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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Military Says Law Barring U.S. Aid to Rights Violators Hurts Training Mission
New York Times article (6/21/13), "Military Says Law Barring U.S. Aid To Rights Violators Hurts Training Mission," on the Pentagon's challenge to the longstanding Leahy Amendment, the U.S. government's key human rights tool, first enacted in 1997 and made permanent in subsequent years.… Continue Reading
06.20.13
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Expected Nomination Of James Comey To Be The Director Of The FBI
"I congratulate James Comey, the expected nominee to be the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Comey showed the kind of independence needed to lead the FBI when he stood up to those in the last administration who sought to violate the rule of law. I hope that Senators will provide Mr. Comey with the swift and respectful confirmation he deserves. "I also congratulate Director Mueller for his unprecedented tenure at the FBI. He led the Bureau during an era of daunting n… Continue Reading
06.20.13
Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To House Defeat Of The Farm Bill
House Republican leaders again have chosen to hypercharge the Farm Bill with partisanship. They have trumped practicality with ideology, at the expense of farmers and consumers and millions of families who constantly struggle to keep hunger and malnutrition at bay. The Farm Bill that came out of the House Agriculture Committee was a bipartisan bill that had the support of Republicans and some of the committee's Democrats, even with the heavy cuts to the nutrition programs. That support quickl… Continue Reading
06.20.13
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Supreme Court’s Decision In Agency For International Development v. Alliance For Open Society International
[The Supreme Court ruled 6-2 Thursday that a policy of the United States Agency for International Development requiring private health organizations to denounce prostitution as a condition of receiving U.S. government assistance violates the First Amendment. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined an amicus brief in the case that argued the policy could not be constitutionally justified, and he has previously stated that private organizations need flexibility to effectively combat HIV/AIDS.] "The… Continue Reading
06.20.13
#CIRfloor: Manager's Amendment Will Allow Consideration Of Non-Controversial Amendments So That Debate May Proceed
From The Senate Judiciary Committee Majority Staff S. 744: The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Manager's Amendment Will Allow Consideration of Non-Controversial Amendments so that Debate May Proceed This morning, Chairman Leahy filed a Manager's Amendment that contains 27 non-controversial amendments filed by Republican and Democratic Senators. He urged Senators to agree to vote on this amendment so that orderly consideration of amendments may proceed. … Continue Reading
06.20.13
Leahy Urges FTC To Act Against Patent Trolls
(Thursday, June 20, 2013) -Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday urged the Federal Trade Commission to more aggressively pursue enforcement actions against patent trolls under its existing consumer protection authority and create a website for small businesses to report abuse. The letter follows a hearing in April in which Chairman Leahy asked Chairwoman Ramirez about the FTC's authority to prevent abusive behavior. In a letter to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, Lea… Continue Reading
06.20.13
#CIRfloor: Senators Must Come Together To Consider Amendments & Pass Historic Immigration Legislation
FROM THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MAJORITY STAFF S. 744: THE BORDER SECURITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND IMMIGRATION MODERNIZATION ACT Senators Must Come Together to Consider Amendments & Pass This Historic Bill "I worked with President Bush in 2006 when he supported comprehensive immigration reform. I urge Senate Republicans to work with us now. Senators from both sides of the aisle worked together to develop this legislation. Then Senators from the Judiciary Committee considered i… Continue Reading
06.19.13
#CIRfloor: Comprehensive Immigration Reform Will Grow & Strengthen Our Economy
From The Senate Judiciary Committee Majority Staff S. 744: The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act CBO Report Shows That Comprehensive Immigration Reform Will Grow and Strengthen Our Economy The Congressional Budget Office Tuesday night released its analysis of S.744, the Border Security and Economic Opportunity Immigration Modernization Act. It concluded that S.744 would decrease federal budget deficits by $197 billion over the 2014-2023 period, and b… Continue Reading
06.19.13
Leahy Chairs SJC Oversight Hearing With FBI Director Mueller
(Wednesday, June 19, 2013) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is chairing a hearing this morning on oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Director Robert Mueller 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 Federal Bureau Of Investigation June 19, 2013 Today, the Judiciary Commit… Continue Reading
06.19.13
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Congressional Budget Office Estimate For The Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, S. 744
"The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has confirmed what supporters of comprehensive immigration reform have long understood-that reforming our Nation's broken immigration system makes economic sense. I welcome CBO's report today that confirms testimony that the Senate Judiciary Committee received months ago from economic experts and business leaders. The bipartisan immigration reform legislation before the Senate will spur the economy and reduce our deficit, and CBO's positive report t… Continue Reading
