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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
On The Nomination Of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, To Be An Associate Justice Of The U.S. Supreme Court
When the Judiciary Committee began the confirmation hearing on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, I recounted an insight from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which is often quoted by President Obama: "Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Each generation of Americans has sought that arc toward justice. Indeed, that national purpose is inherent in our Constitution. In the Constitution's preamble, the Founders set forth to "… Continue Reading
08.04.09
St. Johnsbury To Receive $15 Million In USDA Rural Development Economic Recovery Funds For Water And Wastewater Improvements
Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch Monday announced that the Town of St. Johnsbury will receive a $15 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant and loan package to make much-needed water delivery and wastewater improvements. Vermont's Congressional Delegation had written to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of the town's application. The grant and loan package consists o… Continue Reading
07.31.09
Statement At Press Conference On USDA Price Support Announcement
USDA Boost In Dairy Pricing Caps Leahy-Led Push To Help Farmers We are here today to applaud this morning's announcement by Secretary Vilsack of an increase in the Dairy Price Support Program. Senator Kohl and I led a group of more than 20 Senators in advocating for this quick increase in the federal floor for dairy prices. Secretary Vilsack became our partner in getting this done, and we are grateful that dairy farmers have a true ally at USDA. Two days ago we organized a meeting with… Continue Reading
07.31.09
The Leahy Letter - July 31, 2009
USDA Boost In Dairy Pricing Caps Leahy-Led Push To Help Farmers Two days after a coalition of two dozen senators strongly urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to raise the floor price for dairy products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that it will do that for three months, beginning immediately. Today's announcement follows a strategy meeting between the coalition, led by Senator Leahy and including Senator Sanders, and Secretary Vilsack, where the senators urged h… Continue Reading
07.31.09
Obama Nominates Former Police Chief David Demag To Be Vermont U.S. Marshal
President Obama on Friday nominated former Essex Jct. and St. Albans Police Chief David E. Demag to be the next U.S. Marshal for the state of Vermont. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) recommended Demag, a decorated law enforcement veteran, to the President earlier this year. "Vermont has benefited from David Demag's service for nearly 40 years," said Leahy. "He is a decorated law enforcement veteran who has worked at every level. He has a track record of bringing people together to address importa… Continue Reading
07.31.09
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Welcome Price Breakthrough For Dairy Farmers
U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) Friday welcomed a U.S. Department of Agriculture decision to lift the floor price for dairy products. The decision was announced two days after the Vermont senators and a coalition of more than two dozen senators from other dairy states met with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The meeting and the multi-region coalition of senators were organized by Leahy, the senior-most member of the Agricultu… Continue Reading
07.30.09
Leahy-Led Coalition Steps Up Drive For A Short-Term Boost In U.S. Dairy Price Supports
Fresh on the heels of Wednesday's strategy meeting with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a multi-region coalition of senators organized by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has sent a letter to White House Budget Director Peter Orszag, asking his cooperation in implementing a short-term boost in USDA's floor price for purchasing dairy products. In the letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Orszag, 23 senators ask the Administration to use discretionary authority granted earlier by … Continue Reading
07.30.09
Federal Support For Older Vermont Workers
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today announced $1 million in federal funding for vocational training and education for Vermont seniors. The federal grant will establish four "mature worker resource centers" with the aim of helping 200 workers 55 years old or older keep their jobs or find new ones. Vermont's population is the second-oldest in New England. The program will develop new strategies to focus on the needs of employers and the oppor… Continue Reading
07.29.09
Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing On Pending Nominations
The Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday held its first hearing since April to consider lower court nominations, and its first hearing to consider executive nominations since June. Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) presided over a hearing to consider the nomination of David Kappos to be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the nominations of Beverly Martin to be a Circuit Court Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, and Jeffrey… Continue Reading
07.29.09
Leahy, Reid Stand With Civil Rights Leaders To Discuss Sotomayor
Leahy, Reid Hold Press Conference On Sotomayor Nomination WASHINGTON (Wednesday, July 29, 2009) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy were joined by Wade Henderson of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Marcia Greenberger of the National Women's Law Center, and Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda today to discuss the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier this week, th… Continue Reading
