tighten ports’ cargo security
“Right now, there is a gaping hole in America’s security when it comes to cargo entering our ports every day,” said Murray, of Seattle. “To protect our nation we have to develop a cargo security system that closes vulnerabilities, provides a way to resume trade after an incident and maintains the efficient flow of commerce.”
- The Capital Times - November 16, 2005
.........................................
Bill would batten down hatches more at seaports
"Too often, we don't know what's in these cargo containers," Murray said. "We don't know who's handled them. We don't know if what's written on the manifest actually matches what's inside the container. And we don't know which containers need extra scrutiny."
The GreenLane program, the senators said, would allow officials to
focus on suspicious shipments by providing speedier transit for law-abiding
importers who agree to more stringent security criteria.
- The Daily Press - November 16, 2005
.........................................
For those Americans who think George W. Bush has been wrong all along about Iraq, it is entirely appropriate - and entirely possible - to support the troops and oppose the president.
That's what U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., did last summer when it was revealed that the Department of Veterans Affairs did not have the resources it needed to provide care for returning soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq.
- The Capital Times - November 11, 2005
.........................................
Guard technicians to receive re-enlistment bonuses
Dicks said in a prepared statement that many Washington State National Guard members who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan had been offered $15,000 bonuses while deployed for six-year re-enlistments. With little explanation, the bonus offers were withdrawn once the soldiers returned to the United States. Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who learned about the problem from news reports, began pressing the Pentagon to correct the situation.
- Army Times - November 9, 2005
.........................................
National Guard: Pentagon prodded
The Pentagon's attempt to renege on promised $15,000 re-enlistment bonuses for hundreds of National Guardsmen, including 15 from Washington state, was deplorable.
"Hoo-rah" to officials with the Washington National Guard, Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray for correcting the Pentagon's inexcusable treatment of these service members.
- Seattle PI Editorial Board - November 9, 2005
.........................................
States Balking at Burden of Bird Flu Plan
"We are going to have a public health crisis" if states are going to have to come up with the majority of the money to buy vaccines, Murray said. Speaking at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education this week, she said states are very nervous about what is going to be expected of them in this national plan.
- Bremerton Sun - November 2, 2005
.........................................
Murray disappointed at choice of Alito for Supreme Court
With the selection of the conservative Alito to replaced retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Bush did not even maintain the current diversity on the high court, Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - November 1, 2005
.........................................
Murray, Cantwell urge bipartisan choice
"Our nation deserves a Supreme Court nominee who represents mainstream judicial practice and unites the Senate just as Justice [Sandra Day] O'Connor's nomination did two decades ago," Murray said. "The president needs to take this moment to show that he is a leader for our entire country, not just an extreme few."
- The Seattle Times - October 28, 2005
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Big hit expected for vit plant budget
No budget number will be available until today, but Murray said the budget could drop from $690 million for fiscal year 2005 to $526 million or less for the next fiscal year.
She blamed the Department of Energy for the expected cut, saying it failed to make a strong case for the Waste Treatment Plant under construction at the nuclear reservation.
- Tri-City Herald - October 27, 2005
.........................................
Hanford budget cutbacks criticized
Congress is slashing more than $100 million from the budget for a plant to clean up the most dangerous radioactive waste at the Hanford nuclear reservation, a move that threatens deadlines for cleaning up the mess, Sen. Patty Murray said Wednesday.
- The Seattle Times - October 27, 2005
.........................................
Senators told of Guard struggles
"The system simply does not work well enough and has not adjusted for our up-tempo military model where our Guard and Reserve members make up 40 percent of our troops in Iraq," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told the panel. "Guard and Reserve members are doing the jobs of active duty but getting few of the benefits."
- The Seattle Times - October 20, 2005
.........................................
When a bonus isn’t a bonus, Murray fires
The Pentagon has reneged on its offer to pay a $15,000 bonus to members of the National Guard and Army Reserve who agree to extend their enlistments by six years, according to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Seattle).
- The News Tribune - October 16, 2005
.........................................
Prescription plan a ‘nightmare,’ Sen. Murray says
“If you go online you can find out what they (the drug plans) are except none of the plans have yet said what drugs they offer,” Murray said. “So if you’re trying to decide which one of these you want, you can’t make an informed decision yet because none of the 14 plans are telling you whether your drugs are covered or not.
- Aberdeen Daily World - October 15, 2005
.........................................
Each discussion shows ‘new wrinkle’ senator says
The new Medicare Prescription Drug Act is a train wreck waiting to happen for low income people. That is the gist of the comments made by a dozen area health care providers, patients and Sen. Patty Murray who gathered at a roundtable meeting Friday to discuss the impacts of the new prescription prug law set to take effect Jan. 1.
- Aberdeen Daily World - October 15, 2005
.........................................
Ex-FDA Chief Would Not Aid Plan B Inquiry
Congress requested the investigation in the summer of 2004, and many have waited impatiently for it. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said yesterday that she was "very disturbed" by the draft report and by Crawford's refusal to answer GAO's questions.
- The Washington Post - October 14, 2005
.........................................
Corps projects to face new budget scrutiny
Federal money for projects to benefit ports and the shipping industry will get increased scrutiny from Congress in the post-Hurricane Katrina environment, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray warned at a gathering of port and waterway officials Thursday in Vancouver.
- The Columbian - October 14, 2005
.........................................
Drug law distresses Medicare recipients
"People are just beginning to struggle their way through these plans," Murray said. "I don't think people should be forced to make a choice they aren't prepared for."
- The Olympian - October 13, 2005
.........................................
"We will lose 1 percent to the real-deal mental illness,'' he told Murray, who hosted a roundtable discussion on post-traumatic stress disorder -- or PTSD -- with veterans advocates and health providers at Kent City Hall. After listening to the advocates, Murray said it is obvious National Guard and Reserve citizens soldiers and their families need more help.
- King County Journal - October 12, 2005
.........................................
A Capitol Hill Presence in the Blogosphere
"Suddenly the plane just started dropping," wrote Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). "We did this amazing zigzag in -- sort of spiral down very fast -- and my ears felt horrendous," she said, describing the final approach to the Baghdad airport. "It was like a bad Disneyland ride as we veered left, right up and down to avoid an 'incoming' . . . and I have to admit my stomach was in my throat."
- The Washington Post - October 11, 2005
.........................................
Certainly Mr. Crawford's brief term contained no shortage of political controversies. Among them was a promise he made to Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to make a decision about the emergency contraceptive Plan B, whose over-the-counter use is opposed by conservative groups but approved by the FDA's scientists.
- The Washington Post - October 5, 2005
.........................................
At the ceremony in Everett, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., spoke to soldiers of the 898th Engineer Battalion. She thanked them for their service, but also acknowledged how difficult it must be to get back to their civilian lives.
- Everett Herald - October 3, 2005
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Murray's yes vote was predicated on her "hope that John Roberts responds to the needs of this nation to have a Supreme Court that honors our past and helps secure the rights and liberties of every American into the future," and "that despite our differences we can unite around the common good."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 30, 2005
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Murray goes to plan B in Plan B pill fight
In interviews after the delay was announced, Murray decried Crawford's (lack of) action as "the worst double-cross I've ever seen in my time in the Senate." Calling it "another frightening example of politics trumping science at the FDA," she even used the "L" word – as in "they lied."
- The Spokesman Review - September 30, 2005
.........................................
Murray blocks VA review of vets' stress claims
"Veterans with PTSD deserve the VA's compassion and support, not costly investigations, penalties and stigma," Murray said.
- The Spokesman Review - September 27, 2005
.........................................
Embattled FDA Commissioner Crawford resigns
"Dr. Crawford's ability to lead a strong and independent FDA was in question from the start," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "Unfortunately, during his tenure the FDA's reputation as the gold standard in public health has been tarnished."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 23, 2005
.........................................
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, lauded homeless veterans as ``forgotten heroes' Wednesday.
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - September 14, 2005
.........................................
