Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement On The Retirement Of Senator Shelby
Marcelle and I count Senator Shelby and Dr. Annette Shelby among our dearest friends, and Alabama will lose a strong champion in the United States Senate. Over the years we traveled around the globe on a variety of key diplomatic missions, and we developed a friendship that we treasure. Although we have our political differences, we worked closely together on passing the annual Appropriations bills and negotiated the end of the longest government shutdown in United States history. And I l… Continue Reading
02.05.21
Leahy Joins In Introducing Bill To End Cuba Embargo And Establish Normal Trade Relations
(FRIDAY, Feb. 5, 2021) -- Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., last night introduced the U.S.-Cuba Trade Act of 2021 to repeal outdated sanctions on Cuba and establish normal trade relations with the island nation. "Our nation's embargo on Cuba is an artifact from the 1960s. To continue this outdated, harmful policy of isolation would be a failure of American leadership. While Trump increased tensions with Cuba during his disastrous time in office, I am optimistic about President B… Continue Reading
02.04.21
Top Democrats Introduce Bill To Protect Workers’ Right To Organize And Make Our Economy Work For Everyone
Murray, Schumer, Scott, Pelosi introduce the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to help build a fairer, more inclusive economy Legislation addresses growing income inequality by strengthening federal laws that protect workers' right to join a union and negotiate for higher wages and better benefits (Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Congressman … Continue Reading
02.04.21
Leading U.S. Senators: Homeowner Assistance Fund Is Critical To Pandemic Emergency Response
In an effort to help keep people in their homes and address the health and economic impact of COVID-19, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today reintroduced his $75 billion Homeowner Assistance Fund bill. Reed, along with lead cosponsors U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, unveiled legislation to help protect struggling homeowners and communities by preventing avoi… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Ann Berry, A Top Leahy Aide, Is The New Secretary Of The U.S. Senate
Senator Patrick Leahy's Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Berry Wednesday was appointed to be the Secretary of the Senate in the new Democratic-controlled Senate. Her appointment was included in the Senate Organizing Resolution that passed the Senate late Wednesday. Berry has been Leahy's Deputy Chief of Staff since 2007. She began her service in the Senate as an aide to the late Senator Howell Heflin (D), as a fellow native of Alabama. She subsequently worked for Senators Moynihan and Edwards and … Continue Reading
02.03.21
Statement On The Urgent Need For A Bold Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic
For more than a year, our country has been in the grip of an unprecedented health and economic catastrophe. It was January of last year when the first confirmed case of COVID-19 arrived in our country. Since then, more than 444,000 of our fellow citizens have died, more than 26 million have been infected, and millions have lost their jobs. And every day there are thousands more deaths. A year ago, former President Trump boasted that there were only 15 COVID-19 cases in this country and he w… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Statement On The Senate Democrats Meeting With President Biden
The meeting this afternoon with President Biden was welcome and productive, and I am glad we finally have a partner in the White House who takes this crisis seriously. Senate Democrats are united in our commitment that this crisis requires bold and urgent action, which for too long was delayed as the previous administration dragged their feet. Senate Democrats are ready to get to work, and we welcome our Republican colleagues to join us. But we will not delay, and we will not settle for an i… Continue Reading
02.02.21
Sens. Tillis And Leahy And Reps. Jeffries And Mace Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Supporting Creative Students
Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that directs the Register of Copyrights to waive the copyright registration fee for winners of the Congressional Art Competition and the Congressional App Competition. Currently, the Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, does not have the authority to waive the registration fee. The Senate passed this legislation unan… Continue Reading
02.02.21
Vermont Law School Awarded $3M To Expand National Center On Restorative Justice
(TUESDAY, February 2, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced that Vermont Law School will receive a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue operations at the National Center on Restorative Justice. Leahy, who will serve as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee in the 117th Congress, has led a several-year effort to establish and fund the Center. Leahy also has been a leader on criminal justice reform as the most senior member of th… Continue Reading
02.01.21
Leahy Leads Letter Calling For Additional Relief For State And Local Governments
(MONDAY, Feb. 1, 2021) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday released a letter joined by 12 other Senators calling for additional relief for state, localities, and tribal governments in the next COVID relief package, including a strong all-state minimum to ensure every state can meet the economic and public health challenges the nation still faces. In March, Congress established the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the CARES Act. The fund provided direct support to state and local governments to su… Continue Reading
01.27.21
Durbin, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation To Help Developing Nations With Access To COVID-19 Vaccines And The Pandemic Economic Fallout
