[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 8 (Friday, January 16, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S236-S237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         VERMONT ESSAY WINNERS

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, since 2010 I have sponsored a 
State of the Union essay contest for Vermont students. The contest, now 
in its fifth year, is an opportunity for Vermont students to articulate 
what issues they would prioritize if they were President of the United 
States. A panel of Vermont teachers reviewed all of the essays 
submitted and selected the top twenty. I am proud to say that more than 
400 students wrote essays for this year's State of the Union contest.
  I would like to congratulate each and every finalist, and to 
specifically acknowledge Leo Lehrer-Small as this year's winner of the 
contest. I would also like to recognize Ryan Taggard for placing second 
and Craig Pelsor and Hadley Menk for placing third. I ask to have 
printed in the Record the winning essays.
  The essays follow.


      LEO LEHRER-SMALL, MOUNT MANSFIELD UNION HIGH SCHOOL (WINNER)

       As we enter the year of 2015, there is one issue in 
     particular that our government, in conjunction with global 
     policy makers, need to address with attention and urgency. 
     This issue, quite simply, is the safety of our planet: global 
     climate change is already affecting the environment through 
     droughts, increasingly frequent heat waves, and rising sea 
     levels. It is a scientific fact that climate change is man-
     made, even though some politicians still deny the part that 
     humans play in the issue.
       As the most powerful country in the world, the US must be a 
     driving force in halting global climate change. The question 
     is: how do we go about doing this? In order to fix our 
     growing crisis, we must first understand the roots of the 
     problem. Last year's report released by the Intergovernmental 
     Panel on Climate Change showed that the recent rise of 
     temperature is due to an excess of greenhouse gases that 
     humans have released into our atmosphere. And to quote the 
     Environmental Protection Agency, ``The largest source of 
     greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United 
     States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, 
     and transportation.'' So it is clear; the root of our problem 
     is our overuse of fossil fuels.
       We must take drastic measures to reduce our fossil fuel 
     consumption. Congress must make and pass bills that finance 
     green energy projects. Government subsidies which are 
     currently being given to the oil and gas industries should be 
     given to the renewable energy industry. This boost would 
     allow renewable and clean energy sources such as wind and 
     solar to provide more of the nation's energy, and in return 
     lower our usage of fossil fuels. The growth of clean energy 
     usage in the US would not only play a role in climate change 
     reversal, but also provide millions of safe jobs for American 
     workers.
       Furthermore, our government should heavily tax the large 
     greenhouse gas producers; companies that burn cheap fossil 
     fuels to make massive amounts of money. These are the main 
     contributors to climate change. These are the corporations 
     that we must limit through a tax on carbon dioxide. Such a 
     tax would not only discourage the burning of fossil fuels, 
     but the money may also be invested in the redevelopment of 
     clean energy.
       And as one of the leaders in our global economy, the rest 
     of the world will look to us to initiate the transition 
     towards clean energy usage. We have the opportunity to

[[Page S237]]

     globally legitimize renewable energy, which is a vital step 
     towards ending climate change. The action that our country 
     takes on this problem will be a model for the rest of the 
     world, which makes it the most important issue that should be 
     addressed by the United States. Not taking care of the planet 
     is not taking care of the people.


       RYAN TAGGARD, BRATTLEBORO UNION HIGH SCHOOL (SECOND PLACE)