Murray hits FDA for its delay on morning-after pill
"The FDA is redefining birth control as abortion," said Murray, D-Wash. "The FDA is setting the bar higher for this kind of drug." She questioned why the FDA would withhold its overdue decision on Plan B at a time when the agency is moving faster to approve many other drugs for sale. And she accused the FDA of injecting a moral component into the Plan B review — something she said it didn't do during the review of Viagra and other male-impotence drugs.
- The Seattle Times - September13, 2005
.........................................
Murray calls FDA’s delay on Plan B ‘political’
Sen. Patty Murray says U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt broke a promise when he again delayed a final decision on whether to allow over-the-counter sales of a morning-after contraceptive known as Plan B. “This is a blatant slap in the face,” Murray (D-Seattle) said in an interview last week. “I’ve never had a handshake deal and a signed letter in which they lied.”
- The News Tribune - September 12, 2005
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Last fall, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray ran a TV ad that is turning out to be prophetic. She was sitting in an orchard, holding an apple, talking about local jobs and the economy. She said she was angry we're spending $100 billion rebuilding another country, Iraq, when we have so many needs right here. "It's time we took care of our own," she said defiantly.
I think Murray was onto something. Hurricane Katrina crystallized it. It's now a major political issue: We aren't taking care of our own.
- The Seattle Times - September 2, 2005
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Official Quits on Pill Delay at the F.D.A.
The two senators had prevented the Senate from voting on Dr. Crawford's nomination to become commissioner because they said they wanted the agency to make a decision - for or against - on the Plan B application. They lifted their holds when the health and human services secretary, Michael O. Leavitt, guaranteed that the agency would act on the application by Sept. 1. The senators cried foul when the agency's action amounted to further delay, with Ms. Murray calling the decision "the worst double-cross I've ever seen in my time in the Senate."
- The New York Times - September 1, 2005
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FDA Official Resigns in Protest of 'Morning-After Pill' Decision
Many supporters of the Plan B application -- including Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) -- accused Crawford of making a political decision that ignored science and public health.
- The Washington Post - August 31, 2005
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This latest delay broke the FDA's promise for a decision by Sept. 1, made to Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who in exchange dropped their hold on Lester Crawford's nomination to head the FDA.
- Newsday - August 31, 2005
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"The science part is generally done," he said when asked about the approval process for Plan B. "We're just now down to what the label will look like." He also promised two senators, Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), that a decision would be made. According to some at the agency, drafts of the approval letter were under discussion.
- The Washington Post - August 30, 2005
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"They really are on the edge ... pushing us all to be strong competitively in the international marketplace," Murray said. "It's an impressive group. You've got CEOs getting together to work with the local community to keep jobs here rather than just taking their companies overseas."
- The Columbian - August 21, 2005
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Richland sound wall shows effort pays off
Murray said the constant insistence by city groups is what helped get the wall built so quickly. It took a few years, but that's fast in the world of transportation funding, she said.
- Tri-City Herald - August 16, 2005
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Veterans' Needs: Duty to serve
The Senate vote for additional VA money came at the last minute, because the Bush administration had been wrongly dismissing Murray's warnings about a budget crunch. With the support of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Murray held a hearing here Aug. 3 to let veterans talk about the needs of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Seattle Post-Intellligencer - August 14, 2005
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Walla Walla is wise to do local study of VA hospital
The more that was learned about the plan - or perhaps that's lack of a plan - the more outraged we became. So, too, were many in Congress, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and former Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Spokane. As a result, the VA was forced to slow down the process and conduct further study. (Murray obtained the federal grant that funds the local study.)
WW Union Bulletin Editorial Board - August 11, 2005
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Whittling down the waiting list
The nonprofit trust's 16-member board of growers, farmworker advocates and affordable housing financers and managers was established in the summer of 2003, with the encouragement of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, to find ways to increase farmworker housing in the state.
- Skagit Valley Herald - August 8, 2005
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The tales Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., heard during the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee field hearing at the Army National Guard Armory focused on trials veterans encountered after they came home.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - August 4, 2005
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Sound Transit's light rail scores big in road bill
Sound Transit officials credited Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and other members of the state delegation for the new funding, which authorizes $80 million for the budget year that begins in October and another $80 million the following year. In all, the bill authorizes $333 million for Sound Transit through 2009.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - August 4, 2005
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Veterans tell Murray system straining to meet their needs
"I'm holding this hearing in Washington state because sometimes I can't get straight answers in Washington, D.C.," Murray said. "In Washington, D.C., they'll tell you that everything is fine."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - August 4, 2005
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Sen. Murray Campaigns For Better Veterans Benefits
Senator Patty Murray says there are two worlds when it comes to Veterans' Affairs: Washington, D.C., and the local areas around the country.
- KOMO News - August 4, 2005
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Returning veterans say benefits aren't keeping up with needs
"I have three little girls, and couldn't do anything for their birthdays," Romanelli told Sen. Patty Murray at a Senate Veterans Affairs hearing yesterday at the Seattle Armory to examine the assistance now offered Afghanistan and Iraq veterans.
- Seattle Times - August 4, 2005
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Federal Budget Adds Ferry Money
"It's a huge deal for the federal government to recognize the ferries as part of our transportation system," Murray said.
- The Kitsap Sun - August 2, 2005
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Murray, Wyden displeased with energy bill
Murray said she voted for the Senate bill previously, despite reservations, because it provided incentives to significantly increase production of alternative fuels and sought to reduce reliance on oil imports.
"Those few forward-looking provisions have been dropped from this final bill, leaving me with little choice, but to vote no for our failure to truly provide some new direction to our nation's energy policy," Murray said in a statement.
- The Olympian - July 30, 2005
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Crawford Confirmed As Head Of FDA
"While I was pleased to receive assurances that the agency will, in the coming weeks, deliver a long overdue decision on Plan B, concerns about Dr. Crawford's leadership remain," Murray said in a statement. "I have been continually concerned during Dr. Crawford's tenure that FDA hasn't shown the independence and adherence to science necessary to inspire public confidence."
- The Washington Post - July 19, 2005
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Dunn, Fernandez and Clements have been discharged and are being treated at VA facilities or through the military’s Tri-Care System, a health plan that covers military personnel, dependents and retirees. Murray, who has taken a personal interest in Dunn’s case and awarded him his Purple Heart in June, said she has talked with soldiers who feel the Army has tried to “push them out.”
“Rory Dunn is just one of many,” Murray said. “It strikes me as amazing that Rory needs an advocate in the U.S. Senate. He shouldn’t have to go through this.”
- The News Tribune - July 10, 2005
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Murray wants to make trade safer at ports
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray wants to use a carrot-and-stick approach to make international trade safer, enticing foreign shippers to upgrade their security in exchange for ship unloading priority.
“Right now we have a choice and a say in how we deal with the cargo security challenges facing us, but if we wait for a disaster, we won’t have a say and we won’t have a choice,” Murray told the Washington Council on International Trade’s annual conference in Seattle on Thursday.
- The News Tribune - July 8, 2005
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Murray, Larsen listen to concerns of troops
"I'm hearing from a lot of soldiers that are returning, that the reintegration, despite the best intentions of everybody, leaves a lot of people without information," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told them and a roomful of soldiers that she and Larsen were there to help them "get the services you need. We'll look into the policies to make sure we're doing the right thing."
- Everett Herald - July 7, 2005
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Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., last week tried questioning Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson about the hole in his budget. She wanted to know why his agency needs an emergency appropriation of $1.5 billion to cover a medical care deficit this year, and why it will need another $1 billion to pay for coverage in the 2006 budget year.
- Palm Beach Post - July 4, 2005
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Why did VA shun funding for health care?
"The VA is struggling to deal with existing veterans, and I fear what will happen when tens of thousands of new veterans are added to this already strained system," Murray said in May. "... If we make it harder for veterans to seek care, in the end they will not get any care. And that is unacceptable."
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - July 1, 2005
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Sen. Murray's war for U.S. veterans
America's men and women in uniform have performed magnificently. To imagine the U.S. would renege on a contract to provide for their physical and mental health after their duty is over is alarming. Sen. Murray held Congress and the administration accountable for that promise.
