National health care reform legislation is still being held hostage by Republicans and conservative Blue Dog Democrats in Congress. Health care industry lobbying – much of it in outright opposition to President Obama’s plan to ensure affordable health care for all – has also reached astronomical levels. The industry spent a record $133 million lobbying …
Vermont does not require any elected officials to disclose their personal finances. Only two other states join Vermont: Idaho and Michigan. Voters have a right to know if there are any potential conflicts of interest. Candidates also all need to know what is expected of them since many do disclose this information. We, however, have …
Vermont ranked last in financial-disclosure laws Read More »
The Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) is deciding whether to allow Entergy to continue to operate Vermont Yankee nuclear plant for another 20 years. The plant is scheduled to close in 2012 when its 40 year design life expires, but Entergy, their corporate owners, want it to run for 20 more years. PSB is taking …
Between 2010 and 2030, Vermont will spend as much as $64.7 billion on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels – 4.4 times the total earnings of all workers in 2007. At the same time, pollution from fossil fuels is the number one source of air and global warming pollution and a leading source of water …
New Report: Dependence on Big Oil, Dirty Coal Could Cost Vermont $64.7 Billion By 2030 Read More »
Congressman Welch was joined by VPIRG, Vermont Tent Company, Vermont NEA, Vermont AFL-CIO, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, the Vermont Health Care Ombudsman, TrueMajority, and Vermont Teamsters supporting strong federal health care legisation this year. While there is debate in Washington over whether the reform measure should include a public health insurance option, the Vermont …
On June 25, over 10,000 people rallied in Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C. for health care reform this year. Our message to Congress was clear: We need real health care reform in 2009 and we can’t wait. VPIRG leads the Vermont state coalition for the national Health Care for America Now (HCAN). Health care …
The Vermont Legislature will decide whether to allow Entergy to continue to operate Vermont Yankee nuclear plant for another 20 years. The plant is scheduled to close in 2012 when its 40 year design life expires, but Entergy, their corporate owners, want it to run for 20 more years. It is crucial for the lawmakers to …
The Senate in the 2009 Legislative Session passed a bill putting reasonable limits on the amount of money individuals, parties and special interest groups may donate to campaigns. This bill is very similar to legislation passed the previous year, which Governor Douglas vetoed. We need a strong showing of support of this important legislation to …
Without health reform, premiums and deductibles for Vermonters with employer provided insurance will nearly double by 2016, according to a new VPIRG report. VPIRG attributes these high costs to wasteful health spending and the insurance and pharmaceutical industries that profit from it. “At a time when our state legislators and Governor are debating cuts to …