Senator Murray's Address to Washington State

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a virtual address to people in Washington state outlining exactly how President Trump has failed hardworking Americans—whether by passing the largest cuts to health care and SNAP in history or through his catastrophic economic policies that have driven up costs and pushed countless small businesses to the brink of closure, earlier this week, Murray announced she would not attend the State of the Union in person.

Senator Murray was also joined by Washington state constituents who shared their own personal stories, illustrating how Trump’s destructive policies are hurting American families everywhere; Leslie McNamara, Elected Commissioner of Three Rivers Hospital, whose husband is a small business owner who relied on ACA tax credits to afford health care; Olia Catala, Wilmer Toledo-Martinez’s immigration lawyer, who shared his story and spoke to how immigration enforcement has changed drastically under Trump; and Sarah Esch, International Longshore & Warehouse Workers’ Union (ILWU) Local 19 member and Legislative Committee member, who discussed how Trump’s tariff policies have impacted longshoremen, their families, and local economies in Washington state.

President Trump will be delivering the State of the Union with record low job approval among independents, as millions of Americans are increasingly fed up with Republican policies that are making it more expensive to get by, while billionaires and giant corporations are showered with deficit-busting tax breaks.

Trump and Republicans refused to take action to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, resulting in health care premiums more than doubling and enrollment in the ACA marketplaces down by 1.3 million compared to last year. Trump’s catastrophic tariff policies, which he has already doubled down on after last week’s Supreme Court ruling, have sent the price of everyday goods surging, with the average American family paying an extra $1,300 in 2026 due to Trump’s tariffs, up from $1,000 in 2025, according to a study from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. Even on immigration, which the President campaigned aggressively on, Trump is bleeding support with two-thirds of Americans agreeing that ICE has gone too far. All the while, the President shamelessly focuses his attention on foreign conflicts and renovating the White House as he unabashedly enriches himself and his family.

In her address, Murray outlined Trump’s failures and explained how Democrats are fighting for a more hopeful future for America—one where health care is affordable and accessible for everyone, where government is focused on building a stronger economy for the middle-class and making daily life more affordable, and where American citizens can expect humane immigration enforcement dictated by law and order rather than chaos and cruelty for the sake of cruelty. Murray emphasized that Trump’s agenda is not inevitable and that every American can make a difference and force a change using their vote and their voice.