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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $4.6 Billion Supplemental To Address The Humanitarian Crisis At The Southern Border
(WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2019) - The Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday approved a bipartisan emergency supplemental to address the humanitarian crisis on our country's southern border in a vote of 30 to 1. The supplemental totals $4.6 billion, $400 million less than the Trump Administration's revised request, including $2.88 billion for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the office charged with caring for unaccompanied minors. Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Le… Continue Reading
06.19.19
Statement on LGBTQ Discrimination By The Trump Administration And The Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk To Be U.S. District Judge For The Northern District Of Texas
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On LGBTQ Discrimination by the Trump Administration and the Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Congressional Record June 19, 2019 Later this month our nation will mark the 50th anniversary of the momentous uprising at the Stonewall Inn, an occasion that led to June being designated as Pride Month. From parades and celebrations to quiet remembrances, millions of Americans are reflecting on the p… Continue Reading
06.18.19
Udall, Leahy, Van Hollen Demand Answers about President’s Fourth of July Event
Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Department of the Interior's budget, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary David Bernhardt to inform the Interior Appropriations subcommittee of the president's reported Fourth of July plans and how the additional costs… Continue Reading
06.17.19
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Encourage VT Dairy Farmers To Enroll In New Farm Bill Safety Net Program
(MONDAY, June 17, 2019) -- Vermont's congressional delegation - Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), and Representative Peter Welch (D) - on Monday urged Vermont dairy farmers to consider enrolling in the new Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, a safety net measure created in the 2018 Farm Bill to help producers manage volatile milk prices and feed costs. The enrollment period opens Monday, and runs through September 20. The voluntary program, advocated by Leahy, Sanders and … Continue Reading
06.14.19
Klobuchar Leads Letter Opposing Administration Actions to Restrict Educational and Cultural Travel to Cuba
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a letter today strongly opposing the Trump Administration's decision to eliminate group "people-to-people" educational travel to Cuba, including a ban to prohibit cruise ships from stopping there. Organized groups on cruise ships are the most common way U.S. citizens travel to the island. In the letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the senators reiterated that isolating Cuba has only disadvantaged American and Cuban… Continue Reading
06.13.19
Leahy Joins Gillibrand And Others To Reintroduce Military Justice Improvement Act
After Recent DoD Report Highlights Pentagon's Continued Failure To Adequately Address Military Sexual Assault, Leahy Joins Gillibrand And Others To Reintroduce Military Justice Improvement Act … Bipartisan bill would create impartial, fair and accountable military justice system (June 13, 2019) -- U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, Thursday led a bipartisan group of senators, including Senator Patrick Leahy (… Continue Reading
06.12.19
Senate Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Floor Statement On A Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill
Next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will markup a supplemental appropriations bill to address the humanitarian crisis on our southern border. This does not have to be a partisan process. We have all seen news reports showing crowded conditions at Customs and Border Protection facilities at our southern border. We have seen the pictures of women and children sleeping outside, on the ground, because the facilities are full. And we have all seen the numbers of unaccompanied children … Continue Reading
06.11.19
Durbin, Leahy, Cardin, Brown, Senators Introduce Resolution Expressing Support For Free, Fair, Transparent Elections In Guatemala
Durbin, Leahy, Cardin, Brown, Senators Introduce Resolution Expressing Support For Free, Fair, Transparent Elections In Guatemala WASHINGTON (June 11, 2019) - Ahead of Guatemala's elections on Sunday, June 16, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today introduced a resolution expressing support for free, fair, and transparent elections in Guatemala. The resolution also e… Continue Reading
06.06.19
Reaction To President Trump Signing The Disaster Supplemental
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) REAX To President Trump Signing The Disaster Supplemental THURSDAY, May 6, 2019 Since the House first passed a disaster package back in January, Senate Republicans needlessly delayed its progress at the direction of President Trump. It was in response to the President's direction to not provide a dollar of additional aid to Puerto Rico that Republicans delayed the disaster relief for over four months. Democrats have said from … Continue Reading
06.05.19
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