06.18.13
Leahy Calls On Senators To File Amendments To Immigration Reform Bill
(Tuesday, June 18, 2013) -Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called on lawmakers Tuesday to allow the Senate to consider and vote on amendments to the comprehensive immigration bill that has been the topic of debate on the Senate floor since last week. More than 130 amendments have been filed to the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, yet the Senate has dispensed with just one, and will consider only a small handful of amendments later Tuesd… Continue Reading
06.18.13
#CIRfloor: The Time Is Now To Pass Comprehensive, Smart Immigration Reform
From The Senate Judiciary Committee Majority Staff S. 744: The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization The Time Is Now To Pass Comprehensive, Smart Immigration Reform The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act will reform the nation's immigration laws for the first time in a generation. For nearly a decade, lawmakers from both parties have acknowledged that this outdated system must be updated for the 21st Century. Last week, 84 Sen… Continue Reading
06.18.13
Leahy, Sanders, Welch: REAP Zone Designation Nets NEK Nearly $1 M. To Create Jobs And Economic Opportunities
MONTPELIER, Vt. - U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Peter Welch announced Tuesday that a special designation secured by Leahy in the last Farm Bill has brought $930,398 of United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) grants aimed at job creation to organizations in the Northeast Kingdom. The grants, known as Rural Business Enterprise Grants, will help eight nonprofit organizations across Orleans and Caledonia Counties partner with private bu… Continue Reading
06.17.13
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Nominations of Judge Luis Restrepo and Kenneth Gonzales
Last week the Senate failed to complete action on one of the three nominations pending for vacancies in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Even though Senate Democrats had expedited three of President Bush's nominees to that court, confirming them all by voice vote just one day after they had been reported by the Judiciary Committee, Senate Republicans refused to do the same for President Obama's nominees. They refused even though all three had the bipartisan support of their home state Sen… Continue Reading
06.17.13
D.C. Circuit Court Nominees To Appear Before SJC Next Month
[Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Monday that the Judiciary Committee will next month begin confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama's nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court is currently one-third vacant, and earlier this month the President nominated Patricia Millett, Nina Pillard, and Judge Robert Wilkins to fill the open seats.] Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Recent Nominations to the Circuit Court of… Continue Reading
06.17.13
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Supreme Court’s Decision In Alleyne v. United States
The Supreme Court ruled today in Alleyne v. United States that facts underlying a mandatory minimum sentence must be proved to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Previously, these sentences could be imposed using a much lower standard of proof and without a jury finding. The Court's decision overrules prior case law that allowed severe mandatory sentences to be imposed based on this lower standard. Justice Thomas, in his opinion for the majority, concluded that this practice violated the Sixth… Continue Reading
06.17.13
Leahy: Vulnerable Populations Must Be Protected
Vital safety net programs that protect immigrant women and children should not be stripped during the Senate's consideration of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Monday. Some lawmakers are seeking to deny or significantly delay protections currently in the bipartisan legislation that would help individuals who will apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant status, but Leahy said such protections … Continue Reading
06.17.13
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Supreme Court Decision On Reverse Patent Settlements
The Supreme Court issued a 5-3 decision Monday in the case FTC v. Actavis. The Court reversed the Eleventh Circuit's decision, which had held that so-called "reverse-payment settlements" are immune from antitrust challenge if the anticompetitive effects fall within the scope of the patent term. "In early 2007, I chaired a hearing raising concerns about reverse-payment settlements between brand-name and generic pharmaceutical companies that are harming consumers and raising health care costs.… Continue Reading
06.13.13
Leahy Statement On ATF Nominee
(Thursday, June 13, 2013) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) entered the following statement into the Record Thursday regarding the nomination of B. Todd Jones to serve as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Jones was nominated to the post in January and appeared before the Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing this week. # # # # # Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the… Continue Reading
06.13.13
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Nominations of Judge Nitza Quiñones Alejandro and Judge Jeffrey Schmehl
There are currently three nominations pending for vacancies in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. All three of these nominees have the bipartisan support of their home state Senators, Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican Senator Pat Toomey. All three were reported unanimously by the Judiciary Committee three months ago. Yet Senate Republicans are permitting votes on only two of them. They are forcing Judge Luis Restrepo to continue to wait for a vote, even though he would fill a se… Continue Reading
