Washington DC — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and many of her Democratic colleagues to discuss a new legislative effort to bolster U.S. competitiveness and reiterate the importance of her work as Appropriations Chair to craft and pass funding bills to keep pace with our competitors and keep America on the cutting edge. In her remarks, Senator Murray also warned of how House Republicans’ steep cuts would undermine our nation’s ability to compete with China.
On May 16, Senator Murray will chair a full Appropriations Committee hearing to examine the strategic investments needed in the upcoming fiscal year to strengthen America’s security and competitiveness and stay ahead of global competitors like China in the decades to come.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“It is no secret that our competitors on the world stage, including the Chinese government, are doing everything they can to get ahead and outcompete us.
“As I’ve been saying in just about every Appropriations hearing—and I have been to more than twenty already—staying ahead in the global economy, including with the Chinese government, requires that we make critical investments we need to stay competitive and secure—across our government.
“House Republicans are threatening to throw in the towel to our competitors with their disastrous Default on America bill.
“I will keep saying this: China is not debating whether to pay its debts or wreck its economy. China is not debating whether to invest in its future or cut and cap the investments they need to keep it competitive. And China, by the way, does not operate on CRs. So why do House Republicans want to threaten economic catastrophe and put us behind?
“We cannot let partisan hostage-taking win the day—and lose us the 21st century.
“So, I’m glad Leader Schumer is bringing together this group of Chairs to craft policies to keep our nation competitive—and I’ll certainly be looking at what kinds of investments it will take to support all of their efforts.
“I’m already talking to my colleagues on Appropriations about what kind of investments make sense—whether it’s in R&D, strategic partnerships abroad, or in other areas—similar to how we did the CHIPS funding last Congress which had widespread, bipartisan support. But in addition to this new effort, I’m also focused on ensuring we have a reliable and consistent annual appropriations process—meaning regular order and passing our funding bills in a timely way so we strengthen American competitiveness and security.
“And we have to remember, it is about more than just investing in our defense to ensure our success. After all, investing in child care is investing in the workforce that will build semiconductors here in America. Investing in clean energy is investing in American jobs. Investing in food safety, medical research, or border security is protecting our families. And investing in American leadership across the board—and across the world—is how we win the future.
“Finally, I want to echo the sentiment of so many of my colleagues and remind everyone: we are competing against the Chinese government, not the Chinese people or the Chinese Americans across our great country.”
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