{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"VT\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/123114", "News December 31", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 31\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 31, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nEconomic Security\u00a0Despite some improvement in the economy, median incomes for American workers are falling. \u201cIf you look at the trend over the last 40 years, millions of people have seen a decline in their real income,\u201d Sanders said Tuesday in a radio interview with Ed Schultz. \u201cEconomic security is of enormous importance,\u201d the senator said on\u00a0The Thom Hartmann Program as he outlined an agenda for the coming year. AUDIO,\u00a0AUDIO\u00a0\u00a0\r\nA Progressive Vision\u00a0\u201cThe great moral, economic and political issue of our time is the growing level of income and wealth inequality in our nation,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in a column for\u00a0Daily Kos,\u00a0OpEdNews\u00a0and\u00a0Green Mountain Daily. \"In the year 2015, our job is to gain control over the national debate, stay focused on the issues of real importance to the American people, stand up for our principles, educate and organize.\"\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nVoodoo Economics\u00a0Republicans in Congress plan to fire Doug Elmendorf, the Congressional Budget Office chief, because he won't base economic projections on something they call \"dynamic scoring.\" That is the new buzzword among right-wing economists for a notion that tax cuts result in economic growth that in turn yields more government revenue. \u201cIt is a fraud,\u201d Sen. Sanders said on Tuesday on The Thom Hartmann Program. It\u2019s what the first President Bush called \u201cvoodoo economics,\u201d Sanders added. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nBudget Committee\u00a0Americans can expect a smaller but more progressive Democratic caucus in the Senate next year, according to\u00a0a blog for Moyers & Company, which noted that Sen. Sanders would lead the chamber's Budget Committee. Sanders hired University of Missouri-Kansas City economics professor Stephanie Kelton to serve as the chief economist for Democrats on the committee,\u00a0The Kansas City Star\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nU.S. Denies Iran Swap Deal\u00a0The United States called on Tuesday for the release of U.S. citizens held in\u00a0Iran, denying a report that Washington had proposed a prisoner exchange for a former U.S. Marine,\u00a0Reuters\u00a0said.\u00a0LINK\r\nKremlin Crackdown\u00a0Police in Moscow briefly detained anticorruption crusader and political opposition Aleksei A. Navalny on Tuesday as he tried to join an unauthorized, antigovernment rally,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported. Navalny is seen as a key leader in the opposition to President Vladimir Putin.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\n6.5 Million Health Care Enrollments\u00a0Nearly 6.5 million people either selected or were enrolled in a new individual insurance plan for 2015 on the HealthCare.gov website through Dec. 26, the U.S. government health agency told\u00a0Reuters.\u00a0The government has said it is aiming for more than 9 million enrollees for 2015.\u00a0LINK\r\nTrade Deal Pushed Republican control of the Senate has elevated pro-trade lawmakers to key positions in leadership and committee control but Republicans inclined to give the president trade-negotiating authority are still seething at his executive action deferring deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants. Democrats may be the bigger problem. Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction on trade, wants to work with the administration but he said he was not about to allow. Obama to negotiate the partnership on his own, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nHospices Rarely Punished for Mistreatment\u00a0Federal regulators have punished few hospices for violating health and safety standards despite large numbers of problem citations,\u00a0The Huffington Post\u00a0said.\u00a0Medicare\u2019s federal regulator has punished a hospice just 16 times in the last decade, despite carrying out 15,000 inspections and identifying more than 31,000 violations.\u00a0LINK\r\nVermont\r\nFairPoint Strike\u00a0Two unions that accused FairPoint Communications of bargaining in bad faith have lost their appeal to the National Labor Relations Board, delivering a blow to striking workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nShumlin Releases Single Payer Details\u00a0Gov. Peter Shumlin's administration on Tuesday released documents that led to the decision to abandon plans to make Vermont the first state in the country with a universal, publicly-funded health care system,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/agenda-for-america", "Agenda for America", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Agenda for America \n             12 Steps Forward \n            \n        \n   \n   \n   \t\t\n        \t\n            \t\n                    \n                        Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure\n                        Reversing Climate Change\n                        Creating Worker Co-ops\n                        Growing the Trade Union Movement\n                        Raising the Minimum Wage\n                        Pay Equity for Women Workers\n                        Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers\n                        Making College Affordable for All\n                        Taking on Wall Street\n                        Health Care as a Right for All\n                        Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans\n                        Real Tax Reform\n                    \n                \n                \n                \t\n                \n            \n        \n   \n   \n\t    1. Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure \n       \n       \t\tWe need a major investment to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure: roads, bridges, water systems, waste water plants, airports, railroads and schools. It has been estimated that the cost of the Bush-Cheney Iraq War, a war we should never have waged, will total $3 trillion by the time the last veteran receives needed care. A $1 trillion investment in infrastructure could create 13 million decent paying jobs and make this country more efficient and productive. We need to invest in infrastructure, not more war.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n   \n   \n\t    2. Reversing Climate Change \n       \n       \t\tThe United States must lead the world in reversing climate change and make certain that this planet is habitable for our children and grandchildren. We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies. Millions of homes and buildings need to be weatherized, our transportation system needs to be energy efficient and we need to greatly accelerate the progress we are already seeing in wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and other forms of sustainable energy. Transforming our energy system will not only protect the environment, it will create good paying jobs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n   \n   \n   \n\t    3. Creating Worker Co-ops \n       \n       \t\tWe need to develop new economic models to increase job creation and productivity. Instead of giving huge tax breaks to corporations which ship our jobs to China and other low-wage countries, we need to provide assistance to workers who want to purchase their own businesses by establishing worker-owned cooperatives. Study after study shows that when workers have an ownership stake in the businesses they work for, productivity goes up, absenteeism goes down and employees are much more satisfied with their jobs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    4. Growing the Trade Union Movement \n       \n       \t\tUnion workers who are able to collectively bargain for higher wages and benefits earn substantially more than non-union workers. Today, corporate opposition to union organizing makes it extremely difficult for workers to join a union. We need legislation which makes it clear that when a majority of workers sign cards in support of a union, they can form a union.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    5. Raising the Minimum Wage \n       \n       \t\tThe current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage. No one in this country who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    6. Pay Equity for Women Workers \n       \n       \t\tWomen workers today earn 78 percent of what their male counterparts make. We need pay equity in our country \u2014 equal pay for equal work.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    7. Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers \n       \n       \t\tSince 2001 we have lost more than 60,000 factories in this country, and more than 4.9 million decent-paying manufacturing jobs. We must end our disastrous trade policies (NAFTA, CAFTA, PNTR with China, etc.) which enable corporate America to shut down plants in this country and move to China and other low-wage countries. We need to end the race to the bottom and develop trade policies which demand that American corporations create jobs here, and not abroad. Sign the petition to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership \u2014 another trade deal disaster \u00bb\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    8. Making College Affordable for All \n       \n       \t\tIn today's highly competitive global economy, millions of Americans are unable to afford the higher education they need in order to get good-paying jobs. Further, with both parents now often at work, most working-class families can't locate the high-quality and affordable child care they need for their kids. Quality education in America, from child care to higher education, must be affordable for all. Without a high-quality and affordable educational system, we will be unable to compete globally and our standard of living will continue to decline.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    9. Taking on Wall Street \n       \n       \t\tThe function of banking is to facilitate the flow of capital into productive and job-creating activities. Financial institutions cannot be an island unto themselves, standing as huge profit centers outside of the real economy. Today, six huge Wall Street financial institutions have assets equivalent to 61 percent of our gross domestic product - over $9.8 trillion. These institutions underwrite more than half the mortgages in this country and more than two-thirds of the credit cards. The greed, recklessness and illegal behavior of major Wall Street firms plunged this country into the worst financial crisis since the 1930s. They are too powerful to be reformed. They must be broken up.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    10. Health Care as a Right for All \n       \n       \t\tThe United States must join the rest of the industrialized world and recognize that health care is a right of all, and not a privilege. Despite the fact that more than 40 million Americans have no health insurance, we spend almost twice as much per capita on health care as any other nation. We need to establish a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    11. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans \n       \n       \t\tMillions of seniors live in poverty and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country. We must strengthen the social safety net, not weaken it. Instead of cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and nutrition programs, we should be expanding these programs.\n       \n       \n   \n   \n\t    12. Real Tax Reform \n       \n       \t\tAt a time of massive wealth and income inequality, we need a progressive tax system in this country which is based on ability to pay. It is not acceptable that major profitable corporations have paid nothing in federal income taxes, and that corporate CEOs in this country often enjoy an effective tax rate which is lower than their secretaries. It is absurd that we lose over $100 billion a year in revenue because corporations and the wealthy stash their cash in offshore tax havens around the world. The time is long overdue for real tax reform.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/123014", "News December 30", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 30\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 30, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSanders: Trade Deal is a \u2018Disaster\u2019 Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Monday that he opposes a major trade deal that he says will lead to fewer jobs in the United States. He said the White House hopes to rush a treaty for a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership through Congress next year. Sanders said treaties like this force American workers to compete against low-wage labor around the world leading to massive U.S. job losses, WFFF-TV and WVNY-TV reported. VIDEO, VIDEO\u00a0\r\nA Progressive Vision\u00a0\u201cThe great moral, economic and political issue of our time is the growing level of income and wealth inequality in our nation,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in a column for\u00a0The Huffington Post. Sanders called the disparity \u201ca disgrace to everything this country is supposed to stand for,\u201d MSNBC reported on Tuesday. Sanders said progressives must stay focused on issues of real importance to the American people,\u00a0The Hill\u00a0reported.\u00a0 LINK,\u00a0LINK, VIDEO\r\nRx Prices Escalating prices of some generic drugs are causing raised eyebrows and drained checking accounts. Sen. Sanders, chairman of a Senate health care subcommittee, has been outspoken on the increase in cost of generic drugs, the Herald-Whig in Quincy, Illinois, reported. \"We are talking about the need of the American people to be able to afford the medicine that their doctors prescribe,\" Sanders told the Chicago Tribune. LINK\r\nPhoenix VA A federal administrative law judge upheld the firing of the former Phoenix VA director but rejected charges that she covered up long wait times. The judge concluded that it is \"more likely than not that at least some senior leaders were aware or should have been of nationwide problems getting veterans scheduled for timely appointments.\u201d A Fox News report showed former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki telling Chairman Sanders at a hearing in May that there was not a widespread problem of VA officials \u201ccooking the books.\u201d\r\nWorld\r\nEmbassy in Iran\u00a0President Barack Obama said he wouldn't rule out opening an embassy in Iran if the country can prove it's\u00a0\"actually not interested in developing a nuclear weapon,\"\u00a0CBS News\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nGmail Blocked in China\u00a0Google's Gmail was blocked in\u00a0China\u00a0after months of disruptions to the world's biggest email service. An anti-censorship advocate suggested a government firewall was to blame, Reuters\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nObama Warns GOP of Vetoes in 2015\u00a0Bracing to do business with a Congress run solely by Republicans, President Obama is serving notice he has no qualms about vetoing legislation he dislikes,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0\"I haven't used the veto pen very often since I've been in office,\" Obama said in an NPR interview. \"Now, I suspect, there are going to be some times where I've got to pull that pen out... I'm going to defend gains that we've made in health care. I'm going to defend gains that we've made on environment and clean air and clean water.\"\u00a0LINK\r\nLoan Sharks Prey on Service Members Lenders are exploiting legal loopholes and gouging United States military personnel with pricey financial products, according to a federal consumer watchdog. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a report on Monday that laws restricting how much interest firms can charge for payday, auto title and other loans are too narrow. Under the Military Lending Act, lenders are barred from charging U.S. service people more than 36 percent interest for certain short-term loans. But financial firms are effectively skirting the rules by offering longer-term loans to U.S. service people and their families, allowing lenders to hit borrowers with higher rates and heavy fees, CBS News reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nVermont Yankee Ends Operations\u00a0Vermont's only nuclear plant stopped sending power to the New England grid Monday following more than 42 years of producing electricity,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported. LINK\r\nJudge Appointed A Burlington attorney is going to become the newest judge on the Vermont Superior Court. Gov. Peter Shumlin announced the appointment of Nancy Waples on Monday. Waples is currently an attorney with the Burlington law firm of Hoff Curtis where she focuses on criminal defense. She has also served as an assistant United States Attorney in the criminal division.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-senate-must-reauthorize-lifesaving-bulletproof-vest-grant-program-next-year", "Leahy: Senate Must Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program Next Year", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.29.14\n\t\t\t Leahy: Senate Must Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program Next Year \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t . . . More Than One Million Vests Provided Through The Program\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t MONDAY, December 29, 2014 \u2013 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) will reintroduce legislation next month to reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase bulletproof vests for officers working in the field.\u00a0\r\nLeahy, a former prosecutor, coauthored the original law establishing the matching grant program, which has issued more than one million lifesaving vests to state and local law enforcement officers throughout the country since 1999 \u2013 including more than 4000 vests for officers in Vermont. \u00a0Legislation to reauthorize the popular program was blocked in the last Congress, despite having broad bipartisan support. Leahy, the incoming ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, encouraged the incoming Republican majority to work with all Senate Democrats who support this critical, life-saving program.\r\n\u201cMembers of Congress often speak passionately about the need to support the officers who serve and protect the public on the front lines, but we need to match words with action,\u201d Leahy said. \u201cNo action to protect and support law enforcement officers is more tangible and effective than this partnership. It proves and renews its value each time an officer goes on the beat.\u201d\r\nLeahy continued: \u201cNo officer should have to serve without a protective vest.\u00a0I am disappointed that a single Republican blocked the Senate from passing the bill this year, but our work does not stop at the end of the year. I will introduce the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 as soon as the new legislative session begins so that we can work quickly next year to pass this important legislation.\u00a0I hope that Senators from both sides of the aisle will join me in this effort.\u201d\r\nThe Judiciary Committee approved bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program in August 2013. The bill had the support of every Senate Democrat, and Leahy sought to pass the legislation through the full Senate last May. Those efforts were blocked by Senate Republicans. Congress last reauthorized the program in 2008, and its authorization expired in 2012.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122914", "News December 29", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 29\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nState of the Union Mount Anthony Union High School student Alexina Federhen made news when she won Sen. Sanders\u2019 essay contest, earning the school a visit from the independent senator, according to a Bennington Banner review of top news in the past year. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nJet Lost at Sea The head of the Indonesian agency searching for a missing AirAsia jet carrying 162 people said Monday that he believed the aircraft was \u201cat the bottom of the sea,\u201d\u00a0 The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nUnemployment\u00a0 A U.S. economy that suddenly looks healthy\u201450 straight months of job gains, best quarter of growth in 11 years\u2014is falling short in a key area. It isn\u2019t luring back many of the millions who dropped out of the labor market during the down times. Over the past three months, an average of 6.8 percent of those outside the labor force either found a job or began looking for one. That means people are entering the labor force at the lowest pace in records kept since 1990, down from more than 8 percent in 2010. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nBorder Crossings People who cross into the United States by land a have new tool to help them learn where the shortest lines are at some border crossings. Earlier this month U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched its Border Wait Time app. It provides estimated wait times and open lane status at some land ports of entry, The Associated Press reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-tpp-trade-deal-a-disaster", "Sanders: TPP Trade Deal a Disaster", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders: TPP Trade Deal a \u2018Disaster\u2019\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 29 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today he will oppose a major global trade deal that would lead to fewer jobs and lower pay for workers in the United States.\r\nSanders said he would work with organized labor, environmental groups and other opponents of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that the White House hopes to rush through Congress in the coming year. He issued a statement citing 10 reasons to oppose the agreement.\r\n\u201cThe Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nThe treaty, which is expected to come before Congress in 2015, was written in secret with the help of Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies. The American public and members of Congress, however, were locked out of the process.\r\nThe proposed agreement builds on similar ones such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central America Free Trade Agreement and Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. \u201cThese treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories.\r\n\u201cThe TPP is more of the same, but even worse,\u201d Sanders added. \u201cIt is part of a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing\u00a0 jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf TPP was such a good deal for America, the administration should have the courage to show the American people exactly what is in this deal, instead of keeping the content a secret,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nTo read the senator\u2019s full statement, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-trade-deal-a-disaster", "Sanders: Trade Deal a 'Disaster'", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders: Trade Deal a 'Disaster'\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 29, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\nSen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tours a National Museum of American History gift shop that was restocked at his urging with all made-in-America merchandise on June 8, 2011.\r\n\r\nSen. Bernie Sanders said on Monday that he will oppose a major global trade deal that would lead to fewer jobs and lower pay for workers in the United States. Sanders said he would work with organized labor, environmental groups and other opponents of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that the White House hopes to rush through Congress in the coming year. He issued a statement citing 10 reasons to oppose the agreement.\r\n\u201cThe Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nThe treaty, which is expected to come before Congress in 2015, was written in secret with the help of Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies. The American public and members of Congress, however, were locked out of the process.\r\nThe proposed agreement builds on similar ones such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Central America Free Trade Agreement and Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. \u201cThese treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories.\r\n\u201cThe TPP is more of the same, but even worse,\u201d Sanders added. \u201cIt is part of a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing\u00a0 jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf TPP was such a good deal for America, the administration should have the courage to show the American people exactly what is in this deal, instead of keeping the content a secret,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nTo read the senator\u2019s full statement, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122814", "News December 28", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 28\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 28, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nWorld\r\nU.S. Ends Combat Mission in Afghanistan U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan are formally ending their combat mission on Sunday, leaving Afghan forces to battle a still-resilient Taliban insurgency largely on their own, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nAs Medicaid Rolls Swell, Cuts Loom Just as millions of people are gaining insurance through Medicaid, the program is poised to make deep cuts in payments to many doctors, prompting some physicians and consumer advocates to warn that the reductions could make it more difficult for Medicaid patients to obtain care. The impact will vary by state, but a study by the Urban Institute estimates that doctors who have been receiving the enhanced payments will see their fees for primary care cut by 43 percent, on average, The New York Times reported.\u00a0\r\nVermont\r\nVermont Yankee Shuting Down Monday marks the end of power generation at Vermont Yankee. Control room operators at the nuclear power plant will insert control rods to bring an end to 42\u00bd years of generation, the Rutland Herald reported. LINK\r\nLeahy Photo Exhibit\u00a0Sen. Patrick Leahy will be in Brattleboro this week for a display of photos he has taken during his 40 years in the Senate. The display at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center will include pictures of American Alan Gross as he was released from prison in Cuba earlier this month. Leahy was part of the team that traveled to Havana to retrieve Gross, AP reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/chicago-gave-hundreds-of-high-risk-kids-a-summer-job-violent-crime-arrests-plummeted", "Chicago gave hundreds of high-risk kids a summer job. Violent crime arrests plummeted.", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Chicago gave hundreds of high-risk kids a summer job. Violent crime arrests plummeted.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t By:\u00a0 Emily Badger \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSaturday, December 27, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tIn a year full of distressing stories \u2014 especially about race, crime and violence in urban neighborhoods \u2014 this one points to some hope. Earlier this December, we covered a summer jobs program in Chicago that appeared to lead to fewer teenage arrests for violent crime. Our\u00a0original story, republished below, also reminds us that policy solutions are possible \u2014 and possibly even inexpensive.\r\nA couple of years ago, the city of Chicago started\u00a0a summer jobs programfor teenagers attending high schools in some of the city's high-crime, low-income neighborhoods. The program was meant, of course, to connect students to work. But officials also hoped that it might curb the kinds of problems \u2014 like higher crime \u2014 that arise when there's no work to be found.\r\nResearch on the program\u00a0conducted by the University of Chicago Crime Lab\u00a0and just published in the journal\u00a0Science\u00a0suggests that these summer jobs have actually had such an effect: Students who were randomly assigned to participate in the program had 43 percent fewer violent-crime arrests over 16 months, compared to students in a control group.\r\nThat number is striking for a couple of reasons: It implies that a relatively short (and inexpensive) intervention like an eight-week summer jobs program can have a lasting effect on teenage behavior. And it lends empirical support to a popular refrain by advocates: \"Nothing stops a bullet like a job.\"\r\nContinue reading here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122714", "News December 27", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 27\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSaturday, December 27, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\u00a0\r\nVeterans\u2019 Home The Vermont Veterans Home is expected to get a federal grant of almost $1 million. Joseph Krawczyk Jr., chairman of the home\u2019s board of trustees, said it was \u201cgreat\u201d to hear from Sen. Sanders that the project was now\u00a0on the VA\u2019s priority list.\u00a0\u201cSen. Sanders\u00a0has always been a great supporter, not just of the veterans home, but of veterans overall throughout the country and we\u2019re really happy he comes from Vermont,\u201d Krawczyk told the Rutland Herald. LINK\r\nWorld\u00a0\r\nN. Korea North Korea called President Barack Obama \"a monkey\" and blamed the U.S. on Saturday for shutting down its Internet amid the hacking row over the comedy \"The Interview.\" North Korea has denied involvement in a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures but has expressed fury over the comedy depicting an assassination of its leader Kim Jong Un, CBS News reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nNational\r\nThousands Expected at NYPD Funeral Thousands of police officers will gather in Queens, New York today for the funeral of New York City Police Officer Rafael Ramos. He was ambushed along with his partner one week ago. Today he will be laid to rest, with the nation's Vice President attending, CBS News reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nTrade Deal President Obama is preparing a major push on a vast free-trade zone that seeks to enlist Republicans as partners and test his premise that Washington can still find common ground on major initiatives.\r\nIt also will test his willingness to buck his own party in pursuit of a legacy-burnishing achievement. Already, fellow Democrats are accusing him of abandoning past promises on trade and potentially undermining his domestic priority of reducing income inequality, according to The Washington Post. LINK\u00a0\r\nJobs and Crime A couple of years ago, the city of Chicago started a summer jobs program for teenagers attending high schools in some of the city's high-crime, low-income neighborhoods. The program was meant to connect students to work, but officials also hoped that it might curb the kinds of problems like higher crime that arise when there's no work to be found. Research on the program conducted by the University of Chicago Crime Lab suggests that these summer jobs have actually had such an effect, The Washington Post reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nVermont\r\nFuel Prices The Vermont Fuel Dealers Association says it's been getting questions from people who regret they got into a contract for fuel last summer at prices higher than they are now. But the group says a contract is a contract, and that dealers also are locked into contracts, with wholesale prices negotiated last summer, before the recent oil price decline. The state Department of Public Service reports that Vermont's average spot price for oil has dropped from nearly $3.75 per gallon in May to about $3.22 a gallon now, AP reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122614", "News December 26", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 26\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 26, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\u00a0\r\nNational\r\nNSA Admits Privacy Violations\u00a0The National Security Agency has released heavily redacted accounts of its employees\u2019 violations against Americans\u2019 privacy after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. Responding to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, the agency was required to file the reports with the Intelligence Oversight Board, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nPhoenix VA Long before that the Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix manipulated waiting lists to hide that veterans were facing long delays to see doctors, senior department officials in Washington were aware of serious problems. The documents in the case of the Phoenix hospital director Sharon Helman, who contested her firing, provided new details of how much officials knew about the medical center, including patient backlogs, shortages of medical personnel and clinic space, and long waiting lists, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nFemale Veterans Thousands of female veterans are struggling to get health-care treatment and compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs on the grounds that they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by sexual trauma in the military. The veterans and their advocates call it \u201cthe second battle\u201d \u2014 with a bureaucracy they say is stuck in the past, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nVeterans\u2019 Home The union representing Vermont state employees says the state is being cruel to put out word of layoffs at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington at Christmastime. Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding said layoff notices have not gone out yet, but the Vermont State Employees Association has to be notified 35 days before reductions take effect. He said about six workers will lose their jobs due to a declining population at the home, AP reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122414", "News December 24", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 24\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 24, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nFairPoint Strike Sen. Sanders renewed his call for FairPoint Communications to return to the bargaining table and negotiate with unions representing 1,700 striking works in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. \u201cI worry very much about the quality of service that FairPoint is providing,\u201d he noted in the WCAX-TV interview. Meanwhile, New Hampshire delayed action on a $13 million state contract with FairPoint. \"I have big concerns \u2026 FairPoint right now wouldn't live up to the terms in the contract,\" Democratic Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern said. VIDEO\u00a0\r\nSingle Payer Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin\u2019s decision to step back from developing the nation\u2019s first single-payer health care system was \u201cobviously a disappointment for many people in the state,\u201d Sen. Sanders said in the WCAX-TV interview. \u201cI look forward to working with the governor to see how we go forward.\u201d The governor\u2019s surprise announcement last week came as Sanders was touting Vermont as a model for the nation, Steve Early wrote for The Huffington Post and Truthout.org. VIDEO, LINK, LINK\u00a0\r\nPostal Service With layoffs looming for up to 15,000 postal workers, Congress adjourned without passing a one-year moratorium on reduced mail delivery standards and plant closings, according to John Nichols of The Nation. He counted Sen. Sanders among the Postal Service\u2019s \u201cgenuine advocates in Congress.\u201d LINK\r\nPre-K Education Vermont recently was awarded what is expected to be a four-year federal grant of more than $30 million for early-childhood education. \u201cI am very excited about that. I am a member of the education committee and we worked very hard on that,\u201d Sen. Sanders said in an interview on WCAX-TV. \u201cWhat the psychologists tell us is that the age from zero to four are the most important years in development. VIDEO, LINK\r\n$1 Million for Vets Home The Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home stands a good chance of receiving nearly $1 million from the\u00a0federal government to renovate its aging kitchen. Sen. Sanders said the Department of Veterans Affairs has placed the Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home on a priority list for a federal matching grant, the Bennington Banner and Stars and Stripes reported. LINK, LINK\r\nHappy Holidays Sen. Sanders in November introduced legislation\u00a0to create a national holiday on Election Day, the Huffington Post noted in a report on the history of national holidays in the United States. LINK\r\nWorld\u00a0\r\nISIS Shoots Down Jet From U.S.-Led Coalition Militants from the Islamic State extremist group have shot down a fighter jet over Syria deployed by the United States-led coalition that is battling the group and have captured a pilot from an Arab country, a Syrian monitoring organization told The New York Times on Wednesday. LINK\r\nLeahy Helps Cuban Mother A U.S. senator who paved the way for a Cuban prisoner to impregnate his wife while he was behind bars in the United States said Tuesday that his efforts had nothing to do with politics. Adriana Perez is almost nine months pregnant, thanks to artificial insemination with sperm from convicted spy Gerardo Hernandez \u2014 and secret assistance from Sen. Patrick Leahy. \"It was a human thing. It had nothing to do with the politics of the two countries,\" Leahy said in an interview aired Tuesday on the NBC News program \u201cToday.\u201d LINK\r\nNational\r\nEconomic Rebound The Commerce Department said the U.S. economy expanded at a 5 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate in the third quarter, its strongest pace in 11 years. In a separate report, the department said consumer spending accelerated last month amid rising incomes and falling gasoline prices, according to The Wall Street Journal. LINK\u00a0\r\nFDA Modifies Gay Blood Donor Rule The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it would scrap a decades-old lifetime prohibition on blood donation by gay and bisexual men but continue to ban men who have had sex with a man in the last year, saying the barrier is necessary to keep the blood supply safe, The New York Times reported. LINK\u00a0\r\n\u2018The Interview\u2019 Sony Pictures Entertainment announced Tuesday a limited theatrical release of \"The Interview\" beginning Thursday, putting back into the theaters the comedy that prompted an international incident with North Korea, threats of violence and outrage over its cancelled release. The Palace 9 Cinemas in South Burlington will start screening the controversial film \u201cThe Interview\u201d on New Year\u2019s Eve.\r\nVermont\r\nGas Prices Some Vermonters continue to benefit from plummeting gasoline prices. According to GasBuddy.com, the lowest price in Vermont right now is $2.39 a gallon at the Troy Country Store and Butler's Family Auto in Barton. The average price in the state is $2.79 a gallon. Burlington area stations, however, are among those on the top end of the scale with prices as high as $2.99 a gallon, WCAX-TV reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nVermont Census The Census Bureau on Tuesday estimated Vermont\u2019s population in 2014 dipped slightly to 626,562 people. Wyoming was smaller with 584,153 people. The District of Columbia grew to 658,893. Florida overcame New York as the third most populace state behind California and Texas. LINK\r\nSingle Payer \u201cMr. Shumlin has succeeded in making Vermont a national model: By admitting that single payer will make health care both more expensive and less efficient, he has shown other states what not to do,\u201d an editorial in The Wall Street Journal concluded. LINK\r\nKeurig Recall Waterbury-based Keurig Green Mountain is recalling millions of home brewing machines from stores in the U.S. and Canada due to a potential safety hazard. The company says in some cases Keurig MINI Plus Brewing Systems have overheated and sprayed hot water on users, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/the-week-in-review-122414", "The Week in Review", "2014-12-24", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Week in Review\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 26, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe Week in Review\r\nHome for the holidays in Vermont, Sen. Bernie Sanders sat down on Tuesday with WCAX-TV\u2019s Kyle Midura to discuss state and national issues ranging from an exciting new early childhood education program in Vermont to a lingering strike by 1,700 workers in northern New England against a major Internet and phone service provider for the region.\u00a0 On Monday, Sanders spoke with WBUR-FM in Boston about a host of national issues including how he will use his new assignment as the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee to fend off Republican attacks on Social Security and Medicare.\r\nWatch the WCAX-TV interview\r\nBig Ideas Sanders \u201chas some big ideas about how to rein in big banks, cut defense spending, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and address income and wealth inequality in the United States,\u201d according to\u00a0WBUR-FM\u00a0in Boston. The senator\u00a0discussed those and other topics during a wide-ranging interview Monday.\u00a0\r\nListen to the WBUR-FM interview\r\nVeterans Home The Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home is in line for a nearly $1 million grant to help pay for a renovation project. The outgoing chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, Sanders said the Department of Veterans Affairs has placed the Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home on a priority list for a federal matching grant.\r\nAn Unsung Heroine \u201cGretchen Baily is an unsung heroine,\u201d Sanders said of the Senate office\u2019s casework coordinator whose last day on the job was Monday.\u00a0 Bailey led a team that has helped tens of thousands of Vermonters cut through red tape.. Earlier this year, she won a prestigious award for exemplary public service.\u00a0 \u201cGretchen strongly believes that government should work for people,\u201d Sanders wrote a letter nominating her for the award. \u201cGretchen has dedicated her life to this mission.