Montpelier, VT – The State of “Freedom and Unity” united as ONE in the fight against extreme poverty and global disease last week when the Vermont State Senate joined the State House in voting to pass a resolution in support of the ONE declaration. The vote comes on the heels of Governor Jim Douglas’ declaration proclaiming Vermont a State of ONE in March of this year.

Scott Simpson, a local member of ONE and the person who worked to organize efforts to pass the resolution, said, “We could not have passed this resolution without Representative Bill Frank’s help and his commitment to ONE. I am looking forward to delivering the legislature’s resolution and the Governor’s proclamation to our Congressional delegation when I attend the CARE National Advocacy Conference next month in Washington.”

Representative Bill Frank of Underhill offered the resolution in support of the ONE declaration in the Vermont House of Representatives. In addition, the City of Burlington was declared a City of ONE in February 2006.

“Vermont’s 6,468 members of the ONE Campaign are continually making their voices heard to their representatives in the state legislature and their representatives responded,” said Matt Bartlett, ONE Field Organizer. “Locally, ONE’s members are engaging their elected leaders, letting them know that it’s important for our nation’s security to address issues such as extreme poverty and global diseases. Beyond protecting the United States’ national security and economic interests, addressing these issues is also the right thing to do. America is a nation known for its generosity and goodness. The ONE declaration represents our greatest ideals in helping others help themselves and in extending a hand to those most in need.”

There are 6,468 local members of the ONE Campaign in the State of Vermont. Vermont is the 9^th state to declare support for the ONE Campaign. To date, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa and Maine have been declared a State of ONE by either the governor or the state’s legislature. The Governors of California and New Hampshire issued commendations in support of the ONE Campaign as well.