Suzi Wizowaty

Because I'm running for re-election for the first time, I've been thinking recently about how one best goes about this. Typically, I've noticed, politicians send reports that say "I've done this, I've done that. Look at all I've done on your behalf." Me, me, me.

But I'm not crazy about that kind of self-promotion. It seems, um, unattractive? Tacky? My Texas childhood is showing. Besides, I aspire to be an effective public servant rather than a politician, so I'm off the hook, right?

But what about re-election? If effective politicians promote their individual accomplishments and claim credit for things that it took many people working together to accomplish, what about effective public servants? What's the roadmap for the one who simply wants to continue to serve?

A constituent recently asked me what had *I* done? Had I introduced a single piece of legislation? What had *I* accomplished?

Here is the truth: no one accomplishes anything alone, either in the legislature or anywhere else. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply wrong.

I am a novelist. Before my first book came out, I thought the small percentage of a book's list price that went to the author was outrageous. Then I saw how many other people it takes to get a book into print. I had no idea how much was involved. Now 10-15% to the author makes more sense.

In the same way, passing a bill in the legislature requires extraordinary effort on the part of a great number of people. Have I introduced legislation? Sure. But anyone can introduce a bill. The more interesting question might be, Of all the ways to be effective (or not), how does each member of the legislature find his or her own path?

But okay. For those who want it, here's a sample list. It doesn't include everything, but I think it may be what people want to know when they say, What have you done? It's a start.

--In 2009, I introduced an amendment to the state ARRA bill that required tracking grants and jobs for women (because women typically suffer more in economic downturns and benefit less from recovery money). But I must add that successful passage depended on the help of many other people, particularly Rep. Joey Donovan.
--As a result of conversations with the Vermont Workers' Center, I introduced two pieces of legislation to protect workers, both of which ultimately got tabled in deference to the issue of paid sick days. One in particular about inappropriate use of credit reports elicited some national attention from organizers and reporters. I will re-introduce it next year, with Rep. Helen Head's support, if we're both there. You can't do anything without the blessing of the relevant committee chair.
--I (and Rep. Gini Milkey of Brattleboro) rallied the strongest support of any state for a national pro-health-care-reform resolution and as a result, I was invited to participate (at no cost) in a leadership meeting of progressive legislators from around the country in Detroit last summer. This led to my joining the White House Working Group on Health Care, a group of state legislators that networked weekly around health care reform.
--I wrote a resolution designating Aug. 6, 2009, as Nuclear Disarmament Day in Vermont; as the first state legislature to do this we inspired similar efforts elsewhere.
--What I'm probably most proud of is my committee's successful effort to ban gifts and free meals from pharmaceutical reps, a bill the industry called "the worst bill in the county." I worked hard on this toward the end of the session especially, when it looked like it might fail.
--And finally, the same-sex marriage bill. Each one of us was "the hundredth vote" necessary for the veto override. But what I was able to contribute, as the only openly lesbian member of the legislature, was a floor speech from the heart that it seems spoke to many people.

--In 2010, I introduced a strong bill (based on model legislation elsewhere) to increase corporate transparency. In the end, the House Commerce Committee had no time to address it adequately, but the board of VBSR (Vermont Business for Social Responsibility) voted to make the bill a priority in 2011.
--I also introduced a bill on PBM (pharmacy benefit manager) transparency. When it became clear that this would require a huge fight, when we were already fighting like mad to keep disclosure of drug samples in S.88, our big health care bill, my committee set this aside till next year. We will definitely take this up again.
--To address the issue of not enough primary care providers, I introduced a bill we called "Med VEGI," which sought to offer tax credits to new medical providers. It generated some excitement--how creative!--but we couldn't figure out how to make it work.
--I worked hard to get a woman with M.S. a permit for a service monkey. I introduced an amendment to allow the monkey's importation, which served ultimately as the threat necessary to motivate the commissioner's action. In the end, the successful outcome depended on the efforts of many people in both chambers, especially Rep. Kate Webb of Shelburne. I'm proud of how we worked together.
--I co-sponsored and doggedly worked a bill for the Vermont Parent Representation Center to help support parents whose kids are at risk of being removed for abuse and neglect. The ultimate success of this appropriation depended on the support and efforts of many others, esp. Senators Susan Bartlett and Diane Snelling and Rep. Mark Larson, not to mention Trine Bech and members of her board.
--I've participated in a monthly public access TV program on nuclear issues with Maggie Gunderson, hosted by Margaret Harrington of WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom). These helped get the word about what was happening with Vermont Yankee.
--I've authored or co-sponsored a range of other resolutions. One that I co-sponsored, which urged President Obama to lead the way promoting the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, resulted in a visit from members of the Japanese Assembly, who came to Montpelier to thank us.
--Both years I have served as the reporter for the House Health Care Committee, writing the biweekly summaries and explanations of bills and issues for the rest of the Democratic caucus. Along with another rep, I also edited the final reports from other committees.
--I serve on the off-session Health Access Oversight Committee, which tracks related issues in the off months.
--Most importantly, I've contributed to the work of the hardworking House Health Care Committee, along with the chair, fellow legislators, legislative staff, members of the administration, lobbyists, and members of the public. Whatever we've been able to accomplish, we've accomplished together.