‘Serious and Disturbing’ Picture of VA’s Failure to Provide Timely Access to Care

by Patty Murray

Stop Child Summer Hunger

Stop Child Summer Hunger Act

During the school year, low-income children have the opportunity to receive free or reduced-priced meals at school. However, millions of these same children go hungry during summer break. That’s why I was proud to introduce the Stop Child Summer Hunger Act, a long-term, common-sense solution to reducing child hunger during school breaks. This legislation will provide families who have children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals with an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card. This EBT card will include funds that the family can use to purchase food to replace the meals that the children would otherwise be receiving at school. The threat of hunger doesn’t take a summer break. We shouldn’t either. We must do more to make sure kids get the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

Learn more about my bill.

“Sen. Murray proposes summer food benefits for low-income kids”
– KUOW

“Bill would buy summer lunch for kids out of school”
– The Olympian

“To fight students’ ‘summer hunger,’ Sen. Murray pushes debit cards for lunches” – KPLU

‘Serious and Disturbing’ Picture of VA’s Failure to Provide Timely Access to Care

The release of the VA’s Nationwide Access Audit of veterans health facilities paints a serious and disturbing picture of the VA’s system-wide failure to provide timely access to care for our nation’s heroes. I am especially concerned by the number of facilities that serve Washington state veterans that have been flagged for further review and investigation. This information confirms what I have been hearing from so many veterans who are struggling with extended wait times in the Pacific Northwest.

Thankfully, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Sanders-McCain compromise, legislation aimed at addressing transparency, wait times, and accountability issues at the VA. This legislation is a critical step toward addressing some of the immediate accountability and access concerns plaguing the VA. In addition, as further investigations and reviews are completed, we need to keep working to ensure the VA continues to take substantive action to address any management, resource, and personnel shortcomings that have contributed to today’s findings.

Critical Federal Funding for Washington State in Appropriations Bills

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I was proud to deliver for Washington state in the Appropriations bills passed last week. Funding will go toward projects in Seattle, Spokane, Pullman, Walla Walla and more, and includes everything from funding for the FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment led by Washington State University, to new requirements for oil train safety, to funding for airport improvement projects, and more.

The Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill included funding for additional immigration judges to reduce case backlog, a new report on the next generation of polar icebreakers, and funding for pacific salmon restoration.

Find a list of selected projects and programs in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill that benefit Washington state.

“Airport could get more federal funds”
– Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

“Murray works for jet biofuels center money; National center co-led by WSU in the Tri-Cities” – Tri-City Herald

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Strengthening Social Security Benefits for Seniors, Persons with Disabilities, and Young Adults who Face Serious Hardship

I was proud to join Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) in introducing the Retirement and Income Security Enhancements (RAISE) Act – a set of commonsense proposals to modernize, enhance, and protect our Social Security system in a fiscally responsible way. The RAISE Act would strengthen benefits for seniors, persons with disabilities, and young adults who have faced serious hardship in their immediate families, while helping to shore up the Social Security Trust Fund using an approach that protects middle class families, and asks those who can afford it to pay their fair share. At a time when Social Security is an increasingly critical source of support for so many, the RAISE Act would take some important steps to ensure our Social Security system is doing everything possible to help seniors and their families.