Welcome to the Vermont Public General Election Debates I'm Michela Lefrak, one of the hosts of Vermont tradition.

Today, it's the second in our series of debates ahead of the 2022 midterm election on November 8th.

Now, you don't have to wait until then to vote.

Ballots have already gone out in the mail to all registered Vermont voters.

Now, today's debate is between the major party candidates for Vermont's U.S. Senate seat.

The position will be vacated by Senator Patrick Leahy, who is retiring.

Joining me live in the Vermont public studio in downtown Winooski is the Democratic candidate, Peter Welch of Norwich.

He currently holds Vermont's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Welch, welcome.

Thank you.

Also in our studio today is Republican candidate Gerald Malloy of Perkins ville.

He's a U.S. Army veteran who's worked in the private sector in emergency management and defense.

Joe Malloy, welcome.

Thank you, Mikayla.

Now, here's the format we're going to use today and for the rest of our 2022 general election debates.

In our first segment, I'll ask common questions to both candidates.

They'll each have 60 seconds to answer in the second segment The candidates will ask each other questions.

They'll have 30 seconds to ask the question and then 60 seconds to answer.

Next, we'll turn to a series of questions submitted by Vermonters.

Candidates will have 30 seconds to answer, and it's possible.

I'll ask follow up questions during any of these first three segments.

Then we'll have a lightning round of questions with very brief answers.

About 10 seconds backs will conclude with one minute closing statements from each candidate.

All right.

Let's get started with some questions I have for both of you.

Please limit your answers to 60 seconds.

And a reminder, I may ask follow ups.

Question one You have both been on the campaign trail for quite a while now, no doubt meeting many Vermonters from all walks of life.

Can you tell us about a specific person you have met on the campaign trail who has changed or better informed the way that you see an issue?

Congressman Welch, let's start with you.

Well, you know, I was in Winooski at the school or pardon me, in Williston at the school.

And one of those young women asked a question about what the future was with climate change.

And what was so compelling to me was how prepared she was, how she was looking down the road into the future and how she wanted to be engaged, but was also insisting that Mr. Malloy and I would be engaged in coming up with the solution.

So it gave me a lot of hope that our kids are not just discouraged about things that are happening, but are engaged in wanting to be part of the solution.

Now, Congressman, you were first elected to Congress 16 years ago.

And since then, of course, state and national politics have become even more polarized They once were.

And I'm curious if you've had any conversations with Vermonters, specifically with conservative Vermonters, while you've been on the campaign trail that would help you work across the aisle if elected to the Senate, which, of course, is currently one of the most partizan places in the country?

Well, you know, I have in Vermont, conservatives are practical, their problem solving, and they actually have mutual respect.

Those are the conservatives that I've dealt with when I was in the state Senate in the best way that I found is in Washington is the same that I did when I was in the state Senate.

And that's work on a common problem where you can help the people you represent.

I'll give you an example.

Broadband, huge problem in Vermont.

I created the broadband caucus in Congress and many of the 20 Republicans who were part of that were people I approached, ask them, How's broadband in your rural district?

So we were talking about a common interest where the folks they represented, the folks I represented, needed broadband.

We have been successful, Republicans and Democrats, with the broadband caucus getting about $40 billion deployed to rural America.

So the Vermont approach just don't talk ideology all the time, talk about shared problems, and then find ways to get commo solutions to benefit the people each of us represents.

Thank you, Congressman Joe Malloy.

Same question to you.

I thank you, mikayla.

I would have to say i agree with congressman welch about the Wilson Center School.

That was absolutely fantastic, encouraging and inspiring.

But I would have to say a couple of weeks ago, I met gentleman Mark Waynesville at Landmark Maple, started that business from when he was 15.

It's all Vermont resources, Vermont machinery, and he creates wood products and sells them all over the country.

Just a great success story, 28,000 square foot facility.

And he told me about his business, you know, has about 4 people employed.

So that's one of the things I look to do as a senator is to support small business and grow well-paying jobs here in Vermont.

At the end of that, I talked with him and I said, how can I help if I'm a U.S. senator?

He said, well, get let's get reduce the amount of intervention from government And he talked about some new regulations that had been placed upon him that he didn't think were necessary and of course, increased his costs.

So I said, you know, I will try to do that.

That's one of my positions to not have more and more government involvement in the industry.

Now, you've mentioned some of the positions that you feel strongly about already, like less federal regulation of business.

But I'm curious if you on the campaign trail have changed your stance on any issues or heard an opinion from a Vermonter that has perhaps brought you more closely in line with the Vermont majority?

And for just one example here, I'm thinking of a recent poll that finds that three fourths of Vermonters support the upcoming ballot measure to protect abortion rights in Vermont's constitution, though, you oppose it.

Okay.

Well, you talking about five Article 22?

I am.

I'm not in favor of that.

I look at the Constitution for people to be representative of their values.

And I think the law on the books here in Vermont, abortion up to the moment of birth to include third, third term, three third trimester abortions I do not support that.

I don't think most Vermonters support that, and I don't think that's a value we want to enshrine into the Constitution.

So, yes, I have been learning what I thought we were going to talk a little bit about business that I was talking about.

Another thing was even the CHIPS Act.

