Thank you Clem.

I welcome everyone to the Vermont Senate, and to the start a new legislative biennium. We have important work to do, and together, we will get it done.

When I asked Senator Mazza for advice on this speech, he said the same thing he said last time: “Keep it short.”

Looking for moral support, I asked my wife Penny, and she said, “Make it faster and funnier.”

I would like to begin by recognizing some very important people.

First, I want to thank my Chief of Staff, Martha Hanson. (She is my only staff.)

Second, I would like to recognize my colleagues on the Senate Committee of Committees, Senators Welch and Mazza, who deserve every bit of confidence you’ve placed in them, to organize Senate committees with balance and insight. It is a privilege to work with them.

I would also like to recognize Secretary of the Senate David Gibson and his hard-working staff, and all of the people whose work in this State House makes our work possible.

*******

A famous historian once said that the history of mankind could be summarized in two words:
Challenge, and Response.

Today in Vermont, we face huge challenges ...

... To help grow more and better jobs, especially in certain pockets of our state ...

... To work to expand health care coverage while we control the costs ...

... To protect our young people from risk, and impart the skills and knowledge they’ll need as adults ...

... To honor our commitment to a clean environment ...

... To find solutions to challenges in transportation and energy planning ...

... And all this, as we confront the most severe budgetary pressures in nearly a generation.

*******

Considering the challenges before us makes me reflect on the relationship between my older brother and his wife.

My brother would give someone the shirt off his back; in fact, I have seen him do it. He has a big heart.

His wife knows how to squeeze a penny into a nickel, and believe me, she does. Between them, they run a loving and efficient household.

Senator Leddy, you remind me of my brother.
And Senator Bartlett, you remind me of my sister-in-law.

As we make the most of our differences, let us strive to build a better, more caring Vermont.

Each of you comes to this historic chamber, entrusted by your neighbors with their voice and their vote.

Together, we have taken an oath to represent them. It is an oath we share, and an oath that binds us together.

Working together, we can turn our challenges into opportunities, for Vermont and her people.

There’s a lot of wisdom and experience in this chamber. Just look around. And there’s also a lot of new energy and fresh vision.

It’s my pleasure to welcome our five new State Senators: Senator Harold Giard, Senator Jane Kitchel, Senator Ed Flanagan, Senator Bobby Starr, and Senator Wendy Wilton.

Together we will press on.
In a few hours, Governor Jim Douglas will deliver practical solutions to our most pressing challenges. Vermonters have expressed their trust in his strong, steady vision and leadership for our state.

I think Vermonters made a great choice.

At the same time, we look with confidence to the new Speaker of the Vermont House, Gaye Symington. She will work to build consensus among our friends in the House.

Fifty-two years ago, Consuelo Northrop Bailey of Fairfield was sworn in as Vermont’s first woman Speaker of the House. Two years later, she was elected as America’s first woman lieutenant governor ever.

Now, I know that Speaker Symington is a really smart person, but I really hope that it takes her more than two years to get tired of being Speaker!

Finally, we turn to this Senate, and the vital role we will play in the next two years.

In particular, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Welch, I turn to you.

You have the ability and experience to concentrate the combined weight and wisdom of this body, and train it on the task of finding common ground where all can meet, despite our differences -- to respond constructively to the challenges at hand. And I know you’ll do it.

For my part, I pledge to preside with impartiality, respect, and to preserve the tradition and dignity of this chamber. It’s my pledge to each of you, and to every Vermonter who we represent.

To those who says we cannot find solutions of our challenges, I would like to remind them of the wisdom of the Senator Dick Sears, the Senate’s biggest Red Sox fan. “Just Believe!”

*********

Last fall, I had the pleasure of touring all corners of our state. (Some call this campaigning.)

As you know, we live in a very special chunk of the world. One day at the peak of foliage season, my brother Mike, who had recently returned from Iraq, and I were driving around the Northeast Kingdom. He turned to me and said, “You know, a lot of people would pay good money to do what we are doing today, meeting lots of nice people and seeing great country.”

I said, “That’s a good point, Mike.”

As I have traveled up and down our state, I am always impressed with the beauty of the landscapes, the warmth of our people and number of brass plaques proudly hung on buildings everywhere with Senator Vincent Illuzzi’s name on them.

I learned many things on our travels, and met some great Vermonters.

A hard-working Vermont farmer gave me some advice one day I won’t forget. We were at the Addison County Field Days horse pull -- right down in the pit with the horses, where the action was. The farmer didn’t waste words. He just turned to me and said, “Brian, you’re going to win this election.”

I looked in his eye and he continued. “But just remember one thing next fall. Don’t make promises you can’t keep!”

Just then those big horses pulled, with all their hearts and all their power. I answered him, “I’ll promise you just one thing, then -- to work just as hard as these horses are, to make a difference for Vermont.”

A grin spread over his face: “Now y’re talkin’!”

I know each one of you seated before me wants to work with the same spirit and energy. And when all of us pull together, all with the same purpose, there’s no challenge we can’t overcome.

Together, we will press on.

*******

I have been flying airplanes for twenty-eight years. There are a few things successful pilots always do.

We always speak up when we have concerns. Our safety of depends on it. We always file a flight plan. And we always fill out our logbook after we land.

This booklet is what I call the Lieutenant Governor’s Log Book. It chronicles much of the work we’ve done in our office since January 2003.

As we take off into a new biennium, it’s time to file a new flight plan.

Please allow me to share my flight plan with you today. It begins with a pledge to maintain and expand the initiatives I’ve already launched.

