Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Statement On The Urgent Need For A Bold Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic
For more than a year, our country has been in the grip of an unprecedented health and economic catastrophe. It was January of last year when the first confirmed case of COVID-19 arrived in our country. Since then, more than 444,000 of our fellow citizens have died, more than 26 million have been infected, and millions have lost their jobs. And every day there are thousands more deaths. A year ago, former President Trump boasted that there were only 15 COVID-19 cases in this country and he w… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Statement On The Senate Democrats Meeting With President Biden
The meeting this afternoon with President Biden was welcome and productive, and I am glad we finally have a partner in the White House who takes this crisis seriously. Senate Democrats are united in our commitment that this crisis requires bold and urgent action, which for too long was delayed as the previous administration dragged their feet. Senate Democrats are ready to get to work, and we welcome our Republican colleagues to join us. But we will not delay, and we will not settle for an i… Continue Reading
02.02.21
Sens. Tillis And Leahy And Reps. Jeffries And Mace Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Supporting Creative Students
Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that directs the Register of Copyrights to waive the copyright registration fee for winners of the Congressional Art Competition and the Congressional App Competition. Currently, the Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, does not have the authority to waive the registration fee. The Senate passed this legislation unan… Continue Reading
02.02.21
Vermont Law School Awarded $3M To Expand National Center On Restorative Justice
(TUESDAY, February 2, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced that Vermont Law School will receive a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue operations at the National Center on Restorative Justice. Leahy, who will serve as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee in the 117th Congress, has led a several-year effort to establish and fund the Center. Leahy also has been a leader on criminal justice reform as the most senior member of th… Continue Reading
02.01.21
Leahy Leads Letter Calling For Additional Relief For State And Local Governments
(MONDAY, Feb. 1, 2021) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday released a letter joined by 12 other Senators calling for additional relief for state, localities, and tribal governments in the next COVID relief package, including a strong all-state minimum to ensure every state can meet the economic and public health challenges the nation still faces. In March, Congress established the Coronavirus Relief Fund in the CARES Act. The fund provided direct support to state and local governments to su… Continue Reading
01.27.21
Durbin, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation To Help Developing Nations With Access To COVID-19 Vaccines And The Pandemic Economic Fallout
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), today introduced the Support for Global Financial Institution Pandemic Response Act. The legislation directs representatives from the United States to multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), to help developing countries as they fight COVID-19, ensuring financial support… Continue Reading
01.25.21
Comment On Presiding Over The Impeachment Trial Of President Donald Trump
[Last week, for the third time in his 46 years as a United States Senator, Senator Leahy was sworn in as president pro tempore of the Senate. The president pro tempore is a constitutional officer, responsible for presiding over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. For more than 70 years, the senator holding the office of the president pro tempore has stood third in line in the order of succession to be president. Throughout the nation's history, each president pro tempore has almo… Continue Reading
01.15.21
Leahy Will Reintroduce Legislation Guaranteeing Full Federal Reimbursement For National Guard COVID-19 Mission
(FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2021) - Lawmakers in the House and Senate Friday renewed their efforts to require the federal government to cover the full costs to the National Guard and their states for COVID-19 response efforts. Representatives Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced legislation in the House. Companion Senate legislation will be introduced on January 21 by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) when the Senate first allows introductions. President-elect Biden has announced that his ad… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Reaction To The Final Rescission Proposal From President Trump
For the last four years, President Trump has repeatedly displayed his inability to grasp that a government by the people works for the people. His budgets proposed to undermine our government's ability to help families in need and invest in future growth. Congress turned back each of these irresponsible budgets on a bipartisan basis. Apparently President Trump remains unable to understand the potential consequences of his failed policies. The $27 billion of rescission proposals he submitted… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Statement On President Elect Biden's Proposal To Address The Coronavirus Crisis And Restart The Economy
I am relieved that we will finally have a partner in the White House who takes this unprecedented health and economic crisis seriously. There are pressing needs that have been unaddressed for far too long as hundreds of thousands died, tens of millions were infected, and millions lost their jobs. To restart the economy we must defeat the virus, and I am glad to see the bold action this crisis deserves proposed by President Elect Biden. I look forward to working with the incoming President an… Continue Reading
01.14.21
