Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Senate Consideration Of Judicial Nominations
Senate Democrats have worked hard to make progress on judicial nominations. That hard work has paid off, with circuit court vacancies at less than half of what they were when President Clinton left office. The Majority Leader last week was right to call the Republican complaints "chutzpah". Yesterday, the Michigan Senators and I were able to overcome a long impasse lasting more than a decade over vacancies on the Sixth Circuit. I have long urged the President to work with the Michigan Senato… Continue Reading
04.16.08
Leahy Commemorates Crime Victims’ Rights Week
(Wednesday, April 16, 2008) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) this week commemorated the 27th annual Crime Victims' Rights Week by urging the Senate to take action on key legislative measures to protect children, students and victims of crime across the country. In floor statements and hearings this week, Leahy - a former prosecutor -- renewed his support for pushing back efforts by the Bush administration to drain all the reserves from the Crime Victims Fund, the key … Continue Reading
04.16.08
Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing On Priorities In The President’s Request For Supplemental Appropriations For Iraq Witness: White House Office Of Management And Budget Director Jim Nussle
(Tuesday, March 25, 2008) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Wednesday questioned White House Budget Director Jim Nussle about tradeoffs between U.S. domestic budget priorities and the tens of billions more for the Iraq War that the President is now asking Congress to approve in the current supplemental Appropriations request. Leahy, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, focused especially on the President's proposed cuts in support for local a… Continue Reading
04.16.08
GAO: NORTHCOM Failing In Civil Support Mission
(Wednesday, April 16) - A bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators today released a pair of GAO reports that pointedly criticize the U.S. Northern Command, charged with protecting the U.S. homeland, for a variety of failures involving planning and coordination. The reports, requested by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., co-chairmen of the Senate Guard Caucus and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, along with House Committee on H… Continue Reading
04.15.08
Williamstown Elementary
Williamstown Elementary School: Hi Senator Leahy, We are very excited to being chatting with you Williamstown Elementary School: I'm Jesse Dumont, 1 of 3 fifth grade teachers at Williamstown Elementary. Sen Leahy: Hi - Just got here and I can see you! Williamstown Elementary School: great the kids have worked hard on their questions so I am going to turn it over to them Sen Leahy:Go ahead - and as you can see i do my own typing so don't hold typos against me Williamstown Elementary Schoo… Continue Reading
04.15.08
The First Anniversary Of The Virginia Tech Tragedy
Tomorrow, April 16, 2008, marks the first anniversary of the horrific incident at Virginia Tech that resulted in the tragic deaths of 32 students and faculty members, and serious injuries to many other innocent victims. Our hearts go out to the victims' families as they mourn their loved ones who tragically lost their lives before their time. Our sympathies also go out to the survivors of this terrible incident, as well as the entire Virginia Tech community, whose resilient spirit and courage … Continue Reading
04.15.08
Leahy Helps Solve Impasse On Sixth Circuit Nominations
(Tuesday, April 15, 2008) - After weeks of negotiations, the Senate is poised to resolve an impasse with the Bush administration over vacancies on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The White House today withdrew the nomination of Steven Joseph Murphy to fill a Michigan seat on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and instead nominated Judge Helene White, a former nominee to the Sixth Circuit during the Clinton administration. Judge White's nomination was stalled by the Republican-led Senate, … Continue Reading
04.14.08
National Crime Victims’ Week, April 13-20, 2008
Mr. LEAHY. Yesterday marked the official beginning of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Since 1981, communities in Vermont and across the nation have observed this week with candlelight vigils and public rallies to renew our commitment to crime victims and their families. It is vitally important that we recognize the needs of crime victims and their family members, and work together to promote victims' rights and services. We have been able to make some progress during the past 2… Continue Reading
04.14.08
Clinton, Leahy, Sanders, Schumer Hail Passage Of Key Legislation To Establish Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Commemoration Commission
(Monday, April 14) -- Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Charles Schumer (D-NY) hailed the passage of their legislation to establish the Champlain Quadricentennial Commemoration Commission and the Hudson-Fulton 400th Commemoration Commission. The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commemoration Commission Act, which now has passed the Senate as part of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, will help coordinate educational, cul… Continue Reading
04.10.08
Senate Passes Leahy-Sanders Formula That Would Net Nearly $20 M. For Vermont To Help Stem Mortgage Crisis
(Thursday, April 10) - The U.S. Senate has passed legislation authored by Vermont's two U.S. Senators - Patrick Leahy (D) and Bernie Sanders (I) - that would bring nearly $20 million in emergency relief to Vermont's neighborhoods and communities, to quickly redevelop and resell or rent abandoned and foreclosed homes and help stabilize home values, rents and local economies. The Senate-passed Foreclosure Prevention Act includes $3.92 billion for communities to use in buying and rehabilitating va… Continue Reading
