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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Appropriations Vice Chair Leahy Senate Floor Tribute to Senator Thad Cochran
I have often felt that Senator Thad Cochran was plucked from Central Casting to fill the role of a devoted public servant. More than most of us, he looks the part, and more than most of us, he embodies the best of what the Senate can be. Our country needs more public servants like Thad. As Congress has become more partisan in recent years, Thad has stood by his values. He brings substance, not soundbites, to the Upper Chamber, and his leadership as "The Quiet Persuader" will be sorely misse… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Leahy Leads Charge Against Opioid Epidemic In Appropriations Bill
Senator Patrick Leahy announced $3.3 billion in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill released Wednesday night to combat the opioid epidemic that has gripped Vermont and the nation. This includes: $32 million for the Leahy-authored Anti-Heroin Task Force grants, a $22 million increase compared to last year; $1 billion for a new State Opioid Response Grant program; and $130 million for a new Leahy-backed Rural Communities Opioids Response program to help rural communities at the highest risk for subst… Continue Reading
03.21.18
Leahy Notches Key Victories For Vermont In Appropriations Bill
Senate and House Appropriations Committee leaders Wednesday morning completed lengthy and intense negotiations on an appropriations bill to fund the federal government through September 30. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, played a leading role in the negotiations, on which work began last May, and secured several key victories for Vermont. This will be the first appropriations bill completed from start to finish with Leahy as the committee'… Continue Reading
03.21.18
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday released a summary of the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that totals $1.3 trillion in discretionary spending in compliance with the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Agreement. The bill includes $700 billion in defense funding, including $71 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, and $600 billion in non-defense spending, including $12 billion in OCO. Leahy said: "Through hard work, long days, a… Continue Reading
03.20.18
Leahy Statement On U.S. Participation In The War In Yemen
Mr. President, it is about time we had a debate, if only for a few hours, on the participation of the U.S. military in the civil war in Yemen. Frankly, I cannot comprehend, nor am I able to explain to my Vermont constituents, the ongoing involvement of U.S. troops in support of the Saudi-led coalition as it flies U.S.-origin planes and drops U.S.-made bombs - purchased at a discount thanks to American taxpayers - amid continued reports of indiscriminate targeting and horrific civilian casualtie… Continue Reading
03.20.18
Leahy Committee Statement On The Need To Reauthorize The Violence Against Women Act
I would like to take a moment to recognize Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, who passed away last week at the age of 88. Her colleagues in the House remember her as a trailblazer who inspired countless young women to seek their rightful place at the head of the table. She co-authored the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and she was a champion of equal rights throughout her career. So let us remember her legacy this morning, as we look at ways to further advance this important legislation. Th… Continue Reading
03.20.18
Leahy, Boozman Introduce Legislation to Extend Assistance for Farmers, Veterans
U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and John Boozman (R-Ark.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, introduced the Veteran and Beginning Farmers Technical Assistance Act. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) program to continue educating farmers and ranchers on farming practices and assist veterans in becoming successful producers. "Arkansas farmers and ranchers feed the world. Providing access and c… Continue Reading
03.20.18
As Concerns About School Safety Grow, Leahy Joins In Introducing Legislation To Address Bullying
In an effort to address bullying in American schools, Senator Patrick Leahy joined Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and more than 30 other senators to introduce the Safe Schools Improvement Act. Their bill is aimed at ensuring that no child is afraid to go to school for fear of unchecked bullying and harassment. Bullying is widespread and has adverse long terms consequences for children. A Department of Education study found that 1 in 5 children between the ages of 12 and 18 will be affected by b… Continue Reading
03.19.18
Leahy And Collins Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Combat Youth Homelessness And Trafficking
Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) Monday reintroduced their bipartisan bill to curb youth homelessness and support young victims of trafficking. The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (RHYTPA), which is also cosponsored by Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), would reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and continue authority for grants to communities across the nation to prevent and respond to youth and young adult homelessness. Their bill ma… Continue Reading
03.17.18
Leahy Releases His Request To Chairman Grassley To Hold Urgent Hearing on DOJ Politicization
Leahy Releases His Request To Chairman Grassley To Hold Urgent Hearing on DOJ Politicization . . . On Rapidly Escalating Political Threats To Law Enforcement [Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and a leading member of the Judiciary Committee:] "In the last few hours the President's personal attorney has called for the Justice Department, without even an arguably legitimate basis, to prematurely shut down the Special Counsel's Russia investigation. And the Attorney General, in a clear violation of h… Continue Reading
