Online Chat
IRC Internet Town Meeting
July 25, 1995

[LukeAlbee] Hello vermont. My name is Luke Albee and I will moderate.I am+senator Leahy's chief of staff. Sorry for the delay

*** brian (~irc4leahy@funnel.dpc.senate.gov) has joined channel &

[LukeAlbee] Senator Leahy is here, having justr completed a vote. Please let+us know you are out there. please tell us your namne (first) and we will+begin.

* stubb is here

[estey] joe is here

[BKinney] Hello everyone, my name is Brendan Kinney, dialling in from Saint+Michael's College

* Andrew is here

[dpierce] Dean is here via Middlebury College

[tustin] jon tustin from Readsboro vt.7

[LukeAlbee] Let us start with Stubb. Do you have a question for the senator?

[Gary] Gary is here

[stubb] sure.

[stubb] I wonder how the senator thinks the average citizen who may or may not+read the newspaper

[stubb] could tell we are operating under a majority gop congres sright now

[stubb] are our lives that different?

[LukeAlbee] here comes your

[brian] brian is here, representing the Vermont DEC

[PatLeahy] It is like the ocean liner - you don't feel the change of direction+immediately but will.

[LukeAlbee] more is copming

[PatLeahy] When we build B-2s and cut feeding programs to pay the difference we will feel

[LukeAlbee] stubb, do you have a followup?

[stubb] That's fine for now. Thanks.

[LukeAlbee] joe, do you have a question?

[estey] sure do

[LukeAlbee] fire away50

[estey] with the recently passed budget, do you expect any substantive changes for Vermont? I am especially interested in the rural crim initiatives that you worked hard to create.1

[LukeAlbee] an answer is on the way. senator leahy thinks faster than he types.

[PatLeahy] The budget from the House cut a lot of the crime bill money. e.g.+they cut out the terrorism and

[PatLeahy] vioolent crime money and than were embarrased two weeks later with+the bombing in Okla. I am fighting hard for rural2

[PatLeahy] law enforcement and using my experience ans a prosecutor in Vermont+for 8 years

[LukeAlbee] joe, a follow-up?

[estey] not right now thanks

[PatLeahy] I also can't spell worth a darn

[LukeAlbee] brendan , over to you.3

[Bkinney] Ok

[estey] we'll blame it on the machine!

[PatLeahy] no spell check

[BKinney] Sen. Leahy, I'm curious as to what the status is on the+telecommunications bill. Is the 'net in danger from Sen. Dole and his+definition of morality?

[PatLeahy] The net DOES face a great danger and we had a hearing on it for+several hours

[LukeAlbee] pat is responmding now.5

[PatLeahy] yesterday. I am working with Speaker Gingrich to try and get the+censors off the net. They could kill it without

[PatLeahy] realizing what they are doing.

[LukeAlbee] brendan ,a follow up?

[BKinney] Yes.

[BKinney] What is your prediction? Will the 'net be regulated?

[PatLeahy] I hope not but it is not out of danger yet.

[PatLeahy] I am working with industry peopl;e, net users around the country,

[PatLeahy] parent groups and law enforcement to try to save it.

[PatLeahy] The irony is is that those who are voting to shut down the net7

[PatLeahy] don't even know how to use it.

[LukeAlbee] andrew let's dgo to you, with dean on deck.

[Andrew] ok

[dpierce] g~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~/who &townmeet

[Andrew] Along the lines of the net, I am wondering what the gov't sees as its+role? I mean the nsfnet was just shut down, which seems that the gov't is+trying to back off, but now there is regulatory legislation.

[LukeAlbee] pat is responding.

[PatLeahy] I don't think those who are trying to regulate the net have no idea+what it is

[PatLeahy] Yesterday's hearing was the FIRST in the Senate even tho Sen Exon+and others have

[PatLeahy] been crusading to put big controls on the net.

[PatLeahy] If I didn't know better I would say some are reincarnations of the+Luddites

[LukeAlbee] anderew, a follow up. sorry for spellings.

[Andrew] just one

[Andrew] I was just wondering if there were any general impressions that you+had at the end of yesterday's hearing?

[PatLeahy] Correcting my typo - they have no idea what the net isa but want to+design and regulate it. Bizarre

[LukeAlbee] pat is responding. we will go to Dean next, with Jon on deck.

[PatLeahy] People are justifiably concerned about child pornagraphy and child+molestation

[PatLeahy] They think they can attack the proplems by controlling the net2

[PatLeahy] As a parent and as a former prosecutor I am trying to convine them+their is a

[PatLeahy] better role for parents and for law enforcement

[PatLeahy] to use the laws already on the books instead of passing new ones3

[LukeAlbee] dean, your shot. then we will go to Jon.

[dpierce] Thanks. What does the Senator think will happen with respect to+"takings" legislation? i.e., S. 605 (I hope

[dpierce] the bill fails)

[LukeAlbee] pat is responding.

[PatLeahy] The takings legs looked very appealling until a lot of people+realized it was a back door4

[PatLeahy] way to repeal a lot of good environmental laws.

[PatLeahy] It has been slowed down but is still alive.

[LukeAlbee] a follow up, dean?

[dpierce] Yes. What about the bill that would prevent states like VT from+enforcing their billboard laws?

[LukeAlbee] pat is answering. jon, you are next, gary on deck.

[PatLeahy] That bill was never going to go anywhere. It's sponsor put it in+for local consumption knowing it would never pass. 6

[PatLeahy] Vermont will always be able to control it's billboards

[LukeAlbee] jon, you're up.. gary on deck.

[tustin] Thank you .

[LukeAlbee] jon, you with us?

[LukeAlbee] if not, gary are you there

[Gary] #rK'w3yMYes

[LukeAlbee] fire away. we will go to jon later, if he is on.

