Press Room
Press Releases
Search Senator Leahy’s press releases, floor statements, and Committee speeches by date or by subject.
Obama, In Laos, Visits Prosthetics Clinic Funded By The Leahy War Victims Fund
President Obama Tuesday visited a prosthetics clinic in Laos that is funded by the Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF). Leahy created the War Victims Fund in 1989 as part of his crusade against landmines and to enable innocent war victims rebuild their lives. The Senate renamed the program for Leahy several years later. During his visit to Laos the President pledged to boost support for the efforts Leahy has led for several years to help remove cluster munitions and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) dro… Continue Reading
09.06.16
Leahy Calls On Senate Republicans To Confirm Chief Judge Garland Before New Supreme Court Term Next Month
Senate Republicans' unprecedented blockade of Chief Judge Merrick Garland's nomination has made him the longest pending Supreme Court nominee in the history of the United States. As the Senate returns after an extended break scheduled by the Republican leadership, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Senate Republicans must finally give Garland a hearing and a vote so that the Supreme Court can fulfill its constitutional role for the American people. "The Sen… Continue Reading
09.06.16
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Judicial Nominations
Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Judicial Nominations September 6, 2016 Throughout August, I heard from Vermonters all around my home state about the issues that are important to them. Whether it was at scheduled events or just in conversations around town, Vermonters asked me about the Supreme Court - and why the Senate has failed to act on the nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland. The Senate is returning from the longest reces… Continue Reading
09.06.16
Obama, In Laos, Pledges Boost In Ongoing Leahy-Led Effort To Remove Unexploded Ordnance From The Vietnam War
President Obama, visiting Laos on Tuesday, announced a significant increase in funding for clearing unexploded U.S. ordnance (UXO) from the Vietnam War, which continues to kill and maim civilians in Laos, many of them children. The action builds upon several years of efforts led by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to help remedy these legacy threats in Laos, Vietnam and other earlier conflict zones. Leahy spoke Tuesday of the significance of the President's commitment: "During more than four dec… Continue Reading
09.01.16
Leahy Requests Answers From Patent and Trademark Office About Potential Time And Attendance Abuse
Responding to an Inspector General report outlining potential time and attendance abuse and resulting government waste by patent examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are seeking information about how the agency protects against time and attendance abuse. "The PTO plays an essential function in our economy, promoting innovation and supporting our Nation's economic growth," Lea… Continue Reading
09.01.16
Leahy Hosts U.S. HUD Secretary Castro To Announce Vermont One Of First States In Nation To Receive $3 million From National Housing Trust Fund For Affordable Housing
BURLINGTON, Vt. (THURSDAY, Sept. 1, 2016) - Underscoring Vermont's success in leveraging federal resources and partnerships to improve access to affordable housing in Vermont's rural communities, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday hosted a public roundtable discussion with community leaders and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Julián Castro. After the roundtable discussion, Leahy and Castro took part in the opening of a new 40-unit affordable housing cooperative … Continue Reading
08.31.16
Leahy, Sanders Join Other Senators In Raising Concerns About Mylan’s EpiPen Price Hike And Expanded Patient Assistance Program
(TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016) -- In a letter sent Tuesday to the CEO of pharmaceutical company Mylan, 20 senators, including Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), expressed their concerns about the company's recent significant price hikes for the life-saving EpiPen Auto-Injector. The letter comes on the heels of an earlier letter to the FDA, a letter headed by Leahy and Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) - the two leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- with se… Continue Reading
08.31.16
Leahy, Sanders, Welch: Vermont 1 Of 21 States Selected For U.S. Opioid Abuse Prevention Grants
Vermont's congressional delegation - Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D) -- announced Wednesday that Vermont will receive $371,616, the maximum grant award possible, of about $9 million awarded nationwide in federal opioid abuse prevention grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant award, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is part of the Obama Administration's Opioid Initia… Continue Reading
08.25.16
Senators Ask FDA to Account for Any Alternatives to the EpiPen Amid Product Cost Increases
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) today asked the Food and Drug Administration to answer questions about its approval process and other steps for alternatives to the EpiPen, a self-injectable remedy for severe allergic reactions that has been the subject of steep price increases from Mylan, its manufacturer. The price increases have caused concern among parents buying EpiPens for their children w… Continue Reading
08.24.16
Leahy, Sanders And Welch Welcome USDA Steps to Help Struggling Dairy Farmers
(WEDNESDAY, August 24, 2016) - Vermont's Congressional Delegation - Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) and Rep. Peter Welch (D) - are welcoming the "small steps" that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced to help dairy farmers coping with declining milk prices. USDA will purchase 11 million pounds of cheese from private inventories to help dairy farmers by reducing a cheese surplus, while also supplementing food shelves that serve needy families across the country… Continue Reading
