Bernard Sanders is the senior U.S. Senator from Vermont and the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history. An unapologetic democratic socialist, Sanders revolutionized modern American politics with his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. Though he did not win the nomination, he successfully forced the Democratic establishment to adopt platforms on universal healthcare (Medicare for All), a $15 minimum wage, and free public college. Serving as the Ranking Member of the powerful Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee in the 119th Congress, Sanders remains the moral compass of the progressive left. In early 2026, he launched a massive legislative assault on wealth inequality, introducing the "Make Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share Act" (alongside Rep. Ro Khanna) to impose a 5% annual wealth tax. Furthermore, Sanders has been the most prominent voice in the Senate fiercely condemning President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the escalating wars in the Middle East, demanding an immediate halt to U.S. involvement.