We had an important procedural vote at 1 am on Friday morning (earlier today) to get the Great American Outdoors Act closer to final passage.
I'm proud of the work I've done related to this to protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has brought millions to Vermont to conserve lands in and around towns across Vermont.
I was struck by how quiet and peaceful the Capitol was as I walked to my office in the Capitol after voting.
I took these photos around 2 am this morning.
Looking at them makes me think we can -- and should -- get through these difficult times...and, hopefully, learn from them and be a better country because of them. That is my prayer.
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Pleased to announce with @SenSanders@PeterWelch@GovPhilScott and others VT will receive over $34 million of RAISE grants from @USDOT to replace the Winooski River Bridge; construct the Federal Street Multi-Modal Connector in St. Albans; and improve public transit in NW VT. 2/6
.@AOTVermont will receive $24.8 million to replace the existing Main Street Bridge in @winooskivt with a new, wider bridge that will reduce congestion and include barrier-separated, multi-use paths for pedestrians and bikers. 3/6
TAG presents @VTNationalGuard’s Vermont Battle Flag to MSgt Fitzgerald (longest serving enlisted) and Airman 1st Class Gullo (the newest enlisted #VTANG member deploying).
MG Knight presents Blue Star banner to @VTNationalGuard Sgt Lucey and kids. SGT Lucey’s husband is being deployed, and she and her family continue to serve at home.
The Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, VT, trains not only soldiers from the Active, Guard, and Reserves, but also members from every service, Federal agencies, and NATO Allies.
LTC Gagner (r) knows Mountain training is about moving and succeeding in difficult conditions and difficult terrain—it’s turning challenges like this wall behind me and MG Knight into opportunities.
In VT we have some of the best mountaineers in the Army and the world. My mother’s family had members of the famed Alpini and I know they would be as impressed as I am.
Republicans blocked a bipartisan COVID package that would have provided more vaccines, tests, & treatments to Americans. They would rather hold this bill hostage to secure votes on partisan, unrelated policy matters than make Americans more safe from the next COVID surge/variant.
This is not the bill I would have written. The lack of any funding to support a global vaccination campaign is shortsighted & dangerous. A virus does not recognize our borders. But that is the result of a bipartisan negotiation. The Senate should have advanced this bill today.
We need to fund testing, therapeutics, & vaccinations, NOW. We cannot wait for the next wave or a new variant. I strongly support this agreement, and I will work to obtain funding to stop the virus from spreading and mutating overseas, and attacking Americans here at home.
Yesterday the Senate passed the Health Care for Burn Pits Veterans Act, led by my friends @SenatorTester and @JerryMoran. Huge step forward, that I am proud to support because it makes a difference now while we keep working for more.
Veterans in Vermont and @VTNationalGuard have died of rare #cancer after service exposure to burn pits. I’m proud to co-sponsor Health Care for Burn Pits Veterans Act which strengthens toxic exposure research and helps @DeptVetAffairs understand links btwn exposure and illness.
The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act expands access to @DeptVetAffairs health care to all Post-9/11 combat veterans and helps ensure #burnpit exposure-related illnesses get early identification and treatment.
Nine years ago, I was proud to lead the bipartisan efforts to reauthorize and strengthen the historic Violence Against Women Act.
And when that authorization lapsed three years ago, I immediately set to work with others in the Senate to draft a new authorization to support victims of violence.
Today, those efforts are a reality, and we have introduced the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. Victims of domestic and sexual violence need our support, now.