Keeping
Vermonters Warm

Sen. Sanders Fights to Reverse Heating Aid Cuts

With winter quickly approaching and heating oil prices nearing $4 a gallon, thousands of Vermonters are realizing the devastating effects of the billions of dollars in cuts to the federal heating assistance program, known as LIHEAP. Most of LIHEAP’s funding goes to recipients who are seniors, people with disabilities and families with kids. Bernard Wheeler, 73, of Mount Holly, Vt., received enough aid to buy little more than 100 gallons of heating oil, hardly enough to get through the winter. "They are taking the fuel assistance away from us to give it to the 1 percenters on top -- the millionaires. Like they need it," Wheeler said.

Several years ago, Bernie helped double the annual funding for LIHEAP to $5.1 billion. This winter, he is fighting to make sure Vermonters don't have to choose between feeding their families, buying medicine and heating their homes. Based on seriously flawed projections that energy prices would fall, the president proposed cutting the heating assistance budget. The reality is oil prices have soared. In Vermont, heating oil prices have jumped 34 percent to $3.83 a gallon. "We cannot allow rising heating oil prices to force more of our neighbors into poverty," Bernie said.

Read a Vermont Bernie Buzz article »
Struggling with heating costs? Share your story with Bernie »

Protecting Social Security and Medicare While Bernie was disappointed the Congressional Super Committee was unable to reach an agreement to reduce the $15 trillion dollar national debt in a way that was fair to the middle class, he was pleased that no "deal" was reached to make cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. That is welcome news to people like Virginia Humphreys, 73, of Worcester, Vt. She was one of more than 200 people to join Bernie, who chairs the Defending Social Security Caucus, recently to speak about the importance of Social Security and Medicare. "I want a country that I can be proud of, that cares about its most vulnerable people," Virginia said. Read a letter from Bernie » Watch: Vermont's Virginia Humphreys Shares Importance of Social Security and Medicare »

Rebuilding Vermont After Irene President Obama signed legislation that will deliver up to $250 million to Vermont to help the state rebuild its roads and bridges after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Irene devastated Vermont. Bernie helped push the legislation through the Senate. Irene forced more than 1,500 families from their homes, washed away some 2,200 roads and bridges, devastated 450 farms, and completely isolated a dozen towns for almost a week. "Vermont suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to our roads and bridges. This money will go a long way to rebuilding our state,” Bernie said, praising the congressional delegation’s efforts to secure the funds. “Like every other state that experiences a disaster, Vermont is entitled to federal help to rebuild." Read more » Read an editorial in The Rutland Herald »

Listening to Vermont's High School Students In the coming weeks, Bernie will launch his Second Annual State of the Union Essay Contest where he will ask high school students throughout Vermont to share their thoughts on how to address the problems facing the United States. Hundreds of students from 20 different Vermont high schools entered Bernie's competition last year. Bernie will enter the top essays into the Congressional Record and will visit the school of the winner. Read the essays of last year's finalists and winner » Learn more about the State of the Union Address »