Vermont Humanities Executive Director Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup this week sent a note to supporters indicating the Department of Government Efficiency “is targeting the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) with the aim of eliminating the agency.”
NEH is the only federal agency that funds the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
On April 2, all humanities councils, including Vermont Humanities, received notice from NEH Acting Chair Michael McDonald that all awarded grants, including Vermont’s five-year General Operating Grant and other program-specific awards, had been canceled effective April 1.
NEH funds 42% of Vermont Humanities’ annual budget, according to Kaufman Ilstrup, who said the loss of NEH funding to humanities councils “will decimate our ability to serve communities in our states, eliminating programs that are essential to each state’s cultural infrastructure. Loss of federal support will be particularly hard-hitting in rural communities and other under-resourced areas throughout the country.”
Kaufman Ilstrup said in Vermont, we could lose:
— Early childhood literacy and family reading programs, including training for teachers.
— Support services for veterans based in the humanities.
— Statewide reading programs like Vermont Reads and vital support for K-12 teachers and students.
— Library and community-based program partnerships like the Snapshot Series of free humanities talks that bring people together in even the most rural communities.
— Grant funding for libraries, rural museums and historical societies, and grass-roots community projects that work to uplift and knit our communities together.
Vermont Humanities works in more than 100 communities in across every Vermont county.
“Humanities councils across the nation do all this with only $65 million in federal funding that supports this work in all 56 states and territories. The NEH budget for humanities councils is small, but the losses to everyday Americans will be devastating,” Kaufman Ilstrup said in a statement.
Another lawsuit
Attorney General Charity Clark this week joined a coalition of 19 state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against President Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the federal Election Assistance Commission, and other Trump administration officials over Executive Order No. 14248 (the Elections Executive Order).
The coalition argues the Elections Executive Order is an unconstitutional, antidemocratic and un-American attempt to impose sweeping voting restrictions across the country. Among other restrictions, the Elections Executive Order attempts to conscript State election officials in the President’s campaign to impose documentary proof of citizenship requirements on voters. It also seeks to upend common-sense, well-established state procedures for counting ballots — procedures that make it easier for Americans to exercise their right to vote.
It is the eighth lawsuit against the administration that Vermont is party to.
“I am deeply troubled by this naked attempt to disenfranchise voters, particularly married women, low-income and elderly voters, and active-duty military members,” said Clark. “Even viewed in the most charitable light, this is a solution looking for a problem, as illegal, non-citizen voter fraud is virtually non-existent. An American’s right to vote is sacred and must be protected.”
The coalition maintains the President has no constitutional power to rewrite state election laws by decree, nor does the President have the authority to modify the rules Congress has created for elections. The coalition’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Joining Vermont are attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
Settlement reached
On Friday, the Green Mountain Care Board voted to approve a comprehensive settlement agreement with the University of Vermont Health Network and the University of Vermont Medical Center, resolving matters related to significant budget overages in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
According to a news release, the agreement reflects “a shared commitment to promoting financial sustainability while preserving access to high-quality, affordable care for Vermonters. It resolves pending legal appeals and sets in motion a series of actions and investments aimed at system improvement, transparency, and accountability.”
“This agreement is an important step toward system-wide improvements at the University of Vermont Health Network, including through restoring trust and driving lasting improvements in Vermont’s healthcare system,” said Owen Foster, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board. “It reflects our mutual responsibility to put patients and communities first while building a more sustainable future.”
Military aid debate
U.S. Sen. Peter Welch this week voted to block certain offensive weapons sales to Israel.
The Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, offered by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, would block the Trump administration’s sale of more than $8 billion in offensive weaponry — including 2,000-pound bombs and weapons that have killed civilians — to Israel.
The U.S. Department of State bypassed congressional approval to supply military assistance, invoking an emergency declaration, giving Congress insufficient time to review the sale.
In a statement, Welch said, “We had a ceasefire that is now over, and the violence is continuing. The Trump Administration wants to send arms, including 2,000-pound bombs, to the Netanyahu government. I opposed these offensive weapons sales to Israel during the Biden Administration. I will oppose these offensive weapons sales to the Israeli government. … Sending more offensive weapons, particularly these 2,000-pound bombs, will not make Israelis or Palestinians safer or get us closer to a peaceful resolution.”
State revenues
Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark recently released Vermont’s revenue results for February.
The General Fund, Transportation Fund and Education Fund all exceeded their respective monthly consensus targets.
Receipts were a combined $202.3 million, exceeding the $196.8 million monthly consensus target by $5.6 million, or 2.8%.
Total General Fund revenues for February were $119.8 million, $2.2 million, or 1.9%, greater than the $117.6 million monthly consensus target.
Revenues in the Transportation Fund exceeded their $21.5 million February target by $600,000, or 2.7%, yielding $22 million in total.
Monthly Education Fund revenues of $60.5 million were $2.8 million, or 4.8%, greater than their February $57.8 million target.
