MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - January 3 - Senator Russ Feingold announced today that he will travel to Vermont to support the Senate campaign of Congressman Bernie Sanders. The two will hold a joint listening session and meet with Vermont political activists.

“Bernie Sanders is a dedicated public servant, and will make an outstanding US Senator,” said Feingold. “I’m committed to help promote a progressive reform agenda in every state, and I look forward to meeting the citizens of Vermont, and hearing their concerns.”

Feingold and Sanders will hold their joint listening session at Brattelboro High School at 2:00 pm, on Saturday, January 7th. The event is open to the public. The two elected officials will answer questions and hear comments and concerns from Vermont citizens. This event is Feingold's 4th national listening session. Feingold has held similar listening sessions in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties every year since 1993. He will hold his 1,000th open meeting in Wisconsin in late 2006.

Senator Feingold cast the lone vote in the Senate in 2001 against the USA PATRIOT act because he believes we can fight terrorism while protecting out rights and freedoms. Along with a bipartisan group of Senators, and with the help of Congressman Bernie Sanders, Feingold in recent weeks helped defeat an attempt to renew the act without first fixing the provisions that infringe upon our liberties. Feingold is also known for his work on campaign finance reform, and was the first Senator to call for a flexible public timetable to finish the military mission in Iraq. In 2004, Feingold was re-elected to his third term with an 11 point victory, receiving more votes than any candidate in Wisconsin history.

Senator Feingold recently formed the Progressive Patriots Fund to promote a progressive reform agenda and to support candidates across the country. In 2005 Senator Feingold accepted invitations and traveled to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, California, New Hampshire, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado. The Progressive Patriots Fund has established a website, www.progressivepatriotsfund.com, which asks for citizen co-sponsors of Feingold's effort to fix the PATRIOT Act.

Feingold will also speak at an event for the Hanover, New Hampshire Democratic Party at the Black Community Center, 36 Park Street, Hanover, New Hampshire. The event, also on January 7th, begins at 7:00 pm with Feingold speaking at 8:00 pm. Feingold will take questions from the audience following the speech.

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