Todays news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): Veterans Flanked by more than 20 veterans groups, Senate Veterans: Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders on Tuesday urged quick Senate passage of legislation that would repeal $6 billion in military pension cuts and enhance veterans’ health benefits, according to The Hill, The Washington Post online, The Washington Times, Military Times and the Burlington Free Press. “What this legislation is about is keeping promises and getting our priorities right,” Sanders said. The $24 billion measure is paid for with savings from the drawdown in Afghanistan and Iraq. Senate Sends Farm Bill to White House: In a 68-32 vote, the Senate passed the first comprehensive farm package since 2008 by approving a five-year agreement Tuesday which is expected to be signed into law by the president, The Associated Press, Rutland Herald and Burlington Free Press reported. Sen. Sanders said the bill will bring greater stability to Vermont dairy farmers and also encourage increased access to healthy, local foods. But he faulted the bill for cutting the nutrition assistance by $8.6 billion during the next decade. On MSNBC, Lawrence O’Donnell called the farm bill “bad socialism” and “the only kind of socialism that could unite liberal socialist Bernie Sanders with Republican agricultural socialist David Vitter.” Tar Sands Pipeline: Secretary of State John Kerry, who has fashioned himself as a leading environmentalist throughout his political career, must now recommend to President Obama whether or not to approve of the Keystone XL pipeline. Sen. Sanders, who opposes the pipeline, said he will be calling Kerry to discuss his environmental concerns. “The issue is now in the lap of the Secretary of State John Kerry,” Sanders said in an interview with The Boston Globe. “Given his pronouncements when he was senator, I think its a no-brainer to suggest that this pipeline should not go forward.” NSA ‘Probably” Spies on Congress: Deputy Attorney General James Cole told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday that the National Security Agency “probably” collects information about phone calls made by members of Congress. Sen. Sanders previously asked the agency whether or not it has snooped on members of Congress, The Hill and Russia Today noted. Tuesday’s admission may mark the first time the government has responded in the affirmative, according to National Journal. The push for NSA reform has united members of Congress on the left and right, according to Reason. Continue reading here: sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/020514
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:36:15 +0000