VTDigger file photo by Glenn Russell
Biography
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Candidate occupation
United States Senator
Why are you running for office?
We are living in a complicated and difficult political moment. We are facing an unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality and with the existential threat of climate change and the very real question of whether the United States will continue to even function as a democracy, or move to an authoritarian form of government. It has been the honor of my life to serve Vermonters in Washington. I am running because I have been and, if re-elected, will continue to be, in a strong position to provide the kind of support that Vermonters need in these difficult times.
Issues in depth
What is the single most important issue for Congress to address next term?
We are living in the richest country in the history of the world. Despite this, far too many Vermonters struggle to afford the most basic human necessities – a safe, stable place to call home; healthy food; physical, mental and oral health care, including prescription medications; quality child care and education after high school. We are also facing unprecedented levels of injustice: from racism and bigotry against the LGBTQ community to the devaluing of the working class in this country – our teachers, nurses, firefighters and first responders – all of whom are being asked to do more and more to care for their fellow Vermonters while also fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions. All of this is happening as we experience more extreme weather, like flooding here in Vermont to wildfires and devastating hurricanes in other parts of the country. But we, as a nation, cannot begin to make progress on these critically important issues if we fail to address the very real threat to our democracy.
What steps, if any, would you take to strengthen American democracy?
The first thing I believe we must do is to elect a president who believes in democracy, not someone with a track record of authoritarianism.
We must also overturn the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which has led to the rise of billionaire-funded super PACs who, increasingly, control our political process. We must then move to public funding of elections.
This year, it has become clearer than ever that we must also reform the Supreme Court. From overturning Roe v. Wade and removing women’s right to control their own bodies to criminalizing poverty by banning encampments used by people who are homeless to undermining decades of protections under the Chevron doctrine, it is clear that the Supreme Court is out of control and must be reformed if we are going to have a shot at strengthening our American democracy.
How would you seek to work with members of the opposite party, if at all?
I have a strong track record of working across the aisle in Washington to find common ground in making life better for working people in Vermont and across the country. During the past two years, as Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I have worked closely with Republican Senator Roger Marshall to build a strong funding package to address the crises we face in primary health care. I have worked with Republican Senator Mike Braun to bring more transparency to our health care system. I have worked with Republican senators regarding holding the Defense Department accountable and on a wide variety of constitutional issues.
As the former Chairman of the Veterans Committee, I worked
With the late Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona to solve a major crisis in veterans’ health care.
What changes to federal tax policy, if any, would you seek to make?
Today, we have federal tax policy that is written by billionaires and large corporations to benefit the very wealthiest people in our country. It is absurd that some large profitable corporations pay virtually nothing in federal taxes, and the effective tax rate of billionaires is often lower than that of truck drivers and nurses. Bottom line: we need a tax system that demands that the wealthiest people start paying their fair share of taxes so that we can lower the tax burden on low and moderate income Americans.
Further, we can increase Social Security benefits and the solvency of Social Security by lifting the cap on taxable income. Someone making $165,000 a year should not be contributing the same amount as the Social Security as someone making $16 million.
As former Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, I was proud to have supported expanding the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan Act. That provision substantially lowered our nation’s child poverty rate. It must now be made permanent.
What, if anything, should Congress do to make it more affordable to live in the U.S.?
Despite living in the richest country in the history of the world, far too many Vermonters struggle to afford the most basic human necessities – housing, health care, food, prescription child care and higher education. Meanwhile, the people on top have never had it so good and we are living with more income and wealth inequality than anytime in the history of our country. We are also experiencing an unprecedented level of corporate greed.
If we are going to lower the cost of healthcare, we need to move toward a Medicare for All, single payer system. If we are going to lower the cost of prescription drugs, we have to do whatever other major country does and negotiate prescription drug prices. If we are going to lower the cost of food in this country, we need to take a hard look at the enormous concentration of ownership in the food industry, and the significant increases in prices they charge as they make record-breaking profits.
By creating a progressive tax system and controlling military spending, we can also raise the revenue we need to build millions of units of low income and affordable housing. We tried to do that in the Build Back Better legislation that lacked two votes in the Senate.
What steps, if any, should Congress take to address climate change?
As one of the largest global contributors to the climate crisis, the US must play a leading role in addressing the existential threat of climate change. Congress must ensure that we keep our promises to the world by remaining in the Paris Agreement. We must continue to move aggressively to transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. In that regard, I’m proud to have passed the Solar for All legislation, which will enable millions of low income and moderate Americans to take advantage of solar energy.
What steps, if any, should Congress take to reform the American health care system?
The current healthcare system in America is broken, dysfunctional and outrageously expensive. Its goal is to make huge profits for the insurance companies and the drug companies, not to provide quality care to all as a human right. We must join every other major country on earth in guarantee healthcare to all through a Medicare for All, single payer program – legislation that I’ve introduced.
In Vermont, I am proud that we are leading the country in terms of the per capita utilization of community health centers – something I have supported for years. Every Vermonter, and every American, regardless of income, should be able to get to a doctor when they need to. As Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee I am proud that, under my leadership, we have passed out of Committee the strongest primary care reform in modern American history.
What role, if any, should the U.S. play in the war in Gaza?
Hamas, a terrorist organization, begin this war with a horrific attack against Israel. Israel, like every other country, had and has the right to defend itself against terrorism. Tragically, under the right wing extremist Netanyahu government, Israel has gone to war not just against Hamas but against the entire Palestinian people. The result has been an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. And, unconscionably, American taxpayers help fund the slaughter.
Since October 7, 2023, 38,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 80,000 injured – 60% of whom are women, children, and the elderly. Some 70% of housing units in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. The physical infrastructure of Gaza has been annihilated. Today, clean drinking water is scarce and raw sewage is running out into the streets, and there is almost no electricity. The healthcare system of Gaza has been systematically destroyed and over 400 healthcare workers have been killed. And, on top of all of that, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians now faced salvation because of the roadblocks Israel has placed on humanitarian aid.
The US must demand an immediate end to this war and the release of all hostages; make certain that the massive amounts of humanitarian aid that is desperately needed get into Gaza as quickly as possible; stop Israeli vigilantism on the West Bank; and move forward toward a two-state solution that provides political and economic justice for the Palestinian people.
As Vermont’s senator, I have been one of the leaders in Congress in demanding accountability for the Netanyahu government. It has long been my view that the U.S. should not be providing another nickel for the Israeli war machine to continue its incredibly destructive war against the Palestinian people.
What role, if any, should the U.S. play in the war in Ukraine?
Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine started the most destructive war in Europe since World War II. Hundreds of thousands of people have died and there has been massive destruction of property.. A legitimate fear held by NATO countries is that if Putin is successful in his war aims in Ukraine, he will continue his imperialist ventures into other countries and create ever-wider conflicts. I have supported appropriations to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
In order to control the cost of these appropriations, I’ve also demanded an end to war profiteering in the defense Industry. The defence contractors are making huge profits as they increase prices for the weapons they produce for the war in Ukraine. That is unacceptable. That is why I have called for a Truman commission to hold the defense industry accountable.
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