       The state of our country has seen marked improvement over 
     the last year. Unemployment is at its lowest level since 
     before the recession, the stock market is setting record 
     highs, and a manufacturing sector that has added jobs for the 
     first time in nearly two decades. But we're working to regain 
     lost ground, while neglecting the importance of innovating, 
     creating, and aspiring--the very aspects that once made our 
     country great.
       Throughout the 60's and 70's, America was the planet's 
     premier superpower. Despite the threat of an aggressive 
     U.S.S.R. looming on the horizon, campus unrest, the conflict 
     in Vietnam, and the civil rights movement playing out in 
     confrontations on the street, we found time to dream about 
     tomorrow. The engine of this growth was the relentless 
     advancement of science and technology. Our crowned jewel, 
     NASA, was among the most powerful agencies the world had ever 
     seen, and promised us a future full of plenty. We didn't 
     outsource jobs, because no other nation could do what America 
     could. We spawned entire industries built around new 
     inventions. And most importantly, we gained a technological 
     edge, strengthening our military, infrastructure, and 
     economy.
       MRIs, GPS receivers, cochlear implants, Lasik surgery, 
     catalytic converters, the first fuel cells, cordless tools, 
     cell phones, and the microprocessors that enable our lives 
     are all direct results of our first forays into the abyss of 
     space. Due to our curiosity, hundreds of thousands of lives 
     were saved. Patients who were born deaf were given the 
     ability to hear. The blind could see. The environment was 
     restored in numerous and invaluable ways, and communication 
     became constant and universal. Curiosity enabled our nation 
     to perform miracles.
       Unfortunately for our nation, NASA was formed in the midst 
     of a panic induced by the launch of the Soviet's Sputnik. 
     Once the American government saw that the U.S.S.R. wasn't 
     ready to go to the moon, they ceded their push to move 
     forwards. Today NASA's spending represents 0.49% of our 
     federal budget. This half a penny off the tax dollar pays for 
     all of NASA's operations: the International Space Station, 
     Hubble telescope, Curiosity rover, all the astronauts, and 
     more. With only a slight increase in funding, we could go 
     back to the moon, send men to Mars, and journey on to explore 
     asteroids and alien worlds.
       The incentives for raising NASA's budget are diverse, 
     powerful, and irrespective of party. As well as providing an 
     opportunity for our government to assume a leadership 
     position, the economic stimulus that accompanies a revived 
     space industry would create new jobs, the technologies 
     developed would improve our lives, and the cultural shift 
     that occurred in the 60's and 70's would once again become 
     the norm. Students would aspire to become scientists, 
     engineers, mathematicians, and technologists. We as a nation 
     would reclaim our former spot at the very forefront of 
     innovation. And America would reap the benefits of an 
     educated, industrial, and forward thinking workforce.


     HADLEY MENK, CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL (THIRD PLACE)

       The future of our great nation is being threatened at this 
     very moment, and the foe may not be what you suspect. The 
     current states of our agricultural practices are harming our 
     country's future in catastrophic ways. Before a country can 
     focus on issues like health care, gun control, abortion, or 
     even the functioning of its own government, it must make sure 
     the people's basic needs are met. And nothing is more basic 
     or essential than food.
       The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization 
     estimates that the world's population will reach 9 billion 
     people within the next 40 years. To meet this need, global 
     agricultural production must increase by 70%. Elected 
     officials of the United States must take this seriously. 
     Fortunately, agriculture is a subject in which Vermont is 
     well versed. It is time for Vermont to lead the way in 
     advocating for more efficient, effective, and sustainable 
     agriculture. Investing in agriculture is one of the simplest 
     but most effective ways for the United States to protect its 
     future as a nation and as a world leader.
       There are several interconnected issues currently facing 
     our agriculture industry, the most important of which are 
     affordability, water, and land management. Food prices tend 
     to fluctuate depending on the price of oil, as petroleum 
     products are widely used in almost all aspects of food 
     production. From trucks and equipment to synthetic 
     fertilizers and pesticides, petroleum plays too large a role 
     in our food. Emphasis must be placed on finding more natural 
     alternatives to petroleum. Water and land management are also 
     major issues. As is evidenced by the crisis in California, 
     more needs to be done in terms of finding ways to better 
     conserve water for agriculture. According to the Index Mundi, 
     in North America in 1961, the amount of arable land per 
     person was 1.1 hectares. In 2009, that number had decreased 
     to .61 per person, due to land misuse. Legislators on a 
     local, state, and national level need to work with scientists 
     to solve these potentially catastrophic problems.
       Without agriculture, it is impossible for any country to 
     survive. Widespread food shortages can cause not only 
     starvation but also corruption in the government. Investing 
     in food production benefits everyone, regardless of race, 
     gender, socioeconomic status, or political party, and yet 
     agriculture is not treated with as much attention as issues 
     like gun control and immigration in the media.
       In order to preserve the future of the United States, we as 
     Vermonters must lead the way in urging legislators to endorse 
     measures that will improve agricultural methods and help 
     farmers be more sustainable. In a letter to George Washington 
     dated August 14, 1787, Thomas Jefferson stated that 
     ``Agriculture . . . is our wisest pursuit, because it will in 
     the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and 
     happiness.''


