BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 23 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board urged President Barack Obama to shut down the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of phone data:

“This report underscores that the collection of records on virtually every phone call made in the United States is an unconstitutional violation of the privacy rights guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. The president’s recommendations last week did not go far enough to rein in the out-of-control National Security Agency‎. Congress must pass strong legislation to protect the privacy and civil liberties of the American people.”

BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 22 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told reporters today that the Senate is expected to soon take up legislation to restore pensions for military retirees as part of the most comprehensive veterans’ legislation to come before the Senate in decades.

The measure that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has called a top priority for the Senate also would address a host of other programs for veterans, including expanded health care and dental care and improved education benefits.

Sanders (I-Vt.) told a news conference that the measure would rescind a 1 percentage point cut in the annual adjustment for benefits for military retirees under age 62.  There has been a groundswell in Congress to undo that provision in the bipartisan budget deal that Congress approved late last year. 

Congressman Peter Welch,United States House of Representatives
Official Appearance Schedule, Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

10:00 a.m.
Business Visit: Sovernet
5 Rockingham Street, Bellows Falls

11:30 a.m.
Visit with Brattleboro Fire Department
103 Elliot Street, Brattleboro

BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 17 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced new measures on the oversight of government surveillance programs.

“I appreciate the president’s willingness to examine this important issue but I think that his remarks did not go far enough. There is no question in my mind that the collection of data on every phone call made in the United States is unconstitutional and a violation of the Fourth Amendment and that the government has engaged in massive violations of civil liberties and privacy rights.

WASHINGTON, DC (January 17th) – Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) made the following remarks after the President’s speech on intelligence surveillance reforms:

“While I appreciate the President’s effort to strike a better balance between the twin imperatives of protecting Americans from harm and ensuring their civil liberties, the steps he announced today fall short of reining in the NSA,” said Welch. “Under his plan, the unconstitutional bulk collection of Americans’ emails and phone records will continue. Congress should pass the Leahy-Sensenbrenner legislation so that the American people do not have to worry about the government monitoring their activities. And it should pass my legislation to shine a light on the taxpayer-financed budgets of America’s intelligence agencies.”

[Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Friday responded to President Obama’s announcement that he will work with Congress to improve oversight of government surveillance programs. Leahy is the lead Democratic coauthor of the bipartisan USA FREEDOM Act, and earlier this week presided over a hearing featuring all five members of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies to discuss their recent recommendations to overhaul the government’s surveillance authorities.]