- The Seattle Times - July 1, 2005
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Veterans' Needs: Funding about-face
"It was not easy for them to eat crow on this," Murray said Wednesday night from Capitol Hill, in reference to Republican senators who had earlier squelched her call for emergency funding for veterans services. "But as I've said so many times in the last few days on the floor of the Senate, this is not a Republican issue and this is not a Democratic issue; it is an American issue."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - July 1, 2005
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Senate votes $1.5 billion for cash-short VA
The 96-0 vote was a victory for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who campaigned intensely for more than a week to add money to the VA after the agency disclosed it was $1 billion in the hole this fiscal year. She sponsored the amendment that restored the money.
"At the end of the day," Murray said from the Senate floor before the vote, "who wins are the men and women who serve us."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 30, 2005
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Veteran health care gets $1.5 billion
“Veterans are not a Republican issue, not a Democratic issue, they are an American issue,” Murray said on the Senate floor. “I commend our colleagues on the other side for joining us and I call on the president and the White House to recognize this crisis and not paper it over, not gloss it over.
- The News Tribune - June 30, 2005
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Senate OK's $1.5b more for veterans' health
''We were in error. Senator Murray was right," said Senator Rick Santorum, Republican of Pennsylvania. ''I am not happy that we were put in a position to vote against an amendment that we now find out was needed, but we got bad information."
- The Boston Globe - June 30, 2005
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Angry Murray blasts VA funding shortfall
But Murray said Nicholson and the VA were playing a “shell game” and trying to hide the magnitude of the problem by juggling funds and tapping a reserve account the senator said doesn’t exist. “Funny money doesn’t solve this problem,” Murray said. “This should all have been anticipated. There is no way to move money around and not affect veterans’ health care.”
- The News Tribune - June 29, 2005
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VA Funding Shortfall Angers Lawmakers
Many Democrats and some Republicans are furious with Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson over the news that there is a serious shortfall in funding for veterans' health care.
- NPR Morning Edition - June 29, 2005
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Republicans Pledge to Add to Spending for Veterans
And Mr. Nicholson's testimony brought a sharp response from Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Ms. Murray said she had warned the Senate at least five times since January that the Veterans Administration would not be able to cover its costs this year.
- The New York Times - June 29, 2005
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Senators blast VA on $1b shortfall
Murray, the Washington Democrat, castigated Nicholson for previously insisting that his administration was on track with its budget. A member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray had led Democratic efforts to boost VA funding in April.
- The Boston Globe - June 29, 2005
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Vets: Mission not accomplished
Said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., "This shortfall results from either deliberate misdirection or gross incompetence."
- Palm Beach Post Editorial - June 28, 2004
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Murray seeks $1 billion for VA
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray yesterday sent a letter to the White House asking President Bush to shore up a $1 billion shortfall in Department of Veterans Affairs health-care funding. Murray, D-Wash., said the deficit could be addressed in an emergency-spending bill in the Senate in the days before the Fourth of July recess.
- The Seattle Times - June 28, 2005
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Funds for Health Care of Veterans $1 Billion Short
Murray cited an April 5 letter written by Nicholson to the Senate in a bid to defeat her amendment: "I can assure you that VA does not need emergency supplemental funds in FY2005 to continue to provide timely, quality service that is always our goal," he had said.
- The Washington Post - June 24, 2005
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Veterans' Care: Day late, billion short
Murray, who has been hammering away at the Senate for months, trying to pass supplemental funding for the VA, said yesterday, "This shortfall results from either deliberate misdirection or gross incompetence by this administration and the Department of Veteran Affairs."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 24, 2005
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Parent of Airbus chooses Alabama for aircraft plant
"I've never seen an Airbus plane that says 'Made in the USA,' and I suspect I never will," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "This is nothing more than a continuation of a slick PR campaign to drum up political support for an effort to steal defense contracts from American workers."
The Oregonian - June 23, 2005
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Murray Secures $1.4 Million for Northwest Straits Commission
"The success of the Northwest Straits Commission proves that when our communities come together to protect our environment, the result can be extraordinary. This federal funding will help to continue these impressive efforts," Murray said.
- San Juan Islander - June 23, 2005
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Murray advances full funding for Locks
"Keeping the Ballard Locks running safely and efficiently is critical to our economic security in the Puget Sound [region] and around the country," said Murray, D-Wash. "In this very tight budget year, I am pleased to have restored funding for a project that protects our economy and quality of life."
- Seattle Times - June 15, 2005
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Money for Ballard Locks moves along
Murray said cutting hours at the locks, which connect the waters of Lake Washington, Lake Union and Salmon Bay to the tidal waters of Puget Sound, would have profound effects.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 15, 2005
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Senators blast Airbus subsidies
"The Europeans understand that without the subsidies, without an unfair advantage, they would have a heck of a time competing head-to-head with American workers," said Murray, who was flanked by leaders of the two largest unions for Boeing workers. "They would lose."
- Everett Herald - June 14, 2005
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3 Senators Plan to Bar Vote on F.D.A. Head
Ms. Murray said the long delay on the morning-after pill, called Plan B, remained the focus of her fight.
- New York Times - June 10 , 2005
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"I will raise concerns about the safety of our skies with General Lowenberg this week. I will also continue to work with the Air Force and the Air National Guard to make sure that we have the resources and support necessary to protect our citizens," Murray said.
- Tri-City Herald - June 5, 2005
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Site consolidates disaster response
"The Spokane Readiness Center will make us safer, and that is a great service for our entire community," U.S. Sen. Patty Murray told the audience of about 60 during a short ceremony. "This building will always stand as a symbol of our respect for you and our gratitude for your service," she told the Guard members.
- The Spokesman Review - June 3, 2005
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Feds looking to uncork new fee on wineries
But Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., challenged Treasury Secretary John Snow on the fees in late April. At a committee hearing, Murray argued that the fees were not directly related to service provided to the industry by the bureau.
- Yakima Herald Republic - June 2, 2005
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray plans to introduce legislation next week that would give schools funding to cope with military base consolidations and the deployments of soldiers with children who remain stateside.
- The News Tribune - June 2, 2005
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Guardmen Share Struggles With Murray
Murray said one returning soldier told her that something as common as freeway driving can be a nightmare after service in Iraq.
- The Bremerton Sun - June 1, 2005
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Women In Combat: The brass ceiling
A group of senators, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., immediately introduced a resolution upholding the role of women in combat zones. We hope that's a good sign that Hunter's genderist silliness will find little support in that chamber.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 30, 2005
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Anti-terror programs for cargo arriving at U.S. ports faulted
"These reports are incredibly troubling, but not surprising," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said yesterday. Murray has been one of the more aggressive lawmakers in prodding the government to improve. She is the creator of Operation Safe Commerce and has sponsored legislation this year to standardize port security.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 26, 2005
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"I know there are a lot of people wondering why the Senate is spending so much time talking about Senate rules and judicial nomination," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said moments later. "I want to make it clear: This debate is about whether we want a clean, healthy environment. . . . This debate is about whether we want to protect essential rights and liberties."
San Francisco Chronicle - May 22, 2005
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Murray standing firm on VA hospital need
Fortunately, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., continues as a faithful defender of the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She testified at a hearing in Walla Walla last week that it is "absolutely necessary" to keep the center open "to meet the diverse needs of this region's veterans population.
- Tri-City Herald - May 18, 2005
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State's military bases escape Pentagon hit list
"Overall, today's recommendation by the Department of Defense to protect bases across Washington state is a tribute to the strength of our installations and the commitment of our communities," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
- The Bellingham Herald - May 13, 2005
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FDA Nomination Stalls Amid Inquiry
Yesterday Clinton and Murray asked HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt for an investigation into Hager's involvement with the Plan B decision. "We are concerned that the FDA's decision-making process is placing personal beliefs over science," they said.
