Peter Welch

The Trump Administration is attempting to cut staff and services from Head Start, which supports our kids and their families. I visited the Head Start center in Rutland to hear how this could hurt Vermont and share how I’m fighting against it. https://t.co/GBDjw6Py0y

Why have 1 in 12 rural hospitals closed in the past 15 years? https://t.co/lQpJzPkzy6

Three years ago, Vermonter and journalist Dylan Collins was attacked and wounded by the Israel Defense Forces despite being clearly marked as press. Dylan and every other journalist attacked or killed by the IDF deserve justice. We must protect freedom of the press and defend the safety of journalists.

RUTLAND, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today hosted a ‘Common Grounds with Senator Welch’ listening session at Hub CoWorks in Rutland. Vermonters joined Senator Welch for a discussion about how Washington can work better for the Green Mountain State. “The future of our democracy is a jump ball right now—we have a president who speaks and acts unilaterally without any concern about how his policies will hurt working families. This administration has decimated access to health care, driven up costs of everyday essentials and gas, and made it tougher for hardworking Americans to make ends meet. We need to focus and solve practical affordability issues that will make a real difference in the lives of working people,” said Senator Welch. “I won’t lose sight of that goal in Washington and will continue working hard to deliver actual results for Vermonters.” View photos from the event below: Senator Welch has hosted Common Grounds events in Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Windham, and Windsor counties, and will host listening sessions in every county of Vermont in 2026. Sign up for the Senator’s newsletter here to learn more about his upcoming events in Vermont. ###

On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we celebrate their contributions to our society. We must recommit also ourselves to reckoning with past harms so we create a stronger future together.

We’re less than a month away from the midterm elections. Make your plan to vote. Our future is at stake.

NEW: Many of the things you buy every day would’ve been cheaper this year if it wasn’t for President Trump’s tariffs. He’s making a choice to cost you money with his trade war. https://t.co/DdAPj8R0mY

BURLINGTON, VT — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined the Champlain Housing Trust to celebrate the groundbreaking of 30 new permanently affordable condominium homes for sale to low-income households in Burlington’s Cambrian Rise neighborhood. A majority of the 30 new condos developed will be sold to homebuyers earning at or below 80% of the average median income (AMI) to eliminate obstacles to homeownership for lower-income Vermonters. “Vermont’s housing affordability crisis has wreaked havoc across our state, and skyrocketing housing prices are right at the center of it. Home prices have more than doubled in the last ten years, making it tougher than ever for families to achieve the American dream of homeownership,” said Senator Welch. “The Champlain Housing Trust’s newest project is a great example of how we can leverage federal investments to increase access to affordable housing. I’ll continue to fight for policies that help bring down housing costs and make homeownership a reality for more working families in Vermont.” “This development brings jobs to the community and builds Burlington’s tax base. So not only are these condos affordable to the people who will buy them next year, they are making Burlington more affordable overall,” said Michael Monte, CEO, Champlain Housing Trust. “And the lasting impact of retaining affordability through our shared equity homeownership program will have a ripple effect for future generations of City residents.” The project is made possible through the deployment of $20 million in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), a federal program that utilizes tax credits to incentivize private investments in community development and economic growth in distressed communities. Senator Welch cosponsored the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, which permanently extended the NMTC Program last year. View photos from the event below: Senator Welch has led bipartisan efforts to address Vermont’s affordable housing crisis. Last month, the Senator introduced the Supporting Small Affordable Housing Developers Act, new legislation that would exempt grants supporting affordable housing development from taxation to empower small, rural housing developers to build more affordable housing. Senator Welch also cosponsored the Build American Efficiency Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help homebuilders cut costs and red tape as they work to address the national housing shortage. In March, Senator Welch introduced the bipartisan FARM Home Loans Act to spur rural economic growth by helping more homebuyers qualify for rural housing assistance. The Senator is also a cosponsor of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, legislation that aims to support middle-class Americans purchasing their first home, and the End Rent Fixing Act, which would crack down on companies that help landlords increase rents in already high-priced markets. The Senator is also a cosponsor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which was signed into law earlier this year. The Senator’s bipartisan, bicameral HOPE for HOMES Act, which helps lower energy costs for homeowners and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also investing in the workforce, was included as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Inflation Reduction Act. ###

