Vermont

Online Chats

Stowe Student Council: Hello Senator, we are so pleased to be chatting with you today. We are the Stowe Elementary School Student Council, and like you, we were elected to represent our school by our peers.
Senator Patrick Leahy: Great to be with you. Just got off the Senate floor and was looking forward to this. Ms. Monahan, I understand you have them all ready for the chat. Congrats on the election!
Stowe Student Council: Mary would like to know what you think we should do about the glaciers melting.
Senator Patrick Leahy: Mary, there is a real concern about the glaciers. I have been to Antarctica and seen the dramatic changes that are shown in our satellite pictures. If we don't do something about global warming the ecology of all our planet will change [even though after the winter we have had in Vermont it doesn't seem like warming]. No one nation can do it all but the United States should lead countries in lowering emissions and other causes of the greenhouse effect
Stowe Student Council: Maya would like to know what inspired you to be a Senator?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Maya, I was born in Montpelier and grew up almost across the street from the Capitol building. I spent a lot of time watching the government there and a lot of time reading history. I went to law school in Washington and became convinced I could do the most for Vermont as a Senator because in the Senate even a small state like ours has the same vote as the very large states. That motivation is still there and I feel very privileged that my fellow Vermonters allow me to represent our special state.
Stowe Student Council: Jeremy would like to know what the greatest accomplishment you have had as a Senator?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Jeremy, there have been many victories here as well as a lot of defeats. I like to think the biggest accomplishment has been keeping to my Vermont principles which has allowed me to do things from the clean-up of Lake Champlain to aiding in the banning of landmines.
Stowe Student Council: Lia would like to know if you have met the President and how many presidents have you met?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Lia, I have served here with 6 presidents and have gotten to know them all. Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and the current President Bush. Each has been different and with each of them there have been areas where we have been able to work together.
Stowe Student Council: Amanda would like to know what kinds of things you do in a typical day.
Senator Patrick Leahy: Amanda, almost every week I set aside time for chats like this but other than that there is no typical day . Usually I get up a little after 5 and read any e-mails or memos my staff sent me overnight. Once I get to the Hill there are committee meetings, briefings [e.g. briefings on Iraq] speeches and debates on the floor and meetings with Vermonters and others [sometimes meetings at the White House with the President] and often meetings in the evenings. I usually sign off my computer sometime around midnight. The people who work in our office spend even more time!
Stowe Student Council: Rocky would like to know what percent of the time do you agree with other senators?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Rocky, I became the 21st person in history to cast 10,000 votes in the Senate. During that time I was in agreement thousands of times but of course there were others where we disagreed. Sometimes it depends upon the issue. Democrats and Republicans do work together a lot more than people think.
Stowe Student Council: Ali would like to know how do you debate an issue?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Ali, I try to prepare as I would when I was a prosecutor in Burlington. I try to learn the issue as well as possible and to learn my opponents position as well as I can. Than I just have to rely on experience. In this I am aided by a very talented staff.
Stowe Student Council: Brianne would like know how much time to you get to spend with your family?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Brianne, there never seems to be enough time. We have an old farm house in Middlesex Vermont where we try to gather several times a month and that is the best place for the family to be together. Last year all our family gathered there for my wife and my wedding anniversary and it was the happiest time of the year for me.
Stowe Student Council: Adele would like to know if you think it is a good idea that we went to war with Iraq?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Adele, I am glad that it appears the war will end soon before more lives are lost but I wish the war had been avoided. The important thing now is that, once the war ends, America joins with other nations in restoring a government and economy to Iraq that serves the people of the country. If we don't, the resentment against our country will grow and we want to avoid that.
Stowe Student Council: Tyler would like to know what role do you have in the war with Iraq?
Senator Patrick Leahy: This is going to have to be the next to the last question as I have to go back to the floor. Tyler because of my position on the Appropriations Committee I will have a lot to do with the funding of our military and also with the reconstruction of Iraq. Because of the huge costs involved I do hope we get other countries involved
Stowe Student Council: Paul would like to know how do you think Iraq obtained the land mines and ammunition that they found in the warehouses?
Senator Patrick Leahy: Paul, Iraq has been buying these weapons for years from countries in the Middle East, Asia and sometimes even Europe. Some of the chemical weapons are ones they can manufacture themselves as they have some of their rockets.
Stowe Student Council: Nick is our meeting leader today and he would like to thank you for chatting with us and Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday! We look forward to chatting with you again. Thank you for your time!:-)
Senator Patrick Leahy: Ms. Monahan, I am really impressed with the quality of the questions - you have great students and they obviously have excellent teachers. We will post this transcript so you can see it. Nick thank your for your leadership and thanks for the greetings. You are wonderful.:-)

# # # # #