Press Release

Today, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Digital Platform Commission Act, legislation to create an expert federal agency to provide comprehensive regulation of digital platforms to protect consumers, promote competition, and safeguard the public interest. Amid calls for regulation of…

Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today introduced the Supporting All Producers (SAP) Act, legislation to require the United States Department Agriculture (USDA) to consult with maple producers when determining education and research priorities for the Acer Access and Development Program (Acer). Acer…

Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) convened his first hearing as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Rural Development and Energy Subcommittee this week on the need to expand access to broadband in rural communities. The hearing marks the first in a series on advancing economic opportunity…

Today, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Peter Welch (D-VT) and Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), announced that NEK Community Broadband (NEKCB) will receive Vermont’s first ever United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties in…

Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) today introduced the bipartisan ReConnecting Rural America Act, legislation to reauthorize and reinforce the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. ReConnect plays a central role in expanding access to high-speed broadband…

Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) led the Vermont and New Hampshire congressional delegations in sending a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Denis R. McDonough today, urging the VA to use authority granted under the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 to make it easier…