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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Leahy Joins In Introducing Bill To Prevent Punishing Federal Workers In The Event Of A Government Shutdown Threatened By Some In Congress
(THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2015) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has joined in introducing legislation to prevent using federal workers as pawns if some in Congress have their way in forcing a government shutdown over their efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides crucial health care to women in Vermont and across the country. Leahy said: "Federal workers play vital everyday roles in every state including Vermont, where more than 4,000 dedicated workers protect our borders and streets, … Continue Reading
09.17.15
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Anniversary of the Constitutional Convention
Today, we celebrate the 228th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States. Some elected officials talk about their love of "the Constitution and the Bill of Rights". That specific phrasing is interesting in that it somehow implies that the "Constitution" does not itself include the Bill of Rights, which of course it does. But it contains much more than those original ten amendments. Each year, I remind Americans that we must celebrate not just the original Constitutio… Continue Reading
09.16.15
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Need to End Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric and Pass Immigration Reform September 16, 2015
The United States has a proud and unique history as a nation of immigrants. Ever since our founding, we have been a beacon of hope for those seeking opportunity. Generation after generation, our nation has greatly benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit that these newcomers bring with them. That is as true today as it was 200 years ago. Our nation's history with immigration has not always been a story of acceptance. Newcomers have often faced resistance, isolation, discrimination and even … Continue Reading
09.16.15
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Judicial Nominations
Last week, I spoke about Senate Republicans' virtual shutdown of the judicial nominations process since they took over the majority. Their refusal to respond to the urgent needs of our independent Third Branch is threatening to harm our justice system and rob the judiciary of outstanding public servants. One glaring example of this harm is the unnecessary delay of Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, who was nominated last year to fill an emergency vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Cir… Continue Reading
09.16.15
Leahy Calls For Passage Of His Bill To Protect Email Privacy At Judiciary Committee.
(Wednesday, September 16, 2015) - The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing entitled, "Reforming the Electronic Communications Privacy Act." Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) was an original author of the ECPA law that was enacted in 1986, and for years has sought to update its privacy protections. Earlier this year, Leahy introduced with Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) the bipartisan Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015 to update ECPA and protect Americans' emai… Continue Reading
09.16.15
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy, On The Egyptian Military’s Accidental Attack On Mexican Tourists
[Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate's State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations panel, has called for greater transparency on the use of U.S. military aid for Egypt.] "This was a terrible, avoidable tragedy that unfortunately was not an isolated occurrence. There have been other incidents of mistaken or indiscriminate attacks by Egyptian forces against civilians that have not been properly investigated. The United States should insist that the Egyptia… Continue Reading
09.14.15
$3.1 Million in Federal Grants Awarded to Three Vermont Community Lenders
, Sept. 14 - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today that three Vermont organizations received more than $3.1 million in federal grants from the U.S. Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The CDFI Fund awarded $202 million in grants and loans to 195 community credit unions and loan funds across the country that provide affordable financial products and services in economically distressed areas. Thre… Continue Reading
09.11.15
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Continuing Assault on Freedom of Expression in Ecuador
I want to call the Senate's attention to a situation I have spoken about previously, which is the ongoing crackdown by the Correa government on what little remains of the independent media in Ecuador. One of the things we have come to expect is that the press - and civil society organizations that expose corruption and challenge the officially sanctioned version of reality - are the first casualties in countries whose leaders are determined to remain in power at any cost. Ecuador is a prime e… Continue Reading
09.10.15
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senator Murkowski Cosponsoring the Voting Rights Advancement Act
[Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act this past June with Democratic Senators Dick Durbin (Ill.), and Chris Coons (Del.), along with Democratic Congressmen John Lewis (Ga.), Terri Sewell (Ala.), Linda Sanchez (Calif.), and Judy Chu (Calif.) of the House Tri-Caucus. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced today that she would sign on as a cosponsor of the bill.] "Senator Murkowski is a champion for civil rights, and I c… Continue Reading
09.09.15
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Need To Support Syrian Refugees
[Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following comment Wednesday after meeting with Secretary of State Kerry to discuss the administration's proposal for the number of refugee admissions into the United States for the upcoming fiscal year. Leahy, who is also the Ranking Member of the State Department's budget committee - the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee - has long led efforts to support assistance for refugees.] "To… Continue Reading
