Ranking Member Press
Sanders Blasts Republican Budget Slashing Health Care for Millions of Americans
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slammed a Republican budget plan introduced Wednesday that he said would throw millions off health insurance, drive up already-skyrocketing prices seniors pay for prescription drugs and pave the way for cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. In a Senate floor speech, Sanders also called on President-elect Donald Trump to pledge to veto any legislation that would break his campaign promise to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. He cited a Trum… Continue Reading
08.18.16
CBO Report: Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer
BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 18 - Total wealth in the United States doubled between 1989 and 2013, but the wealth of the American family right in the middle of the economy barely budged in that time, according to a new report prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). "Over the period from 1989 through 2013, family wealth grew at significantly different rates for different segments of the U.S. population," CBO wrote. "The distribution of wealth among the nation'… Continue Reading
07.07.16
Sanders Supports Treasury Department Regulations to Prevent Corporate Tax Dodging
WASHINGTON, July 7 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday submitted formal comments to the Department of the Treasury on regulations issued to prevent corporate tax avoidance. The Treasury Department regulations, which were issued on April 4, effectively enforce the existing law that is meant to prevent corporate inversions and a tax dodge known as "earnings stripping," which allows corporations that are foreign-owned or inverted to avoid U.S. taxes. The regulations were the result of calls… Continue Reading
02.09.16
Committee Democrats Question Unprecedented Decision to Forgo Hearing on President’s Budget
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 - The Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee sent a letter to Chairman Mike Enzi today expressing their disappointment over the chairman's unprecedented decision to not hold a hearing on the president's Fiscal Year 2017 budget request. This is the first time in the committee's history that it has not held a hearing to discuss the president's budget. Even in 2004, when all Senate office buildings closed because of the presence of the toxin ricin in a Senate office, the Senat… Continue Reading
10.28.15
Sanders Statement on Budget Deal
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement on the bipartisan budget deal, which also raises the national borrowing limit until March 2017. "This is not the budget I would have written. It doesn't ask the most profitable corporations and the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes and it increases Pentagon spending too much. But I will support it because it's much better than across-the-board budget cuts, increased premiums for Medicare, cuts t… Continue Reading
10.21.15
Sanders Calls for Action on Debt Ceiling, End to Budget Sequestration
WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, called today for immediate action to lift the debt ceiling and end across-the-board budget cuts. "At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, let's work together on a budget that is fair," Sanders said during a Budget Committee hearing. "Let's end sequestration. And, at the very least, I hope we can all agree right now that we will pay our bills on time and we will not allow the United Stat… Continue Reading
09.10.15
Sanders Asks Treasury To Protect 10 Million Union Retirees
Sanders Asks Treasury To Protect 10 Million Union Retirees WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today called on the federal government to protect the pensions of up to 10 million retired union workers. Sanders, standing shoulder to shoulder with scores of retirees with vulnerable pensions, also vowed to work hard on winning support for his legislation to permanently fix pension shortfalls for union workers. "If Congress can bailout Wall Street and foreign banks throughout the … Continue Reading
08.11.15
Sanders Statement on Job Losses Caused by Sequestration
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, called for the end of budget sequestration after the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projected enormous job losses for American workers if the arbitrary spending caps take effect as scheduled. "These arbitrary sequestration caps have never made any sense, and now we see even more clearly the implications for our workers," Sanders said. "If Congress does not act to end sequestration, we're looking at the loss of… Continue Reading
07.29.15
Sanders Statement on Hedge Fund Managers Advice To Puerto Rico
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after a group of economists hired by hedge fund managers suggested that the government of Puerto Rico lay off teachers and close schools to pay off debt. "It is a moral outrage that hedge fund managers are calling on the Puerto Rican government to shut down schools and slash the social safety net to pay back billionaires on Wall Street. At a time when 56 percent of children in P… Continue Reading
07.17.15
Sanders Announces He's Backing New Attempt to Break Up Big Banks, Working With Senator Warren on Her Glass-Steagall Act
Sanders Backs 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act WASHINGTON, July 17 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced today that he is co-sponsoring a bill by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act. This important piece of legislation would prevent commercial banks from engaging in risky investment schemes that nearly destroyed the economy in 2008. "I strongly support Sen. Elizabeth Warren's bill to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act," Sanders said. On July 1, 1999, while Con… Continue Reading
07.14.15
