Patty Murray
Ukraine and Israel aid must be combined, two Cabinet secretaries tell U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON — Congress must approve funding for both Israel and Ukraine if it wants to avoid being dragged into a direct conflict with Russia or emboldening terrorist organizations, two top Biden administration officials told senators Tuesday. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken both testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee that there […]
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California dies at 90
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein died Thursday night in her home in Washington, D.C. The California Democrat was 90 and had announced in February she would not run for reelection in 2024. “She left a legacy that is undeniable and extraordinary,” her chief of staff, James Sauls, said in a statement. “Senator Feinstein was a force […]
Washington senators join Democrats calling for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign
Washington U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell on Wednesday joined more than two dozen Senate Democrats who are calling on their embattled colleague, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey to resign. Menendez and his wife have been indicted on corruption charges. Federal prosecutors, last week, accused him of accepting bribes, including bars of gold […]
‘If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war’: Zelenskyy asks Congress to help Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers to reiterate the need for continued aid to support his country’s fight against the Russian invasion, even as the U.S. faces a partial government shutdown as soon as the end of the month. “If we don’t get the aid, […]
U.S. House GOP spending bills falter as Congress struggles to avoid a shutdown
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats said Tuesday they are preparing their own short-term spending bill that they believe will garner bipartisan support, a decision that could stave off a partial government shutdown — and as House Republicans failed to advance two spending bills. The Senate move would work as long as the House votes to […]
WA lawmakers push for greater access to fertility services for service members and veterans
New legislation introduced in Congress would ease access to infertility treatments for military service members.
Democrats push to extend federal child care grant program
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month. The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the […]
Washington receives $23M million from feds to strengthen electrical grid against disasters
Washington state will receive $23.4 million in federal funding to improve power grid resilience against wildfires and other natural disasters, Washington Sen. Patty Murray’s office announced Tuesday. “Making our grid more resilient and more able to withstand extreme weather events is absolutely critical to ensuring that families in Washington state aren’t left in the dark […]
WA Sen. Patty Murray proposes new grants to help prevent youth homelessness
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Tuesday announced legislation that seeks to funnel more federal dollars to local programs that help prevent youth homelessness. The bill would create two new grant programs. Funding from the grants would help pay for efforts to intervene before a youth or young adult becomes homeless, such as helplines or […]
Washington awarded $1.2 billion from feds to expand internet access
Washington will receive more than $1 billion to expand and upgrade broadband access as part of a new round of funding from the Biden administration to get every home in the country connected to high-speed internet. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration allocated nearly $42.5 billion to all 50 states, the […]
Washington apple growers cheer as India says it will end tariffs
India will soon end retaliatory tariffs imposed on American apples and crops such as chickpeas and lentils, the White House announced Thursday, signaling a win for Washington crop growers who say they faced significant losses since the tariffs were enacted in 2019. President Joe Biden made the announcement Thursday as part of Indian Prime Minister […]
U.S. Senate spending panel sets funding levels for annual bills
WASHINGTON — A group of U.S. Senate Democrats on Thursday approved funding levels for dozens of federal departments for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 — setting up a likely clash with House Republicans as a deadline approaches later this year. The move to advance the spending plan was essential if Congress is going […]