Peter Welch has been a champion for working Vermonters throughout his career. Since his election to the House of Representatives in 2006, he has been widely recognized as a thoughtful and effective legislator who chooses governing over gridlock.
Peter’s record reflects his strong commitment to addressing difficult challenges facing our state and nation: affordability, childcare, climate change, and protecting our democracy. In an era of partisanship, he has worked across the aisle to advance common-sense solutions to the issues that matter to Vermonters.
Peter was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1947. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1969. After working in Chicago fighting housing discrimination as one of the first Robert F. Kennedy Fellows, he enrolled in law school at the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated in 1973.
After law school, he settled in White River Junction, Vermont, where he worked as a public defender before founding a small law practice. He was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. In 1985, he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to lead the chamber, becoming the first Democrat in Vermont history to hold the position of President Pro Tempore.
In 2006, Peter was elected to Vermont’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. His campaign gained nationwide attention for being the only contested congressional race in the country where both candidates refused to air negative ads.
In Congress, Peter has been a leading advocate for clean energy and energy efficiency, cutting the price of prescription drugs, investing in infrastructure, and expanding broadband and telemedicine in rural America.
Peter served as a Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus and a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. He also served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
In 2022, he was elected to the United States Senate, where he plans to continue working across the political spectrum to serve Vermonters.
He is married to Margaret Cheney, commissioner of the Vermont Public Utility Commission. They share a home in Norwich, Vermont.
About Senator Peter welch
Peter Welch has represented Vermonters in Congress since 2007. In an era of partisanship and division, he is widely recognized as a progressive leader and a skillful legislator who chooses governing over gridlock.
He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and graduated from the College of the HolyCross. As a member of the first class of Robert F. Kennedy Fellows, he fought housing discrimination in Chicago after college and went on to earn a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After law school, he settled in Vermont’s Upper Valley where he worked as a public defender and then founded a small law practice.
He was elected to the Vermont Senate in 1980 and later was selected to lead the chamber, becoming the first Democrat in Vermont’s history to hold the position of Senate President Pro Tem.
In Congress, Peter is a cosponsor of the Green New Deal and is a leading advocate for lowering the cost of prescription drugs, providing affordable childcare, expanding access to broadband in rural America, and protecting our imperiled democracy.
He serves as a chief deputy whip for the House Democratic Caucus and is a senior member of the influential Energy and Commerce Committee and Oversight and Reform Committee. He also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Peter is married to Margaret Cheney. They share a home in Norwich, Vermont.
Affordable Education
Making College Education Affordable and Addressing Student Loan Debt What was once a gateway to the middle-class has become a crushing financial burden on Americans trying to achieve the American Dream of a better life. The cost of college has exploded out of control even as employers increasingly expect a degree for entry-level positions. Peter knows we need to expand access to all forms of higher education, lower the cost of attendance, and reduce the burden of student loans.
Making college affordable Cosponsored the Debt Free College Act to incentivize states to achieve debt free college by unlocking matching federal funds.
Expanding access to community college and public colleges Cosponsored the College for All Act to waive tuition and fees for every community college student and qualifying students at public colleges and universities.
Reducing the burden of student loans Cosponsored the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act to double the Pell Grant award and tie grants to inflation increases.
Advocated for student loan forgiveness for graduates employed in public service jobs.
Signed a letter to President Biden, calling on him to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt, per borrower.
Affordable Housing
Increasing Access to Affordable Housing Everyone — no matter their zip code or income — deserves access to quality, affordable housing. But housing costs in America and Vermont continue to rise, squeezing the middle class and putting the American dream out of reach for the next generation. To attract more young people to Vermont and ease the burden on those who have lived here for decades, we must invest in building new affordable housing.
Boosting funding for accessible and affordable housing Fought to pass the American Rescue Plan, which ensured Vermont received $11 billion towards affordable housing construction.
Voted to pass the Build Better Act, which included a $150 billion investment in affordable housing efforts.
Cosponsored the Moving Forward Act, which would significantly increase annual housing tax credits and provide $100 billion for other affordable housing programs.