I’ll continue to be a bridge-builder -- here within the Senate as your Senate President, between the legislature and the Governor, between state government and the people of our state, and between our state and our world.

I’ll continue to work for the growth of jobs and opportunity by expanding the Green Valley Initiative. I will continue my work with the Vermont Environmental Consortium. And I would like to recognize one of its leaders, Peter Murray, who is here today. I also want to thank Secretary Kevin Dorn and Commission Mike Quinn for their leadership.

I’ll continue international outreach, to generate opportunities for jobs here in our state, to nurture international education exchanges, and to enhance our homeland security.

I’ll continue my work as chair of the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council. I’ll continue to support our state’s first responders. I would also like to thank Commission Kerry Sleeper for his leadership.

And I’ll continue to work for Vermont’s forests, waters, and air, by promoting progressive technologies and policies, by working with the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering, and most importantly, by encouraging math and science skills and environmental awareness in our children’s’ classrooms. I would also like to thank Commissioner David O’Brien, Jeff Wennberg, Jon Woods and Wayne Laroche.

I’ll also work in 5 new growth areas:

One, I’ll work for Vermont’s youth. I’ll work towards expanding in-school dental clinics in our state for children who don’t have access to care – I’ll work to reduce substance abuse, and teen pregnancy -- and to help find adoptive homes for Vermont’s foster children.

I will continue to assist Mary Lefcourt and Wanda Audette at the Lund Family Center, who are champions for Project Family, a program that in the last seven months has doubled the number of adoptions in our state.

Two, I’ll work for Vermont’s elders. I look forward to assisting Secretary Charlie Smith to develop options in hospice and palliative care, home health services, and the “aging in place” initiative.

Three, I’ll work for homes for Vermont families. I will assist Commissioner John Hall’s efforts to improve affordable housing.

Four, I’ll work for Vermont’s next generation of farmers. I will establish the Lt Governor’s young farmers’ council, and I will ask for help from Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr, Farm Bureau President Jackie Folsom, Vermont 4H and Future Farmers of Vermont. I must also add that I get a special glow when I look out our two new senators, Senators Starr and Giard. Because this year, with their help at the Vermont Farm Show, we are going to win the annual milking contest and beat the House team at last!

Five, I’ll work to keep government in check. We can reduce the cost and complexity of state government, and make government work better for Vermonters.

My experience as Lieutenant Governor has taught me that if you ask for help, Vermonters will respond.

I’m announcing here and now that I welcome their help.

Together, we will press on.

In the coming days, Senate and House committees will settle down to work on new initiatives.
We’ll spend a lot of time talking about statistics: tax rates, gross domestic product, deficits, revenues, rates of uninsured, reading and math test scores, megawatts and more.

While numbers help us understand the scope of our challenges,
we must always be mindful that what we are really talking about is people -- people who choose to live in a state where summers are short,
winters are long, taxes are high, and people really care about one another.

People like Jill Lord, director of nursing services at Mount Ascutney Hospital, whose life’s work has been to provide love and care for sick and hurting people.

People like Steve Flint, 5th grade teacher at Addison elementary school, who was recently recognized as a National Baldridge Quality Award winner.
People like Chief Dave Emery, of the Brattleboro Fire Department, who recently led his brave firefighters to fight a deadly fire in Brattleboro.

People like Jacques and Mariel Parent, who along with their entire family have made an investment in family farming for another generation in Highgate.

People like Rabbi Max Wall who has challenged a new generation of Vermonters to learn foreign languages and to travel to distant lands to be peacemakers.

People like Hung Yue, of Plainfield, who is here today. Hung was a member of our 2003 Peace and Trade Mission to China and Taiwan, and today works as a leader with the Vermont Peace Academy.

People like Maggie Cassidy, a foreign language teacher from Brattleboro Union High School, who has inspired a new generation of Vermonters to talk to other peoples in other lands, and discover how we can work together.

The dawn of the 21st century has seen the attacks of September 11, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, and the tsunami that has devastated the shorelines of Asia.

The men and women of Vermont’s military, and their families, have responded to these challenges with courage, competence, and commitment.

Many have given some, some have given all.

We’re grateful for the leadership of our Commander in Chief, Governor Douglas, and our Adjutant General Martha Rainville, who is here today.

And we’re grateful to people like General Mike Dubie, Colonel Phil Murdock, and Lt. Colonel TJ Jackman, who are also here today. They are just three of the hundreds of other Vermonters for who have served in the Middle East.

And we honor those currently serving, like Sgt. Les Dimick of the State House Police, who was deployed at the end of December. He will be in our thoughts and prayers till his return.

We are mindful of the sacrifice of our military families, and want to recognize the impact on their lives. We recognize Karen Fick, wife of Air National Guard Commander Colonel Greg Fick, who is currently deployed in Iraq.

We’re grateful to Colonel John Farnham, who, under Adjutant General Rainville, works to support the families of Guard members who are deployed far from home.

And we’re also grateful for Vermonters like Linda Jackman, who has led an effort to support our soldiers and airmen who are deployed.

I would also like to recognize Major Francis Angiers, former World War II POW. Thank you all for your service to our nation and our state.

We in the Senate and the House stand ready to support our service member’s and their families.

Together, we will press on.

*******

I would like to close with the words of one of those forebears, fellow-Vermonter and President Calvin Coolidge.

He said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

“Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

“Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

“Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The ‘press on’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems with the human race.”

Let’s say it together, and say it with all the people of Vermont, and let’s repeat it whenever a solution seems farthest beyond our grasp: “We will press on.”

Together we will press on.

Thank you.