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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Sen. Patrick Leahy REAX On Russia’s Unprovoked Assault On Ukraine
Marcelle and I are praying for the people of Ukraine, an independent country with a democratically elected government that has not threatened Russia. The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin is based on his twisted interpretation of world history and current affairs. Because he refused any of the numerous off-ramps offered by President Biden and the rest of the nations of the world toward diplomatically resolving whatever concerns he claims are motivating his actions, the Ukrainian… Continue Reading
02.23.22
Bipartisan, Bicameral Leaders Urge DOJ To Issue FOIA Guidance That Prioritizes Transparency
(Feb. 23, 2022)-Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Rep. James Comer, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Sen. Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Chuck E. Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Senator John Cornyn sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland of the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging him to issue a memorandum to all agencies encou… Continue Reading
02.17.22
Statement Of Chairman Leahy On Senate Passage Of The Continuing Resolution
Today, it is imperative that we take up and pass H.R. 6617, the Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act. This bill will keep the federal government funded and fully operating through March 11 while we work out the details of full-year appropriations bills to meet the needs of the American people. In a few moments we will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the continuing resolution. As Chairman of the Appropriations Committee I strongly urge all members to vote aye.… Continue Reading
02.17.22
Shaheen, Leahy, Collins Lead Push To Reauthorize Northern Border Regional Commission To Support Hard-Hit Businesses & Communities
() - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) Reauthorization Act of 2022. This bill will extend the authorization of the NBRC and support job creation and community development in the most economically vulnerable parts of rural New Hampshire and the Northeast. The bill is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME) and Maggie Hassan… Continue Reading
02.15.22
Rep. Welch, Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, And Members Of Northern New England Congressional Delegations Urge USDA To Implement Northeast Dairy Task Force Recommendations
Rep. Peter Welch (VT-AL) led a group of lawmakers in a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging the agency to respond to the recommendations of the Northeast Dairy Task Force as quickly as possible. The Task Force was established in response to Danone's announcement that it would terminate contracts with 89 organic dairy farms in the Northeast, leaving many of the region's organic farms without a buyer and placing them at risk of closure. The Task Fo… Continue Reading
02.15.22
Statement On The Dishonorable Legacy Of Juan Orlando Hernandez
Juan Orlando Hernandez had the chance to help his country. Instead he helped himself and his cronies, and the Honduran people lost their lives, their families, and their communities to the ravages of drug gangs, abusive police, corrupt officials, and grinding poverty. Honduras' institutions became instruments of repression and greed. The police and the courts were used to threaten and silence those who sought to defend their land and their rights, the Congress acted as a rubber stamp, and the el… Continue Reading
02.10.22
Leahy And Other Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats Meet With Pres. Biden And VP Harris To Discuss Supreme Court Vacancy
At a meeting in the White House, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee today met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy. Along with Durbin, today's meeting was also attended by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Bo… Continue Reading
02.09.22
DeLauro And Leahy Announce Bipartisan Appropriations Framework
House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today announced that bipartisan, bicameral negotiators have agreed on a framework for fiscal year 2022 appropriations. Chair DeLauro said: "I am pleased that we have reached agreement on a framework, which will allow our subcommittees to get to work finalizing an omnibus. We will now proceed with great intensity to enact legislation making transformative investments to … Continue Reading
02.08.22
Chairman Leahy Comment On The Continuing Resolution
I am glad that the House acted quickly to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 11th, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to take it up and pass it. Over the last several weeks, Chair DeLauro, Vice Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Granger and I have made real progress on reaching a full year funding agreement. I believe this continuing resolution will provide us with the time we need to finish our bipartisan work while removing the unnecessary threat of gove… Continue Reading
02.07.22
60 Years On, The Economic Embargo On Cuba Is An Abject Failure
Mr. LEAHY. Today, February 7, 2022, marks the sixtieth anniversary of the day the United States economic embargo against Cuba first went into effect. Sixty years. Three generations, twelve presidents, sixty sessions of Congress, and six transformational decades ago, dating back to the middle of the Cold War. The goal of the embargo, which has been expanded multiple times, was unmistakable: to depose the Cuban Government by imposing a vast web of punitive sanctions designed to crush the Cub… Continue Reading
02.04.22
Comment Urging President Biden To Commute Leonard Peltier’s Sentence
