Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Jericho Elementary School
On February 16, 2017, Senator Leahy conducted an online chat with the fourth graders of Jericho Elementary School. Senator Leahy enjoyed answering their questions about what inspired him to become a Senator, and about his work to create the law that began what is now a $40 billion organic foods industry. He also discussed the importance of reading, and encouraged the students to read as much as possible to learn about the many important ways they can help change the world.… Continue Reading
02.16.17
Leahy Opposes Nomination Of Mick Mulvaney To Be OMB Director
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday voted against the nomination of Representative Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to serve as the federal government's top budget manager as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In a statement Leahy said: "Mr. Mulvaney has a troubling history when it comes to standing up in support of the programs that many of us care deeply about. He prioritizes budget cuts over the social safety net that stands between mo… Continue Reading
02.16.17
Feinstein, Leahy & All Judiciary Committee Democratic Members, In Letters To WH, DOJ, FBI: RETAIN All Documents Related To Trump, Russia
All nine Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats today called on the White House, the Justice Department and the FBI to preserve all documents related to communication between Russia and all Trump officials and associates, as well as all documents related to Russian interference in the 2016 election. Letter to White House Letter to DOJ, FBI In a letter to White House Counsel Donald McGahn, the senators, led by Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), wrote, "We are writing to ask … Continue Reading
02.16.17
Senators to AG Sessions: Recuse Yourself from Trump, Russia Investigations
All nine Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats today called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from any Justice Department investigations into Trump-Russia communications and Russian interference in the 2016 election. Additionally, the senators, led by Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), called on Sessions to limit communication between the Justice Department and the White House on all "criminal or civil enforcement matters." "[W]e ask that you r… Continue Reading
02.15.17
Senators Call For Independent Prosecutor To Investigate Trump Officials' Collusion With Russia And Apparent White House
Senators to Sessions: "At stake is the integrity and honesty of our most trusted public officials and the viability of our justice system" U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) led a group of eleven Senators in calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint an independent Special Counsel to investigate possible illegal communications between retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn and representatives of the Russian government, as well as efforts by Flynn and other White House officials … Continue Reading
02.14.17
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Departure Of Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy
"Director Clancy took over the United States Secret Service during an era of great challenges, and he has provided much needed leadership and stability during his tenure. I thank him for his service to the agency and his country. At a time when our nation is facing serious national security challenges, I hope the President appoints someone similarly qualified to lead the Secret Service."… Continue Reading
02.14.17
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Resignation Of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn
General Flynn's resignation as National Security Advisor is not the end of this story. I fear it is only the beginning. I have been deeply troubled for months about Russian manipulation of the 2016 presidential campaign and growing evidence of Russia's influence inside the White House. Serious questions remain unanswered about whether the President knew of Flynn's conversations with the Russians, and about Vladimir Putin's relationship with other individuals close to the President. It should… Continue Reading
02.13.17
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On the Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury
Today the Senate will confirm the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be the Secretary of the Treasury. It is a nomination I simply cannot support. The Treasury Department plays an essential role in the development of the economic policies that financially secure the United States in world markets, that expand the opportunities available to all Americans, and that help set the stage for a sound and growing economy. Our country's economic engine must be one that is accessible to all Americans, not… Continue Reading
02.13.17
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On the Nomination of David Shulkin to Secretary of Veterans Affairs
As the Senate has spent the last few weeks considering controversial nominee after controversial nominee, it is a refreshing break to consider Dr. David Shulkin to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Shulkin is a man defined by his professionalism, competence and dedication to the mission of the agency he is tapped to lead. The son of an Army psychologist and an experienced hospital system administrator, Dr. Shulkin was selected by President Obama to restore trust and confidence at th… Continue Reading
02.13.17
Ensuring Judicial Independence Will Require SENATE Independence
The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist once described the independent judiciary as "one of the crown jewels of our system of government." That is because the judiciary, insulated by life tenure from elections, can provide a necessary check on the other two branches of government and uphold the constitutional rights of all Americans. Now the independent federal judiciary is under attack by a president who seems intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis. President Trump's attacks on a … Continue Reading
02.10.17
Statement Of Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy On The Cost Of The Border Wall