\u201d\r\nRead more about Gretchen Bailey\r\nNeed help?", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-senate-president-pro-tempore-and-dean-of-the-senate-chairman-of-state-department-and-foreign-operations-for-the-appropriations-committee-on-adriana-perez", "Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Senate President Pro Tempore and Dean of the Senate, chairman of State Department and Foreign Operations for the Appropriations Committee), On Adriana Perez", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.14\n\t\t\t Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Senate President Pro Tempore and Dean of the Senate, chairman of State Department and Foreign Operations for the Appropriations Committee), On Adriana Perez \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tComment Of Senator Patrick Leahy   (D-Vt., Senate President Pro Tempore and Dean of the Senate,   chairman of State Department and Foreign Operations for the Appropriations Committee),   On Adriana Perez\r\nTuesday, Dec. 23, 2014\r\n\"In February 2013, during one of our trips to Cuba my wife Marcelle and I agreed to meet with Adriana Perez. She made a personal appeal to Marcelle. She was 43 years old and afraid that she would never have the chance to have a child as she did not expect her husband to ever be released from prison. As parents and grandparents we both wanted to try to help her. And as a Registered Nurse, Marcelle had particular knowledge of the medical realities she was facing. It was the humane thing to do. The Cuban Government paid for everything. It was also at a time when we were urging the Cubans to improve their treatment of Alan Gross, and to allow American doctors to travel to Cuba to examine him, which they ultimately did.\"\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/is-53-years-long-enough-to-conclude-that-our-cuba-policy-has-failed", "Is 53 Years Long Enough To Conclude That Our Cuba Policy Has Failed?", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.14\n\t\t\t Is 53 Years Long Enough To Conclude That Our Cuba Policy Has Failed? \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tIs 53 Years Long Enough To Conclude That Our Cuba Policy Has Failed?\r\nBy Patrick Leahy\r\nOn December 17th, President Obama and President Raul Castro made history. After 53 years of animosity rooted in the Cold War, they finally put our two countries on a new path.\r\nI worked for two years to help obtain Alan Gross' release from a Cuban prison, and flying to Cuba to bring him home was a joyous experience I will cherish always. Mr. Gross' case was the catalyst that finally brought to an end a policy that failed to achieve any of its objectives and isolated the United States. With the strong support of Pope Francis, the President has wisely charted a course that will promote reconciliation between the people of our two countries, advance our national interests in the hemisphere, and provide hope for democratic change in Cuba.\r\nThe response to the President's announcement here and abroad has been overwhelmingly positive, from the U.S. business and agriculture communities to our allies around the world, and on the streets of Havana. Common sense dictates that it is beneath the United States to continue treating a tiny neighbor that poses no threat and whose people have much in common with us as an enemy.\r\nNot surprisingly a handful of members of Congress continue to defend a policy they fully acknowledge has failed  through eight U.S. presidencies  and they reflexively have condemned the President's actions. Their arguments boil down to this: Cuba remains a one party state whose government severely punishes dissent and is a sponsor of terrorism.\r\nOn the first point they are right. Cuba's government is very repressive. Political opponents and human rights advocates are harassed and jailed. The solution of the President's critics, however, is more of the same, even though it hasn't worked for five decades, did nothing to help Alan Gross or the Cuban people, and has provided the Castro government with an excuse to blame the United States for Cuba's repressive policies and the daily hardships Cubans suffer under a broken economic system.\r\nThe President's critics also apply a flagrant double standard. On the one hand they rightly say that Cuba should free political prisoners; hold free elections; provide unrestricted access to the Internet; permit Cubans to travel abroad; allow independent journalists to practice freely; and give the International Red Cross access to Cuban jails. Like most who have opposed the U.S. embargo, I agree with all of this.\r\nBut on the other hand they ignore that many U.S. friends and allies, with whom we not only have diplomatic relations but to whom we provide taxpayer aid and military aid, do not come close to meeting this standard. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Uzbekistan are but three examples. The critics apparently believe that engagement through diplomatic relations and trade everywhere except Cuba is in our national interest, despite the repressive and corrupt policies of other governments.\r\nIt is also ironic that while they rightly call on Cuba's government to permit its citizens to travel freely  ignoring that Cubans, including dissidents, are traveling far more freely today than two years ago  they defend a U.S. policy that restricts Americans from visiting Cuba. There is no other country in the world that American tourists are prevented from traveling to by their own government, yet the President's critics defend this absurd double standard.\r\nThe critics' other argument is that Cuba is a sponsor of terrorism. It is true that it was once, and there are members of a Basque separatist group that renounced violence in 2011 and poses no threat to the United States, living out their remaining years there. But what the critics don't say is that the primary basis for their argument evaporated two years ago, when Cuba began hosting negotiations between the Colombian Government and the FARC rebels to end a 40 year civil war. Colombia's President Santos, a close U.S. ally, has praised Cuba's role.\r\nFinally, the President's critics vehemently accuse anyone who doesn't share their infatuation with the ineffective, unilateral sanctions as an apologist for the Castro brothers' repressive policies and guilty of appeasement. This would, by implication, also apply to every other country, including our closest allies, who long ago established diplomatic relations with Cuba.\r\nAs the author of much of the U.S. human rights legislation enacted into law in the past 20 years, I know that such smears are both inaccurate and offensive. Normalization with Cuba will be a process, and its pace and scope will depend in part on the actions of the Cuban government to permit dissent. A good start would be to join international conventions that protect human rights. As in other countries with repressive governments, our embassy in Havana will strongly defend the rights of Americans and Cubans to freedom of expression and religion. And it will support U.S. commercial interests, U.S. citizens visiting Cuba, private Cuban entrepreneurs and exchanges with the Cuban people, the majority of whom were born after the 1959 revolution. They are Cuba's future, and rather than continuing to isolate them and add to their hardships we should do what we can to help them prepare for what lies ahead.\r\n# # # # #\r\n[U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy  D-Vt., and president pro tempore of the Senate  has long worked to reform U.S. policies on Cuba. He chairs the Appropriations Committee's State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee.]\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122314", "News December 23", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 23\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 23, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSanders Has \u2018Big Ideas\u2019 Sen. Bernie Sanders \u201chas some big ideas about how to rein in big banks, cut defense spending, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and address income and wealth inequality in the United States,\u201d according to WBUR-FM in Boston. Sanders discussed those topics during a wide-ranging interview Monday. LINK\r\nStrengthen Social Security In the final days of the 2014 Congress, Sen. Sanders promised to push for new legislation to break up the big banks and expand Social Security, Thom Hartmann said Monday on The Thom Hartmann Program. LINK\r\n$1 Million for Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home The state-run Vermont Veterans' Home in Bennington is in line for a nearly $1 million federal matching grant. Sen. Sanders, who chairs the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, announced the Department of Veterans Affairs has put the Bennington facility on a priority list for construction grants in 2015, The Associated Press and WVNY-TV reported. LINK, VIDEO\r\nWorld\r\nN. Korea Web Goes Down While perhaps a coincidence, the failure, which lasted about 10 hours, began after President Obama said the U.S. would respond to an act of \u201ccybervandalism\u201d against Sony Pictures, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nMcConnel Going on Offense Sen. Mitch McConnell, the incoming majority leader, knows his real problem is not corralling mavericks in his party like Senator Ted Cruz. It is persuading other Senate Republicans conditioned to voting no that it is time to vote yes. \u201cOne of my challenges is to try to convince some of my members that passing an appropriations bill is a good thing, not a bad thing,\u201d McConnell said during an interview with The New York Times. LINK\r\nFairPoint Contract Up in New Hampshire New Hampshire's Executive Council today will consider a $13 million state contract with FairPoint Communications as the company's Northern New England workers continue to strike. If the contract is approved, FairPoint would provide telephone and Internet services for the state through 2020. Four other companies also bid on the contract, AP reported. LINK\r\nGas Prices Gasoline prices have fallen a record 88 straight days to an average of $2.36 a gallon nationally, according to gasbuddy.com. The price in Burlington, Vermont, was 56-cents-a-gallon above the national average, according to the price-tracking website. At $2.92 a gallon, gasbuddy.com ranked Burlington as the fourth most expensive place in the country to buy gas. The only cities where gas cost more were Rochester, New York, Anchorage, Alaska, and Honolulu, Hawaii. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nProgressives Sour on Shumlin The political ascendance of Peter Shumlin has come thanks in part to support from the Progressive Party. But the Democratic governor\u2019s decision to shelve single-payer health care last week could shatter that alliance, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK\r\nRepublicans Seek Shumlin Probe House Republican leaders are drafting a letter requesting a federal inspector general\u2019s office review of the Shumlin administration\u2019s use of federal money in its various health care reform efforts. House Minority Leader Don Turner, of Milton, said he is working on the letter that he hopes will induce officials to review expenses related to the state\u2019s work on Vermont Health Connect and a single-payer health care proposal, the Vermont Press Bureau reported. LINK\r\nDairy Program Approximately 65 percent of the state\u2019s dairy farmers have enrolled in a federal insurance program that protects them against dramatic price fluctuations. Friday was the deadline for farmers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Protection Program, which is part of the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill signed into law in February and offers dairy farmers insurance to protect against narrowing profit margins, the Rutland Herald reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/big-ideas", "Big Ideas", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Big Ideas\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 23, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBig Ideas\r\nSen. Bernie Sanders \u201chas some big ideas about how to rein in big banks, cut defense spending, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and address income and wealth inequality in the United States,\u201d according to\u00a0WBUR-FM\u00a0in Boston. The senator \u00a0discussed those and other topics during a wide-ranging interview Monday.\u00a0\r\nListen to the interview", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122214", "News December 22", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 22\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 22, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nPostal Service Reform Passing legislation to reform the U.S. Postal Service remains a goal of Sen. Tom Carper as he steps down as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has led the charge to keep Saturday mail and protect rural facilities and postal jobs, said he worked with Carper and others in the last month to reach a consensus and \u201cwe came very close.\u201d Sanders told USA Today he was impressed with Carper\u2019s efforts \u201cto bridge the very wide gap between right-wing Republicans who want to dismember and eventually privatize the postal service and those of us trying to save and strengthen this vital institution and the jobs it provides.\u201d\r\nState of the Union Sen. Sanders wants to hear from Vermont high school students about what they feel are the major issues facing the country. A panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays, The Associated Press reported. Since the contest was first held, more than 1,150 Vermont students have participated, according to the article published by the Burlington Free Press, Brattleboro Reformer, Rutland Herald and Times Argus. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nDate Lab Bernie Sanders is the \u201cfavorite politician\u201d of Teresa Spencer, an actress who went on a date to a DuPont Circle restaurant with Steve Bradley, who listed John Lewis as his favorite politician in The Washington Post Sunday magazine blind-date feature. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nObama Plans More Gitmo Transfers President Barack Obama aims to make 2015 a landmark year in his long-stalled effort to close the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, with plans to announce a flurry of detainee transfers in coming weeks, senior administration officials told The Wall Street Journal. LINK\r\nNational\r\nNew York Police Add Precautions Faced with the first targeted killings of New York City police officers in years, police leaders ratcheted up precautions for their vast patrol force on Sunday as officials described the predatory final movements of a gunman bent on killing officers, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nNew Catholic Bishop Auxiliary Bishop Christopher J. Coyne of Indianapolis has been named the new Bishop for the statewide Roman Catholic Diocese in Vermont. The 56 year-old Massachusetts native will oversee Vermont\u2019s largest religion \u2014 about 120,000 Catholics spread among about 120 churches. The formal announcement from Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome is expected as early as today, the Burlington Free Press reported. LINK\r\nVA Center A veterans outreach center in Bennington is adding a wood-pellet-fueled heating system thanks to a $10,000 gift from 66-year-old Captain Alan W. Gibney, who died in August. Gibney also left the Vermont Veterans Home $100,000, which will go toward building a pavilion.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-veterans-home-on-va-priority-list-for-1-million-grant", "Vermont Veterans Home on VA Priority List for $1 Million Grant", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BURLINGTON, Dec.22 \u2013 U.S. Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today welcomed a Department of Veterans Affairs announcement that the state-run Vermont Veterans\u2019 Home in Bennington is in line for a nearly $1 million federal matching grant.\r\nThe Bennington facility is on the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 priority list for construction grants during the coming year.\r\n\u201cI am committed to working with the state and the VA to ensure the veterans\u2019 home can make these much-needed repairs,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cThe men and women who have served our country in uniform deserve quality care in a safe home.\u201d\r\nThe Bennington kitchen-renovation project is part of the VA\u2019s commitment to providing a safe living environment and medical care for aging and chronically-ill Veterans. The federal share of the project is $994,045.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/an-unsung-heroine", "An Unsung Heroine", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "An Unsung Heroine\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 22, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\u201cGretchen Baily is an unsung heroine,\u201d said Sen. Bernie Sanders. He was describing the Senate office\u2019s casework coordinator whose last day on the job was Monday.\u00a0 Bailey led a team that has helped tens of thousands of Vermonters cut through red tape. Sometimes the federal bureaucracy needs a nudge and \u201cthat\u2019s what we do,\u201d she once said. Earlier this year, she won a prestigious award for exemplary public service.\u00a0 \u201cGretchen strongly believes that government should work for people,\u201d Sanders wrote a letter nominating her for the award. \u201cGretchen has dedicated her life to this mission.\u201d\r\nRead more about Gretchen Bailey\r\nRead the senator\u2019s letter nominating her for an award\r\nNeed help?", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122114", "News December 21", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 21\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 21, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\u00a0\r\nTom Harkin Tribute The self-described progressive populist hung up his 40-year career in Congress last week \u2014 but not before urging his Senate colleagues to close the income gap, save the planet and make it easier for people with disabilities to get hired. Sen. Sanders said Harkin \u201cwill go down in history as one of the great senators,\u201d Rekha Basu wrote in The Des Moines Register. LINK\u00a0\r\nSanders\u2019 Essay Contest Returns Sen. Sanders is once again organizing a State of the Union essay contest for Vermont high school students. Participants are asked to write a 250- to 500-word essay that describes \u201ctheir own view of the state of the union. The finalists\u2019 pieces will be entered in the Congressional Record and the authors will meet with\u00a0Sanders\u00a0for a conversation, the Burlington Free Press reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nNational\u00a0\r\nTwo NYC Police Murdered A gunman shot and killed two New York City police officers before taking his own life in a brazen ambush that played out on a quiet Brooklyn street corner Saturday afternoon, New York police said. Plice are investigating social-media postings in which the gunman foreshadowed the killings and referenced Eric Garner and Michael Brown, two unarmed black men who recently died during encounters with white police officers, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nFairPoint Strike\u00a0Two hundred FairPoint Communications workers rallied on Friday in Concord, New Hampshire, and promised to continue a 10-week-old strike that has begun to take a personal and financial toll on the workers and their families. Gov. Maggie Hassan met with FairPoint officials on Tuesday at the Statehouse and urged them to work in good faith with their employees, her spokesman said. The company\u2019s 1,700 workers across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont began striking in October. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nProgressives Slam Shumlin\u2019s \u2018Broken Promises\u2019 \u00a0The Vermont Progressive Party issued a statement criticizing Gov. Peter Shumlin's decision not to move forward with a single-payer health care system. \"While we are outraged by Shumlin's broken promises, we are not terribly surprised, rather than work through these issues or scale back the project, Shumlin decided to scrap it entirely.\" The Progressives also note they've sat out the governor's race in the last three elections in large part because of his promise to lead on single-payer, WCAX-TV reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/122014", "News December 20", "2014-12-20", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 20\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSaturday, December 20, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\u00a0\r\nSanders: Don\u2019t Cut Social Security Sen. Bernie Sanders is speaking out against proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare that he said are on the House Republican Budget Committee agenda. At a time when poverty among senior citizens is increasing, Sanders said it would be a moral outrage to cut the programs. He proposed increasing benefits. In January, he will become the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, WVNY-TV reported. VIDEO\r\nPhone Strike FairPoint Communications employees picketed in Bennington on Friday after CEO Paul Sunu called the workers\u2019 demands \u201cunreasonable.\u201d Sen.\u00a0Sanders asked the company to put the interests of its workers and its customers ahead of the interests of \u201cthe multibillion dollar Wall Street hedge funds\u201d that stand to profit from the sale of the\u00a0company, the Bennington Banner reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\u00a0\r\nObama Vows Response to N. Korea Cyberattack President Barack Obama vowed on Friday to respond to a devastating cyberattack on Sony Pictures that he blamed on North Korea, and scolded the Hollywood studio for caving in to what he described as a foreign dictator imposing censorship in America. Obama said the attack caused a lot of damage to Sony but that the company should not have let itself be intimidated into halting the public release of \"The Interview,\" a lampoon portraying the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Reuters reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nVermont\r\nJobless Decline Vermont\u2019s unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a point in November, the first decrease since April, officials said Friday. The Vermont Department of Labor said the seasonally adjusted statewide rate for November ticked down to 4.3 percent from the revised October rate. The national average remain unchanged in November at 5.8 percent. Vermont\u2019s 4.3 percent jobless rate is tied for the 10th lowest in the country, Vermont Press Bureau reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nFederal Prosecutor Resigns Tristram Coffin, the U.S. Attorney for the district of Vermont, will resign next month to take a job in private practice, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nFairPoint Strike The Vermont Department of Public Service said Friday it has received more than 730 complaints about FairPoint service since workers went on strike on Oct. 17.\u00a0 FairPoint has agreed to take steps to ensure timely repairs for those without phone service while a strike continues in northern New England, VPR reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-commends-us-attorney-tristram-coffin-for-years-of-service-to-vermont", "Leahy Commends U.S. Attorney Tristram Coffin For Years Of Service To Vermont", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Commends U.S. Attorney Tristram Coffin For Years Of Service To Vermont \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Coffin To Depart Next Month\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Friday, December 19, 2014)  U.S. Attorney Tristram Coffin on Friday announced that he will be leaving his position next month after serving as Vermont's top federal prosecutor since 2009. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) praised Coffin for his years of service, and he committed to working quickly to find a highly qualified nominee to serve as Vermont's next U.S. Attorney.\r\nTris Coffin is a tough and fair prosecutor, and has been an effective law enforcement leader in Vermont. I join my fellow Vermonters in thanking him for his service. Tris has demonstrated thoughtful leadership in partnering with state and local law enforcement and Vermont communities on a range of issues, including efforts to confront the crisis of heroin and opioid addiction. I commend Tris for his years of service to our state and wish him the best in his future endeavors, said Leahy, who currently chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.\r\nCoffin was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in August 2009 to be Vermont's 36th United States Attorney. In September 2010, he convened an important symposium in the Statehouse in Montpelier to discuss the problem of opiate drug abuse. Both Leahy and Attorney General Holder participated in that symposium, and Leahy this year invited Coffin to deliver testimony at a Judiciary Committee field hearing in Rutland looking at community solutions to the opioid crisis. At that hearing, Coffin described his partnership working with Vermont schools to raise awareness and focus on prevention.\r\nBefore serving as U.S. Attorney, Coffin worked in private practice in Burlington with the firm of Paul Frank & Collins, P.C. He previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Vermont district's criminal division from 1998 to 2006 and in the civil division from 1994 until 1998. Coffin also worked as a staff attorney for Leahy on the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1991 to 1994. He earned his law degree from Columbia University and his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University.\r\nLeahy, a former prosecutor himself, recommended Coffin for the U.S. Attorney position at the beginning of the Obama administration in 2009. Leahy, the most senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee that considers these nominations, said on Friday that he will work with the Vermont delegation and the President to recommend a nominee to be Vermont's next U.S. Attorney.\r\nIt is critical that our state have a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney, and I will work Senator Sanders, Congressman Welch and others to ensure that Vermont will have another highly qualified person serving in this critical law enforcement position, Leahy said.\r\n\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121914", "News December 19", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 19\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 19, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nPensions Under Fire Retirees covered by financially-troubled pensions could soon see their benefits cut under legislation passed during the lame-duck session of Congress. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday told MSNBC\u2019s Ed Schultz that the pension provision tucked into a massive spending bill was one reason he voted against the measure. Instead of taking money from elderly retirees, Sanders said the government could help shore up the funds. \u201cIf this country could bailout the crooks on Wall Street who destroyed the economy surely the federal government can help working people who are absolutely dependent on these pensions,\u201d Sanders said. VIDEO\r\nCuba Relations\u00a0Sen.\u00a0Sanders told CBS News\u00a0that he favors normalizing relations with Cuba.\u00a0He said lifting a trade embargo \"would benefit the economies of both countries\"\u00a0and cited an Atlantic Council survey that showed 56 percent of Americans favor changing Cuba policy. LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nMilitary Budget Sen. Sanders cast a \u201cno\u201d vote on a Pentagon spending bill last week. Sanders, who is set to take over as the\u00a0ranking member\u00a0of the Senate Budget Committee, is making an argument for cracking down on budgeting abuses at the Pentagon, according to The Nation's John Nichols.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\r\nDrug Prices Sen. Sanders used one of his last hearings as chairman of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee to review how the Department of Veterans Affairs has had to ration an expensive medicine that cures hepatitis C, a liver virus infecting 174,000 veterans,\u00a0The Shreveport (Louisiana) Times\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nFairPoint Strike Sen. Sanders on Thursday said he's disappointed in FairPoint Communications refusal to negotiate with striking unions in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Sanders accused the company of wanting to slash wages and benefits for workers, WVNY-TV and WFFF-TV reported. The Vermont congressional delegation had urged the phone company to return to the bargaining table, WCAX-TV reported. VIDEO, VIDEO\r\nVermont Sales Tax\u00a0A tax loophole allows many online and catalog retailers to avoid collecting the same state and local sales taxes that \"brick-and-mortar\" stores are required to collect. Sen. Sanders last year voted for a bill designed to help local retailers compete with out-of-state Internet sellers by giving states the authority to require remote retailers to collect state sales and use taxes,\u00a0The Burlington Free Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nHealth Care\u00a0Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is abandoning his long-held goal of creating the nation's first single-payer health care system. Sen. Sanders has not commented on the decision,\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nHappy Holidays Welcome to the vast world of federal agency gift shops with an abundance of stocking stuffers. After Sen. Sanders went Christmas shopping in 2011 and was angered to discover so many government products made in China, there has been a move to sell more American products in agency gift shops, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nObama to Lift Cuba Sanctions Soon President Obama will move as soon as next month to defang the 54-year-old American trade embargo against Cuba, administration officials said Thursday, using broad executive power to defy critics in Congress and lift restrictions on travel, commerce and financial activities. The moves are only the beginning of what White House officials and foreign policy experts describe as a sweeping set of changes that Mr. Obama can make on his own to re-establish commercial and diplomatic ties with Cuba even in the face of angry congressional opposition, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nSecret Service An independent panel on Thursday recommended sweeping changes at the Secret Service, saying the elite protective agency is \u201cstarved for leadership\u201d and calling for an outsider as director, hundreds of new agents and officers, and a higher fence around the White House, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nHealth Care Protest Dozens of supporters of single-payer health care converged on the Statehouse on Thursday to voice their anger at Gov. Peter Shumlin's announcement a day earlier he was scrapping his push for it. The Associated Press said the tone of the demonstration was angry, with people chanting, \"Which side are you on, Shumlin?\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-dont-let-republicans_slash-social-security-medicare", "Sanders: Dont Let Republicans Slash Social Security, Medicare", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders: Don\u2019t Let Republicans Slash Social Security, Medicare\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 19, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 19 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who will step up in January to a new role as the Senate Budget Committee\u2019s ranking member,\u00a0 said today that he strongly disagreed with the House Republican Budget Committee agenda calling for cuts to Social Security and Medicare.\r\nSanders was responding to recent statements by U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the incoming House Budget Committee chairman, that he would pursue proposals to cut mandatory spending on programs such as Social Security and Medicare. \u00a0\r\n\u201cAt a time when poverty among seniors is increasing, and millions of elderly Americans lack sufficient income to buy the medicine or food they need, it would be a moral outrage for Congress to cut Social Security.\u00a0 In fact, instead of cutting Social Security benefits, we should be expanding them.\u201d Sanders said. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nSanders has proposed increasing benefits by lifting the cap on how much of a wage earner\u2019s income is subject to the payroll tax that funds Social Security. Under Sanders\u2019 plan, the wealthiest wage earners who make more than $250,000 a year would pay the same 6.2 percent share of their income into the retirement program as everyone else.\u00a0 The current cap for all beneficiaries is $117,000.\r\n\u201cI will also fight the Republican effort to end Medicare as we know it and convert it into a voucher program,\u201d Sanders said. The Ryan budget, which the incoming chairman praised, called for $129 billion in cuts to Medicare as part of $5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/the-week-in-review-121914", "The Week in Review", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Week in Review\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 19, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe Week in Review\r\nPresident Barack Obama on Wednesday announced restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba. The move was welcomed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had traveled to Cuba in February and met with an American prisoner who was freed as part of Wednesday\u2019s diplomatic breakthrough.\u00a0 Named by Senate leadership to take over in January as ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, Sanders on Monday said he will use the position to defend and expand Social Security. \r\nA New Era in U.S. Cuba Relations A trade embargo enacted 54 years ago amid Cold War tensions remains in place, but the White House plans to act soon on its own to re-establish commercial and diplomatic ties with Cuba. Sanders welcomed \u201ca major step forward.\u201d On the same day the diplomatic opening was announced in Washington and Havana, American government contractor Alan Gross was released from a Cuban prison where he had been held for five years. Sanders visited Cuba last February as part of a congressional delegation that met with Gross.\r\nExpand Social Security \u201cAt a time when prescription drug prices are skyrocketing and one-third of all seniors depend on Social Security for a least 90 percent of their income, we should not be cutting Social Security, we should be expanding it,\u201d Sanders said in a Senate floor speech. \u201cDespite what you may hear from some politicians or pundits on TV, Social Security is not going broke. In fact the program has a $2.76 trillion surplus and has paid out every nickel owed to every eligible beneficiary since its inception.\u201d Watch the Senate floor speech\r\nPension Cuts A provision tucked into a massive bill that the Senate approved last weekend will allow deep cuts in pensions for some current retirees. The provision \u2013 tucked into a massive spending bill \u2013 was one reason Sanders voted no. Instead of taking money from retirees, Sanders on Thursday suggested that Congress should consider shoring up the funds. \u201cIf this country could bailout the crooks on Wall Street who destroyed the economy surely the federal government can help working people who are absolutely dependent on these pensions,\u201d he said. Watch MSNCB \r\nState of the Union Sanders on Monday launched his annual State of the Union essay contest to engage Vermont high school students on the major issues facing the country. Now in its fifth year, the essay contest is an opportunity for Vermont students to discuss their priorities for the nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-welch-d-vt-and-king-r-ny-rally-bipartisan-support-boost-funding-low", "Reps. Welch (D-VT) and King (R-NY) Rally Bipartisan Support to Boost Funding For Low Income Heating Assistance Funds", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "welch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Peter King (R-NY) sent a letter to President Obama calling for a $1.3 billion increase in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in his fiscal year 2016 budget. The letter was signed by a bipartisan coalition of 124 House members. LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months. LIHEAP households are among the most vulnerable in the country, the letter reads. According to the National Energy Assistance Director's Association (NEADA), more than 90 percent of LIHEAP recipients have at least one household member who is a child, elderly, or disabled, and 20 percent of households contain at least one veteran. For these households, LIHEAP funding has been a lifeline during challenging economic times. Access to affordable home energy is not a luxury  it is a matter of health and safety. Since FY 2010, the funding for LIHEAP has declined by 1.7 billion which has reduced the number of households receiving for assistance by nearly 18 percent. Funding for LIHEAP in the recently enacted government funding bill was set at $3.39 billion. This bipartisan coalition is calling for $4.7 billion for the next fiscal year. Click here to view the original letter and all signatures. See the full text of the letter below:   President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 2050  President Barack Obama   The White House   1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW   Washington, DC 20500  President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, We are writing to request that you prioritize the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in your Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget proposal by including no less than $4.7 billion for this program that provides critical support to our most vulnerable citizens. LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months. LIHEAP households are among the most vulnerable in the country. According to the National Energy Assistance Director's Association (NEADA), more than 90 percent of LIHEAP recipients have at least one household member who is a child, elderly, or disabled, and 20 percent of households contain at least one veteran. For these households, LIHEAP funding has been a lifeline during challenging economic times. Access to affordable home energy is not a luxury  it is a matter of health and safety. We understand the ongoing discretionary budget challenges. However, we are deeply concerned that funding for LIHEAP has declined more than 30 percent in recent years. Moreover, the number of households eligible for assistance continues to exceed available funding. According to NEADA, the total number of households receiving LIHEAP assistance has declined by 17.7 percent between FY 2010 and FY 2014, from 8.1 million to 6.6 million. About 1.5 million poor households have lost access to critical LIHEAP assistance and struggle to pay for the basic necessity of home energy in addition to other essentials like food and medicine. Funding has declined by almost $1.7 billion since FY 2010, yet energy costs have remained high, reducing the purchasing power of LIHEAP assistance. Recipients have seen their average LIHEAP grant reduced by about $95 since 2010, from $520 in FY 2010 to $424 in FY 2014. The average LIHEAP grant is estimated to cover less than half of the average home heating costs for a household this winter, meaning that many low-income families and seniors will have fewer resources available to meet other basic needs. As you finalize your FY 2016 budget request, we ask that you take into account the great need for LIHEAP. We urge you to reprioritize this program within your FY 2016 budget and restore funding to this program to a level no less than $4.7 billion. Thank you for your attention to and consideration of this important request.  Sincerely,  #####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121814", "News December 18", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 18\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nMajor Step Forward for Cuba Relations\u00a0Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday welcomed news\u00a0that the United States will open talks with Cuba aimed at restoring full diplomatic relations and that Cuba released Alan Gross, an American who Sanders visited in a Havana jail last February, The Christian Science Monitor,\u00a0The Wall Street Journal,\u00a0MarketWatch,\u00a0Politico,\u00a0Burlington Free Press,\u00a0Seven Days, WVNY-TV, WFFF-TV\u00a0and WPTZ-TV reported.\u00a0Sanders lauded the move as \u201ca major step forward in ending the 55-year Cold War with Cuba.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK, LINK, VIDEO\r\nU.S. Agriculture Eyes Cuba Several agriculture groups said they like what they\u2019ve heard so far from the Obama administration about changes that could open limited Cuban markets. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp saw opportunity for farmers. She and Sens. Sanders and Jon Tester met with Cuban officials in February to discuss the possibility of expanding trade with the United States, Congressional Quarterly reported. LINK\r\nBudget Committee Sen. Michael Enzi will be the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in the next Congress. The Wyoming Republican will get the job over current ranking member Jeff Session. The ranking member of the Democratic caucus on the panel will be Sen. Sanders, Reuters reported. \u201cI look forward to working with Sen. Enzi on the Budget Committee to put together a budget which reflects the needs of the working families of our country, and not just powerful special interests,\u201d Sanders said in Congressional Quarterly. Sanders said his top priority as ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee will be resisting cuts to Social Security in the newly Republican-controlled chamber, the Clinton (Iowa) Herald reported on Wednesday. LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nFairPoint Strike\u00a0Vermont\u2019s congressional delegation called this week for FairPoint Communications to negotiate an end to a two-month strike by about 1,700 New England workers after a rash of Internet and phone outages on the network of the state\u2019s dominant carrier. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch sent a letter to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu saying failure to reach a fair agreement with workers is negatively affecting customers and service,\u00a0WCAX-TV\u00a0reported.