Sanders Joins Rep Conyers & Other Senate/House Members Asking President to Support Expanding Social Security
WASHINGTON, July 12 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) today joined with 70 other members of Congress in calling on President Obama to support expanding Social Security. The letter to the president came on the eve of a historic conference on aging, convened once every 10 years to get the entire country talking about issues relating to older Americans. "A clear majority of Americans support expanding Social Security," wrote Sanders, Conyers and other lawmakers. "As em… Continue Reading
06.25.15
Sanders & Schakowsky Plan Tackles Wealth Inequality With Estate Tax Reform
WASHINGTON, June 25 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today introduced legislation to increase estate tax rates on the top three-tenths of one percent of Americans who inherit more than $3.5 million, while eliminating loopholes that have allowed the wealthiest Americans to avoid billions in taxes. Sanders said the legislation was needed to reduce the massive gap between the very rich and working class Americans. The announcement was the latest tax reform proposal from Sanders, who has made the issu… Continue Reading
06.18.15
Sanders Plan Restores Retirement Security to 10 Million Retirees
Sanders Plan Restores Retirement Security to 10 Million Retirees WASHINGTON, June 18 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today he's working to win passage of a bill that reverses a proposal passed last year that could result in deep pension cuts for retirees and workers in multi-employer pension plans. Sanders said his plan will protect the pensions of up to 10 million Americans. "Hard-working retirees should not ever have to doubt their retirement security," Sanders said. "We made a commitm… Continue Reading
05.15.15
Sanders, Durbin Tell President Federal Workers Deserve ‘Fair Wage’
WASHINGTON, May 15 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) led an effort today to help low-wage federal contract workers get a pay raise. Sanders, joined by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and 16 other senators, wrote President Obama with a request that he 'lead by example' when it comes to paying federal contract workers by providing a preference to contractors who pay a living wage. "The federal government continues to be America's largest low-wage job creator, subsidizing poverty-level wages through taxp… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Sanders Calls Republican Budget 'Absolute Disaster'
WASHINGTON, May 5 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after Senate Republicans passed a budget resolution: "This Republican budget throws 27 million Americans off health insurance, slashes $5 trillion over the coming decade from programs that help working families, cuts taxes on the richest Americans and raises them on working families with kids. "The budget moves this country in exactly the wrong direction. A… Continue Reading
05.04.15
Sanders review of Republican Budget Conference Agreement Shows It Takes Us in the Wrong Direction
The Republican Budget Conference Report: more tax breaks for millionaires; more pain for the middle class The Republican budget conference report moves this country in exactly the wrong direction. At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, it gives huge tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, while making devastating cuts to education, Medicare, affordable housing, prescription drug coverage, and many other vital investments for the elderly, the children, the sick, and the poor… Continue Reading
04.27.15
Sanders Warns Governors About Devastating Budget Cuts
WASHINGTON, April 27 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today warned all 50 governors about the devastating cuts their states will face if the Republican budget plan becomes law. In a series of letters, Sanders explained what the cuts would mean for working families, the elderly, children, the sick and the poor if the budget blueprint for the next fiscal year is not revised. House and Senate action on a budget resolution is expected shortly. "The Republican budget moves this country in exactly the … Continue Reading
04.20.15
Sanders: Republican Budgets Would be ‘Total Disaster’ for Working Americans
WASHINGTON, April 20 - As the Senate Budget Committee conference meets for the first time today, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called the House and Senate budget resolutions a "total disaster" for the working families of our country. Sanders said: "Both the Senate and the House budget resolutions would make the rich richer and cause devastating pain to tens of millions of working families throughout the country. Instead of making health care more affordable, both Republican budgets wou… Continue Reading
04.16.15
Sanders Statement on House Passage of Tax Break For Super Rich
WASHINGTON, April 16 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the House voted 240-179 to provide $269 billion in tax breaks for the families of the wealthiest 0.2 percent of Americans. "At a time of increasing inequality, it is beyond belief that Congress would provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to a handful of millionaire and billionaire families. "Incredibly, not only are the Republicans giving huge tax breaks to people who need it the least… Continue Reading
04.13.15
Sanders Launches National Budget Town Hall Meeting Series
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 13 - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he's going outside the Capitol to hear from working-class Americans about how severe Republican budget cuts would affect their families, parents and health care. Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said he wants to provide a forum outside the rigid structure of Congress as part of his efforts to speak directly with Americans about the issues that matter to them. "The Republican budget plan is a massive tr… Continue Reading