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Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Judicial Confirmation Hearing
Today, the Committee holds another hearing to consider President Bush's judicial nominations. I thank Senator Feinstein for agreeing to chair this hearing. It has been especially difficult to schedule given the important matters that have been under consideration before the Senate so far this year. Indeed, the hearing had to be postponed from this morning when a series of Senate votes were scheduled on amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act legislation. We regret the inconve… Continue Reading
02.12.08
Hearing On “Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws: Reforming The 100:1 Crack Powder Disparity”
Today, we examine the differing penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses and consider how best to make our drug laws more rational, more fair, and more consistent with our basic values. This Committee last held a hearing on reforming these drug penalties in 2002, when I previously served as Chairman. I thank Senator Biden for holding this important hearing before the Crime and Drugs Subcommittee. It can be another step forward in our efforts to restore public confidence in our crimina… Continue Reading
02.12.08
Senate Consideration Of FISA Legislation
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - FISA - is intended to protect both our national security and the privacy and civil liberties of Americans. This law was passed to protect the rights of Americans after the excesses of an earlier time. I had hoped that the Senate would act to improve the bill reported by the Select Committee on Intelligence. It has not. I had hoped that the Senate would incorporate improvements included in the House-passed RESTORE Act and in the bill reported by th… Continue Reading
02.11.08
The “School Safety And Law Enforcement Improvement Act”
It has now been nearly 10 months since the horrific incident at Virginia Tech resulted in the tragic deaths of 32 students and faculty members, and serious injuries to many other innocent victims. During that time, we have witnessed a barrage of new incidents involving threatening conduct and, too often, deadly acts of violence at our schools and college campuses nationwide. Just in the last few days tragedy has struck at one of our nation's high schools and on a university campus. Today's p… Continue Reading
02.11.08
Congressional Delegation Announces Funding For White River VA Expansion
(Monday, February 11) - Vermont's Congressional Delegation - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), and Rep. Peter Welch (D) - announced today that the White River Junction VA Medical Center has been awarded $900,000 for designing a new imaging center and expanding its radiology services. The medical center will be eligible for an additional $6 million for construction next year. The funding will allow the VA to plan and design the 6,996 sq. ft. expansion and renovation to the curren… Continue Reading
02.11.08
Amendment To Strike Immunity
I strongly oppose the blanket grant of retroactive immunity in the Intelligence Committee bill. This administration violated FISA by conducting warrantless surveillance for more than five years. They got caught. If they had not, they would probably still be doing it. In the wake of the public disclosure of the President's illegal surveillance of Americans, the administration and the telephone companies are being sued by citizens who believe their privacy and constitutional rights have been v… Continue Reading
02.11.08
Amendment To Strike Immunity
I strongly oppose the blanket grant of retroactive immunity in the Intelligence Committee bill. This administration violated FISA by conducting warrantless surveillance for more than five years. They got caught. If they had not, they would probably still be doing it. In the wake of the public disclosure of the President's illegal surveillance of Americans, the administration and the telephone companies are being sued by citizens who believe their privacy and constitutional rights have been v… Continue Reading
02.11.08
Amendment 3913 On Reverse Targeting
The bill we are now considering will provide an enormous expansion of the government's ability to conduct warrantless surveillance. I support providing our intelligence agencies with the flexibility they need to surveil foreign targets that may be intending us harm, but we must be similarly vigilant in making certain that this surveillance is limited to its intended scope. I want to commend Senator Feingold in crafting an amendment that would prohibit what is known as "reverse targeting" and… Continue Reading
02.11.08
Support Of Amendment 3915, To Limit The Use Of Unlawfully Obtained Information
The authorities and procedures in S.2248 would permit the FISA Court to review government targeting and minimization procedures. If, however, the Court finds certain aspects of those procedures to be inadequate - even grossly inadequate - S. 2248 provides no authority to restrict the use of information already collected using those procedures. That means that the government would be free to access, use, and share information about private communications that was collected in violation of the l… Continue Reading
02.08.08
The Court Of Appeals Decision Striking Down The Bush EPA Rule On Mercury Emissions
[Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has long been the Senate's leader on mercury pollution control policy. Leahy also was chief sponsor of the resolution that a Republican-led Senate narrowly defeated two years ago to repeal the Bush Administration's cap-and-trade mercury pollution rule, which the appellate court struck down today. The Sept. 13, 2005, vote on the Leahy resolution was 47 to 51. Vermont was one of many states that had challenged the Bush mercury rule. Leahy's reaction to the ruling … Continue Reading
02.07.08
Leahy: Founding Fathers’ Papers Should Be Put Online
(Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today called for the papers of the Founding Fathers Project to be made available to all Americans through the Internet, at a hearing to examine the program. Established more than 50 years ago to catalogue, annotate and public the writings of some of the country's Founders, the program has been criticized because of slow progress and high costs. The Committee heard from Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCul… Continue Reading
02.07.08
Consideration Of Judicial Nominations
It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the administration is returning to their tired partisan playbook of trying to pick a political fight over judicial nominations. What better time than right now, when the economy is slipping farther off the tracks. When the President has just proposed another budget with triple-digit deficits. When al Qaeda is stronger and more virulent than ever, according to General Hayden and Director McConnell, while Osama bin Laden is still at large. When ga… Continue Reading
02.07.08
Leahy Announces $1.2 M. In Grants To Vermont’s NeighborWorks Centers To Sustain Their Affordable Housing Development And Ownership Counseling
As Foreclosure And Affordable Housing Crisis Spreads… . . . Leahy Helped Create 1st NeighborWorks Organization In Vermont In 1993 WASHINGTON (Thursday, Feb. 7) - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that Vermont's five NeighborWorks organizations are getting $1.2 million in NeighborWorks America grants. According to NeighborWorks America, a federally funded nonprofit housing organization, their partnership with the Vermont NeighborWorks organizations will help invest $4… Continue Reading
02.07.08
Leahy, Whitehouse Urge Mukasey To Clarify Testimony About Destruction Of CIA Tapes
(Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008) -Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who also sits on the panel, sent a letter Thursday urging Attorney General Michael Mukasey to clarify testimony given to the Committee during last week's Department of Justice oversight hearing. In the letter, they ask the Attorney General to explain the scope of the Department's investigation into the CIA's destruction of videotapes showing the use of harsh interrogation te… Continue Reading
02.06.08
Democratic Senators Hold Press Conference Call To Discuss Bush's Nominees
(Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008) Senate Democrats Richard Durbin, Patrick Leahy and Charles Schumer held a press conference call today to discuss their efforts to fulfill the Senate's constitutional role of confirming Presidential nominations. Democrats have cooperated with the White House on the majority of its appointments, but President Bush stubbornly insists on backing a few unacceptable candidates. "If the President truly wants to confirm his nominations, he must abandon his 'my-way-or-the h… Continue Reading
02.06.08
Leahy Schedules Recess Hearing For Circuit Court Nominee
(Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008) - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing during the upcoming Senate recess on the nomination of Catharina Haynes to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Committee has also scheduled a hearing next week for four pending district court nominations. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Leahy helped the Senate confirm 40 of President Bush's judicial nominations last year, including 6 for circuit courts. Mo… Continue Reading
02.05.08
The Patent And Trademark Office’s Letter To The Senate Judiciary Committee On S. 1145, The Patent Reform Act Of 2007
"For years, we have worked in a bipartisan way to bring needed reforms to our Nation's patent system. Last year, after many discussions and meetings, we introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Patent Reform Act of 2007. Throughout the process, the Judiciary Committee has sought to address the concerns of Members of the Senate, the administration and stakeholders from all parts of the patent world. As a result, the Committee passed legislation in July, and we are preparing for its consideration i… Continue Reading
02.04.08
S. Amdt. 3979, the Feingold-Webb-Tester Sequestration Amendmen
I support providing the government with the flexibility it needs to conduct important surveillance of overseas targets. Both the Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee's versions of this bill would allow the government to intercept all communications of overseas targets, including those communications with people inside of the United States. However, this also means that the government will necessarily be acquiring the communications of innocent Americans. I want to commend Senat… Continue Reading
02.04.08
Ambassador James W. Spain
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I remember being on the Senate floor on September 12th, 2001, the day after the horrendous attack on our great nation. It was the only time in my 33 years here that I can remember the public galleries being closed. Every senator came onto the floor of the Senate to indicate to the world that this symbol of democracy would not close down. I especially remember that the closed visitors' galleries contained only two people: Former Ambassador James Spain and my wife, M… Continue Reading
02.04.08
he President’s Decision To Fund The Office Of Government Information Services Through The Department Of Justice In The FY2009 Budget Request
(Monday, Feb. 4, 2008) - The President late last year signed into law the OPEN Government Act of 2007, legislation sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), to make the first reforms to the Freedom of Information Act. The OPEN Government Act also established the Office of Government Information Services within the National Archives and Records Administration. Within OGIS, the law calls for an appointed FOIA ombudsman to review agency… Continue Reading
