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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 (D-Vt.), Nomination Hearing of Dr. Carla Hayden to be Librarian of Congress
For a young student or a lifelong learner, a library can be an exciting place. I realized this at the age of four, when I received my first library card at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. Some of my fondest memories as a child were at the library, where everyone fit in and possibilities were limitless. Today, the Rules Committee considers the nomination of Dr. Carla Hayden to lead the Library of Congress, one of the largest libraries in the world. Dr. Hayden brings direc… Continue Reading
04.20.16
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Judicial Nominations
Today, this Committee is holding its first nominations hearing since January. Since that time, judicial vacancies have risen across the Nation and nominations to fill empty judgeships have piled up in this Committee. In addition to the five judicial nominees on this hearing, there are 27 other judicial nominees that are waiting for a hearing - including Chief Judge Garland to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. If we followed the timing that the last 14 Supreme Court nominees received, we … Continue Reading
04.20.16
House Judiciary Committee Overwhelmingly Approves Leahy-Authored Bill To Reauthorize Lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Grant Program
(Wednesday, April 20, 2016) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday hailed the House Judiciary Committee for overwhelmingly approving his legislation to reauthorize the lifesaving Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program, a federal grant program whose charter has long been expired and needs to be renewed. Following the committee's action on Wednesday, Leahy called for the full House to quickly pass the bill so that it can be sent to the President for signature. The Senate passed the bip… Continue Reading
04.20.16
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy On Senate Passage Of The Energy Policy Modernization Act
(WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016) - The Senate Wednesday passed legislation in a vote of 85 to 12 to modernize U.S. energy policy, address emerging challenges from climate change to cyber threats, update the nation's energy infrastructure, and permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) voted for the Energy Policy Modernization Act, the first broad bipartisan energy legislation since 2007, which covers a wide array of issues from efficiency to in… Continue Reading
04.19.16
Vermont EPSCoR Wins $20 Million Award From National Science Foundation To Study and Promote Resiliency in Lake Champlain Basin
What makes some parts of the Lake Champlain basin and its watersheds resilient in the face of extreme weather events, increasingly common as climate change warms Vermont, while other parts fail to recover and rebound? A $20 million award from the National Science Foundation to Vermont EPSCoR will help answer that question, providing much needed information to decision-makers as they govern the basin and develop policies that reach far into the future. The award, one of the largest in Vermont… Continue Reading
04.19.16
On The Anniversary Of The Oklahoma City Bombing, Leahy Calls For The Senate To Come Together And Do The Work Of The American People
(Tuesday, April 19, 2016) - Today marks the 21st anniversary of the tragic Oklahoma City bombing that took the lives of 168 people, including 19 children. In the immediate aftermath of that tragedy, Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland supervised the team investigating and prosecuting the Oklahoma City bombing and drew praise from all sides for his work. Noting the important anniversary and Garland's critical work on the ground in Oklahoma City, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patri… Continue Reading
04.19.16
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the 21st Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing
Today we remember the victims and families whose lives were forever changed by the bombing in Oklahoma City twenty-one years ago. That bombing shook our Nation to its core. It remains the worst act of home-grown terrorism our Nation has endured. The destruction and loss of life were overwhelming. This photograph, of a firefighter carrying the limp and bloodied body of a toddler from the wreckage, came to symbolize the horror of the attack. One hundred sixty-eight innocent lives perished tha… Continue Reading
04.15.16
Leahy Welcomes Vermont And Canadian Officials And Business Leaders To Mark Continued Progress On Preclearance Operations That Will Facilitate Air, Rail, Water And Land Travel Between Vermont And Canada, While Strengthening Security
ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (FRIDAY, April 15, 2016) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Friday joined Vermont and Canadian officials and business leaders in Essex Junction, Vt., to mark progress on facilitating travel and commerce between Vermont and Canada. Leahy, long an advocate for the return of the "Montrealer" rail line and easing air travel to Vermont from airports like Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, said legislation he introduced earlier this year would make important strides toward making th… Continue Reading
04.15.16
Leahy: Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Reauthorization Bill Further Delays Needed Rules And Does Not Go Far Enough To Protect Farmers And Small Businesses
(FRIDAY, April 15, 2016) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) - a leading member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and earlier a conferee on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 - Thursday voted against the CFTC reauthorization bill, which the committee passed on a partisan vote. Leahy's amendment to strike unneeded FOIA exemptions, cosponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), was accepted as part of the Manager's Package to amend the bill, before passage. Foll… Continue Reading
04.14.16
Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy On State And Federal EB-5 Enforcement Actions In Vermont
[Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has worked to reform the EB-5 Regional Center program for years. His EB-5 amendment to Comprehensive Immigration Reform passed the Senate in 2013, but the House of Representatives failed to allow a vote on the bill. He also requested that the Government Accountability Office audit the program and pressed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to do what it can to improve the program administratively. Then last year he co-authored a broad, bipartisan reform bi… Continue Reading
