Bernard Sanders
Senator for Vermont · Independent · United States
“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote on an important resolution introduced by Senator Van Hollen--and I thank him for his work on this--introduced by myself and more than 20 of our colleagues. In January 2024, I introduced the first 502B resolution on Israel that received 11 votes.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“But we cannot talk about the West Bank without talking about what has gone on in Gaza. For nearly 3 years, the world has watched the Netanyahu government wage a genocide in Gaza. It has now killed at least 74,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children. It has wounded over 170,000 Palestinians.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“As Associate Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care, he oversaw a huge expansion of community health centers, leading and strengthening one of our Nation's most successful healthcare programs and ensuring that community health centers can continue providing high-quality care in un…”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“In Vermont, nearly one out of every three people receive their primary healthcare through a community healthcenter across over 90 sites--something that I and my fellow Vermonters are very proud of. I thank Jim for his support of Vermont's work to build a vibrant network of community health centers across our State.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“She first joined the NEA in 1981 as an eighth grade science teacher from Philadelphia and began her leadership journey as a local union president. She then served on the board of directors for NEA and the Pennsylvania State Education Association.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I would like to recognize the accomplishments and service of Becky Pringle as she concludes her final term as the president of the Nation's largest labor union, the National Education Association, NEA.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
The complete record
219 held · 63 searchable for Bernard Sanders. The searchable lines are below in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 2.
This is not an official version of US Congress proceedings. It reproduces the published record and links to it; the official version is the one US Congress publishes.
“Enough is enough. The United States cannot continue to bankroll this violence and look the other way, whether in Gaza or in the West Bank. It is time to end our complicity. I urge a ``yes'' vote and thank Senator Van Hollen for his leadership.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“But we cannot talk about the West Bank without talking about what has gone on in Gaza. For nearly 3 years, the world has watched the Netanyahu government wage a genocide in Gaza. It has now killed at least 74,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children. It has wounded over 170,000 Palestinians. In other words, more than 10 percent of the population of Gaza has either been killed or wounded in less than 3 years. But it is not just the massive attack on human life that we have observed. In this 3-year period, Israel has laid waste to the territory of Gaza and has almost completely destroyed the infrastructure there. It has destroyed homes, hospitals, schools, and water systems, and it has used starvation as a weapon of war. Cities like Rafah have been reduced to rubble.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote on an important resolution introduced by Senator Van Hollen--and I thank him for his work on this--introduced by myself and more than 20 of our colleagues. In January 2024, I introduced the first 502B resolution on Israel that received 11 votes. I have a feeling that we are going to get a lot more votes tonight. And the reason for that is that as the American people observe what is going on in Gaza, what is going on in the West Bank, they are becoming more and more disgusted and are demanding that the U.S. Congress act. My own view? No more military aid to the genocidal government of Netanyahu. The resolution that we are debating tonight concerns the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank and the killing of American citizens there with zero repercussions.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“She has been recognized for her leadership by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Action Network, American Association of University Women, and President Barack Obama's Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. Becky understands that public education is the backbone of American democracy, where all people come together to learn and grow. Thank you, President Pringle, for your tireless dedication to our Nation's teachers, students, and school leaders across the country. ____________________”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“She first joined the NEA in 1981 as an eighth grade science teacher from Philadelphia and began her leadership journey as a local union president. She then served on the board of directors for NEA and the Pennsylvania State Education Association. During her tenure as NEA president, she helped focus the Nation's attention on how the pandemic impacted our students, schools, teachers, education support professionals, and school leaders. Becky's determination also strengthened the labor movement and expanded worker power, fighting to grow NEA membership at a time when workers and public sector unions are under attack.