Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Leahy Hails Confirmation Of Four PCLOB Nominees, Calls For Confirmation of Board’s Chairman
(Thursday, August 2, 2012) -- The Senate tonight confirmed four of the five pending nominees to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. The Board was originally created by Congress in 2004, at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, and it was originally located within the Executive Office of the President. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, later worked to make the Board an independent entity within the Executive Branch. The nominations of Jam… Continue Reading
08.02.12
Leahy, Grassley Introduce Legislation to Implement Patent Law Treaties That Will Help U.S. Businesses Obtain Patent Protections Overseas
(Thursday, August 2, 2012) - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced legislation today to implement two patent law treaties that will help American businesses expand into foreign markets by reducing obstacles for obtaining patent protection overseas. "In this global economy, it is not enough to have an effective domestic patent system; we must also help American inventors and businesses to protect their inventions and thrive in markets around the world," sai… Continue Reading
08.02.12
Leahy: Threats To Cybersecurity Must Be Addressed
(Thursday, August 2, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a champion of protecting individual privacy and promoting American innovation, issued the following statement today after the Senate's cybersecurity legislation was stalled on a procedural vote. Leahy had filed a number of privacy-related amendments to make further improvements to the bill, and had worked with the bill's cosponsors to seek their inclusion in the bill, had debate moved forward.] Statement… Continue Reading
08.02.12
Delegation Announces $3.1 Million for Vermont Covered Bridges and Other Transportation Projects
, Aug. 2 - Vermont won more than $3.1 million in Federal Highway Administration competitive grants, including funds to repair the Longley Covered Bridge in Montgomery and the Brown Covered Bridge in Shrewsbury, the congressional delegation announced today. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced the awards. "Vermont fared very well in this very competitive round of funding," they said. "These grants will make possible important transportatio… Continue Reading
08.02.12
Leahy Calls On Senate To End Stalemate And Approve Pending Judicial Nominees
(Thursday, August 2, 2012) - The Senate approved the nomination of Gershwin Drain to serve on the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Thursday afternoon, before the Senate recessed for the August break, but in a statement released Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) urged the Senate to consider the judicial nominations still pending before the full Senate. Twenty-two nominations to federal district and circuit courts remain pending. Many, includin… Continue Reading
08.02.12
Klobuchar, Cornyn, Leahy Legislation To Help Police Find Missing Children Clears Senate Committee
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today announced that their bipartisan legislation to help local law enforcement locate missing children whose whereabouts could be discovered through basic information on federal tax returns has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is currently barred from sharing taxpayer information with local law enforcement officials even though, in many cases, the IRS may have information a… Continue Reading
08.01.12
Leahy: Domestic Violence Victims Deserve Action Now
(Wednesday, August 1, 2012) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the lead author of the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, spoke on the Senate floor Wednesday about the importance of renewing the program's charter. While the Senate, in a strong bipartisan vote, approved the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act in April, the House Republican leadership has refused to take up a companion measure, despite a number of House Republicans urging its consideration. Instead, Speake… Continue Reading
08.01.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Discovery Of The Spiny Water Flea’s Arrival In New York’s Lake George
"News that the spiny water flea has reached Lake George is disturbing and tells us that timely action is crucial in making every possible effort to stop the spread of invasive species to Lake Champlain. I have previously directed funds to Lake George to combat invasive species and I will do everything that I can to help New York address this latest challenge. "With the water flea now in Lake George, the practicality of intercepting its spread through the Champlain Canal may have changed. I wi… Continue Reading
08.01.12
Vt. Non-Profit Wins $2.8 Million Grant To Help Low-Income Vt. Seniors Find Jobs
, August 1st - A Vermont non-profit has won a $2,865,734 U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) grant provided through the Older Americans Act's Senior Community Service Employment Program, to help train and place low-income Vermonters - aged 55 and older - in jobs around the state, Vermont's congressional delegation - Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch - announced today. The grant - part of $260 million in nationwide awards - will go to Vermont Associates for Training and Dev… Continue Reading
08.01.12
Leahy Chairs Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Rising Prison Costs
(Wednesday, August 1, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing this morning on rising prison costs and the effect on Federal, state and local budgets. Leahy is the author of the Second Chance Act, authorizing grants to local governments and organizations to help provide literacy classes, job training, education programs and substance abuse and rehabilitation programs for inmates. Testimony, member statements, and a webcast of today's hearing… Continue Reading
07.31.12
Leahy, Grassley Introduce Legislation To Protect Whistleblowers In Criminal Antitrust Cases
