Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Leahy Chairs Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing With Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
(Wednesday, July 25, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing today featuring retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is testifying on the importance of judicial independence. Leahy, who has participated in the confirmation hearings of all sitting Supreme Court Justices, as well as Justice O'Connor's confirmation hearing, said today's discussion on the role of the judiciary helps to educate the public on America's democratic system. … Continue Reading
07.24.12
Leahy, Sanders, Welch: 2 New REAP Zone Grants To NEK Will Rehab Low-Income Homes And Refit Them For Energy Efficiency Savings
(TUESDAY, July 24) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D) Tuesday announced $200,000 in grants to housing agencies based in Lyndonville and Newport that will be used to rehabilitate homes owned by very low-income households, including boosting their energy efficiency for further savings for these families. The grants account for a third of all available grants made nationwide under the program. The grants come from the Rural Development branc… Continue Reading
07.24.12
Leahy Calls For Remedies To Citizens United Decision At Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee Hearing
(TUESDAY, July 24, 2012) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a champion of government openness and transparency, spoke in favor of remedies to mitigate the impact of the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case at a Judiciary Committee subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. Leahy is a leading sponsor of the DISCLOSE Act that would shed light on secret spending in elections and strengthen campaign finance laws. During Tuesday's hearing, he underscored his … Continue Reading
07.24.12
Leahy To Speak At Judiciary Committee’s Citizens United Hearing Today
(TUESDAY, July 24) - Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy (D) will speak Tuesday afternoon at a hearing examining pending constitutional proposals to remedy the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision. Several constitutional amendments to address the Supreme Court's decision have been introduced in the United States Senate. Constitutional amendments are traditionally first considered by the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee panel dedicated to constitutional matters. At Leahy's request, Subco… Continue Reading
07.24.12
Remarks Of Senator Patrick Leahy At The UNAIDS And Elton John Foundation Breakfast On Capitol Hill
Thank you, Gwen, for that introduction. It is a pleasure to be here and especially with such a wide ranging audience from the political, business, scientific and faith-based communities. In particular, I want to welcome South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Ambassador Eric Goosby, and of course, my old friend Sir Elton John. I remember when Sir Elton was here about a decade ago, urging, cajoling, or whatever it took, to encourage the U.S. to lead the world by making lifesaving … Continue Reading
07.23.12
Leahy Urges Confirmation Of Long-Pending District Court Nominee
(Monday, July 23, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick (D-Vt.) today called on the Senate to confirm Michael Shipp to fill a vacancy on the federal District Court for the District of New Jersey. Shipp is one of 21 judicial nominees pending on the Senate calendar awaiting final floor consideration. Shipp's nomination was reported by the Judiciary Committee in April. In a floor statement, Leahy noted that Shipp was the first African-American United States Magistrate Judge on the … Continue Reading
07.20.12
Vermont Receives Waiver Allowing Use Of Disaster Recovery Funds In Windham County
(FRIDAY, July 20) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Congressman Peter Welch (D) and Governor Peter Shumlin (D) announced Friday that Vermont has been granted a long-awaited federal waiver allowing the use of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) disaster relief funds in Windham County. The waiver, which applies to $21.6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds provided to the state by HUD in January 2012 for Irene recovery efforts, eases … Continue Reading
07.20.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Shootings In Aurora, Colorado
"Marcelle and I were horrified and saddened by this senseless tragedy. The thoughts of the nation and indeed the world are turned to these innocent victims and their families, and our hearts and our prayers are also with them." # # # # #… Continue Reading
07.19.12
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Leahy-Authored Substitute Amendment To Reauthorization Of FISA Amendments Act
- The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved legislation that will extend expiring surveillance authorities under the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) until June 2015. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) authored a substitute amendment to the FAA Sunsets Extension Act that also added important reporting and oversight provisions to the bill. Among the improvements made in the legislation is a new requirement for the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community to conduct a thorough revie… Continue Reading
07.19.12
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Defense Department Documents On Water Contamination At Camp Lejeune
(Thursday, July 19, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Thursday publicly released more than 8,000 Department of Defense documents relating to the historic drinking water contamination that occurred over several decades at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. The contamination of drinking water at the North Carolina military base was one of the worst environmental disasters to occur on a domestic military installation. The environmental disaster is believed to have … Continue Reading