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I would like to recognize the accomplishments and service of Becky Pringle as she concludes her final term as the president of the Nation's largest labor union, the National Education Association, NEA. Throughout her tenure, Becky's passion and purpose has united 3 million educators and their allies across the country to use their collective power to fight for the respect and dignity our educators deserve and to protect the promise of public education for all students. Becky has worked with the national union for more than 30 years.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“In Vermont, nearly one out of every three people receive their primary healthcare through a community healthcenter across over 90 sites--something that I and my fellow Vermonters are very proud of. I thank Jim for his support of Vermont's work to build a vibrant network of community health centers across our State. Over my years in the Senate and as chair and ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I have worked hard to expand community health centers. Jim has been an effective partner in these efforts throughout the years. As Jim begins this well-earned retirement, I extend my deepest gratitude for his dedication to improving our healthcare system and the health of millions of Americans. We owe him our thanks and respect. ____________________”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“As Associate Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care, he oversaw a huge expansion of community health centers, leading and strengthening one of our Nation's most successful healthcare programs and ensuring that community health centers can continue providing high-quality care in underserved communities across this country. Primary care is the backbone of our healthcare system. Community health centers make up a major portion of that backbone. While we have made great progress towards ensuring all people have access to the primary care they need, there is much more to be done. Community health centers provide affordable, quality primary medical, dental, and mental health care as well as access to low-cost prescription drugs to over 32 million people.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and thank Jim Macrae for his extraordinary career of public service and for his contributions to expanding access to primary care for all Americans. As he retires from the Health Resources and Services Administration after decades of dedicated leadership, he leaves behind a legacy that has made our healthcare system stronger. Throughout his career, Jim has been a tireless champion for community health centers and the millions of patients who rely on them for high- quality, affordable primary care.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Bottom line, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to differentiate truth from fiction. How can people make informed political decisions if that occurs? As we speak, all over this country, people are rising up against data centers in their own communities. They don't want to pay higher electric rates. They are worried about the impact of water. They are worried about the impact of noise and heat. And we are seeing people, whether they are Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Progressives saying no to these data centers. I hope very much we don't do what people did in that movie ``Don't Look Up.'' I hope while this massive revolution is taking place, which is going to transform our lives, I hope that we look up.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“We are back to the film ``Don't Look Up.'' Well, maybe we should look at what is going on on the internet right now--right now--this minute. The rise of deepfakes, convincing fake images, videos and audio, make it possible for bad actors to distort what elected officials and candidates are saying. And I suspect this is personal for many Members of the Senate who have had experience with this issue. And let me tell you, if you don't think this will ever happen to you, you are very mistaken. In a recent Republican congressional primary in Kentucky, a super PAC opposing Thomas Massie released an ad with deepfakes depicting him in a romantic relationship with female Members of Congress. It was a lie, but there were voters in Kentucky who believed that.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“But it is not only our kids' health; it is not only the economy. AI is threatening the very concept of privacy rights. You know, we hear on the floor of the Senate, time and time again: We are a free country; we are a free people. Well, let me give you the bad news. We are not quite as free as people think we are. For decades, companies have been collecting our personal information, what we search for online, where we visit, who we talk to, what we buy. Now AI-powered surveillance companies like Palantir make it possible for someone to quickly analyze all that information, find patterns, and create profiles of us. And by the way, it is not just the economy; it is not just our mental health; it is not just what is happening to our kids. AI is threatening our democracy.