Senator Murray Remarks Urging Senate to Pass Democratic Bill to Prevent a Republican Shutdown, Protect Americans’ Health Care

Murray: "Instead of so much as talking to Democrats about how to stop millions of Americans from losing their health care or seeing their premiums double or worse, Republican leadership has decided to follow Trump's orders, blow off Democrats, and risk a Republican shutdown."

Murray : "When Republicans say they don't want to talk about health care yet, what they are saying is: they don't want to talk about it until a lot of the damage has been done."

WATCH : Senator Murray's full floor speech

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to vote for bill that she introduced Wednesday to prevent a Republican shutdown, protect Congress' power of the purse, and address the health care crisis that President Trump and Republicans have single-handedly created. She also spoke in opposition to House Republicans' partisan, status quo continuing resolution (CR). More information on the Democratic bill is available HERE.

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

"Mr. President, in just a short bit, we're going to vote on a bill that Democrats introduced earlier this week that does a couple of critical things.

"First of all, it prevents a needless shutdown at the end of the month. And it gives us more time to hammer out the funding bills that help get families by, and ensure Congress, not Donald Trump or Russ Vought, decides how our taxpayer dollars are spent.

"Secondly, this bill takes critical steps to prevent Russ Vought from stealing money from cancer research, or Trump deciding unilaterally that he is going to cut off funding he doesn't like.

"Third, it provides critical new security resources to keep federal officials safe and help ensure political violence does not tear further at the fabric of our democracy.

"And fourth, this bill addresses the looming Republican health care crisis to stop health care costs from rocketing up, and our rural hospitals from shutting down.

"These are four priorities that I think every single member of Congress should be able to agree with.

"But I'm afraid that while some of my Republican colleagues say they want to address the health care tax credits, they are quick to caveat that now is not the right time. The Republican leader said as much. So I have to ask, when is the time? It seems to me, the time is now.

"When Republicans say they don't want to talk about health care yet, what they are saying is, they don't want to talk about it until a lot of the damage has been done. Because premium hikes are already being announced and people will receive letters in the mail with their new rates next month. So, the time to act really is now. The clock is ticking. But Republicans don't want to even have a conversation about that yet.

"Well, Democrats are forcing a conversation.

"Our bill would not only avoid a government shutdown, and give us time to continue working on our bills, it would address the imminent health care crisis, preventing premiums from skyrocketing by extending health care tax credits before those higher premiums kick in and are locked in, and reversing Republicans' massive Medicaid cuts that will kick millions off their insurance and shutter hospitals.

"This vote will show America who seriously wants to help our families afford health care and keep those hospitals open, and who is content to let those costs skyrocket and hospitals to close. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting yes on our bill that we introduced this week on the Democratic side, so we can act with the urgency this moment requires.

"Now, M. President, let me be clear: do I strongly urge my Republican colleagues to join me in voting for the funding bill that we introduced? Absolutely. But if they choose not to, the Senate will move to consideration of the partisan House-passed CR.

"I want to be crystal clear here: there was, and still, in fact, is, a path to preventing a shutdown. And it starts with the Republican leadership finally sitting down with our Democratic leadership, something they have refused, for literally weeks, to do.

"You want Democratic votes on a funding bill? A good place to start is by actually trying to win those votes.

"But instead of so much as talking to Democrats about how to stop millions of Americans from losing their health care, or seeing their premiums double or worse, the Republican Leadership has decided to follow Trump's orders, blow off Democrats, and risk a Republican shutdown.

"I have had productive conversations with my fellow appropriators, but those conversations only mean so much when the Republican leadership chooses to pull the rug out from under us. Four corner negotiations were positive, but leadership has to be involved to wrap those negotiations and at least discuss health care. And if Republican leadership refuses to even speak with our Democratic leadership, where does that leave us?

"Instead of meeting us at the table to hammer out a bipartisan short-term CR, advance the critical work on those bills, and kick off serious talks on health care, House Republicans went off alone. They released a bill that utterly fails to address priorities that are top of mind for so many families. M. President, that is a choice Republicans have made and it's downright callous.

"After all, if Republicans insist on inaction, higher premiums are going to be locked in for people across our country. That is the cost of delay. But Republicans are essentially saying the American people should just accept massive price increases for health care. And they expect Democrats to just simply go along?

"And even if Republicans decide to wait until the last minute for an extension? One and a half million Americans will still lose their health care.

"Republicans are trying to act like just cutting one party out of those talks, and then trying to demand their votes, is somehow business as usual. No way, no thanks. I'll be voting no on Republicans' funding bill because there is a better way here.

"Why not sit down with our Democratic leadership to talk about how we pass a short-term CR, how we make progress, critical progress, on our full year funding bills, and how we handle this health care crisis? After all, Republicans are willing to say to the press they want all of these things. They say it in front of the cameras. Why aren't they willing to say it in a room with Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries?

"Why aren't they willing to just meet and actually start charting a course on how we move forward on that?

"I think the main reason is Donald Trump. Again, he told Republicans, 'don't even bother dealing with Democrats.' It seems like Republican leaders are afraid to cross the aisle and have a simple meeting-a mere conversation!-if it risks losing Donald Trump.

"That's wrong, and Mr. President, it's dangerous. Because, with rare exception, just about every bill we pass here in the Senate takes 60 votes. So to get things done for our families back home, Republicans need to work with Democrats.

"And if Republican leadership cannot find the courage to do that on what should be low hanging fruit here, if they can't sit down with our Democratic leadership to talk about a short-term CR, what does that mean for the work we've been doing for our full year spending bills? What does that mean for extending those health care tax credits? And what does it mean for any of the other challenging issues we would all like to work together on to address?

"It is deeply disappointing to me that the Republican leaders have chosen to go down the partisan route we're here on today. But Mr. President, there is still time to do the right thing. They should come to the table.

"So I am a no on the Republican CR. But my colleagues should know, I am committed to this process.

"After all, there is so much at stake in all of our annual funding bills. It matters tremendously that we fully fund WIC to make sure moms and babies don't go hungry. It is hugely important that we fund the VA to make sure our veterans are getting the quality of care we promise them when they come home. Families in my state and across the country are counting on us here in Congress to protect funding for child care and Head Start so our kids can learn and grow. There are students and parents in school districts across America counting on us here in Congress to protect funding for kids with disabilities, for schools in some of our poorest communities. There are patients everywhere in this country who are desperately counting on us to do our job to federally fund cancer research in hopes of a cure, or for a clinical trial that might give them some more time with their loved ones.

"Mr. President, I could go on. Whether it's funding to replace lead pipes or to treat opioid addiction, the work we do in our Appropriations Committee matters. The outcomes that this Congress dictates over how we spend taxpayer dollars matters. It is hugely consequential for millions of Americans. And I am so glad that there is strong bipartisan support for so many of those programs because when we can all agree on something good, that is a win for all of our constituents.

"So, yes, I want us to find a way forward so we can keep working full year spending bills that will actually help people. We've already passed eight of those funding bills out of our committee, three on the floor that we are working really hard to conference so they can be signed into law. These are all bills that will help people and solve problems.

"None of us should want to hand the pen over to Russ Vought and give him or Trump or anyone else at the White House any more power over federal spending.That's what another yearlong continuing resolution would do.

"So, there is a better path forward. I would ask Republican leadership to simply come to the table. Compromise, Mr. President, is a very basic principle. Every American understands it.

"And if Republicans 'don't bother' working with Democrats just because Donald Trump told them to, this will be a Republican shutdown. Republicans control all of government: the House, the Senate, the White House. The American people know who will be to blame.

"I ask that we work to move forward, to choose a different path. Work together and avert this Republican shutdown."

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