So I do realize there are reasons to have government involvement at some level, for instance, national security So when that was going to be 52 billion, I was supportive of that.

But when it grew up to 280 billion, I was not supportive of that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Well, well, let's stay on this topic of business and the economy, particularly inflation.

It's top of mind for many voters this year.

And I want to specifically discuss inflation and the housing market.

Now, prospective homebuyers face soaring interest rates, which are now above seven and a half percent for a 30 year fixed mortgage.

And the Fed has been raising interest rates to try to curb inflation.

So I'm curious how you would propose helping people get on the path to homeownership while also addressing inflation in the short term.

Joe Malloy, let's start with you.

To start off with it.

The reason we have inflation and we are in a recession is because of the massive overspending that's been going on for the last year and a half Plus $2,000,000,000,002.5 trillion debt hike.

ARPA IRA, the CHIPS Act.

All that overspending has.

What that has caused is going back to Milton Friedman in economics.

If you print off money and inject it into society, you are going to have inflation And that's what we have now.

And the response to that is my opinion, poor.

You mentioned the debt hikes of three 2 to 2.25% debt hydrates that we've seen that you're exactly right.

It's gone from 3% to 7% on mortgages.

So that is obviously a big barrier for homeowners to to make that purchase to buy a home.

Well, you you spoke about what you see is the reasons for current inflation rates.

But I'm curious about solutions for folks who are living through it right now and might not care where it came from.

Just want to be able to afford a place to live.

Well, I think there's a couple of solutions.

Federal and local number one is to have fiscal responsibilit and spend within a budget that will ensure, well, we have it.

We have a debt problem right now at 31 trillion.

That's that's a cancer that is crushing our economy right now and will continue to do so unless we address it and start spending within the budget that's on the federal side.

On the local side, we have at 250, which is, I believe at the state level, needs to be looked at to suppor development of more homes.

Thank you, Congressman Welch.

Well, first of all, inflation is really a challenge for everyday Vermonters, and inflation is a challenge for everybody in America.

Inflation is a challenge for everybody in the world.

It's really an aftermath of COVID and we have to do everything we can.

First, let's help folks who really need it.

I'm really happy that the cost of living increase that I supported for Social Security is going to be 8.7% this year.

That's going to help.

We've got to have food banks that are well-supplied.

You know, during COVID for the first time, lots of Vermonters who never needed help putting food on the table needed it.

And I think that's going to happen again this winter.

We've got to maintain low income heating assistance and increase it significantly.

And I'm working with Bernie and Patrick on that.

But you asked another thing that I'm hearing constantly.

It's about housing.

And we had in the COVID relief package millions, hundreds of millions of dollars that came to Vermont.

Governor Scott and the legislature are working with the private sector to build housing.

We have to do two things.

One is the federal government has to be involved in helping make housing affordable, and that's by providing a funding through tax credit.

That then at the local level are used to build housing.

Second, at the local level, we have to start asking some questions if we're going to build housing.

You have to have zoning that allows it.

And the more compact that can be in the market, closer to urban areas, to it, to where jobs are.

There's got to be local cooperation with zoning that's going to facilitate that So that's a big part of it.

Another challenge we're having here in Vermont is so much of the housing has been taken off the market because of Airbnb.

So you're an owner and that's the way you can make more money It's understandable that I've talked to executives who have offered jobs to folks and that person who wants to take the job tries to get a place to live and can't.

So this has got to be a very aggressive effort that includes federal and state and local.

That is time.

And just a reminder to both candidates that you have a minute to answer each question.

No problem.

All right.

Let's move on from the national to the international.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the regio and about 5800 people have died, according to the U.N.. And Putin has also threatened to increase or to use nuclear weapons on the battlefield.

And the U.S. has consistently provided support to Ukraine.

And I'm curious if you think if that support should continue to increase and if so, in what form?

Congressman Walsh, we'll start with you.

Well, I do.

I mean, let's just be very clear here.

This was a war of choice started by Putin, number one.

Number two, the way he's prosecuting the war is to attac civilians, not just military personnel, civilians.

And he did that just yesterday.

So we are all in the United States and our allies.

And when I was in the region as a member of the Intelligence Committee in Latvia, Poland and Slovakia, it was so reminiscent to those folks of World War Two in what had happened, and they were getting completely involved and totally up to helping defend Ukraine.

And we're all inspired by the extraordinary resistance and recent success of Ukraine military.

So my view we and our allies should continue providing military aid.

We should continue providing humanitarian aid.

And we should do all we can to help Ukraine defend itself.

Joe Malloy.

Sure.

Thank you, Michaela.

So I'm a retired Army officer and served 22 years on active duty.

I actually served three years in the folded gap, working with native partners in nuclear security positions.

And I'm also a combat veteran.

My hat's off to the Ukrainians.

I look for that a peaceful resolution as soon as possible that is amenable to the people of Ukraine.

I do support continuing to provide military equipment to Ukraine.

It has been disappointing to watch us take so very long for that equipment to get to Ukraine, particularly the homes as I was in Milan as an attack commander, which is the predecessor to Hamas.

It shouldn't have taken that long.

But I do look for us to continue supporting Ukraine and to have a peaceful resolution as soon as possible.