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Does anyone have any evidence whatsoever that this new technology will help our kids learn better? And it is not just the intellectual abilities of our kids that we should worry about; AI is also impacting their mental health. It is no great secret that millions of our children are struggling emotionally, and loneliness and depression are on the rise. There are many kids in America today whose best friends are not other children they know but AI bots. What does it mean for young people to form friendships with AI and become increasingly isolated from other human beings? Does anyone in America think the past 20 years of social media have been good for children's mental health and cognitive capabilities? Does anyone really think we should now entrust these same companies with even more power over our children's well-being and development?”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“We have testimony from employees at the major Big Tech companies-- like Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram--that the algorithms they developed were designed to addict kids to screens--addict kids to screens. A senior researcher at Meta, for example, called Instagram ``a drug.'' In other words, the Big Tech oligarchs are addicting our kids to screens so that they can make more and more money. They are sacrificing the health and well-being of our children for their increased wealth. And now, Big Tech companies are pushing AI and robots to replace teachers in our classrooms. Apparently, it is not good enough for them to addict our kids to screens, now they want to push AI and robots to replace teachers in classrooms. Do we, as a nation, really want AI robots teaching our kids?”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“College professors tell us their students cannot do middle school math or read long texts. That is where we are now. What got us here? Where are we going in the future? Experts increasingly point to the role of screens and technology. In America today--this is really--I keep questioning my staff about this, but they tell me that this is accurate. In America today, about 40 percent of children have a tablet by age 2. Forty percent of children have a tablet by age 2. The typical 5-year-old spends over 3\1/2\ hours per day on screens. Nearly all schools now provide devices in classrooms. What is going on here? Let us be clear: The extraordinary amount of time our young people spend on screens and the impact that that time on screens is having on them, all of this is not an accident.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“And what happens when millions of people lose their jobs, their meaning, and their purpose, and their source of connection to each other? And work is just one aspect of what we are talking about. What happens when people live through their screens? Their major form of social interaction is not with other people but with screens and artificial intelligence, talking to chatbots, instead of other people. Further, AI and robotics are threatening the very well-being of our kids. Let us be frank: Even before the widespread deployment of AI, children in our country are struggling. There are a lot of reasons for that, but the evidence is clear. They are struggling. Today, high school kids have the lowest reading scores in 30 years. The writing skills of our children are in decline, as are their cognitive capabilities.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“How will they be able to find new jobs if there are no jobs to find? If AI and robotics eliminate millions of jobs and create massive unemployment, how will people survive if they have no income? If people are not employed and if they are not paying taxes, what happens to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other essential government services funded by these taxes? But it is not just employment that I am worried about and that the American people are worried about. AI and robotics threaten our emotional well-being, who we are as human beings, how we relate to each other. In many cases, work is one of the ways that we connect to each other. Whether we are doctors or taxicab drivers, we all want to serve our community, and we want to be productive members of society. That gives our lives purpose.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Microsoft has laid off 20,000 workers. Meta has laid off 18,000--et cetera, et cetera. Researchers have found that new companies using AI have about 25 percent fewer employees than comparable companies. In other words, the AI revolution is already making it harder for people to find decent- paying jobs, and we are only in the beginning stage of this revolution. Let me be clear. The AI oligarchs do not want to just replace specific jobs. They want to replace workers. That is the goal. According to OpenAI's charter, its mission is to build ``highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work.'' If OpenAI is successful in building ``highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically value work,'' I have a very simple question: What happens to those workers who are replaced?”