News From Washington D.C.

The Build Back Better Act: We Must Listen to the American People

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act. Now it comes to the Senate where I hope to see it strengthened in a number of ways. The Senate has an opportunity to make this a truly historic piece of legislation by listening to the demands of the American people.

The American people overwhelmingly demand that the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes. That’s what we must do. The American people overwhelmingly demand that we take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower the cost of prescription drugs. That’s what we must do. The American people overwhelmingly demand that we expand Medicare to cover dental, eyeglasses and hearing aids. That’s what we must do. The American people understand that we must act now to combat the existential threat of climate change and transform our energy system away from fossil fuels. That’s what we must do.

We will listen to the demands of the American people and we will strengthen the Build Back Better Act. 

Please contact my office if you would like to share your thoughts on this piece of legislation. 

The $778 Billion Defense Spending Bill: We Need to Get Our Priorities Right

This week the Senate voted to advance debate on the annual defense spending bill, the National Defense Authorization Act. I voted 'NO'. 

How is it that there is always money for war, but never enough money for the children, the sick, the hungry, and the poor? This is a serious question that I asked my colleagues this week. Many of my colleagues, day after day, talk about how deeply concerned they are about the deficit and the national debt. They tell us that we just don’t have enough money to expand Medicare, to guarantee paid family and medical leave, and to address the climate crisis. I’m tired of it. It’s abundantly clear to me that we need to get our priorities right and that’s exactly what I’m fighting to do by strengthening the Build Back Better Act. Now is the time to address the needs of the working class. Now is the time to fight for real change. 

Watch my full statement on my “NO” vote on the defense bill here. 

News From Vermont

Meeting with Vermonters in Caledonia County

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Vermonters in Caledonia County. I I visited Northern Vermont University at Lyndon to celebrate a new federal grant that will help them train the next generation of nurses in a state-of-the-art teaching lab. I also joined Rep. Peter Welch at the St. Johnsbury School to talk about the importance of child nutrition programs in the Build Back Better Act. And, perhaps best of all, was meeting with career and technical education students at the Lyndon Institute to hear directly from them about what is on their mind. Despite the fact that these young people are coming of age during one of the most challenging times in our history, they are enthusiastic, kind, smart, and engaged. Each and every one of them gives me tremendous hope for the future of our state and our nation.

Vermont Students: I Want to Hear From You!

Earlier this month, I launched my 12th annual State of the Union Essay Contest. This contest is an opportunity for Vermont students, who will be the future leaders of our country, to share their thoughts on issues they care about. I host the contest year after year because I know that real change and great ideas can come from everyone — not just those in power. Over the past eleven years, nearly 5,000 Vermont students have written essays about critically important issues, including climate change, racial justice, and access to mental health care.

If you are a Vermont high school student, I want to hear from you. Share your thoughts on the major challenges facing our country by submitting an essay by January 11, 2022: http://www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/

Celebrating the Support and Services at Home (SASH) Program

Last week we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Vermont’s Support and Services at Home (SASH) program. I cannot overstate the importance of this program to the over 5,000 Vermonters who rely on their critical services. Simply put, SASH just makes sense: it brings health care services to older Vermonters right where they live. It offers blood pressure clinics, exercise and nutrition classes, falls prevention work and much, much more. It also saves taxpayers money by helping seniors stay healthy and living independently in their homes. Congratulations to SASH on their excellent work and this important milestone.

Thank you to Cathedral Square for inviting me to celebrate this milestone with you. Know I will continue to fight for increased federal funding for SASH so you can expand on this critical work.

For more information about the SASH program visit: https://sashvt.org/

To all the Vermonters I met with with over the last two weeks: know your insights are invaluable as I continue negotiations to make sure the federal budget works for you. 

Let’s go forward together.