Politics
Senator Welch Challenges Senate’s Focus in Fiery Speech
"12/4/2023 Congressional Newsmaker Series: A Conversation with Senator Peter Welch (D-VT)" by U.S. Institute of Peace is licensed under CC BY 2.0 
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Clear Facts
- Senator Peter Welch disrupted a hearing on the alleged cover-up of President Joe Biden’s decline with a seven-minute speech focusing on other issues.
- Welch criticized the Senate for not addressing significant topics such as climate change, congressional authority, and healthcare.
- He acknowledged the Biden administration’s mishandling of immigration but emphasized the need for respectful debate in Congress.
In a surprising turn of events, Democratic Vermont Senator Peter Welch took the spotlight during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled, “Unfit to Serve: How the Biden Cover-Up Endangered America and Undermined the Constitution.” Instead of addressing the hearing’s focus on President Joe Biden, Welch launched into a seven-minute discourse on various pressing issues, including climate change and congressional dysfunction.
Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn described the alleged cover-up as a “constitutional crisis.” However, Welch countered by pointing to what he believes is the real crisis: “the collapse of Congress asserting its Article I authority to make decisions about the well-being of the American people.”
Welch questioned the Senate’s priorities, asking, “What has this Senate debated in the months that we’ve been here other than nominations? Have we discussed the possible war with Iran? Have we had a serious discussion on the floor about the massive and mounting debt?”
The senator expressed frustration with Congress’s behavior, noting that instead of debating different viewpoints on crucial issues like oil exploration and clean energy, discussions devolve into personal attacks. “We have different points of view,” Welch stated. “But instead of this Congress debating those different points of view… what we do is turn that debate into personal accusations, of motivations, of cover-up, of conspiracy, of bad character, of demeaning folks who disagree with us.”
Welch also highlighted his support for several Biden administration policies, including those addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic chip manufacturing. Yet, he did not shy away from admitting the administration’s shortcomings on immigration, conceding, “I’ll take up something where we didn’t do well. And that’s immigration. You won that argument.”
He emphasized the importance of respectful discourse, saying, “But to the extent that we have a responsibility that we share, Republicans and Democrats, whichever side of the issue you’re on, is to debate the issue and not debase the people who are in the debate.”
Welch further accused Republicans of excluding Democrats from negotiations on former President Donald Trump’s initiatives, labeling it a “cover-up.”
Adding to the Democratic presence, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin used his time to play a montage of Trump’s statements, suggesting cognitive decline on the former president’s part. Notably, Welch and Durbin were the only Democrats present at the start of the hearing.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Beverly Soltwedel
June 19, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Stupidity just runs rampant in Washington DC. These idiot senators have a lot to say when someone is trying to uncover deceit, lying and corruption. The stupid Dumocrats ( Illinois Senator) and others know you covered for Bidens obvious decline-you know you lied about so much that you have almost ruined the USA. Thank the good Lord for helping us elect Trump, the only president in years that has his eye on Making us great again. Now for you loud mouthed Dumocrats Shut up if you cannot help make America Great Again. That should be the only focus you have-but instead you are out spreading hate and lies. Sickening
Alex Porter
June 21, 2025 at 12:43 pm
As an independent, I’d like to see some focus on the apparent declining mentality of Trump. Biden may have had problems, but he is no longer in control of issues that matter, or the nuclear code. This after-the-fact review pales in the face of what Trump is portraying daily, violating the Constitution and demeaning the courts. At the same time, a lapdog and a job-saving, fearful, spineless Congress looks the other way. Let’s look at Biden, but look first at the one currently encumbering the position. He is the one who can hurt us and the nation at this time.
Fletcher
June 23, 2025 at 5:38 am
Bumbling Biden was never in control . He didn’t have the mental capacity. The reason Trump never told congress about invading Iran because it would have been front page news in 15 mins. God Bless America and President Donald Trump.
David
June 19, 2025 at 6:54 pm
If the subject of the (Biden) cover-up were Trump, I wonder if Welch would have the same attitude/statement… investigation/discussion of the (Biden) cover-up is not merely about accountability-&-consequences of the perpetrators – it is also about ensuring a “Never again” policy regarding future presidencies…a failure to do so may point to inadequate attention/recognition of the seriousness of such a matter…
Otherwise, Welch’s statement here might be a deflection to shield further damage to the Democrat party or to steer attention away from himself if he had been complicit with the cover-up…there may be other possibilities…
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Over more recent years, it has been my impression that, if cited for erroneous statements, hypocrisy, less-than-adequate judgment (etc.), Democrats/Liberals treat such criticisms without proper attention – like letting “water roll off a duck’s back”…they do not acknowledge their error (etc.), and they make no change in their behavior to right-the-wrong…with liberalism may potentially come liberalization of morality, thinking processes, judgments, and perceptions – as well as both dulled sense of/responsibility to accountability and a need to alter behavior…
Apart from my own disagreement with Welch regarding policy (etc.), I am not necessarily seeking to dismiss/minimalize the other issues that are genuinely important to him…still, if getting to the bottom of a cover-up of a President’s cognitive decline – and the potential fallout of such a grave scenario – does not seem worthy of attention to him, then I have an issue with Welch’s priorities…
CharlieSeattle
June 19, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Climate change is a fraud, so is Welch.
Jaoquin
June 20, 2025 at 9:47 am
“Climate change is a fraud,”
I must totally disagree with you on that portion of your post. Climate change has been going on since the beginning of time and will continue till the end of time.
The fraud is the belief that climate change is MAN CAUSED. In my opinion, if that is true, why can we not control the weather and eliminate the catastrophic storms that cause billions of dollars in damage each year? Answer: simply beacuse man can’t do jack squat to alter the weather and/or climate change!
MAN MADE CLIMATE CHANGE IS SHEER, UTTER, BS taken to the nth degree by Henny Penny brained individuals, who have nothing else to do but run around in circles screaming “the sky is falling, the sky is falling”!!!
Fletcher
June 23, 2025 at 5:49 am
I find it funny that everything from the human race to things I have bever heard of is the cause when the most powerful source of energy is peaking and acting even odder that normal. I’m talking of the Sun. You think what hits our magnetosphere is not heating up every time it gets hit with enough energy to vaporize our planet if it could get to us. The scientists that say it is humankind that is causing this is being handed millions of dollars in grants to say this. This is a seed for thought people.
Robert Gagliardi
June 20, 2025 at 10:54 am
I believe the whole Government is Political Theater.
Robert Gagliardi
June 20, 2025 at 10:55 am
Is Peter Welsh Gay?
Maxx
June 20, 2025 at 5:27 pm
Senator Peter Welch. What you are complaining about is exactly what is wrong with Congress. The infighting and personal attacks are the hallmarks of a totally corrupt government. Too bad we can’t dissolve congress like the Brits dissolve Parliament. There is nothing about our current Congress that is worth saving. Get rid of all of the “professional criminals” and fill the seats with ordinary citizens and watch how good the country will run. The Founders never intended to have a “ruling class” controlling America. That is why they prosecuted a revolution against England in the first place.
D. Elwood
June 20, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Good idea Maxx. Take two farmers from each state, place them in the US Senate and let common sense prevail.