Thursday, February 13, 2014

Today's news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

Senator Sanders is one of the heroes in the U.S. Senate, fighting for ALL Americans and fighting for a sustainable future!


Bernie Sanders
Today's news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):

Some Military Pensions: Restored In an about face, the Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved House-passed legislation that would repeal a controversial cut to military pensions that lawmakers had approved just two months ago as part of a budget deal. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders criticized the bill as an incomplete fix, The Washington Times, The Hill and The Daily Caller reported. “While it covers the current retirees, it does not cover future retirees who would then have to bear the burden of the COLA cut,” Sanders said. Veterans organizations also raised objections to the exclusion of future retirees. A Sanders bill would repeal the full cuts and expand veterans benefits, Military.com reported.

A Raise for Low-Wage Federal Workers: President Barack Obama signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 for workers employed by federal contractors. Sen. Sanders told Vermont Business Magazine the president’s move “adds momentum to the push in Congress to raise the minimum wage for every worker.” In September, Sanders and 14 other senators sent a letter urging the president to issue the order, according to The Ed Schultz Show. “It was in his State of the Union speech, which I think it was very much to your credit, senator,” Schultz said during the radio interview with Sanders.

‪#‎StopTheNSA‬: Republicans and Democrats united Tuesday in their opposition of the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs as part of a national day of activism, The Washington Times reported. Sen. Sanders participated in the initiative by tweeting, “The NSA is out of control. ‪#‎NSA‬ #StopTheNSA.” Al-Jazeera America reported that Sen. Sanders has opposed the NSA surveillance programs.
 
Solar Jobs: The solar industry experienced record-breaking job growth across the nation last year, and Vermont captured the top rank for number of solar-related jobs per capita in the country, Vermont Business Magazine and the Brattleboro Reformer reported. “A dramatic expansion of solar power is a clean and economical way to help break our dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, and create good-paying manufacturing and installation jobs in Vermont and across the United States,” Sen. Sanders said.

Continue reading here: http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/021314
 
 
 

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