Opinion

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 – Sen. Bernie Sanders issued the following statement today after President Barack Obama announced that he will ask Congress to authorize military strikes against Syria:

“The use of chemical weapons by the Assad dictatorship is inhumane and a violation of international law. However, at this point in time, I need to hear more from the president as to why he believes it is in the best interests of the United States to intervene in Syria’s bloody and complicated civil war. I look forward to the Senate debate that will be taking place in the very near future.”

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Thursday welcomed the Justice Department’s release of guidelines for enforcement of federal marijuana laws in light of action at the state level.

Leahy has pressed the administration for such guidance since last year, when he wrote to the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) after two states voted to legalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Leahy also announced earlier this week that the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month titled “Conflicts between State and Federal Marijuana Laws.” Deputy Attorney General James Cole, who released DOJ’s guidelines on Thursday, will testify at the hearing.

“This is the right decision for Vermont as we move to a greener energy future.

Entergy’s announcement today confirms what we have known for some time.  Operating and maintaining this aging nuclear facility is too expensive in today’s world.  Vermont utilities no longer have contracts with Vermont Yankee, and our regional grid is not reliant upon it for stability.  Vermont has made clear its desire to move toward more sustainable, renewable sources of electricity, and many of our surrounding states are doing likewise. 

Vermont Yankee was built with an expectation that it would operate for a limited period of years.  While it is no secret that Vermont and Entergy have disagreed on how long that should be, it is now clear that Vermont Yankee is a part of the energy past, and will not be a part of our energy future. 

Burlington, VT. (August 27th, 2013)- Rep. Peter Welch made the following statement regarding Entergy Corporation’s plan to close the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant:

“My thoughts are with the employees of Vermont Yankee. This dedicated workforce has always been steadfast in their professionalism and commitment to the operation of the plant,” Welch said.

CONCORD – Governor Maggie Hassan issued the following statement today on Entergy Corporation’s decision to close and decommission the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station:

“While today’s announcement is significant, the issues related to the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station have been closely monitored for years by officials in New Hampshire and across the region, and I am confident that, given the advanced notice, all parties are prepared to effectively respond and ensure public safety throughout the closure process.”

Leahy Urges Prompt Decommissioning, Instead Of Entergy’s Preferred “SAFSTOR” Approach

August 27, 2013

MONTPELIER, Vt.– U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) says safety should remain the highest priority as Entergy prepares to close the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The company Tuesday announced plans to close the aging plant in 2014.

Leahy said, “Safe decommissioning of Vermont Yankee is an issue of enormous and overarching importance for Vermont. Every precaution must be taken to insure public and worker safety during the decommissioning, and to insure that we do not leave a public safety nightmare for future generations of Vermonters.”

“Entergy’s announcement this morning that it will close and decommission Vermont Yankee in 2014 comes after several years of speculation about the long term sustainability of the plant. This closure is part of a broader national trend in which the economic viability of nuclear power is uncertain, as the country looks to develop an affordable and sustainable energy profile for the future.

In the coming months and years, the legislature will work with the Administration, Windham County leaders and others to assist employees of the plant and the surrounding communities during this transition period. Entergy repeatedly has assured Vermonters that it will decommission the plant in a safe and environmentally sound way. I will work to ensure that this commitment is fully met.”

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today welcomed Entergy Corp.’s decision to close the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

“I am delighted that Entergy will shut down the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant which has had so many problems in recent years. There is a strong desire on the part of the people of the state of Vermont to close the plant that was scheduled to operate for only 40 years,” Sanders said.

“The closure will allow Vermont to focus on leading the nation toward safer and more economical sources of sustainable and renewable energy like solar, wind, geothermal and biomass,” added Sanders, a member of the Senate energy and environment committees.

A new way of naming tropical storms.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was a 22-year old college student when he and more than 200,000 other people descended on Washington 50 years ago to hear the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his “I have a dream” speech.

Sanders recently returned to the Lincoln Memorial to reflect on the march and on how America has changed, or not, during the past half century.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 19 – U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders today welcomed a Department of Veterans Affairs report that outlined significant progress in addressing an unacceptable backlog of claims for disability benefits.

There was a nearly 20 percent drop in the number of backlogged claims from a peak that was hit four months ago, according to a VA analysis released today.

“As chairman, I am pleased to see the VA making significant progress in reducing what everyone continues to recognize as an unacceptable backlog. No veteran should have to wait years to receive the benefits they have earned,” said Sanders (I-Vt.).

BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 12 – With revenue rebounding, the U.S. Postal Service would have posted a profit for the past three months without an unprecedented requirement that it sink $5.5 billion a year into future retiree health care, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today.

The latest quarterly report on Postal Service finances showed a $740 million loss, but all of that red ink would have been eliminated and a $660 million profit would have been posted had the Postal Service not been forced to sink money into a system that already has set aside enough to meet the health care needs of retirees for decades to come.