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Rep. Becca Balint Votes to Advance Bipartisan Housing Package to Address Affordability Crisis

Thu, 21 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), a consistent and outspoken advocate for building affordable housing, voted in favor of H. Res. 1299, amended legislation to strengthen and advance the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), a comprehensive package to expand housing supply, improve affordability, and strengthen protections for renters and homeowners.

“For so many Vermonters, renting or owning a home is simply unaffordable right now. That’s why expanding access to affordable housing for Vermonters is one of my top priorities in Congress and I’m committed to leading on solutions that meet the scale of this crisis,” said Rep. Balint. “This bill strengthens housing supply and affordability, but our work cannot stop here—I will keep pushing for bold change for working families in our state and across the country.”

The United States is currently facing a severe housing shortage, with an estimated 4.7 million home gap nationwide. Rising housing costs have placed increasing pressure on families, with millions of renters and homeowners spending a significant portion of their income on housing and a growing number at risk of foreclosure or displacement.

H. Res. 1299 takes a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges by:

Expanding financing and support for new housing development, including multifamily, manufactured, and rural housing;
Removing barriers that slow down housing construction and limit supply;
Strengthening protections for renters, including the creation of a renter resource center and dispute hotline;
Supporting community financial institutions that play a key role in financing housing and local development;
Encouraging innovative housing solutions, including modular construction; and,
Improving federal programs aimed at reducing homelessness.

The legislation also includes provisions to limit excessive corporate ownership of single-family homes while ensuring continued housing construction and avoiding policies that could lead to widespread evictions.

Rep. Balint has consistently emphasized the need for bold, practical solutions to bring down housing costs and ensure that more Americans have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes. As a part of that work, Rep. Balint introduced the Community Housing Act, a comprehensive plan to invest in housing supply, support renters, and ensure that affordable homes remain accessible for generations to come. In addition to supporting investments in housing supply, she also introduced the End Rent Fixing Act to stop corporations from using price-fixing algorithms to raise rents on working families.

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Reps. Balint, Salinas Lead Lawmakers Demanding Answers from HHS on Reported Plan to “Deprescribe” Psychiatric Medications

Tue, 19 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), led a group of 14 lawmakers in sending a letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), expressing opposition to the agency’s reported plans to promote the “deprescribing” of psychiatric medications.

The lawmakers warn that Secretary Kennedy’s campaign to “deprescribe” psychiatric medications undermines access to evidence-based mental health care for patients who rely on psychiatric medications. They urge the administration to ensure that any guidance remains grounded in science and centered on patient safety.

“Secretary Kennedy’s attacks on psychiatric medications are dangerous and wrong," said Rep. Balint. "Mental health care is health care. People deserve access to treatment that’s grounded in science and guided by their doctors - not by the Secretary’s personal opinions, politics, stigma, or misinformation.”

“The decision for a patient to stop taking an SSRI should be between the patient and their doctor. End of story,” said Rep. Salinas, Co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus. “SSRIs and other psychiatric medications are life-sustaining care for millions of Americans, and any federal guidance on mental health treatment must be rooted in science, not stigma, ideology, or one man’s personal experience. Secretary Kennedy’s approach risks confusing patients, undermining trust in public health, and disrupting care for people who need support. HHS must clarify its plans, protect access to evidence-based treatment, and ensure these deeply personal decisions remain between patients and their doctors.”

“We write with serious concern and vehement opposition to your stated intent to promote ‘deprescribing’ of psychiatric medications to reduce what you have mischaracterized as an overuse of antidepressants,” the letter states.

They emphasized that psychiatric medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro, are some of the leading treatments for depression and anxiety and are approved for psychological treatment by leading medical organizations.

“Psychiatric medications like antidepressants and other evidence-based treatments are, for many Americans, not ‘optional interventions.’ These treatments are essential, life-sustaining care,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter challenges recent public statements Sec. Kennedy has made that encourage medication tapering, which undermines trust in public health guidance and can harm patients’ health and safety. Efforts to “deprescribe" psychiatric medicines creates confusion among patients, increases stigma around mental health, and disrupts treatment that is critical for those with mental and behavioral health issues.