03.14.18
Leahy Senate Floor Statement On The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, And Consumer Protection Act
Ten years ago this month, we saw the first domino fall toward the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Some of our country's largest financial institutions were facing capital and liquidity crises, and it became clear that many of the biggest banks would need a massive injection of capital, in the form of a taxpayer bailout, to prevent what then-Chairman Bernanke called the "chaotic unwinding" of financial markets. The near collapse of the U.S. financial system had a real and las… Continue Reading
03.13.18
Comment of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On President Trump’s Visit To The Border Wall
While President Trump is spending the afternoon examining prototypes for his misguided and ineffective border wall, the American people are waiting on the President to make good on his pledge - which became the central promise of his campaign for president - that Mexico, not American taxpayers, foot the bill for this boondoggle. The President has failed to keep that promise. For years there has been a bipartisan consensus in Congress for sensible, workable, cost-effective border security. S… Continue Reading
03.13.18
Leahy Statement On The President's Sudden Dismissal Of Secretary Of State Tillerson
The only predictable thing about this President is that nothing he says or does survives the test of time. Cabinet officials are fired without even the courtesy of a phone call. Policy pronouncements made with fanfare yesterday are repudiated today. One minute a corrupt foreign dictator is publicly ridiculed, the next minute he is called a great leader and friend. Running our government and foreign policy like an erratic ratings-driven TV impresario is damaging America's image, interests and… Continue Reading
03.12.18
Senator Leahy's Sunshine Week Keynote Address at the National Archives
Thank you, David, for that kind introduction. And thank you for the incredibly important work that you and your team do here. By dutifully recording the workings of our government, NARA plays a central role in telling the story of American democracy, and in carefully preserving these records for posterity. As years and decades pass by, thanks to your service, the American people will better understand the ebbs and flows in our effort to create a more perfect union. Every year, during Sunshin… Continue Reading
03.08.18
Jericho Elementary School
On March 8, 2018, Senator Leahy had his annual online chat with fourth grade students from Jericho Elementary School. The chat had been originally scheduled for February but was rescheduled due to a snowstorm that cancelled school. Senator Leahy said he enjoyed answering the students' questions about his life and work for Vermont on Capitol Hill. The students also asked insightful questions about current political issues facing Vermont and the nation.… Continue Reading
03.08.18
Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The President’s Tariff Announcement
"We want to support our steel and aluminum producing workforce and industrial base, but that's not what this chaotic jumbling of tweets, slogans and unvetted ideas would do. There seems to be no understanding or consideration of threats to the entire rest of America's workforce and economy in what President Trump says, and says he wants to do. No coherent strategy for retraining, workforce development, infrastructure investment, or overall manufacturing sector growth, to mention just a few mis… Continue Reading
03.08.18
Leahy, Shaheen And Other Senators Introduce Northern Border Regional Commission Extension
Senator Patrick Leahy and a majority of other senators from the New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and New York U.S. Senate delegations Thursday introduced legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). The NBRC, a federal-state partnership for economic and community development in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, has awarded $7.8 million in funding for 44 community development projects since its creation in 2008. The new legislation … Continue Reading
03.07.18
Appropriations Vice Chair Patrick Leahy, On Introduction Today Of Senate Democrats’ Jobs And Infrastructure Plan
The Trump infrastructure plan falls far short of what is needed to address our crumbling infrastructure. Instead of making real investments in roads, bridges and broadband, the President conjures up an illusory plan that would be funded on the backs of working Americans, by raising new Trump Tolls. It's smoke and mirrors. And it is made worse by a Trump budget that would cut transportation, housing, and urban development programs by 29 percent. We need real, direct investments in our inf… Continue Reading
03.05.18
Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy On The Retirement Of Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)
Marcelle and I count Thad among our dearest friends, and his leadership on the Appropriations Committee and in the Senate will be sorely missed. Despite being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, over the years Thad and I crossed the aisle to work hand-in-hand for the American people. Together, we championed the Farm-To-School Act. We worked together to pass the FY17 Omnibus, and he has been a steadfast partner as we moved through the FY18 appropriations process. Throughout all of thi… Continue Reading
02.28.18
Schatz, Lee, Leahy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Improve Compassionate Release Process, Save Taxpayer Money
U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday introduced the Granting Release and Compassion Effectively (GRACE) Act, legislation that improves the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) approval process for compassionate release. Authorized under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, which also eliminated parole for federal prisoners, compassionate release gives people incarcerated in federal prisons an opportunity to appeal for early release for "extraordinary a… Continue Reading