04.14.16
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Legislation to Empower Survivors of Sexual Assault Introduced by Shaheen, Blumenthal & Leahy
**The Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act was authored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen with the input of Amanda Nguyen, a survivor of sexual assault** **Legislative breakthrough occurs during Sexual Assault Awareness Month** **Change.org petition calling on Congress to act, now has over 90,000 signatures** (Washington, DC)-Legislation to establish basic rights for survivors of sexual assault has cleared a key hurdle in Congress. This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation intr… Continue Reading
04.14.16
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancements Act of 2016
Senator Grassley and I both believe that whistleblowers play an essential role in providing transparency and accountability in the Federal government. That is why we worked closely together to author the FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancements Act being considered today. This legislation will help protect FBI employees who report wrongdoing at the agency and shields them from unjust retaliation. Our bipartisan legislation is long overdue. We have heard of numerous instances in which FBI em… Continue Reading
04.14.16
SJC Ranking Member Leahy Calls On Chairman Grassley To Send SCOTUS Nominee Committee Questionnaire & Schedule Confirmation Hearing THIS MONTH
(Thursday, April 14, 2016) - Chief Judge Merrick Garland was nominated nearly one month ago to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. On Thursday, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called on committee Republicans to support a full and fair process for the nominee. And consistent with committee tradition, Leahy also urged Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to join him in sending the nominee a committee questionnaire and to schedule a confirmation hearing this month. "Chief J… Continue Reading
04.14.16
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances FBI Whistleblower Protection Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced a bill introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy to improve the process for FBI employees who report fraud, waste or misconduct. The bipartisan FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act establishes key FBI whistleblower safeguards similar to the protections already in place at other federal law enforcement and civil service agencies. It also improves efficiency, oversight, and independence in the investigation and adj… Continue Reading
04.13.16
Ending Tax Breaks For Corporate Wrongdoing
Vermonters, like millions of Americans across the country, are preparing for another tax deadline. Middle class families work hard all year and, come Tax Day, many of us question whether our tax system is fair. And no wonder. Billion-dollar corporations routinely write off their most egregious misconduct as nothing more than the cost of doing business, saving millions of dollars. And, in some cases, padding the wallets of wealthy CEOs. This is not only unfair to hardworking families who str… Continue Reading
04.13.16
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) On the House Judiciary Committee Approving the Bipartisan Email Privacy Act
"Last year we partnered with Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers to protect Americans' privacy in the USA FREEDOM Act, and now we applaud them for their leadership in moving the Email Privacy Act through the House Judiciary Committee. This bill has unprecedented support from all corners of Congress and for good reason: It ensures that the same privacy protections that apply to documents stored in our homes extend to our emails, photos, and information stored in the cloud. These crit… Continue Reading
04.13.16
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing on “The Distortion of EB-5 Targeted Employment Areas: Time to End the Abuse” April 13, 2016
It is not often that all four leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees sit in the same room, on the same side of an issue. But that is what you are seeing today. Chairman Grassley, Chairman Goodlatte, Ranking Member Conyers and I are committed to bringing much-needed reforms to the EB-5 Regional Center program. This program was designed to bring jobs to underserved areas, but in reality it has become an unintended boon for some of the wealthiest business districts in the country. Th… Continue Reading
04.12.16
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Passing Of Former Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Frederic Allen
"Marcelle and I were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Vermont Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Allen. Fred was a World War II veteran, a noted trial lawyer and a guiding force on Vermont's highest court for 12 years. He dedicated his life to public service and to our Green Mountain State and its people, and he leaves behind an enduring legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Karen and their two sons. " # # # # #… Continue Reading
04.12.16
Threat To Indonesia's Orangutans
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, a December 16, 1997, New York Times article entitled "Asia's Forest Fires, Scant Mercy for Orangutans'' described the widespread illegal logging and slash and burn agriculture that posed an existential threat to the orangutan, one of the world's only four species of great apes. It was after reading that article and speaking to scientists who had devoted their lives to saving the orangutan from extinction that I started a program in the foreign aid budget to help protect… Continue Reading
04.12.16
On Equal Pay Day, Leahy Calls For End To Discrimination Affecting American Women In The Workforce
(TUESDAY, April 12, 2016) - Hardworking women in Vermont and across the country face persistent gender discrimination with every paycheck, a glaring problem that Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said everyone from business leaders to Congress must address in order to ensure equal opportunity for all workers. In Equal Pay Day remarks Tuesday morning on the Senate Floor, Leahy said: "The United States is often looked to as a leader in the global landscape, setting the gold standard for others. Unf… Continue Reading
