Politics

BURLINGTON, Vt., Oct. 4 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that the “incredible and obscene” level of income and wealth inequality in America has become a danger to our economic and political systems – and must be addressed.

According to a new Forbes magazine tally, the 400 wealthiest Americans are now worth $2.29 trillion. Their combined wealth grew last year by $270 billion – a 13 percent increase. These billionaires now own more wealth than the bottom half of America – more than 150 million people.

While the very rich become richer, most Americans have become poorer. Median family income has declined by almost $5,000 since 1999 and more than half of the American people have less than $10,000 in savings.

Vermont PBS offered each candidate for Governor and Lt. Governor of Vermont the opportunity to record a series of messages to be broadcast on-air throughout October.  These “candidate commentaries”  are one minute long, each. The 3  topics are Jobs/Economy, Healthcare, and the Candidate’s #1 Priority.  

Congressman Peter Welch, United States House of Representatives

Official Appearance Schedule – Wednesday, October 3rd, 2014

5:30 p.m.
Brooks House Grand Opening: Brattleboro
Rep. Welch will join the celebration and make remarks at the Brooks House Grand Opening.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Oct. 2 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) today launched an investigation into soaring generic drug prices.

“We are conducting an investigation into the recent staggering price increases for generic drugs used to treat everything from common medical conditions to life-threatening illnesses,” Sanders, chairman of a Senate health care subcommittee, and Cummings, ranking member of the House oversight committee, wrote in letters to 14 pharmaceutical companies.

Early/absentee ballots for the General Election to be held on November 4, are now available in all Vermont town clerk’s offices. Anyone wishing to vote prior to November 4, may apply for an early/absentee ballot until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 3.

Early/absentee ballots may be voted in person in the clerk’s office, mailed to the voter by the clerk’s office, picked up by the voter or delivered to the voter’s residence by two justices of the peace. All voted ballots must be received by the clerk before the polls close on election day in order to be counted. For more information or to request an early/absentee ballot in Brattleboro call 251-8157.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 30 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will not be defeated until neighboring Muslim nations deploy ground troops against the terrorist organization.

Sanders also strongly disagreed with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) who said on Sunday that the United States may have “no choice” but to send ground troops into Syria.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 23 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today welcomed growing support for a tax on carbon emissions that cause global warming as the United Nations hosted a one-day summit on climate change.

The World Bank said Monday that 73 nations and some 1,000 companies will join forces to push for policies setting a price on carbon emissions to encourage a shift to cleaner energy technologies.

“It is extremely important that international support is building to put a price on carbon emissions that cause global warming,” said Sanders, a member of both the Senate environment and energy committees and the sponsor of legislation to tax carbon.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 22 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today applauded the more than 1,000 Vermonters who were among 400,000 demonstrators at the People’s Climate March in New York on Sunday.

“Vermonters from across the state marched in New York City because they understand that climate change is the greatest environmental crisis facing our planet. They know that the United States and other countries must take bold action now to reduce carbon emissions and protect our planet for our children and grandchildren,” Sanders said.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today he will vote against the United States training and arming Syrian rebels.

Sanders said the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria “is a brutal and dangerous extremist organization which must be defeated, but this war cannot be won by the United States alone. There needs to be a real international coalition led by the countries most threatened – Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Iran.

“The worst thing that we can do now is allow ISIS to portray this struggle as East vs. West, as Muslim vs. Christian, as the Middle East vs. America. That is exactly what they want and that is exactly what we should not be giving them,” Sanders added.

I’ve known Ray McGovern since we were both about 7 years old. He was a straight shooter then, and he is one still.

He was a CIA analyst from 1963 to 1990 beginning under President John F. Kennedy and lasting until the Presidency of George H. W. Bush. From 1981 to 1985 he prepared and presented the President’s Daily Brief one-on-one to President Ronald Reagan’s most senior national security advisers including then Vice President George H. W. Bush.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), cosponsor of constitutional amendment to reverse Supreme Court rulings that lifted limits on campaign spending by millionaires and billionaires, issued the following statement today after Senate Republicans voted to block consideration of the amendment:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement tonight after President Barack Obama delivered a nationally televised address on the Islamic State terrorist group:

“ISIS is a brutal and dangerous organization that must be defeated. I agree with the president that ISIS is a threat to the international community and must be combatted by the international community, not just the United States. Most importantly, this struggle will not be won without the active participation of the people of Iraq and Syria. This cannot be a unilateral American action. As we develop a long-term strategy, we must not forget the painful lessons learned by the Bush-Cheney wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. ground troops should not be sent back into combat. I support the president’s airstrike campaign and help for the Syrian opposition.”

Washington, DC – Representative Peter Welch gave the following statement after the President addressed the nation tonight:

“I have appreciated the President’s clear-eyed restraint to date in responding to multiple, serious threats in this region. I have supported his use of military force to protect American personnel still in Iraq and to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees in cooperation with the competent Kurdish military in northern Iraq. I fully agree with him that American combat troops should not be deployed in the region. And I applaud his leadership in forcing Iraqi leaders to form a coalition government to respond to the threat posed by ISIS.

Washington, DC – Tuesday evening, the House of Representatives approved by a voice vote legislation authored by Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Rep. Peter Welch to address the growing problem of Lyme disease. The incidence of this debilitating disease has and across the Northeast region.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 7 – One day before the U.S. Senate votes on a constitutional amendment to restore limits on big money in politics, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called the drive to undo Supreme Court decisions that gutted campaign finance laws “the major issue of our time” and said Monday’s showdown vote is “a pivotal moment in American history.”

“Billionaires buying elections is not what our Constitution stands for,” said Sanders. He is a cosponsor of the amendment to reverse Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and later court rulings that let millionaires and billionaires spend virtually unlimited and unregulated sums to sway elections.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 6 – With the wealth gap in the United States growing and greater already than in any other major country, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders today called for a progressive estate tax on multi-millionaires and billionaires.

“A nation will not survive morally or economically when so few have so much while so many have so little. We need a tax system which asks the billionaire class to pay its fair share of taxes and which reduces the obscene degree of wealth inequality in America,” Sanders said in a speech to be delivered this morning at the Vermont AFL-CIO annual convention here.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 4 – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has added his crucial backing to calls for a one-year moratorium on U.S. Postal Service plans to close up to 82 mail processing plants, slow down mail delivery and eliminate up to 15,000 jobs.

Reid added his signature to those of 50 other senators who calling for a ban on Postal Service cuts as part of must-pass legislation to keep the government running into the new fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) organized the effort to block the cuts proposed by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 3 – Amid a major crisis in primary health care, the situation may become significantly worse unless Congress renews support for community health centers that care for 22 million Americans, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) warned today.

Sanders four years ago helped lead the effort to secure $12.5 billion in the Affordable Care Act to expand community health centers and to recruit more doctors, dentists, nurses and other primary health providers. The health centers provide affordable primary care, dental care, mental health counseling and low-cost prescription drugs for low- and middle-income Americans.

BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 31 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement in advance of Monday’s observation of Labor Day:

“Today, we salute the trade union movement and all Americans who are fighting for the needs of working families.

“The sad reality of today’s America is that while the wealthiest people and largest corporations are doing phenomenally well, the middle class is disappearing and millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages. Congress must start listening to the needs of ordinary Americans, not just the billionaire class and their lobbyists.

Rebecca Balint and Jeanette White received the most votes for the Democratic primary today in Brattleboro. Balint had 699 votes; White received 751.

Roger Albee garnered 269 votes and Joan Bowman had a total of 128.

Shumlin and Welch received solid support.