Health care reform dominated discussions at town meetings in Vermont and around the country during Congress' August recess. "Their voices were passionate and emotional but civil and respectful," CBS News reported from a meeting held last weekend in Arlington, Vt., by Senator Bernie Sanders.  Also during the past week, the senator visited Vermont community health centers with a senior Obama administration official, and he held a field hearing at the Statehouse in Montpelier of his Green Jobs Subcommittee.

Health Care -- Town Meetings Hundreds of Vermonters packed town meetings last weekend and a full house was expected at a third town meeting Sunday in Peacham. The meetings were a stark contrast to the scenes of angry, shouting hecklers disrupting meetings elsewhere. "Senator Sanders listened carefully, spoke thoughtfully, and welcomed opinions on both sides," according to Dr. Jon LaPook, the CBS News medical correspondent.  "Although it was a hot summer day, tempers simmered but never boiled over. That makes for good discussion but bad television. Absent fiery sound bites, the event flew under the radar of most media." To read more about it or to watch a video from the Arlington town meeting, click here.

Health Care - Take the Poll You're read the newscasts and newspapers about what people at town meetings think about healthcare reform. What do you think? Do you think the American health care system needs a complete overhaul, major reform, minor reform, or do you think there is no need for change?  Would you favor or oppose creating a public health care plan administered by the federal government that would compete with private health insurance companies? To take our latest poll on health care reform, click here.

Health Care - Community Centers "A good news story about health care" in rural Vermont was discovered by columnist Bob Herbert after visiting community health centers in the Green Mountain State. To read The New York Times column, click here. To read a Brattleboro Reformer editorial, click here. Mary Wakefield, a senior Obama administration health care official, toured the same centers and told a press conference in Plainfield, Vt., that the president supports Sanders' plan. Sanders and Rep. Jim Clyburn are sponsoring legislation as part of the current push for health care reform that would quadruple the number of centers that provide affordable primary medical care, dental services, low-cost prescription drugs and mental health counseling.

Green Jobs The Senate Green Jobs Subcommittee held a field hearing at the Vermont Statehouse. Witnesses included green energy entrepreneurs, workers' advocates, efficiency experts, and others.  "A great deal of exciting and innovative work has been taking place in states and cities throughout our country in breaking our dependence on fossil fuel and foreign oil, in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and, in the process, moving us to the creation of millions of good-paying jobs in the years to come," Sanders said. To read the senator's opening statement, click here.