Online Chat with Castleton Elementary School

June13, 2002

Sen Leahy: I just left the Senate floor and am very happy to be with all of you.
castletonelem4: We are very happy to with you too
Sen Leahy: Are there any questions I could answer for you?
castletonelem4: What do you like and dislike about being a senator?
Sen Leahy: I like the fact that you are living a part of history every day. Some days I am working on terrorism, later on a farm bill than the budget and so forth. The bad part is trying to fit everything in the schedule
castletonelem4: How long have you been a senator?
Sen Leahy: Yesterday I flew up early morning to NY City to give a eulogy at a funeral, flew back at noon for votes, went down to the White House to meet with the President and than was back on the floor until late. Finally got lunch around midnight
Sen Leahy: I have been a Senator since 1975
castletonelem4: Did you help make any of the decisions dealing with September 11th?
Sen Leahy: I have written some of the anti-terrorism bills passed since Sept 11. My committee is also investigating the mistakes made by the Dept of Justice and others before Sept 11 to find out if these mistakes allowed the attack to happen
castletonelem4: Where do you live when you are not in Washington?
Sen Leahy: I live in Middlesex Vermont . It is near Montpelier where I was born.
castletonelem4: What things are you doing to help schools in the future?
Sen Leahy: I live on an old tree farm with a lot of land. Great place to go cross country skiing in the winter.
castletonelem4: Some of the children were wondering if you have a wife and any children?
Sen Leahy: I have been working with Senator Jeffords to make sure there is equal access to educational opportunities. I also am working to make more high speed internet available to schools and students thru out our state.
Sen Leahy: I have a wife who is also a Vermonter. We will celebrate our 40th anniversary this summer. We have one daughter, two sons and two daughter in laws and a grandson
castletonelem4: Can you tell us if you are working on any projects to help protect the animals in Vermont and their habitats?
Sen Leahy: I have passed legislation to help fund our conservation reserve which will keep the habitat.
castletonelem4: We have been talking about the issue of billboards on VT roads, do you have any feelings on the subject?
Sen Leahy: Vermont banned billboards a long time ago. People who come to Vermont as tourists tell me they really enjoy seeing our views without billboards and wish their states would do the same. How do you feel?
castletonelem4: One of the students was wondering if you love animals and do you have any pets?
Sen Leahy: I am going to have to leave in a couple minutes because they just called a vote on the floor
Sen Leahy: Because I travel back and forth to Vermont many times every month it makes owning a pet difficult. Each of my children have dogs and my daughter has a horse. Love them all
castletonelem4: Castleton students agree with you, we love seeing the mountains
Sen Leahy: I can take one more question and glad to hear you like the mountains too. I am very impressed with your questions. You must be very bright students with very good teachers!
castletonelem4: Do you support oil drilling in the Arctic, we have been studying about it through the Jason Project?
Sen Leahy: I am opposed to drilling in ANWAR. We should make more efforts to conserve fuel. The little we would gain in the Artic would not do much for our energy needs.
castletonelem4: We would like to thank you for your time and being so honest about answering our questions, have a great summer and don't work too hard. Love the students at Castleton Elem. School
Sen Leahy: Thanks again and enjoy your summer!