Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Resignation Of Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki
With the resignation of Secretary Shinseki, it is time for deep soul-searching at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Secretary Shinseki is himself a disabled veteran, an experienced leader and an ardent patriot. He oversaw some notable achievements during his tenure that are benefitting veterans. But the fact that he was unable to lead the VA to a place where it can routinely provide the quality, timely care our veterans earned should be deeply troubling to all of us. Systemic reforms, suff… Continue Reading
05.29.14
Leahy Posts Official Notice Of June 4 Confirmation Hearing For Vermont Chief Justice Crawford, Nominated For Vermont’s Upcoming District Court Vacancy
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy Thursday formally announced the confirmation hearing for the Vermonter nominated to fill the state's upcoming U.S. District Court vacancy. The hearing, on Wednesday, June 4, will focus on the nomination of Vermont Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Crawford, as well as on three nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The President officially nominated Justice Crawford on May 20, after earlier indicating his intention to nominate him. Leahy h… Continue Reading
05.22.14
SENATORS URGE A RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC RULE IN THAILAND FOLLOWING MILITARY COUP
Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following statement on the military coup in Thailand. Senator Cardin is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Senator Menendez is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Leahy is Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related programs. "We are deeply disappointed by the coup carried out … Continue Reading
05.22.14
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Nomination Of David Barron to the First Circuit Court Of Appeals
Today, we are voting on the confirmation of David Barron, who has been nominated to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Yesterday, were able to overcome the unjustified Republican filibuster of this extraordinary nominee. Currently a professor at Harvard Law School, he is a nationally recognized expert on constitutional law, the separation of powers, administrative law, and federalism. He clerked on the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice John Paul Stevens. Justice … Continue Reading
05.22.14
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On House Passage Of The USA FREEDOM Act
[Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following comment Thursday after the House approved a modified version of the USA FREEDOM Act. Leahy is the lead Democratic coauthor of the bipartisan USA FREEDOM Act, a bill he introduced jointly with Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) in October. The legislation approved by the House is based on the bipartisan legislation that Leahy and Sensenbrenner have championed since last year.] "I applaud the House of Repr… Continue Reading
05.21.14
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Patent Legislation
We have been working for almost a year with countless stakeholders on legislation to address the problem of patent trolls who are misusing the patent system. This is a real problem facing businesses in Vermont and across the country. Unfortunately, there has been no agreement on how to combat the scourge of patent trolls on our economy without burdening the companies and universities who rely on the patent system every day to protect their inventions. We have heard repeated concerns that the H… Continue Reading
05.21.14
SJC Chairman Leahy Chairs FBI Oversight Hearing
(Wednesday, May 21, 2014) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing an oversight hearing this morning of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Director James Comey is testifying before the panel for his first oversight hearing since he became the Bureau's new director last year. Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of the hearing are available online. Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Oversight O… Continue Reading
05.19.14
President Announces Intention To Nominate Vermont Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Crawford For Vermont’s Upcoming U.S. District Court Vacancy
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Monday said that President Obama will nominate Vermont Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Crawford to be the next judge on Vermont's U.S. District Court. Leahy had recommended Justice Crawford in March to the White House, after screening by a nine-member nonpartisan Vermont Judicial Nominating Commission. Justice Crawford had been one of the panel's two finalists, who then were interviewed by Leahy. Leahy said, "The President sees in Justice Crawford what I, … Continue Reading
05.19.14
Mettawee Community School
On May 19, Senator Leahy held his fourth online chat of 2014 with 30 4th and 5th grade students from the Mettawee Community School of West Pawlet. The students questions ranged from addressing the Senator's work in securing bulletproof vests for law enforcement in Vermont to the Senator's thoughts on gun control. The Senator also spoke about his love of fishing and photography and his home on a tree farm in Vermont.… Continue Reading
05.19.14
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Proposed Merger of AT&T and DirecTV
"DirecTV is a nationwide competitor with cable and plays an important role in providing television service to rural areas like Vermont. With this latest proposed merger, I am concerned that the telecommunications marketplace is trending even further toward one that favors big companies over consumers. I will closely monitor the FCC and the antitrust authorities' response to this announcement. The Senate Judiciary Committee will be looking closely at this transaction." # # # # #… Continue Reading
05.16.14
U.S. Energy Secretary Addresses Vermont Energy Summit
