Patty Murray

We can't have strong communities if people can't put food on the table.

It is not going to be easy, but we have to live up to our responsibility to pass these funding bills in a timely, bipartisan way to keep our families strong, and our economy strong, and our country competitive on the world stage.

We have to make sure that our food supply is secure, and that means protecting our families from unsafe food.

We have a responsibility to work in a timely fashion to write a bipartisan funding bill that will keep our communities safe and our nation competitive on the stage.

We have to maintain our reputation as the leader of the free world, as the land of opportunity.

We have a responsibility to work in a timely fashion to write a bipartisan funding bill that will keep our communities safe and our nation competitive on the stage.

Throughout our history immigrants have strengthened our nation.

Our economy depends on our ability to make sure that countless goods as well as people can move through our ports and borders in a safe, orderly, and timely fashion.

I negotiated and passed the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 which Senator Collins, who just left, was a critical part of.

Families back home are really counting on us to work in this committee and across the Appropriations in a timely bipartisan way.

I am very concerned about the House GOP calling for steep cuts to critical programs like our Federal Food Assistance.

We have to make sure that our food supply is secure, and that means protecting our families from unsafe food.

I am hearing from a number of really troubling reports about Starbucks refusing to allow credit card tipping, cutting employee hours, holding the loss of critical benefits like health care insurance and gender affirming care over the heads…

I have also heard allegations that Starbucks has interfered with employees' ability to testify, including in Seattle.

Do you agree that it is workers who get to decide whether they want a union?

But I think that decision is up to workers under Federal law.

My family relied on food stamps when I was growing up, and my dad lost his job because he got sick.

Yes. Mr. Secretary, I am very concerned about the House GOP calling for steep cuts to critical programs like our Federal Food Assistance.

I am really glad we have the opportunity now to assess what we need to do to support our communities through the important programs here at the Department of Agriculture.

This is essential to keeping our nation strong, not to mention competitive.

It is not going to be easy, but we have to live up to our responsibility to pass these funding bills in a timely, bipartisan way to keep our families strong, and our economy strong, and our country competitive on the world stage.

Well, thank you very much, Chair Heinrich, and Ranking Member Hoeven, I do look forward to working with both of you, and Vice Chair Collins, and everyone on this subcommittee, as we return to regular order for the first time in years.

We can't have strong communities if people can't put food on the table.

We have to make sure that our food supply is secure, and that means protecting our families from unsafe food.

We have a responsibility to work in a timely fashion to write a bipartisan funding bill that will keep our communities safe and our nation competitive on the stage.