07.29.09
Leahy-Led Coalition Presses Agriculture Secretary On Short-Term Boost In U.S. Dairy Price Supports
Leahy, Sanders Meet With Agriculture Secretary On Dairy Price Supports WASHINGTON -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), joined by 12 other senators including Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), sat down Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to discuss how to accomplish a prompt boost in USDA's floor price for purchasing dairy products, as a catalyst to help stabilize plummeting milk prices. Leahy two weeks ago organized a multi-regional Senate coalition to support a significant s… Continue Reading
07.29.09
Leahy Urges Senate To Debate Media Shield Bill
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today urged Senators to proceed to debate pending legislation that would establish a federal qualified reporters' shield law. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which Leahy chairs, reported the Free Flow of Information Act last October, and Leahy has pressed for Senate consideration of the bill. The House of Representatives has passed legislation similar to the bill reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in October. "I support the Free Flow of Information Act," … Continue Reading
07.28.09
25 Vermont Communities Net Total Of $5 Million For New Police Hires Under Economic Recovery Plan
(TUESDAY, July 28) - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Tuesday morning that Vermont will receive $5,045,045 in economic recovery grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement officers. The grants to 25 law enforcement agencies across Vermont are administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) through the federal agency's COPS Hiring Recovery Program. The grants provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for newly h… Continue Reading
07.28.09
Judiciary Committee Reports Sotomayor Nomination To Senate
Senate Judiciary Committee Vote on Sotomayor Nomination WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday completed its consideration of the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, reporting the nomination favorably to the Senate floor by a bipartisan 13-6 vote. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) presided over the confirmation hearing for Sotomayor's nomination during the week of July 13. "During my time in the Senate, I have often spok… Continue Reading
07.27.09
$52 Million In Education Funds Now Available For Vermont
More than $52 million in stimulus funds are available for Vermont for education reform and to help save teaching jobs jeopardized by state and local budget cuts, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today. Vermont will be eligible to apply for another $25 million this fall. "The $52 million Vermont will receive today is part of the single largest boost in education funding in recent history," said U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.… Continue Reading
07.27.09
Vermont Delegation Announces $8.8 Million In Recovery Funds For Renewable Energy And Efficiency Projects
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Monday announced $8,799,600 in recovery funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in Vermont. The latest installment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this funding will go to State Energy Program (SEP) projects that prioritize energy savings, create or retain jobs, increase the use of renewable energy and reduce harmful carbon emissions. The mo… Continue Reading
07.24.09
Vermont Delegation Announces Stimulus Funds For Green Mountain National Forest
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced today nearly $3.3 million in federal economic recovery funding for Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest. This federal support will help create good-paying jobs while preserving Vermont's natural resources. The Green Mountain National Forest will receive $1.4 million to address a backlog of trail maintenance projects, $657,000 for work on existing recreation facilities, and $1.2 million to… Continue Reading
07.24.09
Senate OKs Leahy-Bond Measure To Upgrade Guard’s Command Structure By Creating New Senior Level Post At The National Guard Bureau
The U.S. Senate Thursday night added an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Authorization Bill to create the position of Vice Chief at the National Guard Bureau. The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), the co-chairs of the 96-member Senate National Guard Caucus. In the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill, Leahy and Bond partnered to elevate the Chief of the National Guard from a three-star general to a four-star general. Enactment of … Continue Reading
07.23.09
Statement On F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I rise in strong support of the alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Armed Services Committee, which has reviewed the program carefully, made the sensible move in restoring the almost $440 million necessary this year to continue design and development of the alternate engine, known as the F136 engine, made by General Electric Aviation. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program will likely emerge as the largest tactical aircraft program in the Nation's … Continue Reading
07.22.09
Leahy-Chaired Panel Hears Testimony From Jay Peak President About Foreign Investor Program
A panel chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) heard testimony Wednesday morning from the president of Jay Peak Resort, Bill Stenger, about a key foreign investor program administered by U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS). The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in states and communities across the country since it was established in 1993. The program is also responsible for the creation of tens of thousands of jobs. … Continue Reading