\u00a0\u00a0VIDEO\u00a0\r\nTerrorism Insurance \u201cA few Tea Party Republicans in the House and one in the Senate have derailed an incredibly important bipartisan bill \u2014 the reauthorization of Terrorism Risk Insurance \u2014 which has fueled the redevelopment of lower Manhattan in the wake of 9/11 and fostered construction and job growth in New York and cities across the country \u2026 Earlier this year, I negotiated a long-term reauthorization in the Senate that passed with 93 votes. Senators from Ted Cruz to Bernie Sanders supported the bill,\u201d Sen. Charles Schumer wrote in a column published by the New York Daily News. LINK\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nSyria\u00a0The Obama administration, seeking to cut off the flow of oil to the government of President Bashar al-Assad, on Wednesday imposed penalties on five people and six companies it said were defying American sanctions and helping Syria\u2019s government attack its own citizens,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nWealth Gap Widest in 30 Years\u00a0A report released on Wednesday by the Pew Research Center found that the wealth gap between the country\u2019s top earners and the rest of America had stretched to its widest point in at least three decades,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNew York Bans Fracking\u00a0New York state will ban hydraulic fracturing after a long-awaited report concluded that the oil and gas extraction method poses health risks,\u00a0Reuters\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nVermont\r\nShumlin Won\u2019t Seek Single-Payer Health in 2015\u00a0Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin says he's abandoning his long-held goal of creating the nation's first single-payer health care system,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported. In a Statehouse news conference Wednesday, Shumlin said the cost of creating the system is more than the state can bear.\u00a0LINK\r\nVeterans Home Cuts The Vermont Veterans' Home Board of Trustees has voted to take steps to reduce the number of patient beds it is licensed for, from 171 beds to 130. The home's administrator, Melissa Jackson, told the Bennington Banner that the average number of veterans served daily at the home is 121. The home also has 13 current job openings, which it will not fill at a savings of more than $750,000 a year. Other cost cuts from reducing the number of beds will bring the total savings to about $1 million a year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-deeply-disappointed-in-fairpoint", "Sanders Deeply Disappointed in FairPoint", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 18 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after FairPoint Communications CEO Paul Sunu snubbed a request from the Vermont congressional delegation for the North Carolina company to negotiate an end to a two-month strike by about 1,700 New England workers:\u00a0\r\n\u201cI am deeply disappointed, but not surprised, with the response from Mr. Sunu.\u00a0 His letter confirms what I have long suspected.\u00a0 FairPoint wants to slash wages and benefits for Vermont workers and it refuses to negotiate in good faith.\u00a0 In essence his letter says FairPoint\u2019s bargaining posture is \u2018take it or leave it, we want it our way, and we\u2019re not going to make any compromises.\u2019\u00a0\r\n\u201cMr. Sunu fails to mention that the unions already have offered more than $200 million in concessions, nor does he describe just how deep FairPoint\u2019s proposed cuts are.\u00a0 I think most Vermonters would be very surprised to know that FairPoint\u2019s opening positon on new employee wages was below Vermont\u2019s minimum wage.\r\n\u201cMr. Sunu also does not seem aware just how bad FairPoint service has become. Frankly, the people of Vermont are becoming sick and tired of poor customer service that is getting worse by the day.\r\n\u201cIt is time for FairPoint to put its customers\u2019 safety and its workers wellbeing ahead of the interests of the multi-billion dollar Wall Street hedge funds that stand to profit from a sale of the company. It is time for FairPoint to negotiate a contract that respects the contributions of its experienced and dedicated workforce.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/retirement-security", "Retirement Security?", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Retirement Security?\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tA little-noticed provision in a massive bill that the Senate approved last weekend will allow deep cuts in pensions for some current retirees. The provision would upend 40 years of federal law protecting the pensions for millions of retired workers who earned benefits over decades of loyal work. Former truck drivers, construction workers and supermarket checkout clerks are examples of the retirees whose pensions could be cut by as much as 50 percent in some cases. \u201cI\u2019ve talked to some of the union leaders on this and they\u2019re outraged,\u201d Sanders said Thursday in an interview with radio host Ed Schultz. \u201cI will do everything I can to help find money so that workers don\u2019t see cuts in their pensions.\u201d\r\nWatch Sanders on The Ed Show\r\nListen to the podcast", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/multimedia/full-news-conference-leahy-leads-group-to-bring-back-alan-gross-", "Full News Conference: Leahy Leads Group To Bring Back Alan Gross", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday was joined by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Representative Chirs Van Hollen (D-Md.), Judy Gross and others for an early morning trip to Havana, Cuba to bring Alan Gross home.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  Leahy (D-Vt., president pro tempore of the Senate, and chairman of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) has long sought the release of Alan Gross and has visited him twice in the prison where he has been held for five years.\u00a0 Leahy also has led in efforts over the years for fundamental changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including pushing for an end to the law that prevents most Americans from visiting Cuba.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/photos/the-release-of-alan-gross-and-transforming-us-policy-toward-cuba", "The Release Of Alan Gross And Transforming U.S. Policy Toward Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t\t The Release Of Alan Gross And Transforming U.S. Policy Toward Cuba \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tSen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., president pro tempore of the Senate, and chairman of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) has long sought the release of Alan Gross and has visited him twice in the prison where he has been held for five years.\u00a0 Leahy also has led in efforts over the years for fundamental changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including pushing for an end to the law that prevents most Americans from visiting Cuba.\u00a0 Leahy Wednesday morning went to Cuba with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Judy Gross, and others, to bring Alan Gross home.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141227201938/http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/multimedia/senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-leads-group-to-cuba-to-bring-back-alan-gross-", "Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Leads Group To Cuba To Bring Back Alan Gross", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Multimedia \n\t   \t\n\t\t              \n              \n\t\t\t \n                    \n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t        \n\t        \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \n                    \n                    \t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n        \n        \n        \n        \n        \n        \n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n        \n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n                        \n                        \n                        \n                        \n                        \n                    \t\n                    \n    \n                \n                \n            \n                \n                    \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n               WASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday was joined by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Representative Chirs Van Hollen (D-Md.), Judy Gross and others for an early morning trip to Havana, Cuba to bring Alan Gross home.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Leahy (D-Vt., president pro tempore of the Senate, and chairman of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) has long sought the release of Alan Gross and has visited him twice in the prison where he has been held for five years.\u00a0 Leahy also has led in efforts over the years for fundamental changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including pushing for an end to the law that prevents most Americans from visiting Cuba.\n               \n\t\t\t\t \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n               \t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n        \t\n        \t\n        \n            \n        \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n            \n                \n                     \n                      \n                        Video\n                        Audio\n                        Photos", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-statement-release-alan-gross-and-breakthrough-us-cuban-relations", "Welch Statement on Release of Alan Gross and Breakthrough in US-Cuban Relations", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "welch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Peter Welch made the following statement after the Cuban government released USAID contractor Alan Gross and President Obama announced an historic breakthrough in U.S.-Cuban relations:\nThis is great news for Alan Gross who is back home with his family during this special holiday season. But it is also great news for the American and Cuban people. With this announcement, both governments are mothballing the antiquated Cold War-like foreign policy that has characterized our bilateral relationship for decades in favor ofa new era of openness and cooperation. I applaud President Obama for his bold leadership. And I am especially proud of the quiet and persistent leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy who has been instrumental throughout the delicate discussions that led to the release of Mr. Gross and to this historic foreign policy breakthrough.\n#####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/-reaction-of-senator-patrick-leahy-to-the-release-of-alan-gross-and-transforming-us-policy-toward-cuba", "Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Release Of Alan Gross And Transforming U.S. Policy Toward Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t  Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Release Of Alan Gross And Transforming U.S. Policy Toward Cuba \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t[Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., president pro tempore of the Senate, and chairman of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) has long sought the release of Alan Gross and has visited him twice in the prison where he has been held for five years. Leahy also has led in efforts over the years for fundamental changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including pushing for an end to the law that prevents most Americans from visiting Cuba. Leahy Wednesday morning went to Cuba with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Judy Gross, and others, to bring Alan Gross home.]\r\nToday President Obama and President Raul Castro made history. After 54 years of animosity rooted in the Cold War, they have finally put our two countries on a new path. I congratulate them both.\r\nPresident Obama has done the right thing, and the courageous thing, in gaining the release of Alan Gross after five long years in a Cuban jail. Alan Gross was acting on behalf of the U.S. government when he was arrested, and our government  his government  had a responsibility to bring him home. By taking further steps to change a policy that is a relic of the Cold War, that has achieved none of its goals, and that has isolated the United States, the President has wisely charted a new course that serves our national interests in this hemisphere and the world. Our policies, frozen in time, have disserved the nation and have failed utterly and abysmally in achieving their original goals.  I worked steadily for two years to help obtain the release of Alan Gross. I visited him twice in Cuba. Tim Rieser of my staff met with him two other times and spoke with him by phone weekly over a period of many months. From discussions with Judy Gross, I know the pain and heartache and worry that Alan's imprisonment has meant for her and for their two daughters. I met twice with President Raul Castro, with Foreign Minister Rodriquez, and with other Cuban officials about Mr. Gross. I discussed his case many times with President Obama, Secretary Kerry and other U.S. officials, and I thank them for what they have accomplished.  Alan Gross has rightly been released on humanitarian grounds. In addition, the Cuban Government has also released a Cuban national who has been imprisoned in Cuba for many years in exchange for three Cubans who have served long sentences in the United States. Those who would criticize the President for releasing the Cubans should review their cases. An objective review of the facts and the law raises serious questions about the adequacy of the trial and the length of their sentences. The Cubans committed crimes and deserved to be punished, but as someone who was a prosecutor for eight years and the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for more than 18 years, I can see as others do that their cases are not an example of American justice to be proud of.  Six decades after the start of the U.S. embargo, Cuba remains a country where dissent is severely punished. Many brave Cubans have been imprisoned for political reasons. We all want to see a free Cuba whose citizens can choose their leaders, have unimpeded access to information, and criticize their government without fear. But like President Obama and a majority of Americans, I have long recognized that unilateral sanctions have failed completely, and that democratic change will more likely come through a policy of normal diplomatic relations and open engagement with the Cuban people.  Those who cling to a failed policy that did nothing to help Alan Gross, and who may oppose the President's actions, have nothing to offer but more of the same. That would serve neither the interests of the United States and its people, nor of the Cuban people. It is time for a change.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/chairman-senate-judiciary-committee-on-western-district-court-of-pennsylvania-decision-on-the-presidents-executive-action-", "Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Western District Court of Pennsylvania Decision on the Presidents Executive Action", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Western District Court of Pennsylvania Decision on the President's Executive Action  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\n[Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following comment Tuesday on a district court decision on President Obama's executive action to address the nation's broken immigration system. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Leahy steered the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act through the Senate last year.] \r\nIn a very unusual step, a federal judge considering a criminal sentencing issue reached out, unprompted, to weigh in on the constitutionality of the President's executive action on civil immigration matters. No party in the case raised such a challenge nor were there briefings or arguments on that issue. I strongly disagree with the court's reasoning but the process is also suspect. It is difficult to see this opinion as anything more than politically motivated judicial activism, given that the constitutionality of the President's actions was not being challenged in this case. It is important to make clear that the President's policy, which I strongly support, still stands. This is just the first of many court opinions that will be issued related to the President's executive action on immigration. I understand that members of the House of Representatives recently joined an amicus brief in another case. I wish they would put that energy into passing the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill the Senate sent them more than a year and a half ago.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/delegation-calls-on-fairpoint-to-negotiate", "Delegation Calls on FairPoint to Negotiate", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Delegation Calls on FairPoint to Negotiate \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, Dec. 16  Vermont's congressional delegation today sent a letter to FairPoint Communications urging the company to negotiate an end to its ongoing labor strike.\r\nWe are extremely disappointed that FairPoint management has not come back to the bargaining table with any meaningful concessions to end this strike, wrote Sens. Bernie Sanders, Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch in their joint letter. It is becoming increasingly clear to Vermonters that management is more concerned with the interests of corporate owners of FairPoint than negotiating a reasonable agreement that is fair to your workers and customers.\r\nSince the strike began, Vermont's Department of Public Service has received more than 600 complaints from FairPoint's customers. A recent equipment failure caused a roughly six-hour outage of Vermont's 9-1-1 system, resulting in nearly 100 missed calls from Vermonters trying to reach emergency dispatchers.\r\nIt is imperative that FairPoint returns to the bargaining table as soon as possible, negotiates in good faith, and allows its experienced and dedicated employees to get back to work. We are prepared to do whatever we can to help FairPoint's workers and management reach a compromise in these very difficult times, wrote the delegation.\r\nIt has been 136 days since FairPoint's labor contract expired and 61 days since the beginning of the strike. More than 1,700 members of the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are on strike against FairPoint in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.\r\nRead the letter here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nContacts:David Carle (Leahy): 202-224-3693 Michael Briggs (Sanders): 202-224-5141 Ryan Nickel (Welch): 202-225-4115\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/photos-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-leads-group-to-cuba-to-bring-back-alan-gross", "PHOTOS: Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Leads Group To Cuba To Bring Back Alan Gross", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t PHOTOS: Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Leads Group To Cuba To Bring Back Alan Gross \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday was joined by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Judy Gross and others for an early morning trip to Havana, Cuba to bring Alan Gross home. \r\nLeahy (D-Vt., president pro tempore of the Senate, and chairman of the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) has long sought the release of Alan Gross and has visited him twice in the prison where he has been held for five years. Leahy also has led in efforts over the years for fundamental changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including pushing for an end to the law that prevents most Americans from visiting Cuba.\r\nPHOTOS include photos taken by Leahy (and others, in the case in which Leahy is pictured) from this morning's trip to Cuba and are available for immediate use. \r\nhttp://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/photos/the-release-of-alan-gross-and-transforming-us-policy-toward-cuba\r\nLeahy's full statement is available here.\r\n# # # # #\r\nPress Contact   David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senator-patrick-leahys-comment-on-the-vermont-congressional-delegations-letter-to-fairpoint-ceo-paul-sunu", "Senator Patrick Leahys Comment On The Vermont Congressional Delegations Letter To FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Senator Patrick Leahy's Comment On The Vermont Congressional Delegation's Letter To FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tOn Tuesday Vermont Congressional Delegation  Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) -- wrote to CEO of FairPoint Paul Sunu urging the company to return to the bargaining table to bring an end to the ongoing strike. Phone and internet outages during the strike have caused a spike in customer complaints to the Vermont Public Service Board. Earlier this fall Leahy called on both the company and its workers to return to the table to negotiate in good faith.\r\nLeahy, who continues to believe that a lengthy impasse offers no benefit to Vermont customers, FairPoint workers or the company, on Tuesday said: Vermonters are increasingly frustrated by the ongoing standoff at FairPoint. From the start it has been clear that the way to resolve this impasse is for all sides to return to the table to negotiate a new contract. The rising number of service issues since this began only serve to heighten the stakes and the need to return to the table. I renew my call for the company and the unions to meet face to face to work toward ensuring the resumption of the level of service that Vermonters expect and deserve.\r\n[The text of the Vermont Congressional Delegation's letter is below:]\r\nDecember 16, 2014\r\nPaul H. Sunu\r\nChief Executive Officer\r\nFairPoint Communications\r\n521 E Morehead Street, Suite 500\r\nCharlotte, NC 28202\r\nDear Mr. Sunu:\r\nIt has now been 61 days since the beginning of the FairPoint strike and 136 days since FairPoint's labor contract expired.\r\nWe are extremely disappointed that FairPoint management has not come back to the bargaining table with any meaningful concessions to end this strike.It is becoming increasingly clear to Vermonters that management is more concerned with the interests of corporate owners of FairPoint than negotiating a reasonable agreement that is fair to your workers and customers.\r\nIt is imperative that FairPoint returns to the bargaining table as soon as possible, negotiates in good faith, and allows its experienced and dedicated employees to get back to work. We are prepared to do whatever we can to help FairPoint's workers and management reach a compromise in these very difficult times\r\nFailure to reach a fair agreement with your workers is not only hurting them, it is negatively affecting your customers and the services that you are required to provide. Since the strike began, Vermont's Department of Public Service has received more than 600 complaints from FairPoint's customers.\r\nA November 28 equipment failure caused an almost six-hour outage of Vermont's E-911 system, resulting in nearly 100 missed calls from Vermonters trying to reach emergency dispatchers at the Vermont State Police, Montpelier Police, and Vermont Gas. It is no exaggeration to say that FairPoint's failure to report, respond and repair the damage in a timely manner literally endangered the lives and property of Vermonters. That is completely unacceptable.\r\nIn fact, your company's poor response to that incident has us seriously questioning how FairPoint can possibly fulfill the obligations of the recently awarded $10 million contract to provide Enhanced 911 services for Vermont for the next five years. This service is no small matter  it is critical to the health and safety of Vermonters. Given the inadequate service you now provide, why should Vermonters believe you can adequately provide E-911 in the future?\r\nMost recently, a December 12 hardware failure during routine maintenance  reportedly by outsourced contractors  caused a widespread Internet outage across Vermont and New Hampshire, affecting tens of thousands who rely on their Internet connections for safety, education, healthcare or business.\r\nThese are just some examples of how FairPoint's refusal to settle with the union and bring back its experienced workforce has created chaos here in Vermont. In New Hampshire, there have been many similar reports of customer complaints and public safety system failures.\r\nWe urge you to get back to the bargaining table, negotiate in good faith, and agree to a reasonable compromise that both parties can accept.\r\nSincerely,\r\nPATRICK LEAHY  BERNARD SANDERS  PETER WELCH United States Senator  United States Senator   United States Representative\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121714", "News December 17", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 17\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 17, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\u00a0\r\nFairPoint Strike Vermont\u2019s congressional delegation called Tuesday for FairPoint Communications to negotiate an end to a two-month strike by about 1,700 New England workers after a rash of Internet and phone outages on the network of the state\u2019s dominant carrier. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch sent a letter to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu saying failure to reach a fair agreement with workers is affecting customers and the services the company is required to provide, according to an Associated Press report published in Tuesday\u2019s Burlington Free Press, Times-Argus and Rutland Herald. LINK, LINK\r\nSanders: Save Social Security Democrats are elevating Sen. Sanders to a Budget Committee post he plans to use to protect Social Security, WCAX-TV reported. In Iowa weighing a 2016 presidential candidacy, Sanders told reporters after speaking to more than 200 people in Ames that his top priority as ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee will be resisting cuts to Social Security in the newly Republican-controlled chamber, The Associated Press reported in the Muscatine Journal and elsewhere. LINK, LINK\r\nTax Breaks for Corporations Approved Before adjourning for the year, the Senate on Tuesday night voted to extend a raft of temporary tax breaks through the rest of 2014. The vote was 76-16 to clear the bill that now goes to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it. The final vote on the $41.6 billion package was very bipartisan. Sen. Ron Wyden, the outgoing chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, voted against the package. Sen. Sanders was among eight senators, according to Congressional Quarterly, who didn\u2019t vote. LINK\r\nHoliday Dinner Sen. Sanders will host a free holiday dinner for seniors on Saturday at the Brattleboro Senior Center, the Brattleboro Reformer noted.\r\nWorld\r\nPakistan Massacre Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan lifted a moratorium on the death penalty Wednesday as the government declared three days of official mourning and grappled with the aftermath of an attack on a school by the Pakistani Taliban that killed 145 people, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nRussian Ruble at Record Low The ruble hit a record low, falling as much as 20 percent against the dollar Tuesday. From St. Petersburg to Siberia, money changers ran out of foreign currency and were raising exchange rates. Moscow residents rushed to buy electronics and other big-ticket items and drained rubles from ATMs to swap them for dollars and euros\u2014signaling a new feeling of vulnerability among Russians and a fresh challenge to their leader, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nSenate Adjourns The least-productive Congress in modern history drew to an abrupt close late Tuesday as the U.S. Senate extended dozens of expired tax breaks but failed to renew a federally backed terrorism insurance program supported by big businesses and major sports leagues. Democrats controlling the Senate also secured agreements from Republicans to confirm at least six dozen of President Obama\u2019s nominees to serve as federal judges, agency bosses and on myriad government boards, a last-minute coup for the White House since most of the picks faced tougher odds next year once Republicans take full control of Capitol Hill, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nMcConnell Sets Keystone Pipeline Vote The new Republican Senate will take up the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline as its first order of business, incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday. The Kentucky Republican also said he plans to allow open amendment debate on the pro-Keystone legislation from Sen. John Hoeven. LINK\r\nEmboldened Bankers Ready to Dismantle Dodd-Frank Banks and financial institutions are planning an aggressive push to dismantle parts of the Wall Street reform law when Republicans take control of Congress in January. Fresh off a victory in the government funding debate that liberals decried as a giveaway to Wall Street, advocates for the financial sector aim to pursue additional changes to Dodd-Frank that they say would lighten burdens created by the 2010 law. Among the top items on the wish list: easing new requirements on mortgages, loosening restrictions on financial derivatives and overhauling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Hill reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nVA Misled Congress The Department of Veterans Affairs this year issued false statements to Congress and the media about treatment delays and how many patients died or suffered as a result of wait times at its health clinics. The agency\u2019s inspector general this week released a report saying VA issued \u201cseveral key statements\u201d about its reviews of treatment delays that were \u201cmisleading or incorrect,\u201d The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK, LINK\r\nVermont\u00a0\r\nFEMA Assessing Storm Damage The Federal Emergency Management Agency is visiting Vermont to assess the damage from last week's snow storm that caused more than 130,000 power outages. Vermont must show at least $1 million in eligible costs. Counties also must meet certain thresholds to get federal help, AP reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-cuba-announcements", "Sanders Statement on Cuba Announcements", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 17 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after it was announced that the United States will open talks with Cuba aimed at restoring full diplomatic relations and that Alan Gross, a U.S. citizen being held in Cuba has been released.\r\n\"I applaud the president for beginning discussions to establish full diplomatic relations with Cuba, just like most of the rest of the world. This is a major step forward in ending the 55-year Cold War with Cuba. Normal diplomatic relations would mean not only that Americans have the opportunity to visit Cuba, but businesses in Vermont and elsewhere can sell products there.\r\n\"When I visited Cuba last February I had the opportunity to meet Alan Gross, who was released today after being held for more than five years in prison. I am very glad he was finally released and will soon be reunited with his family.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-applauds-developments-in-us-cuba-relations", "Sanders Applauds Developments in U.S.-Cuba Relations", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Applauds Developments in U.S.-Cuba Relations\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 17, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Bernie Sanders applauded the president following news that the United States will open talks with Cuba aimed at restoring full diplomatic relations and that Alan Gross, a U.S. citizen being held in Cuba has been released.\r\n\"This is a major step forward in ending the 55-year Cold War with Cuba. Normal diplomatic relations would mean not only that Americans have the opportunity to visit Cuba, but businesses in Vermont and elsewhere can sell products there,\u201d said Sanders.\u00a0\"When I visited Cuba last year I had the opportunity to meet Alan Gross, who was released today after being held for more than five years in prison. I am very glad he was finally released and will soon be reunited with his family.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/solar-plan-offers-barre-1-million-savings", "Solar plan offers Barre $1 million savings", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Solar plan offers Barre $1 million savings\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t By:\u00a0 David Delcore \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTimes Argus\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 17, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBARRE \u2014 City councilors spent a portion of Tuesday night\u2019s snowstorm listening to how a little sunshine could save the city nearly $1 million in electrical costs over the next 20 years. Plans to construct two 500-kilowatt solar energy facilities on separate parcels of privately owned property have reached the point where Novus Energy Development \u2014 a Montpelier company that develops community-scale net-metered solar projects \u2014 needs a nod from the council to proceed. The company didn\u2019t get that Tuesday night, largely because Mayor Thomas Lauzon urged councilors to take a week to consider an offer he believes is too good to pass up but isn\u2019t completely risk-free. It is possible, though not likely, Lauzon said, that utility costs could drop over the next 20 years \u2014 eroding or erasing the projected savings to the city, which would be receiving credit for power generated by the solar projects. \u201cI haven\u2019t found a report yet that would indicate energy prices are actually going to decrease,\u201d Lauzon said, inviting councilors to do their own due diligence before meeting next week to vote on a solar service agreement with Novus Energy. That agreement is the product of a process started when Lauzon contacted Novus Energy principals Louis and Alex Bravakis eight months ago. Both men attended Tuesday\u2019s meeting to update the council on the proposal, which has come into much sharper focus since they made a conceptual presentation in July. For starters, councilors were told Novus Energy has signed leases for two chosen sites \u2014 one near the top of the former Skyline Ski Center off Railroad Street and the other behind the Booth Brothers Dairy processing plant on Allen Street in Barre Town. They were also told the company has lined up an investor interested in financing and owning the solar projects that Novus Energy would design, obtain permits for and see through to commissioning. But for their locations, the two solar facilities would be virtually identical to the one under construction in Barre Town and a second that has been proposed for that same town-owned site on Websterville Road. Novus Energy successfully pitched the first of those solar arrays to Barre Town officials, who were promised credits generated by the project would translate into significant power savings for the town and its elementary school. The town is considering a second solar facility that would yield similar savings for Spaulding High School, and Novus Energy is working with school officials in Barre on a project that would provide the same incentive to Barre City Elementary and Middle School. Councilors, who were told in July they could expect a 10 percent discount on power the city uses \u2014 roughly $700,000 over 20 years \u2014 learned Tuesday the deal is now sweeter, thanks to savings associated with lower panel prices and the economy of scale of constructing two facilities in the same vicinity at one time. The revised discount would be 15 percent. Louis Bravakis told councilors that should translate into an average annual savings of $49,000 over the first 10 years and roughly $47,000 in each of the next 10 years. In addition to the annual power savings, he said, the solar sites would each generate nearly $6,000 in municipal property taxes a year. Though one of the sites is in Barre Town, the city would collect roughly $120,000 in taxes on the Skyline site over the next 20 years, he said. Unlike the town, which owns the Websterville Road property where one solar facility is being constructed and another has been proposed, the city wouldn\u2019t receive an annual lease payment. That money would go to the private landowners. Although Novus Energy identified the former Skyline site early on, Alex Bravakis said the portion of the property initially considered was dropped due to wetlands concerns. Instead, he said, the company settled on a 5-acre area that is \u201chigh and dry\u201d and more remote. \u201cYou won\u2019t see it from anywhere,\u201d he said of the site, which is still close to three-phased power that would allow for a connection to the Green Mountain Power Corp. grid. The Skyline project would involve clearing 5 acres and constructing the solar facility on 3.5 acres of that land. The Allen Street project would be similarly sized, Alex Bravakis said. Lauzon said the question for councilors to consider before making a decision next week was simple. \u201cDo we want to enjoy $1 million in savings over 20 years with a 15 percent discount?\u201d he asked. According to Alex Bravakis, as soon as the council signs off, Novus Energy will start the design and permit processes with an eye toward completing both projects next year. \u201cWe would shoot to have this up and running by next fall,\u201d he said, suggesting that is realistic considering the time frame includes four to six months to obtain a certificate of public good from the state Public Service Board, an interconnection agreement with Green Mountain Power, and local permits that will be needed for the two projects.  \u201cWe\u2019ve got the winter to work with,\u201d he added. The council agreed to defer action on the agreement until Tuesday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/vermonters-on-the-economy-there-is-not-a-level-playing-field-for-opportunity", "Vermonters on the Economy: 'There Is Not A Level Playing Field.'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Vermonters on the Economy: 'There Is Not A Level Playing Field.'\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 17, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\r\nVermont\u2019s jobless rate is one of the lowest in the United States. But thousands of Vermonters continue to struggle to find good-paying jobs.\u00a0\r\nMany Vermonters who do have jobs don\u2019t feel they are earning enough money to give their families the lives they were hoping for. Many of Vermont\u2019s college graduates feel they can\u2019t pursue their \u201cdream jobs\u201d because they have tens of thousands of student loans that must be repaid.\u00a0 Meanwhile, other Vermonters shared that they have serious doubts about whether there is a \u201clevel playing field for opportunity.\u201d\r\n\u201cI find the economy is very hard to live in today,\u201d said Rachael Trill, 29, of Colchester, Vermont.\u00a0 \u201cI live in a two-parent household. We have a young daughter and we both work -- and we still can\u2019t manage to get by financially.\u201d\r\nTrill said she would like to go back to school, but doesn\u2019t want to take out thousands of dollars in loans to do it. \u201cI can\u2019t work, and go to school, and take care of her -- and afford to do all that at once,\u201d she said, describing the challenges of affording day care, covering household expenses and finding money to pay for tuition.\r\nThomas Smith, 56, of Burlington, Vermont is concerned many people in Vermont and throughout the United States won\u2019t have enough money saved for retirement, a situation that will cause major difficulties in the decades ahead. Overall, he said, \u201cI think one of my main concerns, in terms of economic policy in this country, is that there is not a level playing field for opportunity.\u201d\r\n\u2018PEOPLE CAN\u2019T LIVE THEIR DREAM\u2019\r\nMarc Brunco, 23, senior at Lyndon State College, said student debt weighs on his personal finances and his future plans.\u00a0 He is not sure exactly how much debt he has \u2013 but estimates it is \u201caround the $40,000 to $45,000 mark.\u201d\r\n\u201cI just try not to think about it,\u201d he said.\r\nSeven in 10 seniors who graduated from public and nonprofit colleges in last year had student loan debt, with an average of $28,400 per borrower, according to The Project on Student Debt. In Vermont, the average debt was $27,318.\r\nBrunco says student loan debt may prevent him, and other Vermont college graduates, from picking a job that truly interests them. Instead, he said, many will gravitate towards jobs that help keep the creditors at bay.\u00a0 Graduating seniors, he said, often must \u201cpick a job that can pay the debt rather than pick a job that they want to do. So people can\u2019t live their dream \u2026 because it doesn\u2019t pay well.\u201d\r\n\u201cMore and more often, I\u2019m hearing my friends graduating in all this sort of debt and I hear even more friends, sadly, saying \u2018I\u2019m going to withdraw because it\u2019s too expensive,\u2019\u201d he said.\r\nBrunco has a message for students in Vermont and throughout the United States: \u201cI would just say you have power. Not just through voting, but you have the power to go down there: to Montpelier to Washington. ... You have the power to say to the government, do something about this because you\u2019re supposed to serve our interests. And this is the interest that\u2019s near and dear to our hearts.