U.S. Senator (D-VT); member, Senate Judiciary Committee.
Case
Michigan gubernatorial candidate John James said FBI Director Kash Patel privately told him the FBI would have a presence in Michigan before Election Day. Questioned at a Senate hearing, Patel neither confirmed nor denied it.
Case
An issue tracker recording where members of Congress and 2026 midterm candidates stand on the unauthorized Iran war, based on their votes on war-powers resolutions, campaign statements, and public remarks.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Vermont
Statement summary
Peter Welch voted yea on H.Con.Res. 89, a vote to direct the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran.
“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 89: A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Voted to direct the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran, a vote to end U.S. involvement absent congressional authorization.
Role at the time: United States senator for Vermont, questioning the witness
Statement summary
Welch read John James’s account of his conversation with Patel into the record and asked whether it was true. When Patel answered that election crimes coordinators in all 56 field offices would be manning their posts, Welch said that contradicted the answer Patel had given Blumenthal minutes earlier, and pressed him on whether agents were being sent to the polls.
“Wait, I thought you weren’t going to be sending people to the polls.” … “So you are sending FBI agents to the polls.” … “This is existential. You told Mr. Blumenthal you weren’t sending FBI agents to election sites.”
Relative to the FBI having a presence at Michigan polling places, Welch does more than dispute Patel’s account of his own earlier answer. Calling the prospect existential, and going on to ask Patel to pledge that he will not interfere with voters, treats agents at the polls as a harm to be prevented rather than a description to be corrected. That is why this is a condemnation and not merely a challenge to the characterisation, which is the closest competing label given that his first line does point out an inconsistency.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Vermont
Statement summary
Peter Welch voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 86, the Senate resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.
“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 86: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
A yea vote supported directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran, opposing continued U.S. involvement in the war without congressional authorization.
Statement dates: June 23, 2026 to September 24, 2026
Statement dates: September 15, 2026
Statement dates: June 23, 2026 to September 24, 2026
Statement dates: September 15, 2026
Statement dates: June 23, 2026 to September 24, 2026