I urge President Biden to commute Leonard Peltier's prison sentence and release him from federal prison. Peltier, a prominent Native American activist, was imprisoned for crimes he and many other legal experts and advocates maintain he never committed. His trial was so riddled with flaws that even one of the prosecutors trying him has acknowledged that Peltier was wrongfully convicted. Peltier, now 77 years old and ailing with multiple health problems, has served more than 44 years in federal … Continue Reading
02.03.22
Leahy Announces $3.9 Million In USDA Funding To Strengthen Vermont Businesses, Organizations
(THURSDAY, Feb. 3, 2022) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday announced the awarding of more than $3.9 million in USDA loans and grants to 22 Vermont farms, businesses and organizations. Leahy, who is the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: "These awards will help to strengthen not only local businesses, but our rural communities. Some recipients, such as Maple Wind Farm, will use this funding to expand into new markets, while others will be able to make needed capita… Continue Reading
01.31.22
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On South Sudan
Mr. LEAHY. On January 6, 2022, I made a statement about the extreme hardships and insecurity that are a daily reality for the people of South Sudan, despite independence ten years ago that held so much promise and hope for that country. That independence came as a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which took years of negotiations facilitated by the United States, Norway, and the United Kingdom, and it provided a roadmap for political stability, economic development, respect for huma… Continue Reading
01.27.22
Leahy, Sanders And Welch: 6 VT Arts Organizations Will Net Total Of $500,000 In Funding From The American Rescue Plan
(THURSDAY, Jan. 27, 2022) -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that six Vermont arts organizations will be receiving a combined $500,000 in funding through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: "The arts was one of the hardest hit sectors in the country as the pandemic shuttered performance spaces and galleries. In Vermont, which has some the highest parti… Continue Reading
01.26.22
Comment On The Retirement Of Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer
Justice Breyer, confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1994, will leave behind a rich legacy when he retires. He has been one of the Supreme Court's finest unifiers, routinely forging consensus between differing viewpoints and legal philosophies on the Court. He believes deeply that the Supreme Court should not become mired in politics and has served as a beacon of judicial independence even amid increasingly partisan times. He will be remembered as a soft-spoken and studious and humble champion o… Continue Reading
01.20.22
Biden Appoints Vermont Farm Organization Veteran John Roberts, Recommended By Leahy, As Head Of The Farm Service Agency In Vermont
(THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022) - President Biden Thursday announced that he is appointing John Roberts as Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Vermont. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) had recommended Roberts for the position. Leahy said he was pleased by the appointment: "I've known John for many years. He has the qualifications and experience to lead the Farm Service Agency at a critical time for our state when there is much to be done. As with other areas of the economy, the pande… Continue Reading
01.20.22
Findings By Researchers At The Universities Of Vermont And Maine Spotlight Pandemic-Related Health Issues
(THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022) -- Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) credits researchers at the University of Vermont and the University of Maine for highlighting the health challenges faced by residents of both states during the pandemic. Of particular concern to Leahy has been the negative impact the pandemic has had on those who were already food insecure. Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: "This work helps us to understand what impact the pandemic has had on people's health … Continue Reading
01.18.22
How To Order A COVID Test
Vermonters can now order four free COVID-19 antigen tests per household from the federal government. To access the program, follow these simple steps: 1) Visit: https://special.usps.com/testkits 2) Fill out your contact information and shipping address 3) Receive your tests through the mail in one to two weeks Vermonters have stepped forward to test themselves and their families for COVID-19 in the face of the Omicron surge. Testing is a critical tool to protecting our health and h… Continue Reading
01.13.22
Leahy, DeLauro Statement On Appropriations Meeting
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) released the following statement on today's bicameral, bipartisan meeting of Appropriations Committee leadership: "We appreciated the opportunity to have a constructive Four Corners conversation today on completing fiscal year 2022 appropriations. We look forward to further conversations in the coming days, with the shared goal of finishing our work by the February 18 go… Continue Reading
01.10.22
Remarks On The Urgent Need To Pass Voting Rights Legislation
Last week I spoke on the Floor reflecting on the unthinkable events of January 6th, 2021, when a violent mob attempted to snuff out one our democracy's most sacred traditions: the peaceful transition of power. That mob's attack on our nation's Capitol was fueled by the former president's "big lie," the utterly false alternate reality that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election through widespread fraud. But the January 6th insurrection, as nightmarish as it was, was not the only thing spawned by the … Continue Reading
