A study found that more than half of all American households with someone 55 or older have no retirement savings. The Government Accountability Office study was requested by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the lead sponsor of legislation to increase Social Security benefits. Continuing his fight against domestic spying programs, Sanders on Tuesday voted against legislation to extend some provisions of the USA Patriot Act. Sanders on Thursday visited an innovative job training site for unemployed youth in the capital city’s Anacostia neighborhood and unveiled legislation with Rep. John Conyers to create new jobs. “We cannot continue to ignore the crisis of youth unemployment in America. We are talking about the future of an entire generation,” Sanders said.

Sanders Votes ‘No’ on Domestic Spying Bill

Citing privacy and civil liberties concerns, Sanders on Tuesday voted against legislation to extend a controversial domestic spying program. Sanders said the measure shifting the bulk collection and storage of phone records from the government to private telecommunications companies is better than a provision in the USA Patriot Act which it would replace. The bill, however, still would give the National Security Agency and law enforcement too much access to vast databases of information on millions of innocent Americans. “We must keep our country safe and protect ourselves from terrorists,” Sanders said, “but we can do that without undermining the constitutional and privacy rights which make us a free nation. This bill is an improvement over the USA Patriot Act but there are still too many opportunities for the government to collect information on innocent people.” Read more here.

Half of Older Household Have No Retirement Savings

A new study prepared for Sanders found that more than half of all American households with someone 55 or older have no retirement savings. The Government Accountability Office study was requested by Sanders, the lead sponsor of legislation to increase Social Security benefits. “This report makes it clear that there is a retirement crisis in America today.  At a time when half of all older workers have no retirement savings, we need to expand, not cut, Social Security benefits so that every American can retire with dignity,” Sanders said. Read more here.

Fighting for American Workers

On Wednesday, Sanders joined others in a press conference outside the Capitol to speak out against bad trade deals that are sending American jobs overseas. “Bad trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership are a major reason for the collapse of the American middle class and the increase in wealth and income inequality in the United States," Sanders said. “This agreement, like bad trade deals before it, will force American workers to compete with desperate workers around the world – including workers in Vietnam where the minimum wage is 56 cents an hour. Trade agreements should not just work for corporate America, Wall Street and the pharmaceutical industry. They have got to benefit the working families of our country,” Sanders said. “We must defeat fast track and develop a new policy on trade.”

Sanders Proposes Youth Jobs Bill

Sanders on Thursday visited an innovative job training site for unemployed youth in the capital city’s Anacostia neighborhood and unveiled legislation with Rep. John Conyers to create new jobs. “We cannot continue to ignore the crisis of youth unemployment in America. We are talking about the future of an entire generation,” Sanders said. “We have got to make sure that young people in Washington, D.C., and all over this country have the opportunity to earn a paycheck and to make it into the middle class.” Sanders and Conyers introduced companion bills in the Senate and House to provide $5.5 billion for states and local governments to employ 1 million youth from ages 16 to 24 years old. The U.S. Department of Labor would provide $4 billion in grants to provide summer and year-round employment opportunities for low-income youth. Another $1.5 billion would be allotted for competitive grants for work-based training programs. Read more here.

Sanders to Gov. Bush: ‘No, We Will Not Cut Social Security!’

In the midst of massive wealth and income inequality and at a time when poverty among seniors is rising, Sen. Sanders ripped former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for recently proposing massive cuts to Social Security. “I have a hard time understanding what world Gov. Bush and his billionaire backers live in,” said Sanders, the founder of the Senate Defending Social Security Caucus. “At a time when more than half of the American people have less than $10,000 in savings, it would be a disaster to cut Social Security benefits by raising the retirement age. It is unacceptable to ask construction workers, truck drivers, nurses and other working-class Americans to work until they are 68 to 70 years old before qualifying for full Social Security benefits, added Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. Read more here.