Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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52 rows where chamber = "Senate", state = "VT" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-priorities-signed-law-part-omnibus-government-funding-bill | Welch Priorities Signed Into Law As Part Of Omnibus Government Funding Bill | 2020-12-28 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON President Donald Trump signed into law on Sunday night a government funding bill that included energy efficiency provisions championed by Representative Peter Welch, and an important Medicaid fraud bill that he introduced this Congress. The bill also funds the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2021. The legislation includes several provisions Welch led during the 116th Congress that are now law. Specifically, it includes the following Welch-led energy efficiency initiatives: Provisions from the Biomass Thermal Utilization (BTU) Act (H.R. 1479) to incentivize the use of energy efficient wood boilers, stoves and heaters through tax credits for capital costs incurred in residential installations. Provisions to provide rebates for energy efficient motors and transformers, streamline energy efficiency programs and financing for schools, and reduce energy usage at data centers. These provisions come from the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (H.R. 3962) introduced by Welch this Congress. The Energy Savings Through Public Private Partnership Act (H.R. 3079) to require federal agencies to implement previously identified energy efficiency upgrades and to use performance contracting to ensure energy savings and save taxpayer dollars. Core parts of the Federal Energy and Water Management Performance Act (H.R. 5650), which authorizes, for the first time, the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) at $36 million through fiscal year 2025. The Small Building Acceleration Act (H.R. 2044) to facilitate the transition to energy-saving smart buildings by supporting research and documenting the costs and benefits of emerging technologies in private and federal government buildings. Provisions to develop a national plan for smart manufacturing technology development and deployment to improve domestic manufacturing sector productivity and efficiency. This is similar to parts of The Smart Manufacturing Leadership Act (H.R. 1633), introduced by Welch this Congress. The Combined Heat and Po… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sen-warren-and-rep-welch-lead-letter-trump-administration-failure | Sen. Warren and Rep. Welch Lead Letter on Trump Administration Failure to Address Millions of Orphan Oil and Gas Wells That Continue to Emit Methane and Toxic Chemicals | 2020-12-23 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, DC -- United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led a letter to Secretary of the Interior (DOI) David Bernhardt about the Bureau of Land Management's failure to hold the oil and gas industry accountable for plugging millions of abandoned oil and gas wells on public lands, which continue to leak dangerous chemicals like methane and endanger both the environment and public health. The letter is also signed by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.). The federal government estimates that there are more than three million abandoned oil and gas wells across the United States, two million of which are unplugged and are releasing "the methane equivalent of the annual emissions from more than 1.5 million cars." These abandoned wells can contaminate groundwater and emit volatile and hazardous compounds, posing significant environmental and public health risks. Leaking methane is particularly dangerous, since methane "pound for pound can warm the planet more than 80 times as much as carbon dioxide over a 20-year period." In 2018 and 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) laid out recommendations for how the Bureau of Land Management can track and manage the wells. But the Trump administration largely ignored and even hampered efforts to hold Big Oil and franking firms accountable by weakening environmental laws like the Methane Rule, which would have helped the government compel oil and gas companies to plug their wells, but instead freed these companies from the need to detect and repair methane leaks. "Implementing the GAO recommendations is a bare minimum action that the Interior Department and its agencies can take to address the growing number of orphan and abandoned wells and their associated environmental health and safety risks. Congress and the American public deserve an explanation as to why your agency has refused to do so in a timely manner," wrote Senator … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sanders-leahy-welch-applaud-dam-repair-funding-vermont | Sanders, Leahy, Welch Applaud Dam-Repair Funding for Vermont | 2020-12-22 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced that legislation passed by Congress last night will fund critical water infrastructure projects, including three aging flood-control dams. The Vermont delegation also announced that the state of Vermont has signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make much-needed repairs to the Waterbury Dam. The project will begin in early 2021, using $40 million in federal funding secured by the delegation. The America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2020, to be signed into law today, includes language first authored by Senator Sanders in 2016 in the Water Resources Development Act. This year, the amendment authored by Sanders in the Senate and Welch in the House increases the authorization of federal funding to $60 million each for safety improvements at certain state-owned flood control dams constructed by the federal government before 1940. In Vermont, three dams the Waterbury, East Barre and Wrightsville dams are eligible to receive funding under this provision. These dams are essential pieces of Vermont's infrastructure, said Sanders, who is a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over the water infrastructure legislation. Maintaining and repairing the dams especially the Waterbury Dam has long been a priority for our state. This bipartisan legislation is an important step toward rebuilding aging dams in Vermont and throughout the United States. Leahy, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: I have been proud to secure funding for the Waterbury Dam through the appropriations process, and I'm pleased to see the increased spending authorized by this legislation at the request of Senator Sanders and Congressman Welch.Those funds may be very helpful if the cost exceeds the $40 million already appropriated for work on this critical project, and funds may also be needed for work to the other eligible Vermont dams. I was … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-supports-passage-900-billion-covid-relief-compromise | Welch Supports Passage of $900 Billion COVID Relief Compromise | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch voted on Monday to pass a $900 billion bipartisan bill to deliver immediate relief to Americans suffering because of the coronavirus pandemic. The bill includes significant relief for families, individuals, small businesses, schools, and healthcare providers. It also includes robust funding for vaccine distribution and COVID testing and tracing. This compromise is not the perfect bill, but it's critical and long overdue. I supported this relief bill because it will provide a lifeline to individuals, families, and small businesses who have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic going into a brutal winter, said Welch. Though this bill does not go nearly far enough, the relief is immediate and necessary, including additional unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs, direct payments to help keep Americans afloat during this difficult time, increased food benefits for hungry families and additional aid for our small businesses. Vermonters need significantly more aid to get through this pandemic, while we wait for vaccines to be widely available. I will continue to fight for more resources for Vermont in the new Congress to help us get back on our feet and build back better. The relief package includes the Save Our Stages (SOS) Act, authored and championed by Welch, which will create a $15 billion grant program for independent performance venues that have been forced to close due to the pandemic. In addition, the $900 billion bill includes: $300 a week expanded federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation for 10 weeks for those who have lost their jobs. $600 direct payments for every individual making up to $75,000 a year or $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year plus $600 per child. For example, a family of four would receive $2,400. A 15% increase in individual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, known as 3SquaresVT in Vermont. $284 billion in additional PPP funds for small businesses devastated by the pandemic. $25 billion in rent… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-clarke-introduce-national-renewable-energy-and-efficiency-standard | Welch, Clarke Introduce National Renewable Energy and Efficiency Standard Legislation | 2020-12-18 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.) today introduced legislation creating a national renewable energy and energy efficiency standard that aims to reduce carbon emissions and drive the deployment of clean energy resources around the country. As Members of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees energy and environment policy, Welch and Clarke will be pushing for this legislation to be a central component of any climate legislation in the upcoming Congress. We are in a climate emergency, yet the United States is lagging behind on energy efficiency and renewable energy resources.These resources will be critical to facing this crisis head on guaranteeing the next generation sustainable energy production, Welch said. This legislation charts a new energy future where energy efficiency and renewable technologies are put to work creating jobs, saving money and combating the climate crisis. I'm proud to be co-leading this critically important legislation with Congressman Welch that sets nation-wide mandates for renewable energy deployment and energy-efficiency measures, Clarke said. It's past time for the federal government to step up and lead the nation in the fight against climate change, and that is exactly what our legislation sets out to do by setting clear and aggressive renewable energy targets as we move towards a zero-emission electricity sector. In addition to tackling the climate crisis, our legislation will also trigger much needed investments in clean energy jobs and infrastructure, particularly in disadvantaged communities and areas that are transitioning away from dirty sources of energy. The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act would require electric utilities, by 2030, to obtain at least 55 percent of their electricity supply from renewable sources, achieve a 22 percent reduction in electricity use and a 14 percent reduction in natural gas use by 2035. Supporters of the legislation include American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEE… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-on-manchin-romney-deal-congress-cannot-go-home-until-working-class-receives-1200-direct-payments | Sanders on Manchin-Romney Deal: Congress Cannot Go Home Until Working Class Receives $1,200 Direct Payments | 2020-12-14 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders on Manchin-Romney Deal: Congress Cannot Go Home Until Working Class Receives $1,200 Direct Payments Monday, December 14, 2020 WASHINGTON, December 14 Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement in response to the Manchin-Romney COVID19 legislation to be released this afternoon: As a result of the pandemic, tens of millions of Americans are facing economic desperation.They can't afford to pay their rent and face eviction, they can't afford to go to the doctor, they can't afford to feed their children and they are going deeper and deeper into debt.Congress cannot go home for the Christmas holidays until we pass legislation which provides a $1,200 direct payment to working class adults, $2,400 for couples, and a $500 payment to their children. This is what Democrats and Republicans did unanimously in March through the CARES Act.This is what we have to do today. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/we-must-get-1200-direct-checks-to-the-working-class-of-america | We Must Get $1,200 Direct Checks To The Working Class Of America | 2020-12-11 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | We Must Get $1,200 Direct Checks To The Working Class Of America Members of Congress cannot go back to our families for the holidays when children in the richest country on Earth are going hungry and millions are scared to death of eviction. We must pass my amendment with Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri to get $1,200 direct checks to the working class ofAmerica. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-demands-direct-payments-for-working-families | Sanders Demands Direct Payments for Working Families | 2020-12-10 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Demands Direct Payments for Working Families Thursday, December 10, 2020 WASHINGTONSenator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) stated today on the Senate floor that given the enormity of the current economic crisis, the Senate must pass a $1,200 direct payment for working class adults and $500 for their children as part of any COVID-19 relief package. He is filing an amendment today to the one-week Continuing Resolution to do just that. Sanders said that it would be unacceptable for Congress to adjourn for the holidays while turning its back on the economic desperation facing tens of millions of Americans. In a speech on the floor today, he stated: When a national emergency occurs the United States government must respond. And we are in an economic emergency today. To get out of Washington, to turn our backs on the suffering of so many of our people would be immoral, would be unconscionable, and cannot be allowed to happen. Sanders' speech can be watched here, and the prepared remarks can be read below: "Mr. President: This country today faces an unprecedented crisis both in terms of the pandemic and the economic meltdown. I understand that there are negotiations going on in terms of coming up with an economic package dealing with COVID-19 relief. I applaud the hard work that each of the negotiators are doing. But the truth is that the results up to this point are totally unsatisfactory given the economic desperation facing tens of millions of working families. Back in March, at the beginning of the pandemic, the United States Congress unanimously Democrats and Republicans worked with President Trump to come up with an economic package that went a long way toward preventing absolute misery and destitution for so many of our people. Through no fault of their own, COVID-19 resulted in millions of people losing their jobs and their income. And, in response, Democrats and Republicans in the Congress came together, worked with the President of the United States and, in a very significant wa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-hawley-introduce-1200-direct-payments-amendment-to-attach-to-end-of-year-legislation | Sanders, Hawley Introduce $1,200 Direct Payments Amendment to Attach to End-of-Year Legislation | 2020-12-10 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Hawley Introduce $1,200 Direct Payments Amendment to Attach to End-of-Year Legislation Thursday, December 10, 2020 WASHINGTON, December 10 Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are introducing a bipartisan amendment to attach to must-pass legislation to be considered by Congress, which would provide $1,200 in direct payments to working-class adults and $500 to each of their children.This amendment, similar to what was passed in the CARES Act, would be attached to must-pass legislation to keep the government going. In the midst of this terrible pandemic and economic crisis, this amendment would make certain that working families get the urgent, direct support they need to survive, said Sanders. A direct payment of $1,200 for adults and $500 for kids would help desperate families pay rent and heating bills, put food on the table, and be able to go to the doctor.In the midst of so much economic desperation, Congress cannot go on recess without providing this $1,200 emergency assistance to the American people in their time of need.I look forward to working across the aisle with Senator Hawley to ensure that the United States Senate passes this amendment. It would be a dereliction of duty if Congress adjourns for Christmas without having a vote on providing working families with direct payments, said Hawley. Working people are struggling. And they should be the first people given relief, not last. The crisis of rising unemployment claims, ever-expanding food lines, evictions, and growing credit card debt has been staring us in the face for months. It's time we do something about it and provide emergency relief to Americans. The amendment is modeled on the $1,200 direct payment for working-class adults plus $500 for their children passed by Congress unanimously in the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March and signed into law by President Trump. Watch Sanders' and Hawley's floor remarks on this proposal here. Read the text of the amendment here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/responding-to-the-needs-of-the-americanpeople | Responding to the needs of the AmericanPeople | 2020-12-10 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Responding to the needs of the AmericanPeople Yesterday alone, over 3,000 died from this horrific virus. The working class of this country is in the worst financial shape since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The American people need help and they need help NOW! | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-gillibrand-warren-merkley-markey-and-wyden-urge-colleagues-to-defend-working-class-in-covid-19-relief-proposal | Sanders, Gillibrand, Warren, Merkley, Markey and Wyden Urge Colleagues to Defend Working Class in COVID-19 Relief Proposal | 2020-12-08 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Gillibrand, Warren, Merkley, Markey and Wyden Urge Colleagues to Defend Working Class in COVID-19 Relief Proposal Tuesday, December 8, 2020 WASHINGTON, December 8 Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.),Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)urged Senate Democrats today to recognize the enormity of the economic and public-health crisis posed by COVID-19 and join them in demanding that any new COVID-19 relief proposal includes a $1,200 direct payment to adults and $500 to their children, while rejecting provisions to give a liability shield to corporations who threaten the health and safety of workers and customers. In aletterto their colleagues, the Senators note that COVID-19 is infecting nearly 200,000 Americans and killing 2,000 Americans daily, and argue that a bipartisan proposal under negotiation does not go anywhere near far enough, as America experiences the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Only $348 billion in new money is currently allocated in that proposal, the Senators point out, even though the Trump Administration and a bipartisan coalition in the House supported over $1.8 trillion in COVID-19 relief that also included another $1,200 direct payment. It would be unacceptable to take a major step backwards from those previous efforts by passing legislation that only included $348 billion in new money, the Senators wrote to their Democratic colleagues. The lawmakers further expressed their opposition to a get-out-of-jail free card to companies that put the lives of their workers and customers at risk currently under consideration in a bipartisan COVID-19 relief measure, and cited concerns from labor groups that granting immunity would make the country less safe at the exact moment when the COVID-19 pandemic is entering a new, dangerous phase. The letter's signatories also registered their agreement with President-elect Biden that a $1,200 direct payment should be included in … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-manchin-romney-covid19-proposal | Sanders Statement on Manchin-Romney COVID19 Proposal | 2020-12-04 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Statement on Manchin-Romney COVID19 Proposal Friday, December 4, 2020 BURLINGTON, December 4 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement on the Manchin-Romney COVID19 legislative proposal: Given the enormous economic desperation facing working families in this country today, I will not be able to support the recently announced Manchin-Romney COVID proposal unless it is significantly improved. Unfortunately, despite long-time Democratic opposition, this proposal provides 100% legal immunity to corporations whose irresponsibility has led to the deaths of hundreds of workers. It would continue to provide a get-out-of-jail free card to companies that put the lives of their workers and customers at risk. In fact, the Manchin-Romney proposal will, through this liability provision, encourage corporations to avoid implementing the common sense safety standards needed to protect workers and consumers - and make a bad situation worse. Further, during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, when over half of our workers are living paycheck to paycheck, when one out of four workers are either unemployed or make less than $20,000 a year, when 92 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured, when tens of millions of people face eviction and when hunger in America is exploding, it is unacceptable that the Manchin-Romney proposal does not even do what the CARES Act did and provide, at the very least, a $1,200 direct payment to working class Americans and $500 for their kids. Tens of millions of Americans living in desperation today would receive absolutely no financial help from this proposal. That is not acceptable. Last March, with unanimous support in Congress, President Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act into law that provided a $600 a week supplement in unemployment benefits and a $1,200 direct payment to every working class adult, $500 per child and significant help for small businesses, states and cities. In October, as part of the negotiating process… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/vermont-students-share-what-you-think-our-national-priorities-should-be | Vermont Students: Share What You Think Our National Priorities Should Be | 2020-11-25 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Vermont Students: Share What You Think Our National Priorities Should Be The deadline for my annual State of the Union Essay contest is approaching. This contest is a great opportunity for high school students to be actively engaged in our democratic process and think about solutions to the major problems facing our country. If you're a Vermont High school student, join us for the 11th year of the contest and submit your essay by January 12th. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-announces-eleventh-annual-state-of-the-union-essay-contest | Sanders Announces Eleventh Annual State of the Union Essay Contest | 2020-11-24 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Announces Eleventh Annual State of the Union Essay Contest Tuesday, November 24, 2020 BURLINGTON, November 24 Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has launched his eleventh annual State of the Union essay contest. Each January, the President of the United States delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, which outlines priorities for the coming year. Because Senator Sanders knows that great ideas can come from everyone not just those in power and wants to encourage young people to become engaged in the political process, he created the State of the Union Essay Contest. The contest is an opportunity for Vermont high school students to describe a major issue facing our country and propose what they would do to solve it. The 250-500 word essays can be on any issue of national importance. A volunteer panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays on the students' ability to articulate an issue and propose a solution, without regard to the students' political views. Senator Sanders will enter the essays of the ten finalists into the Congressional Record the official archive of the U.S. Congress. I started this essay contest 11 years ago to help our students be actively engaged, no matter where they stand on the issues, said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee. This year, our state and nation face a health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with a renewed fight for racial justice. Many of you have seen family members struggle because of lost wages or health concerns, you have been asked to learn online, and you face a future that may feel uncertain. To my mind, the unprecedented nature of this time makes it more important than ever to hear perspectives and innovative ideas from you, our young people. More than 4,600 students from high schools throughout Vermont have written essays in the past ten years about critically important issues, including climate change, access to mental health care, the rising cost of … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/taxpayers-subsidize-poverty-wages-at-walmart-mcdonalds-other-large-corporations-gao-finds | Taxpayers Subsidize Poverty Wages at Walmart, McDonalds, Other Large Corporations, GAO Finds | 2020-11-18 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Taxpayers Subsidize Poverty Wages at Walmart, McDonald's, Other Large Corporations, GAO Finds Wednesday, November 18, 2020 WASHINGTON, November 18 Many full-time workers employed by some of America's largest and most profitable corporations receive wages so low that they qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps) benefits and Medicaid, according to a report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report,Millions of Full-time Workers Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance Programs,commissioned by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), found that 5.7 million Medicaid enrollees and 4.7 million SNAP recipients who worked full-time for 50 or more weeks in 2018 earned wages so low that they qualified for these federal benefits. An estimated 12 million wage-earning adults enrolled in Medicaid and 9 million wage-earning adults living in households receiving SNAP benefits worked at some point in 2018. At a time when huge corporations like Walmart and McDonald's are making billions in profits and giving their CEOs tens of millions of dollars a year, they're relying on corporate welfare from the federal government by paying their workers starvation wages. That is morally obscene.U.S. taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize some of the largest and most profitable corporations in America.It is time for the owners of Walmart, McDonald's and other large corporations to get off of welfare and pay their workers a living wage,said Sanders.No one in this country should live in poverty. No one should go hungry. No one should be unable to get the medical care they need. It is long past time to increase the federal minimum wage from a starvation wage of $7.25 an hour to $15, and guarantee health care to all Americans as a human right. GAO sent questionnaires to state Medicaid and SNAP agencies and analyzed data from 15 such agencies across 11 states. Each agency reported the 25 most common employers of Medicaid enrollees and SNAP recipients. A… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-urges-house-leadership-extend-deadline-state-and-local-governments | Welch Urges House Leadership to Extend Deadline for State and Local Governments to Use CARES Act Funds | 2020-11-13 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch on Friday sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) urging them to immediately extend the deadline for state and local governments to use funds appropriated by the CARES Act. Currently, the state and local relief funds from the CARES Act must be used, or forfeited, by December 30th, making it impossible to complete long-term recovery projects. In the letter, Welch encouraged leadership to consider a new deadline of December 31, 2021 as an immediate step Congress could take to provide critical relief to state and local governments. When the CARES Act became law on March 27th, 2020, we had hope that by the end of this year the worst of the pandemic would be behind us, said Welch in the letter. It isn't, unfortunately. And the needs we addressed in the CARES Act continue. By extending the date for use of the authorized funds, all states will have more flexibility and time to use them to meet the impacts of COVID-19. It would be extremely helpful to Vermont, where our Republican governor and Democratic legislature are working together to use those funds to help Vermonters through this crisis. In the letter, Welch notes that failing to extend the deadline to use these funds will halt broadband connectivity for more than 1,000 homes across Vermont, force the Vermont State College System to pay for $500,000 worth of testing equipment out of its own pocket and jeopardize safe housing this winter for those who may be homeless. In addition to these specific programs, Rep. Welch has heard of many more areas that will benefit from extending the CARES Act deadline during more than 100 calls with Vermont organizations and stakeholders across the state since the start of the pandemic. Full text of the letter ishere. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/fafsa-helping-students-afford-college-2020-11-06 | FAFSA: Helping Students Afford College | 2020-11-06 | 2020 | 2020-11 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | FAFSA: Helping Students Afford College Are you looking to pursue further education after high school, but are worried about the cost? If you are considering college, technical, or vocational education, you can now fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA), to help you secure federal, state, and college-specific financial assistance. Now, more than ever, we must keep fighting to make College for All a reality. But until then, students and families deserve to know what resources are available to help pay for continued education. If you have questions, or need help filling out the FAFSA, contact the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation at www.vsac.org or 800-642-3177. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/healthcare-must-no-longer-be-a-privilege | Healthcare Must No Longer Be A Privilege | 2020-10-30 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Healthcare Must No Longer Be A Privilege While 12 million Americans recently lost their health insurance, the private health insurance companies are making record profits during this horrific pandemic. Healthcare must no longer be a privilege or an employee benefit in America. It must be a human right. #MedicareForAll | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-klobuchar-issue-statement-correcting-misinformation-from-president-trump-and-justice-kavanaugh-on-voting-processes | Sanders, Klobuchar Issue Statement Correcting Misinformation from President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh on Voting Processes | 2020-10-28 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Klobuchar Issue Statement Correcting Misinformation from President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh on Voting Processes Wednesday, October 28, 2020 WASHINGTON, October 28- U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) released the statement below following President Trump's recent false statement that it is inappropriate and illegal to count ballots after Election Day, and the Supreme Court's ruling inDemocratic National Committee v. Wisconsin Legislature,where Justice Kavanaugh's concurring opinion contains incorrect information regarding voting: "In America, we count the votes to determine who wins an election. Despite the incorrect assertions from President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh, election officials across the country accept ballots well after Election Day every year, and results are not certified until the votes are counted and a canvas to confirm the results is conducted.Absentee ballots counted after election day do not flip the results of an election,' as Justice Kavanaugh claimed. They are the results of the election. More than twenty states, including states like Mississippi, Kansas, and Utah, require ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted even if they are received after Election Day. This is critical to ensuring that those who may face hardships in voting, including members of our military serving abroad and those affected by COVID-19, are not disenfranchised by things like mail delays. These are not new rules and they do not serve any political party. It is on all of us to reject misinformation and to tell the truth. Our election systems span 50 states, five territories, and thousands of jurisdictions. State and local election officials are working around the clock, and experts have concluded that the integrity of our election system is strong. The best defense against those trying to undermine our democracy is the resolve of the American people, who are voting by the millions as we speak. Keep voting. On October 18, Sanders and Klobuch… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-and-klobuchar-explain-to-trump-in-america-we-count-the-votes-to-determine-who-wins | Sanders and Klobuchar Explain to Trump: 'In America, We Count the Votes to Determine Who Wins' | 2020-10-28 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders and Klobuchar Explain to Trump: 'In America, We Count the Votes to Determine Who Wins' Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Sens. Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobucharreleaseda joint statement Wednesday in response to two recent developments that have amplified fears about next week's general election: President Donald Trump's falsesuggestionthat counting votes after Election Day is unlawful and an ominous concurringopinionfrom U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Trump, who has repeatedlyrefusedto commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses reelection,saidTuesday that "it would be very, very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on November 3rd, instead of counting ballots for two weeks, which is totally inappropriate and I don't believe that that's by our laws. I don't believe that. So we'll see what happens." Those widely rebuked remarks came a day after Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee,issuedan opinion parroting the president's lies about mail-in voting fraud. In a 5-3 decision along ideological lines, the high court rejected an attempt by Wisconsin Democrats and rights groups to extend the state's deadline for receiving mailed ballots that are postmarked by Election Day. "In America, we count the votes to determine who wins an election," declared Sanders (I-Vt.) and Klobuchar (D-Minn.), both ex-Democratic presidential primary candidates who have since endorsed the party's nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden. "Despite the incorrect assertions from President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh, election officials across the country accept ballots well after Election Day every year, and results are not certified until the votes are counted and a canvas to confirm the results is conducted," the senators said. "Absentee ballots counted after Election Day do not 'flip the results of an election,' as Justice Kavanaugh claimed. They are the results of the election." "More than 20 states, including states like Mississippi, Kansas, and Utah, require ballots postmarked by … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-condemns-senate-confirmation-of-judge-barrett-to-supreme-court | Sanders Condemns Senate Confirmation of Judge Barrett to Supreme Court | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Condemns Senate Confirmation of Judge Barrett to Supreme Court Monday, October 26, 2020 WASHINGTON, October 26 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement criticizing the Republican-controlled Senate's confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court: Tonight's vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court justice is a disgrace, not only because of what she will do when she gets on the bench, but because of the entire process, which was pushed through with extraordinary hypocrisy by Senate Republicans in the last days of a president's term. At this particular moment, over 50 million people have already cast their ballots to determine who the next President of the United States should be. Now is not the time to be voting on a Supreme Court justice. What we should be voting on instead is a major Covid-19 stimulus package to protect the working people of this country, who, by the tens of millions, have lost their jobs. They're struggling right now to pay their rent, get health insurance, and put food on the table to feed their kids. That is the issue we should be dealing with right now, and I am committed to ensuring that the next U.S. Senate, under Democratic leadership, will make a major Covid-19 stimulus bill the first order ofpriority. Watch Sanders' remarks on his vote against Barrett's confirmation here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/https//vtdiggerorg/2020/10/26/leahy-sanders-say-theyll-vote-against-barrett-nomination-to-supreme-court/ | Leahy, Sanders vote against Barrett nomination to Supreme Court | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | 0 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | |||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/we-should-not-be-voting-on-a-supreme-court-justice | We Should Not Be Voting On A Supreme Court Justice | 2020-10-26 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | We Should Not Be Voting On A Supreme Court Justice I am going down to the Senate floor to vote AGAINST the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. We should not be voting on a Supreme Court justicewe should be voting on major COVID19 relief to protect working families. We will make this the top priority of a Democratic Senate. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/the-most-essential-people-in-our-economy-are-not-hedge-fund-managers | The Most Essential People In Our Economy Are Not Hedge Fund Managers | 2020-10-23 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | The Most Essential People In Our Economy Are Not Hedge Fund Managers Maybejust maybethe most essential people in our economy are not hedge fund managers. If our farmworkers fall ill, we go hungry. We must put an end to their exploitation and provide free health care, paid sick leave, and good wagesregardless of immigration status. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/sanders-democrats-will-pass-massive-stimulus-bill-if-party-flips-the-senate | Sanders: Democrats will pass 'massive stimulus bill' if party flips the Senate | 2020-10-22 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders: Democrats will pass 'massive stimulus bill' if party flips the Senate Thursday, October 22, 2020 Sen.Bernie Sanders(I-Vt.) pledged Thursday that Democrats will pass ahuge coronavirus relief package ifthey win the Senate in next month's elections. If the Democrats gain control of the Senate, the first order of business will be a massive stimulus bill to protect desperate working people throughout this country, Sanders said on Hill.TV's Rising. The remarks come as SpeakerNancy Pelosi(D-Calif.) and Treasury SecretarySteven Mnuchinpress on in their negotiationson COVID-19 aid. Pelosi has stuck to her position that a stimulus package must total at least $2.2 trillion, while theadministration has inched up to $1.8 trillion. Both sides have said progress has been made in the past week, though no final legislation has materialized. President Trumphas urged the two sides to go big, but disagreements have emerged over aid to state and local governments, which the president calls a slush fund to bail out what he says are poorly run Democratic localities. And Republicans in the Senate have expressed pessimism that they can get enough votes to pass abill that goes beyond $500 billion due to concerns in the conference over the ballooning national debt. Sanders said Senate Republicans' hesitation to go for anything larger than $500 billion is pathetic but that he too has concerns over a potential bill, saying a deal must include a boost to unemployment benefits and another round of stimulus checks. It's not just a number, 1.8 or 2.2 or whatever it is, it is what is in the bill. I am concerned about a slush fund that the Trump administration would have within that bill. I am very concerned that when we have millions of people who have lost their jobs, they desperately need that $600 supplement to their unemployment, they need that $1,200 check, they need health care, they need to be able to pay their rent, he said. So the devil is in the details in terms of what is in… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/sanders-progressives-will-work-to-rally-the-american-people-if-biden-wins | Sanders: Progressives will work to 'rally the American people' if Biden wins | 2020-10-22 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders: Progressives will work to 'rally the American people' if Biden wins Thursday, October 22, 2020 Sen.Bernie Sanders(I-Vt.)predicted that progressives would look to move Democratic presidential nomineeJoe Bidentoward theirpriorities if he wins the White House this November and Democrats sweep Congress. If you want a progressive agenda to come out of the United States Congress, we're going to have to rally the American people by the tens of millions to demand that we have a government that represents all of us and not just wealthy campaign contributors. We're going to have to correct and deal with a very corrupt election system where massive voter suppression that exists every single day right now, he said on Hill.TV's Rising Thursday. Sanders said Democrats should tackle legislation he plans to introduce to begin the process of moving toward Medicare for All, raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, and a massive infrastructure plan. We have got to lay out an agenda that speaks to the struggles and the desperation of working-class Americans, he said. Sanders recognized that Biden, a well-known centrist steeped in old traditions of bipartisanship in Congress, does not share many of his progressive policies but argued his plans would still move the country forward. [I]f you look at Biden's economic proposals, they're not Bernie Sanders's proposals. Don't want to suggest they are. But they will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, equal pay for equal work, making it easier for workers to join unions, $2 trillion investment in combatting climate change and creating millions of good paying jobs in energy efficiency and sustainable energy, paid family and medical leave. No small things, he said. Sanders and other progressives have been on a campaign to persuade liberals who may be skeptical of Biden's centrist brand of politics to back the former vice president, with the Vermont lawmaker maintaining that the first step to moving the country in a more … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-democrats-will-pass-massive-stimulus-bill-if-party-flips-the-senate | Sanders: Democrats will pass 'massive stimulus bill' if party flips the Senate | 2020-10-22 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders: Democrats will pass 'massive stimulus bill' if party flips the Senate Thursday, October 22, 2020 Sen.Bernie Sanders(I-Vt.) pledged Thursday that Democrats will pass ahuge coronavirus relief package ifthey win the Senate in next month's elections. If the Democrats gain control of the Senate, the first order of business will be a massive stimulus bill to protect desperate working people throughout this country, Sanders said on Hill.TV's Rising. The remarks come as SpeakerNancy Pelosi(D-Calif.) and Treasury SecretarySteven Mnuchinpress on in their negotiationson COVID-19 aid. Pelosi has stuck to her position that a stimulus package must total at least $2.2 trillion, while theadministration has inched up to $1.8 trillion. Both sides have said progress has been made in the past week, though no final legislation has materialized. President Trumphas urged the two sides to go big, but disagreements have emerged over aid to state and local governments, which the president calls a slush fund to bail out what he says are poorly run Democratic localities. And Republicans in the Senate have expressed pessimism that they can get enough votes to pass abill that goes beyond $500 billion due to concerns in the conference over the ballooning national debt. Sanders said Senate Republicans' hesitation to go for anything larger than $500 billion is pathetic but that he too has concerns over a potential bill, saying a deal must include a boost to unemployment benefits and another round of stimulus checks. It's not just a number, 1.8 or 2.2 or whatever it is, it is what is in the bill. I am concerned about a slush fund that the Trump administration would have within that bill. I am very concerned that when we have millions of people who have lost their jobs, they desperately need that $600 supplement to their unemployment, they need that $1,200 check, they need health care, they need to be able to pay their rent, he said. So the devil is in the details in terms of what is in the bill. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/bernie-sanders-applauds-people-of-bolivia-for-year-long-fight-to-restore-democracy-in-wake-of-military-coup | Bernie Sanders Applauds People of Bolivia for 'Year-Long Fight to Restore Democracy' in Wake of Military Coup | 2020-10-20 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Bernie Sanders Applauds People of Bolivia for 'Year-Long Fight to Restore Democracy' in Wake of Military Coup Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Following socialist candidate Luis Arce's resounding victory in Bolivia's high-stakes and closely watched presidential election, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday applauded the people of the South American nation for persisting in their "difficult, year-long fight to restore democracy" in the wake of last year's military coup that ousted Evo Morales and installed a vicious right-wing regime. "The Bolivian people made their voices heard in yesterday's election," tweeted Sanders, who wasamong the firstmembers of Congress to condemn the military coup, which wasopenly applaudedby President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers and abetted by the U.S.-dominated Organization of American States (OAS). "As minister of economy, Mr. Arce helped slash poverty and inequality," the Vermont senator added, referring to Arce's role in Morales' government. "I congratulate him on his victory and wish him well." Exit polls released Monday showed Arce with such a large lead in the contest that Carlos Mesa, Arce's closest competitor, was forced to concede defeat. "The results from the quick count are overwhelming and very clear,"saidMesa, who served as president of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005. "It's a result that we accept and it's a result that we believe, because of the difference between the first and second [finishers], will not be modified when we know the final results." U.S. Rep. Jess "Chuy" Garca (D-Ill.)joinedSanders on Monday in celebrating "the triumph of true democracy" in Bolivia and demanded "justice for those persecuted and killed under the ez regime," whichseized powerfollowing the ouster of Morales and promptly unleashedviolent military repressionagainst anti-coup demonstrators. AsThe Intercept's Glenn GreenwaldwroteMonday afternoon, "It looks as though the margin of victory delivered to [the Movement Toward Socialism party] by t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-senate-democrats-to-american-people-do-not-allow-trump-to-undermine-nov-3-election-results | Sanders, Senate Democrats To American People: Do Not Allow Trump To Undermine Nov. 3 Election Results | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Senate Democrats To American People: Do Not Allow Trump To Undermine Nov. 3 Election Results Monday, October 19, 2020 WASHINGTON, October 18 Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Rules Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) today released a report summarizing for the American people what to expect on Election Day and reinforcing the Democrats' call to encourage everyone to vote. The report follows the months-long effort by President Trump to undermine the election and his repeated refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. With the general election already well underway in every state across the country, Sanders and Senate Democrats have a clear message for the American people: Vote and cast your ballot as early as possible. While expressing optimism that Election Day will go smoothly around the country, the jointly authored report outlines the possibility that in some states, the outcome might not be known on November 3. The last message from the report is to make absolutely clear that voter intimidation is illegal and that federal law prohibits coercing or threatening anyone in order to interfere with their right to vote. "The American people must be prepared for an election that is unprecedented in our history due to the enormous increase in mail-in ballots that have been, and will be, cast as a result of the pandemic, said Senator Sanders.No one should have to risk their health or their lives in order to vote, and that is why many millions are voting through mail-in ballots. One of the worst lies that Donald Trump is spreading is that there is a massive amount of voter fraud in this country.That is a total lie which no election official, Republican or Democrat, can support.What we are doing with this effort is ensuring that the American people understand that if American … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/leahy-and-sanders-seek-swift-release-of-liheap-heating-help | Leahy and Sanders Seek Swift Release of LIHEAP Heating help | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Leahy and Sanders Seek Swift Release of LIHEAP Heating help Monday, October 19, 2020 With winter around the corner and heating costs projected to increase this season, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) joined a bipartisan coalition of 40 senators in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level possible under the current continuing resolution. The senators say federal LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that assists low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills and stay safe during the winter. Under a continuing Appropriations Committee resolution, HHS typically releases 90 percent of the $3.7 billion full-year appropriation. Leahy said: With the pandemic continuing to depress family incomes nationwide, and an early fall here in Vermont, it's vital that HHS act swiftly to release LIHEAP dollars to the states. As vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee I've fought year after year to support strong funding for LIHEAP because I know Vermonters rely on this help to keep warm. Any delay in sending these dollars to Vermont will result in Vermont families delaying filling their fuel tanks as nights get colder. I understand the urgency, and I hope the Administration does as well. Sanders said: As a result of this horrific health and economic crisis, Vermonters are hurting like they have never hurt before. It is critical that we get this home heating lifeline to Vermonters immediately. In the richest country on Earth, we have a moral responsibility to make sure that no one has to make the unacceptable choice between putting food on the table, paying for their prescription drugs, or heating their homes this winter. On the Appropriations Committee Leahy has long been an advocate for the LIHEAP program and has secured funding increases for the program over the past three years. The current app… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/bernie-sanders-elizabeth-warren-demand-answers-from-amazon-over-employee-surveillance-allegations | Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren demand answers from Amazon over employee surveillance allegations | 2020-10-16 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren demand answers from Amazon over employee surveillance allegations Friday, October 16, 2020 By: Catherine Thorbecke, ABC News A coalition of Democratic senators sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, pressing the company for answers over allegations that it "unethically" tracks and monitors its employees to suppress efforts to form a union. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) implored Bezos to explain recent reports that the company was investing heavily in technology to track union organization efforts, specifically citing arecent article published by Vox News. "The fact that Amazon has decided to heavily invest in systems to retaliate against freedom of expression about unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, and to refer to organizing and workers' rights mobilization efforts as threats against the company equal to those posed by hate groups and terrorism, is unacceptable," the senators wrote. "Labor organizing campaigns are legally protected activity." Citing media reports, the senators accused Amazon of infiltrating private social media groups created by Amazon employees to track potential discussions of unionization, actively monitoring internal listservs related to employee activism, hiring intelligence analysts to track labor organization efforts and more. "Each of these reports is deeply troubling, and taken together, they suggest a pattern of significant abuse of workers and their rights," the lawmakers wrote to theworld's richest man. They added that "these actions are all the more shocking in the context that nearly 20,000 of your employees contracted the coronavirus," saying it is "deeply concerning that Amazon has prioritized tracking workers who would look to improve their working conditions over addressing the underlying health and safety concerns that those workers face." The senators demanded that Amazon respond to more than a dozen questions by … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-delegation-demands-postmaster-general-deliver-and-install-critical-mail-processing-machine-to-white-river-junction-facility | Vermont Delegation Demands Postmaster General Deliver and Install Critical Mail Processing Machine to White River Junction Facility | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Vermont Delegation Demands Postmaster General Deliver and Install Critical Mail Processing Machine to White River Junction Facility Tuesday, October 13, 2020 WASHINGTON Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Senator Patrick Leahy (D), and Representative Peter Welch (D) on Tuesday sent aletterto Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding the immediate delivery and installation of the new AFCS 200 cancellation machine at the White River Junction mail processing facility, a machine that is critical to the efficient handling of the mail. In the letter, Leahy, Sanders, and Welch wrote, While we have been promised for months that a new AFCS 200 cancellation machine will be installed, we have just learned that this will not occur until January of 2021 at the earliest. This timing is both unacceptable and another example of this administration's attempt to sabotage the Postal Service and the 2020 election." The cancellation machines at the White River Junction facility have been due to be replaced for several years now. USPS recently removed an AFCS (legacy system) cancellation machine from the facility, leaving the White River Junction center with justoneoperational cancellation machine. When that machine breaks down, as it did this past weekend, postal employees are forced to process mail by hand, which significantly delays the process. These employees are to be commended for their hard work and dedication and should be given every available resource to ensure the safe and timely processing of the mail, which includes a record number of mail-in ballots. Waiting until 2021 to get this new machine to Vermont will present undue harm to the hundreds of thousands of Vermonters who have been given the ability to vote by mail by November 3rd as well as Vermont's seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who rely on the Postal Service for the delivery of their prescriptions, concluded the Vermont delegation. It will also further harm all those who will be separated from their families this holiday season if… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/no-confirmation-until-after-inauguration | No Confirmation Until After Inauguration | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | No Confirmation Until After Inauguration The last thing the Senate should be doing right now is considering an extreme right-wing Supreme Court nominee who would strip health care benefits from over 20 million Americans and take away protections for preexisting conditions. No confirmation until after inauguration. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/donald-trump-is-either-a-tax-cheat-or-a-bad-businessmanlikely-both | Donald Trump Is Either A Tax Cheat Or A Bad BusinessmanLikely Both | 2020-10-10 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Donald Trump Is Either A Tax Cheat Or A Bad BusinessmanLikely Both Let's be clear: Donald Trump is either a tax cheat who pays less in income taxes than the average worker, or a bad businessman who has lost money year after yearlikely both. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-seniors-can-now-get-food-assistance-more-easily-thanks-to-the-new-3squaresvt-in-a-snap-program | Vermont Seniors Can Now Get Food Assistance More Easily, Thanks to the New 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP Program | 2020-10-02 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Vermont Seniors Can Now Get Food Assistance More Easily, Thanks to the New 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP Program Friday, October 2, 2020 BURLINGTON, October 2 Beginning October 1st, 2020, Vermont seniors applying for 3SquaresVT are able to use a simple application and benefit renewal process as part of the new 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP program. The easy to use application is available to individuals and households age 60 or older and persons with disabilities. 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP is an improvement to the State's food assistance program,saysKaty Davis, Community Health Initiatives Director at Hunger Free Vermont. Traditional applications can be lengthy to complete, and the benefit renewal process often burdensome, leaving many Vermonters' benefits to lapse. The new program will streamline applications and allow recipients to retain benefits for up to three years without additional paperwork. For too long, a complex application process has prevented older Vermonters from receiving benefits. With hunger on the rise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress made important changes to the SNAP program, known locally as 3SquaresVT , that make it much easier for older Vermonters to access nutritious foods. In contrast to critical emergency food distribution efforts and invaluable contributions by the charitable food system, SNAP is one of the best, most sustainable food supports Vermonters can feel confident about. In the richest country in the history of the world, no one should ever have to worry about going to bed hungry. Period. But as so many people are struggling right now to put food on the table, I strongly urge older Vermonters to see if you qualify for 3SquaresVT,saidSenator Bernie Sanders, a long-time champion of nutrition assistance programs. We are dealing with the worst health crisis and economic crisis in our lifetimes. Today, as 29 million Americans are struggling with hunger and millions of seniors are trying to get by on fixed incomes, I want every Vermonter to know that I am… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/recent-business/sanders-vermont-seniors-can-now-get-food-assistance-more-easily | Sanders: Vermont seniors can now get food assistance more easily | 2020-10-02 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders: Vermont seniors can now get food assistance more easily Friday, October 2, 2020 Beginning October 1, 2020, Vermont seniors applying for 3SquaresVT are able to use a simple application and benefit renewal process as part of the new 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP program. The easy to use application is available to individuals and households age 60 or older and persons with disabilities. 3SquaresVT IN A SNAP is an improvement to the State's food assistance program, says Katy Davis, Community Health Initiatives Director at Hunger Free Vermont. Traditional applications can be lengthy to complete, and the benefit renewal process often burdensome, leaving many Vermonters' benefits to lapse. The new program will streamline applications and allow recipients to retain benefits for up to three years without additional paperwork. For too long, a complex application process has prevented older Vermonters from receiving benefits. With hunger on the rise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress made important changes to the SNAP program, known locally as 3SquaresVT , that make it much easier for older Vermonters to access nutritious foods. In contrast to critical emergency food distribution efforts and invaluable contributions by the charitable food system, SNAP is one of the best, most sustainable food supports Vermonters can feel confident about. In the richest country in the history of the world, no one should ever have to worry about going to bed hungry. Period. But as so many people are struggling right now to put food on the table, I strongly urge older Vermonters to see if you qualify for 3SquaresVT, said Senator Bernie Sanders, a long-time champion of nutrition assistance programs. We are dealing with the worst health crisis and economic crisis in our lifetimes. Today, as 29 million Americans are struggling with hunger and millions of seniors are trying to get by on fixed incomes, I want every Vermonter to know that I am continuing to fight to expand critically important anti-hung… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-supports-passage-22-trillion-house-covid-relief-package | Welch Supports Passage of $2.2 Trillion House COVID Relief Package | 2020-10-02 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch voted for the updated Heroes Act passed by the House late on Thursday night to deliver much needed coronavirus relief to communities across America. The updated Heroes Act was trimmed to $2.2 trillion from the more than $3 trillion bill passed in May in an attempt to engage Senate Republicans to pass a compromise aid package. Senate Republicans have continued to block passage of the original bill. For months, Democrats have demanded that our response to this devastating pandemic be big and bold to rise to the unprecedented challenge in front of us, said Welch. The economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic is still being felt across our state. Vermont businesses needed help in May, and they need it even more today. In addition to critical help for families and individuals struggling to make ends meet, this bill includes important small business provisions that I championed to help some of the hardest hit small businesses, like restaurants and independent venues, stay afloat. Senator McConnell should get off the sidelines and work with House Democrats to get this bill to the President's desk immediately. Two key initiatives championed by Welch throughout the summer were included in the updated Heroes Act. The RESTAURANTS Act, introduced by Welch and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) would create a $120 billion grant program exclusively for restaurants to cover the difference between 2019 revenues and projected revenues through 2020. The bill also includes a Welch sponsored bill to create a $10 billion fund for independent theaters and live music venues. These bill are designed to help small businesses that could not receive aid through the Paycheck Protection Program passed by the House this spring. In addition, the updated Heroes Act (H.R. 925) includes: A second round of $1,200 economic impact payments to individuals. Restores the $600 weekly federal unemployment payments through January. $12 billion to make sure that students have broadband so that they can learn at home. More than $… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/are-you-ready-for-a-radical-idea | Are You Ready For A Radical Idea? | 2020-10-01 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Are You Ready For A Radical Idea? Are you ready for a radical idea? Billionaires in the United States should not be paying less in taxes than nurses, teachers, firefighters and truck drivers. It's time to tax the $845 billion in wealth gains 643 billionaires made during the pandemic and expand Medicare to all. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-scotus-nomination | Sanders Statement on Supreme Court Nomination | 2020-09-26 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Statement on Supreme Court Nomination Saturday, September 26, 2020 BURLINGTON, September 26 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement on President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court: "President Trump and Senate Republicans have badly mismanaged a deadly pandemic for months. Now, in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis, they are willing to ram through a Supreme Court nomineewithin dayswho will vote to destroy the Affordable Care Act, kick millions of Americans off their health care, and eliminate protections for millions more who have preexisting conditions. This is an absolute outrage. "The American people will not stand for this cynical effort to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, just days before an election, with someone who will roll back basic protections for women, workers, voters, people of color, the LGBT community, and our environment. I strongly oppose this nomination and we must fight as hard as we can to ensure that this nominee is not confirmed." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-supreme-court-nomination | Sanders Statement on Supreme Court Nomination | 2020-09-26 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Statement on Supreme Court Nomination Saturday, September 26, 2020 BURLINGTON, September 26 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement on President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court: "President Trump and Senate Republicans have badly mismanaged a deadly pandemic for months. Now, in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis, they are willing to ram through a Supreme Court nomineewithin dayswho will vote to destroy the Affordable Care Act, kick millions of Americans off their health care, and eliminate protections for millions more who have preexisting conditions. This is an absolute outrage. "The American people will not stand for this cynical effort to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, just days before an election, with someone who will roll back basic protections for women, workers, voters, people of color, the LGBT community, and our environment. I strongly oppose this nomination and we must fight as hard as we can to ensure that this nominee is not confirmed." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-hails-passage-energy-efficiency-package-includes-seven-welch | Welch Hails Passage of Energy Efficiency Package that Includes Seven Welch-Authored Bills | 2020-09-25 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON On Thursday, the House passed energy efficiency legislation that included seven key priorities of Rep. Welch to transition to a clean, reduced carbon economy. This legislation is a bipartisan attempt to lower carbon emissions and build a clean, sustainable green economy. Our climate emergency calls for an all hands on deck response to prevent further destruction of communities and ecosystems across America, said Welch. This energy efficiency package is not a panacea for the climate crisis we are in, but it is an important part of creating a green economy with millions of green jobs that will help us achieve sustainable emissions reductions. We have no more time to waste. The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act (H.R. 4447), includes seven Welch bills: The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (H.R. 3962): A bipartisan bill to create model energy efficient building codes, train the next generation of energy efficiency workers, and reduce federal energy usage. The HOPE for HOMES Act (H.R. 7325): A bipartisan bill to pair the HOMES Act energy efficiency rebate program with a grant program for online workforce training designed to prepare workers to conduct comprehensive home energy efficiency retrofits eligible for tax rebates. The Smart Buildings Acceleration Act (H.R. 2044): A bipartisan bill to facilitate the transition to energy-saving smart buildings by supporting research and documenting the costs and benefits of emerging technologies in private and federal government buildings. The Energy Savings Through Public Private Partnerships Act (H.R. 3079): A bipartisan bill to require federal agencies to implement energy savings projects identified by mandatory energy audits to improve efficiency and save tax dollars. These projects could be paid for by Energy Savings Performance Contracts or Utility Energy Savings Contracts. The Federal Energy and Water Management Performance Act (H.R. 5650): A bipartisan bill to formally reauthorize the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and esta… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/must-watch-sanders-take-trump-threat-to-us-democracy-seriously | Must Watch: Sanders: Take Trump Threat To U.S. Democracy Seriously | 2020-09-24 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Must Watch: Sanders: Take Trump Threat To U.S. Democracy Seriously Thursday, September 24, 2020 Senator Bernie Sanders talks with Rachel Maddow about why Donald Trump's efforts to delegitimize the 2020 election should be taken seriously and the nightmare scenario he is most concerned about for Election Night.Watch here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/live-sens-gillibrand-and-sanders-talk-postalbanking-2020-09-24 | LIVE: Sens. Gillibrand and Sanders Talk PostalBanking | 2020-09-24 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | LIVE: Sens. Gillibrand and Sanders Talk PostalBanking Join me and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand as we introduce the Postal Banking Act. Together, we will guarantee basic banking services to allno outrageous fees or interest ratesall at your local post office. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/senate-republicans-brazen-hypocrisy-on-the-supreme-court | Senate Republicans' Brazen Hypocrisy on the Supreme Court | 2020-09-24 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Republicans' Brazen Hypocrisy on the Supreme Court Here's what Senate Republicans said when they blocked President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. Do they have any integrity? The right thing to do for this vacancy is clear, and Senate Republicans know it. They've stated it clearer than I could. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-hails-passage-uscis-funding-included-government-spending-bill | Welch Hails Passage of USCIS Funding Included in Government Spending Bill to Prevent Furloughs | 2020-09-23 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Peter Welch (D) applauded the inclusion of additional USCIS funding in the stopgap government funding bill (H.R. 8337) that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday night.The additional funds, long championed by Welch and Senators Patrick Leahy (D) and Bernie Sanders (I), will prevent the furloughs of agency staff in Vermont, and across the nation. I am pleased that this bill not only prevents a disastrous government shutdown, but also includes measures to prevent the unnecessary furlough of Vermont workers, said Welch. Over 1,100 USCIS workers in Franklin County do important work every day to help immigrants and new Americans as they go through the naturalization, asylum or visa process. This provision gives USCIS the funds that it needs to prevent any furloughs and ensures that these Vermonters can continue to do their work. The provision was included as part of an agreement between House Democrats and the White House to prevent a government shutdown by funding the federal government through December 11, 2020. It allows USCIS to charge $1,500-$2,000 for premium services often used by companies seeking to bring skilled workers into the U.S. The boosted premium fees will allow the agency to avert layoffs. Throughout the summer, Welch, Leahy and Sanders have worked to avert the planned furloughs at USCIS, originally scheduled for August 30. Welch cosponsored two different bipartisan bills in July and August to prevent USCIS furloughs. The funding bill also includes important provisions to bolster federal nutrition programs, including extending the Pandemic-EBT program through September 2021. This extension, championed by Welch, will allow Vermont to provide additional 3SquaresVT aid to households with children eligible for free or reduced price lunches. The bill is expected to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the president. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/bolivias-left-could-win-an-upcoming-election-us-democrats-dont-want-a-repeat-of-last-years-crisis | Bolivias Left Could Win an Upcoming Election. U.S. Democrats Dont Want a Repeat of Last Years Crisis. | 2020-09-22 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | A year after staging an election mired in controversy, Bolivia may be on the verge of doing it all over again. Following multiple postponements by the country's caretaker regime, elections are slated for Oct. 18. Current polling shows a clear lead for Socialist presidential candidate Luis Arce over centrist former president Carlos Mesa and a slate of other candidates. If Arce wins at least 40 percent of the vote by a 10 percent margin over his nearest rival, he would avoid the possibility of a runoff. It would mark a dramatic reversal of political fortunes for the country's left after long-ruling former president Evo Morales wasforced to flee last November. At the time, Morales's opponents alleged the results of the October 2019 election had been manipulated to deliver him a margin of victory not actually achieved. Their case was buttressed by a report put out by the Organization of American States, an influential hemispheric body headquartered in Washington, that said evidence of electoral irregularities forced them to question the integrity of the results. Mass protests in the country and a police mutiny eventually prompted Morales to bow to pressure and leave for exile, and ushered in an interim government led by right-wing lawmaker Jeanine ez. Both liberals and conservatives abroadcheered this ostensible display of people powerat the time andscolded those who branded events in Bolivia a coup pointing, instead, to Morales's earlier refusal to heed the result of a 2016 referendum limiting his terms in power. The White House celebrated the fall of a leftist government. We are now one step closer to a completely democratic, prosperous, and free Western Hemisphere, declared President Trump. But things were perhaps not quite what they seemed. Aez,known to espouse racist, anti-Indigenous views, went on to preside over an interim regime that wheeled viciously against political opponents and Morales supporters. These included myriad reports of police brutality and murders of civilians by security forces. Fr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-dos-docenas-de-legisladores-piden-responsabilidad-de-la-oea-para-garantizar-elecciones-justas-en-bolivia | Sanders, Dos Docenas de Legisladores Piden Responsabilidad de la OEA Para Garantizar Elecciones Justas en Bolivia | 2020-09-22 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Dos Docenas de Legisladores Piden Responsabilidad de la OEA Para Garantizar Elecciones Justas en Bolivia Tuesday, September 22, 2020 (Read the version in English here.) El senador Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), la representante Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), el representante Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) y la representante Deb Haaland (DN.M.) lideran una carta bicameral enviada hoy al Secretario de Estado Mike Pompeo. En dicha carta, junto a dos docenas de miembros del Congreso, le piden al Departamento de Estado que lleve a cabo una revisin completa e independiente de la Organizacin de Estados Americanos (OEA) con respecto a sus acciones en noviembre pasado que contribuyeron a un importante deterioro respecto a derechos humanos y democracia en Bolivia. Los miembros del Congreso expresaron su "profunda preocupacin" por la "falta de responsabilidad y transparencia" de la OEA con respecto a las denuncias ampliamente refutadas de fraude electoral en Bolivia el ao pasado. El New York Times inform que estas afirmaciones iniciales de la OEA fueron "aprovechadas" para "intensificar las protestas, reunir apoyo internacional y expulsar al [presidente] Morales del poder con apoyo militar semanas despus". Las autoridades no electas, reconocidas rpidamente por el Secretario General de la OEA, han promovido una agenda racista, anti-indgena y desplegado militares para reprimir violentamente las protestas, resultando en la muerte y heridas de muchos civiles, escribieron los congresistas, citando un informe realizado por la Clnica Internacional de Derechos Humanos en la Facultad de Derecho de Harvard. Por muchos meses, la OEA se ha "negado a responder preguntas bsicas" de los miembros del Congreso sobre sus reclamos, a pesar del rol del Congreso en la apropiacin "de la mayor parte del presupuesto de la OEA", expresaron los legisladores. Dado que la OEA est preparada para tomar una determinacin sobre la libertad, la justicia y la integridad de las prximas elecciones en Bolivia bajo un gobierno represivo y no ele… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-two-dozen-lawmakers-call-for-oas-accountability-to-ensure-fair-elections-in-bolivia | Sanders, Two Dozen Lawmakers Call for OAS Accountability to Ensure Fair Elections in Bolivia | 2020-09-22 