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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Comment Of Senator Leahy On Final Passage Of The Fair Sentencing Act Of 2010
[The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday passed S. 1789, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, to address the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is an original cosponsor of the legislation and a longtime advocate for eliminating the sentencing disparity. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which Leahy chairs, approved the legislation in March, and the Senate unanimously passed the legislation just days later. The bill will now be sent to the Presid… Continue Reading
07.28.10
Statement Of Senator Leahy At Senate Judiciary Committee FBI Oversight Hearing
(Wednesday, July 28, 2010) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy Wednesday morning chaired an oversight hearing of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Director Robert Mueller testified 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 July 28, 2010 Today the Judiciary Committee hears … Continue Reading
07.27.10
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Clean Energy Jobs And Oil Accountability Act
I am pleased that the Senate will consider a commonsense package to respond to the devastating Gulf Coast oil spill and to promote environmental protection and clean energy jobs. This new legislation includes several measures that I and others have promoted in recent months, and which have been the focus of several Senate Judiciary Committee hearings and markups. The Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act includes a provision drawn from the Survivors Equality Act, which I introduced earl… Continue Reading
07.27.10
Leahy Urges Bipartisan Support For Debate, Vote On DISCLOSE Act
(Tuesday, July 27, 2010) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a leading cosponsor of legislation to remedy the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case, urged Senators to support a procedural motion allowing for a debate on the legislation. The Senate Tuesday afternoon will vote on a motion to proceed to the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act (DISCLOSE Act), which would help curtail corporate influence… Continue Reading
07.27.10
Leahy Introduces Bill To Protect Gun Owners In Bankruptcy
(Tuesday, July 27, 2010) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced legislation Tuesday to provide an exemption in the Federal Bankruptcy code for personal firearms. The Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act will ensure that the right to bear arms is not compromised for Americans working to regain their economic well being through the bankruptcy process. Under current federal law, there is no exemption to prevent creditors from seizing personal firearms from debtors. In 2005, Congress defin… Continue Reading
07.27.10
Comment Of Senator Leahy On Final Passage Of The SPEECH Act
The House of Representatives Tuesday approved bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to protect American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits that undermine the First Amendment. The Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act will now be sent to the President to be signed into law. The bill, H.R. 2765, was originally introduced in the House by Congressman Steve Cohe… Continue Reading
07.27.10
Statement Of Senator Leahy On Protecting Victims Of Major Oil Spills
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, "Exxon Valdez To Deepwater Horizon: Protecting Victims Of Major Oil Spills" July 27, 2010 I thank Senator Klobuchar for chairing today's hearing on these important and timely issues. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a tragic reminder of the enormous consequences of irresponsible corporate behavior. The depth of this tragedy is made greater by the fact that it occurred at the hands of a company whose b… Continue Reading
07.22.10
Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Obama Administration’s Decision To Resume Engagement With The Indonesian Special Forces
Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee On The State Department And Foreign Operations, And Author Of The 'Leahy Law' On U.S. Overseas Military Cooperation And Violations Of Human Rights) The Obama Administration's Decision To Resume Engagement With The Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) Thursday, July 22, 2010 "Kopassus has a long history of abuses and remains unrepentant, essentially unreformed, and unaccountable. I deeply regr… Continue Reading
07.21.10
Vermont Department Of Corrections Commissioner Testifies Before Leahy-Chaired Panel
(Wednesday, July 21, 2010) - The Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Corrections testified today before a Senate panel chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). The hearing focused on state and local efforts to help inmates successfully and effectively reintegrate into their communities upon release. Senator Patrick Leahy and Commissioner Andrew Pallito of the Vermont Department of Corrections speak briefly before the start of a Judiciary Committee hearing to examine the efficacy of … Continue Reading
07.21.10
Reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy To The President's Signing Into Law Of The Wall Street Reform Bill
[President Obama Wednesday signed into law an historic financial reform bill aimed at correcting Wall Street excesses that nearly set off a world economic collapse. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) was a Senate conferee in the House-Senate negotiations on the final bill and the author of several key provisions to expand transparency and to counter financial fraud. Following is Leahy's statement after the bill was signed.] This new law is about changing the culture of rampant Wall Street speculat… Continue Reading
