Senator Sanders

Afghanistan Sen. Bernie Sanders asked who will pay the $30 billion or more in added Afghan war costs, The Washington Post, AP, The Washington Times, "The News Hour" on PBS, NPR, Fox News and Reuters reported. "Bernie isn't buying it," was The Burlington Free Press page-one headline. On WCAX, he asked: "Where is the rest of the world standing with us on this issue? Why is it just the taxpayers of this country and our very brave soldiers having to bear all of the burden?" LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK

No on Bernanke Senator Sanders will vote no on the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term, Congressional Quarterly reported. On MSNBC, Sen. Sanders said of Bernanke: "He's part of the problem." On WCAX, the senator said, "His job was to give us the warnings about the need to change policies on Wall Street and he didn't do that. We need a new direction on Wall Street." LINK, VIDEO and VIDEO

Trade Pacts A group of U.S. senators urged President Obama Monday to back legislation requiring the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and a long list of other trade pacts they blame for millions of lost U.S. manufacturing jobs. The bill, which has seven co-sponsors in the Senate, including Sanders, shows the strong opposition Obama could face from his own party if he pushes for new trade agreements without addressing concerns about past trade pacts, Reuters reported. LINK

Health Care - Single Payer Writing in the Times Argus about heath care reform, Sen. Senator Sanders stated: "In my view, the simplest and most cost-effective solution to our health care crisis would be a single-payer, Medicare-for-all system. Tens of thousands of physicians and millions of Americans want us to move in that direction because it would provide comprehensive care for all through public funding, free choice of doctors and hospitals and simple and cost-effective administration."  LINK

Health Care - Public Option Senate Leader Reid's foremost problem is the public option to compete with private insurers. Four senators who voted to begin debate say they probably will join a filibuster unless the public option is removed. On the other side, Sen. Sanders said there are a "number of senators, including myself, who would not support final passage without a strong public option," according to Congressional Quarterly and National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." LINK and LINK and AUDIO

Health Care - Wisconsin Sen. Sanders "is positioning himself as a leader in the fight for real reform" as a champion of a robust public insurance option, but he "should not stand alone. Wisconsin Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl...should signal now that they will join Sanders in objecting to a dumbed-down reform bill," The Capital Times in Madison, Wis. editorialized. LINK

Senate Challengers With the midterm election under a year away, Sen. Patrick Leahy faces challengers from both the left and right. Woodstock area businessman Len Britton, 54, is seeking the Republican nomination and Dr. Daniel Freilich is challenging Leahy for the Democratic nomination. He opposes the health care legislation pending in Congress and recently urged Leahy and Sen. Sanders to join a Republican-led filibuster of the legislation, The Associated Press reported. LINK

International

Afghanistan President Obama issued orders to send about 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan as he prepared to address the nation Tuesday night to explain what may be one of the most defining decisions of his presidency, The New York Times reported. New infusions of U.S. Marines will begin moving into Afghanistan almost as soon as Obama announces his redrawn battle strategy, The Associated Press reported. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced he would send 500 more troops to the country to "finish the job." LINK, LINK, and LINK

National

No Big Cost Rise in U.S. Premiums Is Seen in Study The Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the Senate health bill could significantly reduce costs for many people who buy health insurance on their own, and that it would not substantially change premiums for the vast numbers of Americans who receive coverage from large employers, The New York Times reported. LINK

Vermont

Mental Health Cuts The Douglas administration is considering a nearly $20 million cut to mental health services in its next budget, a reduction that advocates say could result in up to 3,000 people across the state losing services. State officials outlined proposed cuts to lawmakers and mental health advocates at a meeting last week about the future of the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury, the facility that serves people with severe cases of mental illness, the Vermont Press Bureau reported. LINK