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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Address On Cuba Travel Restrictions On Americans
Address Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Cuba Travel Restrictions On Americans Senate Floor June 5, 2019 Mr. President, I have seen some dumb policies by Administrations over the years, when both Republicans and Democrats have occupied the White House. I want to speak briefly about one of them. Because it is not just dumb. It is an embarrassment. And it is going to hurt a lot of Americans, and it is going to hurt a lot of good people in Cuba. There is absolutely no denying that. I refer to the de… Continue Reading
06.05.19
Menendez, Graham, Murphy, Paul, Leahy, Young, Reed Announce 22 Joint Resolutions to Block Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE without Congressional Approval
(June 5, 2019) - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) today announced they are introducing 22 separate Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to protect and reaffirm Congress' role of approving arms sales to foreign governments. Today's introductions come after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared an emergency on… Continue Reading
05.30.19
Comment Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy On The Passing Of Senator Thad Cochran
Thad Cochran was a devoted public servant, a lion of the Senate, and one of my dearest friends. Despite our political differences, I knew Thad held the interests of the people of Mississippi - and the country - close to his heart. We were close partners through the years on the Agriculture Committee, which we both chaired. Our friendship was a driving force behind our work as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, forging bipartisan agreement in an increasingly partisan Con… Continue Reading
05.28.19
Comment On The Election Of Lonnie G. Bunch III To Become The Next Secretary Of The Smithsonian Institution
Comment Of Smithsonian Regent Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Election Of Lonnie G. Bunch III To Become The Next Secretary Of The Smithsonian Institution May 28, 2019 At a meeting this morning of the Smithsonian Regents, chaired by Chief Justice Roberts, I was proud to vote in favor of Lonnie Bunch's candidacy to become our next Secretary of the venerated Smithsonian Institution. His election is not only a superb choice, recognizing his proven achievements, but also acknowledges the historic natu… Continue Reading
05.24.19
President Signs Permanent Renewal Of Leahy-Led Bulletproof Vests Program For Police
President Signs Permanent Renewal Of Leahy-Led Bulletproof Vests Program For Police . . . law also names the program after Leahy, its longtime champion WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, May 24, 2019) - The White House announced that President Trump Friday signed into law legislation authored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that permanently reauthorizes the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. Under an amendment offered in the Senate Judiciary Committee by the Senate bill's lead cosponsor… Continue Reading
05.23.19
Statement On Alberto Curamil
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Alberto Curamil Congressional Record May 23, 2019 Mr. LEAHY. I want to bring to the Senate's attention the story, and the example, of Alberto Curamil, an environmental activist who is a member of the indigenous Mapuche people in Chile's Araucania region. The Mapuche are Chile's largest indigenous group, and since the 1800s they have struggled to protect their culture, territory, rivers, forests, and natural resources against encroachment and destruction by… Continue Reading
05.23.19
Statement Of Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Bipartisan, Bicameral Disaster Supplemental
Even though it may be five months late, today is a good day for the United States Congress, for the American people, and for the nation. I have said from the beginning that any disaster supplemental that passes this chamber cannot pick and choose which American citizens to help in their time of need. The American community bands together to support one another when disaster strikes, regardless of where we are from, our politics, or our beliefs. That is the American way, and it is the role of … Continue Reading
05.23.19
Senate Passes Bicameral, Bipartisan Disaster Supplemental
(THURSDAY, May 23, 2019) - The United States Senate Thursday passed a $19.1 billion bipartisan, bicameral disaster supplemental to provide aid for all American citizens recovering from 2017-2019 disasters by a vote of 85 to 8. The House first passed an emergency supplemental in January, only for the measure to stall in the Senate due to President Trump's insistence that it not include "one more dime" of funding for the American citizens of Puerto Rico recovering from two category 5 hurricanes. … Continue Reading
05.16.19
Address On Passage Of The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Of 2019
Address of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On Passage of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization of 2019< Senate Floor May 16, 2019 Moments ago the Senate passed legislation to permanently reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant program. This is the sixth time I have worked to reauthorize this lifesaving program since Republican Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and I authored legislation establishing it more than 20 years ago. My role in authoring this progra… Continue Reading
05.15.19
Statement On Alfred Brownell
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On Alfred Brownell Congressional Record May 14, 2019 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to speak briefly about the courageous environmental activism of Alfred Brownell, a native of Liberia now living in exile in Boston. Mr. Brownell is an environmental and human rights lawyer and the executive director of Green Advocates, a Liberian organization that he founded to promote environmental justice for indigenous communities.Like so many environmental activists ar… Continue Reading