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders, Two Dozen Lawmakers Call for OAS Accountability to Ensure Fair Elections in Bolivia Tuesday, September 22, 2020 (Lase la versin en espaol aqu) WASHINGTON, September 22 In a bicameral letter sent to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), and Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) led two dozen members of Congress in calling on the State Department to pursue a full, independent review of the Organization of American States (OAS) regarding its actions last November that contributed to a major deterioration of human rights and democracy in Bolivia. The members of Congress expressed deep concern with the OAS's lack of accountability and transparency regarding the organization's widely refuted claims of electoral fraud in Bolivia last year.The New York Timesreportedthat these initial OAS claims were seized on to escalate protests, gather international support, and push [President] Morales from power with military support weeks later. The unelected authorities, quickly recognized by the OAS Secretary General, have promoted a racist, anti-indigenous agenda and deployed the military to violently repress protests, resulting in the killing and injury of many civilians,"wrote the lawmakers, citinga reportconducted by Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic. For months, the OAS has refused to answer basic questions from legislators regarding its claims despite the role of Congress in appropriating the majority of the OAS's budget, continued the lawmakers. Given that the OAS is poised to make a determination of the freedom, fairness, and integrity of the upcoming elections in Bolivia under an unelected and repressive government, the members of Congress urge the administration to use its voice at the OAS to advocate for a thorough, independent assessment of the OAS's statements, and ensure that corrective measures are taken to ensure that future OAS electoral observation missions perform their functi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-rep-peter-welch-passing-supreme-court-justice-ruth-bader | Statement of Rep. Peter Welch on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | 2020-09-19 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | Senate | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | Tonight is a devastating night for our country. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have been small in stature, but she was a titan of jurisprudence. A pioneer from the earliest days of her career, she won a landmark case for women's rights in 1971, before being appointed to the highest court in the land in 1993. She served with distinction, never letting her colleagues forget the huge impacts that the law has on the most vulnerable among us. I join all Vermonters in expressing gratitude for her service and heartfelt condolences to her family. As the Senate carefully considers a replacement, it is clear that they must adhere to the McConnell Standard,' and wait until the new year to make their decision. We are at the doorstep of one of the most important elections of our lifetime. In his own words, Senator McConnell has made clear that he is content to let the American people decide. The Senate will appropriately revisit the matter when it considers the qualifications of the nominee the next president nominates, whoever that might be. There can be no vote in the Senate until the American people have voted to decide who will nominate and confirm the next Supreme Court Justice. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-passing-of-justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg | Sanders Statement on Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | 2020-09-18 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Sanders Statement on Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Friday, September 18, 2020 BURLINGTON, September 18 Sen. Bernie Sanders issued the following statement on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: "The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a tremendous loss to our country. She was an extraordinary champion of justice and equal rights, and will be remembered as one of the great justices in modern American history. "Unfortunately, we've already heard tonight from Sen. McConnell that he has decided to go against Justice Ginsburg's dying wishes and violate his own past statements in order to bring a judge nominated by President Trump to the floor of the United States Senate. "That's in direct contradiction of his statement in 2016, when he said Supreme Court nominees should not be voted on during a presidential election year: Our view is this: Give the people a voice in filling this vacancy,' he said. McConnell is cementing a shameful legacy of brazen hypocrisy. "Thankfully not all Senate Republicans agree. "Just today, Sen. Lisa Murkowski came out against an appointment this close to an election. I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee,' she said. We are 50 some days away from an election.' In addition, several of McConnell's other colleagues have previously stated they're against confirming a new justice this close to an election. Sen. Chuck Grassley said in May, You can't have one rule for Democratic presidents and another rule for Republican presidents.' Sen. Susan Collins said, I think that's too close, I really do,' when asked by The New York Times about appointing a justice in October. "But no one has been clearer than Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Lindsay Graham. He promised in 2018 that if an opening comes in the last year of President Trump's term, and the primary process has started, we'll wait to the next election.' "The right thing to do here is clear. The Republicans in the Senate know it, and many of them have stated it clear… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/how-vermont-became-a-model-for-the-country-in-responding-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic | How Vermont Became a 'Model for the Country' in Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | How Vermont Became a 'Model for the Country' in Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic By: Meredith Deliso Thursday, September 17, 2020 It's mid-September, and Dr. Mark Levine is feeling really good. Vermont, where he serves as the state'shealthcommissioner, has had the lowest rate of new COVID-19 cases and test positivity in the country for several weeks now. As of Wednesday, there were only three patients hospitalized in the state for the virus, and Vermont's last reported COVID-19 death was on July 28. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's foremost infectious disease expert, touted Vermont's COVID-19 response on Tuesday during a press briefing with Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, saying the state "should be the model for the country" on "opening up the economy in a safe and prudent way." But despite the state's success -- and also because of it -- Levine doesn't want Vermonters to let their guard down. "Just because we're in a good place -- we know that this virus is a formidable foe," the health commissioner told ABC News. As the fall approaches, bringing anticipated tourism to the state as well as concerns about a "twindemic" of COVID-19 and the flu, the state is continuing to follow its playbook for a cautious, data-driven reopening that continually stresses the basics of handwashing, physically distancing and avoiding congregate settings. It's a playbook that officials stress doesn't rely on the state's small size to provide any advantages. Vermont is one of the most rural states in the country, and one of the smallest by population -- though public health experts are quick to dismiss those as playing major parts in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the state. "At first, nationwide, people thought that rural would protect you. But that myth was dispelled later on, particularly in the late spring and summer, when all the southern and western states had their surge," Levine said. "Here, we don't believe the rural nature has been protective by any means." "Rur… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/democrats-sound-alarm-on-possible-election-chaos | Democrats Sound Alarm on Possible Election Chaos | 2020-09-07 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Independent | Senate | VT | Bernard Sanders | S000033 | www.sanders.senate.gov | legacy | Democrats Sound Alarm on Possible Election Chaos By: Max Greenwood Monday, September 7, 2020 Democrats are bracing for potential chaos on Election Day, fearing that the combined force ofPresident Trump's warnings of voter fraud and the expected influx of absentee ballots will lead to a bitter and protracted fight over the election's results. The party has been concerned for months about Trump's efforts to sow doubt in mail-in and absentee voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. But two developments this week renewed and worsened those fears. A top Democratic digital firm warned of a potential red mirage on Election Night, in which in-person vote tallies show Trump in the lead until mail-in ballots counted after Nov. 3 swing the race in the direction of former Vice PresidentJoe Biden. And on Wednesday, Trump suggested that supporters attempt to vote twice by mail and in person to test the ability of election systems to detect fraud, prompting an outcry from state officials who warned that casting more than one ballot is illegal. Taken together, the concerns add up to what Democrats fear will be an election mired in confusion and potential uncertainty. I don't think people have fully grasped how difficult and challenging the Trump campaign is going to try to make the administration of this election, Guy Cecil, the chair of the largest Democratic super PAC, Priorities USA, told reporters in a video briefing this week. Democratic operatives and officials in some battleground states are already taking steps to reassure voters that their election systems are up to expectations. After Trump suggested this week that his supporters try to cast two ballots, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released a statement emphasizing that the state's election system has already been stress-tested and includes protections to ensure that each person gets only one vote. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, called Trump's remarks on voting troubling, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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[year] TEXT,
[month] TEXT,
[party] TEXT,
[chamber] TEXT,
[state] TEXT,
[member_name] TEXT,
[bioguide_id] TEXT,
[domain] TEXT,
[scraper] TEXT,
[source] TEXT,
[date_source] TEXT,
[text] TEXT,
[has_text] INTEGER,
[collected_at] TEXT,
[updated_at] TEXT
);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_date]
ON [releases] ([date]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_year]
ON [releases] ([year]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_party]
ON [releases] ([party]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_chamber]
ON [releases] ([chamber]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_state]
ON [releases] ([state]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_bioguide_id]
ON [releases] ([bioguide_id]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_has_text]
ON [releases] ([has_text]);