Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement At Nominations Hearing
Today the Senate Committee on the Judiciary will hear from six more of President Obama's judicial nominees. I thank Senator Sessions for working with me to schedule this hearing and to work to include these nominees. We meet today while the Federal Government and most of the city remains shut down in the wake of a blizzard and record snow falls for this area. I commend Senator Klobuchar for chairing and Senator Sessions for serving as the ranking Republican at this hearing. The nominees b… Continue Reading
02.09.10
Senate Confirms Third Circuit Nominee
The Senate Tuesday night unanimously confirmed Judge Joseph Greenaway to a seat on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The nomination, pending before the Senate for more than four months, is just the fifth circuit court nomination confirmed this Congress. The final vote was 84-0. Greenaway first appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing on September 9. The Judiciary Committee unanimously reported the nomination to the full Senate on October 1. Senate Judiciary Commi… Continue Reading
02.09.10
Leahy: Citizens United Decision Has Invited Foreign Influence Over Our Political Process
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday spoke briefly on the Senate Floor about the Supreme Court's decision last month in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision last month that reversed long-standing precedent and declared government restrictions on corporate independent expenditures on elections to be unconstitutional in violation of the First Amendment. Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),Chairman, Sen… Continue Reading
02.09.10
Vilsack Names 5 Vermonters, Nominated By Leahy, To USDA's Farm Service Agency State Committee
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced the five Obama Administration appointees to USDA's Farm Service Agency State Committee in Vermont - the advisory body that will guide the work of USDA's Farm Service Agency in Vermont in implementing agriculture conservation, loan, disaster relief, and financial programs, resolving appeals from Vermont's farm community, and informing producers about Farm Service Agency programs. The five Vermonters were recommended to Vilsack by U.S… Continue Reading
02.05.10
Comment On The President’s Appointment Of A Council Of Governors (Including Governor Douglas as Co-Chair) To Implement Leahy’s National Guard Empowerment Act
[Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairs the Senate National Guard Caucus (Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., is the Republican co-chair). Leahy is the author and chief sponsor of the Guard Empowerment Act, signed into law in 2007. The Leahy legislation, among other steps, directs the President to appoint a bipartisan Council of Governors to advise on Guard issues. Governor Douglas of Vermont has been appointed co-chair of the Council.] "I commend President Obama for this step in implementing the Guard … Continue Reading
02.05.10
Passport Center Could Be Huge Boost To City
The City of St. Albans will be home to the only non-metropolitan passport agency in America. There is a single reason why: Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The passport center will be located on South Main Street, where the Post Office used to be. The 6,500 square foot center is being remodeled to the tune of between $1 million and $3 million. It's expected to employ just shy of 20 people and to be open no later than October of this year. Hopefully, much sooner. The next closest passport agency is in… Continue Reading
02.05.10
Senatorial Quiz, Via Webcam
BARRE - Who says you can't be in two places at once? Sen. Patrick Leahy was on Thursday and so were nearly 40 sixth-graders at Barre City Elementary and Middle School. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, Vermont's senior senator had the opportunity to play are you smarter than a 6th-grader during a noontime break in the nation's capital. He passed with flying colors. Of course it wasn't a particularly tough test for Leahy, whose familiar face was beamed into Susan Connolly's classroom… Continue Reading
02.04.10
Statement At Hearing On The Comcast/NBC Universal Merger: What Does The Future Hold For Competition And Consumers?
