After a six-month absence, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) returned to the U.S. Senate on Monday to cast his second vote of the year. And his third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
At issue were a series of proposals to strengthen the nation’s gun laws. Like his district-mate, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sanders supported measures that would bar those on federal terrorism watch lists from buying firearms and require those engaging in private sales to undergo federal background checks. The pair opposed a Republican proposal to delay for 72 hours the purchase of firearms by those on terrorism watch lists.
All of the measures failed.
For Sanders, who has been busy campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, the votes were his first since January 12. According to GovTrack.us, Sanders missed another 19 votes last fall. The senator declined an interview request, and a spokesman did not respond to questions about his long absence.
In a statement issued by his Senate office, Sanders cited last week’s mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in explaining his votes.
“Frankly, these Democratic amendments are no-brainers,” he said in the statement. “It is incomprehensible to me, and I believe to the vast majority of Americans, as to why Republicans would oppose them.”
Leahy delivered a floor speech Monday afternoon responding to an open letter penned by Burlington High School student Ella Staats and published by the Young Writers Project. In the letter, the rising junior called on Leahy to “please, please do something” about gun violence. “Something big,” she continued.
“I hope the votes that I cast on your behalf tonight demonstrate that I hear you and I agree that we must act to prevent the next Orlando,” Leahy responded in his remarks. “Ella, thank you for doing that — for speaking out and for holding us accountable.”
Leahy may not find a great deal of opposition to his position on gun rights from Republican rival Scott Milne. In an interview earlier Monday, the Pomfret travel agency president said that while he was opposed to new gun laws at the state level, he was open to them at the federal level.
“Vermont doesn’t have a gun problem,” he said. “But I think it’s becoming more and more apparent that America has a gun problem.”
Milne said he was willing to consider banning certain assault-style weapons and making federal background checks universal.
“I’m open to seriously looking at changes to gun laws at a federal level to help prevent things like wackos getting guns and killing a whole bunch of people,” he said. “So if it’s possible to do that and be compliant with the spirit of the Second Amendment, I think it is possible.”
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Bernie please run as an independent or Green Party candidate. Hillary can be beaten in the general election and Trump is a non-factor. You can get voters across the political spectrum.
Can someone explain how the NRA continues to have the power to control Republican senators? Is there a hunter out there that will claim to need a gun with a removable magazine? Soldiers use them to shoot other soldiers. Shame they can’t be banned by Geneva Convention for military use as well. Putting the genie back in the bottle is hard but doable.
about time- you’ve missed every other one this year, except for one….and I believe this is what we are PAYING you for.
Peter Welch also took money from the NRA
Bernies been absent much longer. Just another Political Welfare Recipient…
“Bernie please run as an independent or Green Party candidate.”
Yeah, you can look forward to future Nader-hood: being a delusional, self-righteous egomaniac whom everyone’s forgotten already — except when they remember why we got Bush instead of Gore..
Yeah, you can look forward to future Nader-hood: being a delusional, self-righteous egomaniac whom everyone’s forgotten already — except when they remember why we got Bush instead of Gore..
or Hillary instead of anyone else.
Sanders was voted as a Senator, never by me I don’t like Socialist or a draft dodger.. anyways as a Senator he was hired to do his job, represent the citizens of Vt.. Not run around all over the United States..You want to run for Pres. then leave your office.. We the taxpayers aren’t paying you to not do your job..Anyone who campaigns needs to give up their job..Voted once in Jan what a big deal..He sure cares about Vermonters doesn’t he..
“or Hillary instead of anyone else.”
Love that bitter whining. Bernie entered the game and lost.
But it didn’t have to be that way. As a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, perhaps Bernie could be the Democratic nominee today. He could have gotten in the primary early, lined up early support, outhustled Hillary, and maybe won.
Oh . . .wait. Oops. Nevermind. I forgot that Bernie never WAS a member of the Democratic Party. I forgot that he crashed the Party when he made his announcement a year ago. I forgot that he came waaaay too late to presidential campaigning. I forgot that he never lined up any support within the Party before making his decision to run for President. I forgot that no one in the Party liked him. I forgot that he had no right to run as a Democrat but complain about the rules of the Party that he was never, ever a member of. THAT’s why Hillary is the nominee. Get over it.
You also forgot Bernie entered a manipulated game and exposed the corruption of the ruling committee.
“Manipulated game” is what the loser calls the game when he loses. He never needed to play in the Democratic Party. That was entirely his choice. Boo hoo.
Whatever makes you feel better, pal. The DNC gave the same shaft to Martin O’Malley. Your Nader comments show that a presidential candidate must align himself/herself with one of the two major parties to be taken seriously yet you blast someone for doing just that.