One of my favorite parts of my job as your senator is getting around the state to meet with Vermonters and learn about your experiences. Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with many Vermonters in Winooski and Colchester, including students, municipal leaders, and law enforcement. The last sixteen months have been some of the most challenging in our lives, making it more important than ever that the decisions we make in Washington are truly helping our constituents back home. Thank you to all the Vermonters who shared their experiences with me and I look forward to visiting a town near you soon.

Colchester High School

Through virtual meetings and events, I have heard from students from across Vermont about their experiences. As I have begun meeting with students in person again, it remains clear that they have been through an enormously difficult time and we owe it to them to listen to them and do everything we can to address their needs in the coming years. I know many people throughout our state are working diligently to support our students and youth right now, and I thank you all for your important efforts.

During my visit with a classroom at Colchester High School, the students spoke both about the difficulties they experienced this year and their goals for the future. These young people have a lot on their minds, and they are paying attention to the decisions being made by the adults around them. They shared their thoughts with me about some of the biggest issues facing our nation — from income inequality to climate change — and how young people can be involved in finding solutions to these problems. They also shared how their families were helped by programs like the economic impact payments, with many voicing the idea that, while things are starting to get better, more help is needed. And let me be clear, not all of these students agreed with me on every issue and I did not expect them to. But they made clear arguments and asked thoughtful questions, which gave me a great deal of hope for the future of our state and nation. Thank you to the students for your valuable insights, and everyone at the high school for making this visit possible.

While visiting the school, I also had the chance to sit down with the Colchester Police Chief to discuss the challenges facing the community. Chief Allen spoke of the same issues that we see in so many Vermont towns: lack of affordable housing, the need for accessible mental health care, and opportunities for young people. We also discussed the state of police reform in Vermont and the steps departments must take to better serve all of our people. I thank Chief Allen for his time and I look forward to hearing from many throughout our state who are rethinking the nature of policing and working to reform a broken system. I’ll continue to do everything I can in the U.S. Senate to end systemic racism and police brutality. There is a lot of work to do but I know that together, we can create a more just society.

Winooski City Hall

In Winooski, I met with the Interim City Co-Managers, Phoebe Townsend and Jonathan Rauscher. We discussed the city’s major infrastructure and affordable housing needs, as well as their efforts to help New Americans living in Winooski access the services available through the city. Our conversation made it incredibly clear that the U.S. Senate must act to address our nation’s infrastructure. Cities and towns throughout Vermont are grappling with the challenges of failing water systems, crumbling roads and bridges, school buildings that are in use long past their expected lifespan, and insufficient housing, health care, and services for children and seniors. I look forward to working with Phoebe, Jonathan, and municipal officials throughout Vermont to ensure federal funds are used effectively to address the major issues facing our cities and towns.

Winooski School

At the Winooski Elementary, Middle, and High School, I had a chance to speak with students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade and their teachers. During my visit, I also met with health care workers who provide care in Winooski’s school-based health clinic. Winooski’s clinic is an innovative approach to ensuring young people can access the health care services they need by providing that care right on school grounds. It also helps working parents, who no longer have to leave work to take their child to a doctor’s appointment. I also met with some of the construction workers on campus to learn more about the federally-funded project to upgrade the school. From the Kindergarteners who shared their maraca project with me, to the high schoolers who shared their struggles and their dreams for the future, it was truly a great visit. Thank you to the educators, counselors, administrators, and staff at the Winooski schools who are doing excellent work in preparing our youngest generation for success.

Learning More about Electric Vehicles

After my visits in Winooski and Colchester, I had the opportunity to visit a local car dealership to learn more about tax credits for electric vehicles and test drive one of their cars. The reality is, if we are to effectively combat climate change, we must make renewable technologies — like electric vehicles — more affordable to working families. While some tax incentives do exist, it is clear that they can be difficult to navigate and the unfortunate truth is, they only apply to those making enough money to qualify. To my mind, just like you should not have to be rich to weatherize your home or put solar panels on your roof, you also should not have to be rich to drive an affordable, energy efficient vehicle. Know that I will continue to fight to expand federal tax credits and increase vehicle charging infrastructure so that more Vermonters can take advantage of this financially smart, low-carbon transportation option. To learn more about zero-emission vehicles, visit: https://anr.vermont.gov/about_us/special-topics/climate-change/initiatives/zev.

To my fellow Vermonters: I look forward to many more visits in the coming months, to discussing the major issues we face, and working together to move our state forward.