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Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Leahy Announces $12 Million In Federal COVID Relief To Bolster VT’s Substance Use Treatment And Prevention Response -- News Backgrounder ALSO BELOW --
MONTPELIER, Vt. (THURSDAY, May 6, 2021) - At a State House press conference Thursday, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that Vermont will receive $12 million in COVID relief funds that will help communities strengthen their responses to substance use disorders and address new challenges brought on by the pandemic. Leahy was joined by Governor Phil Scott, Lt. Gov. Molly Gray, and Vermont's Health Commissioner, Dr. Mark Levine, for the announ… Continue Reading
05.06.21
Leahy Advances His Farm To School Bill And Spotlights Vermont’s Leading Role At Sharon Elementary School
SHARON, Vt. (THURSDAY, May 6, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) visited Sharon Elementary School Thursday to highlight new federal Farm to School legislation. The Farm to School Act, introduced by Leahy on April 22, seeks to reauthorize and expand the popular federal Farm to School program. Sharon Elementary School actively participates in Farm to School programing with a school garden, farm tours and an ongoing focus on health and wellness. Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations… Continue Reading
05.05.21
Rubio, Leahy Urge Blinken To Strengthen U.S.-Mongolia Relations
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressing their concern about recent political developments in Mongolia. "Recent controversial actions taken by the parliament, the judiciary, and the president - including the hasty passage of an amendment to the Presidential Election Law that barred the incumbent from seeking reelection, the removal of a Constitutional Court judge seen as likely to challenge the constitutio… Continue Reading
05.05.21
Rubio, Leahy Commend State Department Tibet Language In The 2020 Human Rights Report
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), author of the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019 and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken applauding the removal of gratuitous language regarding U.S. policy on Tibet's relationship to the People's Republic of China from the annual Human Rights Report. "We should not allow the CCP to define the terms of our interactions with them, or with the people living in the PRC, nor should we uncritically accept how the CCP char… Continue Reading
05.04.21
Leahy Dedicates New, Improved Moosalamoo Trail Inspired By Robert Frost; (Incl. At-A-Glance News Backgrounder)
RIPTON, Vt. (TUESDAY, May 4, 2021) - U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) visited the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area (NRA) on Tuesday to dedicate the refurbished Robert Frost National Trail and Interpretive Area in the Green Mountain National Forest in Ripton, Vermont. Work over the past two years, supported by funds Leahy secured through his leadership on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has greatly improved the Frost Trail to achieve full accessibility for those with mobility challenge… Continue Reading
05.03.21
Senators Menendez, Leahy On Ousting Of El Salvador’s Top Judges And Attorney General
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following statement regarding the situation in El Salvador after President Nayib Bukele and members of his party in the Legislative Assembly used this weekend's legislative session to abruptly dismiss five magistrates from the country's constitutional court as well as remove Attorney General Raul Melara: "This is a deeply concerning autocratic ambush in… Continue Reading
04.30.21
Statement On President Biden’s Announcement On Funds Stolen By The Trump Administration
For years, President Trump raided taxpayer dollars from our military and military families to build a wall he promised the American people Mexico would pay for. He let schools for military children deteriorate, and he stripped our National Guard of the resources and equipment they needed to effectively carry out their mission. This smash-and-grab funding of bumper sticker policies left a backlog of unfunded projects vital to our national security that will take years to restore. The construct… Continue Reading
04.28.21
Reaction To The President’s Message To A Joint Meeting Of Congress
Building back America's middle class - the working families who have been the vital center of our nation's economic strength and social progress - is exactly what our country has long needed. The people have been ahead of the politicians in understanding that. Especially after the severe challenges that our families have endured, it's time that we invest in the American people, and for the American people. That's what the President's jobs and family plans would do for Vermonters and all Ameri… Continue Reading
04.26.21
Leahy Announces Restoration Of The Power Of The Purse: Reforms For A Return To Congressionally Directed Spending In Fiscal Year 2022
(MONDAY, April 26, 2021) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Monday his intent to restore one of Congress' constitutional powers, the power to approve congressionally-directed spending items, and to do so with enhanced transparency and accountability. The Senate Appropriations Committee will, on a bipartisan basis, accept requests for congressionally directed spending items for appropriations bills for the fiscal year that begins October 1, 2021. As earl… Continue Reading
04.26.21
Address Of Senator Patrick Leahy On World Intellectual Property Day
As we finally begin to turn the corner on the coronavirus pandemic, the hard work of rebuilding our economy begins. One of the core engines of the American economy is intellectual property. From the smallest startup to the largest multinational company, intellectual property is central to creating jobs, boosting economic output, and protecting consumers. It is appropriate that today we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day, which recognizes the important role that intellectual property plays… Continue Reading
