Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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431 rows where party = "Democrat", state = "VT" and year = 2016 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-reaction-on-russian-hacking-of-a-vermont-electric-utility | Leahy Reaction On Russian Hacking Of A Vermont Electric Utility | 2016-12-30 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.30.16 Leahy Reaction On Russian Hacking Of A Vermont Electric Utility Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Russian Hacking Friday, December 30, 2016 State-sponsored Russian hacking is a serious threat, and the attempts to penetrate the electric grid through a Vermont utility are the latest example. My staff and I were briefed by Vermont State Police Colonel Matthew Birmingham this evening. This is beyond hackers having electronic joy rides this is now about trying to access utilities to potentially manipulate the grid and shut it down in the middle of winter. That is a direct threat to Vermont and we do not take it lightly. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/reaction-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-to-the-united-states-abstention-in-the-un-security-council-on-the-resolution-on-israeli-settlements | Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) To The United States Abstention In The UN Security Council On The Resolution On Israeli Settlements | 2016-12-24 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.24.16 Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) To The United States Abstention In The UN Security Council On The Resolution On Israeli Settlements "Ever since Oslo, Republican and Democratic administrations have opposed Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank as an obstacle to peace. That was not a throwaway line, but nevertheless,year after year the expansion of settlements into disputed territory continued and even accelerated as if the policy of the United States, and UN resolutions, didn't matter. "Throughout theseyears, U.S. militaryaid to Israel has increased, evenasprospects for a two statesolution, which Israeli leaders have consistently claimed to want, have steadily diminished. And even asthe festeringIsraeli-Palestinian conflict has itselfbecome a threat to thenational security ofthe United States. "I commend President Obama and Ambassador Power for makingclear that while wedeplore the failure of the Palestinian leadership to condemn violence andwill defend Israel against any foe, we will do so in a manner that says we must also defend America's interests as Ambassador Power did." # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/the-year-closes-on-a-high-note-for-vermonts-transportation-future_--- | The Year Closes On A High Note For Vermonts Transportation Future -- Leahy-Authored Bill To Facilitate Preclearance Travel Operations In Canada Is Signed Into Law | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.22.16 The Year Closes On A High Note For Vermont's Transportation Future' -- Leahy-Authored Bill To Facilitate Preclearance Travel Operations In Canada Is Signed Into Law . . . Thursday News Conference In Burlington Spotlights Removal Of The Largest Hurdle For Swifter Cross-Border Air and Rail Travel Between Vermont and Canada BURLINGTON (THURSDAY, Dec. 22, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) was joined Thursday by federal and state officials, representatives of Amtrak, Porter Airlines and local chamber of commerce officials at the Burlington International Airport to mark the enactment of the Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act. The legislation, unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate in the last day of this year's session, was signed into law by President Obama on December 16th. Leahy penned the legislation earlier this year, which is needed to facilitate air travel and eventually, passenger rail service between Burlington and Canadian cities, and between other U.S. and Canadian destinations. The new law paves the way for expansion of preclearance facilities, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at land, rail, marine and air ports of departure in Canada, easing travel and commerce between the two countries. The event Thursday coincided with Porter Airlines first seasonal flight between Toronto City Airport and Burlington International. Toronto City Airport is a possible future preclearance site in Canada. The Leahy-led bill promotes two key national goals: enhancing U.S. national security, and increasing efficiency for travelers and commercial exchanges. Leahy has long advocated improving cross-border travel and was the driving force behind this effort, forging the bipartisan and bicameral coalition and guiding its passage through the Senate. Leahy said: Vermonters regularly talk to me about improving the travel experience between Canada and the United States. As we welcome … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-on-potus-announcement-banning-drilling-in-parts-of-atlantic-and-arctic-oceans | Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On POTUS Announcement Banning Drilling in Parts of Atlantic and Arctic Oceans | 2016-12-20 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.20.16 Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On POTUS Announcement Banning Drilling in Parts of Atlantic and Arctic Oceans The President clearly listened to the countless voices of coastal residents who oppose the unnecessary risk that drilling poses to their way of life and to the coastal economies that depend on healthy oceans and pristine beaches. I agree with the President that these risks, as well as those posed to the wildlife and marine life that call these oceans home, should not be jeopardized to enable multi-billion dollar corporations to benefit from risky offshore drilling activities. I applaud President Obama for today's announcement, as well as that of the Canadian government. This important cross border work with Canada ensures that a joint withdrawal of the Arctic will prevent irreparable harm to the rare and fragile Arctic ecosystem. