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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Vermont Delegation Announces Infusion Of Capital For Nonprofit Lenders In Vermont
(Thursday, Aug.19) - U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch Thursday announced that four Vermont nonprofit organizations will receive an infusion of $2.3 million in capital to make loans and provide technical assistance to small businesses, day cares, nonprofit affordable housing developers and first time home buyers. Vermont's congressional delegation said the U.S. Department of Treasury's Community Development Financial Institution Fund (CDFI) is awarding the … Continue Reading
08.19.10
Leahy Says New Navigation Systems At Rutland Regional Airport Will Make Area Travel Safer And More Reliable
NORTH CLARENDON, Vt. (Thursday, Aug.19) - During a news conference highlighting successes at the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport Thursday afternoon, Senator Patrick Leahy told Rutland area leaders and airport officials that he and Congressman Peter Welch have secured a new $925,000 federal appropriation to install an Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport that will make coming and going at the airport safer and more reliable. Leahy, Welch, the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerc… Continue Reading
08.18.10
Vermont Delegation Announces $5.5 Million Award To Bring Faster Broadband To Rural Waitsfield Champlain Valley Telecom Customers
(WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18) - U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch said that a $5.5 million stimulus broadband grant and loan package to Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, announced today (Wednesday), will help connect their most rural and remote customers to high speed fiber optic internet access. Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday was joined by representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and of the U.S. Departme… Continue Reading
08.12.10
Leahy Announces $200,000 For Workforce Housing And Smart Growth In Randolph
RANDOLPH, Vt. (Thurs., August 12) -Senator Patrick Leahy Thursday told representatives of the Randolph Area Community Development Corporation (RACDC), Randolph town and state elected officials, and RACDC development partners that he has secured $200,000 in federal funds to help with the development of workforce housing in downtown Randolph. The mixed-income, rental and home ownership development known as Salisbury Square will repurpose an abandoned former Randolph Ethan Allen plant site to prov… Continue Reading
08.12.10
Applied Research Associates of Randolph Is Awarded $10.6 Million In Contracts To Produce Demining Vehicle And Deliver Smart Sensors
RANDOLPH, Vt. (Thursday, August 12) - During a visit to Applied Research Associates (ARA) Vertek Division Thursday, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy announced the firm has been awarded two separate contracts totaling $10.6 million from the U.S. Army to continue developing demining vehicles and to manufacture a next generation ground sensor. Leahy told a group of gathered ARA employees that he had secured a $4.72 million contract for ARA to continue work with the U.S. Army on a landmine and unexploded o… Continue Reading
08.11.10
Vermont Schools To Receive $25 Million More For Education Jobs
BURLINGTON, Vt., August 11 - Vermont schools are in line for another infusion of nearly $25.5 million in economic recovery funds, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today. The funds authorized by last year's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are in addition to an estimated $19 million included for Vermont schools in new legislation signed Tuesday by President Obama. That separate support for schools is expected to fund 300 Vermont … Continue Reading
08.10.10
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Signing Of The Securing The Protection Of Our Enduring And Established Constitutional Heritage Act
On Tuesday, August 10, President Obama signed into law legislation co-authored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to protect American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits that undermine the First Amendment. The freedoms of speech and the press are cornerstones of our democracy. The SPEECH Act is the product of hard work and extensive negotiations on both sides of the aisle. Foreign libel lawsuits threaten the free flow of information in … Continue Reading
08.10.10
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy On Final Passage Of The Health/Education Jobs Bill
(Bill Passed The House 247-161 Tuesday Afternoon) Bill Now Goes To President For Signing I am pleased that in a rare emergency session, the House has joined the Senate in passing this bill to save teaching jobs and to extend supplemental Medicaid payments to states. It is easy to see why this bill has been one of Vermont's highest priorities in the Congress. This is a timely influx of education dollars for Vermont, coming just as schools throughout Vermont are facing tough cuts in the two up… Continue Reading
08.10.10
Comment Of Senator Leahy On The Death Of Former Senator Ted Stevens Of Alaska
Ted Stevens loved his state, he loved his country and served it in uniform and in other ways from World War II on, and he loved the Senate. I worked with him for 34 years on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and we traveled together to Alaska and overseas, visiting our men and women in uniform. He was a tough negotiator and a savvy legislator. But as I told him again last month, he was an old-school senator. He always kept his word to me and to other senators. In moments of legislative b… Continue Reading
08.06.10
Senate Votes To Revamp School Lunch Program To Counter Child Obesity And Promote Healthier Meals