“These are unequivocally false and destructive claims, and they undermine trust in our nation’s public health institutions,” the letter states.

“Encouraging Americans to ‘deprescribe’ risks patients abruptly stopping their medication, which can cause relapse, withdrawal complications, or increased suicide risk,” they wrote.

The members urged HHS to focus on reforming structural challenges in mental health care to improve treatment access, instead of oversimplifying our nation’s mental health crisis by solely emphasizing medication reduction.

“The Health and Human Services Department should focus on the systemic drivers of our nation’s mental health crisis, which are persistent barriers to care, workforce shortages, and unaffordable access to comprehensive treatment,” the letter reads.

Lawmakers asked HHS to detail safeguards for patients, including protections against inappropriate pressure to discontinue treatment and assurances that clinical decisions remain between patients and providers.

They concluded by calling for transparency and collaboration with clinicians, patients, and Congress to ensure continued access to mental health care.

“I urge the administration to clarify its approach and work with clinicians, patients, and Congress to ensure that all Americans have access to the mental health care that they need,” the lawmakers wrote.

Representatives Balint and Salinas were joined by signers Representatives Beyer (VA-08), Cleaver (MO-05), Elfreth (MD-03), Garcia (CA-42), Goldman (NY-10), Kelly (IL-02), Moulton (MA-06), Ramirez (IL-03), Thanedar (MI-13), Tlaib (MI-12), Tonko(NY-20), Underwood (IL-14), Velazquez (NY-07), Watson Coleman (NY-12).

The full text of the letter can be viewed here.

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Vermont Congressional Delegation Announces Over $20 Million in FEMA Funding to Help Vermont Rebuild and Recover from 2023 Floods

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), today announced the delivery of $20.83 million in federal funding, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support the Vermont Agency for Transportation (VTrans) and the City of Montpelier to repair damage caused by severe storms, flooding, and washouts in July 2023.

The federal funding will deliver nearly $12 million in long-overdue funding to support permanent repairs to Montpelier’s City Hall, Fire Department, Police Department Buildings, and Fire Department Sidewalk and Ramp. VTrans will receive an additional $9 million to help rebuild portions of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail and the Washington County railroad.

“The 2023 floods were brutal, causing long-lasting damage for Vermonters and Vermont communities. This newly released federal funding, totaling more than $20 million, will help repair Montpelier’s hard-hit municipal buildings and state rail and trail infrastructure. Much of this funding was delayed by FEMA for years—it never should have taken so long to get to Montpelier, and is a glaring example of how this agency needs reform. We will continue to fight for the FEMA funding our state needs, and will work with new leadership at the agency to deliver the assistance Vermonters need to fully rebuild and recover,” said the Vermont Delegation.

The federal funding grants announced include:

$11,782,017 to the City of Montpelier to repair severe damage the capital’s City Hall, Fire Department and fire station concrete ramp/sidewalk, and Police Department buildings as a result of severe flooding in July 2023. This funding will help restore these facilities back to their pre-disaster design, capacity, and function utilizing current codes and standards, including repairing damage to windows, interior and exterior doors, drywall, insulation, flooring, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, stairs, and more. The project includes a hazard mitigation proposal (HMP) to reduce the risk of future damage by adopting multiple wet and dry floodproofing measures.
$6,168,905.58 to the Vermont Agency for Transportation (VTrans) to repair a culvert on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail that was washed away by floodwater in July 2023.
$2,880,995.41 to the Vermont Agency for Transportation (VTrans) to rebuild railroad ballast and associated embankments along the railroad in Washington County, which was damaged by flooding in July 2023.

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Balint, Welch Host Roundtable on Election Integrity with Vermont Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas and Vermont Town Clerks

Thu, 07 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

SHELBURNE, VT – U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Vice Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, alongside U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committees, today hosted a roundtable discussion at the Shelburne Town Offices with Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Town Clerks to defend the integrity of free and fair elections in Vermont.