04.25.21
Statement On A Crisis Of Governance And The Rule Of Law In Guatemala
An independent judiciary, like free and fair elections, is the bedrock of democracy. Without judges who are selected on the basis of their integrity and professional qualifications, rather than patronage or corrupt influences, upholding the rule of law is impossible and democracy cannot survive. We have seen this in many countries. Protecting judicial independence is an ongoing challenge even in countries with a long history of democracy. Guatemala today faces a crisis that will determine th… Continue Reading
04.22.21
Leahy, Tillis, Brown, Collins Introduce Bill To Renew Popular Farm To School Program
(THURSDAY, April 22, 2021) - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), joined by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), on Thursday introduced legislation to renew an important nutrition program that supports both school-aged children and local producers. The bipartisan Farm to School Act will build on the successes of the Farm to School Program, which was authorized in 2010. The Farm to School Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agricultur… Continue Reading
04.22.21
Baldwin, Risch, Welch, Leahy, Simpson Stand Up for America’s Dairy Farmers
Dairy farmers from across America applaud the reform WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) are standing up for American dairy farmers by reintroducing bipartisan legislation in the Senate today to combat the unfair practice of mislabeling non-dairy products using dairy names. Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) are introducing bipartisan companion legislation in … Continue Reading
04.21.21
Wyden, Paul, Leahy And Bipartisan Members Of Congress Introduce The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., and 18 other senators, today introduced a bill to put a stop to shady data brokers buying and selling Americans' Constitutional rights. The Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act closes the legal loophole that allows data brokers to sell Americans' personal information to law enforcement and intelligence agencies without any court oversight - in contrast to the strict rules for phone companies, social media sites and other businesses that hav… Continue Reading
04.20.21
Statement On The Verdict In The Trial Of Derek Chauvin
"Justice has been served. As a former prosecutor I know well that officers of the law have the incredibly important and difficult job of keeping our communities safe, but in so doing they cannot be above the law. Murder is murder, and the police badge must never serve as a shield against accountability for those who commit it. Derek Chauvin received a fair trial and a jury of his peers has found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. He will … Continue Reading
04.20.21
Statement On The Passing Of Marty Illick
"Marty worked tirelessly for decades to protect Lewis Creek, as well as other streams in the Champlain Valley and Lake Champlain. I have looked to Marty's work as the prototype of how much a committed local watershed organization can accomplish, and to the Lewis Creek Association as an inspiration for local implementation grants offered through the Lake Champlain program. Marty's and Terrence's deaths are tragic and untimely. But all Vermonters should know that they have left an indelible pos… Continue Reading
04.20.21
Leahy, New Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chair, On Wednesday Leads Inaugural Hearing Featuring Testimony From Vermont-Based Company
(TUESDAY, April 20, 2021) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), the new chairman of the Senate's Subcommittee On Intellectual Property - a subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee -- will chair the panel's inaugural hearing in the new Congress, focused on improving diversity within the U.S. Patent system, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 21. The hearing, entitled "Improving Access and Inclusivity in the Patent System: Unleashing America's Economic Engine," will feature testimony from Georgia Grace Edwar… Continue Reading
04.20.21
Leahy Holds First Appropriations Committee Hearing On Infrastructure Climate Change, and Investing In America’s Future
(Tuesday, April 20, 2021) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday convened the first full committee hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The hearing focused on The American Jobs Plan, the nation's crumbling infrastructure, and how to prepare for and mitigate the climate crisis. The hearing was the first of several thematic hearings Leahy will hold with the full committee. Leahy said: "The American Jobs Plan is a sweeping proposal that will inject so… Continue Reading
04.20.21
Opening Statement On "The American Jobs Plan: Infrastructure Climate Change, and Investing in Our Nation’s Future”
Today, we convene the first hearing of the full Senate Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress. And what more appropriate topic than that of infrastructure. There is no other Committee within the Senate whose jurisdiction touches every aspect of our government and of Americans' lives. The same, of course, can be said for infrastructure. Gone are the days when "infrastructure" has meant only bridges, highways, roads, and rail. To narrow our view of infrastructure to just this is not … Continue Reading
04.19.21
Vermont Delegation Announces More Than $150 Million In COVID Vaccination and Mitigation Funds From The American Rescue Plan
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced Monday that Vermont recently received more than $150 million through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance Program. The funding will reimburse the State of Vermont for the cost of COVID-19 vaccine distribution and for hotel and motel rooms for vulnerable unhoused Vermonters and others who needed a place to temporarily quarantine. Leahy, Sanders and Welch sa… Continue Reading