09.09.15
Leahy Announces $500,000 In Grants To Prevent Youth Substance Abuse In Vermont
(WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday announced $500,000 in grants to four Vermont community organizations in the latest round of funding to prevent and address youth substance abuse in the state. The grants will fund community-based approaches to preventing youth substance abuse, including prescription drugs, heroin, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol. Leahy said: "Substance abuse leaves a devastating wake of destruction through communities across our state and our … Continue Reading
09.08.15
Judicial Vacancies Increase While Senate Republicans Slow Walk Nominees
(Tuesday, September 8, 2015) - Senate Republicans are closing in on one of the worst years for confirming judicial nominees in decades, severely undermining the Third Branch and leaving courts throughout the country understaffed. The Republican-controlled Senate has allowed confirmation votes on just 6 judicial nominees, compared to 26 judicial nominees in 2007 when Democrats controlled the majority and President Bush was in office. Republican obstruction of non-controversial, consensus judici… Continue Reading
09.04.15
Leahy Announces $375,000 To Support Higher Education In The Northeast Kingdom
LYNDONVILLE, Vt. (FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Friday announced a $375,000 federal grant to the Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Rural Students at Lyndon State College to improve access to education for Vermont students. The grant helps to leverage more than $1 million to expand AmeriCorps service and to advance educational opportunities to first-generation, low-income students across the Green Mountain State. Leahy, the senior-most member of the Senate Approp… Continue Reading
09.04.15
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee On New Justice Department Policy Regarding the Use Of Cell-Site Simulators
[The Department of Justice on Thursday issued new guidelines governing the use of cell-site simulators. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has pressed the administration since last year about the use of these devices, which can unknowingly sweep up the cell phone signals of innocent Americans and raise significant privacy concerns.] "The Department of Justice's new policies are finally starting to catch up with the rapid advancement of this tracking technology. … Continue Reading
09.02.15
Vermont’s Congressional Delegation And Governor Shumlin Announce $1.2 million In Federal Aid To Vermont’s Northern Border Communities.
(WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2015) - As part of a continuing effort to bolster economic development in Northern Vermont, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Governor Peter Shumlin (D-Vt.) were joined by Northern Border Regional Commission Chair Mark Scarano in announcing more than $1.2 million in federal grants on Wednesday. Cultural and recreational initiatives, along with a business park expansion and Vermont's forest products industry we… Continue Reading
09.01.15
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee Regarding Governor Walker’s Remarks On Building a Wall at the Northern Border
"As someone who was born and raised not too far from the Canadian Border, I could not believe Governor Walker's statement. Election season always brings out crazy ideas, but this is one of the craziest. If Marcelle's parents were still here they would say the same thing, but in French. "Governor Walker simply must be unaware of the economic prosperity that commerce across the northern border brings to the United States. Those of us who represent states that share a border with Canada know b… Continue Reading
08.31.15
Leahy Joins Officials To Break Ground On New Affordable Housing In Brattleboro
Leahy Joins Officials To Break Ground On New Affordable Housing In Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015) - Four years after the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene, Senator Patrick Leahy Monday led a groundbreaking celebration to mark the start of construction of Red Clover Commons. Standing alongside state and local officials, nonprofit leaders, developers and community residents, Leahy heralded the new 55-unit, three story building off Canal Street as the first phase of a th… Continue Reading
08.31.15
Leahy Joins Officials To Break Ground On New Affordable Housing In Brattleboro
Leahy Joins Officials To Break Ground On New Affordable Housing In Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015) - Four years after the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene, Senator Patrick Leahy Monday led a groundbreaking celebration to mark the start of construction of Red Clover Commons. Standing alongside state and local officials, nonprofit leaders, developers and community residents, Leahy heralded the new 55-unit, three story building off Canal Street as the first phase of a th… Continue Reading
08.19.15
Leahy And Sanders Join In Calling On Financial Regulators To Hold Oil Companies Accountable, Disclose Risks And Increase Transparency
(WEDNESDAY, Aug, 19, 2015) - In continued efforts to halt offshore oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other senators this week called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require increased transparency from companies engaged in offshore drilling in American waters. The senators' call follows the Obama Administration issuing drilling rights to royal Dutch Shell plc. (Shell) to explore in the deep water off Alaska… Continue Reading
08.14.15
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Opening Of The U.S. Embassy In Cuba
"It was a privilege for me to accompany the Secretary of State to Havana for the opening of the U.S. Embassy. Seeing our flag raised again and hearing our national anthem was deeply moving - for me, and for the many Cubans who also witnessed this historic moment. I credit President Obama and Secretary Kerry for getting us to this point, after 54 years of a failed policy that isolated the United States and did nothing to improve the lives of the Cuban people. "Opening an embassy is not a conc… Continue Reading