Now, many members of the Republican Party have expressed sentiments ranging from admiration to outright support for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the war in Ukraine.

I'm curious how you would characterize Vladimir Putin.

He's the aggressor in this case and he needs to be stopped.

And I think I think I'm very encouraged by the recent progress by the Ukrainians.

And I think that day is coming soon where they continue to make progress.

I actually think that the people of Russia might take him out of power at some point here in the near future because it's been a failure for him.

Well, and Congressman Welch, I also have a question for you now.

You first ran for Congress on a platform calling for an en to the war in Iraq.

And at the same time, you have faced some criticism for supporting bills that spent billions on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

What would you say to voters who are concerned the U.S. is heading into another decades long conflict, this time in Ukraine?

The question in any military action is how it is good or bad for our national security.

The Iraq war was a war of choice by George Bush.

It was a terrible decision.

It's cost us trillions of dollars and none of it was paid for.

It was all put on the credit card, which is a reason, a major reason we have this debt that Mr. Malloy is talking about in that I'm concerned about.

The situation in Ukraine is a war that was started by Putin And we are defending we are helping defend Ukraine are.

Actually, what we're doing is helping Ukraine defend itself.

And the president has made it clear that we're not going to have boots on the ground in that war Ukrainians have to win it, but we and our allies can help them Thank you.

Let's move on.

Last year, more than 200 Vermonters died from opioid overdoses.

By far the largest number that our state has seen so far.

What new ideas would you pursue to combat this epidemic?

And Gerald, Bill, I will begin with you.

Sure.

It would be two parts, really.

I fully support to support our law enforcement community.

The whole defund the police movement and the progressive prosecutor movement.

I'm not in favor of either of those.

I want to support our law enforcement community in terms of the opioid.

I think what's happening here is chemical warfare.

It's China and Mexico producing the synthetic opioid that is fentanyl and pushing it up primarily through our southern border.

£10,000 were confiscated last year.

That's enough to kill 2 billion people.

I'm in favor of putting up a wall on our southern border, and that's not to stop illegal immigration.

I support legal immigration, but that's to curb the flow of fentanyl coming into our countr and also the trafficking problem that's going on there.

I did want to say I've made trips across Vermont.

I was up to Jenny's promise, and I saw that absolutely fantastic effort by the Tatro family, too, to address the addiction problem that is happening right here in Vermont.

Now, I'm curious why you brought up defund the police as the first item on your list in combating the the opioid epidemic?

Or is that has been a conversation here in Vermont, particularly in Burlington.

But of course, the opioid epidemic hits every part of the state.

Why is defund the police number one on your list of tactics?

We have drug dealers and they're all selling drugs and they may or may not be getting arrested and put in jail.

It's catch and release, put them in jail.

They're out the next day doing the same thing.

So I want to and there are there are law enforcement organizations across the state, even the state police organization that is, well, understaffed.

So I think supporting a law enforcement community to be able to do their job and catch and prosecute criminals like drug dealers will will have an impact on that.

Congressman Welch?

Well, first of all, I want to fund the police, but I also on this issue want to compliment the police because many of our leaders and police forces around the state know that there's a real distinction between the drug dealers and let's get them and folks who are addicted and let's help them .

And I compliment our law enforcement folks who are able to make that distinction.

This is an incredible tragedy.

It's been aggravated by COVID and the loneliness and the despair that people are feeling.

This is an area in Congress where there's really been strong bipartisan support, the Cures Act, a billions of dollars to get back to our local communities, to help local providers.

And in Vermont, we have this extraordinary network that includes mental health workers, also a family.

Jenny's promise that Mr Malloy mentioned has done extraordinary work.

So the federal government job, I believe, is to get the resources back to the community and then to come up with sensible ways to help people have made that decision to try to deal with addiction.

Well, Congressman Welch, Joe Malloy did bring up border security.

And in 2018, President Trump signed a law that you co-sponsored that authorized about $9 million for Customs and Border Patrol to screen for fentanyl at the border.

Do you think enough is being done today to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. from the southern border?

Well, as long as there's fentanyl coming in anyway, it's not just in the southern border, but that's an area.

Then we've got to do more because we want to do anything we can, everything we can to keep illicit things, especially something like fentanyl out.

But there's a real.

My friend, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who's the Republican ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee, describes this Addiction is deaths of despair, folks who die from it.

And it's where communities have been hollowed out because we've lost jobs, they've gone away.

It's where there's not hope for folks.

And, you know, a big part of what we all have to do is rebuild our communities so that we have mutual support to get through some of the ups and downs of life.

Thank you.

Let's move on now.

The average yearly wage for childcare workers in Vermon is about $33,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Child care centers struggled to hire enough qualified workers, but they also operate on slim margins and say they can't afford to increase pay when they increase tuition.

Parents say they can't afford it.

Vermont families with toddlers spend on average a quarter of their income on childcare.

What is the role of federal investment in easing the strain on childcare workers centers and working parents?

Joe Malloy, we'll begin with you.

I'm very much looking forward to looking at that role.

And I went to a meet and greet last night.

Child care and Vermont early education learned quite a bit.

And what I would say is looking at the spending that is going on and overspending that has is causing the inflation that we have right now.

