Senator Leahy: Hi, this is Pat Leahy. I got back a couple minutes early. Hope you excuse any mistakes I may make typing.
Stowe: Hello Senator Leahy, this is the Stowe Elementary Student Council.  Albert would like to know... How bad do you think Vermont's economy is?
Senator Leahy: Albert our economy is better than many think. We need to keep it highly diversified which includes tourism, sports, agriculture, high-tech and education. Because we are so small we have to export a lot and we can. We have been hurt by the recession of the past 6 months but I hope that is over. It would have helped if we had had more snow this winter!
Stowe: Anna does not think the school year should be extended, she would like to know if you think the school year should be extended?
Senator Leahy: Anna that is something that has to be decided by your school board. I do think that we have to have far more emphasis on math, science, languages and so forth if our young people are to compete for jobs. We have to close the digital divide and give all students access to the internet. All of this may require longer school years.
Stowe: Hansen would like to know if you think some land from the Champion Land Deal should be set aside for a wildlife preserve or should it all be logged?
Senator Leahy: Hansen we should set aside some for a preserve. We can always open it back up but you can't do it the other way around very well. We do a lot of hunting and fishing in our state and the wildlife will not be there if they do not have the habitat they need. We will still be able to log in the majority of the state. I have a tree farm in Vermont and know that much of our logging already is done on private property.
Stowe: Millie would like to know if you think offering ski passes as incentives for good grades is a good way to inspire students to work harder?
Senator Leahy: Millie every student should strive to do their best no matter what. If they do not they won't be able to compete in the outside world. If I was growing up in Stowe I am sure a couple ski passes would be a great reward.
Stowe: Brett would like to know how do you think kids are behaving in Vermont Schools?
Senator Leahy: Brett I go to a lot of schools in Vermont. I have been impressed with the behavior of the students. My youngest son is a high school teacher in another state in a high school of nearly five thousand students. There they have armed guards patrolling the halls. I think he'd enjoy coming back to Vermont
Stowe: Maggie would like to know if there is a way to make internet cable access available to everyone?
Senator Leahy: Maggie we now have telephone available everywhere. In the future there has to be high speed access to the internet or the areas without end on the wrong side of the digital divide. Cable may not be the best way in very rural areas but various wireless methods such as satellite may be the answer.
Stowe: Joe thinks that some towns in Vermont don't snowplow the roads as well as others, how do you think we can improve that?
Senator Leahy: Joe I live on a dirt road in Vermont. I know what it is like when we have a heavy snowfall. Fortunately the sand pile for the road is beyond my house so they plow to get to it. This is a major expense for towns and the smaller the town the greater the burden. This year we had light snowfalls for the most part but it can be a problem. I expect most towns do as well as they can afford.
Stowe: Emily would like to know why Vermont pays less than other states to support the state colleges?
Senator Leahy: Emily you ask a very important question. We are the 2nd smallest state in the United States and we have to stretch our resources to everything from education to child health care. I know this is a question the legislature looks at every year and I won't try to second guess them. I do expect that soon there will be a major debate on increasing funds for UVM with the state colleges to be considered next.
Stowe: Liam would like to know what is your favorite TV show?
Senator Leahy: West Wing and NYPD Blue. My wife is a registered nurse and she loves ER.
Stowe:  Gretchen would like to know what you think of increasing taxes in Vermont?
Senator Leahy: Liam what is yours?
Stowe:  Liam's favorite shows are the Simpsons and Spongebob.
Senator Leahy: Gretchen  I am a Vermont taxpayer like everyone else but I will leave that question to the legislature. I do think we need more incentives - possibly tax incentives- to bring businesses to Vermont
Senator Leahy: Liam do you like King of the Hill too?
Stowe:  Liam does like King of the Hill too...
Stowe:  Kirsten would like to know do you think there is a better way to find out what students have learned rather than using National Tests?
Senator Leahy: Kirsten we need some system but we want to make sure students don't just study for the test. Vermont has a good comprehensive system which give a more rounded view of what students know.
Stowe: Luke would like to know do you think gas prices are too high or too low?
Senator Leahy: Luke Vermont during the past year has had about the lowest gas prices in the country. For people who have to drive a long way to work they are still high and that is a reason why we have to do more in conservation and to have energy efficient cars.
Stowe: : Ali would like to know do you like the IRS?
Senator Leahy: Ali I understand the need for the IRS just as I do for dentists. I don't enjoy visiting either.
Stowe:  Brett would like to know if the armed guards in your son's school have rubber bullets?
Senator Leahy: Brett they have real bullets. It is a sad commentary on the times. I hope we never have to see that in Vermont but that requires all of us to work together.
Stowe:  Maggie would like to know how is the war going? How are they are surviving in Afghanistan?
Senator Leahy: Maggie it is an intense war which the U.S. and our allies will eventually win. What will be as important is how involved we stay afterwards. We must help - and our allies too - in rebuilding schools, hospitals, homes and so forth. Afghanistan will need a working and secure government for their sake and ours.
Stowe:  Albert would like to know if you are still trying to eliminate landmines around the world?  Which countries have the most landmines?
Senator Leahy: Albert we need to ban all anti-personnel landmines and make their use a war crime. China and Russia probably have the most but today Cambodia and Afghanistan are among the countries with the most in the ground. All the NATO allies EXCEPT the U.S. have signed the land mine ban treaty.
Stowe: Anna would like to know you think the prices at ski resorts are too high?
Senator Leahy: Anna what do you think
Stowe:  Anna thinks the prices for a lift ticket and the food are way too high.
Stowe:  Millie wants to know why the US has not signed the treaty.
Senator Leahy: Anna I cross country ski and snowshoe and do that mostly at my tree farm so I'm probably not the best one to ask. On the one hand we Vermonters are close by the ski areas and thus save the money of travel but many Vermonters cannot afford to ski.
Senator Leahy: Mille the Pentagon has lobbied against the treaty. That is short sighted on their part. Many military officers tell me privately they wish we would sign it.
Senator Leahy:  have to go back to the Senate floor now but I have enjoyed being with you all. It is obvious you are very Stowe: Albert would like to know how can we stop acid rain in Vermont?
Stowe: Thank you very much for spending time with us.  We enjoyed the conversation with you.  Good bye!
Senator Leahy: Albert you get the last word. One good way would be to enforce the Clean Air Act against mid-west power plants that shoot pollution into the air which than falls on Vermont. Take care