In Pierce County, Senator Murray Highlights Early Childhood Education, Workforce Training, and Efforts to Fund Local Initiatives

Murray discussed two issues that have been top priorities for her in Congress, early childhood education and workforce training; Murray is working to support local Pierce county initiatives with federal funding

***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL OF MURRAY'S VISIT TO EVERGREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL HERE***

***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL OF MURRAY'S TOUR OF THE YMCA HERE***

***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL OF MURRAY'S ROUNDTABLE ON WORKFORCE TRAINING HERE***

Tacoma, WA - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Pierce County to meet with constituents and local leaders, discussing issues ranging from early childhood education and nutrition to workforce training, and more.

At the start of the day, Senator Murray visited Evergreen Primary School to hear from local educators, local leaders, and Pierce County kids themselves as she works to secure $500,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Pierce County and its Gardening and Nutrition for Early Childhood Education program. The funding would be used to support garden installation equipment and supplies, curriculum materials, and program support. This funding would help bring this program to 7 Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) sites across Pierce County. The gardens will also provide fresh produce to supplement classroom meals. Produce that is harvested outside the ECEAP school year would be used at family engagement events or supplied to local food banks.

"Pierce County's gardening and nutrition program for our youngest students will make an important difference in our kids lives-it brings the community together, it helps our kids learn new skills, and provides incredible enrichment at a critical time in our children's development," said Senator Murray. "Every kid no matter their zip code or income deserves a great public school education-and that's why I am going to fight hard to deliver the funds to make sure this incredible gardening program becomes a reality."

Murray, a former preschool teacher, is the top Congressional advocate for early childhood education. Murray secured a $1 billion increase in early childhood education under tough fiscal constraints in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills she wrote and negotiated; in the Fiscal Year 2025 funding bill she passed out of committee and is working to pass into law, Murray secured a $2.3 billion increase in early childhood education. Murray is also the lead author of the Child Care for Working Families Act which would deliver a generational investment in early childhood education and put the United States on the path to universal pre-k.

Murray has also been a top Congressional advocate for childhood nutrition, working for nearly a decade to pass her landmark summer EBT bill into law, a version of which went into effect for the first time ever just this summer, providing families with $120 per eligible child for the summer.

Later in the day, Senator Murray held a roundtable discussion about the need to expand workforce training opportunities in the maritime industry, particularly to support the Port of Tacoma. Senator Murray was joined by Josh Garcia, Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools; Eric Johnson, Executive Director for the Port of Tacoma; Lisa Keating, Board President of Tacoma Public Schools; Adam Kulaas, Director of Innovative Learning & CTE at Tacoma Public Schools; and Shellie Willis, Senior Director of Collective Impact at WorkForce Central. Senator Murray is working to secure $500,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending to help establish a maritime specific curriculum for Pierce County students at the Maritime 253 Skills Center once its doors open.

"In every corner of our state, I hear from businesses who need more skilled workers to grow and compete, workers who want to learn new skills and start new careers so they can set themselves up for success-and the maritime industry is no different," said Senator Murray. "The Port of Tacoma is a major economic engine for our region and there are good-paying jobs that need to get filled-but part of the solution is making sure we build the pipeline now and make sure our young people have the skills and training they need to work those jobs. I'll keep doing everything I can to make sure I am investing in our public schools and local workforce training every way that I can-and that absolutely includes securing the funding needed to help educate the next generation of maritime workers and leaders right here in Pierce County."

In Congress, Murray is advocating for the swift reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-landmark legislation Murray authored and led passage of in 2014 to strengthen and improve our nation's public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers. As Senate Appropriations Chair, Murray fought to protect investments in workforce training and development, securing $2.9 billion in Fiscal Year 2024 for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) formula grants and $285 million for Registered Apprenticeships. In the Fiscal Year 2025 funding bill she passed out of committee and is working to pass into law, Murray protected essential investments made in recent years by providing $2.9 billion for WIOA formula grants, $290 million for Registered Apprenticeships, $110 million for YouthBuild, and sustaining funding for a range of other programs, such as Reentry Employment Opportunities.

During her trip to Pierce County, Murray also visited the Morgan Family YMCA to meet with staff and local leaders to discuss the construction of the new Pearl Street Family YMCA, the services it will offer, and efforts to expand opportunities for Central Tacoma. Senator Murray is working to secure $2.2 million to help fund the construction of the new Pearl Street Family YMCA.

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