The Senate continued to debate what to do about sky-high gasoline prices driven through the roof by Big Oil profiteers and Wall Street speculators. Senator Bernie Sanders also continued to fight for assistance for people facing record-high home heating bills this coming winter. An effort was launched to find some 10,000 Vermonters who are due economic stimulus checks. "In today's economy, many of our people could use this extra money," Sanders said. Also on Capitol Hill, Sanders brought firefighters together for an exhibit of new technology. In Vermont, Sanders is hosting Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake at town meetings on Monday. Meanwhile, preparations were underway for a Bush visit to the Green Mountain State.

Economic Stimulus Almost 10,000 Vermont retirees and disabled veterans may qualify for an economic stimulus check but have not yet claimed it. Sanders urged veterans and retirees to claim the stimulus payment and his office offered to help people with questions about filling out the paperwork. "It's not too late to file," Sanders said. "In today's economy, many of our people could use this extra money. Further, putting money in the hands of people who are truly in need will help the economy overall." In Vermont, 38,982 people who receive Social Security and veterans on disability benefits were eligible for stimulus checks, according to the Internal Revenue Service, but 9,749 of those Vermonters have not filed for the rebates. The stimulus checks would total $300 for individuals and $600 for married couples. Many of the 20 million seniors on Social Security and 250,000 veterans living on disability benefits do not ordinarily owe income taxes and do not have to file tax returns. To qualify for the stimulus checks, however, they must fill out an IRS Form 1040A by October 15. The IRS Web site has forms and more information here.

Gas Prices "We've got to be aggressive in going after the speculators and oil companies," Sanders told Fox News. In the long term, he said, we need to find alternate energy sources. Right now, Congress must hold oil companies and Wall Street accountable. "Greedy hedge fund managers are driving up the price of oil in the unregulated energy futures market," he said in a Senate floor speech. "We've got to deal with this speculation issue, which a number of experts think is driving up the price of oil by 25 to 50 percent," he told Vermont Public Radio. To watch the senator's Thursday speech on gas and oil prices, click here.

Home Heating With oil prices approaching $5 a gallon, customers can expect to pay $5,000 to heat their homes this winter, WCAX News reported. Last winter, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helped 21,000 people in Vermont. The average payment was $1,390. Now, according to the report, that amount would buy about one thankful of heating oil. Sanders has proposed doubling the federal home heating assistance program. "If we do not significantly expand funding for LIHEAP, there is no doubt in my mind that there will be families, older people, children, in the State of Vermont who will be going cold next winter."

Letters from Vermont As gas prices and the cost of food batter the middle class, Sanders asked people to write about what was happening in their lives. One who did was Roger Sherman, who lives on a small plot of land overlooking the Green Mountains in Bennington. "I might have to sell the house. I hate to see that," he told WNYT News in Albany. The Associated Press also wrote about a booklet Sanders assembled on Letter from Vermont and American. To read the AP story, click here.

First Responders New technologies to help firefighters and other first responders were showcased in Washington on Wednesday at an event Sanders hosted. He was joined by Matt Vinci, president of the Professional Firefighters of Vermont, and Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Jay Cohen. The Department of Homeland Security had not specifically designated funding for new technology for firefighters until Sanders broached the issue. As a result, this year Homeland Security devoted $10 million for technology research and development. To watch more, click here.

Coming Events On Monday, Sanders welcomes VA Secretary Peake to Vermont town meetings in South Burlington and White River Junction on Challenges Facing Veterans. (More Details) Also on Monday, first lady Laura Bush is making a return trip to the state that her husband has never visited during the president's seven-and-a-half years in the White House. He's been to all 49 other states, not to mention 80 countries, some more than once, according to the White House's own count. Later this month, on June 28, Senator Sanders will welcome noted author Eric Schlosser to a town meeting on the politics of food - "From Fast Food Nation to Sustainable Agriculture". (More Details)