Chairman's Press
Sanders Raps TV Outlets For Failure To Cover Secret Trade Deals
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today made the case against a proposed 12-nation trade deal that he said would be a "disaster" for American workers but good for multi-national corporations wanting to ship more jobs to low-wage nations in Asia. Sanders also criticized major national news organizations for ignoring how trade deals have hurt working families. A media watchdog group recently reported that it found no mention on network evening newscasts during the past ye… Continue Reading
02.05.15
Ahead of Hearing on Social Security Disability, Sanders warns against cuts
Republicans Want to Cut Social Security Disability Benefits, Sanders Warns WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today warned in a Senate floor speech that "Republicans are manufacturing a crisis where none exists" in their effort to cut Social Security disability benefits. In the budget blueprint that President Barack Obama sent to Congress on Monday, the White House requested authority to shift funds from Social Security's re… Continue Reading
02.05.15
Sanders Says We Can Create Jobs By Making Profitable Corporations Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes
WASHINGTON, DC., Feb. 3 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today spoke at a hearing on the president's budget proposal for fiscal year 2016. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, the good news is that our country has made substantial economic progress in the last 6 years since President George W. Bush left office. Instead of losing 800,000 jobs a month as we were during the final months of the Bush Administration, we ar… Continue Reading
02.03.15
Sanders Says We Can Create Jobs By Making Profitable Corporations Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes
WASHINGTON, DC., Feb. 3 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today spoke at a hearing on the president's budget proposal for fiscal year 2016. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, the good news is that our country has made substantial economic progress in the last 6 years since President George W. Bush left office. Instead of losing 800,000 jobs a month as we were during the final months of the Bush Administration, we are… Continue Reading
02.02.15
Sanders Statement on Budget Proposal for FY 2016
BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 2 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today issued the following statement about President Obama's proposed budget for fiscal year 2016: "The president's budget begins to move us in the right direction. By rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, we can create millions of good-paying jobs. By making community college free, we can finally provide affordable access to higher education for working-class families. By ending outrag… Continue Reading
02.02.15
Sanders effort to increase overtime earnings for Americans
Sanders, Murray & Other Senators Push For End to Overtime Rule to Protect Workers WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today asked President Obama to immediately make changes to labor laws that would end the practice of workers being denied overtime pay simply because they are labeled "supervisors." In many cases, those "supervisors" may be paid as little as $23,660 a year but receive no overtime when they work more than … Continue Reading
01.29.15
Sanders Supports Move to End Artificial Spending Limits
Sanders Supports Move to End Artificial Spending Limits WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today issued the following statement about President Obama's decision not to be constrained by the sequester caps when he submits his budget on Monday: "I support what the president has proposed and will work to eliminate the artificial sequestration cap on non-discretionary spending. It's a step in the right direction and an importan… Continue Reading
01.28.15
Sanders Says Deficits in Good Jobs, Infrastructure, Equality Will Be His Focus
Sanders Spells Out 6 Key Points on For Restoring the Economy WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today opened his first hearing of the new Congress with a call for focusing on the needs of American families. His remarks as prepared for delivery follow: "Thank you Chairman Enzi. I look forward to working with you and I would like to welcome all of the other Senators who are with us today. I would also like to thank Director … Continue Reading
01.27.15
Sanders Introduces Bill to Rebuild America’s Crumbling Infrastructure, Support 13 Million Jobs
Sanders Introduces Bill to Rebuild America's Crumbling Infrastructure, Support 13 Million Jobs WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today introduced far-reaching legislation to rebuild America's crumbling network of roads, bridges and transit. His 5-year-plan would invest $1 trillion in the effort and create or maintain at least 13 million decent-paying jobs. Support for the legislat… Continue Reading
01.26.15
New CBO report does not show suffering of American families
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today said that the Congressional Budget Office report on the budget and economic outlook only tells part of the story on the economy and the federal budget. He issued the following statement: "CBO's report is important, but it only tells us part of the story. What we must never forget is that tens of millions of Americans today are struggling to keep their heads above water economically whil… Continue Reading