“Our town clerks are the backbone of our democracy,” said Rep. Balint. “At a time when there’s widespread misinformation about elections, it’s especially important for Vermonters to hear directly from the people who administer our elections. They are dedicated public servants who do their work with care, transparency, and integrity. I appreciated the opportunity to hear from our state and local officials today about the safeguards already in place and the challenges they’re addressing. I know Vermonters want us all to keep working together to keep our elections free, fair, and secure.”

“The SAVE America Act is a scam—it’s a bill in search of a problem. Representative Balint and I know it, and so do Vermont’s leaders, town clerks, and voters. In Vermont, our town clerks are on the front lines of protecting our democracy, and their hard work is essential to continuing our state’s proud history of high voter participation and secure elections. This bill would jeopardize that legacy by endangering the rights of thousands of eligible Vermonters to exercise their right to vote,” said Senator Welch. “President Trump and Republicans’ push for this bill—which would disenfranchise millions of voters right before the 2026 midterm elections—is no accident. We’re doing everything in our power to kill this bill, keep the integrity of Vermont’s elections strong, and ensure that every eligible voter can exercise their fundamental right to have a say in our democracy.”

Town Clerks from Burlington, St. Johnsbury, Winooski, Brattleboro, Morrisville, and Shelburne attended to discuss the voting process and share the many steps taken to ensure fair, secure elections in Vermont. Diana Vachon, Shelburne Town Clerk, is the President of the Vermont Municipal Clerks’ and Treasurers’ Association (VMCTA).

View photos from the event here.

The Vermont Congressional Delegation opposes to President Trump’s executive orders on voting and Republicans’ Save America Act, which threaten to block millions of U.S. citizens from voting—disproportionately impacting women, people of color, seniors, and rural voters—and make it harder to register and vote by disrupting online registration and eliminating universal mail-in voting.

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Rep. Becca Balint Votes No on House Farm Bill, Citing Cuts to Nutrition Assistance and Missed Opportunities for Rural Housing and Working Families

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) voted against a partisan Farm Bill that fails to meet the needs of rural communities and working families. Rep. Balint offered two amendments related to affordable housing and both were rejected by House Republicans.

Every five years, Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill, which impacts both farmers and families across the country. But the bill passed by House Republicans last week locks in cuts to SNAP that take food assistance away from millions, while failing to deliver meaningful relief for small and midsize farmers facing rising costs. It also cuts conservation funding and undermines investments in rural communities.

“As written, this bill did not meet the moment,” said Rep. Balint. “It weakens food assistance at a time when too many families are already struggling with the cost of groceries, and it falls short in addressing the long-term challenges facing rural communities. We should be lowering costs, strengthening local agriculture, and expanding opportunity—not moving in the opposite direction.”

Rep. Balint offered two amendments to the bill that would have advanced investments in rural housing stability and homeownership opportunities that are urgently needed in Vermont and across the country. Republicans rejected the amendments.

Her proposals included:

Balint Amendment 199 - which would have strengthened pathways to homeownership by investing in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) homeownership program and the USDA Section 502 Direct Loan Program, helping renters and rural residents build long-term housing stability and equity.
Balint Amendment 203 - which would have permanently authorized the USDA Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) program to protect and preserve affordable rural rental housing, while also addressing the growing crisis of expiring USDA rental assistance contracts that put low-income residents at risk of displacement.

Rep. Balint is commitment to advancing legislation that better supports farmers of all sizes, protects nutrition assistance, strengthens conservation programs, and invests in the long-term stability of rural communities.

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Rep. Balint Introduces War Powers Resolution to End War of Choice in Iran

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) today introduced a War Powers Resolution to bring an end to Trump’s illegal war of choice in Iran that has cost American taxpayers an estimated $25 billion since its start.

