The Bernie Buzz

Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are going to have a profound and transformative impact on our country and the entire world. The question is not whether these technologies will advance. They will. The question is: Who will control this technology? Who will benefit from it? And who will be left behind?

Each year, the president of the United States delivers a “State of the Union” speech to Congress to report on the state of our country and outline priorities for the coming year. For the past 15 years, I have invited Vermont high school students to ask themselves: If I were the president delivering the State of the Union address, what would I say? What is one major issue facing our country and how would I propose to solve it?

Each year, cities and towns across Vermont hold ceremonies to honor our veterans. These are important opportunities to honor those who have put their lives on the line to defend our country. Regardless of the political climate in Washington, I would hope that all of us understand the importance of honoring the sacrifice of our servicemembers, veterans and their families. There is much that we can learn from them and what they have experienced.

Trump is refusing to release the more than $5 billion emergency fund for the federal food stamp program — known federally as SNAP and locally as 3SquaresVT — that helps feed 16 million kids around the country, including 38,000 Vermont households. Congress created this emergency fund specifically for times like these. The president’s refusal to release these funds is in direct violation of the law.

Recently, Vermont Green shared some exciting news: they are officially launching a women’s team for the 2026 season as part of the USL W League. This is a big deal. It is good news for soccer fans, sports enthusiasts, and anyone looking for an opportunity to come together in community.

Earlier this month, I wrote to you about Vermont’s housing crisis and asked you to share your thoughts about how this crisis is affecting you. You had a LOT to say! Clearly, this is an issue that is impacting tens of thousands of Vermonters. And, by the way, the high cost of housing is an issue in virtually every state in the country. In my view, instead of giving $1 trillion in tax breaks to the one percent, we should be building millions of units of low income and affordable housing that Vermonters and people all over this nation desperately need. This is a major priority for my office.