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Lawmakers demand answers from HHS Secretary Kennedy and EPA Administrator Zeldin about their roles in Trump’s decision to grant presidential pardons WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, alongside U.S. Representative Dave Min (D-CA-47), Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ Anti-Corruption Task Force, were joined by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government, in raising questions about the role of cabinet members in securing presidential pardons, as part of their ongoing investigation into executive clemency actions since January 20, 2025. The bicameral group of lawmakers are looking into whether U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin used their access to inappropriately influence President Trump’s decision to grant full presidential pardons to convicted felons Trevor Milton and Troy Lake. “Public reports of high-profile individuals—including yourself—appealing directly to the President on behalf of pardon recipients risk subversion of the established pardon review processes by financial influence and political access,” write the lawmakers. “Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution authorizes the President to ‘grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.’ The U.S. Supreme Court has characterized executive clemency as ‘an act of grace’ exercised for the ‘public welfare.’ President Trump’s use of this authority appears to deviate from this traditional purpose.” The lawmakers conclude: “Congress has a compelling interest in ensuring that the constitutional pardon power is exercised with fairness and transparency. Given these circumstances, we are seeking additional information to better understand the extent to which influence and access have overridden the standard pardon review process.” In their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the lawmakers request answers about Secretary Kennedy’s reported role in President Trump’s decision to pardon convicted fraudster Trevor Milton, who defrauded and misled investors regarding technology and products related to his company, Nikola Corporation. The victims of Mr. Milton’s fraud include individuals who lost their retirement savings and others who had never invested in the stock market before. President Trump’s pardon eliminated Milton’s obligation to potentially pay $660 million in court-ordered restitution to his victims. Milton did not serve any of his four-year prison sentence. “According to public reporting, you personally appealed to the President to grant Mr. Milton a pardon, arguing that he had been unfairly prosecuted by the previous administration’s Justice Department. Days before granting Mr. Milton’s pardon request, President Trump reportedly told him to call you and thank you for convincing the President to grant him a pardon,” write the lawmakers. “Your reported involvement in this matter is particularly troubling, given that Mr. Milton reportedly donated $750,000 to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Political Action Committee (PAC), which was launched in late 2024 by senior members of your presidential campaign to unite your supporters behind President Trump. Public reporting also indicates that Mr. Milton and his wife donated approximately $1,800,000 to President Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign a month before the election.” In their letter to EPA Administrator Zeldin, the lawmakers demand answers about the administrator’s reported role in President Trump’s decision to grant a full presidential pardon to Troy Lake, and a subsequent corporate pardon to Lake’s company, Elite Diesel Service Inc. Lake’s conviction arose from allegations that he and his company disabled the monitoring components of emissions control systems on hundreds of heavy-duty commercial trucks. The lawmakers write: “According to public reporting, two friends of Mr. Lake petitioned you in an August 2025 email, urging you to reach out to the President to request a pardon. Mr. Lake’s wife publicly attributed progress on her husband’s pardon efforts to your subsequent intervention. Such progress included a phone call with Sean Hayes, a White House attorney who works closely on pardons.” The lawmakers’ letters seek information from HHS Secretary Kennedy and EPA Administrator Zeldin regarding: The nature of their relationships with the pardoned felons; The process by which clemency requests were initiated and considered; Whether intermediaries, lobbyists, or advocates were involved; Any contacts with Trump Administration officials or associates; Their role in any other clemency decisions made by the Trump Administration; Whether financial contributions or payments were made in connection with clemency efforts; and The extent of third-party advocacy supporting the requests. Read and download the lawmakers’ full letters to HHS Secretary Kennedy and EPA Administrator Zeldin. In May, Senator Welch and Rep. Min sent letters to 17 individuals who received pardons or commutations under circumstances that warrant further congressional scrutiny, including several individuals connected to major fraud schemes, financial crimes, and high-profile political or financial relationships tied to President Trump and his associates. The earlier letters sought information regarding the clemency process, including whether financial contributions, lobbyists, intermediaries, or personal connections played a role in securing presidential clemency. Among the individuals who received letters are convicted fraudsters, political fundraisers, corporate executives, and wealthy donors, such as Changpeng Zhao, whose cases have generated public reporting suggesting unusual access to Trump’s network of political allies and associates, direct lobbying efforts, large political donations, or other concerning connections surrounding their clemency requests. The lawmakers continued their investigation in June, sending four additional letters to the Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, the White House Office of Records Management, the White House Pardon Czar, and the United States Secret Service. ###