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n12/08/2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/leahy-welch-greater-protection-starts-vermonts-fruit-vegetable-and-other", "Leahy, Welch: Greater Protection Starts For Vermont's Fruit, Vegetable And Other Specialty Crop Growers", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "welch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", ". . . USDA Rolls Out New Farm Bill Program Upgrade Championed By Leahy And Welch Helping Farmers Who Have Traditionally Been Ineligible For Federal Crop Insurance Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) say greater protections are now available for farmers who grow specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, floriculture, ornamental nursery, mushrooms, honey and energy crops. In the past, farmers of these crops have traditionally been ineligible for federal crop insurance, but under new provisions in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), authored by Leahy and Welch as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, new risk management tools are now available for these fruit and vegetable growers. In a joint statement, Leahy and Welch said: The devastation to crops from Tropical Storm Irene,underscored how important it was that Vermont farmers have financial protection. We fought hard to include language in the Farm Bill that would help ensure that Vermont farm families will be better able to withstand financial losses caused by natural disasters. These Vermont farmers finally will have similar tools to those that long have been offered to traditional commodity crop farmers. This is a boost for their financial security, and for their peace of mind. Before the Leahy-Welch 2014 Farm Bill provisions, specialty crop farmers did not have access to traditional crop insurance programs and could only purchase catastrophic' protection that kicked in only if more than half of a farmer's crops had been destroyed, and then paid only 55 percent of the value of what was lost. This was catastrophic coverage that might help buy seed for the next year but did little to make up a farmer's lost income. Under the new NAP Buy-Up provision, farmers can now choose higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price. Thanks to the Leahy-Welch amendments, this new Buy-Up opportunity will be particularly helpful to beginning and traditionally underserved producers, as well as farmers with limited resources, who will receive fee waivers and premium reductions of 50 percent for this new expanded coverage. For farmers interested in learning more about the greatly improved NAP and how it can help them, USDA has created a new web tool, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap. The web tool will allow producers to determine whether their crops are eligible for coverage under the new NAP protections and to explore the wide variety of options to determine the best protection level for their operation. To learn more, farmers are encouraged to visit the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website at fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact their local FSA offices at offices.usda.gov. The Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the program, also wants to hear from producers and other interested stakeholders who may have suggestions or recommendations on the program. Written comments will be accepted until Feb. 13, 2015, and can be submitted through www.regulations.gov.  # # # # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-urges-senate-to-approve-nominee-to-lead-key-immigration-office", "Leahy Urges Senate To Approve Nominee To Lead Key Immigration Office", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.16.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Urges Senate To Approve Nominee To Lead Key Immigration Office \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t If Senators want our immigration laws enforced, they should focus on filling this key leadership position.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Tuesday, December 16, 2014) Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Tuesday urged Senators to confirm Sarah Saldaa to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, where she will lead the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).\r\nThe office is critical to border enforcement, and has been without a Senate-confirmed leader since last year. Leahy, who steered the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act through the Senate last year, said that Senate Republicans who say they want more border security should support Saldaa's confirmation.\r\nSome want to use Ms. Saldaa's nomination as an opportunity to attack President Obama's executive action on immigration. But that is not the issue we are considering today, Leahy said. There is no evidence that she was involved in either the House's refusal to allow a vote on the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill or the President's decision to take what steps he could in the wake of the House's refusal to act. The vote before us concerns Ms. Saldaa's qualifications to lead ICE, and she has proved that she is more than capable of executing the duties of the position.\r\nLeahy added: If Senators want our immigration laws enforced, they should focus on filling this key leadership position.\r\nEarlier this month, the Judiciary Committee approved Saldana's nomination on a 10-8 vote. Her nomination was also considered and approved last month by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, where she earned strong bipartisan support. Saldaa currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, a position to which she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2011.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-welch-greater-protection-starts-for-vermonts-fruit-vegetable-and-other-specialty-crop-growers", "Leahy, Welch: Greater Protection Starts For Vermonts Fruit, Vegetable And Other Specialty Crop Growers", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.16.14\n\t\t\t Leahy, Welch: Greater Protection Starts For Vermont's Fruit, Vegetable And Other Specialty Crop Growers \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t . . . USDA Rolls Out New Farm Bill Program Upgrade Championed By Leahy And Welch Helping Farmers Who Have Traditionally Been Ineligible For Federal Crop Insurance\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t (TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014)  Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) say greater protections are now available for farmers who grow specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, floriculture, ornamental nursery, mushrooms, honey and energy crops. In the past, farmers of these crops have traditionally been ineligible for federal crop insurance, but under new provisions in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), authored by Leahy and Welch as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, new risk management tools are now available for these fruit and vegetable growers.\r\nIn a joint statement, Leahy and Welch said: The devastation to crops from Tropical Storm Irene,underscored how important it was that Vermont farmers have financial protection. We fought hard to include language in the Farm Bill that would help ensure that Vermont farm families will be better able to withstand financial losses caused by natural disasters. These Vermont farmers finally will have similar tools to those that long have been offered to traditional commodity crop farmers. This is a boost for their financial security, and for their peace of mind.\r\nBefore the Leahy-Welch 2014 Farm Bill provisions, specialty crop farmers did not have access to traditional crop insurance programs and could only purchase catastrophic' protection that kicked in only if more than half of a farmer's crops had been destroyed, and then paid only 55 percent of the value of what was lost. This was catastrophic coverage that might help buy seed for the next year but did little to make up a farmer's lost income.\r\nUnder the new NAP Buy-Up provision, farmers can now choose higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price. Thanks to the Leahy-Welch amendments, this new Buy-Up opportunity will be particularly helpful to beginning and traditionally underserved producers, as well as farmers with limited resources, who will receive fee waivers and premium reductions of 50 percent for this new expanded coverage.\r\nFor farmers interested in learning more about the greatly improved NAP and how it can help them, USDA has created a new web tool, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap. The web tool will allow producers to determine whether their crops are eligible for coverage under the new NAP protections and to explore the wide variety of options to determine the best protection level for their operation.\r\nTo learn more, farmers are encouraged to visit the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website at fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact their local FSA offices at offices.usda.gov. The Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the program, also wants to hear from producers and other interested stakeholders who may have suggestions or recommendations on the program. Written comments will be accepted until Feb. 13, 2015, and can be submitted through www.regulations.gov.\r\n# # # # #\r\nCONTACTS:\r\nDavid Carle (Leahy): 202-224-3693\r\nRyan Nickel (Welch): 202-225-4115\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121614", "News December 16", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 16\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSanders: Expand Social Security Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is moving to a new post as top minority member of the Senate Budget Committee, said on Monday that he'll use the position to defend Social Security, which he calls \"the most successful government program in history.\" The Associated Press and WPTZ-TV reported. Sanders said questions about Social Security's long-term solvency are misplaced. The program has a $2.76 trillion surplus and has paid out promised benefits consistently since it was founded nearly 80 years ago, he said in a Senate speech featured on C-SPAN. LINK, VIDEO, VIDEO\r\nBudget Committee\u00a0Senate Republican leaders on Monday announced their conference's new committee assignments for the next Congress. The only race for committee leadership still undecided is for the Senate Budget Committee. Sen. Sanders was selected late last week to become the Budget panel\u2019s ranking member next year, The Hill\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDavid Koch is \u2018Fascinating\u2019\u00a0Barbara Walters of ABC News interviewed conservative donor David Koch as one of her \"most fascinating people of 2014.\" She called him a hero to the right and villain to the left and showed a snippet of a speech by Sen. Sanders. \u201cI don't know if the Koch brothers are nice guys or not nice guys. That's not the issue.\u201d Sanders has criticized the billionaire's efforts to buy elections, according to Newsbusters.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\r\nTreasury Nominee\u00a0Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is joining a growing number of Senate Democrats and Sen. Sanders in expressing concerns about the president's nomination of Antonio Weiss, a Wall Street insider and investment banker, for a top position at the Treasury Department,\u00a0Business Insider\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nTar Sands Pipeline\u00a0Environmental activists are hoping low oil prices will push President Barack Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline,\u00a0Politico\u00a0reported. Sen. Sanders, a strong opponent of the pipeline, noted the \"abundance of oil on the marketplace and prices going down.\"\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nFunding Bill A $1.1 trillion funding bill was passed the Senate on Saturday over opposition by every senator considering a White House bid, including Bernie Sanders,\u00a0The Wall Street Journal\u00a0reported. Rolling back a regulation on risky bank investments was a reason for Sanders\u2019 opposition to the bill,\u00a0The Huffington Post noted.\u00a0Sanders proposed legislation to split up banks deemed \"too big to fail,\" PolicyMic\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0LINK, LINK,\u00a0LINK\r\nPre-K in Vermont Vermont got a big boost last year when it received a $37 million federal grant to move its early-childhood education programs forward. Sen. Sanders, a member of the Senate education committee, worked with the U.S. Department of Education, the congressional delegation and the Shumlin administration to secure the funding to operate the pre-K program, according to an Addison County Independent editorial. LINK\r\nWhite House '16, Iowa\u00a0Looking more like a longshot candidate for president, Sen. Sanders will visit Iowa Tuesday and address audiences in Ames and near Des Moines along with meetings of labor and women's rights groups in what is his first trip to the leadoff caucus state since the midterm election, AP reported. \u201cThe Vermont senator, who is an independent, will be at the Progress Iowa holiday party in Altoona. Sanders is the longest serving registered independent in congressional history, WOI-TV in Des Moines reported. VIDEO\r\nWhite House '16, Polls\u00a0A new national poll of potential Democratic nominees shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading the field. Sen. Elizabeth Warren drew 6 percent.\u00a0 Sen. Sanders and Vice President Joe Biden tied for third place with 2 percent each,\u00a0The Washington Post\u00a0and\u00a0The Philadelphia Inquirer\u00a0reported. LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\r\nWhite House '16, Warren Democracy for America, which in the past has partnered with Sanders, sent out a mailer supporting Warren,\u00a0VICE\u00a0magazine said.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\r\nWhite House '16, O\u2019Malley Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley will probably push off an announcement about running for president until spring. He would almost certainly run to Clinton's left but there are likely to be others in the Democratic field, including Sen. Sanders, who will make an appeal to the left wing of the party, according to The Washington Post. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nSydney Attack\u00a0A gunman's siege of a cafe in the heart of Sydney, Australia ended Monday with two hostages and their captor dead,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0An Iranian-born gunman burst in, took 17 workers and customers hostage, and forced some to hold a flag with an Islamic declaration of faith above the shop window's festive inscription of \"Merry Christmas.\"\u00a0LINK\r\nClimate Scientists Express Concerns\u00a0In the wake of an international climate deal, many scientists are concerned that global emissions reductions targets are still too conservative to prevent serious damage to the planet,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nLawmakers Press for Russia Sanctions\u00a0A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday pressed President Barack Obama to approve new santions on Russia and provide weapons and other assistance to Ukraine,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nSenate Confirms Nominee for Surgeon General The Senate on Monday confirmed President Obama\u2019s nominee for surgeon general, ending a long fight over gun control and politics that had left the country without a permanent top doctor for a year and a half. In an early-evening vote, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, an internal medicine physician, was approved, 51- to 43. The confirmation was one of the last acts of business for the Democratic-controlled Senate, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nBudget Battle Is Likely to Heat Up Next Year Congress last week barely managed to approve a funding bill negotiated by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, working under spending guidelines set by each party\u2019s budget gurus. Next year could get even uglier. After four years of a divided Congress, Republicans will take full control of both chambers in January with hopes of passing individual spending bills under an orderly process rarely seen in recent years, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nEconomic Recovery Spreads to the Middle Class For years, even as the economy recovered and the stock market soared, most American workers saw little evidence of better times in their paychecks. But last month\u2019s surprisingly large increase in both average hourly and weekly earnings, along with other encouraging data, has convinced many economists that falling unemployment and increased hiring are finally about to start paying off in terms of wage gains for a broader swath of workers, according to The New York Times. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nUVM Faculty Contract The University of Vermont says its full-time faculty members have approved a new contract thatprovides for performance-based and across-the-board annual increases, as well as salary adjustments when faculty members are promoted, AP reported.\r\nStorm Recovery\u00a0Vermont's largest electric utility says it's restored power to nearly all its customers, but small outages are continuing to occur and heavy snow continues to fall from trees,\u00a0AP\u00a0reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/1216142", "News December 16", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 16\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSanders Vows to Protect Social Security\u00a0Sen. Bernie Sanders was in Iowa Tuesday, telling a mostly Democratic audience he will use his position as the No. 2 on the budget committee to resist cuts to Social Security in the new Republican-controlled Senate,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0After an hour-long talk with 200 Democratic activists, Sanders told reporters his priority on the committee is to draft a budget that \"works for the middle class and working class of this country.\"\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSplit Up Big Banks\u00a0A controversial spending bill passed by Congress opens the door for future taxpayer bailouts of big banks by loosening regulations intended to clamp down on Wall Street gambling,\u00a0Raw Story reported. Sen. Sanders plans a legislative push to split up major financial institutions. \u201cIf Congress cannot regulate Wall Street, there is just one alternative,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cIt is time to break these too-big-to-fail banks up so that they can never again destroy the jobs, homes, and life savings of the American people.\u201d\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nTaliban Massacre\u00a0Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing at least 141 people, mostly children, before Pakistani officials declared a military operation to clear the school over,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nRussia\u00a0President\u00a0Barack Obama\u00a0will sign a package of Russia sanctions despite having concerns about the impact of the legislation, the White House said Tuesday according to\u00a0The Wall Street Journal.\u00a0The bill was passed by Congress last week and adds additional sanctions to Russian weapons companies and energy interests. It also provides additional military aid to the Ukrainian government, which has been involved in a low-grade military conflict with its neighbor.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nJeb Bush to Explore Run for President\u00a0President\u00a0Jeb Bush will \u201cactively explore the possibility of running for president\u201d in 2016, according to an announcement the former Florida governor posted to this Facebook page Tuesday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nSolar Energy\u00a0Vermont's reliance on solar power is continuing to increase under a state program that allows small power producers to sell electricity to utilities,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0So far this year the number of projects of up to 150 kilowatts permitted can produce a total of 19.8 megawatts of electricity. Through the same period last year the total was 12.5 megawatts. That's an increase of 58 percent.\u00a0LINK\r\nPeace Corps Volunteers\u00a0Vermonters volunteered for the Peace Corps in larger proportion than any other state in 2014, the\u00a0Burlington Free Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/delegation-calls-on-fairpoint-to-negotiate", "Delegation Calls on FairPoint to Negotiate", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Delegation Calls on FairPoint to Negotiate\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 16 \u2013 Vermont\u2019s congressional delegation today sent a letter to FairPoint Communications urging the company to negotiate an end to its ongoing labor strike.\r\n\u201cWe are extremely disappointed that FairPoint management has not come back to the bargaining table with any meaningful concessions to end this strike,\u201d wrote Sens. Bernie Sanders, Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch in their joint letter. \u201cIt is becoming increasingly clear to Vermonters that management is more concerned with the interests of corporate owners of FairPoint than negotiating a reasonable agreement that is fair to your workers and customers.\u201d\r\nSince the strike began, Vermont\u2019s Department of Public Service has received more than 600 complaints from FairPoint\u2019s customers. A recent equipment failure caused a roughly six-hour outage of Vermont\u2019s 9-1-1 system, resulting in nearly 100 missed calls from Vermonters trying to reach emergency dispatchers.\r\n\u201cIt is imperative that FairPoint returns to the bargaining table as soon as possible, negotiates in good faith, and allows its experienced and dedicated employees to get back to work.\u00a0 We are prepared to do whatever we can to help FairPoint\u2019s workers and management reach a compromise in these very difficult times,\u201d wrote the delegation.\r\nIt has been 136 days since FairPoint\u2019s labor contract expired and 61 days since the beginning of the strike. More than 1,700 members of the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are on strike against FairPoint in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.\r\nRead the letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/state-of-the-union2", "State of the Union", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "State of the Union\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Bernie Sanders on Monday launched his annual State of the Union essay contest. The contest is designed to engage Vermont\u2019s high school students on the major issues facing the country.\r\nThe U.S. Constitution calls for the president to \u201cgive to the Congress information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.\u201d\u00a0As the president prepares to deliver his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress next month, Sanders\u2019 essay contest asks Vermont\u2019s high school students to write an essay of 250 words to 500 words detailing their own view of the state of the union.\r\nSanders annual essay contest, now in its fifth year, is an opportunity for Vermont students to articulate what issues they would prioritize, if they were president. A panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays. The finalists will have their essays entered into the Congressional Record and join the senator for a roundtable discussion. The winner will also have the opportunity to invite Sanders to their school to hold a student town meeting.\r\n\u201cWe need our students to be engaged, to help find solutions for the problems that confront us, and to think about the future of our country. That\u2019s what democracy is all about,\u201d said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee.\r\nSince the contest was first held, more than 1,150 students from schools throughout Vermont have written essays about such important issues as the declining middle class, climate change, health care reform, and the rising cost of a college education.\r\nThe deadline for student essay submissions is noon on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.\u00a0More information can be found on the senator\u2019s webpage at https://www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/.\r\nSince Sanders\u2019 essay contest began in 2010, winning essays have been written by students from the Vermont Commons School, Winooski High School, Champlain Valley Union High School, and Mount Anthony Union High School.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121514", "News December 15", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 15\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSenate Passes $1.1 Trillion Bill The Senate late Saturday night passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill by a 56-40 vote that crisscrossed party lines. Sen. Bernie Sanders said the bill lacks need regulation for big banks and ignores the needs of the middle class, WCAX-TV reported on Sunday. VIDEO\r\nSanders Votes No In a rare split within Vermont's congressional delegation, Sen. Patrick Leahy voted in favor of the bill that Sen. Sanders called \"totally crazy.\" Sanders joined 21 Democrats and 18 Republicans in opposing it. Rep. Peter Welch also voted against the bill when it passed the House Thursday night. Sanders and Welch took issue with two policy riders attached to the spending bill that would roll back regulations governing Wall Street banks and dramatically increase the amount of money donors can give to political parties. In a statement released ahead of Saturday's vote, Sanders also faulted the legislation for failing to invest in infrastructure improvements and environmental programs, Seven Days reported. LINK\r\nParty Splits Sen. Sanders and all of the Senate\u2019s other potential presidential candidates from both parties voted against the bill, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Radio News nd Daytona Beach (Florida) News-Journal reported on Monday. \u201cThere was commonality among 2016 candidates. They didn't like this bill. Isn't that representative of the Democrats also having a problem with their... Warren wing?\u201d Candy Crowley asked Sen. Chuck Schumer on CNN. \u201cI think that the differences between -- among Democrats are small compared to the huge chasm of Republicans,\u201d Schumer said. LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nAn American Agenda \u201cWe need to put the unemployed back to work, to raise wages and make certain that all Americans have the health care and education they need for healthy and productive lives,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in a column published Monday in the Des Moines Register. LINK\r\nBernie\u2019s Bigger Platform Sen. Sanders\u00a0has long voiced frustration over income inequality and tax cuts for the wealthy.\u00a0Next Congress, he\u2019ll have a bigger platform for airing those criticisms.\u00a0The Senate Democratic Steering Committee on Friday tapped\u00a0Sanders, a Vermont independent, to become the top-ranking minority member of the Senate Budget Committee, the Burlington Free Press reported in the cover story of Monday\u2019s newspaper. Sanders\u2019 elevation to the ranking position on the Budget Committee also was noted in the Rutland Herald and Times Argus. LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nSenate Progressives \u201cThe power of (Elizabeth) Warren and likeminded senators seems only to be growing. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made her a member of leadership. In the next Senate, the top Democrat on the Banking Committee will be liberal leader Sen. Sherrod Brown. The top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee will be Bernie Sanders,\u201d The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nSydney Cafe Siege An armed gunman is holding some 30 hostages in a cafe in central Sydney. Five captives fled from the caf\u00e9 where two people were seen holding up a flag containing an Islamic declaration of faith. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the incident was politically motivated but he avoided pointing blame at any group, CBS News reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nIn Final Spending Bill, Salty Food and Belching Cows Are Winners\u00a0Health insurance companies preserved their tax breaks. Farmers and ranchers were spared having to report on pollution from manure. Tourist destinations like Las Vegas benefited from a travel promotion program. Also buried in the giant spending bill that cleared the Senate on Saturday and is headed to President Obama for his signature were provisions that prohibit the federal government from requiring less salt in school lunches and allow schools to obtain exemptions from whole-grain requirements for pasta and tortillas, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nProtest Leaders Vow to Keep Pressing for Change Organizers and participants in nationwide weekend protests of police treatment of minorities say the movement is evolving to include more lobbying for legislative and political change. Demonstrations drew thousands, and at times tens of thousands, of participants in New York, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, the San Francisco Bay Area and San Antonio, among other cities, on Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nAshe: Slow Down on Single Payer Gov. Peter Shumlin will unveil his single-payer financing proposal later this month, but a powerful state senator says the Legislature might want to spend less time this year talking about how Vermont pays for health insurance, and focus instead on making sure everyone is getting it. Few people in the Legislature will have more influence over the health care debate in than Sen. Tim Ashe. The Chittenden County Democrat not only chairs the committee that handles tax matters for the Senate, he\u2019s also the Senate President\u2019s most trusted advisor on health care reform matters, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-announces-fifth-annual-state-of-the-union-essay-contest", "Sanders Announces Fifth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Announces Fifth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 15 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has launched his annual State of the Union essay contest. The contest is designed to engage Vermont\u2019s high school students on the major issues facing the country.\r\nThe U.S. Constitution calls for the president to \u201cgive to the Congress information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.\u201d As the president prepares to deliver his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress next month, Sanders\u2019 essay contest asks Vermont\u2019s high school students to write an essay of 250 words to 500 words detailing their own view of the state of the union.\r\nSanders annual essay contest, now in its fifth year, is an opportunity for Vermont students to articulate what issues they would prioritize, if they were president. A panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays. The finalists will have their essays entered into the Congressional Record and join the senator for a roundtable discussion. The winner will also have the opportunity to invite Sanders to their school to hold a student town meeting.\r\n\u201cWe need our students to be engaged, to help find solutions for the problems that confront us, and to think about the future of our country. That\u2019s what democracy is all about,\u201d said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee.\r\nSince the contest was first held, more than 1,150 students from schools throughout Vermont have written essays about such important issues as the declining middle class, climate change, health care reform, and the rising cost of a college education.\r\nThe deadline for student essay submissions is noon on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015. More information can be found on the senator\u2019s webpage at https://www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/.\r\nSince Sanders\u2019 essay contest began in 2010, winning essays have been written by students from the Vermont Commons School, Winooski High School, Champlain Valley Union High School, and Mount Anthony Union High School.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-to-defend-social-security-on-budget-committee", "Sanders to Defend Social Security on Budget Committee", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders to Defend Social Security on Budget Committee\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 15 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), slated to take over as the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, announced today that he will use the position to defend and expand Social Security, \u201cthe most successful government program in history.\u201d\r\n\u201cAt a time when prescription drug prices are skyrocketing and one-third of all seniors depend on Social Security for a least 90 percent of their income, we should not be cutting Social Security, we should be expanding it,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cDespite what you may hear from some politicians or pundits on TV, Social Security is not going broke. In fact the program has a $2.76 trillion surplus and has paid out every nickel owed to every eligible beneficiary since its inception.\u201d\r\nSpeaking on the Senate floor, Sanders said one of the major threats to Social Security is a proposal promoted by Republican budget negotiators to change how the consumer price index is calculate in a way designed to cut annual cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security benefits. Under the so-called chained CPI, the average senior who retires at age 65 would see their Social Security benefits cut by about $658 a year when they reach 75 and by about $1,100 a year once they turn 85. At the beginning of 2014, the average Social Security benefit for a retired worker was $1,193.92 a month.\r\nThe change in the formula for calculating inflation also would also substantially cut benefits for nearly 4 million veterans. The largest cuts would impact young, permanently disabled veterans who were seriously wounded in combat. It would also impact more than 350,000 survivors who receive service-connected death benefits. Veterans who started receiving VA disability benefits at age 30 would have their benefits reduced by $1,425 at age 45, $2,341 at age 55 and $3,231 at age 65.\r\nSanders has introduced legislation that would lift the cap on contributions to Social Security in order to secure the program for future generations. \u201cRight now a billionaire pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $117,000 a year,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cIf we lifted this cap and applied the Social Security payroll tax to income above $250,000 we could expand Social Security. That is exactly what we have got to do. And that is exactly what the American people want us to do.\u201d\r\nSanders is the outgoing chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs and the founder of the Senate\u2019s Defend Social Security Caucus.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/expand-social-security", "Expand Social Security", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Expand Social Security\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Bernie Sanders, slated to take over as the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, announced Monday that he will use the position to defend and expand Social Security, \u201cthe most successful government program in history.\u201d\r\n\u201cAt a time when prescription drug prices are skyrocketing and one-third of all seniors depend on Social Security for a least 90 percent of their income, we should not be cutting Social Security, we should be expanding it,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cDespite what you may hear from some politicians or pundits on TV, Social Security is not going broke. In fact the program has a $2.76 trillion surplus and has paid out every nickel owed to every eligible beneficiary since its inception.\u201d\r\nWatch the Senate floor speech\r\nSpeaking on the Senate floor, Sanders said one of the major threats to Social Security is a proposal promoted by Republican budget negotiators to change how the consumer price index is calculate in a way designed to cut annual cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security benefits. Under the so-called chained CPI, the average senior who retires at age 65 would see their Social Security benefits cut by about $658 a year when they reach 75 and by about $1,100 a year once they turn 85. At the beginning of 2014, the average Social Security benefit for a retired worker was $1,193.92 a month.\r\nThe change in the formula for calculating inflation also would also substantially cut benefits for nearly 4 million veterans. The largest cuts would impact young, permanently disabled veterans who were seriously wounded in combat. It would also impact more than 350,000 survivors who receive service-connected death benefits. Veterans who started receiving VA disability benefits at age 30 would have their benefits reduced by $1,425 at age 45, $2,341 at age 55 and $3,231 at age 65.\r\nSanders has introduced legislation that would lift the cap on contributions to Social Security in order to secure the program for future generations. \u201cRight now a billionaire pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $117,000 a year,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cIf we lifted this cap and applied the Social Security payroll tax to income above $250,000 we could expand Social Security. That is exactly what we have got to do. And that is exactly what the American people want us to do.\u201d\r\nSanders is the outgoing chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs and the founder of the Senate\u2019s Defend Social Security Caucus.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/senate-proclamation-rebecca-haslam", "Senate Proclamation - Rebecca Haslam", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Proclamation - Rebecca Haslam\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tM. President, I rise today to bring to your attention a remarkable Vermonter, Rebecca Haslam, who is recognized as Vermont\u2019s 2015 Teacher of the Year.\r\nThe honor is a testament to Rebecca\u2019s hard work and dedication to improved learning and education. Rebecca\u2019s leadership in education has helped foster intellectual and personal growth in countless students. She has earned the respect of the community through her commitment, dedication, and passion to her classroom and her innovative approach to learning.\r\nHer dedication to her students is unwavering, \u201cThey have such a love of learning and they are joyful when they come to school,\u201d she explains. Moreover, Rebecca provides a comfortable environment for students to learn, fostering social, academic, and emotional development for her students.\r\nAs an educator, Rebecca sets high expectations and routines in the classroom to ensure the success of all her students. She is diligent in providing academic rigor and a caring environment. Her academic expectations inspire students of all backgrounds and learning abilities.\r\nIn our state\u2019s biggest city, Burlington, she tackles difficult issues many students have faced. Rebecca pulls on her own childhood experiences to better address the stereotypes and biases she noticed as a child. As a student, she recalls her own classmates were quick to point out she was different, \u201cIt was like here\u2019s the norm, and here\u2019s you,\u201d Rebecca shared with a local reporter. As a child, Rebecca was never empowered with the language or the space to talk about her experience as a minority, and she does not want the same for the youth of today.\r\nTo better address race and culture in the classroom, Rebecca is also the Burlington School District social studies and equity coach. In this role she creates curriculum, teaches side by side with colleagues, and works to promote an inclusive classroom environment in all six elementary schools. Additionally, Rebecca is a participant of the district Equity Committee. She works to promote equity and cultural competence through Burlington\u2019s school system trainings ten times a year.\u00a0 The teachers focus on reducing stereotyping and bias with curricular innovations and with conversation. \u201cThe goal of it is never, ever to shame and blame,\u201d she said. \u201cThe goal is really to build our capacity to be anti-racist educators, all of us.\u201d\r\nRebecca is a role model for all Vermonters. She uses her past experiences, present understandings, and future goals as motivation for her teaching. She is teaching our students, educators, and community how to be socially responsible and respectful. The work that Rebecca does to create an atmosphere conducive to learning is commendable. Vermonters are truly fortunate to have such a praiseworthy educator for their children.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/is-it-bad-enough-yet", "Is It Bad Enough Yet?", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Is It Bad Enough Yet?\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t By:\u00a0 Mark Bittman \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 14, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe police killing unarmed civilians. Horrifying income inequality. Rotting infrastructure and an unsafe \u201csafety net.\u201d An inability to respond to climate, public health and environmental threats. A food system that causes disease. An occasionally dysfunctional and even cruel government. A sizable segment of the population excluded from work and subject to near-random incarceration.\r\nYou get it: This is the United States, which, with the incoming Congress, might actually get worse.\r\nThis in part explains why we\u2019re seeing spontaneous protests nationwide, protests that, in their scale, racial diversity, anger and largely nonviolent nature, are unusual if not unique. I was in four cities recently \u2014 New York, Washington, Berkeley and Oakland \u2014 and there were actions every night in each of them. Meanwhile, workerswalked off the job\u00a0in 190 cities on Dec. 4.\r\nThe root of the anger is inequality, about which statistics are mind-boggling: From 2009 to 2012 (that\u2019s the most recent data), some 95 percent of new income has gone to the top 1 percent; the Walton family (owners of Walmart) have\u00a0as much wealth\u00a0as the bottom 42 percent of the country\u2019s people combined; and \u201cincome mobility\u201d now describes\u00a0how the rich get richer while the poor ... actually get poorer.\r\nContinue reading here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121414", "News December 14", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 14\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 14, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSenate Passes $1.1 Trillion Bill The Senate voted 56-40 on Saturday night to approve a $1.1 trillion deal and send the legislation to President Barack Obama. Sen. Bernie Sanders and nearly every other senator mentioned as a future presidential candidate voted no, Politico reported. In stark contrast to House Democrats who nearly derailed the budget, just five Senate Democrats and Sanders voted against the procedural motion that ended debate on the bill, The Guardian and CQ/Roll Call reported. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK\u00a0\r\nWall Street Wins, Taxpayers Lose The $1.1 trillion bill rolled back regulations on Wall Street. Federally insured funds can now be used again by banks in high-risk investments. \u201cWhen they make a whole lot of money they get richer, but when they lose money because of the repeal of this provision, the taxpayers of this country have to bail them out,\u201d Sen. Sanders said. \u201cDoes anybody \u2013 anybody \u2013 think that that makes any sense at all?\u201d Sanders asked in an NBC News report on KWQC-TV in Davenport, Iowa, and other network affiliates nationwide. LINK, VIDEO\r\nSanders: Break Up Big Banks Sen. Sanders plans to introduce legislation to break up Wall Street banks and prevent them from using a provision in the spending bill to engage in the kind of investments that led to the 2008 financial crisis. He used Saturday\u2019s Senate session to outline a proposal that he believes would counter a provisions meant to gut a 2010 law. \u201cIf Congress cannot regulate Wall Street, there is just one alternative. It is time to break these too-big-to-fail banks up so that they can never again destroy the jobs, homes and life savings of the American people,\u201d Sanders said in The Washington Times. LINK\r\nThe Billionaire Class From 2009 to 2012 (that's the most recent data), some 95 percent of new income has gone to the top 1 percent \u2026 while the poor actually get poorer. \u201cIncreasingly, it seems, there's an appetite and even unity to take on the billionaire class [but] \u2026 that pressure must be maintained no matter who is in office. Even if Bernie Sanders were to become president, the need for pressure would continue,\u201d Mark Bittman wrote in a New York Times column. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nClimate Deal Would Commit Every Nation to Limiting Emissions Negotiators from around the globe reached a climate change agreement early Sunday that would, for the first time in history, commit every nation to reducing its rate of greenhouse gas emissions \u2014 yet would still fall far short of what is needed to stave off the dangerous and costly early impact of global warming. The agreement was reached by delegates from 196 countries gathered in Lima, Peru. It is a framework for a climate change accord to be signed by world leaders in Paris next year,The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nNational\r\nThe American Middle Class is Lost The stock market is soaring, the unemployment rate finally is retreating after the Great Recession and the economy added 321,000 jobs last month. But all that growth has done nothing to boost pay for the typical American worker. Average wages haven\u2019t risen over the last year, after adjusting for inflation. Real household median income is still lower than it was when the recession ended. Make no mistake: The American middle class is in trouble. That trouble started decades ago, well before the 2008 financial crisis. Median household income peaked at least 15 years ago in 81 percent of U.S. counties. That means that when incomes are adjusted for inflation, most middle class households are actually earning less money than they did years ago. LINK\r\nJustice for All March In a strong display of unity since the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, relatives of African Americans killed by officers in incidents dating back more than a decade shared a stage Saturday to call on Congress to make changes in the criminal justice system. Speaking in the cold afternoon air, mothers and fathers of those who were killed said their children were let down by prosecutors and grand juries that did not indict police officers. The Washington march was one of many that took place across the nation Saturday, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nMiddle Class Collapse The inflation-adjusted median household income in Chittenden County peaked in 1989 at $69,280, according to The Washington Post and U.S. Census data. The inflation-adjusted median household income in Essex County peaked in 1969 at $43,151. In Caledonia County, the peak was in 1999 at $48,307. Rutland County peaked in 1989 at $53,033. LINK\r\nPower Outage The state's largest utility says it could be Monday before all Vermont customers have power restored. About 6,000 customers were still without power in Vermont on Saturday evening, three days after a brutal storm pounded the state with heavy, wet snow. Gov. Peter Shumlin surveyed power line and tree damage by air as line crews continued to restore service to those still in the dark from outages that, at their peak, affected some 100,000 customers, AP reported.\u00a0\r\nEfficiency Vermont The statewide energy-saving program Efficiency Vermont is getting a new director. Liz Gamache was a manager for the Vermont Electric Cooperative. She also is the mayor of St. Albans. Gamache replaces Jim Merriam, who is staying with the program's parent organization, the Vermont Energy Investment Corp., as operations director overseeing work in Vermont, Washington, D.C., and Ohio.\r\nVermont Yankee Gov. Peter Shumlin on Friday largely rejected recommendations from his economic advisory panel on how to award the first $2 million round of Entergy Nuclear economic development funds.\u00a0Shumlin in Brattleboro announced grants and loans to only five applicants totaling $814,000. He said the state had to \u201creboot\u201d the application process to more accurately reflect his goals for \u201ctransformational\u201d new jobs in the Windham County economy, the Rutland Herald reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/senate-passes-bill-that-rolls-back-bank-regulation", "Senate Passes Bill that Rolls Back Bank Regulation", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Passes Bill that Rolls Back Bank Regulation\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSunday, December 14, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe Senate on Saturday night voted 56-40 for a controversial $1.1 trillion bill that rolls back regulations on Wall Street, lets companies reduce pensions for current retirees, cuts funding for the EPA and dramatically increases how much rich people may donate to politicians. Sen. Bernie Sanders voted no. Read why In stark contrast to House Democrats who nearly derailed the budget, just five Senate Democrats and Sanders voted against the motion that ended debate on the bill.\r\nUnder the measure headed to the White House for President Barack Obama\u2019s signature, federally insured funds may be used again by banks in high-risk investments. That risky practice was outlawed by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. \u201cWhen they make a whole lot of money they get richer, but when they lose money because of the repeal of this provision, the taxpayers of this country have to bail them out,\u201d Sen. Sanders said. \u201cDoes anybody \u2013 anybody \u2013 think that that makes any sense at all?\u201d Sanders asked in a Senate floor speech. Watch \u201cTotally crazy,\u201d Sanders said of the deal in a Friday night interview with Rachel Maddow. Watch\r\nSanders announced on Saturday that he plans to introduce legislation to break up Wall Street banks and prevent them from using a provision in the spending bill to engage in the kind of investments that led to the 2008 financial crisis. \u201cIf Congress cannot regulate Wall Street, there is just one alternative. It is time to break these too-big-to-fail banks up so that they can never again destroy the jobs, homes and life savings of the American people,\u201d Sanders said. Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121314", "News December 13", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 13\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSaturday, December 13, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nSenate Sets Saturday Vote on Spending Bill\u00a0The Senate moved closer to passing a $1.1 trillion bill to fund almost all of the government through most of 2015, but a late-night maneuver by Sen. Ted Cruz delayed a final vote on the spending deal and forced the Senate to meet on Saturday. Sen. Bernie Sanders opposes the bill that he said \u201ccomes nowhere close to reflecting the needs and priorities of the American people,\"\u00a0WCAX-TV, Politico, National Journal,\u00a0The Nation\u00a0and WAMC-FM\u00a0reported. LINK, LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK, VIDEO\r\nWall Street Banks Wall Street lobbyists tucked a provision in the bill to put taxpayers on the hook if risky investments boomerang, Sen. Sanders warned on KTVM-TV in Butte, Montana, and other NBC News affiliates. \u201cIf they win they make a lot of money. If they lose the taxpayers bail them out. That is totally crazy,\u201d Sanders explained to Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. \u201cAnyone who thinks that Congress regulates Wall Street has got it backwards,\u201d Sanders said in reports by The Associated Press and USA Today. Sanders\u2019 effort to delete the provision was unlikely to succeed, The New York Post reported. Sanders and another critic of the bill, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, declined to say whether they would filibuster, The Washington Post reported. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, VIDEO, VIDEO\r\nSenate Passes Bloated Pentagon Budget\u00a0The Senate gave final approval to a $560 billion defense spending bill on Friday. \u201cI\u00a0just don't think we can\u00a0spend all that much on defense\u00a0and ignore the needs of our\u00a0kids, ignore the needs of our\u00a0elderly, ignore the needs of\u00a0our working families, of our\u00a0infrastructure, of education.\u00a0We've got to get our\u00a0priorities right,\" said Sen. Sanders on WCAX-TV. He voted against the bill.\u00a0LINK,\u00a0VIDEO\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSanders Named Ranking Member on Budget Panel\u00a0Senate Democrats appointed independent Sen. Sanders to lead their caucus on the chamber's budget committee next year, the Burlington Free Press, The Wall Street Journal,\u00a0Bloomberg,The Hill\u00a0and\u00a0PJ Media\u00a0reported. His appointment is \u201craising eyebrows inside the beltway,\u201d International Business Times reported. \u201cAt a time when the middle class is disappearing and the gap between the rich and everybody else is growing wider, we need a budget which reflects the needs of working families and not Wall Street and the top 1 percent,\" Sanders said. \u00a0LINK, LINK,\u00a0LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nVeterans Suicides\u00a0Veterans groups are blasting a move by a Republican senator intended to scuttle a veterans' suicide prevention bill. Sen. Sanders said the Senate should pass the bill, National Journal and Military.com\u00a0reported.\u00a0\"In my view the goal is to make sure that every veteran in this country who is having problems is able to get access to the medical help they need and get that mental health care immediately without bureaucratic or financial impediments,\" Sanders said.\u00a0LINK, LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nAgenda for America Sen. Sanders has detailed a 12-point economic agenda to rebuild America\u2019s middle class by creating jobs and raising wages. \u201cThe burning issue of our time is the reality that for the last 40 years the middle class has been disappearing and we have more people living in poverty than at almost any time in history,\u201d Sanders said in an interview for \u201cThe Independents\u201d on Fox Business News. VIDEO\r\nEat More Kale\u00a0A small Vermont company beat fast-food giant Chik-fil-A in a trademark battle. The fast-food corporation filed a complaint trying to stop Vermont's \"Eat More Kale\" t-shirt maker from using the phrase.\u00a0\u201cThe American people are getting tired of the greed and recklessness of large corporations which use their size and power to push individuals and small businesses around,\u201d Sen. Sanders said in The Guardian. LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nA Great Intellect In speech after speech on Friday,. senators praised the 36-year career of Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the\u00a0Detroit Free Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0Sen. Sanders called him \u201cperhaps the greatest intellect\u201d in the Senate.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nBest Books \u201cWe face two immense crises \u2013 the decline of the American middle class and global warming,\u201d Sen. Sanders wrote in The Wall Street Journal. Sanders counted Bob Herbert\u2019s \"Losing Our Way\" and Bill McKibben\u2019s \"Oil and Honey\" among his favorite books of 2014. LINK\r\nHoliday Dinners Sanders had planned to make it to Bennington Friday to host a Christmas dinner at the Unitarian Universalist\u00a0Church on School Street, but the budget battle in congress kept him in Washington,., according to the Bennington Banner. LINK\r\nWorld\r\nIran\u00a0The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned U.S. businesses to be on the alert for a sophisticated Iranian hacking operation whose targets include defense contractors, energy firms and educational institutions, Reuters\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nInsurers Avoid Up to $100 Billion in Taxes\u00a0Life insurers are taking advantage of loopholes that allow them to pull cash away from required reserves to pay for bonuses,\u00a0shareholder dividends, acquisitions and other projects, and because of complicated accounting maneuvers, the money escapes federal taxation,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0said. The companies have used the maneuvers to save as much as $100 billion in federal taxes, much of it in the last several years.\u00a0LINK\r\nDemocratic Lawyer Crafted Cash Grab A powerful Democratic lawyer helped craft a provision that was slipped into a year-end spending bill allowing political parties to raise huge new pools of cash \u2014 including some for legal fees that are likely going to be collected by his own firm. Marc Elias, a partner at the Seattle-based law firm Perkins Coie, was called in to advise outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid\u2019s aides on the campaign finance proposal, Politico reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nNo Jail for Reporter Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has decided he will not force a New York Times reporter to reveal his confidential source in a high-profile leak investigation that has pitted the Obama administration against the press for years, according to a person familiar with the decision. A federal judge had set a Tuesday deadline for the Justice Department to say whether it intended to compel Times reporter James Risen to identify his source in the trial of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA official who was accused of leaking classified information. LINK\r\nWhite House \u201916, Republicans Jeb Bush and his emissaries are sending increasingly strong signals that the former Florida governor is gearing up for a 2016 presidential campaign, with associates saying he could announce his intentions within a month. Bush recently e-mailed major Republican donors asking them to, as several of them put it, \u201ckeep your powder dry,\u201d The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nShumlin: Resolve FairPoint Strikes\u00a0Gov. Peter Shumlin is calling for a quick resolution of the strike by unionized workers for FairPoint Communications, saying \"enough is enough\" on a recent spate of phone and Internet outages on the company's system,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0Shumlin on Friday wrote to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu, urging the company to return to the bargaining table with the Communication Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers units that represent about 1,700 FairPoint workers in northern New England.\u00a0LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/wall-street-runs-washington-sanders-says-in-proposing-to-break-up-big-banks-", "Wall Street Runs Washington, Sanders Says in Proposing to Break Up Big Banks", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he will introduce legislation to break up Wall Street megabanks that are using a bill before the Senate today to put taxpayers on the hook for the banks\u2019 risky investments.\r\nSanders outlined the proposal as the Senate, in a rare Saturday session, prepared to take up a House-passed bill that would roll back a law limiting risky investments like those that caused the financial crisis of 2008 and the recession that followed.\r\n\u201cOver the last several days, it has become abundantly clear that Congress does not regulate Wall Street but Wall Street regulates Congress.\u00a0 If Wall Street lobbyists can literally write a provision into law that will allow too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets that nearly destroyed our economy just a few years ago, it should be obvious to all that their incredible economic and political power is a huge danger to our economy and our way of life,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nLobbyists for Citigroup drafted the measure and JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon reportedly called congressmen to lobby for the provision that would gut a key provision of Dodd-Frank, the Wall Street reform law passed in 2010.\r\n\u201cEnough is enough,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cToday, almost all of the too-big-to-fail banks are bigger and even more powerful than they were before we bailed them out. The six largest financial institutions have over $9.8 trillion in assets \u2014 the equivalent of more than 60 percent of GDP.\u00a0 They issue over half of the mortgages and more than two-thirds of the credit cards in America.\r\n\u201cIf Congress cannot regulate Wall Street, there is just one alternative.\u00a0 It is time to break these too-big-to-fail banks up so that they can never again destroy the jobs, homes, and life savings of the American people.\r\n\u201cAt the beginning of the new Congress, I will be introducing legislation that will break these behemoth banks up once and for all. If a financial institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist.\u00a0 I look forward to working with both progressive and conservative Senators who have the courage to stand up to Wall Street and protect the working families of this country,\u201d Sanders said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/break-up-big-banks-sanders-says-as-senate-debates-bill-to-gut-wall-street-reform", "Break Up Big Banks, Sanders Says as Senate Debates Bill to Gut Wall Street Reform", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Break Up Big Banks, Sanders Says as Senate Debates Bill to Gut Wall Street Reform\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSaturday, December 13, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tAs the Senate met in a rare Saturday session, Sen. Bernie Sanders said he will introduce legislation to break up Wall Street megabanks that are using a bill before the Senate this weekend to put taxpayers on the hook for the banks\u2019 risky investments. The House-passed bill would roll back a law limiting risky investments like those that caused the financial crisis of 2008 and the recession that followed.\r\n\u201cOver the last several days, it has become abundantly clear that Congress does not regulate Wall Street but Wall Street regulates Congress.\u00a0 If Wall Street lobbyists can literally write a provision into law that will allow too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets that nearly destroyed our economy just a few years ago, it should be obvious to all that their incredible economic and political power is a huge danger to our economy and our way of life,\u201d Sanders said.\r\nLobbyists for Citigroup drafted the measure and JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon reportedly called congressmen to lobby for the provision that would gut a key provision of Dodd-Frank, the Wall Street reform law passed in 2010.\r\n\u201cEnough is enough,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cToday, almost all of the too-big-to-fail banks are bigger and even more powerful than they were before we bailed them out. The six largest financial institutions have over $9.8 trillion in assets \u2014 the equivalent of more than 60 percent of GDP.\u00a0 They issue over half of the mortgages and more than two-thirds of the credit cards in America\r\n\u201cIf Congress cannot regulate Wall Street, there is just one alternative.\u00a0 It is time to break these too-big-to-fail banks up so that they can never again destroy the jobs, homes, and life savings of the American people.\r\n\u201cAt the beginning of the new Congress, I will be introducing legislation that will break these behemoth banks up once and for all. If a financial institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist.\u00a0 I look forward to working with both progressive and conservative Senators who have the courage to stand up to Wall Street and protect the working families of this country,\u201d Sanders said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/representatives-adam-kinzinger-r-il-and-peter-welch-d-vt-lead-house", "Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Peter Welch (D-VT) to Lead  House Energy Savings Performance Caucus in the 114th  Congress", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Peter Welch", "W000800", "welch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) will co-chair the House Energy Savings Performance Caucus for the 114th Congress. Rep. Kinzinger replaces Representative Cory Gardner (R-CO), the Caucus' co-founder and co-chair in the 113th Congress, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November.  In the new Congress, the Caucus will aggressively advocate for the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs) at federal departments and agencies and ensure that the Administration achieves its goal of $2 billion in new contracts by the close of 2016. ESPCs and UESCs are public-private partnerships that allow companies to perform energy upgrades on federal buildings, requiring them to guarantee, measure and verify the energy cost savings. The companies assume all the costs and risks associated with the upgrades, and the federal government shares in the monetary savings.  Representative Kinzinger brings to this position the credentials of a widely respected leader on energy efficiency issues. I am pleased to partner with him in pursuit of our Caucus goal of saving taxpayer dollars by cutting the energy bills at federal agencies,\" said Welch. The federal government has over 3 billion square feet of building space. Making these buildings energy efficient will save taxpayer dollars, improve the environment and boost the construction and energy sectors of our economy. It's been an honor to work with Rep. Gardner in the last Congress and I look forward to having him as a strong ally in the Senate. The federal government is the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S. Making our energy consumption more efficient not only saves taxpayer money and reduces a huge amount of waste, but it also sets an example for other organizations, said Kinzinger. I'm proud to spear-head this effort and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the 114th Congress. \"Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) are an innovative way to reduce energy consumption, save taxpayers money, and benefit the environment, said Gardner. It has been an honor to work with Congressman Welch and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to promote ESPCs. I have no doubt that Congressman Kinzinger will continue this spirit of bipartisanship and sound government policy when he assumes his position as co-chair of the House caucus. I look forward to continuing to work on this issue as Senator with Congressmen Welch and Kinzinger.\" The Caucus was established in 2012 by Representatives Gardner (R-CO) and Peter Welch (D-VT) and consists of 35 Members dedicated to advancing bipartisan support for using private sector performance contracting to reduce federal energy consumption. It has led the House efforts to achieve better government-wide use of performance contracting to meet federal energy goals and reduce the federal utility bill.  More quotes from key stakeholders: As a longtime supporter of energy savings performance contracts and utility energy service contracts, the U.S. Chamber applauds the efforts of Congressmen Gardner and Welch in establishing and building up the bipartisan Energy Savings Performance Caucus over the last two years, said Bill Kovacs, Senior Vice President, Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As Congressmen Gardner assumes his new responsibilities in the Senate, we look forward to working with Congressman Adam Kinzinger, the new Republican Co-Chair of the ESPC Caucus. Federal performance contracting is a win-win situation because it leads to job creation in the private sector and increased energy efficiency within the federal government. We appreciate and applaud the leadership of Congressmen Kinzinger and Welch on this important issue and look forward to working with them in the new Congress. The Alliance to Save Energy is delighted to see our Honorary Congressional Vice Chair, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, take leadership of the Energy Savings Performance Caucus. Teaming as a co-chair with yet another Alliance Vice Chair, Rep. Peter Welch, a dynamic bi-partisan duo' that will drive legislative action on ESPCs in the new Congress,\" said Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance. She added, \"Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs) are proven and cost-effective, but significantly underutilized by federal agencies. The Caucus, under the leadership of two recognized and active energy efficiency champions, is certain to deliver American taxpayers savings on federal energy bills while creating jobs and protecting the environment.\" The National Association of Manufacturers strongly supports policies that will spur increased use of ESPCs and UESCs in federal buildings, Ross Eisenberg, Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. The types of products and services that typically fall within the scope of a performance contractboilers and chillers, energy management control systems, lighting, windows, doors, insulation, HVAC, energy deliverycreate much-needed jobs across the manufacturing supply chain and around the country. The Energy Savings Performance Caucus has had great success since its inception, most recently helping obtain an extension of the President's performance contracting goal. Manufacturers stand ready to work with the members of this caucus to create jobs while saving energy through the use of performance contracts. The Federal Performance Contracting Coalition thanks and congratulates Rep. Gardner and Rep. Welch for initiating the Energy Savings Performance Contracting Coalition and for their excellent work over the last two years, said Jennifer Schafer, Executive Director of FPCC.We are excited about the new leadership in Rep. Kinzinger and Rep. Welch and look forward to continuing to advance use of private sector expertise and financing to improve energy efficiency and reduce the costs of the Federal government.  #####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-reax-as-house-leaves-town-w/o-passing-bipartisan-foia-improvement-act-to-boost-govt-transparency_", "Leahy REAX As House Leaves Town w/o Passing Bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act To Boost Govt. Transparency", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Leahy REAX As House Leaves Town w/o Passing Bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act To Boost Govt. Transparency   \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t[Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following statement on Friday after the House failed to pass the bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act before adjourning for the year. The legislation authored by Leahy and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) was unanimously approved in the Senate earlier this week is supported by more than 70 groups that advocate for government transparency, as well as the Sunshine in Government Initiative.]\r\nStatement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),\r\nChairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,\r\nOn The FOIA Improvement Act of 2014\r\nDecember 12, 2014\r\nI am deeply disappointed that last night the House failed to pass the FOIA Improvement Act. This bipartisan bill was reported unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, and it was the product of months of hard work by Senator Cornyn and me. Our bill is supported by more than 70 public interest groups that advocate for government transparency and it passed out of the Senate unanimously. I would think that members of the House Republican leadership, who have spent so much time on oversight of the Obama administration, would support the goal of making government more accountable and transparent. But instead of supporting this bill, they have chosen secrecy over sunlight.\r\nThe FOIA Improvement Act would codify what the President laid out in his historic executive order in 2009 by requiring Federal agencies to adopt a Presumption of Openness' when considering the release of government information under FOIA. This bill would require agencies to find a foreseeable harm if they want to withhold information from the public. Prioritizing the people's interest in what their government is doing, our bill will reduce the overuse of exemptions to withhold information. Federal agencies have been required to apply this standard since 2009. They also used this same standard during President Clinton's terms in office. It was only during President George W. Bush's term of secrecy that this standard was rolled back. It appears the House leadership wants to return to that era. It should not matter who is in the White House, information about what their government is doing belongs to the people.\r\nIn a political climate as divided as this, I had hoped that we could come together in favor of something as fundamental to our democracy as the public's right to know. That government transparency and openness would not just be the standard applied to the Obama Administration but what is applied to every future administration. The FOIA Improvement Act would have done just that.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-responds-to-internet-service-providers-failure-to-pledge-not-to-engage-in-internet-fast-lanes", "Leahy Responds to Internet Service Providers' Failure to Pledge Not to Engage in Internet Fast Lanes", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Responds to Internet Service Providers' Failure to Pledge Not to Engage in Internet Fast Lanes \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAs FCC Considers Net Neutrality Proposals,Leahy Responds to Internet Service Providers'Failure to Pledge Not to Engage in Internet Fast Lanes\r\nWASHINGTON (Friday, December 12, 2014) As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to approve updated open Internet rules, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) criticized several of the nation's leading Internet service providers for failing to pledge not to engage in paid prioritization deals through which websites could be charged for priority access over the Internet. In October, Leahy sent letters to the leaders of Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, and Charter Communications calling on them to make such a pledge to protect their customers and promote competition online.\r\nWe need meaningful pledges from our Nation's broadband providers that they share the American public's commitment to an Internet that remains open and equally accessible to all, Leahy said. In October, I wrote to the major Internet service providers asking them to make exactly that commitment. They all maintained that they do not currently plan to engage in paid prioritization; an assertion I welcome. What they did not do was answer my call for a firm commitment that they will never engage in that behavior in the absence of clear rules prohibiting such deals.\r\nThis is disappointing, Leahy continued. The concern over a pay-to-play Internet that advantages the largest corporations over smaller players is very real. I was disappointed that some Internet service providers in their responses brushed aside these concerns dismissively. It is not demagoguery,' as Verizon suggested in its response, when small business owners like Cabot Orton of the Vermont Country Store say that they simply want to see an Internet that continues to treat all businesses equally. It is not a phantasm' when independent content creators like actress Ruth Livier acknowledge that they would not have been able to start their websites if they had to pay for priority access to reach viewers online, or compete against players who did. These are real concerns, shared by millions of Americans. Their voices should not be casually and callously dismissed because they cannot afford to pay lobbyists to advocate on their behalf at the FCC.\r\nIn his statement, Leahy also recognized Comcast for supporting legislation he introduced with Representative Doris Matsui that would require the FCC to ban paid prioritization rules.\r\nLeahy has been one of the leading voices in the Senate on net neutrality issues. He chaired hearings of the Senate Judiciary Committee in July and September on the need to keep the Internet open to all Americans, and chaired a hearing concerning the proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner in April. In June, he introduced bicameral legislation with Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) that would ban paid prioritization arrangements.\r\nA copy of Senator Leahy's letters to Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, and Charter Communications can be found online. The responses are also available online. Leahy's full remarks in the Senate follow.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-unprecedented-new-focus-on-heroin-and-opioid-addition-in-budget-bill-awaiting-final-action-friday-or-saturday", "Leahy: Unprecedented New Focus On Heroin And Opioid Addiction In Budget Bill Awaiting Final Action Friday Or Saturday", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Leahy: Unprecedented New Focus On Heroin And Opioid Addiction In Budget Bill Awaiting Final Action Friday Or Saturday \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t . . . Legislation Includes New Leahy-Led Program For Federal Response To Opioid Scourge\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014)  A new program proposed by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to combat the vexing problems associated with heroin and opioid addiction affecting Vermont and the nation, as well as new funding to address the epidemic, is included in the comprehensive federal budget bill. The House of Representatives passed the bill late Thursday night and the Senate is expected to vote on it Friday or Saturday. Leahy was instrumental in securing the funding for the new program, initiating an unprecedented new focus on heroin and opioid addiction.\r\nLeahy said, This scourge has insidiously seeped into towns in Vermont and across the country, ravaging lives, crippling families and scarring neighborhoods and communities. These new initiatives are the result of a search for good answers by listening and asking in communities that are facing these threats. This is a moral investment in partnering with communities by supporting law enforcement efforts and by expanding treatment options for those in need. These efforts and this funding add up to an unprecedented new focus on the problem. Leahy chairs the Judiciary Committee and the most senior member of the Appropriations Committee, which handled the Senate's work in writing the budget bill.\r\nLeahy announced that the bill will create the Anti-Heroin Task Force, to be run by the Justice Department's COPS Office (Community Oriented Policing Services). The Leahy-led initiative provides $7 million for competitive grants to law enforcement agencies in states like Vermont, with high per capita levels of primary treatment admissions for both heroin and other opioids. The funds will be used for drug enforcement, including investigations and activities related to the distribution of heroin or the unlawful diversion and distribution of prescription opioids. Leahy molded the proposal on testimony received at a Judiciary Committee field hearing on community responses to heroin and opioid addiction that he chaired in Rutland, Vt., in March. The bill also directs the Justice Department to convene a task force including law enforcers, medical and public health experts, and educators to develop a comprehensive, interagency plan to address opioid addiction at the federal level.\r\nThe appropriations agreement also includes increase in funding for four other drug prevention programs championed by Leahy. Leahy worked to secure an additional $6.4 million for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, which help fund and enhance coordinated federal, state and local law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking and drug use. Leahy has also long supported the Drug Free Communities Program, which will receive a $1.5 million dollar increase over last year, to a total of $93.5 million in the comprehensive spending package. The agreement also includes $12 million for grants to allow states to expand drug treatment services for individuals with heroin or opioid dependence through the Targeted Capacity Expansion Program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).\r\nLeahy said the Rural Access to Emergency Devices program also will net an increase over the previous year's funding, totaling $4.5 million. Leahy helped to expand the program beyond its original mission of providing AED defibrillators to also offer help to rural communities facing heroin and opiate overdoses. The $1.1 million increase will provide grants to help local jurisdictions purchase emergency devices and products used to rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, such as naloxone.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senate-fri-night-passes-leahy-authored-commission-to-review-the-future-of-the-army-with-major-implications-for-the-future-of-the-national-guard", "Senate Fri. night passes Leahy-authored Commission To Review The Future Of The Army, with major implications for the future of the National Guard", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Senate Fri. night passes Leahy-authored Commission To Review The Future Of The Army, with major implications for the future of the National Guard \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tLeahy-Authored Commission To Review Future of Army  Passes As Part Of Annual Defense Authorization Bill\r\n. . . Major Implications Also For The Future Of The National Guard\r\n. . . Bill Also Adds Portions Of VT's Upper Missisquoi And Trout Rivers To National Wild And Scenic Rivers System\r\n. . . Senate Action Sends Bill To President's Desk\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON (FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014)  U.S. Senate National Guard Caucus Co-Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Friday praised inclusion of the National Commission on the Future of the Army in the final Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. The Senate passed the annual defense authorization bill Friday night in a vote of 89 to 11.\r\nThe independent review panel will consider and evaluate key policies concerning the make-up, training and deployment processes of the U.S. Army. This review has major implications as well for the future of the National Guard. The panel will also make recommendations to Congress and the President about how to best shape the Army for the future and address antiquated practices within the Army. In addition to establishing the panel, the law will also freeze some of the most controversial proposals of the President's Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal, including the transfer of all Apache attack helicopters, until after the Commission issues its report. The provisions included in the authorization bill were introduced earlier this year by Leahy and Guard Caucus Co-Chair Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Their bipartisan legislation was cosponsored by 47 senators.\r\nThe Administration's budget proposal reflected many tough choices about the future size and shape of each of the Services, said Leahy. But it also included decisions about the U.S. Army that would irreversibly change the nature of that branch of our Armed Forces, including the National Guard, which has served with distinction in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and here at home. The Guard deserves a bigger role in America's future security than is envisioned in the Administration's budget. We cannot realistically defend the nation without the Guard taking on a bigger role. This Commission will help provide an objective, outside review of these consequential decisions.\r\nIn a federal lands package added to the legislation, the defense authorization bill also includes a new law to add portions of Vermont's Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.\r\nThe bill now goes to the President's desk to be signed into law.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-president-pro-tempore-on-the-consolidated-and-further-continuing-appropriations-act", "Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),President Pro Tempore, On The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),President Pro Tempore, On The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tStatement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), President Pro Tempore, On The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act December 12, 2014\r\nAfter late night theatrics in the House yesterday, I hope the Senate will soon vote on the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus appropriations bill, and certainly well before tomorrow's midnight deadline. I support this comprehensive spending package. It has been too long since Congress passed successive appropriations bills that didn't simply kick the can further down the road, or leave government spending on autopilot. The legislation before us is the product of months of negotiations in the Senate and with our House counterparts. Chairwoman Mikulski has done an outstanding job and should be congratulated for her perseverance in bringing us to this point.\r\nI spoke yesterday about the funds included in this bill for the State Department and foreign operations. Important funding for the environment, for AIDS prevention and treatment, United Nations peacekeeping, and emergency funding for Ebola. This bill will protect U.S. security, humanitarian, and economic interests around the world. But it also funds many of the domestic priorities that have faced budget cuts and that the people of our states depend on, from law enforcement to transportation, health care, and protecting our national parks.\r\nThe Omnibus includes critical investments in our rivers and lakes, including an increase in funding for Lake Champlain through the EPA's Geographic Program. I want to thank Senator Jack Reed, the chair of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, for his assistance in protecting the funding for all of the Geographic Programs receiving funding in this bill. Lake Champlain and its tributaries are a celebrated part of Vermont's natural landscape. We have worked hard over many years to address many challenges, but serious threats to the Lake remain. This federal support will help preserve one of Vermont's greatest natural resources for generations to come.\r\nThe bill includes critical investments to address the heroin crisis that has a devastating impact on communities in small rural states like Vermont. With Senator Mikulski's support, I was pleased to include funding for Anti-Heroin Task Forces to provide federal assistance to law enforcement efforts to investigate and combat the distribution of heroin. Ensuring our local agencies have the tools they need is just one portion of our effort to deal with this crisis.\r\nAdditionally, funds are included in this bill to provide first responders in rural communities with the training and access to Naloxone and life saving devices that can be used to rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. It also is unacceptable that Americans face a waiting lists when seeking help to recover from their addiction and this legislation also provides crucial funding to expand treatment services for those with heroin dependence.\r\nThe Omnibus makes important investments in our students by providing funding to increase access to a college education through the Pell Grant program, and by increasing funding for the TRIO program which helps low income, first-generation students get a college education.\r\nThis bill provides an investment in health care infrastructure and lifesaving research, including a $1.4 billion increase for our Community Health Centers, $30.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health, and funding for the development of a vaccine against Ebola.\r\nThis Omnibus includes increased funding for programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act, including grants for transitional housing, sexual assault services, legal assistance for victims, and support for Native American victims. It also raises the cap on the Crime Victims Fund to an historic $2.3 billion. That means more money for victims' assistance grants at the state and local levels. \r\nThis compromise package invests in housing for veterans and seniors. It supports grants to help schools purchase critical equipment for their school lunch programs. It provides funding for a new Food Safety Outreach Program, helping the Food and Drug Administration to work with famers and small businesses to understand complex new food safety laws. The bill protects our nation's forests through a strong investment in the Forest Legacy Program. It includes funding to protect our trees and woods from pests like the Asian-long horned beetle and emerald ash borer. The list goes on.\r\nWhile I intend to support this appropriations bill, I am very disappointed that last minute negotiations have forced the inclusion of several controversial riders that have nothing to do with funding the operations of the Federal Government. These provisions force us into a choice between shutting down the government or enacting bad policy without the benefit of offering amendments and debating these far reaching changes to current law.\r\nThere is no doubt that Congress must do something to address vulnerable pension plans that took a hit during the Wall Street meltdown in 2008. But slipping into this spending bill at the eleventh hour a provision to reduce hard-earned benefits for retirees is shameful. For decades, these retirees have worked hard, contributed to pension plans, and understood that those benefits would be there when they needed them the most. Now, we are changing the game. I wonder how Republicans in the House who are responsible for this provision would react if it affected their own pensions. \r\nMeanwhile, this legislation includes a particularly offensive rider that rolls back an important provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that protects taxpayers from another Wall Street bailout. As we all know, elections have consequences, and I worry that this is the start of a pattern we can expect to see over the next two years of protecting the rich on Wall Street at the expense of the hardworking Americans on Main Street.\r\nI am also dismayed that this spending package  a bill to keep the government running on behalf of over 300 million Americans  includes another body blow to what little remains of campaign finance law. By increasing the amount of money wealthy donors can contribute to political parties -- for, among other things, conventions, building projects, and legal proceedings -- by 500 percent over what is allowed under current law, we further roll back long held campaign finance limitations that have protected the voice of every voter at the ballot box, not just those who can pay their way to influence elections. It is very unfortunate that pressure groups and special interests prevailed in having this provision included, behind closed doors, at the last minute.\r\nFinally, while I am pleased that this Omnibus bill will fund most of the government through fiscal year 2015, I am disappointed that programs and agencies funded through the Department of Homeland Security appropriations process will only operate under a continuing resolution through February 2015. Republicans in Congress have made no secret that this action is in response to the President's executive action related to immigration policy. Yet for months  for nearly 18 months  House Republican leaders refused to bring to a vote the bipartisan, Senate-passed immigration reform bill. It is political hypocrisy at its worst. I think that bill would have passed, and we would not be where we are today.\r\nNo bill is perfect, especially one of this size. I have far preferred a return to regular order, where we deliberatively consider individual appropriations bills, with the chance to debate germane amendments. But this bill moves us away from governing-by-autopilot, and takes off the table the threat in one, two, or three months of yet another government shutdown. Any resolution that punts these difficult appropriations decisions puts at greater risk important funding that will help Vermont. And any Senator opposing this bill because of the riders it includes should remember that a continuing resolution or Omnibus spending bill passed next year will contain many more, and some far worse.\r\nChairwoman Mikulski has done a heroic job of getting us to this point. I hope we will build on this progress next year. I know Senator Cochran, my friend from Mississippi, the incoming Appropriations Committee chairman, agrees that we should return to the regular order of debating and passing individual appropriations bills. \r\nBut for now, the American people are tired of the politics and drama  and real consequences  of shutting down the government. I will support passage of the omnibus appropriations bill.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/vermont-rivers-recognized-as-wild-and-scenic-rivers", "Vermont Rivers Recognized as Wild and Scenic Rivers", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Vermont Rivers Recognized as Wild and Scenic Rivers'  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tVermont Rivers Recognized as Wild and Scenic Rivers'\r\nWASHINGTON, Dec. 12  Vermont's congressional delegation applauded the passage today of legislation to add portions of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.\r\nVermont's rivers are an essential part of our state's rural character. The wild and scenic designation highlights the unique cultural, scenic and recreational qualities of these Vermont rivers, the delegation said in a joint statement. The recognition also empowers communities along the rivers to protect these resources.\r\nThe measure was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), co-sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the measure in the House. The House passed the legislation on Sept. 15 and the Senate passed the measure today. The Vermont congressional delegation began work on this designation back in 2007 at the request of local communities, when the initial legislation to authorize a study of this potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was first introduced.\r\nDesignation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act will help protect the natural, cultural and recreational qualities of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout rivers, enabling continued enjoyment of the rivers by fishermen, hunters and paddlers. It will also help maintain water quality within the rivers, as well as in Lake Champlain.\r\nThe National Wild and Scenic Rivers system was established in 1968 to recognize and preserve rivers with exceptional scenic and recreational value. Forty-one states and territories now have rivers listed in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Missisquoi and Trout Rivers are Vermont's first rivers to be added to the prestigious national river network.\r\n#####\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/the-vanishing-male-worker-how-america-fell-behind", "The Vanishing Male Worker: How America Fell Behind", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Vanishing Male Worker: How America Fell Behind\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t By:\u00a0 Binyamin Appelbaum \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tANNAPOLIS, Md. \u2014 Frank Walsh still pays dues to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, but more than four years have passed since his name was called at the union hall where the few available jobs are distributed. Mr. Walsh, his wife and two children live on her part-time income and a small inheritance from his mother, which is running out.\r\nSitting in the food court at a mall near his Maryland home, he sees that some of the restaurants are hiring. He says he can\u2019t wait much longer to find a job. But he\u2019s not ready yet.\r\n\u201cI\u2019d work for them, but they\u2019re only willing to pay $10 an hour,\u201d he said, pointing at a Chick-fil-A that probably pays most of its workers less than that. \u201cI\u2019m 49 with two kids \u2014 $10 just isn\u2019t going to cut it.\u201d\r\nWorking, in America, is in decline. The share of prime-age men \u2014 those 25 to 54 years old \u2014 who are not working has more than tripled since the late 1960s, to 16 percent. More recently, since the turn of the century, the share of women without paying jobs has been rising, too. The United States, which had one of the highest employment rates among developed nations as recently as 2000, has fallen toward the bottom of the list.\r\nContinue reading here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121214", "News December 12", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 12\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nHouse Sends Spending Bill to Senate\u00a0The House narrowly approved a $1.1 trillion spending package to keep most government agencies operating through next summer. The 219-206 vote came late Thursday less than three hours before government funding expired at midnight. The Senate is expected to vote Friday on the package loaded with Republican policy riders to loosen Wall Street regulations, slash pensions and cut environmental protection spending. \u201cThis is a bad bill, and I'm certainly going to vote against it,\u201d Sen. Bernie Sanders told\u00a0MSNBC.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s does not reflect the needs of the working families of this country\u201d he told The Washington Post. It contains \u201cvery onerous provisions which will hurt working people,\u201d he said in Politico. LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0VIDEO\u00a0\r\nBreaks for Big Banks While the bill includes increased funding for veterans' health care - one of Sanders's top priorities - he told The Washington Post that the changes in Wall Street regulations are \u201ctotally absurd.\u201d Congressional Quarterly said Sens. Sanders and Elizabeth Warren threatened to vote against the bill over their concerns that it undercuts a Wall Street reform law by letting banks protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation trade in risky derivatives. \u201cInstead of cracking down on Wall Street CEOs who plunged the country into a terrible recession, this bill allows too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets on derivatives that led to the largest taxpayer bailout in history and nearly destroyed the economy,\u201d Sanders said in The Hill. LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nBudget Politics \u201cThe desires of establishment Democrats have been increasingly drowned out by liberals like Sen. Warren, who have energized activists across America and are beginning to pull other Democrats further to the left. That's a dynamic that will likely play out in the Democratic presidential primaries. To many in the party, likely front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton is too cozy with Wall Street and out of step with the grass roots. She's likely to be challenged on that front by a handful of rivals, including Sen. Sanders\u2026,\u201d according to a Washington Post analysis also published by the Valley News in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. LINK, LINK\r\nSanders: No on Defense Bill The Senate on Thursday advanced a bill authorizing $560 billion dollars for military spending. Sen. Sanders voted no. He said he has concerns about a boated military budget and that the bill reflects misplaced national priorities. \"We have millions of working class families today finding it very difficult to send their kids to college; we're not addressing that. We have young people graduating from college deeply in debt; we're not addressing that. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our roads, bridges, water systems, airports. We're not addressing that when, if we did, we could create millions of decent paying jobs.\u201d Sanders said he supports a strong national defense but it is unacceptable for the Defense Department to be waste massive amounts of money, WVNY-TV reported. VIDEO\r\nHealth Funding Threatened\u00a0Integral funding for primary care services nationwide are under threat as Congress closes out its session,\u00a0Congressional Quarterly\u00a0reported. Sen. Sanders said \"it is an absolute imperative\" that Congress\u00a0extend funding set to expire next September for community health centers before millions \"lose access to doctors and dentists and mental health counseling and low-cost prescription drugs.\"\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nTreasury Nominee\u00a0An increasing number of senators, including Sen. Sanders, oppose the nomination of Wall Street banker Antonio Weiss to a key Treasury Department post,\u00a0Bloomberg,\u00a0Salon\u00a0and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDomestic Surveillance\u00a0In a\u00a0letter\u00a0sent Tuesday\u00a0to Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security\u00a0Jeh Johnson, 10 Democratic senators and Sen. Sanders asked how law enforcement officers are permitted to use cell-site simulators which intercept Americans' cell data,\u00a0Ars Technica\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nTorture Report\u00a0In the wake of the release of a Senate Intelligence Committee report, Sen. Bernie Sanders called the Central Intelligence Agency's brutal interrogation tactics an \"ugly chapter in American history during which our leaders and the intelligence community dishonored our nation's proud traditions,\"\u00a0CBS News\u00a0and CNN reported online. Sanders said a great nation \"must be prepared to acknowledge its errors.\"\u00a0LINK, LINK\r\nInnovation Exchange\u00a0Democrats are looking to form an organization to serve as an exchange for policy ideas among state lawmakers after a decade of deep losses in state legislatures,\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported. The group met for the first time at the Center for American Progress on Thursday in Washington, D.C. at an event with Sen. Sanders and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nHong Kong Protesters Cleared by Police For the Hong Kong authorities and their superiors in Beijing, the peaceful end to the protest is likely to be seen as a major victory. They repeatedly rebuffed demands for a greater degree of democracy in this former British colony, and defused the longest sustained political uprising on Chinese territory in many years without a bloody crackdown, according to The New York Times. LINK\r\nNational\r\nObama Backs Spending Bill\u00a0The White House swung its support behind a $1.1 trillion spending billl on Thursday after many Democrats promised to oppose the legislation due to policy riders that would slash pensions, scale back Wall Street regulations and cut environmental protection funding,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nJ.P. Morgan Calls Congress Should banks be allowed to make risky investments using taxpayer-backed money? The very idea was abhorrent to many Democrats on Capitol Hill. And some were stunned that the White House would support the bill with that provision intact, given that it would erase a key provision of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, one of Obama\u2019s signature achievements. But perhaps even more outrageous to Democrats was that the language in the bill appeared to come directly from the pens of lobbyists at the nation\u2019s biggest banks, aides said. The provision was so important to the profits at those companies that J.P.Morgan's chief executive Jamie Dimon himself telephoned individual lawmakers to urge them to vote for it, according to The Washington Post. LINK\r\nCIA Chief Defends Agency\u00a0In a rare televised Central Intelligence Agency news conference,\u00a0Director John Brennan challenged a Senate report on the agency's interrogation tactics and said the CIA \"did a lot of things right\" after the September 11 terror attacks,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nPoll: Half of Republicans Back Limits on Carbon When Republicans take control of Congress next month, top on their agenda will be undoing environmental regulations they claim will harm the economy, chief among them President Obama's plans to limit heat-trapping carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. But a new poll for The Associated Press found that six in 10 Americans, including half of all Republicans, support regulation of carbon dioxide pollution. Nearly half of Republicans said the U.S. should lead the global fight to curb climate change, even if it means taking action when other countries do not. And majorities across party lines said environmental protections \"improve economic growth and provide new jobs\" in the long run, a popular Obama administration talking point. LINK\r\nWhite House \u201916 Hillary Rodham Clinton is signaling that she will postpone making her shadow campaign official until later in 2015 than expected, according to The Washington Post. Clinton is also debating whether to even establish an exploratory committee \u2014 a placeholder organization that would allow her to raise money to pay for consultants, office space and other operating expenses \u2013 because the move would trigger financial disclosures she can now avoid.\r\nVermont\r\nWelch Votes No Rep. Peter Welch voted against the bill because it included \u201crelief for Wall Street banks\u201d and another provision \u201callowing very wealthy people to give huge, over $2 million contributions to party committees in an election cycle,\u201d he told Vermont Public Radio. LINK\r\nLeahy Takes Credit for Drug Money in Bill Aides to Sen. Patrick Leahy say the $1.1 trillion bill contains law enforcement and drug treatment grants inspired by a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee\u2019s visit to Rutland eight months ago, the Rutland Herald and Times Argus reported. LINK\r\nFood Labels Lawmakers in Washington are considering legislation that would prohibit Vermont and other states from requiring labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms unless the Food and Drug Administration finds that the products pose a safety threat. The issue was raised at a hearing held by the U.S. House Commerce Committee. Supporters of Vermont's mandatory GMO labeling law stressed the importance of giving consumers important information about the food that they buy, VPR reported. LINK\r\nFairPoint Outage\u00a0FairPoint said it was working to restore service for thousands of customers across Vermont and part of New Hampshire who've lost their high-speed Internet service,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported. Thousands of FairPoint workers in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire are on strike.\u00a0LINK\r\nEat More Kale A Vermont folk artist who became a folk hero to some after taking on the fast-food giant Chik-fil-A in a legal fight with can now legally protect the phrase \"eat more kale.\" Chik-fil-A had objected to the use of the phrase by Bo Muller-Moore of Montpelier because of its similarity to the company's trademark phrase \"eat mor chikin.\" Muller-Moore says the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted his application to trademark \"Eat more kale,\u201d AP reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-appointed-ranking_member-of-senate-budget-committee", "Sanders Appointed Ranking  Member of Senate Budget Committee", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Appointed Ranking  Member of Senate Budget Committee\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 12 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Sanders\u2019 appointment as the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee in the next session of Congress:\r\n\u201cI want to thank Sen. Reid and the Democratic caucus for the opportunity to serve as the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee. At a time when the middle class is disappearing and the gap between the rich and everybody else is growing wider, we need a budget which reflects the needs of working families and not Wall Street and the top 1 percent. I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans on the committee to craft a budget that is fair to all Americans, not just the powerful special interests.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-opposes-spending-bill", "Sanders Opposes Spending Bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Opposes Spending Bill\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 12 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement on a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill that the Senate plans to take up later today:\r\n\u201cAt a time when the middle class continues to disappear, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else grows wider, this bill comes nowhere close to reflecting the needs and priorities of America\u2019s working families.\r\n\u201cInstead of helping to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and other programs that help working families, this bill would allow the Pentagon to spend almost as much as the rest of the world combined on our military and seemingly never-ending wars in the Middle East.\u201d\r\n\u201cInstead of investing in rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and creating millions of decent-paying jobs, this bill would let companies renege on promises they made to their workers by cutting the pension benefits of current retirees.\r\n\u201cInstead of cracking down on Wall Street CEOs whose greed and illegal behavior plunged the country into a terrible recession, this bill allows too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets on derivatives that led to the largest taxpayer bailout in history and nearly destroyed the economy.\r\n\u201cInstead of cutting back on the ability of billionaires to buy elections, this bill outrageously gives the wealthy even more power over the political process.\r\n\u201cInstead of giving the Environmental Protection Agency the tools it needs to begin dealing with the planetary crisis of global warming, this bill would cut spending by the EPA.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-rivers-recognized-as-wild-and-scenic-rivers", "Vermont Rivers Recognized as Wild and Scenic Rivers", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Vermont Rivers Recognized as \u2018Wild and Scenic Rivers\u2019\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 12 \u2013 Vermont\u2019s congressional delegation applauded the passage today of legislation to add portions of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.\r\n\u201cVermont\u2019s rivers are an essential part of our state\u2019s rural character. The wild and scenic designation highlights the unique cultural, scenic and recreational qualities of these Vermont rivers,\u201d the delegation said in a joint statement. \u201cThe recognition also empowers communities along the rivers to protect these resources.\u201d\r\nThe measure was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), co-sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the measure in the House. The House passed the legislation on Sept. 15 and the Senate passed the measure today. The Vermont congressional delegation began work on this designation back in 2007 at the request of local communities, when the initial legislation to authorize a study of this potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was first introduced.\r\nDesignation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act will help protect the natural, cultural and recreational qualities of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout rivers, enabling continued enjoyment of the rivers by fishermen, hunters and paddlers.\u00a0It will also help maintain water quality within the rivers, as well as in Lake Champlain.\r\nThe National Wild and Scenic Rivers system was established in 1968 to recognize and preserve rivers with exceptional scenic and recreational value. Forty-one states and territories now have rivers listed in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Missisquoi and Trout Rivers are Vermont\u2019s first rivers to be added to the prestigious national river network.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-says-no-to-spending-bill", "Sanders Says 'No' to Spending Bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Says 'No' to Spending Bill\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tAs the Senate prepared to take up a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill, Sen. Bernie Sanders explained why he plans to vote against the measure. \u201cAt a time when the middle class continues to disappear, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else grows wider, this bill comes nowhere close to reflecting the needs and priorities of America\u2019s working families,\u201d said Sanders.\r\n\u201cInstead of helping to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and other programs that help working families, this bill would allow the Pentagon to spend almost as much as the rest of the world combined on our military and seemingly never-ending wars in the Middle East. Instead of investing in rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and creating millions of decent-paying jobs, this bill would let companies renege on promises they made to their workers by cutting the pension benefits of current retirees.\r\n\u201cInstead of cracking down on Wall Street CEOs whose greed and illegal behavior plunged the country into a terrible recession, this bill allows too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets on derivatives that led to the largest taxpayer bailout in history and nearly destroyed the economy. Instead of cutting back on the ability of billionaires to buy elections, this bill outrageously gives the wealthy even more power over the political process.\r\n\u201cInstead of giving the Environmental Protection Agency the tools it needs to begin dealing with the planetary crisis of global warming, this bill would cut spending by the EPA.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/the-week-in-review-121214", "The Week in Review", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Week in Review\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe Senate on Friday took up a $1.1 trillion spending bill jam-packed by Republicans with favors for big banks and big businesses. Sen. Bernie Sanders said he opposes the measure that \u201ccomes nowhere close to reflecting the needs and priorities of America\u2019s working families.\u201d The Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday issued a blistering report blaming the Central Intelligence Agency for misleading Congress about its brutal interrogations of terrorism suspects. The Senate on Friday approved a bloated budget bill for the military. Sanders voted no. Also on Friday, Senate leadership named Sanders the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee.\r\nSpending Bill As the Senate prepared to take up a massive spending bill, Sanders explained why he plans to vote against the measure. \u201cAt a time when the middle class continues to disappear, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else grows wider, this bill comes nowhere close to reflecting the needs and priorities of America\u2019s working families,\u201d said Sanders. Instead of helping to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and other programs that help working families, this bill would allow the Pentagon to spend almost as much as the rest of the world combined on our military and seemingly never-ending wars in the Middle East. Instead of investing in rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and creating millions of decent-paying jobs, this bill would let companies renege on promises they made to their workers by cutting the pension benefits of current retirees. Instead of cracking down on Wall Street CEOs whose greed and illegal behavior plunged the country into a terrible recession, this bill allows too-big-to-fail banks to make the same risky bets on derivatives that led to the largest taxpayer bailout in history and nearly destroyed the economy. Instead of cutting back on the ability of billionaires to buy elections, this bill outrageously gives the wealthy even more power over the political process. Instead of giving the Environmental Protection Agency the tools it needs to begin dealing with the planetary crisis of global warming, this bill would cut spending by the EPA.\u201d\r\nDefense Bill The Senate on Friday passed a bill authorizing $560 billion for the Department of Defense. Sanders was one of 11 senators who voted no. \u201cI am voting no because I have very serious concerns about our nation's bloated military budget and the misplaced national priorities this bill reflects. At a time when our national debt is more than $18 trillion and we spend nearly as much on defense as the rest of the world combined, the time is long overdue to end the waste and financial mismanagement that have plagued the Pentagon for years.\u201d He said the military budget books are so convoluted and management problems are so severe that congressional auditors for the Government Accountability Office deem the Pentagon budget to be un-auditable. \u201cI support a strong defense system for our country and a robust National Guard and Reserve that can meet our domestic and foreign challenges. At a time when the country is struggling with huge unmet needs, however, it is unacceptable that the Defense Department continues to waste massive amounts of money.\u201d\r\nTorture Report The Senate Intelligence Committee found that the CIA misled the White House and Congress about the brutal interrogation of terrorism suspects. \u201cThis report details an ugly chapter in American history during which our leaders and the intelligence community dishonored our nation\u2019s proud traditions,\u201d said Sanders. \u201cOf course we must aggressively pursue international terrorists who would do us harm, but we must do so in a way that is consistent with the basic respect for human rights which makes us proud to be Americans.\u201d He said the United States must not engage in torture. \u201cIf we do, in an increasingly brutal world, we lose our moral standing to condemn other nations or groups that engage in uncivilized behavior,\u201d the senator added. Read the report\u00a0\r\nSanders Tapped as Budget Committee Ranking Member Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Friday announced Sanders\u2019 appointment as the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee in the next session of Congress. \u201cI want to thank Sen. Reid and the Democratic caucus for the opportunity to serve as the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee. At a time when the middle class is disappearing and the gap between the rich and everybody else is growing wider, we need a budget which reflects the needs of working families and not Wall Street and the top 1 percent. I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans on the committee to craft a budget that is fair to all Americans, not just the powerful special interests.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-chairman-senate-judiciary-committee-on-the-passage-of-hr-1447-the-death-in-custody-reporting-act-of-2013", "Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Passage of H.R. 1447, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.11.14\n\t\t\t Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Passage of H.R. 1447, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tToday Senators have finally come together to pass the Death in Custody Reporting Act, which will provide important transparency to law enforcement efforts and our prison system. \u00a0At a time when our Nation is having an important conversation about police encounters that result in the loss of life, we know that hundreds of police-related deaths are unaccounted for in federal statistics.\u00a0 The Death in Custody Reporting Act will require that state and Federal law enforcement officials report deaths in their custody, including those that occur during arrest.\u00a0 The Justice Department will then have the opportunity to analyze the data and see what we can learn from it.\u00a0 The American people deserve as much.\u00a0\r\nToo many communities across our country are losing faith in our justice system.\u00a0 This bill provides a step toward accountability, and it is my hope that it may ultimately lead to restoring some measure of trust in these communities.\u00a0 If we are ever able to truly embody the words engraved in Vermont marble above the United States Supreme Court building, \u201cEqual Justice Under the Law,\u201d then more of course must be done.\u00a0 And I look forward to continuing these efforts in the next Congress.\r\nThe prior authorization for the Death in Custody Reporting Act expired in 2006, and after too many years of inaction, I am glad that Democrats and Republicans have come together and sent this reauthorization bill to the President for signature. \u00a0My appreciation goes to Congressman Bobby Scott, who sponsored and has long championed this legislation, as well Senator Richard Blumenthal, who sponsored a Senate version.\r\nThis has been an important week for transparency.\u00a0 On Monday, the Senate came together to pass my bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act and I hope the House will soon take up this bill. And on Tuesday, I spoke on the Senate floor in favor of the release of the executive summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee Study of the CIA\u2019s Detention and Interrogation Program. Both of these actions did not come easily, but in both instances the interests of the American public and our values as a democracy prevailed.\u00a0 Today, we have again come together in the interest of transparency for the betterment of our Nation.\u00a0\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-on-the-omnibus-appropriations-bill1", "Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Omnibus Appropriations Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.11.14\n\t\t\t Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Omnibus Appropriations Bill \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMr. President, after nine months of hearings and briefings, and many long days and nights of negotiations, this past weekend the Appropriations Committee completed work on the fiscal year 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act.\u00a0\r\nEarlier this year, many of us came to the floor to praise Chairwoman Mikulski for her heroic effort to pass the fiscal year 2014 Omnibus.\u00a0 While many in Washington thought that feat could not be repeated two years in a row, she proved them wrong.\u00a0\r\nChairwoman Mikulski rallied her twelve subcommittees, and reached across the aisle to negotiate this omnibus and avoid another shutdown.\u00a0 Without her, this would not have been possible.\r\nLike Chairwoman Mikulski, my friend Senator Shelby from Alabama, the Committee\u2019s Vice Chairman, also deserves a great deal of praise for the role he played.\u00a0 Without Senator Shelby\u2019s recognition of the importance of passing appropriations bills rather than continuing to fund the government on autopilot, we would not have reached this point.\r\nAs chairman of the Department of State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee I also want to thank Ranking Member Lindsey Graham, Chairwoman Kay Granger, and Ranking Member Nita Lowey who were, as always, able partners whose wealth of experience is invaluable to the subcommittee\u2019s work and is reflected throughout the final agreement.\u00a0\r\nI look forward to working with incoming subcommittee chairman Graham next year to continue to fund the diplomacy and foreign aid programs that are essential to protecting United States interests around the world, in a manner that reflects American values.\r\nThis bill was negotiated with the full participation of representatives of both parties, in both Houses of Congress.\u00a0 It is a balanced, bipartisan bill.\u00a0 Every word was discussed and agreed to by Republicans and Democrats, and our respective bills have been publicly available since they were reported out of Committee in June.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDivision J of this Omnibus, for the Department of State and Foreign Operations, provides a total of $51.8 billion in discretionary budget authority to protect United States security, humanitarian, and economic interests around the world.\u00a0\r\nOf this amount, $9.2 billion is for Overseas Contingency Operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, and other areas of unrest.\r\nAnyone who doubts that these funds are important should think about the devastation being wrought by ISIL in Syria and Iraq, and its impact on neighboring Lebanon and Jordan, in addition to what is happening in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and other areas where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced because of ethnic and tribal violence.\u00a0 Part of this funding will support aid for refugees and other victims of disasters, in an amount that is $1.5 billion above the budget request.\u00a0\r\nIt also provides $2.5 billion in emergency funding to respond to the Ebola epidemic, which has reminded us all that deadly viruses are only an airplane flight away.\u00a0 This funding will support international efforts to help those infected with the virus, contain its spread, and assist the region\u2019s governments strengthen their public health systems and recover from the economic impact of the outbreak.\r\nAdditionally, the bill includes full funding for diplomatic security and UN peacekeeping.\u00a0 It fully funds our commitments to key allies like Israel and Jordan.\u00a0 And it fulfills our commitments to the United Nations and other international organizations.\r\nHere are a few more specifics:\r\nFunding to combat HIV/AIDS has long been a bipartisan priority. \u00a0\u00a0Members of both parties continue to unite in efforts to curb the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases that threaten millions of lives each year, especially in the world\u2019s poorest countries. \u00a0In fiscal year 2015 we will provide a total of $6 billion, matching the current level for programs to combat HIV/AIDS, including $4.32 billion for PEPFAR and $1.35 billion for the Global Fund.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe bill provides historic levels to combat polio, malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, and it provides $200 million for the GAVI Alliance which provides life-saving vaccines to children in the poorest countries.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nIt provides $386 million in economic and law enforcement assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which is $130 million above the budget request, to address the migration of unaccompanied children from Central America, a problem that ebbs and flow but cannot be ignored.\u00a0 These funds are available for border security, reintegration of migrants, and programs to improve education, employment, counter gangs, prevent human trafficking, and professionalize police forces.\r\nThe bill also provides $400 million for Middle East Response in addition to funds otherwise made available for humanitarian aid and refugees and direct support for our allies in the region, and over $500 million to support our allies in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, to counter Russian aggression.\r\nI am pleased that we were able to include the amounts requested for programs that protect biodiversity and tropical forests, support clean energy and reduce global warming, and combat wildlife poaching and trafficking.\u00a0 These are important national security issues.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThere is a lot more in this bill to support friends and allies and combat disease, hunger, and poverty, and to strengthen the rule of law and protect human rights.\u00a0 These are all programs that are directly linked to our national security, and fulfill our moral obligations as Americans.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThere are some things I wish were not included, particularly a House provision carried from last year that would weaken limits on carbon emissions from projects financed by the Export-Import Bank and Overseas Private Investment Corporation. \u00a0Our European partners are wisely ending public subsidies for coal, in favor of cleaner, healthier, renewable energy.\u00a0 But the House continues to block such progress here.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nI am also very disappointed that a Senate provision to bring the United States into compliance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations was rejected again this year by the House.\u00a0 Even the Bush Administration understood the necessity of this.\r\n\u00a0\r\nBut I am pleased with the reforms that were agreed to, including to improve the way we train our aid workers, and to enhance how we track the impact of humanitarian aid to maximize its effectiveness. \u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nI am also pleased that provisions relating to our contributions to the international financial institutions, particularly relating to evaluations, beneficial ownership, human rights, industrial scale logging, and financing for large dams, were included.\u00a0 I look forward to discussing them with officials at the Treasury Department.\r\n\u00a0\r\nMr. President, no bill is perfect, and this one is no exception.\u00a0 But the State, Foreign Operations portion of this Omnibus is a whole lot better than a continuing resolution that ignores the changing global realities and challenges we face.\u00a0 It was a collaborative effort from beginning to end and it should be supported overwhelmingly.