Shaheen, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Call On Pompeo To Detail How Administration Will Respond To Findings Of Havana Syndrome Report
**Shaheen has stood by these government employees and their families, spearheading legislative efforts to provide them benefits** **On the TODAY Show, Shaheen responded to the findings of the National Academy of Sciences and underscored the urgent need to take action to address these attacks that have targeted American public servants and their families** **In the FY21 NDAA that recently became law, Shaheen successfully included language to expand a provision in law that she wrote last year … Continue Reading
01.14.21
Leahy To Host Astronaut & Also NASA Administrator For Virtual Q&A With Vermont Students
On Thursday, Jan. 14 (today), at 11:00 a.m., Senator Patrick Leahy will host a virtual Q&A with NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman and Vermont middle school students, in coordination with the Vermont Space Grant Consortium. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will facilitate a live discussion between Astronaut Cardman and students from Danville School, Georgia Middle School, and Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School. Vermont students, teachers and members of the media are invited to watch the livestre… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Comment On The Second Impeachment Of President Donald Trump
Today's decisive and bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives to impeach President Trump was nothing less than a vote to preserve our democracy. President Trump has not simply failed to uphold his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, which itself would be sufficient to warrant his impeachment and removal. He has emerged as the greatest threat to the Constitution and to American democracy in a generation. He sparked the flames of sedition and has fanned them relentles… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Leahy-Led Bipartisan Bill Promoting Affordable Health Insurance Is Signed Into Law
(WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2021) - Legislation led in the Senate by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) that promotes lower health insurance costs to consumers by increasing transparency and enhancing consumer protections in the health insurance industry was signed into law Wednesday by the President. The "Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act" will ensure that health insurance issuers are subject to the same federal antitrust laws prohibiting unfair trade practices, suc… Continue Reading
01.13.21
Murphy, Leahy, Cardin, Raise Alarms Over Erosion Of Press Freedom In Ethiopia, Call For Immediate Release Of All Detained Journalists
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), on Wednesday urged Ethiopia to immediately release all detained journalists and return to a more democratic path. In a letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the senators specifically raise alarms over the recent erosion of press freedom, which stands in contrast to the beginning of his premiership, and call on the country… Continue Reading
01.11.21
Klobuchar, Leahy, And Colleagues Demand Answers From The State Department About Move To Designate Cuba A State Sponsor Of Terrorism
On Friday January 8, 2021, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo expressing concern over reports that the Trump Administration's would designate Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism without formal consultation and review by Congress. The Senators also asked the State Department to … Continue Reading
01.11.21
In New Letter, Schumer, Murray, Leahy And Sanders Demand Trump Administration Immediately Address Significant COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Failures
Schumer, Murray, Leahy, Sanders And Senate Democrats Demand Trump Administration Provide Resources, Funding And Guidance To State, Local, Tribal, And Territorial Governments In Order To Efficiently Distribute And Administer Vaccines To People Across The Country In New Letter, Schumer, Murray, Leahy And Sanders Say Trump Administration Must Act Quickly To Address The Significant Failures Of The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution And Work To Combat Health Inequities WASHINGTON (MONDAY, Jan. 11. 202… Continue Reading
01.11.21
Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To Secretary Of State Pompeo’s Announcement That State Department Is Redesignating Cuba As A State Sponsor Of Terrorism
"This blatantly politicized designation makes a mockery of what had been a credible, objective measure of a foreign government's active support for terrorism. Nothing remotely like that exists here. In fact, domestic terrorism in the United States poses a far greater threat to Americans than Cuba does. Secretary Pompeo has self-righteously defended Donald Trump's worst foreign policy failures, and on his way out the door he seems intent on making things as difficult as possible for his succes… Continue Reading
01.07.21
Statement On The Law Enforcement Response To Wednesday's Tragic Events
Yesterday, the very heart of our democracy was laid under siege. I am grateful to the men and women in law enforcement who defended the people's house from this violent and lawless mob. However, there were clearly systematic failures, and this breach should have never happened. There are many questions we must answer. In the coming days the Appropriations Committee will be investigating yesterday's tragic events. # # # #… Continue Reading
01.07.21
The Chilling Assault On Our Constitutional Republic
January 6, 2021, will forever mark a day of infamy for our nation. It will be remembered because our beloved Capitol building - the very heart of our democracy - was stormed and laid under siege. Rioters broke through windows, doors, and security barriers in both the Senate and House wings of the Capitol, assaulting Capitol Police officers, leaving a wake of destruction, and forcing me and other Members of Congress to temporarily delay fulfilling our constitutional duty to certify the presiden… Continue Reading