The White River National Fish Hatchery has been reviving native fish species in Vermont and New York for decades. But now the Trump Administration wants to shutter it. I’m leading a letter to protect the work that's healing our ecosystem and boosting tourism revenue.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, alongside U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.),Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, escalated their effort to obtainrecords and information from Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) squandering of taxpayer funds and repeated steering of no-bid contracts to political allies under former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. In their letter to Secretary Mullin, the Senators urged DHS to ensure accountability for corrupt contracting decisions and ensure open competition among future prospective contractors. The Senators pointed to allegations recently reported in The New York Times that in the final hours of former Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure, DHS: “delivered a windfall to one of her political donors by buying five airplanes from the man’s firm at a substantial markup.” The Senators wrote: “On the last day of Secretary Noem’s tenure, DHS purchased one Boeing 737 jet from Daedalus for $108 million, despite that aircraft previously appearing on the market with an asking price below $90 million. The interior of that aircraft included ‘a stand-up bar, two bedrooms, marble showers and a table covered in manta ray skin.’ Another two 737 aircraft were purchased by DHS from Daedalus for $45 million each, prices that experts estimated ‘were millions of dollars higher than the typical market value for jets of that age.’” “The staggering sums expended on these aircraft and the eleventh-hour approval of the no-bid contract used to purchase them from a company led by a political donor to Secretary Noem appears to illustrate a brazen giveaway by Secretary Noem to her political ally, William Walters,” the Senators continued. “The fact that a separate company led by Mr. Walters, Salus Worldwide Solutions, has received separate no-bid contracts under Secretary Noem’s leadership only amplifies the appearance of impropriety and potential violations of federal law.” The Senators concluded: “Congress and the American people deserve the Department’s full and prompt transparency with respect to the shocking waste of taxpayer funds and potential corruption involved in the Department’s aircraft purchases and widespread no-bid contracting.” In August, Senators Welch, Blumenthal, and Schiff called out DHS’ reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration and raised concerns that the owner of the company that received the award also runs a company alleged to have solicited kickback payments from former DHS official Corey Lewandowski. Read and download the Senators’ full letter to DHS Secretary Mullin. ###

Welch: “The IRS has a responsibility to ensure tax credits are being claimed as intended by Congress.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, this week urged the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that Big Tech companies are not using the research and experimentation (R&E) tax credit to subsidize the construction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. In his letter to IRS CEO Frank Bisignano, Senator Welch raised concerns that Big Tech companies are abusing the R&E tax credit at the expense of the American people. “Congress’ intent in establishing the R&E credit was to support private investment in nascent technologies that have uncertain commercial viability in the future. Congress structured the R&E credit to be incremental, designed to reward new research spending and to limit the cost to taxpayers. Instead, its reported use by major technology companies raises concerns that the credit is being used not to support new research, but to subsidize the physical infrastructure needed to build AI data centers,” wrote Senator Welch. According to recent public reports, Meta used the R&E credit to cut its federal tax bill by nearly $4 billion in 2025 alone. Meta reportedly claimed this credit on thousands of acres of data center development to train and further develop its network of computer chips—a process that is now widespread across the technology industry and tied to some of the most profitable businesses in the world. Meta itself acknowledged the potential for IRS to deny the R&E credit, disclosing in last year’s annual report billions in “unrecognized tax benefits” that could become additional tax liability if challenged by the IRS. Meta is not alone in this practice, as other major technology companies have similarly used the R&E credit in connection with the development of AI infrastructure and data centers. “In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal income tax rate of just 3.5%—roughly one-sixth of the 21% statutory corporate rate. That same year, the company earned a record $79 billion in U.S. income,” the Senator continued. “Meanwhile, Americans are bearing the direct costs of rapid data center expansion, including rising electricity bills and added strain on local infrastructure. This summer, our national debt surpassed $40 trillion. The most recent IRS tax gap estimate puts the gross shortfall at $700 billion for tax year 2022, while the next update has yet to be released,” the Senator continued. Senator Welch concluded: “The IRS has a responsibility to ensure tax credits are being claimed as intended by Congress. Holding large technology companies accountable to their tax obligations is a straightforward step toward ensuring that every company pays its fair share.” Senator Welch requested answers to the following questions by October 26, 2026: Please provide a list of companies that claimed the R&E tax credit for expenses related to AI data centers in filing years 2020 to 2025. What was the value of each tax credit issued in filing years 2020 to 2025 broken down by the company that claimed each? On average, how many full-time equivalent (FTE) IRS employees are dedicated to reviewing and examining R&E tax credit claims annually? How many enforcement actions did the IRS initiate related to the R&E tax credit for filing years 2020 to 2025? Will the IRS pursue updated guidance or rulemaking to ensure that the R&E credit is used only for its intended purpose? Read and download Senator Welch’s full letter to IRS CEO Bisignano. ###