Agriculture
Fighting for Vermont’s Farmers and Nutrition Peter fights to support Vermont’s farmers. Despite the immense challenges they face, our farmers and food networks have been the backbone of Vermont communities for generations. They must play a role in our future local food system, the fight against climate change, and our state economy.
Defending dairy farmers Working to strengthen the dairy safety net with the Margin Protection Program, protect our trade agreements to ensure Vermont dairy has access to international markets, and institute a supply management system.
Protecting organic dairy Pushed back against Horizon Organic and its parent company Danone on their decision to leave our organic dairy farms behind. Continue to advocate for increased support to protect Vermont’s organic dairy farmers.
Fighting for more organic research funding, better oversight and enforcement of national organic standards that protect high-quality organic producers from bad actors.
Ending corn ethanol subsidies Working to end The Renewable Fuel Standard, an artificial corn ethanol subsidy that raises the cost of feed for farmers, damages small engines, and harms the environment.
Protecting the definition of dairy Introduced the Dairy Pride Act which would require the Food and Drug Administration to enforce the dairy standards of identity.
Help Vermont families and children get access to affordable, nutritious meals Working to expand SNAP benefits, achieve universal school meals, increase funding for food banks, and help Vermonters in need.
Climate and the Environment
Confronting Climate Change and Creating Jobs A healthy environment doesn’t just provide the air we breathe and the water we drink, it supports entire industries in Vermont and across the country, creates recreational opportunities for families, and makes us all feel better to be outside. Peter is fighting to make sure future generations have equal opportunities to explore and take advantage of the great outdoors. That’s why he’s a cosponsor of the Green New Deal: because he knows we can confront climate change and create millions of good-paying jobs through energy efficiency and clean energy projects. And he understands we don’t have the luxury of time — we must act now.
Fighting climate change Cosponsored the Green New Deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs and addressing problems of economic inequality and racial injustice.
Deploying renewable energy across the United States Sponsored a bill calling for 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030.
Ensuring our homes are safe to live in and energy efficient Championed the lifesaving Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income families pay their energy bills through freezing cold winters and scorching summers.
Authored Hope for Homes Act to establish a grant program for people looking to invest in energy efficiency upgrades in their homes.
Ending fossil fuel subsidies Supports eliminating harmful fossil fuel and corn ethanol subsidies that exacerbate climate change.
Protecting our air and water Supported the PFAS Action Act of 2021, comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to protect all Americans from harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, including assistance for water utilities and wastewater treatment facilities.
Introduced the American Renewable Energy Act of 2021 to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and drive the deployment of clean energy resources around the country to improve public health.
Conserving public lands Cosponsored the Great American Outdoors Act, which would provide permanent funding annually to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and boost much-needed maintenance in our national parks and other public lands.
Boosting outdoor recreation Introduced The Recreational Trails Full Funding Act to more than double funding for the development and maintenance of outdoor recreational trails, giving millions of Americans greater access to outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.
Disability Rights
- Supporting people with disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law over 30 years ago, thanks to the hard work of activists in the disability rights movement. While we’ve made a lot of progress since then, Peter understands we still have a lot of work to do in ensuring equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. Peter is fighting for equal access for people with disabilities to public accommodations and employment opportunities.
Supported American Rescue Plan increases in funding for home and community based services for individuals with disabilities, including behavioral health support.
Gun Safety
Passing Commonsense Gun Safety Reforms There are gun safety reform measures that enjoy strong public support across party lines that we can enact today, without undermining Second Amendment rights. Peter believes we need to do just that in order to address the epidemic of gun violence in our country and save thousands of lives each year.
Working to pass universal background checks for gun purchases Cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to require background checks on all commercial gun sales.
Advancing a ban on assault weapons Cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban Act to prohibit the sale of assault weapons.
Advocating for additional common sense reforms Supported removal of prohibition on gun violence research by the CDC.
Working to ban bump stocks and limit the size of ammunition clips.
- Cosponsored a “red flag” bill, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, to allow relatives and law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from individuals in crisis.