- The Washington Post - May 13, 2005
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Amtrak executives predict bankruptcy
"Our subcommittee finds itself in the posture of having to cut and cannibalize other programs -- as we have never done before -- only to see if we can scrape together enough funding from other programs to extend Amtrak for another 12 months," said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the panel.
- The Baltimore Sun - May 13, 2005
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Murray decries Airbus subsidies
"We've got to stop the subsidies," Murray said, speaking to a lodge meeting of members of the International Association of Machinists. "Airbus has been breaking the rules for years, and their illegal tricks have cost us jobs." Murray, D-Wash., described by Machinists union president Mark Blondin as a "great friend" of aerospace workers and their union, also attacked Airbus for what she called a "false PR campaign" aimed at convincing Congress to award it military contracts.
- Everett Herald - May 6, 2005
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VA panel: Forecast doesn't add up
An estimated 200 people attended Wednesday's meeting - either the morning session, afternoon session or the audio broadcast in the VA's chapel. Thirty-one people testified in front of the panel, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who through her role on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee helped to forestall implementation of the previous recommendation.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - May 6, 2005
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Among those reportedly planning to testify to the 11-member Local Advisory Panel is Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who played a major role in convincing the federal VA to further study Walla Walla's hospital and also securing $250,000 for an economic development study of the historic facilities.
- WW Union-Bulletin - April 30, 2005
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Northrop plan with Airbus creates stir, distrust
"They want us to think they're an American company, so they can get contracts for U.S. military planes," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "I'll tell you what - not on my watch."
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 24, 2005
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Checks and balances worth protecting
When any citizen comes before a judge, we have a responsibility to ensure that they will get a fair shake. We can't make those assurances if one party alone is selecting, considering and confirming them to the courts.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 22, 2005
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More must be spent on care for veterans
Murray's proposal was sound. The reasoning for rejecting it was simply unreasonable. In fact, reason had little to do with its defeat. The additional funding for veterans' health care seems to have been rejected because it was proposed by a Democrat.
- WW Union-Bulletin Editorial Board - April 15, 2005
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King County gets $775,000 from HUD over flawed funding formula
The resolution came hours after Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., raised the issue with HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson at a congressional hearing. Murray is the top Democrat on the Senate panel that determines HUD's budget.
- Seattle Post-Intellilgencer - April 15, 2005
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Murray's amendment would have provided $525 million for mental health care for returning veterans, a large portion of which would have gone toward those with post traumatic stress disorder; $610 million for the newest veterans; and $40 million for each veterans' regional network, for opening new clinics and meeting local needs.
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - April 15, 2005
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Murray loses VA health care effort
“I won’t give up,” Murray said. “But it is disheartening to have people not understand what is happening on the ground in local communities to these men and women.”
- The News Tribune - April 13, 2005
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Veteran health care proposal fails in Senate
With the Senate debating what is and is not an emergency, Murray's amendment faced criticism from Republicans who argued that the VA system did not need any immediate health care funding. That argument left her "stunned," she said. Murray described VA hospital beds held together with duct tape, broken operating tables, poorly maintained medical equipment and budget shortfalls in VA hospitals across the country, including in Washington state.
"I am just appalled that this is what this argument has come down to on this floor," she said during the debate. "If this is not an emergency, then I don't know what is."
- Spokesman Review - April 13, 2005
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We've waited long enough for the 'morning after pill'
Still, when Murray pressed him, Crawford couldn't say when the FDA may act on Plan B. "Are we talking two weeks? Two years? Twenty years?" she asked him. Initially, she was told there were "issues" the FDA couldn't discuss in public. Then, in private, Murray says she was told that it wasn't the science the agency was still struggling with. It was the "behavior."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 13, 2005
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Senate rejects Murray's proposal to boost VA hospital spending
There's a train wreck coming," Murray warned.
Republicans denied the VA had such serious problems. They noted the Bush administration said the additional funding wasn't needed and that it had enough money to cope with emergencies.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 12, 2005
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Groups want money for nukes shifted to Hanford cleanup
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., was even more blunt, suggesting that the cut for Hanford was connected to Washington's refusal to accept a lower cleanup standard pushed by the Energy Department.
"This fact, combined with the absolute lack of sound rationale for the majority of Hanford budget cuts, can easily lead one to believe Washington state was targeted by the Department of Energy," Murray told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee last month.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 12, 2005
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Family Planning: Pushing Hard for Plan B
Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton of New York have now promised to put a hold on Senate approval of Lester Crawford as FDA commissioner. That could force the FDA to address a matter of science and public health.
- The Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 8, 2005
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Funding left behind, Murray says of law
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray says the Bush administration has not adequately funded the No Child Left Behind Act, a federal education-reform law. Murray, visiting the Edmonds School District during the Senate's Easter recess last week, said school accountability measures were put in place when President Bush signed the act in 2002, but money for improvements hasn't followed.
"I'm concerned that the Department of Education is punishing schools, not helping them meet their goals," said Washington's senior senator, who is a former preschool teacher, PTA president and school-board member.
- The Seattle Times - April 6, 2005
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Claims by Airbus that it will produce military refueling tankers in the United States are a sham. So are claims by the European Union that it will seriously negotiate its subsidies for new Airbus models. That's the opinion of Sen. Patty Murray, D.-Wash., who told a group of business people at the Everett Country Club on Friday that the claims are all about competition.
"There's no doubt in my mind that they want to eliminate the aerospace industry in our country," Murray said.
- The Everett Herald - April 2, 2005
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Visiting Senate delegation expects talks in Moscow to 'bear fruit,' tours training facility for Georgian troops in Iraq. The delegation was led by Senator Reid (Nevada) and included Democrats Richard Durbin (Illinois), Barbara Boxer (California), Patty Murray (Washington), and Ken Salazar (Colorado), and Republicans Robert Bennett (Utah) and Lamar Alexander (Tennessee).
- The Messenger - March 24, 2005
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Spend more, not less, on our veterans
McMorris has been working with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to ensure that Wainwright is maintained as a full-service hospital. 'I believe she has done a tremendous job already' in protecting the local hospital from cuts, McMorris said of Murray.
- WW Union-Bulletin Editorial Board- March 24, 2005
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Murray sees ray of hope for democracy in Iraq
"It's amazing how much security we have to have two years after we began fighting this war," Murray said, recounting the harrowing flight into Baghdad on a military plane cork-screwing to the airport to minimize enemy fire. "I saw it up close and personal."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 23, 2005
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Baghdad trip raises concerns for Murray
After touring Baghdad this week and talking with ground troops and commanders, Sen. Patty Murray said she has some of the same concerns she had when voting against a United States-led war in Iraq more than two years ago.
- Spokesman Review - March 23, 2005
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Murray sees opportunity, obstacles in Iraq
Murray, D-Wash., visited Baghdad Tuesday as part of a bipartisan Senate delegation. She said she was impressed by the work being done by U.S. soldiers - including those from Washington state - but concerned that not enough thought had been given to the aftermath of the U.S.-led war.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 22, 2005
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Alaska senators back lesser of two plans for veteran health care
"But I remind my colleagues that the number of veterans needing veterans health care has increased 88 percent. Medical inflation has increased 92 percent. Even with the amendment that Republicans have offered, we will not be meeting the needs of the veterans, the men and women who have served this country," Murray said.
- Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - March 21, 2005
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"Today's move by the U.S. is the bold action we need to protect our workers and send a strong message to Europe that enough is enough," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has long complained that the European Union should stop Airbus launch aid. "Unfortunately, Europe has never taken these talks or this issue seriously," Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 19, 2005
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U.S. officials accuse Europe of bad faith in talks over Airbus subsidies
"Our willingness to seek a negotiated settlement has been greeted by more arrogant entitlement from Airbus and its European backers," Murray said. "While publicly committed to negotiations, Airbus and European leaders have been working behind the scenes to continue subsidies to Airbus in spite of U.S. threats to file a WTO case."
- ABC 7 Chicago.com - March 19, 2005
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FDA Expects to Ease Plan B Availability
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) also questioned Crawford aggressively, asking whether a formal decision on Plan B would be announced before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions votes on his nomination, probably on April 13.
