Senator Murray Warns of National Security Risks in Full-Year CR

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) has raised serious concerns over the potential consequences of the Trump-Johnson full-year Continuing Resolution (CR), particularly its impact on U.S. export controls and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

The proposed legislation, set for a vote this week, grants the Trump administration broad discretion over federal spending, eliminating congressional directives that typically ensure funding for critical national security priorities, , including sanctions, export controls, non-proliferation and emerging technology policy.

Murray criticized House Republicans for abandoning bipartisan negotiations in favor of a partisan CR that would allow the administration to allocate federal resources without legislative constraints. One of the most pressing concerns she highlighted is the potential defunding of specific BIS programs responsible for enforcing export controls, particularly regarding Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

“Specific funding directives for the Bureau of Industry and Security—whose mission is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by operating an effective export control system—fall away,” Murray stated. “The Trump administration could, for example, alter funding for enforcement of Russian and Belarussian export controls.”

The BIS plays a vital role in safeguarding U.S. technological advantages and preventing the proliferation of sensitive technologies to foreign adversaries. Under the proposed CR, funding flexibility granted to the executive branch could jeopardize enforcement mechanisms that regulate the export of critical technologies, potentially weakening U.S. economic and national security interests, according to the lawmaker.

Murray also warned that the CR’s provisions could result in significant reductions or eliminations of key national security programs, including nuclear nonproliferation efforts and quantum science research. The removal of congressional oversight in spending decisions could lead to politically motivated funding shifts, disproportionately impacting Democratic-led states and cities.

“This is not a clean CR—it’s a slush fund that hands vast discretion over spending decisions to the Trump administration, which could redirect resources as it sees fit,” Murray asserted. “Instead of ceding power to Trump, Congress should pass a short-term CR to prevent a shutdown and finalize full-year funding bills that ensure congressional control over federal funding priorities.”

Murray emphasized that bipartisan cooperation remains essential in preserving the integrity of U.S. national security programs. She urged congressional leaders to reject the full-year CR in favor of a solution that maintains critical funding directives and prevents executive overreach in export control enforcement.