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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Vice Chairman Leahy Statement on Hearing to Review FY 2020 DHS Budget Request
All reasonable observers would agree that our southern border is experiencing a humanitarian crisis that deserves our attention. We are seeing a large number of asylum seekers and migrants - mostly families and unaccompanied children fleeing for their lives - arriving at our border, creating significant strains on our ability to treat all of them humanely and with due process. But a serious crisis demands serious solutions. Acting Secretary McAleenan: I genuinely believe you are here in good fa… Continue Reading
04.30.19
Leahy And Graham Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program
. . . Counterpart House Bill Introduced By Pascrell And King WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, April 30, 2019) - Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), joined by Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and 14 other bipartisan Senate cosponsors, on Tuesday introduced legislation, S. 1231, to permanently reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase lifesavi… Continue Reading
04.28.19
Statement On The Passing Of Former Senator Richard Lugar
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Passing Of Former Senator Richard Lugar Dick Lugar was a great credit to his state and the nation, and to the Senate. He was a pillar of civility whose calm and thoughtful contributions helped shape foreign policy, farm and nutrition policy, and national security policy. It's been said that our partnership in leading the Agriculture Committee has been a model of how the Senate can work, and I will always value our close friendship and what we… Continue Reading
04.18.19
Vermont Farmers Can Now Grow Hemp This Season
Thanks To The Efforts Of Leahy And Tester, Vermont Farmers Can Now Grow Hemp This Season . . . senators successfully push USDA and CBP to allow producers to import hemp seeds from Canada in time for planting season (THURSDAY, April 18, 2019) -- After a weeks-long effort, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) have successfully pushed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow producers in Vermont, Montana and ot… Continue Reading
04.18.19
Comment On Release Of Special Counsel Mueller's Redacted Report
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Release Of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Redacted Report April 18, 2019 Despite the Attorney General's spin and carefully orchestrated press rollout - obviously intended for an audience of one - nothing can hide that this report amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration. Members of the Trump campaign were not simply useful pawns in Russia's attack on our elections. T… Continue Reading
04.17.19
Guest Column: War Legacies And The Expanding U.S.-Vietnam Partnership
Guest Column By Patrick Leahy: War Legacies And The Expanding U.S.-Vietnam Partnership April 17, 2019 [Senator Leahy this week is heading an official bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation of nine senators to Vietnam and to the Korea DMZ, during the current Senate recess. On Wednesday Leahy and the delegation will take part in the official inauguration of a second Agent Orange remediation project in Vietnam. Leahy has led the congressional work in launching and funding the two remediation projects,… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Leahy, Sanders And Welch Announce More Than $20 Million In Affordable Housing And Community Development Funds For Vermont
(TUESDAY, April 16, 2019) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressman Welch (D-Vt.) announced Tuesday that Vermont will receive $21 million in new affordable housing and community development funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and NeighborWorks America. These new funds will help reduce and end homelessness by investing in rental assistance, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of affordable housing and community dev… Continue Reading
04.12.19
Leahy Heads Bipartisan Senate Delegation In Visits To The Korea DMZ, And Vietnam
(FRIDAY, April 12, 2019) -- A bipartisan official U.S. Senate delegation of nine Senators will visit South Korea and Vietnam for meetings with government and military leaders during the Senate's April recess. They will depart Washington on April 14 and return on April 23. The delegation is headed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and the ranking member of its Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations. Other Senators in the deleg… Continue Reading
04.12.19
Schumer And Leahy Introduce Bill To Provide Assistance To All Disaster-Impacted Areas, Including the Midwest, Southeast, And Puerto Rico
, (Thursday, April 11, 2019) - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday introduced a comprehensive, emergency disaster supplemental appropriations package that would provide relief to all American citizens from recent natural disasters. The package totals $17.2 billion and includes $3 billion in funding for disasters in the Midwest and Southeast. This amendment is a companion bill to the legislation introduced… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Leahy And Sanders Join In Introducing Resolution Demanding Accountability For Saudi Human Rights Abuses
Resolution also requires the Trump Administration to provide further information about the potential involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in the assassination of journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi WASHINGTON (THURSDAY, April 11, 2019) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Thursday joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in introducing a new Senate resolution calling for accountability for Saudi A… Continue Reading
04.11.19
DURBIN, WICKER, LEAHY REINTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROMOTE STUDY ABROAD