04.10.08
The Introduction Of A Senate Resolution
(Thursday, April 10, 2008) - Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) today introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the U.S. Senate that presidential candidate and current Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) is a 'natural born Citizen,' as specified in the Constitution and eligible to run for President. In February, The New York Times published a report calling into question the legality of McCain's presidential run. McCain was born to American citizens stationed on an Americ… Continue Reading
04.10.08
Judicial Confirmations
(Thursday, April 10, 2008) - The Senate today confirmed five nominations to Federal courts across the country, including a nomination to fill the final vacancy on the Fifth Circuit of the U.S Court of Appeals. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) steered the circuit court nomination, as well as four nominations to district courts in four states, through the confirmation process. In the less than three years of Leahy's chairmanship during the Bush administration, the Sen… Continue Reading
04.10.08
Patent Reform Legislation
"I am disappointed that just a handful of words have stalled the Senate's debate on this important patent legislation. We have been working on these reforms for years. Thousands of hours have been spent in negotiations to address the concerns of 100 Senators, hundreds of Representatives, and dozens of stakeholders. This was a missed opportunity. "I have said repeatedly that the time for patent reform is now. Unfortunately, some have yet to fully grasp this fact, and have stalled meaningful r… Continue Reading
04.09.08
Senate Judiciary Democrats Press Mukasey On Discrimination Case
(Wednesday, April 9, 2008) - Responding to press reports about the dismissal of a Department of Justice attorney, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking that he ensure that Department of Justice managers are aware of laws and policies against discrimination and intimidation. Recent media reports have suggested Leslie Hagen, a Department attorney and the liaison with the U.S. Attorney's Committee on Native American Issues fr… Continue Reading
04.09.08
State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee Hearing on FY 2009 Budget Request
Madam Secretary, we appreciate you being here. This is the last time you will appear before us and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your service. While we have had some strong disagreements with this Administration's handling of foreign policy, you have always been willing to discuss those differences with us. You and your staff have also been helpful on issues when there was a problem and we needed the added weight your office brings. I also want to take this opportunity - o… Continue Reading
04.08.08
Westford School
Sen Leahy: It has been a crazy day here but i have been looking forward to being with you - how's Vermont today? Westford School: Sunny and a little warmer Sen Leahy: I wish i was home! Westford School: May we send our first question? Sen Leahy: please do Westford School: Jeff- What are your views on the rights to own a gun? Sen Leahy: Jeff i own many guns at my home in Vermont - i even have a makeshift pistol range in back of my house. I do not believe felons should own them Westford… Continue Reading
04.08.08
Vermont Congressional Delegation Objects To General Petraeus’ Call For Open-Ended U.S. Role In Iraq
(Tuesday, April 8) -- The members of Vermont's Congressional Delegation - U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) -- Tuesday renewed their support for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq and disagreed with Gen. David Petraeus' call for freezing troop levels in Iraq and for keeping the door open to U.S. involvement in the Iraq conflict for the foreseeable future. General Petraeus is testifying this week before the Senate and House Armed … Continue Reading
04.08.08
“The Adequacy Of Representation In Capital Cases”
I thank Senator Feingold and the Subcommittee on the Constitution for holding this hearing on such an important issue for the Committee and for the country. Senator Feingold has worked for many years with me and others to try to ensure that our criminal justice system reflects the fairness and protections that our Founders intended. In 2000, I introduced the Innocence Protection Act , which aimed to improve the administration of justice by ensuring that defendants in the most serious cases hav… Continue Reading
04.07.08
EPA Grants $1 Million For Vermont Cleanup
, April 7 - The Vermont congressional delegation announced $1 million in federal grants for Vermont to clean up brownfields. The program helps communities remove hazardous substances and clear the way for redevelopment of sites like former gasoline stations, dry cleaners, and industrial sites. Senator Patrick Leahy, a senior member of the Interior Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, said, "Everyone benefits when underused property can be converted back into an economic asset for the … Continue Reading
04.04.08
Leahy, Specter Push For Inclusion Of Hagen Case In IG-OPR Investigation
(Friday, April 4, 2008) - The Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee today sought confirmation that the Department of Justice Inspector General and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) are examining the case of a former Department attorney, whose dismissal, according to press reports, may have been due to her sexual orientation rather than job performance. The Inspector General and OPR are conducting a far-reaching investigation of improper hiring and firing pra… Continue Reading
