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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
The Mounting Cost Of COVID Inaction: Foreign Aid
How Much Does The United States Spend On Foreign Aid? Contrary to popular belief, foreign aid makes up less than 1 percent of the federal budget. Among other things, these funds support humanitarian disaster relief, global health, economic development, and programs that protect American security interests abroad. Global COVID Fact On July 4th, the World Health Organization reported the largest single day increase in new confirmed cases with member countries reporting another 212,000 people w… Continue Reading
07.17.20
Leahy And Other Senate Democrats Press Trump Administration To Reverse Move Undermining COVID-19 Hospital Data Collection And Reporting
The White House gave hospitals 48 hours to switch their data reporting to a new system it set up from the system at CDC they have used for year Hospitals have been forced to spend precious time and resources making the switch, and those unable to do so in 48 hours could lose access to critical supplies States which have built COVID-19 response and data systems on the CDC-run data feed, could lose access to critical information Senators: "Waging interdepartmental jurisdictional battles to s… Continue Reading
07.16.20
The Mounting Cost Of Inaction: Rent
U.S. Infections - 3,416,428 | U.S. Deaths - 135,991 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 Percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 62 Days What Is Rental Assistance? Rental assistance is financial help from a nonprofit organization, state, local or federal government agency to help families and individuals in need of assistance pay their rent and remain in their homes in order to avoid homelessness, which can be far more expensive problem to solve. Rental Fact Our country had an affordable housing cr… Continue Reading
07.15.20
Comment On The Trump Administration Allowing Federal Agencies To Virtually Ignore Climate Impacts Of Major Projects, And To Silence Communities Most Directly Affected
"On Tuesday, the Government Accountability Office released a report confirming that the Trump Administration is manipulating climate science to justify its deregulatory giveaways to big polluters and other special interests. How fitting that today they finalize their rule allowing federal agencies to virtually ignore the climate impacts of major projects, and silence the very communities most affected by them. Make no mistake, the cost of gutting this 50-year-old bedrock law will fall dispropo… Continue Reading
07.15.20
The Mounting Cost Of COVID Inaction: Child Care
COVID-19 On July 15, 2020 U.S. Infections - 3,355,457 | U.S. Deaths - 135,235 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 Percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 61 Days What Is A Child Care Desert? A child care desert is a region, often in poor, minority, or rural communities, which lacks access to quality child care. Child care deserts were a problem before the pandemic. A 2018 study conducted by the Center for American Progress estimates that more than half of Americans live in a child care desert. C… Continue Reading
07.14.20
The Mounting Cost Of Inaction: United States Citizenship And Immigration Services
U.S. Infections - 3,296,599 | U.S. Deaths - 134,884 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 60 Days What Is The United States Citizenship And Immigration Services (USCIS)? The USCIS is the chief agency responsible for adjudicating and processing requests for immigration benefits, American citizenship, asylum and refugee status, other forms of humanitarian protections, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications. USCIS Fact Before the pandemi… Continue Reading
07.13.20
The Mounting Cost Of COVID Inaction: The Election
U.S. Infections - 3,296,599 | U.S. Deaths - 134,884 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 Percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 60 Days What Is Absentee Voting? Absentee voting, also known as mail-in voting, allows voters who are unable or unwilling to vote in person, to vote by mail. Voting Fact Absentee voting has a long history in our country. About 150,000 Union soldiers voted absentee during the presidential election of 1864, and the armed forces have used absentee voting for more than 150 ye… Continue Reading
07.10.20
The Mounting Cost Of COVID Inaction: Access To Education
U.S. Infections - 3,047,671 | U.S. Deaths - 132,056 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 56 Days What Is Remote Learning? In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, schools across the country have moved partially or entirely to remote learning. This frequently requires students to interact with their educators through online platforms in place of in person classes and complete course work online. Remote Learning Fact Not all access to the internet is mad… Continue Reading
07.09.20
Leahy Joins Senate And House Democrats Urging ICE And DHS To Immediately Withdraw New Guidance That Threatens International Students With Deportation
Text of Letter (PDF) Washington DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) led a l… Continue Reading
07.09.20
The Mounting Cost Of COVID Inaction: Domestic Violence
U.S. Infections - 2,982,900 | U.S. Deaths - 131,065 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 56 Days What Is Domestic Violence? Domestic Violence is a pattern of behavior, including the threat or use of violence, fear, and intimidation, to establish power and control over another person. Domestic Violence Fact More than 12 million people in the United States experience violence by an intimate partner every year, with one in four women and one in nine men experien… Continue Reading