“Americans don’t even know why we are in this war, and neither does Congress,” said Rep. Balint. "This unauthorized war is yet another example of the Trump administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to consolidate power. At a time when Americans have told us everything is too expensive, it is shameful that we are wasting upwards of a billion dollars a day on this. We need it to end, to bring our servicemembers back to safety, and to get Congress and this administration to focus on lowering the cost of living here at home. Today, I introduced a War Powers Resolution which would direct the President to stop the use of U.S. Armed Forces in Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war from Congress. It is essential to hold every member of Congress accountable for allowing this war to continue and put them on record for the American people to see.”

Rep. Balint joins the efforts of Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) members, including Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), John Garamendi (CA-08), and Chuy Garcia (IL-04), who are working in coordination to force votes in Congress on bringing the war in Iran to an end. War Powers Resolutions are privileged in the House of Representatives, meaning that this resolution will get a vote on the House floor in the coming weeks.

Congresswoman Balint has been vocal in her opposition to the war since its beginning. Most recently, she slammed Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought in a Budget Committee hearing for the President’s request of $350 billion to continue funding the Iran war – the same cost of extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits for another ten years. In the two months since the beginning of the war, gas prices in Vermont have increased by 34%, and have reached their highest peak nationally in four years.

The text of the War Powers Resolution can be viewed here.

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Balint Leads CPC Task Force Hearing on Taxing Corporate Greed, Calls for Fairer Tax Code

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Ending Corporate Greed Task Force, convened a shadow hearing this week on “Visions of an Affordable Life: Taxing Corporate Greed,” bringing together lawmakers and policy experts to examine how the current tax code fuels corporate profiteering and deepening inequality, and to outline potential solutions to ensure the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.

At the hearing, Members and witnesses underscored how rising costs for working families are being driven by a tax system that rewards corporations and billionaires while leaving everyday Americans behind.

“As a former history teacher, I often mention that we are in a second Gilded Age. And we have a responsibility to do things differently because it doesn't end well. The tax code is at the center of this problem,” said Rep. Balint. “If we're serious about making life more affordable and more manageable, which I am and which everyone here today is, then we have to make sure that taxes are a way to even the playing field for Americans.”

“I think it is on us as Democrats, on our side of the aisle, to say no we understand this has been a long time in coming. This is a problem that we have not tended to enough and that's how we got here,” Balint continued. “It doesn't make any sense for us to get the gavels back if we don't use that power to make this a more fair and equitable economy...you shouldn’t have to be super wealthy and well-connected to have a good life in this country."

Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Co-Chair of the Task Force, emphasized the role of corporate influence in shaping tax policy.

“My Republican colleagues hear what we hear when we do town halls, yet we see these policies move forward that totally ignore what [the witnesses] just talked about today,” said Rep. McGovern. “My view is that is it not that they are ignorant about what the realities are, it is that they’re bought and they’re owned by corporate special interests. It’s the money in politics.”

Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Co-Chair, highlighted how the current tax code reflects misplaced priorities.

“A tax code is a statement of our values, and our values are completely upside down right now,” said Rep. Dexter. “It needs to create a stable foundation for families and communities to have what they need. Instead, our current system has rewarded the wealthiest Americans and corporations, short-changes workers, as we've heard, and concentrated wealth and power at the top.”

Witnesses provided data and firsthand perspectives on the consequences of an inequitable tax system.

“Americans are deeply frustrated with the tax code, not because taxes exist, but because the system feels rigged. They see corporations posting record profits while paying effective rates well below what a teacher or a nurse pays. They see billionaires treating the tax code like a game that they always win while their own costs for housing, healthcare, and childcare keep climbing,” said Elizabeth Wilkins, President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute. “That sense of unfairness is corrosive. It doesn't just make people angry about taxes, it erodes their belief in their government and that their government works for them at all.”

Kristen Crowell, Executive Director of Families Over Billionaires, spoke to the lived experiences of working families.