- The Washington Post - March 18, 2005
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"All indications are that air traffic will continue to grow," said Murray, D-Wash. "Yet the Bush administration has decided that now is the time to impose dramatic cuts in our investment at improving safety and expanding capacity at our airports."
- The Seattle Times - March 18, 2005
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Craig wins boost in veterans funds
Although Murray voted for Craig's amendment, she said it provided only "a token amount" for veterans. Murray's amendment would have provided an additional $1.4 billion to VA's medical services, $578 million to extend VA care to veterans of all incomes and $527 million to help cover the costs of new veterans enrolling in the VA system.
- The Spokesman Review - March 17, 2005
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Senator named to Veterans' Affairs subcommittee
"With our military's needs at the fore, and veterans returning home to every corner of our state, my new position will be another opportunity to champion the needs of our state."
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin - March 10, 2005
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Several Washington leaders and institutions already make it a practice to consult young people, including U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
- The Seattle Times - March 8, 2005
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NW senators claim win on BPA rates
Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, both Democrats, also celebrated Gregg's promise to exclude the BPA policy change from the Senate budget proposal in the works.
- The Spokesman Review - March 3, 2005
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F.D.A. Official Admits 'Lapses' on Vioxx
Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, asked Dr. Kweder during the hearing if Merck had rejected F.D.A.'s initial proposals to warn of Vioxx's heart risks on its label. "They rejected many of our proposals, and we similarly rejected many of the proposals they sent to us," Dr. Kweder said.
- The New York Times - March 2, 2005
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, said the Bush budget "has huge problems," and cities around the state are calling her office in protest. "It cuts some 150 programs including (block grant) programs, which have been instrumental in every community that has them. Those programs create jobs and housing," Murray said while visiting Yakima last week.
- Yakima Herald-Republic - February 28, 2005
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Murray vows to fight federal cutbacks
President Bush's proposed budget took a beating from Clark County government and business leaders during a meeting Thursday with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Without making commitments, Murray pledged to fight the president's proposed cuts in federal allocations for veterans, schools and highways.
- The Columbian - February 25, 2005
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Budget plan cuts veterans’ benefits
In asking some veterans to shoulder the cost of the new fees, Nicholson said it would ensure “sufficient resources for the care of those who need us most.” Murray, however, berated Nicholson and, at a subsequent hearing, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. She said they are reneging on a commitment to take care of all veterans, regardless of whether they had served in combat or had been seriously wounded.
- The News Tribune - February 25, 2005
.........................................
Sen. Murray tours Olympia port
Murray, a Democrat, speculated that the Republican-controlled Congress might be willing to help Olympia because it relies increasingly on its port. "The military side of it does help us with our argument," she told Van Schoorl and the port staff.
- The Olympian - February 24, 2005
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The $82 billion Bush budget proposal for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan penalizes veterans and returning soldiers who have already more than paid their dues, Sen. Patty Murray said Tuesday.
- The Yakima Herald-Republic - February 23, 2005
.........................................
Amtrak could be forced to sell assets
Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington and the ranking member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, said, "Ceding control of the national railroad to a bankruptcy trustee is both reckless and irresponsible."
- The Boston Globe - February 22, 2005
.........................................
BNSF fuel depot leak draws federal attention
There are federal issues, such as an aquifer that spans two states, questions of interstate commerce and the federal Railroad Act, said Murray, who added her staff is monitoring the controversy over the refueling depot on the Rathdrum Prairie.
- The Spokesman Review - February 22, 2005
.........................................
Amtrak's Own Board Sows Alarm About System's Future
Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, said in a telephone interview, "This is the first time the administration has said its stated purpose is to put Amtrak into bankruptcy." She added that "the independent board, by its silence, has put its stamp of approval on what the administration is doing, which is the exact opposite of what its mission is - to tell Congress what is necessary to keep Amtrak running."
- The New York Times - February 20, 2005
.........................................
Sen. Murray, Rep. Baird seek billions more for VA
During hearings this week, Murray argued that "the cost of caring for our veterans is a cost of war" and should be included in the emergency spending bill.
- The Olympian - February 18, 2005
.........................................
Critical Republicans Look to Cut Bush's $82 Billion War Request
At the Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) berated Rumsfeld for not including any funding for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the supplemental request, calling it a troubling omission in the president's budget and in the additional request for war funds. She said she is going to introduce a $2 billion amendment to offer help to veterans.
- The Washington Post - February 17, 2005
.........................................
Administration Wants To Transform Amtrak
Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the ranking Democrat of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, said yesterday in a letter to Mineta that the proposal to bankrupt and reorganize Amtrak would "put at grave risk the travel options of every Amtrak rider, not just those riding the worst performing lines.
- The Washington Post - February 17, 2005
.........................................
Larsen and Murray drafted the measure in 2002 after extensive consultation with user groups. Special considerations are written into the bill, such as allowing large groups of Boy Scouts access to camping areas and letting floatplanes land on Lake Isabel, a high mountain lake within the boundaries
- Everett Herald - February 17, 2005
.........................................
Bush's budget for vets draws fire
"We have 4,000 National Guard and reserve folks coming home (to Washington state) in a few short weeks, "Murray said. "At a minimum 20 percent of them will need post-traumatic stress syndrome help of some kind … We need to make sure they get the support they need because it will impact them, their families, their employers and their communities."
- The Spokesman Review - February 16, 2005
.........................................
Through Murray’s work, Washington State Univeristy received $500,000 to expand Beach Watchers, which started in Island County, to the six counties in Northern Puget Sound.
- Whidbey News-Times - February 12, 2005
.........................................
BPA rate boost called non-starter
Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, said Bush's proposal for the Bonneville Power Administration to charge market rates rather than the true cost of generating electricity could double the region's electric rates in the next five years.
- The Spokesman Review - February 8, 2005
.........................................
Potomac Watch: Amtrak supporters feel railroaded by White House
"By recommending a budget with nothing for Amtrak, the president has made the decision to leave millions of regular Amtrak riders standing on the platform and thousands of employees standing on the unemployment line," Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 5, 2005
.........................................
Speech a hit with Republicans; Democrats find a lot missing
"We need to make sure that Social Security is there and there for the future, but privatizing it is not a way to give people a guarantee," Murray said. "Investments are risky."
- Spokesman Review - February 2, 2005
.........................................
Airbus official criticizes Boeing
After his speech, McArtor met with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the most outspoken critic of Airbus on Capitol Hill. Murray said McArtor requested the meeting.
"I will listen to anyone," Murray said in an interview after the meeting. "But we have serious disagreements over a trade dispute. Airbus speaks with two voices, one from its lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and the other from its officials in France."
- Tri-City Herald - February 3, 2005
.........................................
Murray says she'll oppose AG nominee
"Mr. Gonzales' personal story is inspiring, but I cannot overlook his record in Texas or in the White House," Murray said. "Because Mr. Gonzales lacks the independence and honesty to be attorney general and because his record will not ensure public confidence in the fair administration of justice, I must vote against his confirmation."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - February 2, 2005
.........................................
Murray said that although she did not relish voting against a Cabinet nominee, she was troubled about whether Gonzales could be independent of the White House given two memos he wrote in 2002 redefining U.S. standards for torturing prisoners.
- The News Tribune - February 2, 2005
.........................................
Murray tries again for wilderness bill
Murray said she would keep pressing the issue until it passes, although she conceded that the politics of wilderness protection are complicated and protracted. Earning protection for the Hanford Reach on the Columbia River, she said, took eight years.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 26, 2004
.........................................
The bill had to be reintroduced and must be voted on again because the measure didn't get House approval in 2002 or 2003. Murray said she will continue pushing the legislation despite the political obstacles.
- Everett Herald - January 26, 2004
.........................................
Murray reintroduces Guard bills
"With tours of duty being expanded and new units being deployed, we have an obligation to ease some of the burden on Guard and Reserve families," Murray said.
- Spokesman Review - January 25, 2005
.........................................