08.24.16
Irene’s Lessons Echo In Baton Rouge
One of the first calls I had in the immediate aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene was from a Republican senator from a far-distant state. He told me of his concern about what he and his constituents were hearing about the storm's devastation in Vermont, and he pledged to me his support for the congressional action that would be needed to help Vermont recover and rebuild. I've made similar calls when disasters have struck other parts of our nation. As we mark the fifth anniversary of Irene, our … Continue Reading
08.23.16
The National Park Service At 100: Showcasing America’s Ideal Of Stewardship
The National Park Service At 100: Showcasing America's Ideal Of Stewardship By Patrick Leahy It's been called "America's Best Idea." This week (on August 25) we celebrate an important date in our nation's history. 100 years ago the United States made a bold and thoughtful declaration about our country's future by choosing to forever preserve our nation's past, as reflected in our finest natural and cultural treasures, with the creation of the National Park Service. Thanks to a passionate crus… Continue Reading
08.22.16
Leahy, Vermont State Police Announce Expansion of Vermont Drug Task Force
WILLISTON, VT. (Monday, Aug. 22, 2016) - Joined by Vermont State Police Commander Matthew Birmingham, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Monday announced that six new positions - including five detectives - have now been added to the Vermont Drug Task Force to strengthen heroin trafficking investigations in Vermont. This expansion of the Task Force was made possible with a $1.4 million grant from the Department of Justice's Anti-Heroin Task Force program that was awarded last September. The… Continue Reading
08.18.16
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Announcement by the Department of Justice Regarding Private Prisons
Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Announcement by the Department of Justice Regarding Private Prisons August 18, 2016 "For too long, the dangerous conditions found in many private prisons have placed inmates and officers at risk. Today's announcement from the Justice Department is an important first step in addressing this unacceptable situation. But it is not enough. We must see greater transparency and accountability for the private … Continue Reading
08.05.16
Leahy, Sanders, Welch, Shumlin Announce $1.2 M. In U.S. Aid To VT’s N. Border Communities
Leahy, Sanders, Welch, Shumlin Announce $1.2 Million In Federal Aid to Vermont's Northern Border Communities ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (Friday, August 5, 2016) -- As part of a continuing effort to bolster economic development in Northern Vermont, Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Congressman Peter Welch (D) and Governor Peter Shumlin (D) joined Northern Border Regional Commission Chair Mark Scarano in announcing more than $1.8 million in federal grants on Friday. In a joint state… Continue Reading
08.04.16
Broad Coalition of Senate Democrats Call on Top Consumer Agency to Move Swiftly to Limit Unfair Arbitration Agreements in Everyday Financial Contracts
Broad Coalition of Senate Democrats Call on Top Consumer Agency to Move Swiftly to Limit Unfair Arbitration Agreements in Everyday Financial Contracts WASHINGTON (Tuesday, August 4, 2016) - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and a group of nearly 40 Democratic Senators-including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)-this week called on one of the nation's top consumer advocacy agencies to quickly finalize an important proposal to lim… Continue Reading
07.30.16
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On President Obama Signing The Bill To Implement The ‘Deal’ To Nullify Vermont’s GMO Labeling Law
Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy On President Obama Signing The Bill To Implement The 'Deal' To Nullify Vermont's GMO Labeling Law July 30, 2016 Honoring consumers' right to know is the heart and soul of Vermont's law. Letting powerful corporate interests get by with doing as little as possible is the motivation behind this so-called 'deal.' I remain concerned that this is a very bad deal for consumers. Vermont's law is the reason that this issue has come to the fore. The power of Vermont's e… Continue Reading
07.28.16
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Press USDA For Market-Balancing Help For Struggling Dairy Farmers
Leahy, Sanders, Welch Press USDA For Market-Balancing Help For Struggling Dairy Farmers (THURSDAY, July 28, 2016) - On Thursday Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Representative Joe Courtney (CT-02), Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), joined by a bipartisan coalition of 57 other members of the House and Senate that includes Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack … Continue Reading
07.26.16
Grassley, Leahy Press Federal Investigators on Breach of Democratic National Committee
Grassley, Leahy Press Federal Investigators on Breach of Democratic National Committee WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy are seeking more information on the government's response to cyberattacks targeting American political organizations. The inquiry follows a reported data breach at the Democratic National Committee and the selective publishing of stolen documents and emails. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and FBI… Continue Reading
07.23.16
Two Bills Championed By Leahy Signed Into Law
Two Bills Championed By Leahy Signed Into Law Comprehensive Addiction And Recovery Act Supports Community-Based Approaches To Combatting Opioid Addiction POLICE Act Supports Active Shooter Training For Officers and First Responders Leahy Calls On Congress To Pass Criminal Justice Reform In September WASHINGTON (SATURDAY, July 23, 2016) - Two bills championed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to promote public safety were signed into law Friday by President Obama. The Comprehensive Addiction … Continue Reading