(FRI./SAT./SUN., Aug. 6-8) - Before ending its summer session, the U.S. Senate on Aug. 5 unanimously approved sweeping changes in the school lunch program, including an expansion of an effort led by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to multiply links between local farms and school lunch counters. The fully paid for, bipartisan $4.5 billion childhood nutrition bill, which will be conferenced with a counterpart bill nearing action in the House, will renew and expand federal support for school lunch p… Continue Reading
08.05.10
Senate Confirms Kagan To Be Associate Justice
(Thursday, August 5) - The Senate confirmed Elena Kagan to become the 112th Justice of the United States Supreme Court by a bipartisan vote of 63-37. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who presided over the confirmation proceedings on the nomination, made the following statement before the vote. Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee On The Nomination Of Solicitor General Elena Kagan To Be An Associate Justice Of The United S… Continue Reading
08.05.10
Senate Passes Emergency Funds For Schools, Health Care
, August 5 - The Senate today approved a bill to save the jobs of tens of thousands of public school teachers and boost Medicaid payments to states. The measure includes $19 million for Vermont schools and some $40 million will go to the state for health care. The Senate vote was 61 to 39. The bill now goes back to the House, which next week is expected to send the bill to President Obama. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said, "These emergency health and education funds are one of Vermont's top pri… Continue Reading
08.05.10
Senators Leahy, Cornyn, Kaufman, and Grassley Introduce Bill To Strike SEC FOIA Exemptions
(Thursday, August 5, 2010) - Leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday introduced legislation to strike Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemptions for the Securities and Exchange Commission that were included in the recently enacted Wall Street Reform bill. The bipartisan legislation is sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The bill introduced Thursday will eliminate the FOIA exemption for certa… Continue Reading
08.04.10
Further Remarks Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of Elena Kagan To Be An Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court
During the three months that this nomination has been pending, Senators have made many statements about Solicitor General Elena Kagan. I begin today by commending the 23 Senators who came to the floor yesterday to make supportive statements. They were outstanding in describing the qualifications of a nominee who should be confirmed with a strong bipartisan majority. I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of Senator Klobuchar. She spoke eloquently, organized a group of Sen… Continue Reading
08.04.10
Senate Votes For Schools, Health Care
, August 4 - In a crucial showdown vote, the U.S. Senate today advanced a bill to preserve the jobs of teachers and extend emergency Medicaid payments to states. In Vermont, the measure includes $19 million for teachers and $30 million to $40 million for health care. Winning approval of the relief funds for Vermont has been a high priority of Vermont's congressional delegation and the state of Vermont. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said, "During the economic downturn, more Vermonters have relied … Continue Reading
08.04.10
Vermont Delegation Announces $116 Million Grant And Loan To Bring Wireless Broadband To Unserved Vermonters
(WEDNESDAY, August 4) - The Vermont Congressional Delegation -- U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Congressman Peter Welch (D) -- called Wednesday's U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement of a more than $81 million broadband stimulus grant and a $35 million government backed loan to Springfield-based Vermont Telephone Company (VTel) a "game changer" for Vermonters who so far have been left behind on access to high-speed Internet. VTel President Michel … Continue Reading
08.03.10
Vermont Delegation Announces Northern Border Regional Commission Funding Opportunities
, August 3 - Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Tuesday announced that the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is accepting applications for $1.3 million worth of federal assistance. Created and funded by Congress, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership devoted to economic development in the northernmost regions of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. Today's announcement marks the first time the NBRC, which was first funded la… Continue Reading
08.03.10
Senate Begins Debate On Kagan Nomination
(Tuesday, August 3, 2010) - The Senate Tuesday morning began debate on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who presided over the confirmation hearings on the nomination, opened the debate. "During her confirmation hearing, Solicitor General Kagan reflected an understanding of the judicial role and a traditional view of deference to Congress and judicia… Continue Reading
08.03.10
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of Elena Kagan To Be An Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court (Full Text)
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Nomination Of Elena Kagan To Be An Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court Of The United States August 3, 2010 More than 12 weeks ago, President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. When the President announced his choice on May 10, he talked about her legal mind, her intellect, her record of achievement, her tem… Continue Reading
08.02.10
Comment Of Senator Leahy On FOIA Exemptions For The Securities And Exchange Commission
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On FOIA Exemptions For The Securities And Exchange Commission August 2, 2010 "The Freedom of Information Act is our nation's premier open government law, and a powerful guardian of the public's right to know. The Wall Street reform bill that has now become law makes great strides toward enhancing transparency in our financial system. However, I am concerned that an overly broad Freedom of Information Act exemption… Continue Reading