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Friday issued the following statement on reports of an internal DHS cost estimate of $21.6 billion to construct a 2000-mile-long wall on the Southern Border: Appropriations bills are tangible expressions of our priorities. How we use our taxpayer dollars is a reflection of our values, and wasting billions on a poorly conceived border wall does not meet that test. Instead of funding this costly and ineffective proxy for real… Continue Reading
02.09.17
Leahy Comment On Unanimous Ninth Circuit Decision On The Trump Administration’s Immigration Order
"With its unanimous ruling, the Ninth Circuit has now joined numerous other courts around the country in ruling that President Trump's discriminatory immigration order is likely unconstitutional. It imposes a religious litmus test designed to keep Muslims out of the United States. If the President were serious about bringing our country together and keeping us safe, he would rescind this arbitrary and discriminatory order and recall what makes our country great. "Immigrants and refugees have … Continue Reading
02.09.17
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Commend Governor & Other State Leaders For Legislation On Trump Executive Orders
In a joint statement, Vermont's Congressional Delegation - Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) - commented on State of Vermont legislative efforts to protect the constitutional rights of Vermonters: "We commend Governor Scott, Attorney General Donovan and our state's legislative leaders for their commitment to protecting the rights of all Vermonters. Our offices have taken hundreds of calls from Vermonters who are deeply concerned about… Continue Reading
02.09.17
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On the Nomination of Representative Tom Price to Serve As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
The Cabinet nomination we are considering today is one of great consequence. The reach of the Department of Health and Human Services is extensive, with direct and indirect consequences for the health and well-being of all Americans. Like many other nominations that this body is rushing to confirm, Representative Price has not satisfied the many questions that have been raised about his ability to defend programs that are vital to so many Americans. In fact, his record in Congress runs counte… Continue Reading
02.08.17
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On the Nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions To Be The Attorney General Of The United States
Yesterday I spoke at length about my fear that Senator Sessions would not have the ability to act as an independent Attorney General. The Attorney General is not the president's lawyer. He or she is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. And he or she must faithfully serve all Americans. Even if Senator Sessions could demonstrate independence from President Trump, my review of his extensive record leaves me unconvinced that he is capable of serving and protecting all American… Continue Reading
02.08.17
Remarks of Senator Patrick Leahy On President Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Senator Sessions
Mr. President, it is ironic that as we consider the nomination of Senator Sessions to be the Attorney General, a position in which he will be responsible for defending the fundamental rights and liberties of the American people, President Trump has continued to praise Russian President Vladmir Putin who has repeatedly demonstrated his disdain for freedom of speech, of association, of due process and of the rule of law. In less than a week the President has attacked a federal judge for performi… Continue Reading
02.08.17
Leahy Introduces Senate Resolution Affirming That The U.S. Does Not Have Religious Or Other Discriminatory Litmus Tests For Refugees
Following multiple federal court decisions ruling that President Trump's Muslim ban likely violated the constitution, Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a Senate resolution this week reaffirming that the United States "should remain a global leader in welcoming and providing refuge to refugees and asylum seekers." The resolution is similar to Leahy's religious freedom amendment adopted in the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2015, which drew broad bipartisan support. Leahy's new Senate resolution, … Continue Reading
02.08.17
Senator Leahy & Leading Senators Demand Answers About Outrageous Price Hike For Lifesaving Anti-Opioid Drug
Thirty-one Senators led by Senator Patrick Leahy are demanding answers from a leading pharmaceutical company about the dramatic price hike for a life-saving medication used to respond to opioid overdoses. Recent reports unveiled that drug maker Kaléo Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures an easy-to-use injector device containing the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, raised its price from $690 in 2014, to $4,500 currently. While the Evzio device has the potential to help thousands of indiv… Continue Reading
02.07.17
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy, Introduction of a Senate Resolution Expressing Support for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has reported that more than 65 million people have been forcibly displaced around the globe by the end of 2015. In the face of such staggering human suffering, we must not shutter our doors and abandon our foundational principle of religious freedom. Yet that is exactly what our new president would have us do with the Executive Order he signed two weeks ago. This is not something I support. And for good reasons. Our freedom of religion was e… Continue Reading
02.07.17
Leahy, On Senate Floor: Senator Sessions Lacks Independence To Be Attorney General
Sustained legal challenges to President Trump's unconstitutional Muslim ban underscore the need for an independent attorney general to uphold the Constitution, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Tuesday. "There is a reason the Justice Department is not led by a Secretary of Justice: the Attorney General is the people's attorney, not the president's attorney. The Trump administration has already shown us why this distinction matters," Leahy said during a lengthy floor statement about the nomina… Continue Reading
