Sen. Murray to President Trump: Ripping Apart Health Care System Would Hurt Washington’s Efforts to Fight Opioid Epidemic
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined Senate colleagues in writing to President Donald Trump warning that repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with no replacement would pull the rug out from under local communities working to combat the opioid epidemic, and could endanger millions of Americans just as they are getting treatment. A repeal threatens to cut $5.5 billion in federal dollars that each year go toward treating Americans battling opioid addiction through the Medicaid expansion or the ACA marketplaces. From 2014 – 2015, drug overdose rates in Washington state increased 10.5 percent and have surpassed car crashes as the number one cause of accidental death. Over the past year, Sen. Murray has met with families, health officials, and law enforcement in communities across Washington state, including Seattle, Bellingham, Vancouver, the Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Spokane, about the urgent need to address the opioid epidemic.
“The consequences of repealing the Affordable Care Act are dire for all Americans, but they are especially calamitous for Americans living with a mental illness, a substance use disorder, or both,” the Senators wrote. “Repealing this law will cut billions of dollars in funding, kick tens of millions of Americans off of their health insurance, and saddle providers with hundreds of millions of dollars more in uncompensated care.”
http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=55414DEF-61DF-4F33-8CAD-1C8150C5223E
Joined by Fast Food Workers and Advocates, Sen. Murray Slams President Trump’s Labor Pick as “Uniquely Unqualified”
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate labor committee, today held a press conference in the U.S. Capitol with fast food workers and advocates to highlight the many disqualifying aspects of the record of Andrew Puzder, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor. Puzder’s history of squeezing workers as the CEO of CKE Restaurants and his steady opposition to policies that would help workers, such as increasing the minimum wage and expanding overtime pay, raise serious questions about his ability to lead the U.S. Department of Labor.
“Puzder has spoken out against raising the minimum wage and against efforts to help more workers get overtime pay. He thinks robots would be more convenient for employers than actual workers, because robots never get sick or need a lunch break… and Mr. Puzder’s vocal defense of his deeply offensive ads—and so much more about his background—raise serious questions in my mind about his ability to represent the rights of women in the workplace, as any Secretary of Labor absolutely must be able to do,” said Senator Murray.
http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=8BADAB2F-ACD1-414B-9130-223EFCC1B66C
Sen. Murray to Vote NO on Congressman Price for Health and Human Services Secretary: Cites Serious Ethical Concerns, Long Record Seeking to Undermine Women’s Health, and His Plans to Leave Millions of Americans, Including More Than 750,000 People in Washington State, Without Health Care
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling on Senate Republicans to stand with families nationwide and vote NO on the nomination of Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Senate Republicans scheduled a final vote on the nomination of Rep. Price despite unanswered significant questions about his qualifications and ethical conduct. Senator Murray also has serious concerns about Rep. Price’s troubling plans for our health care system and health priorities crucial to women, families, and seniors nationwide. Congressman Price is a leading proponent of rushing to dismantle our health care system by repealing the Affordable Care Act, voucherize Medicare, and gutting Medicaid.
http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=4E03580D-FE96-4209-B1EE-CCC5DCB2D7F0
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