Murray, Top Appropriators Release Minibus

Six-bill package fully funds WIC, protects vital funding to propel our economy, keeps Americans safe, helps families thrive, and rejects extreme Republican riders

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the first bicameral, bipartisan package of six fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills alongside Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX-12) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03).

The funding package protects nutrition assistance for millions of women and kids who count on WIC, sustains funding essential to our economy, keeps passengers safe, protects our food supply, delivers for our veterans and brave federal firefighters, and rejects devastating cuts and well over 100 extreme Republican riders that would turn back the clock.

In a statement, Chair Murray said:

“Democrats fought hard to protect investments that matter to working people everywhere and help keep our economy strong—rejecting devastating cuts to housing, nutrition assistance, and more. Importantly, we blocked countless extreme Republican policies—like efforts to restrict abortion rights—that would have set our country back decades.

“Forcing states to pick and choose which moms and kids will be able to access essential WIC benefits was never an acceptable outcome to Democrats, and this bill ensures that won’t happen by fully funding WIC for millions of families nationwide.

“This bipartisan package will keep America moving forward—strengthening investments to ensure safe and efficient travel and sustaining critical programs as Democrats rebuild America’s infrastructure. We keep our promises to brave wildland firefighters and protect vital investments to stay the course on historic climate action taken by the Biden administration while safeguarding our public lands. We continue to deliver key resources to propel American innovation and strengthen our economic recovery. And we secured record investments to support women veterans’ health care, help end veteran homelessness, and increase access to mental health services for veterans.

“This was a negotiation. Democrats worked under really tough fiscal constraints that I never agreed with, but for months, I’ve made clear we can in fact fund our government if we just work together in a reasonable, bipartisan way. Let’s get this package signed into law and finish the job on our remaining six bills.”

Among other things, the funding package:

Fully funds WIC—protecting essential benefits for nearly 7 million women and kids nationwide and ensuring no one will be put on a waitlist or denied assistance.
Invests in hiring new air traffic controllers and rail safety inspectors to keep people safe and reduce delays for passengers.
Protects vital rental assistance to help millions of households keep a roof over their head and protects key programs to help build more housing.
Sustains critical infrastructure programs to keep rebuilding America’s roads, bridges, and so much more.
Maintains critical pay raises for brave federal firefighters and supports wildfire suppression efforts as wildfire season grows longer and more severe.
Rejects drastic cuts to core environmental and conservation programs—and extreme riders that would block progress to tackle the climate crisis.
Fully funds veterans’ medical care and benefits—and delivers historic investments to increase mental health services for veterans, help end veteran homelessness, and support women veterans’ health care.
Strengthens our investments in cutting-edge scientific research.
Protects resources our farmers and ranchers count on.

Text of the six-bill package is available HERE.

Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies

Bill Summary

Explanatory Statement

Congressionally Directed Spending

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Bill Summary

Explanatory Statement

Congressionally Directed Spending

Energy and Water Development

Bill Summary

Explanatory Statement