The Trump Administration is slashing fuel efficiency standards for cars. It means you’ll pay thousands more at the pump over the lifetime of your car, especially as Trump’s illegal war with Iran drives gas prices even higher. https://t.co/8CYKE32v5C

The polls show that the American people are looking around and realizing our country isn’t on the right path under Republican control in Washington. We have the chance to flip Congress Blue. But only if we work hard through Election Day.

BETHEL, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, today led Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) to reconsider its decision to place Vermont’s White River National Fish Hatchery on inactive status. In their letter to USFWS Director Brian Nesvik, the lawmakers warn that placing the White River National Fish Hatchery on inactive status would inhibit valuable scientific research, and risk reversing a decade of progress toward fishery restoration, including salmon. The lawmakers request that USFWS fully evaluate all facilities in the region to analyze how this action would impact Lake Champlain and long-standing service priorities before finalizing any determination about the White River facility. “Since the 1980s, the White River National Fish Hatchery has contributed to the restoration of native fish species in Lake Champlain, the Connecticut River, and the Great Lakes,” write the lawmakers. “Lake Champlain once supported thriving populations of landlocked Atlantic salmon and lake trout, each of which disappeared by 1900 amid stress from nearby settlement runoff and dam construction. In 1972, Vermont and New York began working to restore the fisheries. USFWS opened the White River hatchery in 1984 to provide federal support for these efforts, which has only grown more critical since the introduction of aquatic invasive species like sea lamprey.” The lawmakers emphasize how successful fishery restoration efforts will bolster the outdoor recreation economy in Vermont and New York: “ In 2016, USFWS discovered the first wild-hatched Atlantic salmon fry in the Winooski River—the first in 150 years. The following year, researchers documented a second sighting of fry in Vermont and the first sighting in New York’s Boquet River. In 2023, USFWS recorded the highest number of Atlantic salmon encountered at the Chase Mill hydroelectric dam on the Winooski River in 30 years. Meanwhile, sea lamprey control—led by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in partnership with USFWS, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation—significantly reduced lamprey wounding of Atlantic salmon, from 79% at the height of the infestation to just 6% in 2022.” “Bipartisan majorities in Congress have consistently recognized the value of the National Fish Hatchery System. In FY26, Congress appropriated $79 million for system operations and an additional $24.5 million for maintenance and equipment, a nearly $3.5 million increase in funding compared to FY25,” the lawmakers continue. “We respectfully request that you stay the decision to put the facility on inactive status and brief our staff on your plans for the hatchery not later than October 30, 2026.” Read and download the lawmakers’ full letter to USFWS Nesvik. ###

It’s been three years since Israel was shaken by a horrifying terror attack by Hamas that resulted in the brutal assault, torture, and killing of over 1,400 civilians, as well as hundreds being held hostage. Today, I’m thinking of the victims, their families, and those around the world devastated by that dark day.

BURLINGTON, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following statement on the third anniversary of the October 7th terror attack on Israel: “Today marks three years since the horrifying attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists, which resulted in the brutal assault, torture, and slaughter of 1,400 Israeli civilians. The October 7th attacks were a heinous crime. I have met with families of victims of that atrocity—their pain and their grief is unimaginable. We will never forget those who were killed that day, the hostages who were tortured and whose lives were lost, and the families and loved ones of victims who are grieving this tragedy. “Since that day, many Jewish Americans have also felt increasingly unsafe in our own communities. Antisemitism is never acceptable. We will continue to fight for a country where Americans of all faiths are safe.” ###