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Waymo is already operating self- driving cars in 10 major cities and, along with other driverless car companies, intends to expand rapidly. What does that mean? Well, say goodbye to taxicab drivers, Uber drivers, truckdrivers, and busdrivers all across the country--those jobs, gone. As the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I released a well-researched report finding that AI automation and robotics could replace nearly 100 million American jobs over the next decade, including 40 percent of truckdrivers, 64 percent of accountants, and 89 percent of fast-food workers, among many other occupations. These are not just theoretical concerns. We are already starting to see the impact of AI and robotics on workers. Amazon and Oracle have laid off 30,000 workers each.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“And it is not just data centers. When pollsters ask how people feel about AI, there is enormous and growing apprehension. A recent Quinnipiac poll found 55 percent of Americans think AI will do more harm than good, and only 5 percent think AI development is being led by people and organizations that represent their interests. Let me give you some of the reasons--just some--as to why the overwhelming majority of Americans are deeply concerned about the rapid development of AI and robotics. The American people feel, with 70 percent numbers in a recent poll, that AI will lead to fewer jobs, and they are quite right about their concerns.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Over the past year, I have spoken with workers and union leaders, computer scientists, psychologists, religious leaders, environmentalists, and privacy experts about AI and robotics. And while each of these people may be focusing on a different aspect of the overall situation, they all agree that the unregulated race to develop more and more powerful AI represents a profound threat to humanity. This is exactly what the average American today is telling us. Recently, a poll came out from the publication Heatmap which expresses an enormous change in sentiment with regard to data centers. Whereas, a year ago, Americans were evenly split on whether they supported building a data center near where they live, there is now a 50-point gap, with 71 percent of Americans opposed to building a data center near where they live.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Is it because they want to make sure that all Americans have access to healthcare as a human right and that we successfully address the crises we face in housing, education, and so many other areas? Is that why these multibillionaires are pushing this revolution? Maybe, but I doubt it. I think the answer is quite obvious, and everybody in America knows it. These multibillionaires are investing in AI and robotics because they want to become even wealthier and even more powerful than they are today. That is what is motivating these investments. I think it is enormously important that we take a hard look at what an uncontrolled AI push by the wealthiest people in our country will mean to ordinary Americans.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“And who is going to get hurt by it? And the answers to those questions are not complicated. At a time in American history when we have more income and wealth inequality than we have ever had before, the AI revolution is being pushed by the very wealthiest people in our country, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, and Larry Ellison. And why are these multibillionaires investing many hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars into AI and robotics? Is it because they want to improve human life? Is it because they want to address the economic struggles facing the 60 percent of our people who are living paycheck to paycheck--Americans who are struggling to pay for groceries, healthcare, housing, and education?”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“This time, we are not talking about a fictional comet. What we are talking about is artificial intelligence which will almost certainly be the most transformational technology in the history of humanity. It will profoundly impact the life of every man, woman, and child in our country. The scale, scope, and speed of this transformation will be unprecedented. Nearly every day, there is a news story about how AI is already transforming the world--from our economy to its impact on our kids, to our privacy rights, to our political institutions, to the existential threat that it poses to the entire world. Let us take a deep breath. When we think about AI, the first question that we have to ask ourselves is a pretty simple one: Who is pushing this revolutionary transformation of society? Who is going to benefit from it?”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, a couple of years ago, as you may recall, there was a movie--a film--that came out called ``Don't Look Up,'' starring Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film was about a large comet heading to Earth that would destroy the entire planet, and the astronomers who discovered the comet kept trying to gain the attention of people and explain to them what was happening and the need for immediate and bold action to save the planet. In that movie, they failed, and the planet was destroyed. That was a movie. Now, let me tell you about something that is not a movie, not fiction but reality. I fear that we are living through the same scenario that existed in the movie. People, especially their elected representatives, are not paying attention, and the results could be catastrophic.”