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/judiciary-committee-sends-three-judicial-nominees-to-full-senate", "Judiciary Committee Sends Three Judicial Nominees To Full Senate", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.11.14\n\t\t\t Judiciary Committee Sends Three Judicial Nominees To Full Senate \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Panel Also Approves Nominee To Serve As Drug Policy Director\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Thursday, December 11, 2014)  The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved three judicial nominees who now go to the full Senate for consideration. Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) urged the Senate to take up and pass all pending nominations before the end of the year.\r\nIt is imperative for the Senate to continue to work on nominations. With cooperation there is still time to confirm these non-controversial nominees before we adjourn for the year, Leahy said.\r\nThe district court nominees approved Thursday to fill vacancies in Virginia, North Carolina and New Yorkwhich is an emergency vacancynow join nine other judicial nominees pending on the Senate floor. Three of those nominees already pending on the executive calendar would fill emergency vacancies in Texas, the longest running of which has been vacant for more than six years. \r\nI hope that at the very least, the Texas senators will work to get consent on their side of the aisle to confirm the three district court nominees to fill judicial emergency vacancies pending on the Executive Calendar, Leahy said. These Texas nominees were nominated more than five months ago and reported out on unanimous voice vote. There is no objection on my side of the aisle to confirming them today.\r\nThe Committee also approved the nomination of Michael Botticelli to serve as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). His nomination was approved on a voice vote.\r\nResults of the meeting can be found online.\r\nNominations Pending On The Senate Calendar \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStephen Bough (WD MO)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on September 18, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJorge Alonso (ND IL)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHaywood Gilliam (ND CA)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAmit Mehta (D DC)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAllison Burroughs (D MA)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJohn Blakey (ND IL)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAmos Mazzant (ED TX)*\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRobert Pitman (WD TX)*\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRobert Schroeder (ED TX)*\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on November 20, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJoan Azrack (ED NY)*\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on December 11, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nElizabeth K. Dillon (WD VA) \r\n\r\n\r\nReported on December 11, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLoretta Biggs (MD NC)\r\n\r\n\r\nReported on December 11, 2014\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n*Indicates this nominee will fill a Judicial Emergency\r\n#####\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121114", "News December 11", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 11\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nTorture Report Sen. Bernard Sanders denounced the brutal interrogation tactics described in a withering Senate Intelligence Committee report on the Central Intelligence Agency. He told The New York Times in an interview that he was especially disturbed by the panel's conclusion that the CIA misled the White House and Congress. \"If anyone is lying to elected officials, they should be fired immediately,\" he said.\u00a0But most of the major presidential candidates would not plunge into the debate over the report and some ducked questions entirely. Sen. Rand Paul, approached outside his office Wednesday, would not answer questions. LINK\r\nBig Hug for Rich Donors Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage at a provision slipped into the omnibus government funding bill that would expand the amount wealthy donors can give to national political party committees. The provision, buried on page 1,599 of a 1,603-page bill, would increase the sums a single contributor could give to a party committee by nearly tenfold. Sen. Sanders told The Huffington Post that the provision is \u201ca total outrage.\u201d In a Senate speech, Sanders said that \"the billionaire class can now put unlimited sums of money into elect candidates who represent their interests,\u201d CNN, KVUE-TV in Austin, Texas, WVLT-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee, WSJV-TV in South Bend, Indiana, and other stations reported. LINK, LINK, VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO\r\nTreasury Pick Panned An increasing number of senators, including Sanders, oppose the nomination of Wall Street banker Antonio Weiss to a key Treasury Department post,\u00a0Salon,\u00a0CNN Money, Politico, American Banker, Talking Points Memo\u00a0and The Huffington Post reported. The brawl has become a proxy battle for a deepening rift in the party over its ties to the financial industry, according to a Wall Street Journal article listing Sanders among those opposing the New York banker. Sanders raised questions about the nominee\u2019s experience helping corporations move overseas to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.\u00a0\u201cWe need economists in government who have a history of helping to create jobs, not helping corporations avoid taxes,\u201d Sanders told Market Watch. LINK,\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK\r\nBig Boost for Pre-K Vermont has been awarded $7.3 million in what is expected to be a $33.4 million, four-year federal grant for pre-kindergarten programs at public schools and Head Start agencies throughout the state. WCAX-TV reported that Sen. Sanders helped secure the funding.\u00a0\"At a time when working families are struggling to find quality and affordable child care, this grant is a big boost for Vermont,\" Sanders said in the\u00a0Burlington Free Press, Times Argus, Rutland Herald, Bennington Banner and Brattleboro Reformer. VIDEO,\u00a0LINK, LINK, LINK,\u00a0LINK, LINK\r\nHealth Care Outgoing Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin said this week that Democrats \"blew it\" in 2009 when they didn't enact single-payer health care,\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported. Sen. Sanders in 2009 said he thought there were 50 votes in the Senate the idea.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nProgressive Agenda\u00a0Progressive groups are rolling out a \"Big Ideas Project\" initiative to solicit input from the American people ahead of the 2016 elections, according to\u00a0The Washington Times. Twenty-nine lawmakers, including Sen. Sanders, agreed to \"seriously consider\" the ideas offered in the formation of a national legislative agenda.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nUN Demands Torture Prosecutions\u00a0All senior U.S. officials and CIA agents who authorized or carried out torture like waterboarding as part of former President George W. Bush's national security policy must be prosecuted, top U.N. officials told\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0Wednesday. The Justice Department has declined to prosecute and the U.S. is not a member of the International Criminal Court.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nSpending Bill Congress limped Wednesday toward a rare bipartisan agreement on a $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep most of the government operating through next year. Lawmakers in both parties balked over details in the 1,600-page bill but Republican leaders and some Democrats expressed confidence that a government shutdown would be averted. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, who as the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee helped to negotiate a deal, called the spending plan a \u201cmonumental achievement\u201d in an era of seemingly intractable partisan divides. LINK\r\nPension Cuts\u00a0Republicans are pushing severe cuts to the benefits of current retirees in a measure expected to move as an amendment in the House and pass the Senate Thursday,\u00a0The Washington Post\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nWall Street Reforms\u00a0Much to the chagrin of Democratic lawmakers, a spending bill to keep the government open also would roll back provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform bill,\u00a0National Journal\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nCampaign Finance\u00a0The $1.1 trillion spending agreement would vastly expand the amount of money that donors can give political parties,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nOutside Groups Set Spending Record in Midterms Political groups independent of candidates spent more than $814 million to influence congressional elections last month, a record for the midterms and nearly twice the spending in 2010, Federal Election Commission records show. The most obvious explanation for the rapid increase is the effect of the 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court and the rise in spending by super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations and unions, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nVA Hospital Project Grinds to a Halt A Department of Veterans Affairs hospital project near Denver came to a standstill this week after federal judges ruled the VA was in breach of contract, hundreds of millions of dollars over budget and devoid of a plan to adequately fund the facility, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nMany Say American Dream is Out of Reach Despite an improving economy and jobs picture, the public is more pessimistic than it was after the 2008 financial crisis that it is possible to work hard and become rich, according to a New York Times poll. The poll found that only 64 percent of respondents said they still believed in the American dream, the lowest result in roughly two decades. Even near the depth of the financial crisis in early 2009, 72 percent of Americans still believed that hard work could result in riches. \u201cThings have changed a lot,\u201d Michael Herdmann, a 54-year-old retired public works employee from Fairview Park, Ohio. \u201cThe decks have been stacked against not only the lower class but also the lower middle class.\u201d LINK\r\nVermont\r\nWinter Wallop Cuts Power\u00a0A two-day storm has dumped more than a foot of heavy wet snow in parts of Vermont, leaving more than 55,000 without electricity,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nLeahy Hails More Money for Crime Victims U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy is hailing a tripling in federal funding for crime victims and their families. The crime victims' fund had been capped at $745 million, but Leahy pressed for more of the money that's collected in fines and court assessments to be distributed to crime victims and programs supporting them, AP reported.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-votes-no-on-defense-authorization-bill", "Sanders Votes No on Defense Authorization Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Votes No on Defense Authorization Bill\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 11 \u2013 The Senate today advanced a Department of Defense bill that would authorize $560 billion for the military. The vote was 85-14. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted \u201cno\u201d and issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cI am voting no because I have very serious concerns about our nation's bloated military budget and the misplaced national priorities this bill reflects.\r\n\u201cAt a time when our national debt is more than $18 trillion and we spend nearly as much on defense as the rest of the world combined, the time is long overdue to end the waste and financial mismanagement that have plagued the Pentagon for years.\r\n\u201cThe situation is so absurd that the military is unable to even account for how it spends all of its money. The non-partisan watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office, said \u2018serious financial management problems at the Department of Defense made its financial statements un-auditable.\u2019\r\n\u201cI support a strong defense system for our country and a robust National Guard and Reserve that can meet our domestic and foreign challenges. At a time when the country is struggling with huge unmet needs, however, it is unacceptable that the Defense Department continues to waste massive amounts of money.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-welcomes-funding-for-affordable-rental-housing", "Sanders Welcomes Funding for Affordable Rental Housing", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Welcomes Funding for Affordable Rental Housing\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Decision could mean up to $3 million for Vermont to meet rental housing needs\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 11 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a national leader in efforts to increase affordable housing, welcomed a move today that could free up hundreds of millions of dollars to expand affordable rental housing nationwide.\r\nThe Federal Housing Finance Agency today decided to use excess profits from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to fund the National Housing Trust Fund starting next year. The contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will provide a new dedicated revenue source for states to finance very-low-income rental housing construction and rehabilitation projects.\r\n\u201cThis is really excellent news,\u201d said Sanders, who first proposed legislation in the House of Representative in 2001 to create the Housing Trust Fund. The Housing Trust Fund became law in 2008, but has never received any funding, until now.\r\n\u201cIt is no secret that over the past decade, incomes have not come close to keeping pace with the escalating costs of housing. At a time when millions of families are struggling to get by, and when many households are spending 50 percent or more of their limited income on housing, the Trust Fund will provide resources to build the affordable housing we desperately need and create thousands of good-paying jobs.\u201d\r\nThe National Low Income Housing Coalition had estimated that in 2012 there were only 3.2 million rental housing units available and affordable for the 10.3 million extremely-low-income households that need them. Sheila Crowley, the coalition president, cited Sanders\u2019 role in a statement celebrating \u201ca great victory\u201d for the homeless and poor. \u201cAt long last, the National Housing Trust Fund will have funds to begin to ameliorate the shortage of housing that they can afford. I am very grateful to Sen. Bernie Sanders for championing the NHTF since the first days of our campaign in 2001.\u201d\r\nIn Vermont, Erhard Mahnke of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition said he was \u201cabsolutely thrilled at this wonderful news.\u201d He said the funding \u201cwill create much-needed housing that is affordable to low-income Vermonters working at low-wage service sector jobs or living on fixed incomes.\u201d\r\nThe Trust Fund will provide block grants to the states, at least 90% of which must be used for the protection, preservation, rehabilitation, or operation of rental housing. No less than 75% of the funds for rental housing will benefit extremely low income households with the rest benefiting those with very low incomes. Up to 10% of Trust Fund resources may be used for homeownership activities for people with very low incomes. Sanders included a provision in the bill to ensure that no state receives less than $3 million annually.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-opposes-bloated-pentagon-budget", "Sanders Opposes Bloated Pentagon Budget", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Opposes Bloated Pentagon Budget\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tThe Senate on Thursday advanced a Department of Defense bill that would authorize $560 billion for the military. The vote was 85-14. Sen. Bernie Sanders voted no. \u201cI am voting no because I have very serious concerns about our nation's bloated military budget and the misplaced national priorities this bill reflects. At a time when our national debt is more than $18 trillion and we spend nearly as much on defense as the rest of the world combined, the time is long overdue to end the waste and financial mismanagement that have plagued the Pentagon for years.\r\n\u201cThe situation is so absurd that the military is unable to even account for how it spends all of its money. The non-partisan watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office, said \u2018serious financial management problems at the Department of Defense made its financial statements un-auditable.\u2019\r\n\u201cI support a strong defense system for our country and a robust National Guard and Reserve that can meet our domestic and foreign challenges. At a time when the country is struggling with huge unmet needs, however, it is unacceptable that the Defense Department continues to waste massive amounts of money.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/judiciary-committee-chairman-leahy-chairs-confirmation-hearing-with-intellectual-property-nominees", "Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy Chairs Confirmation Hearing With Intellectual Property Nominees", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy Chairs Confirmation Hearing With Intellectual Property Nominees \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (Wednesday, December 10, 2014) \u2013 Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a confirmation hearing this morning for Michelle Lee, nominated to serve as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and Daniel Marti, nominated to serve as Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC). Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of the hearing are available online. \r\nStatement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Executive Nominations December 10, 2014\r\nToday the Committee is considering nominees to two important leadership positions charged with supporting our Nation\u2019s creators, artists, and inventors.\u00a0 I take a strong personal interest in these positions both as a leader of this Committee, and as the senior Senator for Vermont.\u00a0 Vermont is home to a diverse range of artists, writers, and creators.\u00a0 Every year, it ranks among the most innovative States that have the highest patents per capita.\u00a0 Vermonters know firsthand that creators and innovators are the lifeblood of this country\u2014fueling our imagination while creating jobs and contributing billions of dollars to the economy.\r\nThe two nominations we are considering today play a central role promoting this important work.\u00a0 The Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator or \u201cIPEC\u201d was created by legislation I authored in 2008 that was reported by this Committee and passed the Senate with unanimous support.\u00a0 Our objective was to take a comprehensive approach to intellectual property enforcement within the U.S. government, to ensure that law enforcement has the tools it needs and that agencies are working together efficiently.\u00a0 The IPEC plays a valuable role bringing together members of the Internet ecosystem to address the complex problem of online IP theft.\u00a0 Earlier this year, Ranking Member Grassley and I sent a letter to President Obama urging him to nominate someone to fill this position, which has been vacant for well over a year.\u00a0 Today\u2019s confirmation hearing is an important step in filling this vacancy. I hope the nomination will move swiftly so the IPEC Office can return fully to its important work.\r\nCompared to the IPEC, the position of Director of the Patent and Trademark Office, or \u201cPTO,\u201d is not so new:\u00a0 our Nation\u2019s first official charged with granting patents was Thomas Jefferson, when he was Secretary of State.\u00a0 Since its early days, the PTO has grown to play a vital role driving the engine of our economy.\u00a0 Close to 600,000 patent applications and 450,000 trademark class applications are filed with the Office each year.\u00a0 By serving America\u2019s innovators, the PTO helps Vermonters and citizens across the country build their businesses and bring their inventions to the global marketplace.\r\nThree years ago, Congress came together to pass the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, the greatest transformation to our patent system in over 60 years.\u00a0 This Committee worked for six years to pass that landmark legislation and bring our patent system into the 21st Century.\u00a0 The AIA has helped simplify the process for patent approval, reduced backlogs at the USPTO, and harmonized our patent system with the rest of the world.\u00a0\r\nThe AIA sought to improve patent quality by creating new and more efficient administrative proceedings at the PTO.\u00a0 Three years later, the PTO has now received over 2000 petitions for post-grant review.\u00a0 These measures are important to help businesses that fall into the cross-hairs of over-broad patents.\u00a0 But improving the quality of patents also improves their value for inventors and investors, too.\u00a0 The PTO is doing tremendous work to implement these new programs.\u00a0 Because of the AIA, there are now four satellite offices around the country to make the PTO more accessible to inventors and small businesses.\u00a0 The PTO has strengthened its pro bono program, and used its fee-setting authority created by the AIA to gain better financial independence.\u00a0 The PTO has been without a Senate-confirmed director for almost two years. I want to hear more from Ms. Lee about these and other efforts as the PTO continues its work to deliver on the promise of the AIA.\u00a0 I am pleased that in the funding bill released last night, we were able to ensure that PTO receives a budget of $3.46 billion, reflecting amounts it collects through user fees that were strengthened by the AIA. Full funding of PTO should remain a priority.\r\nCongress needs to do more work to strengthen our patent system.\u00a0 This Committee has worked for the past 18 months to address misconduct by bad actors who are abusing the patent system.\u00a0 When these so-called patent trolls send threatening letters to small businesses in Vermont and tie up companies across the country in bad-faith law suits, they hamper innovation and harm our economy.\u00a0 We dedicated months of Committee time to this issue and we made significant bipartisan progress.\u00a0 I look forward to continuing that work in the new year.\r\nI also look forward to continuing this Committee\u2019s productive relationship with the IPEC.\u00a0 The role of the IPEC is particularly important in addressing counterfeiting and infringement online, a complex, global problem that requires creative, multi-party solutions.\u00a0 Every business that operates in the Internet ecosystem has a role to play.\u00a0 Last month, I sent a letter to major credit card companies urging them to do more to prevent use of their payment networks for illegal theft online.\u00a0 Since then, my staff has had productive conversations with the companies, and Visa, for one, has taken proactive steps against a number of cyberlockers engaged in online piracy.\u00a0 I have asked the companies to continue that conversation with the new IPEC once the position is filled.\u00a0 I hope the IPEC will also renew the Office\u2019s work with advertising networks that drive so much of the online economy.\u00a0 Smart solutions are also needed for the \u201cwhack-a-mole\u201d problem that plagues copyright holders online, where illegal content or sites are taken down only to spring back up again moments later in a new location.\r\nThe nominees before us are eminently qualified to fill these roles.\u00a0 Mr. Marti is currently the managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office of Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP.\u00a0 He has spent his entire legal career specializing in intellectual property law, with a focus in trademark law and the protection of intellectual property both domestically and internationally.\u00a0 Mr. Marti is a graduate of Georgetown University and Emory University School of Law.\r\nMs. Lee currently serves as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.\u00a0 She previously was the first director of the Silicon Valley satellite office of the PTO, and has served on the PTO\u2019s Public Patent Advisory Committee.\u00a0 Prior to joining the Office, Ms. Lee was Deputy General Counsel and Head of Patents and Patent Strategy at Google.\u00a0 She earned an advanced degree in electric engineering and computer science from M.I.T. and her law degree from Stanford Law School.\u00a0 I welcome both witnesses and look forward to working with Senator Grassley to consider your nominations.\r\n#####\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-hails-historic-funding-levels-for-crime-victims", "Leahy Hails Historic Funding Levels For Crime Victims", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Hails Historic Funding Levels For Crime Victims \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Support for Violence Against Women Act Programs Also Benefit From Appropriations Agreement\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Wednesday, December 10, 2014) \u2013Legislation to fund the government through next year includes a substantial increase for critical victims\u2019 support programs championed by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy.\r\nUnder the Omnibus Appropriations Bill agreement struck between House and Senate negotiators, the Crime Victims Fund, which provides support for crime victims and their families, will be able to reach more victims of crime thanks to a raise in the fund\u2019s cap. \u00a0The fund is financed by criminal fines and penalties \u2014 not taxpayer dollars \u2014 and it is currently capped at $745 million. \u00a0Under the funding agreement reached late Tuesday, that cap will now be $2.3 billion, a 200 percent increase.\r\nLeahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the most senior member of the Appropriations Committee, hailed the announcement on Wednesday.\u00a0 \u201cFor years I have urged Congress to show its support for victims of crime. \u00a0The Crime Victims Fund represents our commitment to our citizens, and with this funding bill, we are renewing that commitment. \u00a0I applaud this important announcement, and I will continue to work across the aisle to protect this Fund and ensure it helps the victims of crime,\u201d Leahy said.\r\nLeahy, a former prosecutor who worked day to day with crime victims, has long urged Congress to raise the cap for the Crime Victims Fund so that it can reach more victims of crime. \u00a0Leahy introduced the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act in 2009, and he has also worked to ensure money from the fund goes directly to victims. \u00a0Money from the fund supports a broad range of services for crime victims, including compensation for hospital bills, burial costs, or other restitution.\u00a0\r\nThe Vermont Center for Crime Victims Services (VCCVS) receives funding from the federal Crime Victims Fund.\u00a0 Among many services supported by the VCCVS, this fund supports the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, a coalition of 14 Member Organizations that offer services like shelter, counseling, and housing assistance throughout Vermont.\r\nOther key programs that support Vermont initiatives received increased funding under this budget agreement.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nFunds for programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act increased in this budget bill over past year\u2019s levels, and a total of $430 million is included in the bill for the Office on Violence Against Women.\u00a0 Previously, the highest level of appropriations that the Office on Violence Against Women had received was $418.5 million in Fiscal Year 2010.\u00a0 Funding for sexual assault services, and programs to prevent and respond to assaults on college campuses, both increased over last year\u2019s levels. \u00a0Earlier this year Leahy steered through Congress legislation he authored, with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) that has strengthened the Violence Against Women Act. \u00a0\r\nFunding for victims of trafficking will increase from $14 million to $42 million, nearly three times the previous level.\u00a0\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/vermont-wins-33-million-for-pre-k_delegation-and-governor-announce", "Vermont Wins $33 Million for Pre-K,  Delegation and Governor Announce", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t Vermont Wins $33 Million for Pre-K,  Delegation and Governor Announce \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 10 \u2013 Vermont was awarded $7.3 million in what is expected to be a $33.4 million, four-year federal grant for pre-kindergarten programs at public schools and Head Start agencies throughout the state.\r\nSens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) announced the grant today.\r\nSanders, a member of the Senate education committee, worked with the U.S. Department of Education, the congressional delegation and the Shumlin administration to secure the funding to operate the Pre-K program.\r\n\u201cAt a time when working families are struggling to find quality and affordable child care, this grant is a big boost for Vermont,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThe grant will help Vermont lead the nation in early-childhood education as we better prepare our kids for school and the challenges and opportunities of life.\u201d\r\n\u201cVermont has always understood the importance of early-childhood education and how effective it can be in helping children break the cycle of poverty,\u201d Leahy said.\r\n\u201cThis is great news for Vermont and recognition of the quality of our education system and its leaders,\u201d Welch said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cVermont is one of the top states in America when it comes to early childhood education, and we\u2019re committed to being the best. We know that investments in our youngest children pay huge dividends in their ability to achieve in school and succeed in life,\u201d Shumlin said. \u201cWe will use this $33 million directly to expand access to quality early education for Vermont children most in need.\u00a0 I congratulate those at\u00a0Agencies of Education and Human Services, my own staff, and our many grant partners statewide\u00a0for their hard work in securing these funds for our children,\u201d the governor added.\r\nThe latest award is in addition to $37 million Vermont received last year to lay the foundation for its pre-K program. The earlier federal grant made the state eligible for today\u2019s round of awards to implement the program.\r\nSanders, Leahy and Welch made the case for Vermont\u2019s application in an Oct. 10 letter from the delegation to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. The letter said Vermont has demonstrated a strong and enduring commitment to provide early-education for all 4-year-olds and called the state \u201ca model for other states and federal policymakers that will demonstrate the profound impact and effectiveness universal pre-kindergarten can have on the healthy development and future success of low-income students.\u201d\r\nThe grants to Vermont were announced as President Barack Obama prepared to host a White House meeting today on ways that early-childhood education narrows the achievement gap and boosts children\u2019s earnings later in life.\r\nContacts: \r\nDavid Carle (Leahy) 202 224-3693 Michael Briggs (Sanders) 202-228-6492 Ryan Nickel (Welch) 202 225-4115\r\nScott Coriell (Shumlin) 802 353-1449\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/with-adjournment-now-only-hours-away-leahy-calls-on-house-to-pass-foia-improvement-act", "With Adjournment Now Only Hours Away, Leahy Calls On House To Pass FOIA Improvement Act", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t With Adjournment Now Only Hours Away, Leahy Calls On House To Pass FOIA Improvement Act \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (Wednesday, December 10, 2014) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called on the House to pass the bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act that the Senate unanimously approved earlier this week before adjourning for the year.\r\n\u201cThis legislation is all about government transparency. If House Republicans want this administration to be more accountable, then they must put it on the suspension calendar without delay. Let\u2019s get it done,\u201d Leahy said. \u201cWith the sun about to set on this congressional session, the House should not leave this sunshine bill undone, on the table.\u00a0 Time is quickly running out, and the House must act without further delay.\u201d\r\nThe bill strengthens the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the nation\u2019s premier open government law, by requiring Federal agencies to operate under a \u201cpresumption of openness\u201d when considering the release of government information. This is the same language the President laid out in his historic memorandum in 2009, and which is already being followed by government agencies. \u00a0The Leahy-Cornyn bill would make this presumption a permanent fixture in FOIA.\u00a0 The legislation would not require the disclosure of information that is prohibited from being released, such as classified information, and Leahy worked with relevant Committees in the Senate to ensure the bill would allow government attorneys to do their jobs while still upholding transparency.\r\nLeahy worked with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), his longtime partner on transparency issues, to usher their bipartisan bill through the Senate. The FOIA Improvement Act is supported by more than 70 groups that advocate for government transparency, as well as the Sunshine in Government Initiative.\u00a0 An outline of the FOIA Improvement Act can be found here, and text of legislation can be found online.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-announces-key-win-for-lake-champlain-in-federal-budget-bill", "Leahy Announces Key Win For Lake Champlain In Federal Budget Bill", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Announces Key Win For Lake Champlain In Federal Budget Bill \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2014)  Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday announced that key funding for Lake Champlain has been included in the comprehensive budget package that will be considered by Congress later this week, as the clock runs out on the congressional session.\r\nLeahy is the most senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and played a key role in negotiating several parts of the final federal budget bill, which was unveiled Tuesday night.\r\nAt Leahy's urging, the final appropriations bill includes a $3 million increase over last year for Lake Champlain through the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Geographic Program. The total allocation under the program for Lake Champlain is $4.399 million. The Geographic Program, and Lake Champlain in particular, have seen gradual funding reductions in recent years, and the President's budget request for federal Fiscal Year 2015 included just $1.399 million. In the new bill, Leahy was able to reverse that trend for this federal fiscal year.\r\nWe have invested far too much and for far too long in the restoration and preservation of Lake Champlain to walk back on that commitment, Leahy said. With new federal requirements forcing Vermont, New York and all of our Lake partners to make difficult decisions about how to maintain our Great Lake,' this federal support will go a long way toward preserving one of Vermont's greatest natural resources for generations to come.\r\nThrough his work on the Appropriations and Agriculture Committees, Leahy long has led efforts to direct tens of millions of federal dollars to support efforts to restore Lake Champlain.\r\nLeahy added, Lake Champlain and its tributaries are a celebrated part of Vermont's natural landscape. We have worked so hard over so many years to address many challenges, but threats to the Lake remain. Lake Champlain supports our local economies and is a pillar of our tourism industry. I am as committed as ever to ensuring we don't lose ground on the progress we have made over the last few decades in restoring the Lake.\r\nLeahy worked closely with Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) to protect funding through the Geographic Program. Reed chairs the Senate's Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over EPA programs.\r\nAt Leahy's request, Lake Champlain will also receive federal support to address sea lamprey infestation through funding for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Leahy reported that the comprehensive budget bill also includes funding for conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and for the EPA's clean water revolving loan fund -- programs through which Vermont is also likely to see federal dollars. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack also announced $40 million in federal conservation funding for Vermont when he visited the state in August. \r\nThe Omnibus Appropriations Bill will provide funding for nearly every federal agency through September 30, 2015. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the package on Thursday. The Senate could consider the bill as early as Friday.\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/121014", "News December 10", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 10\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nCIA Lied about Ineffective Torture\u00a0A Senate report on Central Intelligence Agency torture of detainees found that the agency lied about brutal tactics which were ineffective in intelligence gathering.\u00a0Sen. Bernie Sanders called it \u201can ugly chapter in American history,\u201d WCAX-TV, WVNY-TV, WFFF-TV, MSNBC online and The\u00a0Washington Examiner reported.\u00a0LINK, LINK, VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO\r\nVermont Wins $33 Million for Pre-K Vermont has received $7.3 million in what is expected to be a $33.4 million, four-year federal grant for pre-kindergarten programs in public schools and Head Start agencies. The grant is in addition to $37 million Vermont received last year to lay the foundation for its pre-kindergarten program. Vermont's congressional delegation made the case for the state's application in an Oct. 10 letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, The Associated Press reported. LINK\u00a0\r\nClimate Change\u00a0A group of Senate Democrats is pushing President Barack Obama's administration to toughen rules on carbon pollution from existing power plants,\u00a0The Hill\u00a0and\u00a0KTVZ-TV\u00a0in Bend, Oregon, reported. Sen. Bernie Sanders signed the letter which said the EPA should require more renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment.\u00a0LINK,\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nOlder Americans Act\u00a0Sen. Sanders \u201cstands above all others\u201d as a champion for seniors issues, Bob Blancato of the Elder Justice Coalition wrote in Forbes. Sanders \u201cproduced a strong and bipartisan Older Americans Act reauthorization bill \u2026 but it has stalled,\u201d Blancato wrote LINK\r\nTreasury Nominee\u00a0Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other progressives are challenging the credentials of President Obama's nominee for a top Treasury Department job,\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported. Sen. Sanders has also questioned the nomination, Politico reported.\u00a0LINK, LINK\r\nWWII City\u00a0A U.S. Senate bill would designate Wilmington, North Carolina, as the first American World War II City, the Wilmington Star News reported. Sen. Sanders introduced comprehensive legislation with the provision in June.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nNational\r\nDeal Reached on $1.01 Trillion Spending Bill Congressional leaders unveiled a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill Tuesday night that will keep most of the federal government funded through September. The legislation is expected to pass in the coming days and will allow the incoming Republican-controlled Congress to clear the decks of lingering spending issues while setting the stage for a prolonged fight with President Obama over immigration policy. At 1,603 pages, the bill includes at least $1.2 billion for agencies to deal with the influx of unaccompanied immigrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. There\u2019s also money to fight the rise of the Islamic State and $5.4 billion to fight the threat of Ebola. But there are also significant changes to campaign finance laws and potential cuts to retiree pension plans. Democrats were cheering bigger budgets for enforcement at agencies created after the 2008 economic collapse. House leaders are planning to introduce a stopgap bill to give the House and Senate a few more days to pass the final measure and avoid a government shutdown Thursday night, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nSnow Storm Closes Schools The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Wednesday. The warning says there could be snow accumulation of 5 to 10 inches of heavy dense snow falling at up to 1 inch per hour into Wednesday evening. A number of Vermont schools closed Tuesday in anticipation of the heavy snowfall, Vermont Public Radio reported.\u00a0LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-wins-33-million-for-pre-k_delegation-and-governor-announce", "Vermont Wins $33 Million for Pre-K,  Delegation and Governor Announce", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Vermont Wins $33 Million for Pre-K,  Delegation and Governor Announce\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 10 \u2013 Vermont was awarded $7.3 million in what is expected to be a $33.4 million, four-year federal grant for pre-kindergarten programs at public schools and Head Start agencies throughout the state.\r\nSens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) announced the grant today.\r\nSanders, a member of the Senate education committee, worked with the U.S. Department of Education, the congressional delegation and the Shumlin administration to secure the funding to operate the Pre-K program.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAt a time when working families are struggling to find quality and affordable child care, this grant is a big boost for Vermont,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThe grant will help Vermont lead the nation in early-childhood education as we better prepare our kids for school and the challenges and opportunities of life.\u201d\r\n\u201cVermont has always understood the importance of early-childhood education and how effective it can be in helping children break the cycle of poverty,\u201d Leahy said.