BURLINGTON, VT – On Sunday, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) issued the following statement on President Joe Biden:

“Today, Joe Biden made a difficult and selfless choice. He put our democracy and the future of our nation ahead of himself. For this, and for all he has done, Joe Biden will be remembered as one of the greatest presidents of our time. His agenda, which has unified our party, will be his legacy. His ability to overcome personal tragedy has inspired generations of Americans.

“Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump, and restored our democracy. He led us through a pandemic and helped stabilize our economy. He created millions of jobs, and helped usher in a new era of green energy investments, with Vermonters benefiting from over $2.3 billion in public infrastructure redevelopment.

“Now we have an existential task at hand: defending the White House from Donald Trump — a felon, a twice-impeached liar, and a man who tried to overturn the results of the last election. There is much at stake.

“I am confident in our ability to beat Donald Trump. Our party has many capable, proven leaders — Vice President Harris among them. We have a deep bench of leaders who will carry on the Biden legacy and inspire the voters we need to deliver the White House.

“I express deep gratitude to President Biden for making his difficult decision. As he has done throughout his long career, this decision was made for the benefit of the country. I know Vermonters are indebted to Joe Biden for his lifetime of public service and to strengthening our democracy.”

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