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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012
Today, I am pleased to join Senator Franken to introduce the Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012. This important legislation will respond to the Supreme Court's decision in Wal-Mart v. Dukes, and restore women's ability to challenge discrimination in the workplace. Today marks the one year anniversary of that case-where just five Justices disqualified the claims of 1.5 million women who had spent nearly a decade seeking justice for sex discrimination by their employer, Wal-Mar… Continue Reading
06.19.12
Leahy, Sanders, Welch: Vermont Nets Nearly $8 Million To Complete Rail Upgrades From St. Albans To Canadian Border
(TUESDAY, June 19) - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced that Vermont will receive a $7.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to upgrade the New England Central Railroad in northern Vermont. The federal grant will be used to rehabilitate 19 miles of track between St. Albans and the Canadian border in Alburgh with new rail, ballast and ties, and to make structural and deck repairs on six bridges. By achievi… Continue Reading
06.19.12
Senators Seek Public Access To Historic Supreme Court Ruling
(Tuesday, June 19, 2012) - Senators Chuck Grassley and Patrick Leahy have asked Chief Justice John Roberts to consider live television coverage of proceedings when the Supreme Court delivers its ruling on the 2010 health care law, which is expected this month. Leahy and Grassley, who serve as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made their request in a letter sent Monday. Both senators are longtime advocates of allowing broadcast coverage of federal court proceedin… Continue Reading
06.18.12
Statement Of Senator Leahy On The Lewis Nomination And On Lewis Nomination And Obstruction In The Senate
(Monday, June 18, 2012) - The Senate will vote tonight at 5:30 p.m. on the nomination of Mary Geiger Lewis to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina. The nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and spoke on the Senate floor today about the nomination. Leahy's full statement can be read on his website.] # # # # # Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, … Continue Reading
06.18.12
Remarks Of Senator Patrick Leahy At The Opening Of The Burlington Community Health Center
Others have delved into the rich history of the health center, its origins as a true outgrowth of the community with a mission of those who needed its services, regardless of ability to pay. From my days as States Attorney, I remember the Center's first home on North Street. Since those days, I have been proud to see the Center receive its designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center, to have helped find funding to help the Center after it outgrew current spaces, secured the resources… Continue Reading
06.15.12
Senator Leahy: Egypt’s Rulers Are Throwing The Transition Into Question
(FRIDAY, June 15) -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is the author of the new conditions on U.S. military aid to Egypt. Secretary Clinton earlier this year invoked the Leahy law's waiver authority to allow military aid to resume, but contract-by-contract decisions are ongoing. Leahy chairs the budget committee for the State Department and foreign aid and operations - the Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations. On Friday he commented on the new dev… Continue Reading
06.15.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On DHS Deferred Action Policy For Certain Noncitizens
"I commend Secretary Napolitano for exercising the discretion available to her by law in the deportation of young people. These youths - brought to the United States as children - enrich our culture, support our communities, contribute to our economy and serve our nation ably as members of our Armed Forces. President Obama and Secretary Napolitano should be praised for embracing this temporary relief for qualified young people, brought here through no fault of their own. In many cases this is… Continue Reading
06.14.12
Statement Of Senator Leahy On The Assault On Freedom Of The Press In Ethiopia
Mr. Leahy. Mr. President, later this month, I and other Members of Congress will be watching what happens in a courtroom 7,000 miles from Washington, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. That is where a journalist named Eskinder Nega stands accused of supporting terrorism simply for refusing to remain silent about the Ethiopian government's increasingly authoritarian drift. The trial is finished, and a verdict is expected on June 21. Eskinder Nega is not alone. Since 2011, the Ethiopian government ha… Continue Reading
06.14.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Republican Opposition To Consensus Nominees
[On Wednesday, Senate Republicans announced they are invoking the so-called "Thurmond Rule" and will not allow further votes on the President's circuit court nominees this year, despite continued high vacancies and consensus bipartisan nominees reported by the Judiciary Committee and awaiting consideration on the Senate calendar.] "This shutdown is consistent with what the partisan Senate Republican leadership did in 1996 and again at the end of President Clinton's presidency, and can be contr… Continue Reading
06.12.12
Leahy Releases Bipartisan Senate Letter: House Should Set Up-Or-Down Vote On Senate’s Consensus VAWA Bill To Support ALL Victims Of Violence
(TUESDAY, June 12)- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the lead author of the Senate's Violence Against Women Act, sent a bipartisan letter with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) Tuesday to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), urging him to bring up the Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act. This landmark law has been at the foundation of the nation's response to domestic and sexual violence since 1994, and the Senate's bipartisan reauthorization measure is based on months of work with survivors,… Continue Reading