             CRAIG PELSOR, MILTON HIGH SCHOOL (THIRD PLACE)

       The United States of America is without a doubt in a better 
     position now than it was ten years ago. The economy has 
     rebounded and the few lingering effects of the ``Great 
     Recession'' are being mended. The national unemployment rate 
     stands at 5.9% as of September, the lowest it's been since 
     2008. The United States is producing more oil, natural gas 
     and energy from renewable resources than ever before, which 
     seeks to further the eventual dream of an energy independent 
     America. In addition, rates for violent and property crimes 
     continue to decline and our national GDP continues to outpace 
     every other nations.
       Even with the future seeming so bright, there remains still 
     pressing issues to which we must give our full attention.
       As the economy has recovered and grown, so has the gap 
     between the rich and the poor, and even the rich and the 
     super-rich. We hear of the wealthiest one percent's still 
     growing fortunes while those in the 30th or 10th percentile 
     are still waiting for the wealth to trickle down. That has 
     not worked, and we must do something to stem the tide of this 
     growing inequality. To do this we must raise the minimum wage 
     until it is a livable wage in all fifty states, as well as 
     reorganizing our tax structure so that those with the most 
     wealth are contributing more than those without. There is 
     also the issue of massive student loan debts which dampen the 
     potential success of graduates. With the average student loan 
     debt growing, there are a number of steps we could take to 
     make paying for higher education less of a financial burden. 
     Expand the federal student loan program to grant more money 
     to those who need it, while at the same time ensuring public 
     colleges and universities do not raise their tuitions. The 
     system of federally subsidized Universities used in Canada 
     and some Europeans nations could easily be adopted in the 
     United States in order to keep the working costs of our 
     colleges and universities at a level where they will not need 
     to raise their tuition costs every year.
       On a global front, there continues the troubles in the 
     Middle East and abroad, for which America has a duty to 
     respond with both humanitarian aid and military force to 
     ensure a lasting peace in the region. The arming of so called 
     ``moderate'' rebels in conflicts in Syria have proven of 
     little aid to America or its interests as well as the weapons 
     and intelligence we provide ending up in unintended hands. 
     Also, the billions of dollars of military aid to countries 
     such as Israel which has become a massively unnecessary 
     expenditure. In light of this, America should adopt a renewed 
     focus on bettering education opportunities and the general 
     standards of living in the Middle East and avoid joining any 
     new conflicts. The containment and destruction of ISIS should 
     remain a top priority, although the commitment of ground 
     troops to the area should be withheld unless the situation 
     gets far worse.
       A chasm of trust has grown between American citizens and 
     those put in charge of their protection, law enforcement, due 
     to a lack of transparency and discretion. To that end, the 
     United States government must provide the states with 
     incentive to equip local law enforcement with things such as 
     body cameras instead of armored vehicles and assault rifles, 
     as well as further training in dealing with the mentally ill 
     and minorities where it is most needed. Until the people feel 
     like police officers are being held accountable for their 
     actions, we cannot expect to further improve the nation.
       Another small change which may help stem the continuing 
     rise in prescription drug abuse would be the outlawing of 
     television, radio and internet advertising for all 
     prescription drugs. With this people will be less likely to 
     believe that they need all of the drugs that they see on 
     television and that they are all safe because they are being 
     publicly advertised.
       There is no one solution to all the nation's problems, but 
     through many small steps and congressional efforts like the 
     ones that I have mentioned can make the United States of 
     America a much stronger and prosperous nation.

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