“The decisions that are made here in Washington, D.C. don’t stay here in Washington. They land on our kitchen tables, in community health clinics, and in the lives of ordinary people all across the country,” said Crowell. “This is not Democrats and Republicans from a voter perspective. That is over. It is class warfare. And that's what it feels like to families. They feel under attack.”

Zorka Milin, Policy Director at the FACT Coalition, outlined how corporations exploit loopholes.

“We analyzed this treasure trove of fresh tax data and found that 40 major American corporations reduced their tax bills by more than $11 billion through tax havens last year alone,” said Milin. “These findings confirm that our tax code fails to stop big corporations from moving their profits offshore at enormous costs to our federal revenues and domestic jobs. This isn't America first. It's corporations first, Americans last.”

Corey Husak, Director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress, pointed to structural inequities in the tax system.

“Voters say the rich aren't paying their fair share, and they're right,” said Husak. “Wall Street investors already have access to low capital gains rates. Why do they need exemptions from even paying that? Many pass-through business owners, like the president, are billionaires. Why do they need a pass-through deduction giving them lower marginal tax rates than their own workers?”

Elizabeth Watson, Director of Federal Government Affairs at AFSCME, emphasized the broader impact of inequality.

“Wealth inequality in America just reached a 30-year high. Today, one-third of wealth in the US is held by 1% of Americans,” said Watson. “These rich Americans have a powerful lobby in Congress fighting to rig the tax code in their favor. They're fighting to make it nearly impossible for working people to collectively bargain for their fair share.”

Together, members and witnesses made clear that fixing the tax code is central to lowering costs, restoring fairness, and rebuilding trust in government.

Background

The CPC Ending Corporate Greed Task Force is focused on developing and advancing policies to hold corporations and billionaires accountable, including efforts on tax fairness, antitrust enforcement, price gouging, money in politics, and financial regulation.

The full livestream of the hearing can be viewed here.

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Rep. Balint Statement on Trump Firing Pam Bondi as Attorney General

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), Vice Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after reporting that President Trump has removed Pam Bondi from her position as Attorney General:

“Pam Bondi drove the Justice Department into the ground and should have been removed long ago. Under her leadership, corruption and incompetence reigned. Bondi did not pursue justice on behalf of all Americans, she worked to cover up the misdeeds of the President and his ultra wealthy friends. She led political purges of career prosecutors, let white collar criminals off the hook, forced out those who would not agree to go along with pay-to-play schemes, and failed the Epstein survivors. Being fired, however, is not a ‘fix all.’ Congress still has a responsibility to hold her accountable for her wrongdoing, and I will continue pushing for that oversight.

“I also have serious concerns about the path forward for the Department and have doubts about whether Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche or rumored successor Lee Zeldin will change the course of the Department. I will be watching closely.

“The public made their voices heard on both Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi and it made a real difference. We need to keep showing up, keep demanding better, and keep holding those in power accountable, including other cabinet officials.”

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Balint and Wyden Introduce Bill to Strengthen Protections for Journalists Against Unreasonable Government Searches

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill on Friday to strengthen privacy protections against unreasonable government searches and seizures that could chill reporting critical of the government. The bill follows Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) raiding the home of a Washington Post reporter.

“This is the most corrupt administration in history, and we only know that because journalists have been doing the tireless work of delivering truth and transparency to the American people,” Balint said. “A free press serves an essential role in our democracy, which is why it is protected by our Constitution. We need to close the loopholes that have allowed administrations to strong-arm and intimidate journalists, and I am proud to work with Senator Wyden to do just that.”

“My father was a journalist who escaped Nazi Germany. He taught me you can’t have a functioning democracy without a free press,” Wyden said. “Our bill sends a clear message that government agents have no business seizing the notes and electronic devices of reporters who are just doing their jobs. Congress must once again step up to protect journalists against attempts to intimidate reporters and chill sources who could blow the whistle on government wrongdoing.”