07.18.12
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Announce $3 Million For Deerfield Valley Transit Association
(WEDNESDAY, July 18) - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) Wednesday announced that the Federal Transit Administration has awarded the Deerfield Valley Transit Association (DVTA) $3 million to build a new administrative and maintenance facility in Wilmington. The project was selected on a competitive basis through agency's 2012 State of Good Repair Program. The DVTA will use the $3,084,831 grant to construct a new building… Continue Reading
07.18.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The High Price of Gasoline
I remain concerned about the high price of gasoline that continues to disproportionately hurt working class families, especially those in rural states like Vermont. In Vermont, the average price of gasoline remains above the national average. Despite significant efforts to improve public transportation in the state, many Vermonters must still rely on their cars as the primary mode of transportation. More can and must be done to help families who are struggling to find jobs and put food on the ta… Continue Reading
07.18.12
Leahy Chairs Hearing On Forensic Science Reform Proposals
(Wednesday, July 18, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing Wednesday morning focusing on the importance of forensic evidence in criminal justice cases. Ensuring the reliable, fair, and accurate use of forensic evidence is a top priority for Leahy, and the issue has been a subject of discussion in a number of hearings held by the Judiciary Committee in recent years. Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of the hearing are available o… Continue Reading
07.17.12
The Role Of Smart Power Investments In Advancing U.S. Security, Prosperity, And Humanitarian Values
Thank you, Carolyn, for your kind words. I have long admired the work of Save the Children and you, too, should be recognized for your work. Thank you Liz, Clyde, members of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Board, Secretary Albright and Secretary Powell, for being here tonight and for this honor. I am delighted to share it with my good friend, Lindsey Graham. Senator Graham has been a great partner on the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, as was Senator Mi… Continue Reading
07.17.12
Leahy, Sanders, Welch: $1 M. Veterans Administration Grant To Veterans Inc.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D) Tuesday announced a new $1 million Department of Veterans Affairs grant to Veterans Inc., a Worcester, Mass., based group that operates a residence for homeless veterans in Bradford, Vt. Veterans Inc. has been in operation for 20 years and provides supportive services to veterans and their families throughout New England. Veterans Inc. received the renewal grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs… Continue Reading
07.17.12
On Senate Floor, Leahy Urges Republican Senators To Support DISCLOSE Act
- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a leading cosponsor of legislation to mitigate the impact of the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case, spoke on the Senate floor Tuesday morning about the need to restore the nation's campaign finance laws. In a Senate vote Monday night, Republicans filibustered a procedural motion to debate the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act (DISCLOSE Act). The legislation would help c… Continue Reading
07.17.12
Leahy & Rubio Team Up To Combat Human Trafficking
Senators: "Our laws must be renewed and updated to protect victims and improve our government's ability to combat modern-day slavery. No matter where they are in the world, the victims of human trafficking need a strong America to champion their cause as our own." Below is the text of a guest column authored by Senator Leahy and Senator Rubio and submitted to Roll Call, and here is a link to today's Roll Call piece. Leahy and Rubio: Putting an End to Human Trafficking By Senator Patrick Leahy… Continue Reading
07.16.12
Leahy Presses Republicans To Join Democrats In Approving Consensus Judicial Nominees
While the Senate will vote Monday on the nomination of Kevin McNulty, a federal district court nominee pending on the floor since April, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick (D-Vt.) noted that 17 more judicial nominees still await confirmation votes. One of those nominees pending on the calendar, Michael A. Shipp, is awaiting confirmation to the same New Jersey district court to which McNulty was named. While McNulty was finally considered by the Senate Monday, Shipp's nomination remains… Continue Reading
07.13.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Sentencing Of Eskinder Nega And Other Journalists By An Ethiopian Court
"This travesty makes a mockery of any pretense of justice in Ethiopia, whose government for years has enjoyed U.S. support. Mislabeling legitimate journalistic criticism of government repression as 'terrorism' is an insidious abuse of power that should have serious repercussions from the United States and the international community." # # # # #… Continue Reading
07.13.12
Leahy To Chair Hearing On Forensic Science Reform Proposals
(July 13, 2012) - The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on July 18 to hear testimony about ongoing efforts to ensure that forensic evidence gathered in the criminal justice system is reliable, fair, and accurate, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has announced. It will be the Committee's third hearing on this issue in recent years. Leahy, a former prosecutor, has made improving forensic science a top priority and introduced legislation at the beginning of the Congress aimed at ensurin… Continue Reading
