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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination Of William Barr To Be U.S. Attorney General
The last time William Barr was before the Senate - 28 years ago during the George H.W. Bush administration - I voted for him to be Attorney General. I did so despite having some reservations that I shared with him and the Senate at the time. Mr. Barr and I do not see eye to eye on many issues. We did not then and we do not now. But he was clearly qualified for the position, and he had earned the confidence of the Senate. Today we are considering Mr. Barr's nomination under extraordinarily d… Continue Reading
02.13.19
Sanders and Leahy Highlight Important Provisions for Vermont in Public Lands Legislation
Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced that the Senate passed the Natural Resources Management Act on Tuesday evening by a 92-8 vote. This comprehensive public lands bill includes two provisions of particular importance to Vermonters. The bill permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Congress created the LWCF in 1965 to fund local, state and federal conservation and recreation efforts using the royalties collected from oil and gas compan… Continue Reading
02.08.19
BREAKING: Leahy REAX On Report That The President Will Ignore Filing Deadline For Magnitsky Act Report On The Murder Of Jamal Khashoggi
The Magnitsky Act that requires a president to report back to Congress within 120 days is not a 'request.' It is a legal mandate. It was triggered, under law, by a letter from the chair and ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined by Senator Graham and me, as the leaders of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations. If the President ignores the clear mandate of the Magnitsky Act in a case involving premeditated murder perpetrated b… Continue Reading
02.08.19
Jericho Elementary
On February 6, 2019, Senator Leahy conducted his first online chat of the 2019 calendar year with Vermont students -- this time, with fourth graders from Jericho Elementary, taught by Mr. Ben Brezic. Senator Leahy enjoyed answering the students' questions about his daily routine and about legislation and issues that he is currently working on in the Senate. He was also asked about the most difficult votes he has had to make during his tenure in the Senate, and about how the partial government … Continue Reading
02.08.19
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Passing Of Congressman John Dingell
"John Dingell once said that he wants his tombstone just to say that he did his damndest. And that he did. He gave his all to help expand health insurance to millions of vulnerable Americans, earning him the well-deserved honor of presiding over the House when Medicare was passed, and of sitting next to President Obama as he signed the Affordable Care Act. "John's towering presence and force of will were a fixture in the House for nearly 60 years, but he never fell behind the times. He was a… Continue Reading
02.08.19
Klobuchar, Enzi, Leahy Introduce Major Legislation to Lift Cuba Trade Embargo
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) reintroduced major legislation to lift the Cuba trade embargo. The bipartisan Freedom to Export to Cuba Act would eliminate the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba and pave the way for new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports and allow Cubans greater access to American goods. The legislation repeals key provisions of previous laws that block Americans from … Continue Reading
02.07.19
Leahy And Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Fight Price Fixing By OPEC
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and a bipartisan group of Judiciary Committee senators Thursday to introduce bipartisan legislation that would let the federal government take action against price fixing by OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Senators Amy Klobuchar of (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) also cosponsored the legislation. "As Vermonters struggle to heat their homes through another frigid winter, it's vital to make sure that oil… Continue Reading
02.06.19
Leahy Introduces Bill To Enhance Cybersecurity With Cornyn And Cruz
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has introduced the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act with Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to work with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) to help prepare for and respond to cybersecurity risks at the national, state, and local levels. Leahy said: "Improving cybersecurity remains vitally important in every aspect of our lives. Whether in busin… Continue Reading
02.06.19
Daines, Leahy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Big Health Insurance Companies from Price Fixing, Collusion
U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday introduced legislation to ensure that health insurance companies are held accountable for pricing drugs. Their bill, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act amends McCarran-Ferguson, which exempted insurance companies from federal antitrust laws. "For far too long, health insurance companies have gotten away with taking advantage of consumers and charging them outrageous prices for their health care," Daines said. "It… Continue Reading
02.05.19
Leahy And Other Leading Judiciary Committee Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Counter Rising Prescription Drug Prices
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), joined by other leading Judiciary Committee senators, on Tuesday reintroduced legislation to combat anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies to block entry of lower-cost generic drugs. The Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act would deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace. The bill is sponsored by Leahy and cosponsored … Continue Reading
02.05.19
Senate Floor Statement Of Senator Patrick leahy On Introduction Of The CREATES Act
