Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Scheduled For OLC, National Security Assistant Attorney General Nominees
(Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Tuesday noticed a hearing to consider nominations for two key leadership positions at the Department of Justice. The Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on February 25, at 2:00 p.m., to consider the nominations of Dawn Johnsen to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, and David Kris to be the Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. The Senate has… Continue Reading
02.13.09
Leahy-Backed Health Privacy Provisions Included Recovery Package
(Friday, Feb. 13, 2009) - Health information privacy protections championed by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) have been included in the economic recovery and investment package negotiated by Congress this week. Leahy has been a strong proponent of safeguarding Americans' privacy in health care reform proposals, and worked with congressional leaders to secure the provisions. The House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Friday afternoon, and the Senate is sche… Continue Reading
02.13.09
Economic Recovery Plan Will Create And Sustain Jobs In Vermont And Relieve The State’s Budget Deficit
(FRIDAY, Feb. 13) - The U.S. Senate late Friday is expected to join the U.S. House of Representatives in passing and sending to President Obama's desk an economic recovery package that includes investments throughout Vermont's economy. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) released an updated analysis of Vermont's stake in the final version of the bill. Leahy said the plan addresses Vermont's economic and budget needs that have worsened as the economic crisis spreads. "Vermont had a seat at the ta… Continue Reading
02.13.09
Leahy Praises Law Enforcement Funding In Recovery Package
(Friday, Feb. 13, 2009) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Friday praised the inclusion of nearly $4 billion for law enforcement programs in the economic recovery and investment package negotiated by Congressional leaders this week. The House of Representatives approved the package Friday afternoon, and the Senate is expected to vote on the measure Friday evening. Leahy is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Earlie… Continue Reading
02.12.09
Senators Leahy And Feinstein Introduce Bill To Reduce Cluster Munitions’ Danger To Innocent Civilians
(THURSDAY, Feb. 12) -- U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) this week introduced legislation to restrict the use or deployment of dangerous cluster munitions. Leahy, who has worked for years to protect civilians from cluster munitions, said: "Anyone who has seen the devastation cluster munitions cause over wide areas understands the unacceptable harm they cause to civilians. Any weapon, whether cluster munitions, landmines, or even poison gas, has some m… Continue Reading
02.12.09
Leahy Introduces Bill To Provide Equality Under Immigration Law
(Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday introduced legislation to allow American citizens to sponsor same-sex "permanent partners" applying for legal residency in the United States. The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) would amend provisions in U.S. immigration law that bar Americans in same-sex relationships from using the family immigration system and sponsoring their partners. Under current law, an American citizen is permitte… Continue Reading
02.12.09
“Importance Of The Economic Recovery Plan”
Sen. Leahy On Importance Of Economic Recovery Plan Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of the economic recovery plan because the American people and their communities need it to create jobs, help stabilize the economy, and protect those who have been most hurt by the current global economic and financial crises. For the American people watching this process, the resistance this economic recovery plan has met from many on the other side of the aisle must be more than a lit… Continue Reading
02.11.09
Rutland Middle School
Senator Leahy had his first online chat using Skype, which is an online tool for making video calls and instant messaging. Senator Leahy was able to see and hear the students in the Rutland Middle School eighth-grade class, and the entire eighth-grade class (180 students and 10 faculty) was able to see and hear Senator Leahy's answers on a big screen set up in the auditorium. The students asked several questions, with the topics ranging from the Senator's appearance in the most recent Batman m… Continue Reading
02.11.09
Statement On The Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act
MR. LEAHY. I am pleased to join with my friend from California, Senator Feinstein, in introducing the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2009. This is a slightly revised version of a bill of the same name which we introduced in 2007. Since December 3, 2008, when the Convention on Cluster Munitions opened for signature in Dublin, 96 countries have signed the treaty including Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Norway, Australia and other allies of the United States. The treaty i… Continue Reading
02.11.09
Leahy, Specter, Feingold, Kennedy Introduce State Secrets Legislation
(Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009) - Leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have joined together to introduce the State Secrets Protection Act, a bill that provides guidance to federal courts considering cases in which the government has asserted the state secrets privilege. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), and Committee Member Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) joined with former Committee Chairman and Member Edward Kennedy (D-Ma.) t… Continue Reading