Senate23 July 2026Source ↗
“I am not aware that in the so-called mandate of President Trump--and, by the way, he got millions of votes less than Joe Biden got 4 years previously. I don't recall that during the campaign, Trump went around the country saying: Hey, elect me, and then I will lay off 83,000 workers at the Veterans' Administration. Yes, we all want the VA to operate more efficiently, but the idea that you can lay off 83,000 employees and make that happen is absurd. The truth is, again, before Trump took office, we had a significant shortage in the number of doctors, nurses, mental health counselors, and other practitioners. So it is disturbing to me that anyone who claims to be supporting veterans in this country and the sacrifices they have made would object to this amendment, this resolution. I yield the floor.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“165, which was submitted earlier today; further, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The bottom line: Do not lay off 83,000 employees at the Veterans' Administration.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Nobody in their right mind thinks that just firing 83,000 people is the way to go. And let me be very clear: Mr. Musk has made it public that he thinks that we should privatize anything that can be privatized. There are people--not all people--in the Republican Party who eventually want to privatize Social Security. We are looking at $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid that dismantle that very important healthcare organization. And if anybody thinks that the laying off of 83,000 employees of the VA--the lowering of quality of care that our veterans will receive--is not a prelude to the movement to privatize the VA, you would be surely mistaken. So with that, Madam President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“that are already having a detrimental impact on the services that veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases like ALS and MS rely on.'' The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, said: We are extremely concerned about the leaked proposal to arbitrarily eliminate 80,000 VA employees. That is what some of the major veterans organizations are saying, and I have talked to all of the--virtually all of the--veterans organizations. And they are deeply, deeply, deeply concerned about the cuts that we have seen and the cuts that Musk is proposing. So this is not a difficult issue. Everybody here wants to make the VA more efficient. The way you do that is to come up with some plans. You work with the Veterans Committee, and you see how we can make the VA more efficient.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“I am the former chair of the Veterans' Committee, and I have been honored to talk to veterans of Vermont and all over this country. In Vermont, what they tell me is there is enormous pride in the quality of care they get at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT, and as well in the community-based outreach clinics that exist all over our State. And I expect, with some exceptions, that is true all over the country. The bottom line is, veterans appreciate the care that they get at the VA. They want it improved, but they appreciate it, and they do not believe that there should be massive cuts to the Veterans' Administration. The truth is that in fiscal year 2024, before Trump took office, the VA reported over 36,000 vacancies, including 2,400 doctors, 6,300 registered nurses, 1,800 social workers, and 1,200 custodians.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“When you fire 83,000 employees, no one, nobody believes that anything else will happen but that there will be a deterioration in the quality of healthcare our veterans receive or a delay in the benefits they have earned. Now, I have heard criticism of the VA. The VA is the largest healthcare system in America. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Does it have its problems? Of course it does. But compared to what? Compared to the American healthcare system, which is the most expensive in the world? a system in which 83 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured? where 60,000 people die each year? where we have the lowest life expectancy of any other major country on Earth? So, no, the VA is not perfect. It needs improvement. But I will tell you that in the State of Vermont, I talk to a lot of veterans.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, let me cut to the chase, and I will try to be brief here. We hear a lot of talk on the floor of the Senate about patriotism, about love of country, about how we all have to work together for the common good. It would seem to me that when we talk about those who sacrificed, those who have put their lives on the line to defend this country, we are talking about the men and women in America who are veterans. Yet what we have seen in the last month from the President and from Elon Musk is a chain saw approach to essentially destroy the Veterans' Administration, and that is, there are plans afoot--public; no one is debating the numbers--they want to fire 83,000 employees.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“To my Democratic colleagues, I would mention that in that same poll, just 8 percent of Democrats support increasing military aid to Israel. And, I think, as Democrats have held town meetings over the last year, they have heard from those people. Eight percent of Democrats support what we are doing now, more military aid for Israel. Forty-seven percent support decreasing military aid to Israel or stopping it entirely--8 percent, increasing, Democrats; 47 percent, decreasing military aid. Among Republicans, 9 percent are for decreasing military aid and 15 percent for stopping all--24 percent for stopping or decreasing all military aid. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed this poll in the Record.