Bernie Buzz

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Northeast Kingdom and speak with Vermonters involved in hospital administration, primary health care, and dental care. I also visited two high schools and met with students, faculty, and administrators. These are tough times for our state and country, but I always get inspired meeting with Vermonters who are doing the hard, day-to-day work of improving life in their communities.

Memorial Day is a time in which we honor and remember those Americans who died in battle, and recognize the unimaginable losses their families have experienced. It is also a time in which we make certain that every veteran who does return home receives the benefits they are entitled to in a timely manner.

With food becoming more expensive, there are just too many Vermonters now struggling to feed their families. In the richest country on Earth, nobody should be going hungry. That is why, in Washington, I am working hard to increase funding for nutritional programs. I also want to take this opportunity to make sure that every Vermonter knows about the food programs that are currently available across our state.

The best part of my job as your senator is meeting and talking with Vermonters in communities across our state, from all walks of life. And one of my favorite parts of living in our state, is enjoying the beauty of our great outdoors. So as the weather gets warmer, I hope you will join me for a morning together appreciating nature and discussing the importance of getting outside. After a town meeting at the Barnes Camp Visitor Center, all are welcome to join me for a hike on Vermont’s Long Trail.

There is a major crisis that we are facing in our communities – something which does not get enough attention: It is getting more and more difficult to fully staff our fire departments. The truth is the vast majority of fire departments in Vermont and across the country are made up of volunteers. This Saturday, May 13, between 9:00am and 1:00pm fire departments across Vermont will be opening their doors to the public to highlight ways people can get involved. Please consider stopping by your local department this weekend to learn more and to help support your community’s firefighters.

We need to do a much better job in understanding the root causes of the mental health crisis and invest heavily in prevention as well as treatment. Recently, I sat down and discussed these issues with the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, the chief medical officer for the United States. In my view, Dr. Murthy is doing an outstanding job educating the American people about the mental health situation and offering concrete solutions. I hope you will watch the livestream and hear what the Surgeon General had to say.