Senator Peter Welch: Senator Welch Delivers First Major Speech on Senate Floor

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From the Office of Senator Welch:

Last night I gave my first major speech on the Senate floor. This is a Senate tradition that allows every new Senator the opportunity to lay out their vision for how Congress can better serve all Americans. I shared my deep love for Vermont and the people that make the Green Mountain State so special. Never has the pride I feel for Vermont been stronger than right now, as neighbors come together to help each other recover from the recent flooding. I spoke about what we all share in the Senate, regardless of party affiliation: the deep respect for the folks we have the honor of representing. And I asked this question: If we share this deep respect for our constituents who all need the same things—access to good health care and affordable child care, good-paying jobs—why can’t we make more progress on these key issues? Why are we so divided?

We face two major challenges: First: Our democracy is more imperiled right now than at any time since the Civil War. Second: Working and middle-class Americans have been treading water economically for the past 40 years. Top-down economic policies have failed them. Democracy depends on trust. It also depends on results. If conditions stagnate for working Americans and they fall further behind, their trust in democracy will erode. And we need democracy to ensure that working families have a seat at the table. My years of service—as a community organizer in Chicago, as a State Senator in Vermont, as your Representative in the House—have taught me that democracy is more than an ideal we strive for; it's the tool we use to make meaningful differences in the lives of people we love and in the lives of people we may never meet. There are so many challenges facing our country right now. But like Vermonters know, we can succeed if we work together.   

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