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“For those of my colleagues who may be ambivalent, not quite sure how they want to vote on these resolutions, let me say a word about how the Trump administration is ignoring the law in advancing these arms sales in terms of the process. Unlike Biden, whose policies on Gaza I strongly opposed--and I stood right here, at this location, strongly opposing what Biden was doing in terms of military aid to Israel. But unlike Biden, President Trump is trying to circumvent Congress with these transfers, ignoring the Foreign Assistance Act by issuing a bogus emergency declaration--an emergency declaration to bypass congressional review. There is no emergency to justify cutting Congress out of the process. In fact, some of the systems the Trump administration claims are part of this emergency sale have not yet been produced.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“It is simply against our laws. Despite all of that, in the last month, the Trump administration has announced its intention to transfer some $12.5 billion more in offensive weapons--not defensive weapons, offensive weapons--to Netanyahu's government, in clear violation of U.S. law. And that is why we are here today. Joint resolutions of disapproval--which is what we are dealing with right now--are Congress's tool to enforce American law. Today, we will vote on two resolutions to block two of the most egregious of these Trump administration offensive arms sales, which would provide almost $9 billion more in heavy bombs and other munitions to Netanyahu, including more than 35,000--35,000--massive 2,000-pound bombs that have killed so many civilians. The first resolution, S.J. Res.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“These bombs have a blast radius of more than 350 meters, yet Israel has dropped them into crowded apartment buildings, killing hundreds of civilians, to take out a handful of Hamas fighters. All of that is illegal and immoral and against American law. The Foreign Assistance Act, which is what we are talking about today, and the Arms Export Control Act, what we are talking about today, are very clear. The United States cannot provide weaponry to countries that violate internationally recognized human rights or block U.S. humanitarian aid. According to the U.N., much of the international community, and every humanitarian organization on the ground in Gaza, Israel is clearly in violation of these laws. Under these circumstances, it is illegal for the U.S. Government to provide Israel with more offensive weaponry.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“You are really concerned about what China, Russia, Saudi Arabia may be doing? Hey, take a look at what you supported in Gaza and the billions of dollars in aid you gave to Netanyahu's government. Today is the day to stand up to barbarism in Gaza and to do our best to prevent future barbaric acts all over the world. It is no secret to anyone how these U.S. weapons have been used. Israel has bombed indiscriminately, killing civilians, journalists--a whole lot of journalists have been killed--paramedics, children, and humanitarian workers in record numbers. They have used massive 2,000- pound bombs in densely populated Gaza, despite the fact that studies show that 90 percent of victims of explosive weapons used in a populated area are civilians.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“We are deeply complicit in all of this death and suffering. Last year alone, the United States provided $18 billion in military aid to Israel and delivered more than 50,000 tons of military equipment. It is American bombs and American military equipment that are being used to destroy Gaza, kill 50,000 people, and injure over 110,000 people. We cannot hide from that reality. If we condone the barbarism that is taking place in Gaza today, we will have no standing in the world to condemn the horrors and war crimes that other countries may commit. You are not going to be able to look at China or Russia or Saudi Arabia or any other country and say: Look, how terrible. Look at what they are doing to the children, to the women, to innocent people. We will have no credibility because they will come back and say: Really?”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“And it is pushing things toward an even deeper catastrophe. Earlier this week, 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme were forced to close because they ran out of flour and cooking gas. The U.N. is still trying to deliver its remaining stocks of food already in Gaza but says ``that the situation remains extremely critical since the cargo closure of the crossings almost a month ago.'' All of this is unconscionable. What we are talking about is a mass atrocity, and what makes it even worse, and why I am here today and why I have introduced the resolutions that we will soon be voting on, is that we, as Americans, are deeply complicit in all that is happening in Gaza. This is not some terrible event. This is not an earthquake in Myanmar. It is not something that we had nothing to do with.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“There has been no electricity in Gaza for 17 months, no electricity. Put simply, Netanyahu and his extremist government have killed or wounded over 7 percent of Gaza's population and has turned Gaza into a wasteland unfit for human life. That is what has been going on over the last year and a half. In terms of where we are today, right now, the Netanyahu government broke the cease-fire 2 weeks ago, endangering the well-being of the remaining hostages held by Hamas. Further, in the last 2 weeks, they have intensified their assaults against the Palestinian people. According to UNICEF, since Netanyahu broke the cease-fire, more than a thousand people have been killed, including over 300 children, and more than 600 children have been wounded in the last short period of time.