07.08.20
Statement On U.S. Policy In The Sahel
Last week the heads of state from Mauritania, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, comprising the so-called G-5 Sahel countries, as well as France and Spain, met in Mauritania to discuss the next phase of efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel. The final communique from the meeting stresses the need for the parties to "intensify the fight on all fronts." I want to highlight one aspect of this effort that risks undermining the eventual victory we all hope will be achieved, and that is human r… Continue Reading
07.08.20
The Mounting Cost Of Inaction: The Census
U.S. Infections - 2,932,596 | U.S. Deaths - 130,133 U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 Percent | Since House Passed Heroes Act - 54 Days What is the Census? Mandated in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Census is a decennial count of our country's population used to determine Congressional apportionment and how $1.5 trillion in federal spending is allocated. Census Fun Fact Before the U.S. Census in 1790, censuses were used primarily to tax or conscript people into military service. Th… Continue Reading
07.07.20
The Mounting Cost Of Inaction: Food Insecurity
U.S. Infections - 2,886,267 | U.S. Deaths - 129,811 Days Since House Passed Heroes Act - 53 | U.S. Unemployment - 11.1 percent What Is Food Insecurity? American families experience food insecurity when they lack consistent access to the food they need to maintain a healthy, active life. Food Insecurity Fact Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure including more than 11 million children. Since the pandemic, the cost of food has increased by 4.8 percent and millions… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Senator Leahy Criticizes Trump Administration “Misguided” Decision To Deny U.S. Funding To The UN Population Fund
The Trump Administration's predictable decision, announced yesterday, to withhold United States funding from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), demonstrates once again this Administration's irrational, ideological approach to family planning and reproductive health worldwide. For the fourth year in a row, Secretary Pompeo has invoked the Kemp-Kasten amendment to withhold $32.5 million that Congress appropriated for UNFPA in fiscal year 2020. It is especially disturbing that Secretary Pompeo, in h… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Leahy Joins Senate And House Colleagues In Urging The Trump Administration To Impose Sanctions Against Chinese Authorities Responsible For Atrocities Against The Uyghur And Muslim Minorities
Read the letter here.… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Udall, Leahy Lead Amendment Requiring Trump Organization Disclose Income And Licensing Agreements For Its Foreign Properties
U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are leading a new proposed amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require President Trump and the Trump Organization to disclose full financial information, including the total income earned by the Trump Organization from any licensing agreements, for foreign properties owned by President Trump's family business. In addition to Udall and Leahy, the amendment is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Martin… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Leahy Joins Democratic Colleagues Calling On Secretary Of State Pompeo To Ensure That Americans Living, Working, And Serving Overseas Can Safely Cast Absentee Ballots During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Read the letter here.… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Statement On Colombia
Colombia is a close friend and ally of the United States, which makes the reports of rapes of indigenous girls by Colombian soldiers whose responsibility is to protect them particularly disturbing. It is compounded by the fact that army officers were apparently informed of these abuses but the government only pledged to take action after they were uncovered by the press. This follows the now months delayed report on orders by army commanders last year to increase body counts, and revelations t… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Leahy Announces Two Federal Farm To School Grants Supporting Student Access To Local Food In Vermont
(THURSDAY, July 2, 2020) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Thursday announced that the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) and Food Connects have received U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm to School grants totaling $153,767. The grants will help Vermont farms increase their sales to local schools and promote lifelong healthy eating habits among Vermont's students. Leahy said: "Our current health crisis has shown us how important it is that our children learn to eat and… Continue Reading
07.01.20
Senators Demand USCIS Remove “Misleading” And “Deceptive” DACA Statement From Website
U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote Ken Cuccinelli, the current acting head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), today to demand that the agency "remove from its website the egregiously false claim that the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on DACA 'has no basis in law.'" After the Supreme Court ruled that the… Continue Reading
