Colchester High School Online Chat
Advanced Placement U.S. History Class
October 23, 2007
Sen Leahy:
I'm off the floor now, but may have to go back for a vote.
Colchester High School:
Thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedule to chat
with us today.
Colchester High
School: Caitlin & Brittani
(on behalf of the whole class – we are all interested in this!): We are
starting to explore college options, but we very concerned about the
rising costs. What do you propose and what is Congress doing to help
make college affordable? Do you support the movement to require schools
to use a certain percentage of their endowment to keep tuition costs
down?
Sen Leahy:
Caitlin and Brittani, we have voted to increase Pell grants and
to lower the cost of student loans. In the long run, colleges have got
to work to lower costs - today it is much more expensive to go to
college in real dollars than when I did.
Colchester High School:
Nick: What is your position on Iraq? What do you think our exit
strategy should be?
Sen Leahy:
Nick, I voted against the war in Iraq. They had nothing to do
with 9-11 but Osama Bin Laden was able to escape in Afghanistan because
the Administration pulled our troops out of there to go into Iraq. It
is the biggest foreign policy mistake of my lifetime and we should
announce that we are leaving and make Iraq and the countries in the area
help settle the civil war.
Colchester High School:
Allyssa: Is there anything else Congress can do about SCHIP
now? What is your position?
Sen Leahy:
Incidentally, I am a better Senator than typist and I apologize
for the typos!
Sen Leahy:
Allyssa, the President made a big mistake vetoing SCHIP. We
should continue to work for full funding - one can't say we cannot get
health insurance for children in America but we can spend hundreds of
billions in unaccounted for dollars in Iraq.
Colchester High School:
Thanks. Courtney: What do you see Congress doing about global
warming in the near future and what can we as Vermonters do to support
policy changes?
Sen Leahy:
Courtney, I support Sen. Sanders’ global warming bill, but all of
us have to do a better job conserving energy, encouraging more
environmental buildings, like ECHO at the Leahy Center, and countries
have to mandate cutting back emissions. The United States has to do
that, but China and other polluters do also. Al Gore's Nobel will help
the debate worldwide.
Colchester High School:
We love the ECHO Center! Jake: Can you explain what the
Judiciary Committee does and what you do as chairman?
Sen Leahy:
Jake, I do too! The Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over all
our criminal laws and has oversight over the Justice Department. I felt
the last Attorney General [Alberto Gonzales] was a disaster and I held
national hearings that demonstrated that. Because of the national outcry
after the hearings, he had to leave.
Sen Leahy:
Jake, we also have to update our patent laws (very important to
companies like IBM) and monitor immigration.
Colchester High
School: Dan: What is the
purpose of the changes to the border crossing policy and how will it
affect Vermonters?
Sen Leahy:
Dan, the border crossing policy is a disaster in the making. It
won't make our nation more secure, will cost hundreds of billions of
dollars of jobs and will needlessly aggravate a good ally. I would
rather spend money in better intelligence in the USA and Canada and
protect both countries
Colchester High School:
Bri: What made you want to become a Senator?
Sen Leahy:
Bri, I think I wanted to be a Senator from the time I was a
child. I was born in Montpelier and grew up across the street from the
State House. I watched the process there and then went to Law School at
Georgetown and watched the U.S. Senate. It was clear to me that a
little state like ours could be equal to any larger state in the Senate
and I wanted to be Vermont's voice - I feel very fortunate my Vermont
neighbors throughout the state have allowed me to serve Vermont there.
Sen Leahy:
Another vote has started so the next question will have to be the
last. I am very impressed with your questions - good students and good
teachers! Your parents can be proud.
Colchester High
School: Thanks so much for
your time - we'll watch the vote with our new technology!
Colchester High
School: Louis: Do you
believe that partisan loyalty (on both sides) has reached a point where
the ambition of the parties becomes more important than the protection
of our country against terrorism at home and abroad?
Sen Leahy:
Louis, I hope not. It has become far too partisan and I continue
to work with Republicans on many issues including security. We have good
people in both parties and we need to work together for the benefit of
America - that is why I introduce so much legislation with Republican
co-sponsors.
Colchester High School:
Thanks again from the whole class!
#####
|