\r\n\u201cThis is great news for Vermont and recognition of the quality of our education system and its leaders,\u201d Welch said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cVermont is one of the top states in America when it comes to early childhood education, and we\u2019re committed to being the best. We know that investments in our youngest children pay huge dividends in their ability to achieve in school and succeed in life,\u201d Shumlin said. \u201cWe will use this $33 million directly to expand access to quality early education for Vermont children most in need.\u00a0 I congratulate those at\u00a0Agencies of Education and Human Services, my own staff, and our many grant partners statewide\u00a0for their hard work in securing these funds for our children,\u201d the governor added.\r\nThe latest award is in addition to $37 million Vermont received last year to lay the foundation for its pre-K program. The earlier federal grant made the state eligible for today\u2019s round of awards to implement the program.\r\nSanders, Leahy and Welch made the case for Vermont\u2019s application in an Oct. 10 letter from the delegation to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. The letter said Vermont has demonstrated a strong and enduring commitment to provide early-education for all 4-year-olds and called the state \u201ca model for other states and federal policymakers that will demonstrate the profound impact and effectiveness universal pre-kindergarten can have on the healthy development and future success of low-income students.\u201d\r\nThe grants to Vermont were announced as President Barack Obama prepared to host a White House meeting today on ways that early-childhood education narrows the achievement gap and boosts children\u2019s earnings later in life.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/the-filibernie", "The Filibernie", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Filibernie\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor on this day four years ago and didn\u2019t stop speaking for \u00a08 \u00bd hours. Some called it a filibuster. Keith Olberman dubbed it the Filibernie. The speech made the case against a tax deal that had been reached by President Barack Obama with the Republican leadership in Congress to extend Bush-era tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. \u00a0\u201cIt makes no sense to me to provide huge tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires while we drive up the national debt that our children and grandchildren will have to pay,\u201d Sanders said of the deal at the time. Over Sanders\u2019 objection, the tax deal was approved for two more years. Since then, however, Sanders\u2019 view has prevailed and Congress let tax breaks for the top 1 percent of wage earners expire.\r\nWatch Keith Olberman on the Filibernie\r\nWatch the speech", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-statement-on-the-state-of-civil-rights", "Leahy Statement On The State of Civil Rights", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Statement On The State of Civil Rights \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (Tuesday, December 9, 2014) \u2013 The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights is currently holding a hearing on \u201cThe State of Civil and Human Rights in the United States.\u201d Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) helped to pass the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which was enacted in 2009 and broadened federal hate crimes law to include crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.\u00a0 He is the author of the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen the Voting Rights Act and combat voter discrimination in all states and jurisdictions, and a cosponsor of the bipartisan Smarter Sentencing Act, which would lower nonviolent drug mandatory sentences. Senator Leahy\u2019s statement for the record for today\u2019s hearing is below. Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of the hearing are available online.\r\n\u00a0\r\nStatement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing on \u201cThe State of Civil and Human Rights in the United States\u201d December 9, 2014\r\nDr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, \u201cThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.\u201d\u00a0 However, the arc does not bend towards justice without effort.\u00a0 We must put in the necessary hard work \u2013 as well as build the foundation and structure \u2013 for justice to prevail.\u00a0 It has taken the blood, sweat, and tears of many Americans to push for a \u201cmore perfect union.\u201d\u00a0 We must not stop now.\r\nThere are too many cracks in this foundation, especially in areas such as voting rights, the criminal justice system, and privacy and civil liberties.\u00a0 In the area of voting rights, states continue to pass restrictive voting laws that disenfranchise millions of voters, a disproportionate number of which are minorities.\u00a0 Discriminatory voting laws have become even more common in the wake of last year\u2019s Supreme Court decision dismantling key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.\r\nOur criminal justice system incarcerates too many individuals, especially non-violent drug offenders, because of its reliance on mandatory minimum sentences.\u00a0 And there continues to be distrust between law enforcement and communities of color because of a long history of unfair treatment towards minorities.\r\nOn privacy, we have seen that the Federal government can overreach when we do not remain vigilant.\u00a0 We have seen the privacy rights of American citizens violated through the indiscriminate bulk collection of data about their lives without compelling justification.\u00a0 These are just some of the significant problems that continue to test our Nation \u2013 and which we have not adequately addressed.\r\nAs Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and as a Senator who has served the state of Vermont and this country for nearly 40 years, I will continue to fight to address these problems.\u00a0 I believe in being part of a constructive process to reform our system and address these injustices.\u00a0 That is why I have introduced bipartisan bills this past Congress to help ensure that the moral arc continues to bend towards justice.\r\nIn January 2014, on the eve of the weekend celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King\u2019s holiday, I introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 along with Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner, John Conyers, and John Lewis that would have restored the most fundamental protections of the law.\u00a0 Senator Durbin was an original cosponsor of our legislation.\u00a0 This bill was drafted in response to the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Shelby County v. Holder in which five justices disregarded extensive findings of Congress and gutted the Voting Rights Act. \u00a0A narrow and conservative majority of the Court struck down the coverage formula and dramatically undercut the Act\u2019s ability to protect Americans from racial discrimination in voting.\u00a0 I have been disappointed that not a single Senate Republican has joined our efforts to restore the voting rights of all Americans, despite mounting evidence that in too many places, racial discrimination in voting persists.\r\nWithin weeks of the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling, Republican governors and state legislatures exploited the Shelby County decision in order to implement sweeping voter suppression laws that disproportionately prevent African Americans from voting.\u00a0 In North Carolina, the Republican legislature and governor passed the most comprehensive voter suppression law in recent memory.\u00a0 That state law resulted in many minorities, students, elderly and lower income individuals being disenfranchised this past election.\u00a0 In Texas, then-Attorney General Greg Abbott pushed to immediately implement the most restrictive voter ID law in the country.\u00a0 A Federal judge found the restrictive Texas voter ID law to be an \u201cunconstitutional poll tax\u201d that could disenfranchise up to 600,000 voters, most of whom would be African Americans and Hispanics.\u00a0 Nevertheless, the Supreme Court allowed the law to be implemented for this past November\u2019s election.\u00a0 We must act in the new Congress to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act.\r\nReforming our nation\u2019s sentencing laws must also remain a high priority.\u00a0 The United States has a mass incarceration problem.\u00a0 Between 1970 and 2010, the number of people incarcerated grew by 700 percent.\u00a0 Although the United States has only five percent of the world\u2019s population, we incarcerate almost a quarter of its prisoners.\u00a0 This is largely driven by inflexible and unfair mandatory minimum sentences, which disproportionately impact communities of color.\u00a0 Our one-size-fits-all approach to sentencing has been a great mistake, and Congress must fix it.\u00a0 Our Smarter Sentencing Act would allow reductions in certain drug sentences by providing judges more discretion to determine an appropriate sentence.\u00a0\u00a0It is time to stop relying on decades-old policy that has been disproven and is simply unjust.\u00a0 The Judiciary Committee approved this legislation on a bipartisan basis this year, and I hope we can work together so that the full Senate can pass this legislation next year.\r\nRight now, Americans are having an important conversation about the loss of human life in communities across the country.\u00a0 A critical piece of this conversation is about the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color.\u00a0 We must reexamine the militarization of our law enforcement because while no one questions that law enforcement must maintain order, equipping police officers with the tools of war does nothing to repair a torn community.\u00a0 I have long worked to improve our civil asset forfeiture program, and I am confident both parties can work to address this in the new year.\r\nThe issue of privacy and our civil liberties is also in need of reform.\u00a0 The advancement of our civil rights includes the preservation of our civil liberties.\u00a0 Last summer, Americans learned for the first time that the government is secretly collecting the telephone records of innocent Americans \u2013 regardless of whether there is any connection whatsoever to terrorism or criminal activity.\u00a0 In response, I introduced the USA FREEDOM Act to end the indiscriminate bulk collection of our private records and enact much-needed reforms to the government\u2019s surveillance authorities.\u00a0 This bipartisan bill was supported by the Intelligence Community, privacy and civil liberties groups of all interests and viewpoints, the high-tech industry, and lawmakers across the political spectrum.\u00a0 I fought to advance the bill last month because it was of critical importance, both to preserve the civil liberties of our citizens but also to protect our national security.\u00a0 Despite its broad support, Senate Republicans would not even allow a debate to begin on our legislation, but I will continue to fight for these reforms in the new Congress.\r\nAs the 113th Congress comes to a close, it is essential to have this critical examination of the state of civil rights in this Nation and I thank Senator Durbin for chairing this important hearing.\u00a0 Bending the arc towards justice can oftentimes be very, very difficult.\u00a0 We know from our shared experience that we cannot be the Nation that we strive to be by setting the dial on autopilot and assuming that all will be well.\u00a0 Recently we have seen and experienced setbacks.\u00a0 We must, however, continue the fight by building bridges and proposing solutions.\u00a0 I will continue to do so in my role as a United States Senator and hope that other members of this body will as well.\u00a0\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/multimedia/leahy-speaks-on-release-of-senates-historic-report-on-torture", "Leahy Speaks On Release Of Senate’s Historic Report On Torture", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON (Tuesday, December 9, 2014) \u2013 The summary of a thoroughly researched Congressional report on the Central Intelligence Agency\u2019s (CIA) use of torture during the Bush administration finally makes details of the program public to policymakers and all Americans who had previously been misled, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a lengthy floor speech on Tuesday.\r\nLeahy, who as chairman of the Judiciary Committee presided over several of the many hearings that collected dozens of hours of testimony on the legality and use of harsh interrogation techniques under the Bush administration, said the release of the executive summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee Study of the CIA\u2019s Detention and Interrogation Program \u201cdisproves CIA claims that the torture program was necessary to protect our nation and that it thwarted attacks.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-chairman-senate-judiciary-committee-on-senate-consideration-of-trafficking-legislation", "Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration of Trafficking Legislation", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration of Trafficking Legislation \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tI could not be a stronger supporter of efforts to prevent human trafficking. But we must offer comprehensive solutions that provide meaningful and reliable resources to support these survivors.\r\nJust this Congress, I have led the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act \u2013 widely recognized as this country\u2019s most important tool in combatting human trafficking. The law reasserted the United States as a global leader in fighting trafficking by strengthening tools available to prosecutors and providing services for victims, including those victims here at home.\u00a0\r\nThe Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act also passed this Congress. \u00a0That bill expanded the availability of grants to support victims of human trafficking, as well as sexual assault and domestic violence.\r\nAnd now I am working to enact the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (S.2646). This bill authorizes the critical resources needed to provide shelter and services for the 1.6 million youth in this country who are homeless. Many of these young people are, or are at risk of becoming, victims of human trafficking.\r\nIt is time we put our money where our mouth is. We must reauthorize these existing programs that work. These children, whether in Vermont, Minnesota, or Texas, need a place to stay and be safe. And I will not leave these priorities behind for political reasons.\r\n\u00a0\r\n# # # # #\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-speaks-on-release-of-senates-historic-report-on-torture-", "Leahy Speaks On Release Of Senates Historic Report On Torture", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Leahy Speaks On Release Of Senate's Historic Report On Torture  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Our nation needed a full accounting of the CIA's treatment of detainees.  With this report, at last we have it.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)  The summary of a thoroughly researched Congressional report on the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) use of torture during the Bush administration finally makes details of the program public to policymakers and all Americans who had previously been misled, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a lengthy floor speech on Tuesday.\r\nLeahy, who as chairman of the Judiciary Committee presided over several of the many hearings that collected dozens of hours of testimony on the legality and use of harsh interrogation techniques under the Bush administration, said the release of the executive summary of the Senate Intelligence Committee Study of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program disproves CIA claims that the torture program was necessary to protect our nation and that it thwarted attacks.\r\nThis program did not make us safer, Leahy said, adding: This should not come as a surprise. The Senate Judiciary Committee held numerous hearings on the Bush administration's interrogation policies and practices. What we heard time and again, from witness after witness, is that torture and other cruel treatment do not work.\r\nLeahy is a longtime advocate for government transparency and the accountability that it brings. Just yesterday he shepherded his bipartisan FOIA Improvement Act through the Senate based on the principle that Americans have the right to know what their government is doing. Earlier this year, he spoke in support of the Intelligence Committee releasing the summary of its report, noting that it provides critical Congressional oversight of a program that was not subject to such transparency when it was in use under President George W. Bush. In his floor statement, Leahy again praised Senator Feinstein for her work on the exhaustive report and on the summary that was released Tuesday.\r\nAs Americans, we cannot sweep our mistakes under the rug and pretend they did not happen, said Leahy. We must acknowledge our mistakes. We must learn from our mistakes. And in this case, we as Americans must and will do everything we can to ensure that our government never tortures again.\r\nSenator Leahy's full statement is below and available online.\r\n# # # # #\r\nStatement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Release of the Senate Intelligence Committee Report on the CIA's Torture Program December 9, 2014\r\nMore than a decade ago, the Central Intelligence Agency began detaining and torturing human beings in the name of the war on terrorism. Employees and contractors of the United States government  paid by taxpayer dollars  abused, degraded, and dehumanized people. They stripped them of their basic humanity. And they stripped America of its standing in the world as a leader in promoting and protecting human rights.\r\nPresident Obama banned torture and cruel treatment when he took office. But only now, as a result of the courage and conviction of Senator Feinstein and other members of the Intelligence Committee, and their staffs, do we have the full and public accounting of the CIA's actions that the American people deserve.\r\nThe decision to release this historic report has been difficult. But it was the right and moral thing to do. Releasing this report demonstrates that America is different. As Americans, we cannot sweep our mistakes under the rug and pretend they did not happen. We must acknowledge our mistakes. We must learn from our mistakes. And in this case, we as Americans must and will do everything we can to ensure that our government never tortures again.\r\nIn 2009, I called for a Commission of Inquiry to review the Bush administration's detention and interrogation program and other sweeping claims of executive power. I believed that, in order to restore America's moral leadership, we must acknowledge what was done in our name. Our nation needed a full accounting of the CIA's treatment of detainees. With this report, at last we have it.\r\nThis is not the first report to record and condemn the detention and interrogation policies and practices that were used during the Bush administration. But it is the first to fully chronicle the actions of the most secretive of government agencies: the Central Intelligence Agency.\r\nThis report finally lays bare the dark truth about the CIA's program. And that truth is far worse, far more brutal, than most Americans ever imagined. We all have seen the shocking pictures from Abu Ghraib, and we have read the cold, clinical descriptions of harsh or enhanced techniques written by Department of Justice attorneys to justify such treatment. This report makes clear one fundamental truth: the CIA tortured people  plain and simple. And no euphemistic description or legal obfuscation can hide that fact any longer.\r\nThe Intelligence Committee report shows that techniques like waterboarding and sleep deprivation were used in ways far more frequent, cruel, and physically harmful than previously known. It also shows that gross mismanagement at the CIA and a shocking indifference to human dignity led to horrendous treatment and conditions of confinement that went far beyond what had been approved. Senior CIA leadership did not even know that enhanced techniques were being used at one CIA detention facility. In one instance, a CIA prisoner died as a result  left shackled on a concrete floor in a dungeon room to die, likely of hypothermia.\r\nSo-called enhanced interrogation techniques were not just used on the worst of the worst, either. In some instances, the CIA did not even know who it was holding. CIA records show that at least 26 of the people detained by the CIA did not meet the CIA's own standard for detention. And some individuals subjected to enhanced techniques were determined not even to be members of Al Qaeda.\r\nMoreover, the CIA relied on contractors who had no experience as interrogators to develop this program. The CIA eventually outsourced all aspects of the program to the company these contractors set up  to the tune of 80 million taxpayer dollars. This was a program out of control, and this is yet another reason why Congress must exercise its oversight responsibilities.\r\nThis report also disproves CIA claims that the torture program was necessary to protect our nation and that it thwarted attacks. This program did not make us safer. As is laid out in meticulous detail in the report, the use of these techniques did not generate uniquely valuable intelligence. This report thoroughly repudiates each of the most commonly cited examples of plots thwarted and terrorists captured.\r\nThis should not come as a surprise. The Senate Judiciary Committee held numerous hearings on the Bush administration's interrogation policies and practices. What we heard time and again, from witness after witness, is that torture and other cruel treatment do not work.\r\nStill there are those who continue to argue, even in the face of overwhelming testimony and now hard evidence to the contrary, that this program thwarted attacks and saved lives. They defend the CIA's actions and argue that the report does not tell the full story.\r\nBut these are often the same people who participated in the rampant misrepresentations detailed in this report. The report shows that CIA officials consistently misled virtually everyone outside the Agency about what was actually going on, and about the results of CIA interrogations. That includes members of Congress, White House officials, and even Justice Department lawyers being asked to review the legality of CIA techniques.\r\nIn the coming weeks, as we head into a new Congress with new leadership, we will hear a lot about the need for oversight. This report and its revelations should be at the top of the list. So too should the unprecedented spying by the CIA on the congressional staff investigating this program, and the troubling pattern of intimidation that included the CIA referring its own congressional overseers to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. This report and those actions show a CIA out of control, and it is incumbent upon Congress to hold the agency accountable.\r\nThe Judiciary Committee in particular needs to take a hard look at the role of the Department of Justice and its legal justifications for this program. Much ink has been spilled criticizing the OLC opinions written during the Bush administration by John Yoo, Jay Bybee, and Steven Bradbury. Those opinions sullied the reputation of that office and have been rightly repudiated. But this report also demonstrates that even those opinions were the result of key misrepresentations by the CIA about the seniority of the people subjected to these techniques, the implementation of the techniques, and the intelligence resulting from them. As an institution, we have a responsibility to examine the systemic failure that allowed this to happen  and to ensure that it does not happen again.\r\nThose who attack the credibility of this report are wrong. This report is not based on conjecture or theory or insinuation. Anyone who reads it can see that this careful, thorough report was meticulously researched and written. It is based on more than 6 million pages of CIA cables, emails, and other documents containing descriptions that CIA employees and contractors themselves recorded. Senator Feinstein and the other members of the Intelligence Committee who worked on this deserve our respect and appreciation.\r\nIntelligence Committee staffers, too, have dedicated years of their lives to this report. They have demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of enormous challenges. This past year, they were even threatened with criminal prosecution  simply for doing their jobs. But they would not be intimidated. They have served their country well. They have my deepest appreciation for bringing us this truly historic study. Their families, too, deserve our thanks.\r\nI am disappointed that those same honorable staffers had to spend so many months arguing with this White House about redactions to this report  a White House that is supposed to be dedicated to transparency. This report should have been issued months ago, and it still contains more redactions than it should. But I am gratified that we are finally able to shine light on this dark chapter. Among the many lessons we can take from this report is that Americans deserve more government transparency, and that it is essential to a strong democracy. Just yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that significantly improves the Freedom of Information Act. Today's release of this report is another important victory for greater government transparency.\r\nTo those who argue that this report should not come out and who have tried to pressure and silence Senator Feinstein, let me be clear. The blame should be placed squarely where it belongs: on those who authorized and carried out a systematic program of torture and secret detention, in violation of domestic law, in violation of international law, and in violation of the principles on which this nation was founded.\r\nIn trying times, like those we faced after September 11, and those we face now, we look to our intelligence, military and law enforcement professionals to keep us safe. We are lucky to have so many talented individuals willing to take on that responsibility. But one of the lessons of this report is that we cannot become so blinded by fear that we are willing to sacrifice our own principles, laws, and humanity. No matter what, our enemies are human beings. And no matter how hardened and evil they are, no matter how repulsive their actions, no matter how horribly they have treated their own victims, we do not torture them. We do not join them on the dark side of history.\r\nGenerations of men and women have given their lives, and even endured torture themselves, in order to protect this nation. They did so not to protect our way of life, but to protect our principles. Our understanding of right and wrong. Of humanity and of evil. The shameful actions uncovered by this report dishonored those men and women, as well as the men and women who continue to put their lives at risk for this country.\r\nAmericans know that we are better than this and that we will never let this happen again. The world must know that too.\r\n# # # # #\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/120914", "News December 9", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News December 9\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSenator Sanders\r\nThe Middle Class\u00a0Americans are \"a lot better off today than six years ago when George W. Bush left office,\" Sen. Bernie Sanders told\u00a0The Ed Schultz Show, but more aggressive action is needed to create jobs and lift wages, the senator added in a radio interview that aired on Monday. AUDIO\u00a0\r\nAn American Agenda Sen. Sanders has laid out a 12-point economic plan for jobs, pay equity and a living wage. \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to talk about the problems, and it\u2019s important we do that, but it\u2019s another thing to come up with an agenda that rebuilds the middle class,\" Sanders said Monday on\u00a0The Leslie Marshall Show.\u00a0\u00a0AUDIO\r\nTreasury Nominee\u00a0Progressive groups are emailing supporters, calling on them to oppose President Barack Obama's nomination of Wall Street banker Antonio Weiss for the top spot at the Treasury Department,\u00a0The Hill\u00a0reported. Sens. Sanders, Dick Durbin and Elizabeth Warren have aired concerns about the pick.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\n350.org\u00a0Bill McKibben, one of America\u2019s highest profile climate activists, is stepping down as the board chairman of 350.org, the environmental organization he co-founded, the\u00a0Addison County Independent\u00a0reported. McKibben has been one of the most vocal opponents of the Canadian tar sands pipeline, which Sen. Sanders voted against.\u00a0LINK\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorld\r\nClimate Conference In a sign of the importance that the Obama administration has placed on the outcome of United Nations climate change negotiations taking place this week, Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive on Thursday in Lima, Peru, to strongly urge negotiators to reach a deal, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nCombat Command Ends in Afghanistan\u00a0American and NATO troops closed their operational command in Afghanistan on Monday, lowering flags in a ceremony to mark the formal end of their combat mission in a country still mired in war 13 years after the U.S.-led invasion,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0LINK\r\nNational\r\nTorture Report On the eve of a long-awaited Senate report on the use of torture by the United States government \u2014 a detailed account that will shed an unsparing light on the Central Intelligence Agency\u2019s darkest practices after the September 2001 terrorist attacks \u2014 the Obama administration and its Republican critics clashed on Monday over the wisdom of making it public, and the risk that it will set off a backlash overseas. While the United States has put diplomatic facilities and military bases on alert for heightened security risks, administration officials said they do not expect the declassified executive summary that will be released Tuesday to ignite violence, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nSpending Bill Hits Snag Plans to quickly approve a $1.1 trillion spending package to keep most of the federal government open through the end of the fiscal year fell apart late Monday, increasing the chance lawmakers will miss a Thursday deadline. Just in case, top appropriators said Monday that they were ready to pass a short-term extension of a few days in order to give the House and Senate more time to pass the final bill and end the least productive congressional session in modern history, The Washington Post reported. LINK\r\nSurgeon General Senate Democrats are trying to confirm before year\u2019s end President Obama\u2019s surgeon general nominee. Vivek Murthy is the highest-profile of the few dozen nominees who could come up for a vote in the chamber if Senate Democrats and Republicans reach a procedural agreement this week. Even in the absence of a deal, Senate leaders might take steps to set up a separate vote on Dr. Murthy\u2019s nomination, a Senate aide told The Wall Street Journal. LINK\r\nDOJ Bans Racial Profiling Attorney General\u00a0Eric Holder on Monday announced new guidelines against racial profiling by federal law-enforcement agents, though they won\u2019t affect local police or screening at borders and airports \u2014areas where civil liberties groups say the greatest problems exist,\u00a0The Wall Street Journal\u00a0said.\u00a0LINK\r\nBillionaires Seek to Anoint Candidate\u00a0Dozens of wealthy Republican donors and fund-raisers have begun discussing how to clear the field for a single establishment candidate in 2016,\u00a0The New York Times\u00a0said.\u00a0\u00a0LINK\r\nOil Prices at 5-year Low The price of crude oil continued to collapse on Monday, plunging to a five-year low, as oil giants began to scale back their drilling ambitions and pare the ranks of their workers. On the same day that the American oil benchmark traded around $63 a barrel, down more than 4 percent, ConocoPhillips announced it would cut investment spending in 2015 by 20 percent, the biggest sign yet that major oil companies are contracting, The New York Times reported. LINK\r\nDefense Contractor Fraud The former supplier of food and beverages to U.S. troops in Afghanistan agreed to pay $389 million in fines and damages after admitting it overcharged the Pentagon for fresh food and bottled water, one of the largest penalties ever imposed on a defense supplier. Supreme Group BV pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to its handling of an $8.8 billion supply contract that was extended twice before the company lost the business in 2013 The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK\r\nVermont\r\nRevenue Shortfall Vermont state revenues once again performed short of expectations in November,\u00a0The Associated Press\u00a0reported.\u00a0For the first five months of the fiscal year, general fund revenues have fallen more than $18.6 million below target \u2014 about 3.5 percent less than projected.\u00a0LINK\r\nSingle Payer Funding Single payer advocates called a news conference Monday to decry what may or may not be some or all of a plan that Gov. Peter Shumlin has said will be released by the end of the month. The conference came after a VTDigger story last week, citing unnamed sources and with no official response from Gov. Peter Shumlin or his administration, said that in Shumlin\u2019s latest proposal to fund single payer, \u201cemployer-funded payroll tax was pegged at 8 percent.\u201d The Health Care Is a Human Right campaign called for an \u201cequitable\u201d funding system supported by a progressive tax, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK\r\nStatehouse \u201914 The second-place finisher in last month's election for governor announced Monday that he is staying in the race, bucking recent history of the losing candidate conceding and leaving the final say up to the state Legislature. Speaking at the Statehouse, Republican Scott Milne criticized what he called the \"pervasive incompetence\" of Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin's administration and described the state's finances as \"a disaster, AP reported.\r\nFairPoint Strike As the strike by FairPoint\u2019s unionized employees nears the two month mark, there\u2019s still no sign of progress toward an agreement between the company and workers. In deciding to strike, the unions felt they had no choice, but it\u2019s an option that has become rare and not nearly as effective as in the past, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-cia-report", "Sanders Statement on CIA Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders Statement on CIA Report\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, Dec. 9 \u2013 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement on a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation which found that the Central Intelligence Agency misled the White House and Congress about the brutal interrogation of terrorism suspects: \u00a0\r\n\u201cA great nation must be prepared to acknowledge its errors. This report details an ugly chapter in American history during which our leaders and the intelligence community dishonored our nation\u2019s proud traditions. Of course we must aggressively pursue international terrorists who would do us harm, but we must do so in a way that is consistent with the basic respect for human rights which makes us proud to be Americans.\r\n\u201cThe United States must not engage in torture. If we do, in an increasingly brutal world we lose our moral standing to condemn other nations or groups that engage in uncivilized behavior.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/cia-brutality-dishonesty-detailed-in-senate-report", "CIA Brutality, Dishonesty Detailed in Senate Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CIA Brutality, Dishonesty Detailed in Senate Report\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tA Senate Intelligence Committee investigation found that the Central Intelligence Agency misled the White House and Congress about the brutal interrogation of terrorism suspects. \u00a0\u201cA great nation must be prepared to acknowledge its errors. This report details an ugly chapter in American history during which our leaders and the intelligence community dishonored our nation\u2019s proud traditions,\u201d said Sen. Bernie Sanders. \u201cOf course we must aggressively pursue international terrorists who would do us harm, but we must do so in a way that is consistent with the basic respect for human rights which makes us proud to be Americans.\r\n\u201cThe United States must not engage in torture. If we do, in an increasingly brutal world, we lose our moral standing to condemn other nations or groups that engage in uncivilized behavior,\u201d the senator added.\r\nRead the report", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-and-cornyn-urge-senate-to-pass-foia-improvement-act-today", "Leahy & Cornyn Urge Senate To Pass FOIA Improvement Act TODAY", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.08.14\n\t\t\t Leahy & Cornyn Urge Senate To Pass FOIA Improvement Act TODAY \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON (Monday, December 8, 2014) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) urged Senators Monday to pass historic legislation that strengthens the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the nation's premier open government law.\r\nThe FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, which was approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee last month, requires Federal agencies to operate under a presumption of openness when considering the release of government information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is the same language the President laid out in his historic memorandum in 2009, and which is already being followed by government agencies. The Leahy-Cornyn bill would make this presumption a permanent fixture in FOIA. The legislation would not require the disclosure of information that is prohibited from being released, such as classified information.\r\nMaintaining an open government is fundamental to our democracy. The FOIA Improvement Act will help open the government to the 300 million Americans it serves by placing a statutory priority on openness and transparency, rather than allowing agencies simply to hide behind exemptions, Senator Leahy said. As a former prosecutor, I also understand the need for attorneys to do their work. Our legislation increases transparency while allowing government attorneys to do their job. The Senate must pass our legislation today so it can be sent over to the House and enacted this year.\r\nAn open and transparent government is the linchpin of American democracy, and the Senate should pass our bill without delay to improve this important law and promote greater accountability for the American people from their government, Senator Cornyn said.\r\nThe FOIA Improvement Act is supported by more than 70 groups that advocate for government transparency, as well as the Sunshine in Government Initiative. An outline of the FOIA Improvement Act can be found here, and text of legislation can be found online.\r\n#####\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senate-monday-night-passes-leahys-foia-improvement-act-", "Senate Monday Night Passes Leahys FOIA Improvement Act", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.08.14\n\t\t\t Senate Monday Night Passes Leahy's FOIA Improvement Act  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Leahy And Cornyn Call On House To Pass Legislation, Send It To The House For Signature This Week\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON (Monday, December 8, 2014) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) hailed the Senate's passage late Monday of historic legislation that strengthens the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the nation's premier open government law.\r\nThe FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, which was approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee last month, requires Federal agencies to operate under a presumption of openness when considering the release of government information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is the same language the President laid out in his historic memorandum in 2009, and which is already being followed by government agencies. The Leahy-Cornyn bill would make this presumption a permanent fixture in FOIA. The legislation would not require the disclosure of information that is prohibited from being released, such as classified information.\r\nMaintaining an open government is fundamental to our democracy. The FOIA Improvement Act will help open the government to all Americans by placing an emphasis on openness and transparency, rather than allowing agencies simply to hide behind exemptions, Leahy and Cornyn said in a joint statement.\r\nThe Senators added: With the Senate's action today, it is critical the House take up and pass the FOIA Improvement Act this week so it can be enacted this year.\r\nThe FOIA Improvement Act is supported by more than 70 groups that advocate for government transparency, as well as the Sunshine in Government Initiative. An outline of the FOIA Improvement Act can be found here, and text of legislation can be found online.\r\n#####\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1312, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "VT", "p1": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Independent", "label": "Independent", "count": 814, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014&party=Independent", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 498, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1312, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "VT", "label": "VT", "count": 1312, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 1312, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VT", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-12-08,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eleahy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpress~2Fsenate-monday-night-passes-leahys-foia-improvement-act-", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VT&year=2014&_next=2014-12-08%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eleahy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpress~2Fsenate-monday-night-passes-leahys-foia-improvement-act-&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 320.0453370809555, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}