06.12.12
Statement Of Senator Leahy On The Nomination Of Andrew D. Hurwitz To The Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals
Last night the Senate voted to end the Republican filibuster of this outstanding nominee. For the 28th time since President Obama was elected, the Majority Leader was forced to file cloture to get an up-or-down vote on one of President Obama's judicial nominations. Justice Hurwitz is not a nominee who should have been filibustered. With the support of Senator Kyl, the partisan effort to stall yet another judicial nomination was defeated. I thank Senator Kyl and the Republican Senators who ha… Continue Reading
06.12.12
Leahy Chairs Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing With Attorney General Eric Holder
(Tuesday, June 12, 2012) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing this morning on oversight of the Department of Justice. Attorney General Eric Holder is testifying before the panel. 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 of the Department Of Justice June 12, 2012 I welcome our Attorney General Holder b… Continue Reading
06.11.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of Andrew D. Hurwitz To The Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals
(Monday, June 11, 2012) - The Senate will vote tonight at 5:30 p.m. on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Andrew D. Hurwitz to be a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and spoke on the Senate floor today about the nomination. Leahy's full statement can be read on his website.] # # # # # Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D… Continue Reading
06.08.12
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Attorney General Holder’s Appointment Of Two Special Prosecutors To Investigate Alleged White House Leaks
"I agree with the Attorney General. He and I discussed this today and I am pleased he has picked strong, capable, independent prosecutors for the investigation. The Department's consultation with the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees aids congressional oversight."… Continue Reading
06.08.12
Five Vermont Airports To Receive $1.2 Million
(FRIDAY, June 8) -- Five Vermont airports are in line for $1.2 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds to conduct repairs and enhancements, the state's congressional delegation - Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch - announced today. The funds will be shared among Burlington International Airport, Middlebury State Airport, Rutland/Southern Vermont Regional Airport, Caledonia County Airport (Lyndonville) and William H. Morse State Airport (Bennington). In… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy As Senate Nears Debate On The 2012 Farm Bill
The Senate is about to turn its attention to one of the most significant legislative issues on our agenda this year, consideration of the 2012 Farm Bill. I would first like to thank the Chairwoman, Senator Stabenow, and ranking member, Senator Roberts, for working together in a bipartisan way to advance a Farm Bill -- the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 -- that can pass the Senate and become law this year. As a former Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, and having worked close… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of Jeffrey Helmick
Today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Jeffrey Helmick to fill a judicial emergency vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. I commend Senator Brown and Senator Portman for their diligence in securing a vote on this nomination. Mr. Helmick has the strong bipartisan support of his home state Senators. His nomination was voted out of the Judiciary Committee nearly three months ago by a bipartisan majority. I thank the Majority Leader for his work in bring… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy At A Hearing On Ensuring That Federal Prosecutors Meet Discovery Obligations
Today, as promised, we continue our inquiry into ensuring that Federal prosecutors meet their obligations, whether the defendant is a prominent official or an indigent defendant. We have now seen the results of two separate investigations and two reports into what went wrong during the Stevens trial. I thank Attorney General Holder for making the report of the Department of Justice's internal Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) available to us. We have now made it available to the pub… Continue Reading
06.05.12
Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Senate’s Vote Falling Short Of The Supermajority Needed To End A Filibuster Over The Paycheck Fairness Act
- In a vote of 52 to 47, the U.S. Senate Tuesday afternoon fell short of the 60 votes needed to break a Republican filibuster of the motion to proceed to a debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is a cosponsor of the bill and had helped lead efforts to enact an earlier remedy for wage discrimination against women - the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, the first bill signed into law by President Obama. Following is Leahy's statement after Tuesday's Senate vo… Continue Reading
06.05.12
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Paycheck Fairness Act
The Senate today will vote on the motion to proceed to the Paycheck Fairness Act, at 2:15 p.m. Leahy is a cosponsor of the bill and steered an earlier remedy through Congress and to enactment -- the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which was the first bill signed into law by President Obama. Following is Leahy's statement Tuesday urging a favorable vote to overcome the filibuster that will require a 60 vote supermajority today to proceed to debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act - Today… Continue Reading
