EMILY's List

Patty Murray

U.S. Senate, Washington

A grassroots progressive leader
A top women's advocate in the Senate
A crucial Democratic seat

About Patty Murray

A mom with a mission

When Patty Murray ran for Senate in 1992, a state representative denounced her as “just a mom in tennis shoes” that wouldn't be able to make a difference -- but she did. Known for her work in education and children’s issues, Murray served as a member of her local school board and in the Washington state Senate before running for U.S. Senate. Since then, she’s made her mark on the Senate through her work on veterans’ issues, agriculture, transportation, and labor.

An influential role

Murray has worked her way up on the Senate's leadership ladder, and has been appointed to several key committees, including Appropriations, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where she is on the front lines of the battle for health care reform. Recently, Murray joined several other EMILY’s List alums in the Senate to highlight current disparities in health care coverage for men and women.

Leader on the issues

Murray entered Congress with a strong commitment to education. She has worked to increase funding for Head Start, make college more affordable, and promote math and science as a priority in Washington schools. Murray also has been a strong advocate for women, promoting increased funding for the National Family Planning Program, encouraging the FDA to make emergency contraception accessible, and fighting to expand the Violence Against Women Act.

March 3, 2010

Senator Murray Announces Major Broadband Expansion into New Communities in Washington State

Big News

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA 1st) on the campus of the University of Washington Medical Center to announce an $84 million federal investment in building new broadband lines to communities in Washington state. The funding was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which Senator Murray helped pass into law. The funding will go to the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) a non-profit corporation of public utility districts that has partnered to provide access to libraries, hospitals, businesses and homeowners.

“This is a direct investment in making our state more competitive,” said Senator Murray. “Not only with other states here at home, but with other countries around the globe. This grant will bring telehealth, distance learning, and help for small businesses to many regions in our state for the first time. A person’s ZIP code should never limit their access to learning, high-quality health care, or a chance to grow a small business. Broadband access is no longer a luxury, it’s a must. This investment will help ensure we are not leaving communities behind.”

Sen. Patty Murray remarks on community health centers at White House health summit

Washington Post

Mr. President, thank you, and this has been I think a very good discussion. And I think all of us come to this table today having heard a lot of stories and talked to a lot of people and bring their passions with us today. And I certainly am one of those.

Every time we talk about this, every time I think about this, I remember a little boy who I met last spring, who was 11 years old, who's name was Marcellus. And he told me that his mom, single mom, taking care of him and his two younger sisters, was going to work every day, had a job managing a fast-food restaurant, was doing OK, but she got sick. And when she got sick, she had to take time off from work. And because she was missing so much work, she lost her job. When she lost her job, she lost her health care. And because she lost her health care, she couldn't get in to see a doctor and sadly, Marcellus' mom died.

'We can move forward,' Sen. Murray asserts

The Daily News

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat running this year for a fourth term, said Friday she "loves" her job and looks forward to a "rousing" campaign, even as other Democrats are bailing rather than going through a bruising election to stay in an institution mired in partisanship and gridlock.

"What people don't see are the things that work right," Murray said during a meeting with The Daily News' editorial board, "And I'm involved in a lot of things that work right."