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), today introduced the Support for Global Financial Institution Pandemic Response Act. The legislation directs representatives from the United States to multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), to help developing countries as they fight COVID-19, ensuring financial support… Continue Reading
01.25.21
Comment On Presiding Over The Impeachment Trial Of President Donald Trump
[Last week, for the third time in his 46 years as a United States Senator, Senator Leahy was sworn in as president pro tempore of the Senate. The president pro tempore is a constitutional officer, responsible for presiding over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. For more than 70 years, the senator holding the office of the president pro tempore has stood third in line in the order of succession to be president. Throughout the nation's history, each president pro tempore has almo… Continue Reading
01.15.21
Leahy Will Reintroduce Legislation Guaranteeing Full Federal Reimbursement For National Guard COVID-19 Mission
(FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2021) - Lawmakers in the House and Senate Friday renewed their efforts to require the federal government to cover the full costs to the National Guard and their states for COVID-19 response efforts. Representatives Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced legislation in the House. Companion Senate legislation will be introduced on January 21 by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) when the Senate first allows introductions. President-elect Biden has announced that his ad… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Reaction To The Final Rescission Proposal From President Trump
For the last four years, President Trump has repeatedly displayed his inability to grasp that a government by the people works for the people. His budgets proposed to undermine our government's ability to help families in need and invest in future growth. Congress turned back each of these irresponsible budgets on a bipartisan basis. Apparently President Trump remains unable to understand the potential consequences of his failed policies. The $27 billion of rescission proposals he submitted… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Statement On President Elect Biden's Proposal To Address The Coronavirus Crisis And Restart The Economy
I am relieved that we will finally have a partner in the White House who takes this unprecedented health and economic crisis seriously. There are pressing needs that have been unaddressed for far too long as hundreds of thousands died, tens of millions were infected, and millions lost their jobs. To restart the economy we must defeat the virus, and I am glad to see the bold action this crisis deserves proposed by President Elect Biden. I look forward to working with the incoming President an… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Shaheen, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Call On Pompeo To Detail How Administration Will Respond To Findings Of Havana Syndrome Report
**Shaheen has stood by these government employees and their families, spearheading legislative efforts to provide them benefits** **On the TODAY Show, Shaheen responded to the findings of the National Academy of Sciences and underscored the urgent need to take action to address these attacks that have targeted American public servants and their families** **In the FY21 NDAA that recently became law, Shaheen successfully included language to expand a provision in law that she wrote last year … Continue Reading
01.14.21
Leahy To Host Astronaut & Also NASA Administrator For Virtual Q&A With Vermont Students
On Thursday, Jan. 14 (today), at 11:00 a.m., Senator Patrick Leahy will host a virtual Q&A with NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman and Vermont middle school students, in coordination with the Vermont Space Grant Consortium. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will facilitate a live discussion between Astronaut Cardman and students from Danville School, Georgia Middle School, and Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School. Vermont students, teachers and members of the media are invited to watch the livestre… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Comment On The Second Impeachment Of President Donald Trump
Today's decisive and bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives to impeach President Trump was nothing less than a vote to preserve our democracy. President Trump has not simply failed to uphold his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, which itself would be sufficient to warrant his impeachment and removal. He has emerged as the greatest threat to the Constitution and to American democracy in a generation. He sparked the flames of sedition and has fanned them relentles… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Leahy-Led Bipartisan Bill Promoting Affordable Health Insurance Is Signed Into Law
(WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2021) - Legislation led in the Senate by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) that promotes lower health insurance costs to consumers by increasing transparency and enhancing consumer protections in the health insurance industry was signed into law Wednesday by the President. The "Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act" will ensure that health insurance issuers are subject to the same federal antitrust laws prohibiting unfair trade practices, suc… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Murphy, Leahy, Cardin, Raise Alarms Over Erosion Of Press Freedom In Ethiopia, Call For Immediate Release Of All Detained Journalists
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), on Wednesday urged Ethiopia to immediately release all detained journalists and return to a more democratic path. In a letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the senators specifically raise alarms over the recent erosion of press freedom, which stands in contrast to the beginning of his premiership, and call on the country… Continue Reading
