I was just at a hearing in the Judiciary Committee, and we were talking about what continues to happen, over and over again in this country--mass shootings. We are an outlier in this country, as we have far more shooting deaths per capita…

Vermont has a rich history of supporting vibrant arts in communities throughout our State and across the world. Local and foreign visiting artists alike make invaluable social and economic contributions to our communities. Today our…

No American should have to relinquish all of their privacy rights in their cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices, simply because they are coming home from a trip abroad. Yet that is exactly how our Government views it…

on February 18, 2018, New Hampshire lost one of its finest lawyers and humanitarians, Maurice Duane Geiger. He was 83 years old. Some might ask why, as a Senator from Vermont, I would call the Senate's attention to a resident of our…

I am pleased to join Senators Feinstein and Cruz in cosponsoring a resolution recognizing the 59th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule--March 10, 2018 as ``Tibetan Rights Day.'' Fifty-nine years ago, Tibetans took a…

I would like to take a moment to recognize the inspiring and dedicated work of Cecile Richards, who has recently announced she is stepping down as president of Planned Parenthood after 12 years. Throughout her tenure as president of…

it is my honor and privilege to recognize the achievements of a great Vermont broadcaster and friend, Ken Squier. Ken recently became the first journalist ever to be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. While his roots are at WDEV Radio…

the University of Vermont's College of Nursing has so much of which to be proud. My wife, Marcelle, who serves on the college's advisory board, recently showed me a touching article about Barbara Tennien Murphy. It speaks so much to the…

the actions by the Trump administration regarding undocumented immigrants in this country have been ineffective and nothing short of heartless. Their priorities have abandoned long- held practices such as the need to focus limited…

the Senate is debating the fate of our Nation's Dreamers this week. Everywhere I go, people recognize the uncontestable truth that underpins our discussion: We are all a nation of immigrants. Unless you are Native American, you come from a…

I will be brief and speak briefly in my capacity as vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. There are things here that could be exciting to talk about, and some things are kind of dry, but when we talk about the budget, the…

on another matter, last Friday, Devin Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, received approval to release a classified memo that purports to show that a FISA application to conduct surveillance of a Trump campaign aide was…

we are now 128 days into the fiscal year. For 128 days, we have failed to fulfill our basic responsibility of funding the government. Congress has not reached a bipartisan budget deal, even though, in past years, we always would have by…

I cannot help but note that the fiscal year began October 1 last year. Four months have passed. That is 122 days since the start of the fiscal year, and we still don't have a budget deal to allow us to finish the fiscal year 2018…

I would like to take a moment to remember a remarkable Vermonter, Tim O'Connor, who passed away last week. For those of us who knew him, Tim was unforgettable. He had a terrific sense of humor, especially when it involved the Irish…

I see the distinguished Senator from Alaska on the floor. I will not be long, as I noted to him. I am speaking in my capacity as the Democratic manager of the legislation before us. I think--like most of us and most people in the…

I appreciate what the Senator from Illinois, my dear friend, just said. It is interesting when we deal with substance and not sound bites. I used to worry when I was first here and I would hear some of my very senior colleagues--they were…

to paraphrase a Republican President I enjoyed knowing, here we go again. In 1995 Republicans shut down our government. They wanted to recklessly cut education programs and environmental programs, and they even wanted to raise Medicare…

I find myself in strong agreement with the comments of the senior Senator from New York State. He talked about 702. Let me refer to that a bit. Section 702 is in S. 139, the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017. We are going to vote…

according to Landmine Monitor, which is the world's best source of data on the production, use, export, stockpiling, and clearance of landmines, cluster munitions, and other unexploded ordnance, 2016 was a terrible year for casualties…

my colleague from Vermont, Senator Bernie Sanders, wrote what I feel was a terrific op-ed about why we should not and do not need to close down the government, why we can do our work and why we should, and that people rely on us, too…

just last week we began the second session of the 115th Congress. We are now safely into 2018, and we should be talking about what we can accomplish for the American people in the new year. We simply face a long list of unfinished business…

I want to take a moment to recognize the achievements and contributions of a renowned political scholar, remarkable educator, and a personal friend. This year, Garrison Nelson will conclude five decades of teaching at the University of…

we are all too familiar with President Trump's ``fake news'' mantra, which he has repeatedly used to discredit unfavorable news reports and undermine the credibility of the media in our country. This mantra and the accompanying threats to…

I want to speak briefly about the unfolding political crisis, which is also a crisis for justice, in Peru. Peru transitioned to democracy in 2000, after two decades of internal armed conflict and authoritarian rule. The country has made…