Senator Sanders

Solar Power Lab A new center in Vermont will be researching ways to cut the cost of solar power and integrate solar energy into the state. The center, opening Monday, is one of five in the United States. The state entered into a partnership with Sandia National Laboratories and other institutions several years ago to conduct energy research. Representatives from Sandia, IBM, and the U.S. Department of Energy are joining Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Peter Shumlin to launch the test center on Monday, The Associated Press reported. LINK

Social Security “He’s going to play the role that he does so well and that is to protect the vulnerable in our society. That’s a useful role that he plays. However, as I said at the outset, the basic problem here is the entitlement programs, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, that have to be address and I believe Chairman Murray and Chairman Ryan understand that full well,” William Hoagland, a senior vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said Monday on C-SPAN’s The Communicators. Hoagland was asked about a Sanders’ column on the budget negotiations published last week in USA Today. VIDEO

Social Security “Social Security has been the most successful and reliable program in our history. For 78 years, Social Security has kept millions of senior citizens, widows and the disabled out of poverty. In good economic times and bad, Social Security has never failed to provide all benefits owed to all eligible Americans. Before Social Security, about half of our senior citizens lived in poverty. Today, while still too high, senior poverty is at 10 percent. More than 57 million Americans receive Social Security benefits,” Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote in a column published Sunday by thetowntalk.com in Alexandria, La. LINK

F-35s Opponents of basing the next generation Air Force fighter jet at the Vermont National Guard base in Burlington are frustrated as the decision nears. Katherine Kirby told WPTZ-TV, “I've been involved for a year and a half. After a year and a half we've yet to have a conversation with Pat Leahy or Bernie Sanders about it.” VIDEO

World

Egypt’s Morsi Defiant Ousted Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi struck a defiant tone on the first day of his trial on Monday, chanting 'Down with military rule', and calling himself the country's only 'legitimate' president. An Islamist who was toppled by the army in July after mass protests against him, Morsi appeared angry and interrupted the session repeatedly, prompting a judge eventually to adjourn the trial, which barely got underway, to January 8, Reuters reported. LINK

National

Senate to Vote on Workplace Bias Against Gays A major test of how carefully Republicans can navigate the intraparty politics of sexuality will come on Monday, when the Senate holds a crucial vote on a bill to outlaw workplace discrimination against gay men, lesbians and transgender people with the bill apparently just one vote short of the threshold to prevent a filibuster, The New York Times reported. LINK

Officials Rebuff Call To Suspend Health Site The Obama administration said Sunday it had rejected a call from a senior Democratic senator to shut down HealthCare.gov until it is fully fixed, saying that wouldn't help the government team racing to have the website up to scratch by the end of the month, The Wall Street Journal reported. LINK

Intelligence Chairs Voice Concerns about NSA Eavesdropping The leaders of the Senate and the House intelligence committees voiced fresh concerns Sunday about National Security Agency surveillance efforts. Rep. Mike Rogers suggested that he didn’t believe recent reports indicating that President Obama was unaware that the United States was monitoring German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone for more than a decade. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said tapping the phone lines of close foreign allies “has much more political liability than probably intelligence viability,” The Washington Post reported. LINK

Vermont

Welch Speaks at VA Rep. Peter Welch on Sunday attended a “Hearts of Valor” ceremony held at the White River Junction VA to honor Vietnam veterans around Vermont for their service in the war, which killed more than 58,000 U.S. servicemen. Welch was the keynote speaker at the event. In his speech to the Vietnam veterans, Welch contrasted the dysfunction of the federal government with Vermonters’ commitment to each other, specifically among veterans, the Valley News reported. LINK

Methadone Clinic Opens in Rutland Rutland opens its long awaited methadone clinic this week. Local leaders believe it will provide much needed help for recovering addicts and curb drug related crime in the city, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK