U.S. Senator from Vermont · Class I

Bernard Sanders

Independent · caucuses D 4th term Up 2030 Ranking · Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

100LoyaltyMed 96

93AttendMed 98

3BipartMed 9

1BreaksMed 31

Position · −0.55

In office: Senate 2007–now
House 1991–2007
35 years in CongressMore senior than 93% of the Senate
Breaks on: Armed Forces and National Security 10%
Committees: Environment and Public Works · Finance · Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Bills on: International Affairs · Labor and Employment · Health
Age: 85

Bottom line

Has missed 64 of 915 roll calls this Congress (7%), more than 95% of senators.
Ranking Democrat on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
The 3rd most liberal member of the Senate by voting record.
Sponsored 54 bills this Congress; none has passed the Senate yet.

Where Sanders has influence

Roles

Ranking Member · Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Ranking Member · Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy (Finance)
Ex Officio · Education and the American Family (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions)
Ex Officio · Employment and Workplace Safety (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions)
Ex Officio · Primary Health and Retirement Security (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions)

Environment and Public Works · 2nd in seniority on the minority side
Finance · 9th in seniority on the minority side
Veterans' Affairs · 3rd in seniority on the minority side
Budget · 4th in seniority on the minority side

Bills on the move

S. 5026 Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026 · Out of committee

Talks most about

AI Infrastructure Impact 2 statementsIntroduced Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act to regulate AI development
Privacy and Surveillance 1 statementIntroduced bill to ban AI-powered surveillance cameras and license plate readers
Social Welfare 1 statementUrged emergency appropriation increase for low-income home heating assistance
International Affairs 1 statementWarned oligarchy ascending and democracy in retreat globally
Energy 1 statementSupports Solar for All program funding restoration

Stories in Sanders’s press releases with their latest stance, last three months. Read by AI.

Where Sanders breaks with Democrats

Method

Share of party-line votes on each issue where Sanders voted against most Democrats. The tick is the median for Senate Democrats.

Armed Forces and National Security 10% · 1 of 10 party 0%

Notable votes

Full record (Pro)

Where Sanders broke with their party, close outcomes and final passage votes on named bills, newest first.

Date	Measure	Title	Vote	Result
09/28/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On Passage of the Bill · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 77–22
09/24/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On the Cloture Motion · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 74–25
09/24/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On the Amendment · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 77–23
09/22/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On the Cloture Motion · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 70–21
09/17/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On the Motion to Proceed · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 77–22
09/15/26	S. 4668	Protect College Sports Act of 2026On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed · This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited…Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 74–24
08/08/26	H.R. 6500	Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027On Passage of the Bill · This bill provides continuing FY2027 appropriations for federal agencies and extends various expiring programs and authorities.Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 90–6
08/07/26	H.R. 6500	Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027On the Cloture Motion · This bill provides continuing FY2027 appropriations for federal agencies and extends various expiring programs and authorities.Broke w/ party	Nay	Passed 91–6

Yea ■ filled · Nay □ open · Not voting – dash. Party split bars: Democrats left, Republicans right; dark = yea, light = nay.

What Sanders is saying

All 18 statements and posts

Statement · Press release · Oct 2, 2026

NEWS: Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Merkley Unveil Ban Flock Act to Protect Americans’ Right to Privacy

Introduced legislation to prohibit federal use of automatic license plate readers.
“At a time of growing concern about the unchecked power of artificial intelligence, Flock is eviscerating the very notion of privacy by installing tens of thousands of cameras in communities across America without their consent.”

Ban Flock Act Privacy and SurveillanceAI-read
Statement · Press release · Oct 1, 2026

NEWS: Sanders, 19 Senators Push to Nearly Double Emergency Home Heating Assistance After Trump’s War with Iran Spikes Costs for Americans

Urged Trump administration to increase LIHEAP funding to $7 billion for home heating assistance.
“As the cost of home heating skyrockets across the country due to the illegal and unconstitutional War in Iran, we urge you to request an emergency appropriation of at least $3 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.”

LIHEAP Funding Distribution Social WelfareAI-read
Statement · Press release · Sep 23, 2026

NEWS: Sanders, Casar Introduce Legislation to Create New Federal Agency to Ban Artificial Superintelligence, Pause Advanced AI Development

Introduced legislation to ban artificial superintelligence and pause advanced AI development.
“When you are racing towards a cliff, you don’t just ease up on the gas pedal. You hit the brakes. When the future of humanity is at stake, we cannot let a handful of Big Tech CEOs write their own rules.”

AI Infrastructure ImpactAI-read
Statement · Press release · Sep 21, 2026

NEWS: Sanders Ahead of UN General Assembly: “Oligarchy is ascending and democracy is in retreat… Working together, that must change.”

Delivered foreign policy address warning oligarchy is ascending and democracy in retreat.
“a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

International AffairsAI-read
Statement · Press release · Sep 19, 2026

NEWS: Sanders Statement on Federal Judge Restoring $7 Billion forSolar for All

Praised federal judge restoring $7 billion in Solar for All program funding Trump EPA cancelled.