State lawmakers sometimes search for ways to help agriculture, a vital part of Washington's economy. They ought to look at a cause Sen. Patty Murray and other members of Congress from Washington have championed with potentially big rewards for farmers, consumers and the environment.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 14, 2005
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Airbus seeks U.S. site to build tankers
Washington's two senior Democrats -- Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Norm Dicks -- dismissed the EADS offer, saying the state would be better off fighting subsidies that European countries provide to Airbus.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 13, 2005
.........................................
U.S., EU to negotiate on Airbus, Boeing subsidies
"Finally, through our direct action, the Europeans have acknowledged the need to come to the table to account for and defend Airbus' unfair trade practices," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 12, 2005
.........................................
Bush calls for limits on asbestos lawsuits
But congressional Democrats, led by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, said the president's approach is too narrow to gain their support and tilted toward providing relief to companies while offering few guarantees that thousands of sickened workers would be compensated.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - January 8, 2005
.........................................
Rumsfeld faces tough questions in Kuwait
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., was at it long before that, writing to Rumsfeld in February to complain that some Washington National Guard soldiers preparing to deploy to Iraq lacked critical equipment. During the election season, some Republicans criticized her for even daring to bring the subject up.
- Tri-City Herald - December 10, 2004
.........................................
Veterans' advocates fear funds won't follow good intentions
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is among those who support making VA funding
mandatory.
"A budget is about priorities," said Murray, a member of the
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. "One of the top priorities
is taking care of those who serve and protect us."
- The Olympian = November 12, 2004
.........................................
EU, U.S. talks over government subsidies in nose dive
Washington Sen. Patty Murray had a blunter reaction. "We've given Europe multiple opportunities to engage, and they've refused to respond. The time has now come for the United States to stand up and say enough is enough, we won't play this game anymore," Murray, a Democrat, said in a statement.
- Seattle Times - October 1, 2004
.........................................
Wasting billions because of inertia
In the Senate, Washington Democrat Patty Murray offered a bill closing the loophole early this month, but included a series of provisions sending the savings to a series of college-related programs, including state grants for college students, campus child care programs and other efforts.
- Cleveland Plain-Dealer - September 26, 2004
.........................................
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has been a leading advocate for Operation Safe Commerce, a project to track containers from origin to destination. But, Murray says, the administration has been pushing to "privatize" the project by putting the onus on the shipping industry to support the necessary technological transition.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 21, 2004
.........................................
U.S. and EU plane talks go nowhere
"There's a big difference between the tax incentives that Washington state offered to Boeing and the launch aid or the direct cash payments from European governments to Airbus," Murray said. "Boeing has never received a cash advance to build a new plane."
- Seattle Times - September 17, 2004
.........................................
Talks on Airbus subsidies hit snags
In addition to pursuing a possible WTO case, Murray suggested the United States could hold Europeans accountable by filing a challenge against Airbus using U.S. anti-dumping laws. Those laws prohibit a foreign manufacturer from selling its goods at below cost in the United States in an effort to build market share.
- Sacromento Bee - September 17, 2004
.........................................
U.S. seeks new pact with EU that bans aerospace subsidies
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who was briefed by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative ahead of the talks, said in an interview this week: "I believe that our negotiators are going to really make it clear to the Europeans that we are serious about this and that Airbus is a mature company that no longer needs subsidies."
- Seattle Times - September 16, 2004
.........................................
In the Northwest: One man stands in way of bipartisan Wild Sky bill
Since 2000, Murray has pushed for protection of the front range of the Cascades, sharp peaks and deep forested valleys west of Stevens Pass.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - September 15, 2004
.........................................
Clark Goes with Transportation Flow
That's where Murray said her committee work might come in. "We want to make sure at the federal level that there's as much flexibility as possible in how funding is allocated," she said. "We also want to reduce the paperwork for accessing those funds. It's important to be able to bring back success stories like this one, which help get language into appropriations bills to fund programs."
- The Columbian - September 2, 2004
.........................................
New port security plan gets good review
Sen. Patty Murray helped get funding for the program, reiterating how complex and complicated it is to keep watch on all the cargo that's moves in and out of our nation. "we cannot search every container that comes into our country. With $750 billion in cargo in more than 6 million containers a year, the haystack is just too big. Instead, we're using technology and intelligence to make the haystack smaller, and show us which containers are a security risk," she said.
- King 5 News - September 2, 2004
.........................................
LCC wins $670,000 pulp and paper grant
The new training program will be crucial to create new jobs and help "keep the pulp and paper industry alive and well," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who attended a roundtable discussion with LCC and industry representatives at the college Wednesday.
- The Daily News - September 2, 2004
.........................................
Walla Walla Rallies Aroud VA Hospital
Cole said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has been helpful throughout the process. He said Murray's efforts recently resulted in a pledge from Principi to look closely at the issue of representation.
- The Observer - August 27, 2004
.........................................
U.S. Senator Visits Bremerton - Murray, unions slam personnel system
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, speaking to the group, blasted the Bush administration and the Defense Department for trying to take away the workers' basic collective bargaining rights. "They're telling defense workers, if you want to do defense work, you'll have to surrender your rights," she said. "That will make it harder to recruit and retain the top-notch work force that we rely on."
- The Kitsap Sun - August 18, 2004
.........................................
Federal building changes hands
"This never would have happened if it wasn't for Patty Murray," Asmundson said. "It will benefit the community for decades to come."
- The Western Front - July 8. 2004
.........................................
Aerospace subsidies becoming a hot topic
European governments give Airbus cash subsidies "throughout the entire production," Murray said. They also play hardball politics with governments that own airlines.
- The Everett Herald - July 7, 2004
.........................................
US in bid to halt Airbus handouts
Senator Murray, who hit out against European subsidies in a speech to the Senate in May, has accused Airbus of "taking over America's aerospace industry through aggressive, unfair market-distorting measures".
- The Independent - July 4, 2004
.........................................
Murray hears housing officials
"This really is about priorities in this country," said Murray, who spent about an hour listening to officials describe how recent changes in the federal Section 8 rent subsidy program have hurt poor families and how they fear future cuts could hurt even more.
- The News Tribune - July 1, 2004
.........................................
Lawmakers set to give ex-POWs compensation they're due
A spokesman for Murray said Friday that the senator is "a strong supporter" of the amendment as well as the overall push to restore dignity to the POWs.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - June 28, 2004
.........................................
Wine industry seeks help from Murray
Wine representatives told Murray her support could help educate wine connoisseurs all over the world about the growing Mid-Columbia wine industry, which could boost tourism and let visitors to the Pacific Northwest know there's a lot more to see in Washington than Puget Sound locations.
- Tri-City Herald - June 28, 2004
.........................................
Senate blocks veterans' health care bill
"Today, we had an outstanding opportunity to make a landmark commitment to the veterans who've served us so well," Murray said in a statement after Wednesday's vote on a procedural issue raised by the Senate's Republican leadership effectively blocked the amendment.
- Spokesman Review - June 25, 2004
.........................................
Murray plan would assist GIs' families
Act would authorize child care in locations far from major bases.
- Spokesman Review - June 20, 2004
.........................................
Murray blasts Pentagon for NATO-Airbus dea
Murray said the NATO contract was awarded without "true competition," and the alliance had accepted a bid based on "inaccurate and incomplete" information.
- The News Tribune - June 19, 2004
.........................................
Give Labor Department nuclear claims, senators say
"The Department of Energy has failed in this effort," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Shoreline), one of the co-sponsors of an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill adopted on a voice vote. "Many of these workers are dying. We can wait no longer. We must compensate them, and do it now."
- The News Tribune - June 17, 2004
.........................................
Senate approves Martinez as state's first Latino federal judge
"Judge Martinez clearly meets the standards of fairness and adherence to the law that we look for in our federal judges," Murray said.
- The News Tribune - June 16, 2004
.........................................
DOE's Hanford cleanup official resigns
"I have been deeply disappointed in the lack of a cooperative approach the department has taken over the past several years on issues related to Hanford cleanup," Murray said in a prepared statement.