07.21.10
Vermont Delegation Introduces Legislation To Expand The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
, July 21 - Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives allowing the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park to acquire Woodstock's King Farm. At the request of the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) and the Woodstock community, the Vermont delegation is seeking to expand the boundaries of the existing park to include the 154-acre King Farm. Doing so will allow VLT to trans… Continue Reading
07.20.10
Senate Republican Leader Objects – Again – To Debating Long-Pending Circuit Court Nomination
(Tuesday, July 20, 2010) - The Senate Republican Leader today objected to a request from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to schedule debate and a vote on a long-pending judicial nomination to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The nomination of Jane Stranch to the federal appeals court for the Sixth Circuit was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee more than eight months ago with bipartisan support, but has languished on the Senate's executive calendar. Today, L… Continue Reading
07.20.10
Comment of Senator Leahy On The Senate's Vote To End The Filibuster To Extend Unemployment Insurance Benefits
In a vote of 60 to 40, the U.S. Senate Tuesday afternoon voted to end the filibuster of a bill to extend unemployment insurance benefits for jobless Americans still struggling to find work in the gradual economic recovery. The vote paves the way for an up-or-down Senate vote on the bill later this week. Senator Patrick Leahy (D), a supporter of the bill, voted to end the filibuster, as did Senator Bernie Sanders (I). Following is the reaction of Senator Leahy: Recovering from the worst econo… Continue Reading
07.20.10
Judiciary Committee Approves Deputy Attorney General Nomination
(Tuesday, July 20, 2010) - The Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday voted to send the nomination of James Cole to be the Deputy Attorney General to the full Senate for consideration. The Deputy Attorney General is the second highest-ranking official in the Justice Department. The position has been vacant since February, when David Ogden stepped down. Cole was nominated by the President in May, and Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) chaired a hearing on the nomination in June. "… Continue Reading
07.20.10
Judiciary Committee Approves Kagan Nomination
(Tuesday, July 20, 2010) - The nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court won approval by a bipartisan majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee during a business meeting Tuesday. The Committee, chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), held a confirmation hearing for Kagan's nomination the week of June 28. The Committee vote was 13-6. Kagan testified before the Judiciary Committee for more than 17 hours over three days, responding to more … Continue Reading
07.19.10
Senate Unanimously Passes Leahy-Sessions Bill To Prevent Enforcement Of Foreign Defamation Judgments
(Monday, July 19, 2010) - The Senate Monday unanimously approved bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to protect American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits that undermine the First Amendment. The Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act will now be sent to the House of Representatives. "The freedoms of speech and the press are cornerstones of our democracy,"… Continue Reading
07.15.10
Reaction of Senator Leahy As Senate Passes Final Wall Street Reform Bill
(THURSDAY, July 15) - In a vote of 60 to 39, the U.S. Senate Thursday afternoon passed and sent to the President's desk an historic reform bill aimed at correcting Wall Street excesses that nearly set off a world economic meltdown. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a Senate conferee during the negotiations on the final bill, voted for the reform package. "These historic reforms will set clear standards and real enforcement - including jail time for executives - to finally curb the fraud, manipula… Continue Reading
07.15.10
Statement On Wall Street Reform Conference Report
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy Wall Street Reform Conference Report July 15, 2010 Mr. President, I strongly support the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Real Reform, Despite Enormous Special Interest Pressures The American people often are cynical, with good reason, about the success that powerful corporate interests have in trumping the interests and rights of everyday Americans, on Wall Street, in Congress and even on our Supreme Court. Backed by mu… Continue Reading
07.13.10
Judiciary Committee Approves Leahy-Sponsored, Bipartisan Bill To Prevent Enforcement Of Foreign Defamation Judgments
The Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to protect American authors, journalists and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits that undermine the First Amendment. The Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage (SPEECH) Act was introduced last month by Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). The SPEECH Act provides protections from foreign libel suits for authors, journalists… Continue Reading
07.13.10
Leahy Announces Support For Kagan Nomination
Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Tuesday that he will support the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on Kagan's nomination, but Committee Republicans invoked a Committee rule to delay the vote for one week. "Solicitor General Kagan demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the law and fidelity to it," Leahy said of Kagan's testimony before the Jud… Continue Reading
