by Patty Murray

Stop Child Summer Hunger

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.

Read more.

“VA audit flags Seattle hospital, 6 others after investigation into wait times”
– Q13

“Wait times for Puget Sound VA up to nearly 59 days”
– KOMO

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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.

“Murray seeks DOJ change in anti-gang grant process”
– The Yakima Herald

“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.

Read more about my bill.

“Senate Democrats propose Social Security reform”
 – The Hill

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When Sarah Palin appointed Dan Sullivan to serve as Alaska’s Attorney General, she was promoting the next generation of Tea Party leadership in the state.

Now Sullivan is running for the U.S. Senate where he sees himself aligned with Senators like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee; the crazy wing of the once-proud Republican Party.

After twenty years in the service, including a tour in Iraq, I’m happy to join with VoteVets in an effort to educate Alaskans about Sullivan’s extreme views.

Like the multiple times he tried to usher in a plan that would quickly grant land use permits on sensitive fisheries and hunting areas to his special interest friends – including general permits for mineral extraction – all without public notice or the chance to comment.

It’s a violation of Alaska’s State Constitution, and as an Alaskan, that’s something I take very seriously.

Watch VoteVets’ ad about Dan Sullivan’s special interest land grab and help us keep it on the air. Air time is cheaper in Alaska, so even a $5 contribution goes a long a way.

In a recent hearing about the bill, over 150 Alaskans attended to protect their fisheries, forests and wetlands. Only two stood in support of the bill, both representatives of a local mining association.

For many veterans, these lands are vital to re-acclimating to society after returning home from service overseas. They shouldn’t be handed over to special interests happy to irreparably destroy them for a quick buck.

Thank you for helping us make our voices heard on this issue.

http://action.votevets.org/land-grab

All the best,

Paul Lincoln
Iraq War Veteran
VoteVets.org