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/patrick-and-marcelle-leahy-pay-respects-to-john-glenn-at-memorial-service-in-columbus | Patrick And Marcelle Leahy Pay Respects To John Glenn At Memorial Service In Columbus | 2016-12-17 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.17.16 Patrick And Marcelle Leahy Pay Respects To John Glenn At Memorial Service In Columbus COLUMBUS (SATURDAY, Dec. 17, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and his wife Marcelle Leahy on Saturday attended the memorial service here for the late former Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio). The Leahys and Glenns enjoyed an especially close bond of friendship in the United States Senate. The Leahys traveled to Columbus with Vice President Biden and Jill Biden, aboard the Vice President's plane. We met when John and I came to the Senate. Our friendship crystalized in an instant, and it blossomed and endured for years, said Patrick Leahy. We worked side by side, we spent time together, and Marcelle and I traveled together with John and Annie on Senate delegations to such countries as China and Vietnam. Leahy continued: Of the 371 senators I have served with, John stands out, for his decency, for his courage, and for his optimism about our country. It also was a joy and a tonic to see and feel the deep and everlasting bond of love and affection that John and Annie lived, each and every day. He was at the cusp of a generation of leaders who sought to challenge and inspire us. Godspeed, John Glenn. Our prayers, our hearts and a grateful nation's admiration are with you and Annie. Leahy also released a gallery of photos of John and Annie Glenn that he has drawn from his archives. These PHOTOS (LINK, BELOW) are available for immediate use: # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-leads-bipartisan-effort-stop-illegal-branding-fake-milk-real-milk | Welch Leads Bipartisan Effort to Stop the Illegal Branding of Fake Milk as Real Milk | 2016-12-16 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Continuing his advocacy to protect Vermont's dairy farmers as well as the consumers' right to know, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), joined by Mike Simpson (R-ID) and 23 other members of Congress, today urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exercise its legal authority to investigate and take action against the manufacturers of products they falsely claim to be milk. Dairy farmers continue to be buffeted by extreme financial hardships. Since 2014, milk prices have plunged 40 percent. During that same time, there has been a surge in the mislabeling of imitation milk products, including beverages produced from almond, soy, and rice. In a bipartisan letter to the FDA, Welch and his colleagues objected to the mislabeling of imitation plant-based products that do not have the unique attributes and nutritional value of milk, yet are marketed as milk. While consumers are entitled to choose imitation products, it is misleading and illegal for manufacturers of these items to profit from the milk name, said Welch and his colleagues. These products should be allowed on the market only when accurately labeled. We urge FDA to enforce this matter by requiring plant-based products to adopt a more appropriate name that does not include the word milk'. The letter can be read in its entirety below. Thanks to Congressman Welch for spearheading this effort to support our dairy sector, said Leon Berthiaume, CEO of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, Inc. Proper labeling of milk is of utmost importance to our industry and dairy farmers. Milk has its own unique, positive attributes that must be clearly communicated to consumers. While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery; dairy imitators do not naturally provide the same level of nutrition to the people buying them as milk does, President and CEO of International Dairy Foods Association Michael Dykes said. Non-dairy beverages can mislead people into thinking that these products are comparable replacements for milk when in fact most are nutritionally infer… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt_ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee-on-the-appointment-of-debo-p-adegbile-to-serve-as-a-commissioner-on-the-us-commission-on-civil-rights | Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Appointment of Debo P. Adegbile to Serve as a Commissioner On the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights | 2016-12-16 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.16.16 Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Appointment of Debo P. Adegbile to Serve as a Commissioner On the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights I applaud President Obama's wise appointment today of Debo P. Adegbile to serve as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Debo brings a strong, independent and knowledgeable voice to the Commission. He has devoted much of his career to fighting for the civil rights of all Americans. Debo has also twice argued before the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act. At a time when religious and racial minorities feel afraid and threatened, and when Americans' voting rights are in their greatest jeopardy since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the Commission will play an important role in ensuring that the American people are informed about the current state of federal civil rights policy and the enforcement of those laws. Debo's much needed expertise will serve the Commission well. I congratulate Debo on his appointment. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/grassley-leahy-comment-on-us-copyright-office-report-examining-the-legal-framework-of-software-enabled-consumer-products | Grassley, Leahy Comment on U.S. Copyright Office Report Examining the Legal Framework of Software-Enabled Consumer Products | 2016-12-16 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.16.16 Grassley, Leahy Comment on U.S. Copyright Office Report Examining the Legal Framework of Software-Enabled Consumer Products WASHINGTON The U.S. Copyright Office released ananalysisof how copyright law applies to software-enabled consumer products, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in the lives of American consumers. The report was prompted by a 2015 requestfrom Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). The senators issued the following statement: In everything from Fitbit to farm equipment, we've seen a sweeping expansion of smart technology in recent years and the emergence of the new internet of things. While this innovation presents new opportunities, it also poses important questions about privacy, consumer protection, public safety, cybersecurity, competition, and the development of the digital economy. To help us understand a critical component of these issues, we asked the Copyright Office for a study of how our copyright laws are implicated by the prevalence of software enabled devices. We greatly appreciate the Copyright Office's hard work in producing this timely study, which will prove invaluable to the Senate Judiciary Committee as we continue to work together to make informed policy choices that protect the interests of consumers, creators and innovators. -30- Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-bill-to-improve-criminal-justice-system_signed-into-law | Leahy Bill To Improve Criminal Justice System Signed Into Law | 2016-12-16 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.16.16 Leahy Bill To Improve Criminal Justice System Signed Into Law Bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act Renews Leahy's Groundbreaking Innocence Protection Act & Aims to Reduce Rape Kit Backlog WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, December 16, 2016) Legislation authored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to help ensure that the criminal justice system functions fairly was signed into law on Friday by President Obama. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act aims to reduce the rape kit backlog by supporting grant programs that fund forensic testing. The bill, introduced by Leahy and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), also renews the Innocence Protection Act, a landmark Leahy law which includes the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program. That program facilitates the use of post-conviction testing of DNA evidence that can exonerate the wrongly convicted and hold the guilty accountable. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act also requires the Justice Department to assist state and local governments to improve their indigent defense systems and ensures implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Although there is more to be done, the Justice for All Reauthorization Act takes important steps to even the scales of our justice system. This criminal justice reform law will improve our indigent defense system, ensure access to post-conviction DNA testing, and make sure that the rights of crime victims, including survivors of sexual assault, are protected, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said. I will continue to fight alongside leaders like Kirk Bloodsworth, the first person exonerated by DNA evidence after being sentenced to die, and Debbie Smith, who fought for years to have her rape kit tested, to ensure our criminal justice system has integrity and inspires confidence. He added: When it is available and when it is used, DNA evidence can help convict the guilty, and exonerate the innocent. It can h… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-outlines-ethanol-reform-agenda-new-congress | Welch Outlines Ethanol Reform Agenda for New Congress | 2016-12-14 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | BURLINGTON, Vt. With leaders of Vermont's environmental community at his side, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) renewed his commitment to reform the federal ethanol mandate in the new Congress that convenes in early January. Joining Welch were representatives of the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Lake Champlain International, and Vermont Natural Resources Council. Speakers highlighted the harm to the environment resulting from a federal corn-based ethanol mandate. Welch will reintroduce the bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act, which will reform the corn ethanol mandate while continuing to promote advanced biofuels, as well as the bipartisan Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act, which would cap the maximum volume of ethanol blended into the transportation fuel supply at 9.7 percent. Despite its initial promise, the RFS has been a well-intended flop, Rep. Welch said. In addition to driving up the cost of feed for struggling dairy farmers, increasing the cost of food for working families, and ruining small engines, the Renewable Fuel Standard is wreaking havoc on our environment. I look forward to working with environmental leaders to build on our momentum and kick off the new Congress with a renewed sense of urgency to stop the environmental degradation caused by this misguided federal policy. Photos of today's event can be found here. The announcement comes as the National Wildlife Federation is expected to unveil a new study this week in Washington that will detail the harm inflicted on the environment by the RFS mandate, including the destruction of sensitive crops and habitats and the deterioration of water quality. Contrary to the claims of corn-based ethanol advocates, a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the RFS mandate is unlikely to meet its statutory goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due its over-reliance on corn-based ethanol fuel blends instead of climate friendly advanced biofuels. Thank heaven leaders like Peter Wel… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-sanders-call-reversal-fairpoint-layoffs | Welch, Sanders Call For Reversal of FairPoint Layoffs | 2016-12-14 