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“I have met repeatedly with doctors, American doctors and others, who have served in Gaza, and they are treating hundreds of patients a day without electricity, without anesthesia, without clean water, including dozens of children arriving with gunshot wounds to the head. I have seen the photographs and the videos. Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been totally devastated, including almost 90 percent of water and sanitation facilities. Most of the roads in Gaza have been destroyed or made impassable. Gaza's educational system has been obliterated. Children are not going to school. According to the World Bank, more than 2,000 educational facilities ranging from kindergartens to universities have been destroyed. Hundreds of schools have been bombed, as has every single one of Gaza's 12 universities.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Israel's indiscriminate bombardment has damaged or destroyed two- thirds of all structures in Gaza, including 92 percent of the housing units--as you can see from this photo. Ain't a whole lot left. I don't know why they need any more bombs; they basically destroyed the entire area. Nothing much left to be destroyed. Almost no part of Gaza has been left unscathed. Most of the population now is living in tents or other makeshift structures. Most of the territory's hospitals and primary healthcare facilities have been bombed, leaving virtually all Gazans without basic medical care at a time when bombs are flying and people are being wounded, and think about what that means.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Let us be clear: Prime Minister Netanyahu's racist and extremist government has waged an all-out, barbaric war against the Palestinian people and made life unlivable in Gaza. Within Gaza's population of just 2.2 million people, more than 50,000 have been killed and more than 113,000 have been injured, 60 percent of whom are women, children, and elderly people. That is 7.4 percent of the population of Gaza killed or wounded--7.4 percent in a year and a half. If those same percentages were applied to the United States, in terms of a horrible war where our people were killed or wounded, it would mean that over 25 million Americans would have been killed or wounded. In total, since this war began, 15,000 children--children--in Gaza have been killed, and today there are some 17,000 orphans. But it is not just the dead and the wounded.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“President, I trust that every American and certainly every Member of the Senate understands that Hamas, a terrorist organization, began this terrible war with its barbaric October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 innocent people and took 250 hostages. The International Criminal Court was correct in indicting the leaders of Hamas as war criminals for those atrocities. Clearly, Israel had the right to defend itself against Hamas. But most Americans also understand that while Israel had a right to wage war against Hamas, it did not and does not have the right to wage war against the entire Palestinian population, and, tragically, that is exactly what we have seen over the last year and a half.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Now, given all of that, I would hope that Democrats and Republicans who understand that they were elected to protect the interests of their constituents, not billionaire campaign contributors, would support the ending of Citizens United and would move us toward public funding of elections so billionaires could not continue to control the political and legislative process. Further, I would hope that both parties would move to end super PAC funding in their primaries, keep the super PAC money, Musk money, AIPAC money out of the Democrat and Republican primaries. I would hope that that would be the case so that we can, once again, become a government of the people, by the people, for the people, and not a government run by the billionaire class. Israel Mr.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“If you are a Democrat, you have to worry about the billionaires who fund AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. If you vote against Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his horrific war in Gaza, AIPAC will punish you with millions of dollars in advertisements and other ways to see that you are defeated. AIPAC's PAC and super PAC spent nearly $127 million combined during the 2023-2024 election cycle, according to the Federal Election Commission. And I must confess that AIPAC has been successful. Last year, they defeated two Members of the U.S. House who opposed providing military aid to Netanyahu's extremist government.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, let me begin by telling the American people something that they already know, and that is, as a result of the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, we now have a corrupt campaign finance system that allows billionaires to buy elections and to influence major pieces of legislation. That, I think, is not a secret to the American people. If you are a Republican and you vote against the Trump-Musk administration in one way or another, you have got to look over your shoulder and worry that you are going to get a call from Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, and he will tell you that if you vote against what he wants, he will spend unlimited amounts of money to defeat you in the next election. That is not a great secret. That is what Musk has been saying publicly.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate debate the motions concurrently with all other provisions from yesterday's order remaining in effect.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to resume legislative session.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“This is an opportunity to tell the American people that we are aware of the healthcare crisis; we are at least trying to do something. And I would yield back to Senator Wyden.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