I would take a look at the discretionary spending that we do have to.

Something like childcare and and early education programs, providing money to the states to do that.

Now in the last the existing Senate voted down.

Build back better President Biden's massive spending package that would have in part funnele I think about almost $400 billion towards child care.

It's an issue that many Vermonters bring up.

You said you're interested in looking at the issue, but do you think that that is something that you would have voted for if you had been in the Senate?

No, at this point, I would not have voted for 400 billion.

I would want to take a very close look.

I think we went from whatever it was, maybe even upwards of $2 billion.

And I think CBO estimates it will cost much more.

We ended up being around $780 billion for that.

The massive overspending is causing the inflation, inflatio and recession that we're in.

So that's why I'm saying I need to take a very close look at what we are spending to get back to within a budget.

I would reprioritize.

For instance, I would not be spending $80 billion on 87,000 new IRS agents.

Maybe some of that 80 billion could go towards early education and child care funding.

Thank you.

And Congressman Welch, how would you address the child care crisis?

Well, I did support the build back better funding for child care.

Child care is critical in housing.

Is critical in chil care is critical.

Critical for the kids.

It's critical for the parents.

And it's critical for our employers.

A big problem we have in the workforce is that when a family with two kids is doing the math, the couple decides one of us is better off dropping out of the labor force because the cost of child care can be.

And I'm going to correct you on this.

I understand it's about 30% of the family income and you can't sustain that.

And there has to be a federal role.

And it does involve priorities.

I mean, we spend $1,000,000,000,000 on the military budget, but we don't do much at all on child care.

So we need universal child care.

We have to have it for the benefit of our kids.

That's a great investment for the security of our parents and for the strength of our economy.

And I would continue to support it and I'd find ways to pay for it.

Well, Congressman Walsh, if you found yourself in the Senate in January, in the minority, which is a distinct possibility, what would you do to achieve that goal if you you don't know that folks are going to vote along party lines Well, you know, you don't pick what the outcome of the election is.

You'd accept it.

And if the outcome of the election was I was in the Senat and I was in a minority, I would do everything I can and probably be a lot harder to persuade the majority or a few of my colleagues in the majority to make daycare and child care a priority.

You know, in the minority I have been real successful in has been I'll give you an example.

We're in the minority.

Maybe not the example, but thank you so much.

We we will do it to squeeze in one more question before we go to break, and I want to ask each of you why you think you're the best person to represent Vermont in the Senate.

And Congressman Welch, specifically, you've served in the House since being elected in 2006, and you're 75 years old.

And many voters have reported having a deep dissatisfaction with the political status quo.

So I'm curious to you, why why should Vermonters said you to Washington rather than make space for someone of the younger generation?

Well, you know, it's the values that are at stake that we have to address.

And January six made a big impact on me.

I was in the building when it was attacked, when the shot was fired.

And then when 147 of my colleagues voted against certifying Joe Biden as the elected president of the United States.

And it was really when I talked to Vermonters, they had much the same reaction I did.

What can I do?

And the urgency of what we need to do is right now protecting democracy has to begin in January with the new Congress dealing with an economy that is is in tough shape is something has to begin right now.

But where I've served Vermont for 16 years and have been able to establish a relationship, Vermonters and I sense their deep concern about the well-being of our democracy.

I believe I'm in a position to carry on that commitment.

Vermont House to our democracy.

Thank you.

And Gerald Malloy, you're also of the baby boomer generation.

You spent two decades in the U.S. Army and you've worked in the private sector for defense contractors.

So to Vermonters who might be wary of 72, somebody with a background in the military industrial complex to represent them in Washington, what would you say?

Well, I after 42 years of relative service and performanc to our government.

I think with that and across that has been leadership and performance Wellington will make tough decisions and not a career politician that's resonating with Vermonters.

I think that's what's missing in in Washington from Vermont representation.

I'm also a Vermont parent.

I have three children in Vermont schools.

And my business background, I look to that.

I engage and listen and develop solutions for most of government customers.

I'm going to take that and apply it to Vermont issues and and and develop solutions and also try to grow well-paying jobs here in Vermont.

Thank you.

That concludes the first segment of this debate.

When we come back, the candidates will have an opportunity to ask each other questions.

I'm Michela Lefrak, and this is the debate with the candidates for U.S. Senate live on Vermont public.

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Hi.

I'm Connor.

Cyrus.

And I'm Mikayla Lefrak.

We're moderating the Vermont public debates this month, and we want to know what's on your mind.

If you have a question that you want to submit for the candidates, send an email or voice memo to vote at Vermont Public Forum Watch the debates right here on TV at 7:00.

Or stream them live at noon.

Vermont Public Board.

This is the Vermont public debate with the candidates for the US Senate.

I'm Michela Lefrak.

With us today are Republican candidate Gerald Malloy of Perkins ville.

And Democratic candidate Representative Peter Welch of Norwich.

The candidates will now have an opportunity to ask each other questions.

The questions should not be longer than 30 seconds and no grandstanding, please.

And the responses are limited to 60 seconds.

And a reminder, you can ask a brief follow up question if you'd like.

We'll begin with your family.

Mr. Welch.

And you've been a representative for the last almost 16 years.

The national debt has gone up by about 300% a little over actually in the last 14 years.