- Tri-City Herald - June 16, 2004
.........................................
"I'm so proud that the Navy has decided that Boeing is the company to build this new plane, which is so vital to our long-term safety and security," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
- Everett Herald- June 15, 2004
.........................................
Editorial: Full speed ahead on private ferry service
He says, thanks to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Bremerton is the recipient of $600,000 for a Water Transportation Research Institute to be located in the city. Its job is to figure out a boat that will offer 35-minute transit to Seattle from Bremerton without wake damage to the shoreline.
- Seattle Times - June 13, 2004
.........................................
Ceremony honors pipeline blast victims
And changes in federal laws have increased public safety, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. said at the event. "Children in every corner of America are safer today because this community stood up and said 'We can't ever let this happen again,'" she said.
- Bellingham Herald - June 11, 2004
.........................................
Wild Sky wilderness, a bridge over politics
Democrats Murray and Larsen and Republican Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn have created a bipartisan coalition backing the bill. Mark Rey, undersecretary for natural resources and the environment in the Bush administration, has said the president supports the wilderness.
- Seattle Times - June 7, 2004
.........................................
Sound cleanup declared a success
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray says volunteers with the Northwest Straits Initiative have brought about spectacular results. Murray, who wrote the legislation that created the straits initiative, said she is optimistic the legislation will be renewed in 2005.
- Everett Herald - June 7, 2004
.........................................
Ceremony marks $13.8 million road project in Camas
"This is the kind of project we look for at the national level," said Murray, D-Wash. Credited by several speakers with bringing $3 million in federal money into the project, Murray said it's exemplary because it draws together many government agencies and private businesses."
- The Columbian - June 5, 2004
.........................................
Senate lets DOE reclassify nuclear waste
"For more than a year, the Department of Energy has been trying to change the ground rules so it can leave more waste untreated, declare victory and walk away from out nation's most contaminated nuclear sites," Murray said.
- Tri-City Herald - June 4, 2004
.........................................
Hybrid buses hit King County roads
"The hybrid buses wouldn't be here without the help of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who was instrumental in securing federal funding for the project".
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 27, 2004
.........................................
Decision on 767 tanker deal faces new six-month delay
"I am confident that the secretary will reach the same conclusions that the Congress has reached: We need new tankers, we need them now, and Boeing offers the best product for taxpayers and the men and women of our armed forces," Murray said.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 26, 2004
.........................................
Energy Department audit uncovers discrepancies in worker illness records
"Safety must be the top priority in fact, not just in rhetoric, and unfortunately this report shows that standard is not being met," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat. "I hope the Department will now recommit itself to the highest possible safety standards under the law."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 25, 2004
.........................................
Senators look to help Guard, Reserve ease burdens of extended deployment
“As we all know too well, our Guard and Reserve are seeing their tours extended and that is placing tremendous burdens on their families,” Murray said at a press briefing Wednesday, joining Daschle and Nelson."
- Stars and Stripes - May 21, 2004
.........................................
Latino Academic Achievers Honored
"We need to make sure that America remains a country of opportunity for all children - no matter where they come from, no matter what language they speak at home, and no matter what obstacles they have to overcome,"
- Yakima Herald-Republic - May 23, 2004
.........................................
Working-forest bill clears Senate
"Democratic Sen. Patty Murray proposed the program in an amendment to Senate Bill 1637, a measure dealing mostly with replacing an array of corporate subsidies with a variety of tax breaks and tax credits."
- Everett Herald - May 19, 2004
.........................................
Still ahead, a fierce rivalry in aerospace between Boeing and Airbus...
- CNN’s Lou Dobbs’ Tonight - May 11, 2004
.........................................
VA Hospital will stay after all
"It was a community that came together. ...I have been so impressed with the people of Walla Walla,' she said. ``It was the veterans, the support groups, the doctors, the hospitals, the local leaders who made this happen. There wasn't a person who wasn't involved."
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - May 7, 2004
.........................................
Walla Walla VA hospital spared
"I think he has finally heard the concerns that I and the local veterans and the community leaders have given him time and again about the need for services," Murray said from Washington, D.C. "He is leaving the mission of the Walla Walla campus unchanged."
- Tri-City Herald - May 7, 2004
.........................................
Bush rejects plan to shut veterans hospital
"I am so relieved, for all the veterans and the whole community who worked so hard to make their voices heard," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It made a difference."
- Seattle Times - May 7, 2004
.........................................
Stand up to Europe's threat to our aerospace industry
"Europe has an aggressive plan for the future of aerospace to benefit its companies and its workers — at the expense of U.S. companies and our workers. Europe is providing billions of dollars in subsidies to European Aeronautic, Defence & Space (EADS) and Airbus to capture market share and jobs from America"
- Seattle Times - May 6, 2004
.........................................
Murray blasts Airbus' tactics
"Using government subsidies and underhanded sales tactics, Airbus and its European supporters are engaged in a no-holds-barred campaign to dominate worldwide aerospace markets while the United States stands by and does nothing to stop them, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said Wednesday."
- The News Tribune - May 6, 2004
.........................................
Sen. Murray wants Congress to push Boeing, slow down Airbus
"Murray cited news accounts that Airbus had bribed officials in India, Syria and Canada to win airplane orders. She said the European Union rewarded nations that purchased Airbus aircraft with favorable trade terms on agriculture and textiles. And she said the French government traded airline landing slots at French airports for Airbus sales."
- Seattle Times - May 6, 2004
.........................................
Murray: U.S. sits idly by as Airbus 'creams' Boeing
"Resuming an intense feud with Airbus and the Europeans, Sen. Patty Murray says the United States is "sitting on our hands while Europe is doing everything it can to dismantle our aerospace industry."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 5, 2004
.........................................
Tanker-deal backers go on offensive for Boeing
"In a lengthy speech on the Senate floor today, Sen. Patty Murray is expected to charge France-based Airbus and its parent company EADS (European Aeronautic Defence & Space) with orchestrating a misinformation effort against Boeing."
- Seattle Times - May 5, 2004
.........................................
Senators decry abuse of prisoners in Iraq
"These actions are a disservice to the thousands of American soldiers in the region who serve us honorably each and every day, and, sadly, are likely to make their efforts to calm a troubled region even harder," Murray said."
- The News Tribune - May 5, 2004
.........................................
VA to establish Central Washington clinic by 2006
"This report ensures we'll have a local VA clinic open by 2006, which is great news for veterans in North Central Washington, but we need to make sure our veterans have access to their local hospital as soon as possible,"
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - May 3, 2004
.........................................
Lincoln's moment a benchmark for war
"I remember waking up very early that morning to meet the men and women who were returning. I felt as an American how lucky I was to thank them for their service to the country," Murray said. "A year later, we are all painfully aware there is a lot left to do in Iraq. We need a defined plan for whatever our mission is and what our goal is."
- Everett Herald - May 1, 2004
.........................................
Bush switch on salmon protection stirs outcry
"Democrats Cantwell, Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Norm Dicks will send a letter today to Commerce Secretary Donald Evans asking for "a copy of the draft policy, any relevant scientific analysis including recommendations of salmon ecology scientists, and an explanation as to how the administration believes this policy meets the legal requirements of the ESA (Endangered Species Act)."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 30, 2004
.........................................
Veterans centers at a crossroads in ML
"Closing this facility will put accessible care out of the reach of the region's veterans including the new generation of combat veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan," Murray wrote. "It is clear that private facilities do not have the capacity to absorb the additional patient load."
- Columbia Basin Herald - April 30, 2004
........................................
Murray asks Bush in letter to keep VA center open
"This facility is tremendously important," Murray wrote the president. "It provides real care to veterans, and is a treasured community asset. Please take a very hard look at the case to keep the Walla Walla VA open."
- Spokesman Review - April 27, 2004
........................................
First 7E7 order brings sigh of relief for state
"Washington workers are now seeing the very real benefits of our state's commitment to the 7E7,'' said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "The work of Boeing's Everett employees will improve the quality and convenience of air travel worldwide and grow our economy here in Washington state."
