By STEVEN JUPITER
RUTLAND—Senator Peter Welch held a townhall-style meeting with constituents at the Paramount Theater in Rutland on Wednesday, May 28. The capacity crowd included residents from all over Vermont, all hoping to ask Welch questions about the current state of the federal government.
Sen. Welch was joined onstage by Mayor Mike Doenges of Rutland and Judi Fox, CEO of Rutland Regional Medical Center. The townhall was moderated by Ryan McLaren, an outreach representative for Sen. Welch.
Questions had been solicited from attendees online and at the theater before the townhall began. Mr. McLaren chose which questions would be posed to the panel.
Sen. Welch began his introductory remarks by joking that Rutland likes to “kick the tires” when assessing candidates and that he had always enjoyed campaigning there.
He then went on to say that the U.S. had “never experienced anything like the current administration,” referring to the Trump administration. Welch is a Democrat from a heavily Democratic state, and he did not hesitate to criticize his GOP colleagues and President Trump.
He stated that Congressional Republicans had ceded the authority of Congress to the Executive Branch, rendering it subordinate rather than co-equal.
“What’s happening now is a challenge to the rule of law,” he said.
But he acknowledged that many Americans were experiencing financial hardship and had sought “disruption” in voting for Trump.
“We have to have change,” he said, though he questioned whether Trump was the proper vehicle for that change.
He criticized Trump’s budget proposal, known colloquially as “the big, beautiful bill,” which had just barely passed the House and was now headed to the Senate. The bill will not face the usual procedural hurdles (60 votes to pass the Senate) because it was being passed via a process called budget reconciliation that allows passage with only a bare majority in each chamber. The bill can be passed with only GOP votes.
Welch asserted that the budget would cut Medicare and Medicaid, harm farmers, and provide tax cuts for the wealthy.
“The casual cruelty is heartbreaking for me,” he said.
Mayor Doenges said that his priorities in Rutland were affordability and public safety, noting that the cuts to Medicaid would make it tougher to deal with substance abuse in Rutland. He also said that Rutland is a city built for 30,000 people but currently “operating on the backs of only 15,000,” increasing the tax liability per household.
Ms. Fox stated that RRMC’s goal is to balance affordability and quality. She acknowledged that cuts at the federal level will make it difficult to maintain all services.
Mr. McLaren then began the Q & A portion of the evening, reading questions that had been submitted and selected earlier. All three panelists were given an opportunity to answer any question that related to their positions. Responses here have been edited for space.
Q: Can the “big, beautiful bill” be defeated? (to Sen. Welch)
A: The bill is about cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations. It will increase the national debt to 4 or 5 trillion dollars, which it will try to pay for by cutting healthcare and scientific research. It will be debated in the Senate but there are 53 Republican Senators and only 50 votes are needed to pass the bill [Ed. note: Vice-President J.D. Vance will vote for the bill in the event of a tie].
It will harm everyone, regardless of who they voted for. My goal is to raise questions about the bill and get some of my Republican colleagues to vote against it. I don’t know whether it will pass.
Q: Isn’t it your duty to represent all of your constituents regardless of party affiliation?
A: Mayor Doenges: Promoting safety, affordability, and growth will benefit everyone. The issue is how we do it. Listening is key.
Welch: I love my job. It’s an opportunity to listen and advocate. I owe it to you all to say if I disagree with something. Even if you didn’t vote for me, I try to understand where you are. It’s not just about winning; it’s about making progress. We need to do our level best to make a better society.
Fox: RRMC provides care to the entire community regardless of their ability to pay. We have the richest free-care program in Vermont. We’re very concerned about health equity.
Q: How long has Vermont been the state that’s the least reimbursed for Medicare drug expenses?
A: Fox: RRMC relies on a federal program called 340B to get discounted drugs. If the federal government cuts funding to 340B, we’ll have to cut services at RRMC.
Welch: We pay more for drugs than other countries. Bernie Sanders and I have been trying to reach parity on drug prices. Much of the research into medications was funded by taxpayers, yet Americans still pay high prices. By law, Medicare can’t negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. It’s a big, big fight.
Q: How and when will the U.S. stop funding Israel? Can we find a viable solution to Gaza? (to Sen. Welch)
A: There’s not enough aid going into Gaza. Israel had a right to defend itself after the horrific attacks of October 7, but the response must be proportional. I can’t condone allowing Palestinians to starve to death. I encourage Israel to abide by international law and deliver the aid that’s been sent to Gaza. We’re seeing an erosion of support for Israel. The two-state solution has been my longstanding policy. I voted against certain military aid to Israel. I support peacemakers on both sides. I don’t think this war will ultimately help Israel.
Q: What impact will President Trump’s tariffs have?
A: Fox: RRMC is concerned about the potential increases. We’re watching for the impact. Who’s going to pay for the increased costs of imported medicines and supplies?
Doenges: Operating costs for the city are already being impacted by the tariffs. We get firehose from Canada and used a federal grant to pay for it in the past. With the tariffs and without the grant, we can’t afford it this year. We’re seeing increases in construction costs and a loss of Canadian tourism, especially at the ski resorts.
Welch: I just went on the first Senate delegation to Canada in 5 years. Canada felt insulted that it had been so long. The U.S. had a valid trade agreement with Canada, that President Trump himself had negotiated, but the tariffs have upended it all. The tariffs seem to be based on the President’s whims. It’s outrageous.
Q: Will you run for U.S. President?
A: Doenges: Absolutely not.
Fox: No, thank you.
Welch: No. I like my job.
Q: What is the strategy to fight the Trump administration? (to Sen. Welch)
A: Welch: Vermonters want to know what I’m going to do. With only 47 Democratic Senators, we don’t have the votes. We’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s challenging all of us. We’re here to fight for the values of Vermont: honesty, integrity, community. I try to explain to constituents how Trump’s policies will make people suffer. I try to get news out there in concrete ways. The Trump administration is lawless, and I will resist however I can. We will seek whatever victories we can, however small.
Q: Who is leading the Democrats? (to Sen. Welch)
A: Someone will come out of nowhere, just as Obama and Clinton did. I can’t name the next leader of the party right now, but we need leadership and direction. I was one of the early voices calling for President Biden to end his re-election campaign. We should’ve had an open primary and allowed the party to find its candidate.
Q: What can citizens do?
A: Fox: Be inquisitive and educated. Don’t believe everything you read in the media. Use your voice. RRMC is planning to establish a Patient Advisory Council to give the community some input at the hospital.
Doenges: Get involved. We see the same players year after year. When people get involved, it has a positive impact. Don’t rule out public service.
Welch: My job is to speak out as forcefully as I can on your behalf in Washington, but don’t underestimate the importance of acting locally. We need connectivity and relationships in local communities. In the midterms, you can send a signal. The outcome we fear is not one we can accept. Get involved because it needs to be done. And make sure I’m doing my job, too.