The debt to GDP ratio has more than doubled in the last 20 months.

You supported the $2.5 trillion debt hike and all the overspending that I believe has led to inflation and recession.

We have a $31 trillion debt that is a cancer that is crushing our economy.

Can you explain your rationale for continue to support overspending?

Well, I don't support overspending.

I'm a pay as you go person.

I'll I'll adjust when there's an emergency.

But let me tell you something.

I began talking about this when I first went to Congress, the war in Iraq and the credit card.

I was arguing that if this is a vital national security interest, we should pay for it.

That was repudiated by George Bush, the war in Afghanistan and the credit card, trillions of dollars.

The Trump tax cuts were unpaid for.

They added $2.3 trillion.

And those tax cuts didn't go to helping folks with child care or building affordable housing.

They went t multinational corporations and the wealthiest 1%.

So I have always advocated for paying for things as we go, either by raising the money through revenues or by making adjustments like, say, in the military budget, budget.

But pay as you go is the way I go.

And in an emergency, which COVID was, I was absolutely supportive of the federal government doing what only it could do to help our businesses survive and get through and our employees and to come up with the health care to keep our hospitals running.

This terminology of a follow up.

I would say the 2017 tax cuts and jobs report by the IRS in the end of 2021 said it did, in fact, lower taxes for the working class and did increase revenue.

I would just point that out and that 14 years, that was mostly Democrat administrations Now, the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan on the credit card, those are both George Bush decisions wouldn't pay for them.

You know, you can make your case, but you wouldn't pay for them.

The tax cuts during the Bush administration, the tax cuts during the Trump administration, largely, largely, largely to very high end people.

We end corporations.

We did we had an opportunity to make investments in child care and housing, and we didn't That's one more we're going to give Congressman Washington.

Thank you, Congressman.

Mr. Malloy, as we know with the jobs decision and I understand you support that the Supreme Court did something it's never done before.

It took away the constitutional right.

Women have to make their own choices.

Originally, I think you said you were for a nationwide ban.

Now, as I understand it, you say it's up to the states.

If a Vermont woman had to move to Texas to take care of a family member or career opportunity, she would lose by moving her right to make her own choice.

Do you think it's right for Texas legislatures to take away that right of reproductive freedom that a Vermont woman had just because she moved to Texas?

I. I am support.

Look to be a US Senator and support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

And I believe that the Supreme Court made the right decision in accordance with the Constitution, specifically the 10th Amendment.

Make reproductive rights a state issue.

It is a state issue.

I believe that's where it belongs and where it should stay.

Vermont and Vermont.

People of Vermont will make decisions on how that law evolves.

I do know the law currently as it is here in the state.

I will support that law is staying as a as a state issue.

I will not support it coming back up to a federal level.

Okay.

I'm going to try to translate that.

That means that a woman's right to choose depends on what zip code she lives in.

The translation would be, I'm seeking to be a United States senator and I will support and defend the Constitution for the Constitution.

The Second Amendment excuse me, 10th Amendment.

Supreme Court made it a state issue.

It is a state issue.

I will support that.

Do you have another question for Congressman Welch?

Oh, oh, well, sure.

So Congressman lost Vermont is a Second Amendment state.

I believe in the Second Amendment.

It talks about shall not be infringed.

You have an F rating with the NRA.

How do you how do you explain that as a representative for Vermont Well, I support gun safety legislation.

I think there should be background checks.

I think there should be a ban on assault rifles.

I think that having a prudent and fair a gun safety legislation is consistent with the Second Amendment and wouldn't infringe on the right of Vermonters who've had a good history of gun safety use.

So what we've seen here is that Vermont, it's always been blessed by not having gun violence, is no longer immune to it.

Look what's happening with some of the shooting in City Hall Park in Burlington Look what happened in Fairhaven shortly after there was a shooting in a school in Parklan where right here in Fair Haven, Vermont , something Governor Scott noted that affected his position on gun safety matters.

We almost had a school shooting here.

So part of the equation here has to be the safety of our kids and the safety of our communities.

And I believe we can have gun safety legislation that protects the individual Vermonters right to the legitimate use of firearms .

Do you have a follow up question or comment?

Well, Congressman Welch, Forrester's do you have a final question for Joe?

Well, I yeah, I do.

You know, January six was a traumatic day, and I understand that you said you'd wished you'd been there.

I was there.

I wish it didn't happen.

I was disturbed at 147 of my colleagues voted against certifying the election of President Biden Do you believe that President Biden was freely and fairly elected by the people of this country to serve as the president of the United States?

Yes, I do.

Good.

Do you have installed?

Now, it's a very it's a position that's changed.

And I'm glad it's changed in a direction that I wish it had started out at.

I am curious.

I don't know.

But do you do you think that what I have talked about is.

Many times is that the people on January six that went and broke the law need to be held accountable.

That I believe that the hundreds of thousands of people that went to Washington that day to, for instance, exercised their First Amendment rights, free speech, peaceably assemble, petition the government without breaking the law.

I support that.

That's my position.

Response to that.

Well, the big the big lie is what's doing an immense amount of damage.

You know, that those people went there because they are encouraged by a person they believed in.

And that is the president, president of the United States, who said that the election was rigged and it was stolen.

And it's very disturbing to me that the president of the United States did that.

President Trump didn't even show up to the inauguratio of President Biden.

That's never happened before.

And I don't know if you approve of that conduct by then President Trump to promote this lie.

Do you think it was a lie talking about conduct?

One thing that I don't approve of is when President Biden led the debacle of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and didn't have the character to acknowledge the 13 service members that were killed because of tha during the State of the Union address.

He certainly should have.

All right.

Well, and that is all the time we hav for this segment of the debate.

When we come back, the candidates will answer questions submitted by Vermonters.

I'm Michela Lefrak, and this is the debate with the candidates for U.S. Senate on Vermont public.

On Masterpiece Mystery.

I don't wish to sound boastful, but I am the only female detective in London.

She said, What if you wish to have some kind of future with Inspector Wellington?

You need to start considering what cases you take.

We are in competition and we don't even have.

No.

I may have a case for you.

Thank you so much to the Scarlets and the Duke.

A new season on Masterpiece Mystery premieres Sunday at eight on Vermont Public.

Hi, I'm Connor Cyrus, and I'm Mikayla Lefrak.

We're moderating the Vermont public debates this month and we want to know what's on your mind.

If you have a question that you want to submit for the candidates, send an email or voice memo to vote at Vermont Public Court Watch the debates right here on TV at 7:00.

Or stream them live at noon.

Vermont Public Court.

Welcome back to the Vermont public debate with the candidates for U.S. Senate.

I'm Mikayla Lefrak.

Joining me live today in the Vermont public studio in downtown Winooski is Representative Peter Welch, the Democratic nominee from Norwich and Republican nominee and U.S. Army veteran Jerald Malloy from Perkins ville.

It's time now for some questions from Vermonters.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions.

And just a reminder to candidates to please limit your answers to 30 seconds.

And if you have a question for candidates in the governor's debate or in the lieutenant governor's debate, you can send those to vote at Vermont public, dawg All right.

Question number one from Jack.

It is a two parter.

Jack is from Middletown Springs And first he asks, Do you believe that the Earth is experiencing global warming and that human activity is, at least in part, responsible for it?

So let's do a yes or no answer to this one.

TREMBLAY Yes, we are contributing to global warming.

And Congressman.

Yes, I do.

Jack also asks, How should we as a society, address the existential issue of global warming, both through action taken by our elected government and through individual action?

Congressman Welch.

Well, there's got to be governmental policy that sets in motion the market dynamics that can help the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, affordable for Vermonters and for Americans.

And in the legislation we just passed where there was $390 billion allocate to climate change initiatives, everything from energy efficiency to technology to installing electric vehicle charging stations is the first step.

And it represents a great victory against the oppose the folks who opposed governmental policy to help us get to a direction that we have to be in for clean energy.

Individually, all of us, you know, if we can drive less, if we can turn our lights off, if we can retrofit our how our home, which is somethin with tax incentives and the build back or the the Inflation Reduction Act we have.

Those are things individuals can steps that folks can take.

Well, quick follow up question there.

Since you did ask about individual action, can you name an individual with individual action that you have taken, Congressman Welch to lower your carbon footprint?

Well, we hit a little bit more with wood, which is a little bit of a carbon reduction.

We turn the lights off, we keep the heat down.

Those are things.

And my wife in particular is super concerned about climate change and is always looking for ways in our household where we can reduce our hour usage.

And by the way, a lot of folks do that, too, to try to save some money.

And Gerald Malloy.

So what I would seek to do day one as a United States senator would overturn one way or another what I consider the unconstitutional executive order to kill the oil and gas industry.

I don't think we should be backing into the Green New Deal and causing a financial hardship.

It would certainly be great to have that oil and gas independence where we did have.

I would look for industry to develop capability for future energy.

I actually talk about wanting independence for the United States, current energy, future energy, critical technology and food.

I see way too much that 390 billion is too much industry excuse me, government intervention into industry.

That industry grow that capability on its own.

We do not have the access to the resources that we need right now.

China does.

Well, quick question there.

You spoke about energy independence.

How do you tie that independence into addressing the very real threat of global warming?

Well, I would say contribute to global warming.

I don't think we're in an existential threat or a climate crisis.

I do think that I am in favor of reducing emissions.

And but but again, I does even you know, I look to have the actual proof of that provided for me.

I haven't seen that yet.

But I do want to reduce emissions.

I think part of that is the China and India, for instance, are not reducing emissions.

And the world goes around, I would say.

And even that spending 300 billion, $90 billion, there are reports out there that even even without that spending, the U.S. is going to be 24 to 32% of the 2005 levels.

Well, let's stick with climate change here for a moment, because our next question is about solar energy from Scott in Underhill Center.

A well-insulated home in Vermont can obtain half or more of the energy that it needs for heating from passive solar energy.

Could you please specify what policies you would implement to rapidly increase the use of passive solar in Vermont?

Thank you.

And passive solar.

For those who don't know, it means heating a home or building by simple exposure to the sun.

Chulmleigh.

Well, I'm of the all of the above.

I want to have an options for Vermonters and all Americans.

I think that would be a Vermont state issue in terms of a policy here in Vermont, in terms of solar.

But I do continue to support development by industry without government being over involved for wind, solar and electric.

And Congressman Welch, you know, the best thing that we can do at the federal level is to provide tax incentives to make it more affordable for families, to make that choice that they want to install solar or they want to utilize wind or geothermal.

And I've been a champion of maintaining those tax credit to make it affordable.

Then there is a state policy about the implementation and how that gets rolled out.

So the federal policy where we can really help is to make that incentive so that a person can make an affordable choice.

And by the way, that applies to retrofitting in our homes and in the Inflation Reduction Act.

It included My Homes Act, which is going to be about $4.3 billion for tax credits when you tighten up your insulation and other things.

Thank you.

Our next question here comes from Meghan in Burlington Let's take a listen.

Food insecurity certainly rose dramatically during COVID.

And I work with seniors who are low income and they were especially hard hit.

What would you do to help older adults who are low income and struggling with even more food insecurity now?

Congressman Welch?

Well, the federal government, this is an area where we've got to support the local food shelves.

And we did during COVID.

And we unfortunately are going to have to continue doing that with what inflation is doing to people's ability to afford to buy their own groceries.

But I have to say, I'm so proud of what Vermont has done in our extraordinary network of food, food hubs.

And I would continue to support that.

And I also want to give a shout out to the Vermont National Guard that played such a major role during COVID and food distribution at these various airports around the state .

But thank you for your work.

Thank you.

And travel.

Thank you, Michael McLaughlin.

Meghan.

So in terms of I visited and engaged many, many Vermont farmers I've talked to, there seems to be too much government involvement in food production, which I would look to decrease.

I would go back even to the state we're in with the $31 trillion debt.

We're at the point I read an article where someone called it the doom loop, where we're going to have to keep borrowing just to pay the interest on their debt at some point here in the near future.

That's going to impact our ability to pay, for instance, Social Security, which goes to older folks and helps them help them survive and pay their bills.

So I would start off with fiscal responsibility.

All right.

Well, next, we have another question from Burlington.

This one excuse me from Sandy.

They ask, Do you support the current basing of the F-35 fighter jets in Dane County?

Would you support moving the jets to a less populated area?

Tremblay.

I do support the fighter jets here in Chittenden County.

I actually call that the sound of freedom.

And I've actually written about this that if Vermonters want to see change, I would look to collect all the stakeholders.

They're involved in that.

That would be Department of Defense, Vermont government from our business owners in the Greater Burlington area, because that does bring quite a bit of investment and spendin and supporting of the economy here in Burlington.

So it would be a big decision.

Could we possibly move to a remote area in Vermont?

Possibly.

That would be a decision between all the stakeholder partners.

And Congressman Welch, you know, I have supported the basing of the F-35, so it was a decision the Air Force made.

I support the decision that was made the air regarding these airplanes.

And that's the new model.

But I have heard really throughout my past several years from folks in the flight path, and it's tough and I am doing everything I can to do whatever it can be done.

On noise mitigation to address the legitimate concerns that many people in the flight path have.

Thank you to you both.

We have time now for a brief lightning round before the end of the debate.

Please keep your answers as short as possible, hoping to keep you to about 10 seconds or less.

But we're going to start with a big question, so let's do our best here.

Do you think the US should ease Trump era sanctions with Venezuela as part of an effort to improve the situation in that country and stem the tide of migrants flow into the southern border and trouble I know I've talked in my positions about actually taking a good, hard look at who we do trade with.

If they're drug producing, communist human rights violations, not fair trade policies to actually implement more sanctions.

I know that would be disruptive, but it would be better for our economy.

Thank you, Congressman.

You know, I don't know whether it would work or it wouldn't.

I favor sanctions on Venezuela.

It's a corrupt, collapsed government and it's inflicting enormous pressure and suffering on its citizens.

If you ease sanctions, does that help the citizens?

That's really the question.

Question two If elected, how many terms do ideally hope to serve in the Senate?

Congressman, I take it one term at a time, believe me, when I want to do one a great job.

And the first one I would serve no more than two.

Would you vote while we have chatted about this a little bit but let's reiterate it.

Would you vote for or against a nationwide abortion ban?

Boy would not.

That's a state issue.

I would leave that up to the states.

All right.

Congressmen adamantly oppose a nationwide ban on abortion.

And Mitch McConnell has said he would introduce it and he would have the Senate vote on it.

I mean, the right of reproductive freedom is very much at stake in this election.

If there's a Republican Senate, Republican leadership has said they will have a vote on a nationwide ban.

All right, then I'll vote no.

Okay.

D.C. is population is larger than Vermont, but it's 700,000 plus residents do not have representation in Congress.

Do you support D.C. statehood?

I do not.

D.C. is the nation's capital.

I think that should.

That's how we should keep it.

I do.

DC is taxation without representation and I do believe that they should be entitled to statehood if that's a decision they make.

Thank you.

October 1st marked the first day of Vermont's recreational cannabis marketplace.

Do you support full legalization of cannabis nationwide?

Congressman, we're heading in that direction.

And it's been done because of the leadership of states like Vermont, where citizens have had that long debate in Washington.

I've been very supportive of making banking regulations, yes or no.

Yeah, we're moving that way.