05.14.19
Senate Tonite Passes Permanent Renewal Of Leahy-Led Bulletproof Vests Pgm For Police; Senate Also Names Pgm For Leahy, Its Longtime Champion
(TUESDAY, May 14, 2019) -The Senate Tuesday evening unanimously passed Senator Patrick Leahy's legislation to permanently reauthorize and increase support for the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant program. The bill, S.1231, cosponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and 18 other bipartisan cosponsors, also increases funding for the program by $5 million to $30 million each year. The House of Representatives is expected to pass identical legislation sho… Continue Reading
05.14.19
As President Trump Doubles Down On Failed Immigration Policies, Senate Democrats Reintroduce The Central America Reform And Enforcement Act – A Set of Serious, Legitimate Solutions To Address The Root Causes Of The Central American Migrant Crisis
Senate Democrats today announced the reintroduction of a major legislative proposal to address the root causes of the Central American migrant crisis. The proposal, which was introduced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Committee on the Judiciary Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senate Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Se… Continue Reading
05.02.19
Leahy Joins Markey And Others In Introducing Legislation To Preserve And Extend New START Treaty, Prohibit Increases In U.S. Nuclear Arms Forces
(THURSDAY, May 2, 2019) - In an effort to preserve the last, major U.S.-Russia bilateral nuclear arms control treaty, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced new legislation to preserve the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the only, remaining arms control treaty capping Russia's most dangerous nuclear weapons. Senator Markey's Save Arms Control and Verification Efforts (SAVE) Act calls for the United States to extend New START and would specifically prohibit any fundi… Continue Reading
05.02.19
Vice Chairman Leahy Statement on Hearing to Review FY 2020 DHS Budget Request
All reasonable observers would agree that our southern border is experiencing a humanitarian crisis that deserves our attention. We are seeing a large number of asylum seekers and migrants - mostly families and unaccompanied children fleeing for their lives - arriving at our border, creating significant strains on our ability to treat all of them humanely and with due process. But a serious crisis demands serious solutions. Acting Secretary McAleenan: I genuinely believe you are here in good fa… Continue Reading
04.30.19
Leahy And Graham Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program
. . . Counterpart House Bill Introduced By Pascrell And King WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, April 30, 2019) - Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), joined by Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and 14 other bipartisan Senate cosponsors, on Tuesday introduced legislation, S. 1231, to permanently reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase lifesavi… Continue Reading
04.28.19
Statement On The Passing Of Former Senator Richard Lugar
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Passing Of Former Senator Richard Lugar Dick Lugar was a great credit to his state and the nation, and to the Senate. He was a pillar of civility whose calm and thoughtful contributions helped shape foreign policy, farm and nutrition policy, and national security policy. It's been said that our partnership in leading the Agriculture Committee has been a model of how the Senate can work, and I will always value our close friendship and what we… Continue Reading
04.18.19
Vermont Farmers Can Now Grow Hemp This Season
Thanks To The Efforts Of Leahy And Tester, Vermont Farmers Can Now Grow Hemp This Season . . . senators successfully push USDA and CBP to allow producers to import hemp seeds from Canada in time for planting season (THURSDAY, April 18, 2019) -- After a weeks-long effort, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) have successfully pushed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow producers in Vermont, Montana and ot… Continue Reading
04.18.19
Comment On Release Of Special Counsel Mueller's Redacted Report
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Release Of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Redacted Report April 18, 2019 Despite the Attorney General's spin and carefully orchestrated press rollout - obviously intended for an audience of one - nothing can hide that this report amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration. Members of the Trump campaign were not simply useful pawns in Russia's attack on our elections. T… Continue Reading
04.17.19
Guest Column: War Legacies And The Expanding U.S.-Vietnam Partnership
Guest Column By Patrick Leahy: War Legacies And The Expanding U.S.-Vietnam Partnership April 17, 2019 [Senator Leahy this week is heading an official bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation of nine senators to Vietnam and to the Korea DMZ, during the current Senate recess. On Wednesday Leahy and the delegation will take part in the official inauguration of a second Agent Orange remediation project in Vietnam. Leahy has led the congressional work in launching and funding the two remediation projects,… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Leahy, Sanders And Welch Announce More Than $20 Million In Affordable Housing And Community Development Funds For Vermont
(TUESDAY, April 16, 2019) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressman Welch (D-Vt.) announced Tuesday that Vermont will receive $21 million in new affordable housing and community development funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and NeighborWorks America. These new funds will help reduce and end homelessness by investing in rental assistance, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of affordable housing and community dev… Continue Reading
