[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 15 (Monday, January 30, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S487-S488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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               STATE OF THE UNION ESSAY CONTEST FINALISTS

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask to have printed in the 
Record some of the finalist essays written by Vermont high school 
students as part of the seventh annual State of the Union essay contest 
conducted by my office.
  The material follows:


          KEELAN DURHAM, OXBOW HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN (FINALIST)

       Climate change is the most important issue facing our 
     nation and the biggest challenge our world has ever faced. It 
     threatens us at the most immediate level--the very land, 
     water and air that we have called home for thousands of 
     years. Addressing climate change will require tremendous 
     policy shifts and changing massive amounts of infrastructure 
     that we have spent many years and billions of dollars making. 
     And it will require people and governments to collaborate at 
     a worldwide level. The United States is the richest most 
     powerful country in the world. We have achieved this position 
     in world politics by being a leading force in creating 
     prosperity and democracy around the world. However, by 
     achieving this, we have wreaked havoc on the environment at 
     the expense of the greater world. Now, we have a moral 
     obligation to to lead the world in implementing strong 
     policies toward a renewable future. If we fail to address 
     climate change, both our nation and nations around the globe 
     will suffer tremendous consequences. According to the 
     environmental protection agency's (EPA) ``Climate Impacts on 
     Coastal Areas'', Rising seas alone will cause the United 
     States to lose a projected 28,800 square miles of land. This 
     would submerge large parts of fourteen US cities, displace 25 
     million people, and destroy billions of dollars worth of real 
     estate. Rising seas would claim beautiful areas all along the 
     coast such as the beaches of Culebra the multimillion dollar 
     condos of Malibu or of the beautiful coast of California. 
     Outside the United States, small island countries that have 
     done very little to cause global warming could be wiped of 
     the face of the planet.
       As the richest most powerful country with the oldest, and 
     arguably the strongest, democracy ever we need to take bold 
     action and implement strong policies to stop global warming. 
     There are many things the United States can do to address 
     climate change. We could put a price on carbon pollution; 
     this would create a disincentive to use oil and possibly hurt 
     oil companies profits. We could create strong incentives and 
     grants for renewable energy; this would make it easier and 
     cheaper for individuals and businesses to instal renewable 
     energy like solar or wind. A huge step forward would be to 
     ban coal mining and oil extractions from public lands--just 
     this would keep millions of tons of CO2 out of the 
     atmosphere and greatly help the environment. Merely stopping 
     all new gas and oil infrastructure in its tracks would be a 
     huge step in the fight against climate change. There is more 
     we can do but this would be a start.
       Currently the United States has been doing very little to 
     combat global warming. The Paris Agreements were a step in 
     the right direction but oil companies still have many members 
     of congress working for them and with Donald Trump as 
     president progress will likely will be lost and not made. 
     This is why we must fight for this issue, and all issues that 
     we know are important. If we do this, we show the oil 
     companies and corrupt politicians that this government is for 
     ``we the people of the United States'' and not ``we the super 
     huge and super rich corporations of the United States''. 
     Together we can make huge progress towards a renewable energy 
     future and towards protecting our environment for future 
     generations.


          MORGEN EDWARDS, MILTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR (FINALIST)

