Welch Votes No on Republicans’ Destructive Budget Senate

Welch Votes No on GOP’s Destructive Budget Senate Republicans rejected Welch-led amendment to help hardworking Vermonters 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance and Judiciary Committees and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, voted against the Senate Republicans’ budget plan early this morning:

“Since taking office, President Trump has made it crystal clear that he’s willing to

bulldoze programs hardworking Americans rely on to line the pockets of billionaires. It’s truly outrageous that Republicans agreed to this cruel budget, which will have disastrous long-term consequences for Americans across the country—from farmers and seniors in Vermont to Social Security beneficiaries and small businesses in Texas. I voted no on the GOP’s budget,” said Senator Welch.

Senator Welch filed 61 amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget plan. The Senator’s amendments aim to help working families through the affordability crisis, defend vital government services and disaster aid from Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), and combat President Trump’s reckless, illegal agenda. Senate Republicans rejected Senator Welch’s amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families.

Senate Republicans’ budget, unveiled Wednesday, attacks Medicaid, Medicare, and the health care of seniors, children, people with disabilities, and rural patients; threatens Social Security for millions; raises costs for working families and enables President Trump’s trade war; jeopardizes support and health care for veterans; and gives DOGE a greenlight to destroy the federal government—all in the service of paying for Trump’s tax cut to billionaires.  

Senator Welch offered amendments to the Republican budget resolution aimed to:   

Address the Affordability Crisis: 

• An amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families. 

• Amendments to support federal dairy programs, organic farmers, and young and beginning farmers. 

• An amendment to address the impacts of disasters in rural communities.   

• An amendment to promote innovation, domestic job creation and U.S. competitiveness. This amendment would support Vermont’s growing semiconductor industry and America’s Tech Hubs. 

• Amendments to block the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations until all federal services are provided. 

Defend Federal Programs and Disaster Aid from Elon Musk: 

• Amendments to prohibit cuts to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and to improve rural access to nutrition programs. 

• Amendments to protect and defend rural broadband deployment and promote internet affordability.   

• An amendment to prohibit the elimination of over-to-phone identity verification for Social Security beneficiaries. 

• Amendments to prohibit the reduction or elimination of funding for rural care providers, health centers, and critical access hospitals.   

• Amendments to limit affiliates of the Department of Government Efficiency’s ability to access federal payment systems and personally identifiable information of Social Security beneficiaries. 

• An amendment to protect disaster survivors’ data privacy during any interaction with Department of Government Efficiency personnel. 

• An amendment prohibiting any reduction in disaster response and recovery programs for States and local communities. 

Combat Trump’s Reckless and Illegal Agenda:   

• Amendments to preserve relations between the United States and Canada, and to prohibit Canadian energy tariffs that raise energy costs domestically.  

• An amendment to block legislation that enables U.S. troops to operate in Gaza to assist in the displacement or removal of Palestinians from Gaza. 

• An amendment to prevent enforcement of the Alien Enemies Act, unless there is a declared war between the United States and any foreign government, or an invasion of predatory incursion is perpetrated. 

• An amendment to prevent the arrest, detainment and deportation of college students and faculty on the grounds they have expressed views the sitting administration objects to. 

• An amendment that would block legislation banning the Associated Press from the White House. 

• An amendment that would preserve United States-Denmark relations. 

• An amendment to address global hunger including hiring aid workers and facilitating the dispersal of aid into Gaza 

In addition, Senator Welch cosponsored 31 amendments.