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Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Biden Appoints Vermont Farm Organization Veteran John Roberts, Recommended By Leahy, As Head Of The Farm Service Agency In Vermont
(THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022) - President Biden Thursday announced that he is appointing John Roberts as Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) had recommended Roberts for the position. Leahy said he was pleased by the appointment: "I've known John for many years. He has the qualifications and experience to lead the Farm Service Agency at a critical time for our state when there is much to be done. As with other areas of the economy, the pande… Continue Reading
01.20.22
Findings By Researchers At The Universities Of Vermont And Maine Spotlight Pandemic-Related Health Issues
(THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022) -- Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) credits researchers at the University of Vermont and the University of Maine for highlighting the health challenges faced by residents of both states during the pandemic. Of particular concern to Leahy has been the negative impact the pandemic has had on those who were already food insecure. Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: "This work helps us to understand what impact the pandemic has had on people's health … Continue Reading
01.18.22
How To Order A COVID Test
Vermonters can now order four free COVID-19 antigen tests per household from the federal government. To access the program, follow these simple steps: 1) Visit: https://special.usps.com/testkits 2) Fill out your contact information and shipping address 3) Receive your tests through the mail in one to two weeks Vermonters have stepped forward to test themselves and their families for COVID-19 in the face of the Omicron surge. Testing is a critical tool to protecting our health and h… Continue Reading
01.13.22
Leahy, DeLauro Statement On Appropriations Meeting
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) released the following statement on today's bicameral, bipartisan meeting of Appropriations Committee leadership: "We appreciated the opportunity to have a constructive Four Corners conversation today on completing fiscal year 2022 appropriations. We look forward to further conversations in the coming days, with the shared goal of finishing our work by the February 18 go… Continue Reading
01.10.22
Remarks On The Urgent Need To Pass Voting Rights Legislation
Last week I spoke on the Floor reflecting on the unthinkable events of January 6th, 2021, when a violent mob attempted to snuff out one our democracy's most sacred traditions: the peaceful transition of power. That mob's attack on our nation's Capitol was fueled by the former president's "big lie," the utterly false alternate reality that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election through widespread fraud. But the January 6th insurrection, as nightmarish as it was, was not the only thing spawned by the … Continue Reading
01.08.22
VAAFM Announces Vermont ‘Pay-For-Performance’ Agricultural Phosphorus Reduction Program Now Taking Applications
MONTPELIER (Saturday, January 8, 2022) - The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) recently opened applications for the new Vermont Pay for Phosphorus (VPFP) program, one of the first of its kind in the United States. VAAFM received a $7 million grant award from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in September of 2020, enabling the Agency to launch a statewide Vermont Pay for Phosphorus (VPFP) Program to further expand and support agriculture's role in deli… Continue Reading
01.06.22
Statement On South Sudan
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, several months ago I spoke of the hope we all felt that after decades of civil war, famine, and political turmoil, after millions were killed and millions more became refugees including thousands of "lost boys" and "lost girls", South Sudan's independence and a peace agreement would be the beginning of a period of lasting stability and progress. Regrettably, what has unfolded since then is the antithesis of stability or progress. The past decade has been plagued by c… Continue Reading
01.06.22
Remarks On The Anniversary Of The Jan. 6 Attack On The Capitol
These are among the most somber and sorrowful remarks that I have had to make as President Pro Tempore and in my several decades of service in this body. What an unthinkable event it is that we are marking today. An attempted coup incited not against a president, but by a president, who promoted and still promotes a litany of lies, to overturn the results of an election in order for him to hold on to power that he no longer possesses. We are in the business of words, but there are none to ad… Continue Reading
12.28.21
Comments On The Passing Of Former Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Reid was a warm and caring soul and Marcelle and I were grateful to know Harry and Landra as friends. He was one of a kind, a nugget of pure gold at the center and a little rough around the edges. His unlikely journey from the tiny and remote Nevada hamlet of Searchlight was the story of a fighter for ordinary Americans who was drawn to public service and politics for all the right reasons. ###… Continue Reading
12.23.21
Sanders, Leahy, Welch Send Letter To DeJoy On Mail Delays And Issues At White River Junction Facility
Burlington Vt., Dec. 23 - Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Thursday sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding action to address the postal issues across Vermont, including the immediate installation of a functioning cancellation machine at the White River Junction mail processing facility. "We write with great concern about the Postal Service's continued failure to meet its own standards of service," Sanders, Leahy and Welch wro… Continue Reading
12.20.21
Leahy Urges Supreme Court To Take Up Case With Major Implications For The U.S. Patent System
