Patty Murray

I'm surprised it's taken this long in a hearing to have that word to come up.

Are there any efforts underway right now to identify or study how to improve some of the intermodal connections between rail and truck, seaports?

The strategic plan that's been talked about is pretty ambitious.

One of the things I think we're all aware of in this region is that the I-5 Columbia River bridge is aging.

I would agree. I would just say that we have to also take into account regional impacts.

I think we have a real problem moving forward here.

In my home State of Washington, we have literally lost thousands of jobs in the last several years.

Everybody is saying to me why are you trying to cut the pay of the people who are still at work.

In May, after weeks of Democratic efforts, Congress extended unemployment benefits for the 22 million Americans who have been laid off due to the economic downturn in this country. So far, our Republican colleagues have refused to include…

Our military needs to be ready for whatever conflicts come to them on the war on terror. They need to be out there training. Certainly at Makah Air Force Base and the other bases we have, they need to know they have a place they can train…

I say to my colleague from Florida, I have listened to his battles for many years as he has fought to protect the beautiful shores of Florida. I have seen the shores of Florida, and they are gorgeous. He is right, tourism is a critical…

As the Senator from Florida knows well, for all who live on coastal States, our economies are struggling today; the high-tech industry is struggling; Boeing has lost thousands of jobs. There is still the beautiful environment that people…

Under current law, all medical providers in the Department of Defense have a conscience clause.

I remind the Senator that domestically in the service, a woman has the right to receive health care services at a hospital. So where this affects a woman is when they are serving overseas and they don't have the same access.

The Senator is correct only in that it would strike the language in the bill which would put us back to the previous language that is in the statute today, which I am happy to provide him, which I accurately described in my statement.

In all military facilities, women who are victims of rape or incest do have the opportunity to receive abortions.

The amendment, as I have offered, has a conscience clause for all doctors overseas.

The Senate now has before it a very important amendment. I think all of us know that women have played a critical role in all of our country's recent military actions. In Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in missions throughout the world, women…

The rules have definitely changed, I say to the Senator, because I have offered this amendment postcloture and it has been considered relevant before.

I have always understood the definition of ``relevancy'' to be a lower standard than the issue of germaneness.

This is a real slap in the face to the women who serve us overseas in the military, who are asked every single day to protect us, to fight for what we believe in, to fight for our freedoms. They are being told they are second-class…

I am shocked and amazed that women are being told today they are not relevant. I am furious that women are being told they are not relevant when it comes to the Department of Defense, when it comes to their health care, and when it comes…

Well, thank you very much, Mr.

On the issue of crab rationalization which is before us now, I am confident that we will be able to work together.

You and I are both here today for one simple reason, the status quo is not working.