- King County Journal - April 27, 2004
.........................................
Murray halts confirmation of VA official
"Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday she intends to hold up the confirmation of a Department of Veterans Affairs official until the department releases a plan to provide health care for veterans in northcentral Washington"
- The Spokesman Review - April 23, 2004
.........................................
Asbestos legislation falls apart in the Senate
"After listening to victims, hearing their stories, and looking them in the eye, there is no way I could vote for this inadequate and unbalanced bill," Murray said from the Senate floor on Wednesday."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 23, 2004
.........................................
Editorial: Asbestos bill is short on fairness
"The Hatch proposal also includes Washington Sen. Patty Murray's ban on some remaining uses of asbestos, a needed step. But Hatch's bill, which could come to a vote as early as tomorrow, isn't the right fix. There are too few guarantees of action for asbestos victims, too little assurance of adequate compensation and a general favoring of corporate interests."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 21, 2004
.........................................
Columbia River dredging has $15 million tag
"Murray noted that although the White House listed the Columbia in its proposed budget, it allocated no money for the project. At the same time, it included $9.5 million for Brazos Island Harbor, a project in Bush's home state of Texas that has not yet been approved by the corps, she said."
- The Oregonian - April 21, 2004
.........................................
Silence on VA Care Options Is Appalling
"Echoing U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who held a hearing last week in Walla Walla, we don't think the case has been made yet for closure."
- Yakima Herald-Republic - April 18, 2004
.........................................
Honoring the land: Environmental projects help prepare county for Earth Day
"With Earth Day around the corner, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray visited Lacamas Creek Park in Camas on Saturday to see the site of a habitat restoration project scheduled to begin in four days".
- The Columbian - April 18, 2004
.........................................
"After a sometimes-feisty field hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., vowed to take the battle back to Washington, D.C., to get the hospital off a closure list. "I want to put the (Veterans Administration) on notice that what they do here will be noticed,' Murray said at the close of the afternoon-long hearing."
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - April 13, 2004
.........................................
In the Northwest: Closing VA hospital would be a tragic irony of war
"In turn, Murray has used her clout as a senior member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs to become the hospital's most tenacious defender and advocate. She was chairwoman of a Monday field hearing here that drew 450 people."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 13, 2004
.........................................
Murray vows to fight for hospital
"Murray, D-Wash., blasted the Veterans' Affairs Department for failing to study how it would replace mental health, substance abuse and nursing home care that the center now provides. "Closing this facility without that kind of preparation does a disservice to all the veterans here today," Murray told an audience of about 400 at Walla Walla Community College."
- Tri-City Herald - April 13, 2004
.........................................
Editorial: VA needs OK from Congress to downgrade local hospital
"Murray said she went to the source to determine the intent of the 1987 law. She asked the author of the legislation, former House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash."
- Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - April 13, 2004
.........................................
Murray vows to fight for hospital
"Murray, D-Wash., blasted the Veterans' Affairs Department for failing to study how it would replace mental health, substance abuse and nursing home care that the center now provides. "Closing this facility without that kind of preparation does a disservice to all the veterans here today," Murray told an audience of about 400 at Walla Walla Community College."
- Tri-City Herald - April 13, 2004
.........................................
"Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. It was at Murray's request that Sen. Arlen Specter, the Pennsylvania Republican who heads the committee, agreed to hold a Senate hearing on the VA plan in Walla Walla. The hearing is set for 1 pm. Monday at the Walla Walla Community College conference center."
- Walla-Walla Union Bulletin - April 10, 2004
.........................................
Murray meeting to focus on impact on vets
"Murray, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, requested the field hearing last month during a meeting of the Senate committee. The hearing will focus on the potential impact to health care for Washington state veterans from recommendations by the federal Capital Asset Realignment for Enchanced Services commission."
- Walla-Walla Union Bulletin - April 10, 2004
.........................................
Senators want to withdraw cattle proposal
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., joined senators from six other states in urging the Agriculture Department to drop the proposal, which would list Canada as a country with "minimal risk" for mad-cow disease.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 7, 2004
.........................................
Energy Dept. threatens no nuclear cleanup
"They didn't get their way in court, so now they want the law changed," said Murray. "Everyone is for accelerated cleanup as long as it's done in a way that protects workers' safety and we don't cut corners."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 7, 2004
.........................................
Marine initiative gets a thumbs up
The report was sent to Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Gary Locke. It's up to Congress to decide whether to continue funding. Reviewers suggested the project should continue for at least another eight to 10 years. Congress would be asked to fund the initiative at $1.6 million annually.
"This is exactly the type of grass-roots, collaborative effort needed to restore salmon and other declining fisheries," Murray said in a statement. "This communitywide effort continues to illustrate the tremendous results that can be achieved when we work together to solve environmental problems."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer -April 8, 2004
.........................................
Ridge: Port users should pay for security
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who has been in an ongoing battle with Ridge's department over port security, said making ports and private companies accountable for security could drive cargo companies to Canadian ports.
"This plan will have tremendous economic impacts on our state," Murray said.
- Seattle Times - April 7 , 2004
.........................................
Senator to Conduct Field Hearing on Walla Walla, Wash., Veterans Hospital
"Washington state veterans who will be affected by federal decisions deserve to have their voices heard," Murray said in a statement released Wednesday, "and this hearing will give them that opportunity.”
- Spokesman-Review - April 2, 2004
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Two thumbs up for NW Straits Initiative
Senator Murray, who has remained active on behalf of the initiative, said, "This is exactly the type of grassroots, collaborative effort needed to restore salmon and other declining fisheries while improving Washington's pristine coastline. This community-wide effort continues to illustrate the tremendous results that can be achieved when we work together to solve environmental problems."
- San Juan Islander - April 6, 2004
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State's mayors support Wild Sky Wilderness
"Larsen and Murray did a lot of homework on the proposal before the boundaries were proposed, carving out compromises with various user groups, including snowmobile organizations and the Boy Scouts."
- Everett Herald - April 1, 2004
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"A land trust has bought 200 acres in the proposed wi lderness area, hoping to spur Congress to act on the bill. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen and Sen. Patty Murray, both Washington Democrats, introduced legislation to create the 106,000-acre wilderness north of Index and Skykomish. The measure passed in the Senate twice, but failed to even reach a vote in the House."
- Everett Herald - March 25, 2004
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Murray renews her effort to ban asbestos
"It is unconscionable that so many innocent victims have died because they were exposed to a product that they were told was safe. But it is even more disturbing that our government continues to allow asbestos to be imported into this country and used in everyday products at home."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 25, 2004
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Columbia River ports laud Sen. Murray
"Sen. Murray understands Northwest ports operate as a system to ensure a stronger regional economy," said Ken O'Hollaren. "She's a true champion of the maritime industry, and we're grateful for her support."
- Business Journal of Portland - March 24, 2004
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Port group honors Murray as person of the year
"Murray has been an exceptional and tireless champion of ports throughout the last year," said Charlie Sheldon, managing director of the Port of Seattle's seaport division. Murray was nominated by the ports of Tacoma, Seattle and New York-New Jersey."
- The News Tribune - March 24,2004
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Microsoft attacks proposed EU fine as 'inappropriate' in light of U.S. settlement
"The EU has now directly attacked the authority of the United States and our economy in general," she (Murray) said in a statement late Monday. "American jobs and economic interests are threatened."
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer - March 23, 2004
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Murray charges Airbus distortions
"And if Airbus were successful in winning a tanker contract, Murray said it would result in the "outsourcing of thousands of American manufacturing jobs to a foreign corporation that is unfairly subsidized by European governments and that unfairly competes with the only U.S. aircraft manufacturer."
- The News Tribune - March 23, 2004
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Critics say voluntary mad cow testing doesn't equal surveillance
"Sen. Patty Murray, who represents the state where the nation's first case of mad cow disease was found, also said lawmakers need to explore ways to ensure better compliance and participation. "I think it is clear that a system that is entirely voluntary is not working," Murray said."
- Jefferson City News Tribune - March 19, 2004
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