EnergyAI-read
Statement · Press release · Sep 15, 2026

PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders: Regulating AI “is as American as apple pie.”

Urged global response to AI threats and called on AI companies to end election meddling.
“OH MY GOD! There is a shared message board … We’ve found other agents!”

AI Infrastructure ImpactAI-read

◇ statements (press releases) · ○ posts. When a statement names a bill Sanders voted on, the vote is shown next to it.

Effectiveness, 119th Congress so far

How it’s measured

0.26· expected 0.96

Below expectations

Rank 91 of 100 in the Senate ┃ expected = average of 18 minority-party ranking members

How far Sanders’s own bills got, weighted by substance. The average member scores 1.00.

Introduced 54
Action in committee 1
Action beyond committee 1
Passed chamber 0
Became law 0

54 bills and joint resolutions sponsored: 6 significant (got a roll call vote), 48 substantive, 0 commemorative. Compare the Senate

How Sanders’s ratings compare with every senator

Ratings, 119th Congress

Scores run 0–100 and always sit next to a median. Each tick is one senator; the ringed marker is Sanders.

Attendance

How it’s measured

93/ 100

Chamber median 98 ┃ 64 missed of 915

Voted on 851 of 915 roll calls; missed 64. Lower than 95% of senators.

Party loyalty

How it’s measured

100/ 100

Senate D median 96 ┃ Rank 4 of 47

Sided with the Democratic majority on 778 votes that split the parties. Higher than 80% of senators.

Bipartisan

How it’s measured

3/ 100

Chamber median 9 ┃ −6

Average agreement with members of the other party on contested votes. Lower than 98% of senators.

Position

How it’s measured

−0.55

Democratic middle 80%: -0.51 to -0.23

Left–right position from roll-call similarity (DW-NOMINATE, Voteview), from −1 to +1. Members who vote alike sit near each other.

Bills, 119th Congress

All 56 sponsored bills

Sponsored 56 (Senate median 61) · cosponsored 477 (median 307.5), 227 of them as an original cosponsor · most often on International Affairs, Labor and Employment, Health.

S. 5493 Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act of 2026Introduced Sep 23, 2026 In committee
S. 5456 Stop Social Security Garnishment Act of 2026Education · Introduced Sep 22, 2026 In committee
S. 5384 Thirty-Two Hour Workweek ActIntroduced Sep 14, 2026 In committee
S. 5284 Green New Deal for Public Housing ActHousing and Community Development · Introduced Aug 6, 2026 In committee
S. 5280 Guaranteed Paid Vacation ActLabor and Employment · Introduced Aug 6, 2026 In committee
S. 5185 Audit the Pentagon ActArmed Forces and National Security · Introduced Jul 30, 2026 In committee
S. 5026 Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026Establishes programs to reduce childhood diabetes rates. AI-readHealth · Introduced Jul 16, 2026 Out of committee
S. 4825 American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund ActTaxation · Introduced Jun 18, 2026 In committee

Votes by issue

How votes are tagged

Issue	Votes	Yea share	With party
Economics and Public Finance	206	61%	Pro
Nominations	198	1%	Pro
Other	105	0%	Pro
Immigration	36	69%	Pro
International Affairs	34	82%	Pro
Defense & national security	33	6%	Pro
Energy & environment	22	0%	Pro
Armed Forces and National Security	18	44%	Pro
Congress	17	12%	Pro
Environmental Protection	17	35%	Pro
Finance and Financial Sector	17	24%	Pro
Public Lands and Natural Resources	15	0%	Pro
Government Operations and Politics	13	23%	Pro
Sports and Recreation	12	33%	Pro
Transportation and Public Works	12	58%	Pro
Energy	11	0%	Pro
Taxes, finance & economy	11	0%	Pro
Health care	9	0%	Pro
Housing and Community Development	8	100%	Pro
Transportation & infrastructure	8	13%	Pro
Taxation	7	43%	Pro
Budget & appropriations	7	0%	Pro
Foreign affairs & trade	7	0%	Pro
Foreign Trade and International Finance	6	83%	Pro
Crime and Law Enforcement	4	25%	Pro
Health	4	75%	Pro
Education & families	3	0%	Pro
Education	2	50%	Pro
Emergency Management	2	100%	Pro
Science, Technology, Communications	2	0%	Pro
Immigration & border	2	0%	Pro
Crime & justice	2	0%	Pro
Families	1	100%	Pro

Who votes alike

Method

Agreement on contested votes where both cast yea or nay.

Most aligned

DEdward J. MarkeyMA Senate99%agreement
DElizabeth WarrenMA Senate99%agreement
DChristopher MurphyCT Senate99%agreement

Full voting networkPro

See all twelve closest allies, the members Sanders most often votes against, and the closest allies in the other party.

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Campaign money

Method

In the 2025–26 cycle Sanders’s campaign raised $24.9M: $23.8M (95%) from individuals and $27 (0%) from PACs and other committees. Cash on hand: $22.8M.

Through Jun 30, 2026; filings lag, so recent gifts can take weeks to appear. Money raised also counts loans and transfers, so the shares need not add to 100%. Source: FEC.gov.

Last cycle, party money, self-funding and debts are part of Pro. See Pro