Congress came back to Capitol Hill after an August break. As the Senate debated a Defense Department bill, Senator Bernie Sanders highlighted how the Pentagon wastes taxpayer dollars. Senators passed a bill to strengthen the Americans with Disabilities Act. On Thursday, the nation somberly marked the anniversary of 9/11.

Pentagon Waste Sanders went to the Senate floor on Friday to urge passage of an amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill to address significant waste of taxpayer money by the military. "At a time when this country has a $9.7 trillion dollar national debt and when we have enormous unmet needs in terms of infrastructure, health care, education, etc., Congress must take a hard look at every agency of government, including the Defense Department, and seek out waste, fraud and abuse. In fact, given the reality that the Defense Department has a budget of over $500 billion a year, excluding Iraq and Afghanistan, which is more than half of the discretionary budget of our country, we must be especially vigilant in examining waste within the Armed Forces. Today, more than half of the spare parts in Air Force warehouses, over $18 billion worth, are not needed. In fact, the Air Force has on order $235 million in inventory already identified as ready for disposal. The truth is that this type of practice has gone on year after year resulting in an enormous waste of taxpayer money - and it must be ended." To read more, click here. To watch the senator, click here.

Americans with Disabilities The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to clarify a landmark 1990 disability rights law in the wake of Supreme Court decisions that limited the law's reach. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, said his chamber scheduled a Sept. 17 vote to clear the bill and send it to the White House. Sanders, a member of the Senate health committee and a cosponsor of the bill, said, "The Americans with Disabilities Act was intended to provide broad protection for the estimated 18 percent of the U.S. population that lives with some level of disability. There is still a long way to go to ensuring that the basic civil rights of persons with disabilities are fully protected and respected, but this is an important step in that direction. Click here to read more.

Wild and Scenic Rivers A Senate panel on Thursday approved legislation that could lead to designating the Missisquoi and Trout rivers as "Wild and Scenic." The measure introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and cosponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to study the two northern Vermont rivers as the first step toward adding them to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. "This legislation strikes an essential balance between the use of our natural resources for recreation and sport, and maintaining a clean environment in keeping with our state's proud tradition of responsible stewardship," Sanders said. To read more, click here.

Our Sad Anniversary The nation marked the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with ceremonies in New York, where two hijacked jets slammed into the World Trade Center twin towers, at the Pentagon, where a new memorial was dedicated, and at the U.S. Capitol, a potential target of another hijacked jet that courageous passengers forced down in Pennsylvania. Senator Bernie Sanders joined in observing a moment of silence on the steps outside the Capitol, where flags flew at half staff. "This is a day to honor the memory of the lives lost on September 11, 2001, to pay our respects to America's brave first responders, to salute volunteers in the war on terror, and to remember the American values and freedoms we all cherish," he said.