Over the past few years, the national headlines have been dominated by stories about the high cost of pharmaceuticals. We have seen jaw-dropping examples of companies raising the cost of their products overnight, pricing too many families out of the prescription drugs they need to survive. Just last week, House and Senate Committees charged with oversight of the pharmaceutical industry heard heartbreaking testimony from family members of those dependent on insulin who have been forced to ratio… Continue Reading
02.05.19
Leahy Joins Feinstein And Other Democratic Senators To Introduce Legislation To Prevent Separation Of Immigrant Families
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and 40 other Democratic senators to introduce legislation to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the border. The Keep Families Together Act was developed in consultation with child welfare experts to ensure the federal government is acting in the best interest of children. The bill allows immigrant children… Continue Reading
01.30.19
Statement Of Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy At The First Meeting Of The Homeland Security Appropriations Conference
We are all glad that the senseless 35 day shutdown has come to an end, and that the Appropriations Committee can get to work and try to come up with something that makes sense for the American people. I believe we can reach a bipartisan agreement that funds the government and secures our country and our borders. But our choices about how to allocate American taxpayer dollars must be grounded in reality. We need to address problems with solutions rooted in facts, not merely rooted in campaign… Continue Reading
01.29.19
Leahy Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Anticompetitive Pay-for-Delay Deals
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to bring down the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. The Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act would limit anticompetitive pay-for-delay deals that prevent or delay the introduction of affordable follow-on versions of branded pharmaceuticals. The bill extends the reach of their prior legislation - the Preserve Access to Affordabl… Continue Reading
01.25.19
Reaction To President Trump Proposing A Three-Week Continuing Resolution And Finally Agreeing To Demands To Reopen The Government
For 35 days, President Trump has robbed hundreds of thousands of American families of their paychecks, forcing dedicated public servants to turn to foodbanks and unemployment benefits to feed and support their families. For 35 days, President Trump denied millions of taxpaying Americans access to public services. For 35 days, President Trump has inflicted pain on the American people and compromised our national security. And for what? All of this pain and suffering to end where we began. On Dec… Continue Reading
01.25.19
Reaction To Reports Of The FAA Delaying Flights Due To The Trump Shutdown
The rolling consequences of the Trump Shutdown will only become more severe the longer this madness is allowed to go on by President Trump and Republican Leadership. Hundreds of thousands of public servants and their families have been robbed of a month's pay only for the president to suggest these hardworking Americans "work along" with their local grocery stores to feed their families. Millions of Americans have been denied government services that they pay their taxes to receive. Now the Trum… Continue Reading
01.24.19
On The Senate’s Votes Today On The Trump And Democratic Bills On The Trump Shutdown: Senate Address Of Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patrick
It has been more than a month since the Trump Shutdown began - 34 days to be precise. I hear from people every day about the pain and suffering this shutdown has caused. Tomorrow hundreds of thousands of public servants will miss their second paycheck since the shutdown began, and many of these people have been on the job the entire time. They are angry and they are confused about why their paychecks are being held hostage by the President in what he appears to view as a political game. M… Continue Reading
01.24.19
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Leahy Releases Summary Of The McConnell/Trump "Compromise" Ahead Of Thursday's Votes
President Trump and Leader McConnell have held the government of the American people and hundreds of thousands of public servants and their families hostage for 34 days, demanding American taxpayers fund the President's ineffective wall and advance his extreme, anti-immigrant policies. The President cannot bargain with what he broke, and Republicans cannot make a deal among themselves and call it a "compromise." The Wall: The bill would provide $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall. … Continue Reading
01.23.19
Senate Floor Address Of Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy On Day 33 Of The Trump Shutdown
For a month now, much of the federal government has been closed for business while the President of the United States rants and raves about his personal obsession, the centerpiece of his extreme, anti-immigration agenda - a wall on our Southern border. For a month now, hundreds of thousands of dedicated public servants have gone without a paycheck, even while many of them remained on the job. Many can no longer pay their bills. They are worried about how they will put food on the table. Ma… Continue Reading
01.23.19
'Pay Our Interns' Group Gives Leahy 'Congressional Intern Champion Award' For His Legislation Facilitating Paid Internships In The U.S. Senate
An organization of former interns that advocates for paying interns in congressional and federal offices has recognized Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) for achieving the long-sought goal of facilitating paid internships in the Senate. "Pay Our Interns" founders Carlos Mark Vera and Guillermo Creamer Jr. met with Leahy in his office to give him their Congressional Intern Champion Award. Leahy, the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, recently secured the first-ever funding dedicated… Continue Reading
