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Tuesday, Feb 10, 2026
Outside the box.
Murray Champions Major Wins for Washington State on Senate Floor, Rejecting Trump’s Deep Funding Cuts
Senator Patty Murray highlights billions secured for local priorities and defends federal investments against proposed cuts by the Trump administration
U.S. Senator Patty Murray delivered a forceful address on the Senate floor this week, emphasising hard-won victories for Washington state as the Senate advances critical federal funding legislation amid opposition to proposed spending cuts from the Trump administration and House Republicans.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray outlined how recent appropriations packages rejected deep reductions championed by President Trump and instead restored and expanded investments vital to communities across her home state and the nation.
In her remarks, Murray underscored the passage of a three-bill appropriations package that delivered more than five billion dollars for Washington state priorities, including record funding for the Hanford nuclear cleanup site and significant allocations for infrastructure such as the Howard Hanson Dam.
She framed these results as a direct rebuke of administration proposals to slash funding for essential programmes and highlighted bipartisan cooperation in securing these outcomes despite unified Republican control of Washington’s federal government.
Murray stressed that protecting funding for salmon restoration, tribal programmes, Army Corps of Engineers projects and scientific research was not merely an exercise in numbers, but a reflection of the priorities of working families, scientists and local leaders across Washington state.
She reiterated that rejecting the administration’s suggested cuts allowed Congress — not the executive branch — to determine how taxpayer dollars are spent, preserving funding for medicine, environment and economic resilience.
The senator’s speech also highlighted broader budget negotiations in which she and fellow Democrats worked to strip out controversial provisions and assert congressional authority over appropriations.
Murray described the funding bills as the product of “tough, bipartisan negotiations” and framed recent floor actions as steps toward fiscal responsibility that aligns federal spending with constituent needs.
As the Senate moves forward with additional appropriations votes, Murray’s remarks underscored the legislative fight over funding levels, priorities and the balance of power between Congress and the Trump administration.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray outlined how recent appropriations packages rejected deep reductions championed by President Trump and instead restored and expanded investments vital to communities across her home state and the nation.
In her remarks, Murray underscored the passage of a three-bill appropriations package that delivered more than five billion dollars for Washington state priorities, including record funding for the Hanford nuclear cleanup site and significant allocations for infrastructure such as the Howard Hanson Dam.
She framed these results as a direct rebuke of administration proposals to slash funding for essential programmes and highlighted bipartisan cooperation in securing these outcomes despite unified Republican control of Washington’s federal government.
Murray stressed that protecting funding for salmon restoration, tribal programmes, Army Corps of Engineers projects and scientific research was not merely an exercise in numbers, but a reflection of the priorities of working families, scientists and local leaders across Washington state.
She reiterated that rejecting the administration’s suggested cuts allowed Congress — not the executive branch — to determine how taxpayer dollars are spent, preserving funding for medicine, environment and economic resilience.
The senator’s speech also highlighted broader budget negotiations in which she and fellow Democrats worked to strip out controversial provisions and assert congressional authority over appropriations.
Murray described the funding bills as the product of “tough, bipartisan negotiations” and framed recent floor actions as steps toward fiscal responsibility that aligns federal spending with constituent needs.
As the Senate moves forward with additional appropriations votes, Murray’s remarks underscored the legislative fight over funding levels, priorities and the balance of power between Congress and the Trump administration.