BRATTLEBORO, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, this week visited with nurses and leaders at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center. Senator Welch discussed the importance of increasing access to rural health care and how to grow the health care workforce in rural communities. “Rural hospitals provide essential health care and community services to Vermonters in every corner of our state. That includes birthing centers, which are vital to ensuring families have world-class care they can rely on. But our state’s rural health care facilities are under more financial strain than ever, making it harder for them to keep the lights on and ensure Vermonters can get the care they need,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll keep fighting in the Senate Finance Committee for investments that support Vermont’s rural medical and community centers and bolster our state’s health care workforce.” Brattleboro Memorial Hospital previously announced that the Birthing Center would close within a year but reversed the decision. View photos from the event below: President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ tax bill, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), imposed painful cuts to Medicaid that hindered access to care in rural communities. Limiting coverage will lead to more uncompensated care next year. Nearly 1-in-5 rural adults and 2-in-5 rural children rely on Medicaid. Vermont could lose up to $2 billion over 10 years because of federal Medicaid cuts. Additionally, in 2026, around 7,500 Vermonters either bought a lower-tiered insurance plan or dropped coverage altogether because President Trump and Congressional Republicans failed to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, a more generous version of what originally passed in the Affordable Care Act. The impacts of these cuts mean rural care providers will be financially harmed, and services—such as birthing centers—could be limited or eliminated entirely. Senator Welch is a champion for rural health care and has worked across the aisle to lead legislation to improve access to care, including the Rural Hospital Support Act, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act, Fair Funding for Rural Hospitals Act, Multigenerational Home Caregiver Credit Act, and the CONNECT for Health Act. ###

BRATTLEBORO, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week hosted a ‘Common Grounds with Senator Welch’ listening session at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro. Vermonters joined Senator Welch for a discussion about how Washington can work better for the Green Mountain State. “The pressures on Vermont are the same as those facing every red and blue state across the country—these are shared challenges. But my colleagues across the aisle haven’t embraced the idea that whether you’re from Indiana, or Idaho, or Vermont, the people we represent need an affordable health care system. They need consistency in tax policy. They need to be able to afford a house. I think that’s the biggest impediment to Washington working the way we do here in Vermont, where we try to work together and address our differences to make a stronger community. That needs to change,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue bringing Vermont Values to Washington and fight for bipartisan solutions that make life better for hardworking Vermonters.” View photos from the event below: Senator Welch has hosted Common Grounds events in Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, and Windsor counties, and will host listening sessions in every county of Vermont in 2026. Sign up for the Senator’s newsletter here to learn more about his upcoming events in Vermont. ###

What’s the Trump corruption of the day? Take a watch. https://t.co/YoLXttmqpT

I’m very excited that two of my bills were passed out of the Senate as part of an IRS reform package. The Unlocking Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Funding Act would make it easier for clinics that provide free or low-cost tax services for disputes with the IRS to get federal funding. The Protecting Innocent Taxpayers from Endless Assessments Act would protect victims of tax preparer fraud. I’m going to keep working across the aisle to get these passed into law.