Clark said in a statement: “The second half of the fiscal year continues to exceed expectations. As the pandemic era cash balances in the state treasury recede to pre-pandemic levels over calendar years 2025 and 2026; the administration remains committed to ensuring these unanticipated surpluses are strategically invested in engineering a soft landing for the state’s existing programs and not directed toward program expansion that will only compound future fiscal pressures.”
Unemployment rate unchanged
Recently, the Vermont Department of Labor released data on the Vermont economy for February.
According to data, the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for February was 2.6%. In addition, civilian labor force participation rate was 65.5% in February, no change from the prior month’s revised estimate.
The comparable U.S. jobless rate in February was 4.1%, an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point from the revised January estimate.
The February unemployment rates for Vermont’s 14 counties ranged from 2.3% in Chittenden County to 5.7% in Orleans County.
Ban guns in bars
This week, a coalition of service industry professionals, lawmakers and gun safety advocates gathered at the State House to urge the Legislature to approve Burlington’s charter change (S.131), which would ban guns in bars. The measure was overwhelmingly supported by 86.6% of Burlington voters in 2025. Advocates are also calling for the passage of H.45, which would establish a statewide prohibition on firearms in bars.
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth underscored the need for action, pointing to both common-sense gun safety principles and real-life tragedies that have occurred in Vermont.
“As the NRA safety course teaches, guns and alcohol don’t mix. Burlington has already experienced a brutal shooting outside a bar, with someone dying and bleeding out on Church Street. In this era of heightened public safety concerns — raised by the Governor and others — we’re simply saying: Let’s keep guns out of bars. It’s common sense.”
Service industry professionals spoke about the risks posed by firearms in nightlife settings and the urgent need for legislative action.
Jen Kimmich, co-founder of The Alchemist, shared a deeply personal perspective on the issue.
“We strongly support the banning of guns in bars,” said Kimmich. “Last summer, our friend and beloved community member was killed outside Red Square after being targeted by another bar patron who was carrying a gun. A lot of lives were destroyed that night, including the life of the mother who decided to take that gun out with her.”
Rule of law
More than 200 attorneys from across Vermont, including State Treasurer Mike Pieciak and Attorney General Charity Clark issue a statement in support of the rule of law.
The signatories condemn the Trump administration’s assault on the rule of law, citing several examples.
“We, the undersigned Vermont lawyers, write to express our commitment to upholding the rule of law, and to protest and decry the current administration’s disdain for the rule of law as revealed in its actions,” the signatories wrote.
“These abuses can be stopped if legions of Vermonters and Americans reaffirm that we are a nation of laws, and that the most powerful and wealthy Americans must also abide by these laws. We invite all to rally and demand that our elected representatives act now to stop the administration’s unlawful actions. We call on all Vermonters to join us as we protest the administration’s unprecedented assault on the rule of law,” they wrote.
Rural hospital closures
U.S. Sens. Peter Welch and Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, this week introduced legislation to help rural hospitals that are at risk of being closed.
The Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act would codify an existing pilot program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides technical assistance to rural hospitals to prevent closures, improve their financial and operational performance and strengthen essential healthcare services in rural communities.
“The health and wellbeing of Vermont’s rural hospitals impacts the health and wellbeing of every Vermonter. Our rural hospitals need help to keep their doors open for our patients,” said Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Rounds on this bipartisan bill, which will strengthen hospitals across the United States and help improve care and services.”
Through an agreement with USDA, the National Rural Health Association provides several types of technical assistance to include expert guidance on optimizing billing processes, addressing reimbursement delays, improving collections and maximizing available reimbursement opportunities.
Since 2005, 186 rural hospitals have closed nationwide, and more than 400 rural hospitals are currently vulnerable to closure. Many rural hospitals face significant infrastructure needs, including updates on aging facilities, implementation of electronic health records and expansion of facilities to meet the changing needs of their service area, Welch said in a statement.
Modernization bill
The Vermont House of Representatives this week passed H.91, legislation that reforms the emergency housing program away from a hotel/motel focused program to a prevention and supportive service-based model.
Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski and Rep. Theresa Wood, a Waterbury Democrat and chair of the Committee on Human Services, highlighted the importance of the bill: “The passage of H.91 is a huge step forward in moving our emergency housing program to a more cost effective, prevention-based program that some of our most vulnerable Vermonters desperately need,” said Krowinski. “For years now, we have asked the Governor and his Administration for a plan to transition to a better system of care for Vermonters who did not have a roof over their heads. A plan never came.”
“This bill makes the transition to a community-based service system that can be creative, quick acting and responsive to the needs of people who are homeless and perhaps most importantly, focused on preventing homelessness,” said Wood. “Critical decisions are best made in the community, closest to the people who are impacted.”
Compiled by the staffs of The Times Argus and Rutland Herald.
