Bernie Buzz

I hope you will tune in TOMORROW, February 13, for a livestreamed town hall entitled “Respecting Our Teachers: A Town Hall on the Teacher Pay Crisis in America.” I will be joined LIVE in D.C. by Springfield’s Alison Sylvester. She has been a public school teacher for over 20 years and she was named the 2020 K-5 Teacher of the Year by the Vermont Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Today and this weekend are going to be extremely cold. The National Weather Service is warning wind chill could reach as low as 30-45 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. These temperatures could be dangerous, so please take a moment to read through the available resources and make preparations to stay safe and warm.

I am a firm believer that the future of our country rests in the hands of young people. Every time I hear from young Vermonters, I am impressed by their ideas, their insights, and their passion to make their communities a better place. That is why I am glad to be taking on, as Vermont’s senior Senator, the United States Senate Page Program for our state.

One of the many things that I find remarkable about our state is that, in every corner, you can find Vermonters creating beautiful and powerful pieces of art. From street murals to galleries, I see extraordinary artwork coming out of our communities all the time, and that includes from artists of all generations. Today, I hope you will join me in celebrating some young Vermonters whose art was honored in the latest Congressional Art Competition.

Today, we are going to talk about Noah Kahan, a young singer-songwriter from Strafford, VT whose music is gaining attention not only in his home state, but throughout the country. What makes Noah’s success particularly interesting is that “Stick Season” is about his life right here at home. Noah calls the album a nuanced love letter to our state, to New England, and to growing up and living in small, rural towns.

For the last 12 years, I have held an essay contest to hear directly from young Vermonters. Today, more than 5,300 high school students from across the state have asked themselves this same question: What would I say if I were the President of the United States delivering the “State of the Union” address?