       My fellow Americans, our country spends more on training 
     men and women to go to war than what it does on training our 
     family members and our neighbors to come home. We spend more 
     money on the military as whole, than what we do our veterans. 
     Our veterans deserve more benefits through an increased 
     budget of ten percent, we must reform the VA, and help to put 
     an end to the 22 veterans who commit suicide a day. To help 
     put an end to veteran suicide rates, there should be funding 
     to create a separate organization to solely focus on the 
     mental health of our veterans, readjusting them to civilian 
     life, and acting as a twenty-four hour hotline to help 
     prevent veteran suicide. This should be comprised of experts, 
     and people who can adequately represent them when it comes to 
     congress and budgeting.
       In order to save our veterans, we first must provide the VA 
     with a better budget, in order for the VA to provide veterans 
     with access to benefits. The projected budget for the 
     president to spend on the VA as of 2017 is 182.3 billion 
     dollars, and according to the VA this is a ``4.9% increase 
     over the 2016 enacted level.'' If we increase the budget by 
     ten percent to start out, than the VA could have more money 
     to provide our veterans with better benefits, thus helping to 
     cut down on wait times by employing more qualified 
     individuals, while helping to provide more options for care 
     and help to the men and women who need it. According to 
     Military times ``The average wait time across the system as 
     of May 15 was 6.89 days for primary care, 10.15 days for 
     specialty care and 4.4 days for mental health appointments, 
     according to the report.'' Wait times should be no more than 
     three to four days, and if at all possible we should try 
     cutting that down even more, to ensure the safety of our 
     veterans.
       We must train our veterans on how to readjust to civilian 
     life, help them to find and maintain jobs, help them find 
     housing and teach them about PTSD and mental health 
     awareness. We must train them to not be afraid to speak out 
     about their mental health. Most importantly, we must not send 
     them away when they seek help, telling them to ``just forget 
     about it.'' If we have the means to train them to go to war, 
     than we must take those same means but apply it to training 
     them to come home. No longer should we send of veterans home 
     to fend for themselves. If we have the resources to send them 
     to boot camp to go to war than we have the resources to send 
     them to boot camp to come home. We should try and expand the 
     Wounded Warriors Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of 
     America, and American Veterans and their efforts to provide 
     transition programs.

[[Page S488]]

  



       REBECCA GREEN, ST. JOHNSBURY ACADEMY SOPHOMORE (FINALIST)

       I believe that one of the most pressing issues that is 
     facing our nation today is the conservative movement to 
     remove federal funding from Planned Parenthood. I think that 
     this is very important, because Planned Parenthood clinics 
     are key providers not only of family planning services, but 
     also preventative care, and other important health care 
     services for low income women and families, and therefore, 
     defunding this organization would negatively impact access to 
     healthcare in these vulnerable socioeconomic groups.
       The movement to defund Planned Parenthood is centered 
     primarily on ideological and political reasons surrounding 
     the pro-life movement and their argument that tax dollars 
     should not be allowed to support organizations that provide 
     abortions. Yet, Planned Parenthood data demonstrated that 
     only 3% of their budget goes to fund abortion, with the rest 
     of their funds going to contraceptive services (31%), testing 
     and treatment of STD's (45%), other women's health care 
     services (14%), and screening and prevention of cancer (7%). 
     According to a report from the Guttmacher Institute, in 2014, 
     Planned Parenthood prevented 2.2 million unintended 
     pregnancies and averted many cases of sexual transmitted 
     diseases, and cervical and breast cancer through screening 
     PAP smears and mammograms and HPV tests and vaccinations, 
     resulting in a net public savings of $13.6 billion, or $7.09 
     for every public dollar spent. Defunding Planned Parenthood 
     clinics could therefore have a significant negative impact on 
     both these health benefits and the health care savings that 
     come from their services.
       An example of the effects of this movement to defund 
     Planned Parenthood can be seen in the case of Texas, where 
     cutting federal funding to this organization led to closure 
     of more than 80 clinics and deprived thousands of low-income 
     women of highly effective contraceptive methods, resulting in 
     a drastic increase in the rate of births covered by Medicaid.
       In conclusion, Planned Parenthood has created a nationwide 
     network of clinics that provide a wide breadth of services to 
     low income women and families who often fall in the gap 
     between Medicaid and insurance coverage. Efforts to defund 
     this organization would deprive this vulnerable socio-
     economic group from important health care services, and cause 
     profound negative impact, not just on preventative care and 
     overall women's health, but on state and national health care 
     spending.


          ABIGAIL HALNON, MILTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR (FINALIST)

