press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=A7319C1B-DE22-4247-A10B-509C9947217B
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee overseeing housing, questioned Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sec. Ben Carson about President Trump’s proposal to slash 15 percent from the housing budget, including programs supporting critical efforts in Washington state to eradicate homelessness and increase access to affordable housing. Sen. Murray questioned Sec. Carson on HUD’s misplaced budget priorities in light of a recent report finding homelessness and housing insecurity on the rise in Washington state, asking Sec. Carson directly about HUD’s plan for combatting homelessness in Washington state and nationwide in addition to requesting clarity on his position regarding the effectiveness of Housing First interventions that prioritize moving homeless families and individuals into permanent homes as swiftly as possible.
Sen. Murray has been a consistent champion for HUD programs that work to get people off the street and into safe, appropriate housing, including McKinney Vento, Section 8 vouchers, and HUD-VASH, helping to restart the initiative for homeless veterans in 2008. Sen. Murray questioned Sec. Carson about his budget’s proposal to slash funding for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) that reduce homelessness across Washington state. In addition to questions on homelessness, Sen. Murray also asked Sec. Carson to explain the Department’s position on several housing issues impacting Washington state families, including HUD’s formula for calculating Section 8 housing that must account for rising housing prices in cities like Vancouver, Tacoma, and Seattle, and proposed cuts to programs supporting affordable housing and offering rental assistance.
Senators Murray, Cantwell Oppose Trump Administration’s Proposal to Auction Off DOE Transmission Assets
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and a bipartisan group of Western senators voiced their strong opposition to a provision in the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request to auction off the transmission assets of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) through the Department of Energy.
“[Bonneville Power Administration and other PMAs] have provided reliable and affordable electric service and are crucially important to rural communities in our states. Sale of the PMAs transmission facilities would not advance the President’s infrastructure objectives. In fact, privatization of existing assets could affect opportunities for new infrastructure investments. Moreover, any private entity buying PMA assets will want to recover their investment. The resulting rate increases would take money out of the pockets of consumers and businesses in our states,” the Senators said in their letter to Secretary Perry.
The letter concludes by stating, “There are improvements that can and should be made to the operations of some PMAs, but the dismantling of them is simply not sound governmental policy. Instead, we look forward to working with you to make needed investments in PMA infrastructure and ensuring the future value of this important federal asset.”---press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=14F772DB-89B7-417B-87FB-6960F539ACE4
While VA works on a long-term plan to reduce wait times and improve veteran care, the Trump Administration is pushing provisions that would weaken the entire VA system
(Washington, D.C.) – Today in a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) questioned Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. David Shulkin about whether he supports Trump Administration initiatives that would weaken VA in the coming years, moving the agency toward privatization. Sen. Murray, a senior member of the Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran, is staunchly opposed to dismantling VA and has urged her colleagues in Congress to support a series of reforms to strengthen veteran care. In today’s hearing, Sen. Murray asked Secretary Shulkin about particular provisions that would destabilize the system.---press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=8D4FEAB1-9AF9-429B-AB3B-13F6CBBAD48D
For more news from our congressional delegation to Washington DC, and advocacy news stories see page 2