Today, the Antitrust Subcommittee examines the competitive impact of Comcast's proposed acquisition of NBC Universal. This acquisition would combine the Nation's largest cable company with one of the leading television and film content owners, and has significant implications for the media industry. I thank Senator Kohl and Senator Hatch for holding this important hearing. Over the years, the media industry has consistently found innovative ways to provide viewers with an enhanced televis… Continue Reading
02.04.10
Barre City Elementary & Middle School
On February 4, 2010 Senator Leahy conducted his first online chat with 6th grade social studies students of Barre City Elementary and Middle School. Students asked a variety of questions about a variety of topics including Senator Leahy's childhood, what inspired him to become a United States Senator and his favorite part of his job. They also discussed Senator Leahy's role in the movie The Dark Knight and his personal favorite sports teams and foods.… Continue Reading
02.04.10
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Vermont Nurses Volunteering in Haiti
MR. LEAHY. Mr. President, on January 22nd, I spoke in this chamber about the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th, and the unprecedented devastation it caused. We now know that an estimated three million people have been affected, including some 700,000 people displaced from Port-au-Prince and living under plastic or other makeshift shelter, and as many as 200,000 may have died. Tens of thousands have suffered injuries, including many whose limbs were amputated. Hundreds of t… Continue Reading
02.04.10
Judiciary Committee Advances Four Nominations
The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday advanced four nominations to the full Senate for consideration. The Committee recessed after nearly two hours of debate. Six nominations, including four judicial nominations, were not considered by the Committee, and will be debated at the panel's next meeting. Two judicial nominations and two executive nominations were reported by the Committee: Edward M. Chen to be a district judge for the Northern District of California; Louis B. Butler, Jr., … Continue Reading
02.03.10
Delegation Receives Response Letter From NRC Chairman
(WEDNESDAY, February 3, 2010) - The Vermont congressional delegation received a letter on Tuesday from Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko in response to delegation letters on January 15 and 22, 2010. The letter can be viewed at the right (PDF) and the full text is below: February 2, 2010 On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letters of January 15 and 22, 2010, regarding the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Brattle… Continue Reading
02.03.10
Leahy Responds To Request For Justice Department Oversight Hearing
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) responded quickly Wednesday to a letter from Committee Republicans requesting a hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder. Leahy began working with the Attorney General earlier this year to schedule a hearing date. "I have continued in this Congress to conduct the oversight efforts I have always conducted during my chairmanship, whether the administration is Republican or Democratic. I have…been working with the Departmen… Continue Reading
02.02.10
Comment On ABA Report On Immigration Court Reform
"I have long been concerned with the quality of adjudication of cases in immigration courts. In recent years, we also discovered an alarming level of politicization in the hiring of immigration judges and the so-called 'streamlining' of administrative appeals. Federal circuit court judges have issued opinion after opinion admonishing the lower, administrative courts for poorly reasoned decisions, and in some cases, for the failure to issue an opinion at all. With caseloads that are eve… Continue Reading
02.02.10
Leahy Introduces Bill To Hold American Contractors Overseas Accountable Under U.S. Law
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Tuesday introduced legislation to ensure accountability under U.S. law for American contractors and employees working abroad. The Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (CEJA) will close a gap in current law to make certain that American government employees and contractors are not immune from prosecution for crimes committed overseas. The legislation follows Leahy's efforts in previous Congresses to provide for prosecution of violations of U.S. law … Continue Reading
02.02.10
Comment On Trying Detainees In Federal Courts And Military Commissions
"Federal courts have proven time and again that they are capable of handling terrorism cases. They have successfully tried hundreds of terrorism cases, and nearly 350 terrorists are being held securely in our federal prisons today. In stark contrast to that record, very few of the detainees held at Guantanamo Bay have been brought to justice through military commissions. I believe strongly in letting the Justice Department make prosecutorial decisions, and I support this administration'… Continue Reading
02.02.10
Comments On The President’s Proposal During A Visit To New Hampshire For A New Small Business Lending Fund
[In Nashua, N.H., President Obama Tuesday asked Congress to create a new Small Business Lending Fund. Under his proposal, $30 billion in TARP funds (Troubled Asset Relief Program, enacted by Congress and the Bush Administration late in 2008), would be transferred, through new legislation, to a new program outside of TARP to support small business lending. This new program complements other SBA lending initiatives the President has already announced - including support for higher SBA loan… Continue Reading
02.02.10
Leahy, Lugar Introduce Return Of Talent Act
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) today introduced legislation to provide an exception to the continued physical presence requirement for Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who assist the U.S. government and United Nations in crises abroad. "Our values are reflected in this bill, which will encourage immigrants with critical skills to assist their home nations with reconstruction projects after natural disaster or conflict," said Leahy. "Like the Refugee Opportunity … Continue Reading
02.01.10
Statement On The Republican Filibuster Of The Nomination Of Patricia Smith To Be Solicitor General For The Department Of Labor
Today, the Senate will try to end yet another Republican filibuster and invoke cloture on the nomination of Patricia Smith to be Solicitor General for the Department of Labor. This is the 15th filibuster against President Obama's nominees. Commissioner Smith is a well-qualified nominee who has decades of experience working on labor issues, and a strong record as Labor Commissioner for the State of New York. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on her no… Continue Reading
01.29.10
Vermont Senators to Welcome Agriculture Secretary to Vermont
Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will visit Vermont on Saturday, February 13, 2010. The senators will host the secretary at a series of events in Burlington and St. Albans. Sanders invited the secretary to Vermont and will chair a dairy town meeting at the Burlington Hilton. Leahy will join Sanders and Vilsack on the town meeting panel. Sanders will also host Vilsack as the keynote speaker at … Continue Reading
