Chairman's Press
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
04.13.15
Sanders Leads Senate Effort to Support Seniors
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 10 - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is leading an effort to call for a significant increase in funds to support expanded access to meals, transportation, family caregiver support and other programs for seniors funded by the Older Americans Act. Sanders wants a 12 percent increase in support for senior programs and he's leading a group of 33 senators advocating for the much-needed investment in next year's budget. "The demand for these programs is great and in many area… Continue Reading
04.09.15
Sanders blasts U.S Corporations for Dodging Taxes
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 9 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Senate Budget Committee ranking member, today issued the following statement on new data showing the extent to which some American companies are avoiding taxes: "I applaud Citizens for Tax Justice for releasing new data today revealing the unfairness of our tax system and the fact that a number of the biggest and most-well known corporations in America continue to pay little or nothing in taxes. At a time when we have massive wealth a… Continue Reading
04.01.15
Sanders Says Secretive Legal Exemptions in Trade Deal ‘Alarming’
WASHINGTON, April 1 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, warned today that a proposed trade agreement appears to give other nations a dangerous legal advantage that could jeopardize America's national security. Sanders said that newly released documents seem to show that the secretive trade deal among North American and Asian countries could be risky for U.S. interests and businesses. The leaked documents show a draft of the trade agreement that has … Continue Reading
03.23.15
New Report From Sanders Lays Bare Republican Budget Gimmicks
New Sanders Report Shows Extent of Republican Budget Gimmicks WASHINGTON, March 22 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today released a blistering new report detailing how the Republican budget plan is based on budgetary gimmicks. "Instead of being honest and upfront about their goals, the Republicans have used a number of budgetary gimmicks to cover-up the devastating impact that their budget will have on the lives of ordinary Americans," Sander… Continue Reading
03.20.15
Sanders : If Republicans Want Another War, They have to Pay for It
WASHINGTON, March 20 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today announced plans to demand Republicans pay for the additional $96 billion in military spending by voting on a new tax on millionaires. Sanders said his 'war tax' will be among the first votes facing Senators next week when debate on the fiscal year 2016 budget resolution is brought up for a vote. "Republicans have been telling us for years that because of high deficits we have to cut Soc… Continue Reading
03.20.15
Sanders: Republican Budget Morally Repugnant and Full of Budget Gimmicks
WASHINGTON, March 19 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, called it 'morally repugnant' that Republicans tonight rammed through a budget plan that protects tax breaks for the rich and large corporations while cutting benefits that millions of Americans rely on. "While the rich get richer and corporate profits soar, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages," Sanders said. "Despite that, this morally repugnant Republican budget pr… Continue Reading
03.18.15
Sanders Statement on Republican Budget Plan
WASHINGTON, March 18 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today criticized a Republican budget proposal that he said will make devastating cuts to American families, children and seniors. Below are his remark as prepared for delivery: "Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing and we look forward to the mark-up tomorrow. Also, thank you for releasing the budget a little bit earlier than it is often released. We've had a few hours to examine … Continue Reading
03.16.15
Sanders: We Must Produce a Budget for America, Not Wealthy Special Interests
WASHINGTON, March 15 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today urged Republicans to work with the Democratic Caucus to produce a budget which represents the needs of the American middle class and not just the wealthiest and most powerful people in the country. Sanders said a sensible budget must lay the groundwork for: Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure and creating millions of new jobs. Raising the minimum wage, improving overtime pay and addr… Continue Reading
03.12.15
Sanders Calls on Congress to Strengthen & Expand Social Security
WASHINGTON, March 12 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today announced historic legislation to both expand Social Security benefits while also securing the program for generations to come. The announcement came as Sanders and other senators received two million signatures from Americans opposed to Republican efforts to cut Social Security. "Social Security is the most successful government program in our nation's history. Through good times and … Continue Reading
03.11.15
Senator Sanders Lays Out Middle Class Priorities Ahead Of Budget Markup
