WASHINGTON, June 7 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11792) on June 6, 2024, by American national government specialist R. Sam Garrett: * * * Statehood Process and Political Status of U.S. Territories: Brief Policy Background Proposals to admit new states to the union are as old as the republic. A larger United States was contemplated at least as early as 1787, with enactment of the Northwest Ordinance, which addressed territorial expansi  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * "I am so sad to learn of Dick Sears passing. This is a deep loss for Vermont. His was a true life of service, rising from profoundly humble beginnings to serve as Chair of Vermont's Senate Judiciary Committee for nearly 30 years. His work stands as a monument. He did more to shape Vermont's judicial system than anyone in that time. He steered it with wisdom, an openness to new ideas, genuine courage in  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04) introduced the Preventing Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, legislation to prohibit digital price fixing by landlords. In the midst of an urgent housing supply and affordability crisis, many housing providers are using algorithms to collude to further increase rents for working families. Rents across the country have g  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, issued the following news release on June 3, 2024: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) this evening gave remarks on the floor of the Senate on the accusations House Speaker Mike Johnson made against him on Fox News this Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu's invitation to speak before Congress, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza where more and more children are starving to death. Sanders' remarks are below and can be watch live HERE (https://outreach.  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, issued the following statement on June 1, 2024: * * * Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement on the decision of Senate and House leaders of both political parties to extend an invitation to Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to address a joint meeting of Congress: It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited - by leaders from both parties - to address a j  more

WASHINGTON, June 7 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, issued the following op-ed with Sen. Patty Murray, on June 6, 2024: * * * How to restore abortion rights in every state in America * * * Right now in America, women's health care and right to control their own bodies are under attack as Republican politicians across the country are trying everything they can to ban abortion and stamp out basic reproductive freedoms. The Supreme Court's disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Heal  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: WEOC will feature keynote remarks from stand-up comedian Tina Friml, Rep. Becca Balint, and Sen. Welch Randolph, VT - Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced the schedule for this year's annual Women's Economic Opportunity Conference, which includes interactive workshops on growing economic opportunity, cultivating new audiences, and improving skills. The one-day-only event will kick off with remark  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: This week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, introduced the Rural Recovery Act, legislation that will create a new program at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) to provide RD state offices with automatic funding for emergency recovery technical assistance after Presidential declared disasters take place in   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) led a group of senators advocating for the Biden Administration to finalize the mental health parity rules proposed last summer. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Assistant Secretary of Employee Benefits Security Administration Lisa Gomez, and Deputy Commissioner of the Interna  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, led 41 of their colleagues in sending a letter commending the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: On Tuesday evening, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) delivered remarks on the Senate Floor emphasizing the importance of passing the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that guarantees the right for people to obtain and use contraceptives and protects providers' rights to prescribe contraceptives and provide information related to contraception, free from government interference. Welch's remarks came ahead of t  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following statement on President Biden's new Executive Order on border security: "There is no question our immigration system is broken. Immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers--who are critical to the success of Vermont and America--face unimaginable risks in reaching our country, only to then face unimaginable bureaucratic delays once they're here. The implicat  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: BURLINGTON, VT - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today issued the following statement on the passing of Vermont State Senator Dick Sears: "No one contributed more to Bennington than the extraordinary Dick Sears. He brought strength and gentleness and judgment to all he did: From founding 204 Depot Street, which provided opportunities and life skills to troubled but promising young people in need of guidance;  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Wednesday evening, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to the Senate Floor to call for an end to the United States' support for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's war strategy that has not only caused massive death and destruction but has failed to achieve Netanyahu's objectives of eliminating Hamas and releasing the remaining hostages. In his remarks, he commended President Biden's support for the current c  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: This week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, joined U.S. Representatives Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10) and Alma Adams (D-NC-12) in introducing the bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act, legislation to help new farmers and ranchers address early financial challenges. The legislation directs the Farm Service Agency (F  more