MIDDLEBURY, Vt., May 16 - U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz spoke at a Vermont Energy Summit today as part of a first-hand look at how Vermont is on the cutting edge of transforming its energy systems from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. In remarks at Middlebury College, Moniz focused on the need to reduce the cost of clean energy. Vermont, he added, "really looks unique" in terms of public and private cooperation on energy issues. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) an… Continue Reading
05.15.14
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On FCC Chairman Wheeler’s Proposed Net Neutrality Rules
"Paid arrangements between broadband providers and websites do not reflect open Internet principles and I will not support any effort by the FCC to condone those kinds of agreements. The very essence of net neutrality is that a better idea or service should be allowed to succeed on its merits and not have to pay tolls to reach potential customers. Rules allowing pay-to-play deals would also harm consumers, who could no longer be confident that the Internet speeds they pay for are sufficient to… Continue Reading
05.15.14
Leahy Announces June 3 Hearing On Constitutional Amendment To Rein In Massive Campaign Spending
(Thursday, May 15, 2014) -The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month on a constitutional amendment in response to the Supreme Court's decisions regarding campaign finance and money in politics, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday. The hearing comes on the heels of the Court's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, in which five justices reversed long-standing precedent and declared aggregate limits on campaign contributions in elections to be uncons… Continue Reading
05.14.14
Leahy Sets Judiciary Committee Field Hg. In Vermont On NET NEUTRALITY –
"I have heard from hundreds of Vermonters who have expressed concerns about aspects of Chairman Wheeler's proposed approach to new net neutrality rules and I share their concerns. I am still waiting to see the full details of this proposal, but I also believe it is critical to highlight the importance of ensuring that the Internet remains an open marketplace for ideas. I intend to hold a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Vermont the first week in July to examine the impact of open Internet… Continue Reading
05.14.14
FBI Director Comey To Appear Before SJC Next Week
(Wednesday, May 14, 2014) - FBI Director James Comey will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an oversight hearing on Wednesday, May 21, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced on Wednesday. The oversight hearing will be one week after National Police Week, and at a time when the Committee is working on many issues important to law enforcement agencies including cybersecurity, the use of forensic evidence and support of victim services through the Justice for All Act. Comey last a… Continue Reading
05.14.14
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Judicial Nominations
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Judicial Nominations May 14, 2014 This week, we are voting to overcome Republican filibusters of seven highly qualified judicial nominees. Every single one of the nominees we will be voting on this week has been nominated to fill a judicial emergency vacancy. This means that the non-partisan Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has designated them as emergency vacancies due to high caseloads. We con… Continue Reading
05.14.14
WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF CHIEF MICHAEL E. SCHIRLING CHIEF OF POLICE - BURLINGTON, VT POLICE DEPARTMENT SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY BULLET PROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP FUNDING
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee: I have the privilege of serving as the Chief of Police in Burlington, VT. Burlington is a community of approximately 40,000, located on the eastern shores of Lake Champlain about 35 miles south of the Canadian border. It is the central hub of activity, commerce, and services for northwestern Vermont, which encompasses a population of approximately 150,000 residents. We have a 149-year history of providing law enforcement services to Vermont's larges… Continue Reading
05.14.14
Leahy Chairs Hearing On Life-Saving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program
(Wednesday, May 14, 2014) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing this morning titled "The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program: Supporting Law Enforcement Officers When it Matters Most." Leahy is the author of legislation to reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Program, a life-saving program whose charter expired in 2012. Today's hearing coincides with National Police Week. Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of the hearing … Continue Reading
05.14.14
Lake Champlain Funds Secured By Leahy Spawn Innovative Sea Lamprey Barrier
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced the opening of an innovative sea lamprey barrier on Morpion Creek, a tributary of the Pike River in Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, Quebec. The barrier will address one of the largest uncontrolled populations of sea lamprey in the Lake Champlain Basin. Leahy worked to secure nearly $1.3 million for the barrier through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC). The barrier represents a unique international partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlif… Continue Reading
05.13.14
Stowe Student Council at Stowe Elementary School
On May 13, Senator Leahy held his 10th online chat with Stowe Elementary School. Senator Leahy enjoyed an engaging conversation with both the students and teachers in the classroom. The conversation focused his work to make college education more affordable for students and a discussion of some of the most difficult decisions he has had to make as a United States Senator. The students even discussed the Senator's most recent experience on the set of the new Batman movie.… Continue Reading