So I'm not going to be an impediment to it.

But I'm more concerned about health care, climate change, reproductive freedom.

Thank you.

No, no.

Have you visited one of Vermont's new cannabis shops?

Yes.

I haven't.

What do you think of Prop two, an amendment to Vermont's constitution that would officially ban slavery in the state?

I'm going to have to take a good look at Prop two I think Vermont was the first constitution to ban slavery, and I'm not sure how that impacts it, but obviously against slavery.

Well, you will be voted on in November.

Yes.

All right.

And Congressman Welch.

Well, I'll be voting yes.

All right.

What is one issue on which you, Congressman Welch, disagree with President Biden and you, Gerald Malloy, disagree with former President Donald Trump and Congressman Welch, ethanol.

You know, President Biden is supporting more ethanol and that's bad for the environment.

It's bad for our dairy farmers who have to pay the higher cost of grain.

So I think it's a bad policy.

And I've been very clear that I disagree with President Biden on that.

Tell me why I think President Biden should have fired Dr. Anthony Fauci.

President Trump.

Trump.

Excuse me.

Okay.

Name is a Senate member of the order.

Excuse me.

I said a member of the opposite party who you believe you would work well with Gerald Malloy.

Senator Manchin, would you like to work with him on energy and really anything?

He seems very reasonable.

Senator Manchin from West Virginia and Congressman Welch.

Senator Collins, why?

She displays a kind of New England sensibility about tryin to bring people together and see if we can make progress All right.

So Susan Collins from Maine, what do you think when you hear the term deep state?

Congressman Welch?

Well, it's really part of what the conspiracy theory is about democracy with all the stuff that's spreading around.

There's this concept that there are people deep in the bowels of the Education Department or the Human Services Department or the Natural Resources Department that have their own power.

And I think it's bogus, but it's a way of dismissing a serious debate on a lot of the issues.

Thank you, Jill Malloy.

But the same I hear people mention it.

I don't think it's out there.

Name one important issue currently regulated at the federal level that you say you think should be returned to the states.

Joe Malloy.

I'm not thinking of one right off the bat.

But I am in favor of pushing decisions to the state level.

Yeah, you know, I kind of agree with that because I think the right regulation is just the minimal amount necessary to achieve the goal.

And I think that the most that can be done at the local level where the decisions are made is the more that it's there is better.

All right.

And our final question, this lightning round, a fun one What is your favorite Vermont product?

Congressman Welch, Maple Sirup.

Maple Sirup.

Make my own.

Hey, we ended on agreement.

How's that?

Right.

All right.

We have time now for one minute.

Closing statements from each candidate.

The order was determined randomly before the show.

And Gerald Malloy, you will start us off.

Sure.

Thank you, Michael.

I have engaged thousands of Vermonters across all 14 counties.

Vermonters realize that the economic and drug and crime crises that we are in have been brought to us by the current administration majority, including my own, including my opponent, Vermonters.

I also hear negative perceptions in terms of performance and even conduct.

And here we are with the war in in Europe.

I will conduct myself under the values that I learned at West Point.

And I've embraced duty, honor and country.

I for 42 years of performance and leadership, discipline and common sense.

And I offer my character.

This veteran will serve, serve and represent and and serve and represent all Vermonters.

All Vermonters for a better future.

I ask for your vote.

I ask all Vermonters to vote with your heart and vote with your conscience.

I will deliver a better future.

May the 14th star shine bright.

God bless America.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Gerald Malloy.

Congressman Welch, thank you.

Vermont public and Mr. Malloy.

This is the most consequential election that I've participated in.

And the reason it is, is because January six demonstrated that our democracy is very much imperiled.

And what's so essential for us to maintain our democrac is that it's the tool we as citizens have to resolve some of these extraordinary challenges our society faces.

And that's under assault.

And it only began in January six.

It was something that now it continues to be imperiled.

I want to go to Washington to bring Vermont's commitment to a democratic process where we listen to one another, where there's mutual respect, where there's a commitment to the common good, that that is how we will succeed .

The other issues of inflation are so important.

Reproductive freedom, dealing with a Supreme Court that has really gone rogue.

That is what is at stake in this election.

And I hope to continue to serve Vermont in the capacity as U.S. senator and I ask for your support.

Thank you.

Thank you, Congressman, and thank you to both candidates who joined us here today.

This concludes the debate with the candidates for U.S. Senate on Vermont public.

Thank you to the candidates Democratic candidate and Vermont's current representative to the U.S. House, Peter Welch, and Republican candidate and Army veteran Gerald Malloy.

Thank you, Michelle.

You can join us again on Tuesday, October 18th.

I'll be moderating the debate for Vermont governor with with excuse me, with incumbent Republican Phil Scott and Democratic challenger Brenda SIEGEL.

You can still send in your questions for that debate email tab to vote.

And Vermont public talk.

The Vermont public debates are produced by Matthew Smith, David Littlefield.

Bryan Stevenson.

Kianna Haskins.

Kyla Musk.

Mike Dunn.

Dave Rice.

Carly Mumford.

Frank All Wine, Peter English and James Stewart I'm Mikayla Lefrak.

Thank you so much for listening today, both on the radio and on TV and we will catch up again soon