*** Signoff: dpierce (Leaving)

[Gary] Gary is here. I've been to Bosnia 5 times in the last 2 years and am+now dirercting a citizen peacemaking project on both sides therre.

[More]

[Gary] I agree with most obswrvers and the Us gov't that a millitary solution+is not possible. What more can we do to promote a politiical solution?

[LukeAlbee] pat is respondfinnding. though it will proabbly take hours to+have a decent discussion on bosnia

[Gary] Yes

[PatLeahy] I have been to countless meetings with President Clinton, the Secs+of State and Defense, and the bi-partisan Congressional leadership

[PatLeahy] There are no good solutions. The two-key UN system has not worked

[PatLeahy] Nato is in danger of being irrelevant and our threats are not+being carried out

[PatLeahy] this limits the incentive for a political solution. I expect there+will be large scale bombing soon and I don't know if that changes the+equation

[LukeAlbee] more coming

[PatLeahy] A full answer to the question would take a lot longer and I'd like+to talk with you about it

[LukeAlbee] gary, a follow up. then we will go to brian.

[Gary] What is your position now about the arms embargo?

[LukeAlbee] answer coming -- then we will go to Brian.

[PatLeahy] My emotional side is for lifting it. A pragmatic view of the+consequences tells me not to. We will vote on it this afternoon. It will pass+the Senate

[PatLeahy] I will talk with the Bosnian Prime Minister at 2PM today , Pres+Clinton afterwards and than will vote.

[LukeAlbee] more

[PatLeahy] I'll be glad to send you the vote tally

[LukeAlbee] brian, do you have a question?

[brian] Regarding a request you and Sen. Jeffords recently made to EPA re:+Parker Landfill and the amendment to the Record of Decision. To amend the+ROD and choose a less protective remedy due to cost concerns would be+indicating that a financially depressed com6

[brian] community is less deserving of a clean environment than a more+affulent one. Can you clarify your position on this for us?

[LukeAlbee] is this the lyndonville sight?

[brian] yes

[LukeAlbee] answer coming.

[PatLeahy] As this is before the EPA for discussion let me send you a more+formal response - obviously all communities deserve a clean environment as do+all of us wherever we live

[LukeAlbee] brian, a follow up? then we will open it up.

[brian] yes. we agree with that. Let's hope we can make it happen!9

[LukeAlbee] anyone now, please let me know if you would like to ask pat a+question. I will then call on people in order.

[tustin] Luke are you there?

[LukeAlbee] I'm here. fire away with a question.

[tustin] Thank you

[tustin] Senator,

[LukeAlbee] taht's pretty open ended.

[PatLeahy] go ahead

[tustin] will you be attending the National Governor's conferecne in+Burlinton? Real Estate Taxes for many in Vermont (and I'm sure elsewhere)+have reached the point of being intolerable. Unfortunatley children's+education often bears the brunt of cut-backs in t

[LukeAlbee] pat will answwerr the first part.

[PatLeahy] I will be in Vermont this weekend as I try to get back as often as+possible

[PatLeahy] Will stop by for one or two events but will be at the Science+Center

[tustin] Tax rates. The fed bov could help immensely by fully funding or+rescinding it's Special educaiton mandates. Can you think of anything that+can be done about this?

[PatLeahy] in burlington and in Barre for their Centennial celebrations

[my+father was born in

[PatLeahy] Barre] on the other issue it seems to me, as a vermonter, that+every time there is a large cut back on taxes

[PatLeahy] and spending in Washington we Vermonters see our taxes go up as do+most

[PatLeahy] pol people elsewhere

[LukeAlbee] follow up?

[tustin] Am I doing someething wrong with process5

[tustin] This message seems to be very disjointed to say the least

[LukeAlbee] I will have paul mann our computer expert e-mail you after this to+see if we can fix the probs you are having.

[tustin] Thanks

[LukeAlbee] senator leahy needs to go to a bosnia meeting with sec.+christopher now. Is there a final question out there?

[BKinney] I have a question, Luke.

[PatLeahy] We do need more funding of education mandates

[LukeAlbee] go ahead.

*** Signoff: Gary (Leaving)

[BKinney] Senator, what are your feelings on the hearings about Waco and the+BATF/FBI--will anything really come of it?

[LukeAlbee] response coming.

[PatLeahy] The hearing was politically motivated even to the use of NRA+consultants to arrange

[PatLeahy] questions. One even posed as a congressional investigator

[PatLeahy] Having said that there are some good things that could come out of+it. Mistakes

[LukeAlbee] more coming.

[PatLeahy] were made in WACO and the ATF, FBI and all policy makesrs could+learn from

[PatLeahy] the mistakes that led to the tragedy.

[LukeAlbee] final follow up?

[BKinney] that's it, thanks Sen. Leahy.

[brian] Thank you, senator. We're looking forward to your response.

[tustin] Thanks for your time Senator.

[estey] thanks senator for the chance to "chat"

[PatLeahy] Thanks to all of you - this is the most enjoyable thing I will do+today

[LukeAlbee] spat is sending one final message.

[stubb] Senator: before you go I hope you know how thankful millions of+americanss arfor your opposition to Sen. exons's bill

[stubb] thanks so much.

[PatLeahy] Please keep in touch - you have raised important issues. Thanks* Andrew wants to wish the senator the best from his family (grandmother ethel+harris and mother judy :^)

[PatLeahy] ANd check out my web page and send suggestions please

[PatLeahy] Andrew your grandmother and mother are old friends as was your

[PatLeahy] late grandfather. Send my best home - I knew your grandparents+when I was

[PatLeahy] a child in Montpelier

* Andrew smiles. I'll be sure to pass on your regards.