WASHINGTON, March 5 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today laid out the middle class priorities Congress should be working on, rather than the Robin Hood in reverse budget Senate Republicans are expected to release. "In essence, what the debate over the budget will be about is whether or not we produce a document that represents the interests of the middle class and working families of this country or whether we continue to give more help and sup… Continue Reading
03.11.15
Sanders hits Business Roundtable & Committee For Responsible Deficit for targeting seniors
Sanders Calls Out Corporate Heads For Lobbying To Cut Social Security, Medicare While Extending Offshore Tax Breaks WASHINGTON, March 11 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today made a strong case for protecting retirement and health care for middle class Americans and he criticized corporate CEO's for seeking to cut Social Security and win new tax cuts for the wealthy. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, thank you for … Continue Reading
03.04.15
Pentagon must fix waste, fraud and abuse before seeking budget increase, Sanders says
Sanders Tells DOD Fix Fraud & Waste Before Busting Spending Caps WASHINGTON, March 4 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the Pentagon must corral wasteful spending before Congress approves additional spending levels for defense above the current law spending cap. Sanders, who has for years pressed the Pentagon to get control of waste, fraud and abuse by military contractors, asked new Pentagon chief Ashton Carter for a meeting to discuss… Continue Reading
03.02.15
6 Ridiculous Corporate Tax Giveaways that Obama Could Fix with the Stroke of a Pen
Sanders Asks Obama to Close Six Egregious Corporate Tax Loopholes WASHINGTON, March 2 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said President Obama could act on his own to raise over $100 billion over a decade by closing the worst corporate tax loopholes. Sanders identified several actions that the White House could take to prevent corporations from using offshore tax havens and other tax dodges and to prevent wealthy individuals from avoiding income … Continue Reading
02.28.15
New Detailed Chart From Sanders & Others Shows Lack of Transparency in TPP Back-Room Negotiations
Senators to U.S. Trade Rep: End Trade Deal Secrecy WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, led a group of senators calling for an end to secret, back-room negotiations on a free trade agreement. A letter by Sanders signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked the top U.S. trade negotiator to make public details in proposed text of a 12… Continue Reading
02.27.15
Sanders on New CBO Director Appointment
Sanders Statement on New CBO Director WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Senate Budget Committee ranking member, today issued the following statement on the appointment of Keith Hall to be the Congressional Budget Office director. "I look forward to working with Keith Hall in his new role as head of the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO staff has played a critical role in helping to write sound economic plans. The outgoing director, Doug Elmendorf, has done excellent w… Continue Reading
02.18.15
Legalized Tax Fraud: How Top US Corporations Continue to Profit Through Offshore Tax Havens
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today called on America's leading corporations to stop sheltering profits in the Cayman Islands and other offshore tax havens. He also urged them to stop lobbying Congress for additional tax breaks as the Business Roundtable, an organization representing some of the largest corporations in the country, is expected to do tomorrow. Sanders issued a new report that provides a fresh glimpse into th… Continue Reading
02.11.15
Don't Use A Manufactured Crisis to Cut Social Security Disability
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said today that Congress should reallocate funds into the Social Security disability fund to prevent a manufactured crisis jeopardizing income for the most vulnerable. Sanders spoke at a Senate Budget Committee hearing to discuss the program. His remarks as prepared for delivery are below: "Thank you Chairman Enzi. The Social Security Disability Insurance program is a life and death program fo… Continue Reading
02.10.15
Sanders Says Rise In Inequality Jeopardizes Social Security
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today headlined an important briefing about wage inequality and its impact on Social Security. The event, hosted by the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, provided a venue for the release of a new report on the issue and a conversation about the implications of possible cuts to the program. Below are Sanders's remarks as prepared for delivery: "We have got to send a very loud and a very cle… Continue Reading
02.10.15
Sanders Issues New Report Documenting Republican Effort to Cut Social Security
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said that he would fight Republican attempts to cut Social Security and today issued a report detailing the importance of Social Security and how attempts to cut it are unnecessary. "Republicans are manufacturing a phony crisis in Social Security in order to cut the earned benefits of millions of the most vulnerable people in this country," Sanders said. "The American people won't let them get … Continue Reading