       My fellow Americans, I am humbled and thrilled to be your 
     president. I believe that the American people are generous, 
     insightful, and accepting. Our nation gains its power, 
     strength, and beauty from its diversity. We strive, as a 
     nation, to be an international leader in perpetuating ideals 
     of freedom and equality. It is my concern that there are many 
     acts in this country that violate these fundamental beliefs.
       It is important that the United States is a country 
     recognized as a pioneer of social justice on a worldwide 
     stage. It is our moral duty to uphold the highest standards 
     of equality and acceptance. We have made great steps towards 
     this in recent years. The landmark Supreme Court decision in 
     2015 of Obergefell v. Hodges upheld the fundamental right to 
     marry, regardless of sex. We must further prove our nation's 
     belief in freedom and opportunity by the legislation that we 
     pass. There is progress yet to be made.
       Currently, practicing conversion therapy on gay and 
     bisexual Americans is widely permitted across the U.S. This 
     is a process under which non-heterosexual people are 
     subjected to various means to reverse their sexual 
     orientation. Conversion therapy, based on a scientifically 
     discredited premise, must see an immediate ban. It permits 
     the means to punish and abuse innocent Americans. The vast 
     majority of these victims are minors. This practice 
     perpetuates a false and violent belief system that 
     homosexuality is a mental disease and that a cure must be 
     sought. It is an obscene violation of the basic human rights 
     of gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans. It should not be 
     permitted by law.
       Although it receives little public support, only 5 states 
     have banned conversion therapy on minors. These acts of hate 
     and misinformation must be outlawed nationwide. It is an 
     injustice and a crime to subject torture on Americans, most 
     often minors, who have committed no offense. An immediate 
     country-wide ban must take place.
       We must work to defy all accounts of prejudice based on 
     sexual orientation and gender identity. The freedom and 
     mobility of transgender and nonbinary Americans is severely 
     limited. Their rights and protection are being eroded by 
     current legislation. A recent law in North Carolina known as 
     the ``bathroom bill'' allows regulation of bathroom access 
     for transgender individuals. Legislation that regulates 
     bathroom use by transgender Americans is an act of hate and 
     tragic misinformation. Rates of violence or misconduct by 
     transgender individuals in bathrooms are so unprecedented 
     that there are virtually no statistics on it. There is no 
     need for regulation. These laws must immediately be struck 
     down. These are basic and necessary rights and they must not 
     be infringed upon. Discriminatory acts based on sexuality and 
     gender identity have implications outside of their specific 
     goals. The use of U.S. law to marginalize any group 
     perpetuates dangerous and violent beliefs. Our 
     misunderstanding cannot become rejection. Our fear cannot 
     manifest into anger.
       Americans will not stand for the perpetuation of hate, 
     fear, and misinformation. We will not reject our neighbors 
     and our friends. Our country must make these necessary steps 
     towards true equality.


   KARLEY ZIER, MISSISQUOI VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR (FINALIST)

       Raising the price of minimum wage would benefit everyone 
     differently, but all in a commendable way. This would give 
     people on government assistance more of an incentive to 
     secure a job. It would keep the average family of four from 
     drowning in debt just to buy groceries for the week. 
     According to Sherrod Brown, Senator of Ohio, ``Anyone who's 
     tried to pay a heating bill, fill a prescription, or simply 
     buy groceries knows all too well that the current minimum 
     wage does not cut the mustard.'' Sherrod explains exactly how 
     tough it is to try and survive off from the ongoing minimum 
     wage price.
       Minimum wage in Vermont should be raised for a multitude of 
     reasons. One way the state could benefit from this would be 
     the amount of people withdrawing from welfare and other 
     government funded programs. The state could benefit from this 
     act because unemployed rates would go down with more people 
     applying for jobs. Families living off of minimum wage have 
     barely enough money to meet their basic needs per week or per 
     month. Someone making minimum wage at $9.60 an hour for eight 
     hours a day and five days a week will earn $384. Therefore, 
     one will make $1,536 per month without any taxes being taken 
     out. According to USA Today, the average cost of groceries 
     per week for a family of four is $150-$200. The average cost 
     of rent in Vermont is $900 per month. Being left with $436, 
     which would be non-existent due to taxes, leaves no room to 
     pay for other needs or necessities. People wouldn't have 
     money to pay for phone bills, transportation expenses, or 
     daycare because one would be working. Someone would not be 
     able to pay for any of these necessities because of the fact 
     they wouldn't be able to afford them living off of minimum 
     wage.
       People who are using government assistance programs could 
     benefit from this because there would be a reason for them to 
     want to work. If people make the same amount off of welfare 
     as they are making while working a forty hour job each week, 
     of course they are going to choose welfare, or other 
     government assistance programs. There is no incentive for the 
     people on welfare to want to get a job with the minimum wage 
     being so low and having to pay for expenses they wouldn't 
     need to pay for while being unemployed. The other people in 
     the state could benefit from this by the amount of people 
     withdrawing from the welfare program. The more people who 
     withdraw from the system, the less tax money that one say to 
     pay to fund these types of programs. Overall, those are the 
     reasons why the minimum wage in Vermont should be 
     raised.

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