'It's A Matter Of Life And Death': Bernie Sanders Attempts To Restore Key Funding Cut By Trump

Forbes Breaking News

At Wednesday's Senate Health Committee hearing, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) put forward an amendment to restore funding to reinstate terminated staff at a key energy.

Transcript

00:00We want to have another amendment they wish to bring up.

00:01Yeah, I got five amendments.

00:02Then please bring it up.

00:04I call up Sanders Amendment Number 11.

00:08Mr. Chairman, a few weeks ago, the Trump administration arbitrarily fired every federal worker

00:15who administers the bipartisan, low-income home energy assistance program.

00:21That's LIHEAP.

00:22Now, in cold-weather states like Vermont, LIHEAP is life and death for many people,

00:28especially senior citizens who need help keeping their homes warm in the wintertime.

00:36In hot-weather states, it is equally important when August comes

00:39and people need help maintaining air conditioning.

00:43What this amendment would do is immediately reinstate all of the LIHEAP staff that were terminated,

00:51reopen the Division of Energy Assistance that administers this program,

00:55and disperse all of the LIHEAP funds that Congress has appropriate.

01:00Being able to heat your home in the freezing cold and keep the air conditioner on in the extreme heat

01:04is not a luxury.

01:05It's a matter of life and death.

01:07I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment.

01:09This is a partisan amendment.

01:12The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act is focused on standardizing the definition of anti-Semitism

01:17for the enforcement of federal anti-discrimination laws.

01:21The legislation is not the place to consider potential funding, staffing, or organizational changes to HHS.

01:28While I recognize this is important to Senator Sanders, it's not within the scope.

01:31So, I move to table, S-558 amendment, Sanders number 11.

01:37Is there a sufficient second?

01:39There is.

01:40For clarification, a vote, a yes vote, means the amendment will be placed on the table

01:44and no longer considered for passage.

01:46I shall be voting yes.

01:47The clerk shall call the roll.

01:48Senator Paul?

01:49Aye.

01:50Senator Collins?

01:51Aye.

01:53Senator Murkowski?

01:53Aye.

01:54Senator Mullin?

01:55Aye.

01:56Senator Marshall?

01:56By proxy, by proxy, by proxy.

01:57I'm sorry.

01:58Senator Marshall?

01:59Yes.

02:00Senator Scott?

02:02Yes.

02:03Senator Hawley?

02:03Aye.

02:03By proxy.

02:04Senator Hawley?

02:05Aye.

02:05By proxy.

02:08Oh, sorry.

02:09Senator Tuberville?

02:10Aye.

02:10By proxy.

02:11Senator Banks?

02:12Aye.

02:12By proxy.

02:14Senator Houston?

02:15Yes.

02:16Senator Moody?

02:17Aye.

02:18By proxy.

02:19Senator Sanders?

02:20No.

02:21Senator Murray?

02:22No.

02:22By proxy.

02:23Senator Baldwin?

02:24No.

02:24By proxy.

02:25Senator Murphy?

02:27Senator Kaine?

02:28Yes.

02:29Senator Hassan?

02:30No.

02:31Senator Hickenlooper?

02:32No.

02:33Senator Markey?

02:34No.

02:35Senator Kim?

02:36No.

02:36Senator Blunt Rochester?

02:37No.

02:38Senator Ulsterbrooks?

02:39No.

02:39By proxy.

02:40Does...

02:41Chairman Cassidy?

02:43Cassidy votes yes to table.

02:45I have 12 ayes, 11 nays.

02:46No.

02:48Let's see.

02:56No.

02:57Not.

02:57No.

02:58No.

02:59No.

03:00Me.

03:01No.

03:01Not.

03:02No.

03:04No.

03:05No.

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Transcript

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