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 14 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Tuesday called upon the CEOs of FairPoint Communications and the Illinois company that is set to purchase it, Consolidated Communications Holdings, to reverse the planned layoff of nearly 10 percent of FairPoint's workforce. It is particularly callous to destroy the livelihoods of loyal FairPoint workers just as the cold weather approaches and as families prepare to celebrate the holiday season, Sanders and Welch wrote to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu. These workers helped build the company's value, yet they are being discarded as collateral damage of a sale designed to maximize profits for a tiny group of Wall Street hedge fund investors. In their letter to the CEO of Consolidated Communications, which is in the process of purchasing FairPoint, Sanders and Welch outlined FairPoint's checkered history in dealing with its Vermont workforce, stating FairPoint's relationship with its workforce was unnecessarily antagonist. The Charlotte, N.C.-based phone company purchased Verizon Communication's landline phone operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in 2007. Instead of negotiating a reasonable labor agreement, [FairPoint] pursued drastic cuts to pay and benefits that led to a four-month strike in 2014-15, Sanders and Welch wrote. Just three months after the strike ended, FairPoint closed its South Burlington call center and laid-off more than 70 unionized workers. Most recently, FairPoint announced last month that it was laying off nearly 10 percent of its remaining workforce, presumably to make the company more attractive for the sale to Consolidated. Sanders and Welch said reversing the layoffs would be a significant demonstration of good faith on Consolidated's part. We urge you to reverse FairPoint's decision and send the clear message that Consolidated values its workers and the communities in which the company operates. We know the CWA and IBEW welcome the opportunity to work with Consolidated to help make its New En… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senators-call-for-national-intelligence-estimate-of-russian-tampering-in-us-election-request-confirmation-of-justice-dept-investigation | SENATORS CALL FOR NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE OF RUSSIAN TAMPERING IN U.S. ELECTION, REQUEST CONFIRMATION OF JUSTICE DEPT. INVESTIGATION | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.13.16 SENATORS CALL FOR NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE OF RUSSIAN TAMPERING IN U.S. ELECTION, REQUEST CONFIRMATION OF JUSTICE DEPT. INVESTIGATION In letters to Director James Clapper, Attorney General Lynch, Senators push Administration on Russian hacks WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 2016) U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Al Franken (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Ed Markey (D-MA) today called for a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine the extent of Russian intervention in the 2016 United States presidential election, accompanied by an unclassified summary of its key judgments by January 20th, 2017. An NIE is the formal, authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence related to a particular national security issue, which reflects the collective judgment of the nation's sixteen intelligence agencies. The senators also called on Attorney General Loretta Lynch to publicly confirm that nonpartisan career Justice Department officials are conducting a criminal investigation into the matter, and if not, to open one immediately. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that the CIA concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the election to assist Donald Trump. Direct and deliberate interference in our election is an unprecedented breach and threat to U.S. democracy and national securityit is absolutely critical that information about these matters be disclosed to the public and to Congress, the senators said. We strongly support calls for bipartisan investigations by Congressthis issue requires the full attention of the executive and legislative branches alike, and a conclusive, public national intelligence estimate will lay out the facts for the American people. The public also needs transparency and reassurance that federal law enforcement is actively investigating these … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-ranking-member-us-senate-judiciary-committee-on-republican-staff-report-on-planned-parenthood-and-fetal-tissue-donation | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Republican Staff Report on Planned Parenthood and Fetal Tissue Donation | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.13.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Republican Staff Report on Planned Parenthood and Fetal Tissue Donation Over a year after Republicans began pouring taxpayer dollars into five separate congressional investigations, there has been no credible finding including in the Republican Staff Report issued today that Planned Parenthood broke the law. While we do not know the total cost to taxpayers for these five duplicative Republican-led investigations, we do know that just one of the House investigations alone has cost the American people more than $1.5 million. It is important to understand these wasteful and ideological inquiries for what they are: a relentless partisan effort to attack and defund a women's health provider that millions of women across this country depend on each year for basic medical services. To be clear, the Republican Staff Report issued today has never been voted on or adopted by the Senate Judiciary Committee as an official report. Republicans should abandon their attacks on Planned Parenthood and instead focus on efforts that truly protect women's health. ##### Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senators-cardin-feinstein-leahy-call-for-independent-nonpartisan-commission-to-investigate-russian-interference-in-election | