Jim Jeffords, a former U.S. Senator from Vermont, made headlines with his decision to leave the Republican Party and become an Independent, shifting the balance of power in the Senate. His principled stand on issues such as education and the environment earned him respect from colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

"This Bush administration has a growing credibility gap, maybe even a credibility chasm, on environmental policy. The President has lost the trust of the American people when it comes to the environment."



"The budget does not adequately fund important domestic programs, promotes tax cuts to the detriment of other priorities and does little to put our nation's fiscal house in order."



"We have a responsibility to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, from prekindergarten to elementary and secondary, to special education, to technical and higher education and beyond."



"I don't know anyone in the public eye who has not made a mistake and said something in a manner that does not truly reflect their intentions."



"Since the day he came into office, President Bush has worked to gut more than 34 years of hard work by weakening many of our Nation's standing environmental laws, some of which were signed into law by his father."

