Notes from Montpelier
by Rep. Bill Frank

It was a wonderful community celebration for our local hero Captain Richard Phillips.  The park was full, the sun was out, the weather was like the middle of the summer and we all enjoyed welcoming Richard Phillips home.  We are all proud of this extraordinary man who put the lives of others before his own.  On the day of his capture he woke up to start his day like any other, but life threw him a curve.  He was faced with an extraordinary situation.  He acted in an extraordinary way – a heroic way.  We gathered to celebrate his return.  We celebrated his wonderful family; we celebrated as a town, as a community, as a state.  We are proud to have the Phillips as neighbors and friends and most of all happy he is home.  Many many people helped make the celebration possible but I would like to especially thank and express my gratitude to Paige Manning who spearheaded the effort.  The afternoon was filled with music by Bobby Hackney’s a cappela group, audio journal with Jeff Wynne & Erik Urch and Tammy Fletcher and The Disciples.

As you read this I expect the legislature will be down to one of the last 2 or 3 days of the session for this year.  During the last week we are busy trying to keep up with bills in their last stage of passage; time for working in committees of conference to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill and times of waiting for the Senate to finish working on a bill or a committee of conference to finish their work.  One thing for sure, I don’t get home in time for dinner with Bev.

Last week I was reviewing some of the bills that came to the floor of the House this year and how I voted on them.  On deciding how to vote on a bill I have always tried to focus on what is best for the people it affects.  I listen to testimony, and at some point I have to make a decision.  At that point, I listen to constituents and further testimony to see if they can give good reason for me to change by mind.  I have reviewed my votes on the bill to improve Vermont’s sexual abuse response system, smoking in the workplace, palliative care, freedom to marry, selling raw milk and insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screening.  I feel good about my voting record and feel I have voted in the best interest of Vermonters.  These bills represent only a sampling of the bills we have voted on this year.  You can review my voting record at the Legislative web site www.leg.state.vt.us.