(Tuesday, July 31, 2012) -U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation today to extend whistleblower protection for employees who provide information to the Department of Justice related to criminal antitrust violations. Leahy and Grassley have long worked together on legislative priorities that protect whistleblowers. The Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act is based on recommendation… Continue Reading
07.31.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Approval By The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee Of A One-Year Air Force Structure Freeze
[Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has led, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Senate efforts to reject the Air Force's initial budget proposal for reducing the force structure of the Air National Guard. Leahy is the longtime co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus and is number two in seniority on the Appropriations Committee and on its Defense Subcommittee.] "I have been working closely with Chairman Inouye on this issue and was pleased that we were able to include full funding for the Air Gua… Continue Reading
07.31.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Reauthorizing The Violence Against Women Act
"The Senate's bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act will protect all victims of domestic and sexual violence. I remain committed - as I have been since I introduced this bipartisan bill last year - to passing a bill that protects all victims. Time is running out to come together to pass this legislation. We should ensure the Senate-passed lifesaving protections are available to each and every victim. The House Republican leadership made a mistake when it did not take up the b… Continue Reading
07.31.12
Leahy Files Amendments To Address Digital Privacy Provisions In Cybersecurity Bill
(Tuesday, July 31) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a champion of protecting individual privacy and promoting American innovation, has filed several amendments to the Cybersecurity Act, now on the Senate Floor, that will address privacy issues in the legislation. One of Leahy's amendments underscores the usefulness of an approach used by Norwich University to simulate cyber threats. Leahy has filed four amendments to the bill to enhance the privacy protections for A… Continue Reading
07.31.12
Vermont Tops Nation In Health Insurance Rebates
, July 31 - More than 4,600 Vermonters are due an average $807 rebate on their health insurance premiums by tomorrow under a provision in the new national health care law, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said today. The Vermont average rebate is greater than any other state. In all, 4,636 Vermont policy holders - all covered by CIGNA - are due more than $2.3 million in rebates under the Affordable Care Act, according to the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
07.30.12
Leahy Calls On Senate To Take Up Circuit Court Nominee
(Monday, July 30, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today called on Republicans to drop their blockade of consensus judicial nominees and allow the chamber to debate and vote on the nomination Robert Bacharach of Oklahoma to fill a vacancy on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Bacharach was approved on a voice vote by the Judiciary Committee in June. He enjoys the support of his two home state Senators, and is one of 20 judicial nominees awaiting Senate consider… Continue Reading
07.30.12
Remarks Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Invasive Species And Lake Champlain
Here on the shores of our Great Lake Champlain is just about my favorite place on Earth at the peak of summer. And - looking at the bustle along the waterfront this morning - lots of Vermonters and folks from all over the world agree with me. Today I want to talk about another serious threat that requires strong steps and immediate action, and that is the encroachment of the spiny water flea. This invasive species may not yet have reached the Lake, but it has, we know, now reached the thresho… Continue Reading
07.26.12
Joint Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy And Representative Jim McGovern On The Constitutional/Political Crisis Over The Supreme Court Of El Salvador
"We are encouraged by the commitment by President Funes and representatives of El Salvador's political parties to resolve this crisis expeditiously. We agree with the Department of State that this is a matter to be resolved by Salvadorans through dialogue, and we reaffirm our support for U.S. assistance for El Salvador which addresses a range of mutual interests, from improving law enforcement to combating poverty. "Over the past 30 years, El Salvador has faced many challenges, from civil war… Continue Reading
07.25.12
Leahy Crosses Milestone In Senate History
(WEDNESDAY, July 25) -- Vermont's U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D) late Wednesday crossed a milestone in his tenure and in Senate history as he cast his 14,000th roll call vote. Only six other senators in history have ever met that mark and Leahy is one of the youngest to reach it. The number of votes Leahy has cast surpasses those logged by any other sitting senator except for Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who joined the Senate in 1963. Leahy joined the Senate in 1975. The vote milestone was… Continue Reading
07.25.12
Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy As Senate Passes Middle Class Tax Relief Act
[On Wednesday evening, the U.S. Senate voted on competing Democratic and Republican plans to extend a variety of tax cuts set to expire in January. The Democratic bill would continue tax cuts through 2013 for everyone but individuals earning more than $200,000 annually and couples making more than $250,000. The Republican bill would extend more tax breaks to the highest earners and raise taxes on 25 million middle-class households while adding nearly $1 trillion more to the national debt. Ton… Continue Reading
