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Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement On Repression In Nicaragua
Mr. LEAHY. It has now been more than four months since Daniel Ortega's police arrested and subsequently disappeared political opposition leaders Félix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastián Chamorro in Nicaragua. On June 8, police stopped Maradiaga's vehicle, forcibly removed him, and took him away. Later that day, over 40 police officers forced their way into Chamorro's home and arrested him as well. For nearly three months, they were held in undisclosed locations, without access to the… Continue Reading
10.23.21
Senator Leahy Hosts 24th Annual Vermont Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference
On Saturday (Oct. 23) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and his wife, Marcelle, hosted their 24th Annual Women's Economic Opportunity Conference (WEOC). Xusana Davis, Vermont's Executive Director of Racial Equity, was the keynote speaker. Her remarks were followed by a panel discussion with three Vermont women who own businesses about how they were able to refocus their businesses during the pandemic. The online conference drew 270 participants, half of them first-time attendees. In his opening r… Continue Reading
10.23.21
Senator Leahy Hosts 24th Annual Vermont Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference
On Saturday (Oct. 23) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and his wife, Marcelle, hosted their 24th Annual Women's Economic Opportunity Conference (WEOC). Xusana Davis, Vermont's Executive Director of Racial Equity, was the keynote speaker. Her remarks were followed by a panel discussion with three Vermont women who own businesses about how they were able to refocus their businesses during the pandemic. The online conference drew 270 participants, half of them first-time attendees. In his opening r… Continue Reading
10.21.21
Statement On Moving The Nomination Of Justice Beth Robinson To The Second Circuit Court Of Appeals
I want to thank Chair Durbin for expeditiously moving the nomination of Justice Beth Robinson to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. I know firsthand the amount of work that is involved in the nominations process and appreciate his leadership on the Committee this year. Over the past few months I have received an outpouring of support from Vermonters across the political spectrum commending President Biden on Justice Robinson's nomination and urging this Committee's support. Justice Robinson… Continue Reading
10.19.21
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy, Hearing On: "Pride In Patent Ownership: The Value Of Knowing Who Owns A Patent"
The most fundamental underpinning of our patent system is transparency. In exchange for limited exclusive rights, inventors disclose their invention to the public, benefitting our society as a whole. This same fundamental principle of disclosure should extend to ownership information about a patent. But today, there is no requirement that ownership information be publicly available after a patent issues. Senator Tillis and I both agree that our patent system would be improved by requiring mo… Continue Reading
10.18.21
Chairman Leahy Releases Remaining Nine Senate Appropriations Bills
(Monday, Oct. 18, 2021) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday released the remaining nine Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bills. Monday's announcement follows months of Leahy calling for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations with the White House on topline spending and the successful, bipartisan passage of the Energy & Water, Military Construction and Veteran's Affairs, and Agriculture and Rural Development appropriations bills out of the Committee back in Aug… Continue Reading
10.15.21
Leahy Is Part Of Bipartisan Group Reaffirming U.S. Commitment To Fighting Rising Food Insecurity Ahead Of World Food Day
(FRIDAY, Oct. 15, 2021) -- In a resolution, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.) celebrate World Food Day and recommit to fighting hunger in the face of rising food insecurity around the world. Last week, the senators passed a resolution designating October 16, 2021 and 2022 as World Food Day. U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) has introduced a companion resolution in the House of Represen… Continue Reading
10.13.21
Leahy, Sanders And Welch Commend The Biden Administration’s Move To Reopen The U.S.-Canadian Border
In a joint statement, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said: "We welcome and commend the Biden Administration's decision to safely reopen the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. Like so many communities along both borders, Vermont towns have close, longstanding ties with Canadian ones. It is good news that fully vaccinated family members and loved ones will now be able to reunify and businesses will once again be able to wel… Continue Reading
10.06.21
Opening Remarks: Protecting A Precious, Almost Sacred Right: The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
[A day after Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced his long-awaited bill modifying his John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday is holding a hearing on Leahy's bill. Leahy has long been the author and chief sponsor of the Senate bill to remedy Supreme Court decisions that undermined the Voting Rights Act. Leahy's opening statement FOLLOWS:] Today, the Committee is discussing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that I have champione… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Leahy Leads 48 Senators In Introducing John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