Health Care
- Ensuring Quality Health Care for Every American and Taking on Big Pharma Our nation’s current health care system leaves millions of people behind. Because lifesaving prescription drugs or health care aren’t helpful if Americans can’t afford them. And the pandemic has only highlighted the inequities different groups face in terms of both health care access and health outcomes. That’s why Peter has been fighting for Medicare for All: because he believes that the fear of losing insurance shouldn’t keep you at a job you don’t want and that no one should have to make the impossible choice between putting food on the table or getting the care they need.
Throughout his career, Peter has been a leading champion for prescription drug reform, helping pass legislation through the House that will cut the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs for all Americans. Our work isn’t over. Americans have been ripped off by Big Pharma for too long, and Peter believes that it’s time to finally stand up to the drug companies and stand up for Americans.
Fighting for Medicare for All Cosponsored the Medicare for All Act of 2021, which would expand Medicare to provide comprehensive benefits to every person in the United States. Lowering the cost of prescription drugs and taking on Big Pharma’s price-gouging Cosponsored the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug companies, which would lower prescription drug costs for all Americans.
Expanding access to telehealth The expansion of telehealth is particularly helpful in getting access to care to some of Medicare’s more disadvantaged populations, including people in rural areas – that’s why Peter introduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act to expand the use and availability of telemedicine.
Eliminating health inequities Cosponsored the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which would comprehensively address America’s Black maternal mortality and morbidity crisis.
Cosponsored the COVID Community Care Act, which would provide funding to HHS to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 in medically underserved communities.
- Fighting for Frontline Healthcare Workers Cosponsored the Workplace Violence Protection for Health Care and Social Services Workers Act, which would require the Department of Labor to establish protections from workplace violence in the health care sector.
Cosponsored the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, which would provide federal and private student loan forgiveness to certain frontline health care workers.
Cosponsored the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which would provide grants to improve mental and behavioral health and prevent burnout among health care providers.
LGBTQ+ Rights
- Establishing Equal Rights for the LGBTQ+ Community Peter is committed to protecting every LGBTQ+ American’s individual and civil rights from discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. LGBTQ+ Americans still face barriers to everyday life, including discrimination in public housing, adoption, military service, and education. No one is equal until we’re all equal, and Peter will fight until the LGBTQ+ community has full rights and protections in America.
Cosponsored and voted for the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation in businesses open to the public, education, housing, banking, and jury selection.
Cosponsored the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which would require school districts that receive federal funding to adopt conduct codes that prohibit bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion.
Cosponsored the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, which would prohibit any public child welfare agency receiving federal funds from discriminating against potential foster or adoptive parents because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.
Supported an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to end the ban on transgender military service.
Cosponsored the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, which would classify conversion therapy practices as fraudulent and direct the Federal Trade Commission to protect consumers from these harmful and discredited practices.
Opioid Crisis
Combating the opioid crisis One person died every two days of an overdose in Vermont last year, and many more struggled with the crushing weight of addiction to opioids. Families in every corner of the state are impacted by this disease, but we can turn the tide of the epidemic if we have the political will. Increasing access to evidence-based treatment will save and improve hundreds of lives every year.
Ending the epidemic Cosponsored the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act, which would provide billions in sustained funding for evidence-based treatment and recovery services to state and local communities.
Worked on a bill that funded a program providing medication-assisted treatment around the state. When funding for the program ran out, steered nearly $1.2 million in federal money to resume and expand the program so 400 people in Vermont can have a methadone-dispensing device of their own. Advocates say this will improve — and possibly save — lives.
Cosponsored the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act, which would provide states and communities with $100 billion in funding for treatment and recovery services.
Cosponsored of the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, which will expand access to buprenorphine, a life-saving recovery medication
Pandemic Recovery
- Investing in our Communities and Downtowns as they Recover from the Pandemic This pandemic has put enormous stress on community centers and downtowns across the country. Peter understands that independent live music and entertainment venues, restaurants, and small businesses are often the heart of our communities’ downtowns — and they help make Vermont such a special place to live. That’s why he’s been fighting in Congress to provide relief for these businesses, so they can get back to fully serving the communities they love.
Cosponsored the Restaurant Relief Package (RRP) in the American Rescue Plan that passed in 2021. Peter continues to work with local Vermont restaurant owners and won’t stop fighting to replenish the RRP fund so these local businesses get the support they need.
Authored the Save Our Stages Act in Congress, leading the effort in Washington to provide funding to eligible live music venues, movie theaters, and performing arts organizations that were shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic. 65 grants have been awarded to Vermont venues, totalling over $29.9 million from the SBA grant program – Shuttered Venues Operators Grant – created by this bill.
Strongly supported the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provided businesses in Vermont with more than 21,000 loans totaling upwards of $1.7 billion. The first round of PPP assisted nearly 12,000 Vermont small businesses receive grants to get through the pandemic, and helped save as many as 114,000 jobs.
Racial Justice
Addressing Racial Injustices
Peter got his start in public service in the civil rights movement, after he left college to go to Chicago to work for a community organization fighting discriminatory housing practices. There he witnessed firsthand the ways in which racism in our county is systemic and ingrained. That experience still motivates him to this day. The only way to move towards a truly equitable future is by addressing these injustices head on. Peter understands that these efforts must include environmental justice, economic justice, the protection of voting rights, and address disparities in health care and our criminal justice system.
Environmental Justice
Cosponsor of the Green New Deal which aims to protect vulnerable low-income and minority communities from exposure to harmful or toxic chemicals and the impacts of climate change – while creating clean energy jobs.
- Protecting Voting Rights Cosponsored and helped pass the For the People Act in the House, which aims to expand voting rights and rid politics of big dark money. It would also address partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts and expand voter registration options like vote-by-mail and early voting.
Cosponsored the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which aims to restore much-needed protections against voting restrictions and redistricting discrimination targeting voters of color.
- Justice System Reforms Cosponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels.
Cosponsor of the First Step Act, to guide housing and program assignments to reduce recidivism rates of formerly incarcerated individuals.
Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white Americans, which is one of the reasons Peter supports the federal decriminalization of marijuana.
- Eliminating Health Inequities Cosponsored the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act, which would require the CDC to establish a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities.
Rebuilding The Middle Class
Fighting for Working Families and Rebuilding America’s Middle Class Peter has talked with Vermonters in every corner of the state, and he knows the struggles that they face. Working Vermonters are getting squeezed by wages that don’t keep up with inflation, college degrees that create immense student debt, and a global health pandemic that’s caused massive job disruption. Women have left the workforce in staggering numbers throughout the pandemic — largely due to childcare needs, or to take care of family members at home. Meanwhile, they’re still fighting for equal pay for equal work. Peter is working in Congress to rebuild the American middle-class and create more job opportunities for American workers by prioritizing Main Street instead of Wall Street.
Ensuring every American makes a fair wage, has paid leave, and can access affordable childcare and housing Cosponsored Raise the Wage Act which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Supported the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the gender pay gap.
Cosponsored the PRO Act to remove barriers to organizing and strengthening union rights.
Supported providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave, capping the cost of childcare for most Vermont families at 7% of their income, and investing in affordable housing in the Build Back Better Act.
- Rebuilding America’s infrastructure and expanding broadband connectivity Pushed for and strongly supported the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide at least $2.2 billion to Vermont to improve our roads and bridges, invest in clean water, clean transportation, and expand advanced broadband, and more to Vermont.
Introduced the Connecting Americans Act to invest $80 billion to provide affordable broadband to all Americans.
- Creating a green job economy in the United States Supported the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps to combat climate change and jump-start the clean energy economy.
Supported the House passage of the Build Back Better Act to provide the largest investment in the history of our country to address climate change, including Peter’s Hope for Homes Act to provide tax incentives for home energy retrofits.
- Reducing the burden of inflation Supported the COMPETES Act passage in the House, which aims to build a more resilient and secure supply chain while investing in American manufacturing and technology.
Voted for the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act to penalize Big Oil from profiting on global crises and bring greater transparency to the secretive industry.