(THURSDAY, April 11, 2019) - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Thursday introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which creates a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities for American college students. Study abroad is an important component of a well-rounded post-secondary education, giving students the opportunity to engage with other cultures, enhance foreign l… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Leahy Joins In Introducing Legislation To Improve Access To Education Benefits For National Guard And Reserve
(THURSDAY, April 11, 2019) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has joined Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), members of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, in introducing the Montgomery GI Bill Parity Act, legislation that would enable members of the Guard and Reserve to concurrently use GI Bill benefts and Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) programs to fund their education. Leahy is Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and a longtime member of its Defense Appr… Continue Reading
04.09.19
Remarks Of Senator Patrick Leahy On President al-Sisi's Visit To The White House
Senator Patrick Leahy Remarks Press Conference on Egyptian President al-Sisi's Visit to The White House Capitol Hill Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Today, Egypt's President al-Sisi will be welcomed to the White House and treated like a legitimate head of state by President Trump. So it is fitting that we are here to call attention to things that are happening in Egypt that you will not hear about from either president. Egypt is a country with an extraordinary history and culture. It has been a U.S. a… Continue Reading
04.04.19
Senate Republicans Block Comprehensive Disaster Relief For All American Communities For Second Time In A Week
(THURSDAY, April 4, 2019) - Senate Republicans Thursday blocked a disaster assistance package that would address the needs of all American communities affected by recent natural disasters for the second time in a week. The move follows President Trump's campaign of holding aid to all American communities hostage over a petty, political grudge with the American citizens of Puerto Rico. Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said: "I have always stood with victims of … Continue Reading
04.04.19
CREATES Act Chief Sponsor Leahy Hails House Panel’s Unanimous Vote To Advance Counterpart House Bill
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chief Sponsor Of The CREATES Act In The Senate (S.340), Hails The Bill's Growing Momentum, Shown By Advancement Of The Counterpart CREATES Act In The House . . . Reforms Would Save Taxpayers $3.9 B., And Consumers Much More, By Removing Obstacles To Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs "The House Energy and Commerce Committee Wednesday took an strong step forward in removing obstacles to bringing lower-cost prescription drugs to the American people. By unanimously appro… Continue Reading
04.04.19
Statement On The Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Bill
Statement Of Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Bill Senate Floor Thursday, April 4, 2019 It is unfortunate that the Senate reached an impasse on the emergency disaster supplemental appropriations bills. For months, I repeatedly urged Senate Republican leadership to take up and pass the House bill, H.R. 268, and for nearly 3 months they did nothing. During those three months, American communities suffered, and new disasters … Continue Reading
04.02.19
Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy and Leader Schumer Introduce Path Forward For Disaster Supplemental
Vice Chairman Leahy and Leader Schumer Introduce Path Forward For Disaster Supplemental - New Amendment Provides New Funding for Midwestern Disasters & Restores Certain Funding for Puerto Rico, Other Territories WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, April 2, 2019) - Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Tuesday introduced a substitute to the emergency disaster supplemental to provide a path forward to resolving the current … Continue Reading
04.02.19
Senate Floor Address Of Appropriations Vice Chair Leahy, On Sec. Wilbur Ross Declining To Testify Today At Hg. On Commerce Dept. Budget
ADDRESS of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee, On Secretary Ross Declining To Testify Before The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science Senate Floor April 2, 2019 Today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science is holding its annual hearing on the President's budget request for the Department of Commerce with representatives from the Department. The representative from the Department that is inv… Continue Reading
04.02.19
Senate Floor Address Of Sen. Patrick Leahy On The GOP Push To Change The Senate Rules To Ram Thru Trump Nominees
Address of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, Former Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Consideration of S.Res.50, To Reduce Post-Cloture Debate Time for Certain Nominations Senate Floor April 2, 2019 To say that it is disappointing that the Senate will have a vote today in relation to the resolution to reduce post-cloture debate on nominations is an understatement. It is a resolution in search of a problem. It is an erosion of the Senate's res… Continue Reading
04.01.19
Statement On The Disaster Emergency Supplemental
Statement of Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)On The Disaster Emergency Supplemental Senate Floor Friday, April 1, 2019 It is the responsibility of the federal government to stand with American communities in crisis. And I appreciate the efforts of Chairman Shelby and his staff to move this process forward. I know communities in the Chairman's state recently experienced their own natural disaster, and as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, as a United States Senator, an… Continue Reading