(TUESDAY, Oct. 5, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday along with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and 45 other Senators introduced legislation to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA) and stop the spreading scourge of voter suppression. The legislation - the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act - is named for an icon of the Civ… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Statement On Introduction Of The Senate John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
It is with hope, pride, and optimism that I rise today to honor the legacy of an icon of the Civil Rights Movement, a hero of democracy, and a dear friend of mine: John Lewis. More than anything, John Lewis was a man of action. Where he saw suffering, he tried to end it. Where he saw injustice, he tried to correct it. Where "good trouble" was needed, he showed up for it. The most fitting way to honor the legacy of John Lewis is to take action ourselves. So it is with pride that today I int… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Leahy Remarks Hearing On “Renewing And Strengthening The Violence Against Women Act”
Thank you to Chair Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley for holding this hearing. The Violence Against Women Act has been a bedrock of the Federal Government's response to domestic violence and sexual assault since it was enacted in 1994, and it is certainly one of the most consequential pieces of legislation within this Committee's jurisdiction. But with our evolving world comes the need to not only reauthorize this law, but to update and strengthen it as well. In 2013, passing a strong, bipa… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Maj. Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Introduction Of The New John Lewis Voting Advancement Act (sponsored and Introduced by Leahy)
(TUESDAY, Oct. 5, 2021) - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the introduction of the new John Lewis Voting Advancement Act, legislation that, as a complement to the Freedom to Vote Act, would restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here: Despite all we must do in the coming weeks, Senate Democrats remain strongly committed to advancing legislation in this cham… Continue Reading
09.30.21
Letter On Firearms Exports To Mexico
Letter On Firearms Exports To Mexico.… Continue Reading
09.30.21
BREAKING: Senate Passes Leahy Amendment To Avert Shutdown At Midnight And To Fund Government Through Dec. 3
(THURSDAY, Sept. 30, 2021) - The U.S. Senate Thursday passed the Leahy Amendment to fund the government by continuing resolution through December 3rd with a strong bipartisan vote of 65 to 35. As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) was the chief architect of the legislation to stave off a government shutdown that would have taken effect at Midnight tonight (Thursday). In addition to funding the government through December 3rd, the Leahy Amendment prov… Continue Reading
09.29.21
Leahy And Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Support American Innovation And Reduce Litigation
(WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29, 2021) -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), both, members of the Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee, on Wednesday introduced a new bill, the Restoring the America Invents Act, to address problems for small businesses and ordinary Americans caused by poor-quality patents. Leahy chairs the Subcommittee. The patent system creates incentives to promote the progress of science and the useful arts for the benefit of the public. High-quality… Continue Reading
09.29.21
Statement On Recent Verdicts In Honduras
Mr. LEAHY. I want to speak briefly about the recent decision by the National Jurisdiction Sentencing Court in Honduras to acquit Honduran nationals Edwin Espinal and Raúl Álvarez. Both men were found to have been falsely accused of aggravated property damage, aggravated arson, and the use of homemade explosives, charges for which it turned out the government had no credible evidence. Espinal and Álvarez spent 19 months in a maximum-security prison awaiting trial. They w… Continue Reading
09.28.21
Senate Sponsors Laud House Passage Of EQUAL Act
Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Rand Paul (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bipartisan Senate sponsors of the EQUAL Act, issued the following statement: "Today, House Republicans and Democrats joined together in passing the EQUAL Act, legislation that will once and for all eliminate the unjust federal crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity. Enjoying broad support from faith groups, civil rights organizations, law enforcement, a… Continue Reading
09.27.21
Durbin, Leahy Urge President Biden To End Lethal Force Outside Of War Zones, Revise Nation’s Counterterrorism Policies
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today sent a letter to President Biden urging the administration to revise our nation's policy regarding use of lethal force. Over the course of the past three administrations, Durbin and Leahy have raised questions about the legal bases and consequences of lethal strikes. As the Biden administration is reportedly deliberati… Continue Reading
09.27.21
Statement On The Continuing Resolution And The National Debt
Today the Senate will hold a vote to allow for the consideration of a temporary stop-gap measure to keep the government funded through December 3rd. The measure also provides $28 billion to help states ravaged by hurricanes and wildfires, like Hurricane Ida that recently tore through the south and the northeast. It provides critical assistance to Afghan refugees who have fled the Taliban in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Finally, it will raise the debt ceiling through Dece… Continue Reading
