Education: Brooklyn College (attended), University of Chicago (BA 1964)
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Background: Longest-serving independent in congressional history. Former Mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Self-described democratic socialist. 2016 and 2020 presidential candidate. Former Budget Committee chair.
{'self_described_socialist': 'Democratic socialist, longest-serving independent in US congressional history', 'healthcare': 'Authored Medicare for All legislation', 'income_inequality': 'Primary focus on income inequality and taxing the wealthy', 'education': 'Advocates free public college tuition', 'climate': 'Supports Green New Deal-style climate legislation', 'presidential': 'Ran for president in 2016 and 2020', 'committees': 'Chaired Senate HELP Committee (2023-2025), Veterans Affairs (2013-2015), Budget (2021-2023)'}
Candidate affirms life begins at conception and personhood from conception
FALSE (0)
i 1 claim
Senate voting record: 100% pro-choice on every reproductive-rights vote during his Senate tenure. Has stated 'we must rescind the Hyde Amendment' that prevents taxpayer funding of abortion. Committed to restoring and expanding Planned Parenthood funding.
Candidate opposes euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and quality-of-life rationing
FALSE (0)
i 1 claim
Has consistently voted against measures to restrict Planned Parenthood, NARAL, or abortion-industry PAC funding; characterized Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood as 'an attack on women's health.' Receives ongoing Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsement and contribution support.
Candidate affirms marriage as exclusively the lifelong union of one man and one woman as instituted by God
FALSE (0)
i 1 claim
Has voted for every same-sex-marriage advancement since the 2013 Defense of Marriage Act repeal vote. Supported the Respect for Marriage Act 2022 codifying same-sex marriage in federal law. Has publicly affirmed transgender-identity advocacy.
Candidate supports Article I congressional war-powers requirement before any U.S. military action
TRUE (+2)
i 1 claim
Has co-sponsored multiple War Powers Resolutions including S.J.Res.7 (Yemen) with Senators Lee and Murphy — the first successful invocation of the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
Bias ratings sourced from AllSides and Ad Fontes Media. Classifications for government, reference, and advocacy domains are maintained by U.S.M.C. Ministries; see source_bias.json.
References & footnotes
Every answer above with a [n] marker corresponds to one of the footnotes below. Wayback-archive links preserve the page as it read at our access date so a reader can verify the citation even if the original URL changes or disappears.
Help us improve this scorecard. If you have evidence of this official's positions — voting records, social media posts, public statements, or corrections — submit it below and we'll review and update the profile.
You are disputing claim . Please describe the issue and link to the primary source that contradicts it.
Thank you! We'll review your submission and update the profile if verified.