02.11.09
Leahy Chairs Fraud Enforcement Hearing
(Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) chaired a hearing Wednesday morning on "The Need for Increased Fraud Enforcement in the Wake of the Economic Downturn." The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported a100 percent increase since 2005 in the number of fraud investigations it has opened. The Treasury Department reports that more than 60,000 cases alleging mortgage fraud were filed in 2008. On February 5, Leahy and Senator Chuck Grass… Continue Reading
02.10.09
Statement On The Introduction Of The Artist-Museum Partnership Act
Mr. President, today we reintroduce the "Artist-Museum Partnership Act," and once again, I am pleased to be joined in this effort by my good friend Senator Bennett from Utah. This bipartisan legislation would enable our country to keep cherished art works in the United States and to preserve them in our public institutions. At the same time, this legislation will erase an inequity in our tax code that currently serves as a disincentive for artists to donate their works to m… Continue Reading
02.10.09
Leahy Cites Vermont Investments In Senate-Passed Economic Recovery Package
(Tuesday, Feb. 10) - The U.S. Senate Tuesday passed an economic recovery package that includes investments throughout Vermont's economy. The bill now will be reconciled with a similar bill passed by the House. "Nobody believes this bill is perfect, and many believe it is not large enough," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). "But one thing is certain: Vermont's needs have been taken directly into account in writing this plan. It includes investments that will make a timel… Continue Reading
02.10.09
“The American People Urgently Await Action On The Economic Recovery Plan”
Mr. President, for the past week, the Senate has been debating an economic recovery plan introduced by Senators Inouye and Baucus. I support this plan because the American people and their communities need it to create jobs, help stabilize the economy, and protect those who have been most hurt by the current global economic and financial crises. We are confronting the most severe economic problems this country has experienced in generations. The U.S. economy has been in rece… Continue Reading
02.10.09
Senate Judiciary Committee Considers Associate Attorney General, Solicitor General Nominations
(Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009) -- The Senate Judiciary Committee today held a hearing to consider the nominations of Thomas J. Perrelli to be the Associate Attorney General, and Elena Kagan to be the Solicitor General of the United States. The nominees' bipartisan Committee questionnaires and letters of support are available online. The hearing is webcast live online. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy's statement on the nominations follows.] Statement of Senator Patrick Lea… Continue Reading
02.09.09
Restoring Trust in the Justice System: The Senate Judiciary Committee's Agenda in the 111th Congress
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee United States Senate Georgetown University February 9, 2009 As Prepared It is great to be back at Georgetown. It was at the Law Center in December 2006 that I first outlined the Senate Judiciary Committee's agenda for the last Congress. It seems fitting to return to the University at the start of the 111th Congress to take stock, and to look forward. I thank Judge Katzmann for the opportunity to present this Marver Be… Continue Reading
02.09.09
The 2009 Marver Bernstein Lecture “Restoring Trust in the Justice System: The Senate Judiciary Committee's Agenda In The 111th Congress”
As Prepared Click here to view the video of the full program on the Georgetown University website. It is great to be back at Georgetown. It was at the Law Center in December 2006 that I first outlined the Senate Judiciary Committee's agenda for the last Congress. It seems fitting to return to the University at the start of the 111th Congress to take stock, and to look forward. I thank Judge Katzmann for the opportunity to present this Marver Bernstein Lecture. What an e… Continue Reading
02.05.09
Comment On The President’s Signing Of CHIP
"Parents and grandparents know how important health insurance is for their children and it's time the country moved even closer to covering the millions of children without health insurance. As one of the first bills signed by President Obama, Congress and the President are signaling to the country that our nation's children are a top priority. Vermont has been a national leader on children's health care and this bill will take us even closer to providing all children with he… Continue Reading
02.05.09
States Should Have More Flexibility To Allocate Funds Under Neighborhood Stabilization Program
(Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009) - Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced a bipartisan amendment to provide state and local governments with more flexibility in using funds allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). "Addressing the housing crisis is a vital step in moving the country toward economic re… Continue Reading
02.05.09
Leahy Says Vermont Mother's Ordeal In Peanut-Salmonella Case Shows Need For ‘Jail Time’ In Protecting Public From Tainted Food
A South Burlington woman, invited by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Thursday told the Senate Agriculture Committee about the hurdles she faced getting the facts about the salmonella poisoning that threatened her son's life. Gabrielle Meunier's 7-year-old-son Christopher fell ill last fall in a case connected to the peanut-salmonella outbreak associated with products from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). After Leahy called for an investigation into possible crimina… Continue Reading