Under the Privacy Protection Act of 1980, the government cannot search or seize journalists’ documentary or work-product materials, except in certain narrow circumstances. Congress passed that law out of concern about the chilling effect of government raids on the press, and required the government to use less intrusive methods. Unfortunately, the law contains numerous loopholes that have been exploited across presidential administrations. The government never needs to prove an exception to the law before obtaining a search warrant, or even mention that the law exists. Even if a judge finds that a search or seizure is illegal under the Privacy Protection Act, the government can still use those illegally obtained materials in court.

Balint and Wyden’s bill would strengthen protections for journalists and close these loopholes. The Privacy Protection Updates Act would:

Require the government to disclose the existence of the Privacy Protection Act and prove that an exception applies, if the government wants to search or seize a journalist’s materials with a warrant.
Maintain the existing exception for exigent circumstances, but establish a new process for mandatory judicial review within 48 hours of the emergency seizures of a journalist’s materials to determine whether the search or seizure was justified.
Create a process for suppression of journalist records that are illegally searched or seized.
Clarify that the Privacy Protection Act applies to journalist records stored on the cloud.

The Privacy Protection Updates Act is endorsed by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Demand Progress, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Protect the 1st Foundation.

“Free people rely on a free press, and the press is only free if it is unrestricted by government spying and intimidation. Sen. Wyden and Rep. Balint’s update to the Privacy Protection Act is a much-needed safeguard that removes incentives to ransack the notes and sources of reporters. This bill corrects the law to ensure that the government cannot suppress free journalism and speech,” said Bob Goodlatte, former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and Senior Policy Advisor for Protect the 1st.

“Ignorance of the law is no defense, unless you're a prosecutor looking for a warrant to ransack a journalist's files. At least six times in recent years -- most recently, the raid of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson -- prosecutors seeking such warrants have failed to disclose to judges that, subject to a few narrow exceptions, they're illegal under the Privacy Protection Act of 1980. By the time the judge figures it out, it's too late -- the journalist's sources are compromised, and they can't publish any stories or investigations stored on seized devices. We commend Sen. Wyden and Rep. Balint for recognizing this intolerable status quo and taking action to give the PPA some teeth and protect journalists' ability to inform the public. Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have opposed journalist surveillance in the past and we hope this bill receives the enthusiastic bipartisan support it deserves,” wrote Seth Stern, Chief of Advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation.

“The Privacy Protection Updates Act is what it looks like to take press freedom seriously. This necessary bill transforms a well-intentioned but outdated law into a modernized framework for a free and independent press with real consequences—establishing a powerful exclusionary rule, requiring greater transparency from the government in warrant applications, and ending the weak damages-only civil remedy that left journalists unprotected. Press freedoms are too vital to be left to the government's honor system, especially when the White House keeps eroding our core civil liberties. We thank Sen. Wyden and Rep. Balint for their leadership and urge all members of Congress to get behind this needed bill,” said Kate Oh, Special Advisor at Demand Progress.

“The government needs guardrails to prevent overreach. Reforms to the Privacy Protection Act will strengthen protections, enabling journalists to do their job and keep the public informed,” said Katherine Jacobsen, U.S., Canada, and Caribbean Program Coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The one-pager of the bill is here.

The full bill text is here.

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Sanders, Welch, Balint Statement on Recent ICE Raids in South Burlington

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BURLINGTON, VT – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), today released the following statement regarding the recent ICE raids in South Burlington:

“President Trump’s domestic army, ICE, came into Vermont yesterday from out of state and, as is virtually always the case, acted in an irresponsible, reckless and unprofessional manner.

“What happened yesterday in South Burlington was outrageous and avoidable. Rather than notifying local and state law enforcement of a planned arrest, ICE created a crisis that resulted in them using flashbang grenades and tear gas against protestors. To make matters worse, they failed to arrest the person they were initially pursuing and instead arrested at least three individuals who were not named on the warrant.

“As a result of the reckless actions of ICE, local and state police were put in an impossibly difficult situation.

“At a time when our country is deeply divided, this is not the way a federal agency should be conducting itself. It is long past time for Congress to take action to rein in ICE’s lawlessness.”

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