Sanders: Public Option Critical to Health Reform

BURLINGTON, Vt., November 22 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that without a strong public option, which would reduce health care costs by competing with private insurance companies, he expects a number of senators would not support final passage of health care legislation. “The overwhelming majority of Americans want to be able to choose between a strong public

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Release: Sanders, Grassley Introduce ‘Employ America Act’

WASHINGTON, November 19 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) today introduced legislation to prohibit major firms that lay off large numbers of American workers from hiring cheaper foreign labor through temporary guest worker programs. The economic stimulus package included a similar provision authored by Sanders and Grassley to prevent companies receiving a taxpayer bailout from the

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Sanders: Much Work Remains on Health Care Bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that he would cast one of the
60 votes needed in the Senate on Saturday to advance health care
reform, but he added that his vote on final passage remains uncertain.  “My
vote for final passage of this bill is not at all guaranteed until I
see a final bill that is strong and effective for working families and
taxpayers in Vermont and America,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate
health committee.  A strong advocate of a Medicare-for-all
single-payer approach, Sanders said he will continue his fight to give
states the opportunity to go forward with their own single-payer
program.  “While this bill makes some very important improvements
in our health care system, I continue to have a number of concerns,”
Sanders said.

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Release: Green Jobs for Vermont

Vermont and seven other states will share nearly $4 million in economic
stimulus funding announced today under a green jobs program that was
authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).   “If we get our act together as a nation and start addressing the major
environmental problems of our time – global warming and our dependence
on fossil fuels – we can create millions of good paying jobs,” said
Sanders, chairman of the Senate’s Green Jobs and the New Economy
Subcommittee. “In other words,” he added, “good environmental policy is
good economic policy.”

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Release: Barton Receives $2.8 Million for Water Project

WASHINGTON, November 18 – Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today announced that the Village of Barton will receive $2.8 million for water system improvements funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The $2.08 million grant along with a $723,000 loan awarded to Barton was among 31 water projects announced by the

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