Starting in a few weeks, the Trump Administration is devastating the REAP program, which provides grants for renewable energy projects to farmers and small businesses. Farmers are getting crushed by high oil prices right now. This is a program that helps save farmers money at a time when thousands of small farms are closing every year. President Trump is making it harder and harder for farms to survive.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), John Curtis (R-Utah), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in introducing the Build American Efficiency Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would streamline the process for home builders to determine and locate domestically sourced materials that comply with the Build America, Buy American Act (BABA). This small legislative step would help homebuilders cut costs and red tape as they work to address the national housing shortage. “Our nation’s housing crisis is an urgent problem, and Congress needs to take action. In Vermont, we’re going to need 36,000 new housing units by 2030 to address our shortage—cutting through red tape that makes it harder to build a home is a major part of helping us close that gap,” said Senator Welch. “The Build American Efficiency Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that will help builders construct high-quality homes at a price that families can afford.” “Despite our country’s desperate need for additional affordable housing options, American homebuilders face steep costs and bureaucratic red tape,” said Senator King. “The Build American Efficiency Act would empower the Department of Housing and Urban Development to share information to help builders, manufacturers, and housing providers navigate complicated compliance requirements and identify verified American-made products. Eliminating this time-consuming and costly additional step for homebuilders will allow them to build more homes faster. It’s a three-page bill that amounts to a common-sense helping hand.” “Utah’s impressive growth has unfortunately brought with it the strain of rising housing costs—which has already been made worse by unnecessary federal red tape,” said Senator Curtis. “This bipartisan bill is a commonsense fix that makes it easier for builders to identify American-made materials, cut through bureaucracy, and get more affordable homes built faster.” “I’m committed to using every federal resource available to make building homes in Alaska more streamlined and affordable across the board,” said Senator Murkowski. “This legislation will help identify products that are made in America more easily, cutting through red tape to get more homes built with American-made materials around the country.” America’s nationwide housing crisis has hit the state of Vermont especially hard, with median home sale prices surging 40% since 2019. In addition to skyrocketing housing costs, dwindling market supply has made it even tougher for lower-income families—including the nearly 4,000 Vermonters facing homelessness—to purchase a home. Vermont is projected to need an additional 24,000–36,000 housing units by 2030 to replace outdated housing stock and meet demand. To accomplish its goals, the Build American Efficiency Act would encourage the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to share industry-led initiatives to certify products and facilities that comply with BABA requirements. The BABA standards were passed in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. More specifically, the Build American Efficiency Act would: Clarify that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has the authority to recognize auditable and verifiable systems that document products that comply with Build America, Buy America domestic content requirements; Allow HUD to treat documentation generated under the Make It American Process Standard, or similar standards that provide an auditable and verifiable certification process, as sufficient evidence for domestic content certification; Help manufacturers, builders, and funding recipients more easily determine which products comply with BABA requirements; Reduce time spent navigating waiver requests, duplicative paperwork, and uncertainty over which products have or have not been approved; and Preserve flexibility by ensuring the bill does not mandate the use of any one database or prohibit recipients from using other lawful methods to certify compliance. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Reps. Mark Alford (R-MO-04), Lou Correa (D-CA-46), Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-02), and Brad Finstad (R-MN-01). The Build American Efficiency Act is supported by ABB, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Associated General Contractors, Eaton, National Association of Electrical Distributors, National Association of Realtors, National Association of State Housing Agencies, National Electrical Contractors Association, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Prysmian, Schneider, Siemens, and Southwire. Senator Welch has led bipartisan efforts to address Vermont’s affordable housing crisis. Last month, the Senator introduced the Supporting Small Affordable Housing Developers Act, new legislation that would exempt grants supporting affordable housing development from taxation to empower small, rural housing developers to build more affordable housing. In March, Senator Welch introduced the bipartisan FARM Home Loans Act to spur rural economic growth by helping more homebuyers qualify for rural housing assistance. The Senator is also a cosponsor of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, legislation that aims to support middle-class Americans purchasing their first home, and the End Rent Fixing Act, which would crack down on companies that help landlords increase rents in already high-priced markets. The Senator is also a cosponsor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which was signed into law earlier this year. The Senator’s bipartisan, bicameral HOPE for HOMES Act, which helps lower energy costs for homeowners and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also investing in the workforce, was included as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Inflation Reduction Act. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two bipartisan bills championed by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, passed with unanimous support in the Senate. The Unlocking Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Funding Act and the Protecting Innocent Taxpayers from Endless Assessments Act would support lower-income taxpayers in Vermont, Kansas, and across the country. “The IRS is difficult to navigate and a pain for everyday taxpayers—that’s something we can all agree on, no matter where you’re from. I teamed up with my friend and colleague Senator Marshall on these bills, which will improve IRS operations in dire need of reform and make a world of difference for taxpayers in their dealings with the IRS. I’m grateful for the support of Senate colleagues for advancing our bills and all of the important IRS reforms in the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act. I urge the House of Representatives to pass these bills when they return in November,” said Senator Welch. The Unlocking Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Funding Act, introduced by Senator Welch and co-led by Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), would make it easier for Low-Income Tax Clinics to access federal grant funding. These clinics provide free or low-cost services for taxpayers in disputes with the IRS. The Protecting Innocent Taxpayers from Endless Assessments Act, introduced by Senator Marshall and co-led by Senator Welch, would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that the IRS’ unlimited statute of limitations applies only to taxpayers who intentionally evade taxes, protecting victims of preparer fraud. Both bills were included as part of the bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act, a package of 65 bipartisan reforms that would strengthen the rights of taxpayers, streamline U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations, and improve the taxpaying process for the American people. The TAS Act previously advanced out of the Senate Finance Committee in July by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26-1 and has earned the endorsement of the nonpartisan National Taxpayer Advocate and other leading individuals and organizations. Read and download the full text of the TAS Act and view a Section-by-Section summary of the bill. ###