Senator Murray Statement on White House Meeting

Statement

Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee issued the following statement after meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House earlier this afternoon to discuss progress on the Build Back Better budget.

"I was glad to be able to spend time this afternoon meeting with President Biden to discuss the Build Back Better agenda and our shared priorities. In the Senate, we continue to make steady and important progress on the Build Back Better budget--and I remain focused on securing a once-in-a-generation investment in the building blocks that every family in Washington state needs to succeed: making child care affordable for working families, passing the first ever comprehensive national paid leave program, lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs, putting higher education within reach of anyone who wants it, making sure everyone can afford a roof over their heads, and so much more. Importantly, President Biden continues to share our strong commitment to deliver a landmark investment in climate action.

"At the end of the day, I am convinced that we will send a bill to President Biden's desk that will fundamentally reshape the American economy to level the playing field for working families in every part of our state--it will be the most significant investment in our kids and families made by our government in decades."

As a senior member of the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Murray played a pivotal role in negotiating and advancing the budget resolution. As Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Murray, a former preschool teacher, is leading the Democratic Caucus in shepherding through key priorities like making child care affordable and establishing universal pre-k, a comprehensive national paid leave program, free community college, a historic investment in home and community-based services, a critical investment in public health infrastructure and workforce and job training, and building on the largest expansion of health care since the Affordable Care Act.

As a voice for Washington state, Senator Murray has been a leading voice calling for a landmark investment in climate action, and has consistently reiterated her determination to secure major provisions to address the climate crisis through the budget process. Murray has also been pushing strongly for a historic boost for the supply of affordable housing and a major expansion of child nutrition programs.

Senator Murray has been a champion of the Build Back Better budget, recently highlighting the difference it would make for families across Washington state.

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