01.24.15
New Committee Report Spells Out Path For Rebuilding the Middle Class
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued a white payer laying out challenges that he said the Senate Budget Committee and the country must address. The report can be found below:… Continue Reading
01.21.15
Sanders Promises to Fight Failed Trade Policies
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today joined six House leaders to state their strong opposition to a proposed trade agreement that they say was negotiated in secret and will hurt American workers. They promised to build a bipartisan coalition and work with organized labor, environmental groups and others to defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership. "Since 2001, the U.S. has lost more than 60,000 factories and millions of good-pay… Continue Reading
01.20.15
Sanders: Economy is stronger but too many middle class families are still struggling
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement tonight after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address: "As President Obama indicated, our economy today is much stronger than it was six years ago. The bad news, however, is that millions of middle-class families continue to struggle economically and we have an obscene level of income and wealth inequality. "I support many of the initiatives the p… Continue Reading
01.18.15
Sanders Says Obama Plan ‘Moves Us in the Right Direction’
BURLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 18 - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today issued the following statement on President Barack Obama's proposals to raise taxes on the wealthiest taxpayers and the largest financial firms and cut taxes for working families: "At a time of obscene levels of income and wealth inequality, President Obama's plan moves us in the right direction. I look forward to working with the administration to adopt a tax system that elim… Continue Reading
01.16.15
Sanders Spells out Priorities as Budget Ranking Member
Sanders Spells out Priorities as Budget Ranking Member WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, today warned against Republican efforts to cut Social Security and other programs that help working families. In remarks at a Capitol Hill news conference, Sanders warned that benefits for the disabled and their children face a 20 percent cut next year if the Senate follows the lead of House Republicans. A new House rule creates a lega… Continue Reading
12.11.14
MEMO: Murray Outlines Significant Fiscal Outlook Improvement, Calls for Focus on Jobs and Economic Growth
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released a memo to Senate Democrats on the updated fiscal outlook and its implications for the budget debate next year. The memo features new analysis from the Senate Budget Committee that shows the federal fiscal outlook has improved significantly. Specifically, the memo shows that compared to estimates from 2010, projected federal spending over the next decade is $7.8 trillion lower, projected revenue has declined… Continue Reading
11.20.14
Murray and Ryan Propose Commission to Promote Evidence-Based Policymaking
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D., Wash.) and U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R., Wisc.) announced the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2014. The bill would establish a 15-member commission to study how best to expand the use of data to evaluate the effectiveness of federal programs and tax expenditures. The commission would also study how best to protect the privacy rights of people who interact with … Continue Reading
11.12.14
Murray Statement on Providing Budget Certainty Through an Omnibus Spending Bill in December
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement on providing budget certainty in December: "My Republican colleagues often say they don't want to kick the can down the road when it comes to the budget-but that's exactly what a stopgap spending bill this December would mean," said Senator Murray. "Families and businesses want to see us building on the bipartisan budget deal reached last year and working together to provide certain… Continue Reading
10.08.14
Murray Statement on Congressional Budget Office’s Monthly Budget Review
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement on the Congressional Budget Office's Monthly Budget Review for September 2014: "Today's announcement from the Congressional Budget Office on the deficit for fiscal year 2014 offers more evidence that our fiscal outlook has continued to improve, with deficits falling by two-thirds in the last five years and by nearly $200 billion since last year. With a strengthened fiscal outlook in… Continue Reading
09.18.14
Statement by Chairman Murray on Passage of a Continuing Resolution in the Senate
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on the passage of a continuing resolution through December 11th, 2014 in the Senate. "When Chairman Ryan and I reached a two-year budget agreement last year, it was especially important to both of us that we stop the cycle of governing by crisis. So, while I'm disappointed that we were unable to complete the regular appropriations process on time, I'm glad that with today's vote,… Continue Reading