(MONDAY, Dec. 20, 2021) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate's Intellectual Property Subcommittee, part of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) Ranking Member of the House Intellectual Property Subcommittee, Monday filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to hear a case with major implications for the American patent system. Their official brief explains how a key post-grant review process at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) - c… Continue Reading
12.20.21
Leahy And USDA Announce Conservation Program Improvements Which Will Benefit Participating Vermont Farmers
(MONDAY, Dec. 20, 2021)- U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday announced changes to USDA conservation programs which will make the programs work better for Vermont farmers and landowners. Participants in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) will now have more flexibility in how they meet a required 50 percent match, making it easier for landowners to conserve land through the program. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) helps farmers implement clean water practices, such a… Continue Reading
12.20.21
Leahy Announces $2.66 Million For OVW Programs Addressing Sexual And Domestic Violence
(MONDAY, Dec. 20, 2021) -- U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy announced Monday that four Vermont organizations will share in $2.66 million in federal grants from the U.S. Dept. of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Leahy said: "Domestic and sexual violence are complex problems which we need to address on multiple fronts, which these grants do. There is funding for law enforcement investigators, specialized prosecutors and training for judges, all of which is necessary, but there is also … Continue Reading
12.17.21
Recognizing Dan And Whit's General Store
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, in Vermont, the general store is the epicenter of a community. It is where people not only buy their groceries and newspapers, but also tools and hardware, mittens and hats, axes and chainsaws, gas for their cars, and too many other things to name. But just as important, general stores are where Vermonters meet their neighbors, and when the weather is good, pass the time and talk about their families, things going on in town, or the state of the world. Marcelle and I h… Continue Reading
12.16.21
Leahy Announces Nomination Of Vermonter To Serve As Northern Border Regional Commission Co-Chair
(THURSDAY, Dec. 16, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) says he is proud to announce that a longtime member of his staff, Chris Saunders, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the co-chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission. Leahy said: "I am proud of Chris, who I count among my most long-serving and valued staff. Chris has worked hard for Vermont and the nation in both Vermont and Washington, and this appointment is wonderful news for the entire Northern Border… Continue Reading
12.10.21
Leahy, Murray, Wyden Lead Senate Democrats In Call To Ensure All Eligible Same-Sex Couples Receive Pension Survivor Benefits
Under current law, some individuals in same-sex relationships who lost their partners shortly after being married or before they were able to legally marry are being denied survivor benefits by retirement plans Senators: "We should not let the echoes of the bigotry that robbed so many people of the right to marry for so long rob them once again after they have lost their loved ones." WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, Dec. 10, 2021) - On Friday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, … Continue Reading
12.08.21
Leahy-Led Changes To Federal Dairy Program Will Deliver Millions To Vermont Farmers
(WEDNESDAY, Dec. 8, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday announced changes made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the dairy safety net program that will benefit Vermont's small dairy farms. As it opens enrollment of the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for 2022, changes to the program sought by Leahy will deliver additional payments to Vermont producers. A change in how feed costs are calculated will mean an additional $3.1 million in retroactive payments will b… Continue Reading
12.07.21
Comment On The Confirmation Of Nikolas Kerest To Serve As Vermont’s Next U.S. Attorney
I am so proud that Nikolas 'Kolo' Kerest, whom I recommended to President Biden to serve as Vermont's next U.S. Attorney, was just confirmed by the United States Senate. Kolo is an exemplary prosecutor, dedicated to upholding the rule of law and putting the interests of Vermonters first, above all else. As a former prosecutor myself, I am confident that Kolo has just what it takes to keep our communities safe while also honoring Vermont's values. I look forward to seeing him take the helm of Ver… Continue Reading
12.06.21
Statement On Cuba
Mr. LEAHY. As someone who has observed the evolution of relations between the United States and Cuba for nearly 50 years, particularly since I first traveled there in 1999, I find the situation between our two countries today bewildering, tragic, and exasperating. Bewildering, because senior Administration officials - who have publicly and privately acknowledged that the 60-year policy of unilateral United States sanctions, isolation, and threats has failed to achieve any of its objectives an… Continue Reading
12.02.21
Chairman Leahy Statement On The Further Extending Government Funding Act
It is my hope that soon the Senate will vote on a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open and funded through February 18th. I am pleased we reached this agreement. The only thing worse than running the government under a continuing resolution (CR) is a government shutdown. A shutdown only hurts the American people and wastes billions in taxpayer dollars. I am glad that the bill includes critical funding to support Afghan refugees as we help them get resettled here in the United Sta… Continue Reading