Fighting to reign in outrageous price increases from Big Pharma to save patients money at the pharmacy counter.
Reproductive Rights
- Protecting Reproductive Rights Nationwide Reproductive rights are under attack across this country. Peter knows that we can’t count on the most conservative Supreme Court in modern history to do the right thing and protect a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions. This would have a serious and disproportionate impact on people of color and low-income or rural populations. In this urgent moment, Peter is proud to be an ally in the fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom in Vermont and across the country and will continue to be a steadfast partner in this fight if elected to the Senate.
Cosponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act which would codify Roe v. Wade into law and protect reproductive freedom for all. Support fully funding Planned Parenthood and Title X family planning services. Cosponsored the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act, which would require the VA to provide contraceptives without a copay for veterans who receive their care through the VA health system.
Unions & Frontline Workers
Strengthening Unions & Building Better Workplaces for Our Frontline Workers Peter believes that everyone deserves bargaining rights and a voice in the workplace and that strong unions improve the lives of workers with good wages, safer working conditions, and better protections.
Cosponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would expand labor protections related to employees’ rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace.
- Supporting Our Frontline Workers
Supported the HEROES Act, which would have created a $200 billion fund to increase pay for essential frontline workers. Support setting minimum nurse-to-patient staffing requirements to better protect nurses and patients. Cosponsored the Workplace Violence Protection for Health Care and Social Services Workers Act, which would require the Department of Labor to establish necessary protections from workplace violence for nurses and other healthcare workers. Cosponsored the Dr.Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which would establish grants and other requirements to support healthcare workers’ mental health. Cosponsored the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, which would provide federal and private student loan forgiveness to certain frontline health care workers.
Veterans
Fighting for Veterans Peter strongly believes that the cost of the war has to include the cost of caring for the warrior when they return home. He’s worked with veterans and their families and has seen firsthand the long-term impacts of their service, including the physical, mental, and financial toll. Peter knows that America owes them for the sacrifices they’ve made while protecting our nation, and has championed numerous pieces of legislation to aid veterans and their families. Peter is committed to making sure these soldiers get access to the health care and benefits they need.
Streamline access to VA services for veterans exposed to burn pits Cosponsored H.R. 3967, the Honoring Our PACT Act, to establish a presumption of service connection and provide VA healthcare to veterans exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits.
Co-led the Burn Pit Registry Expansion Act (H.R. 4400) and the Department of Defense Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act (H.R. 4397). Expand mental health services and improve access for all veterans
Cosponsored the Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline (REACH) for Veterans Act (H.R. 5073), which would improve the Veterans Crisis Line. Support additional funding for the Veterans Administration and its services
Called for additional funding for veterans’ health care and health research, housing, and supportive services. End veteran homelessness in America
Called for increased funding for the VA Supportive Housing Program, which provides housing and supportive services to homeless veterans.
Voting Rights
Protecting Your Voting Rights and Strengthening Our Democracy Peter was in the Capitol when the violent mob attacked the heart of our democracy on January 6th – and living through that experience and its aftermath has fueled a deeper sense of urgency to protect our democracy. With Republicans in state legislatures across the country working to enact laws that will suppress Americans’ right to vote and dark money pouring into campaigns in an attempt to undermine free and fair elections, Peter has been a champion of voting rights and campaign finance and election reforms that will put power back in the hands of the people.
Making it easier to vote Cosponsored and helped pass the For the People Act in the House, which aims to expand voting rights by protecting against partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts and expanding voter registration options like vote-by-mail and early voting.
Cosponsored and helped pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which aims to restore much-needed protections against voting restrictions and redistricting discrimination targeting voters of color.
Getting dark money out of politics and strengthen our ethics laws Supports a constitutional amendment to overturn the disastrous Citizens United decision and campaign finance and election reforms that will put power back in the hands of the people.
Preserving election integrity to ensure the peaceful transitions of power Cosponsored the Protecting Our Democracy Act to create a more transparent and accountable government, address abuses of presidential power, and ensure our elections are secure.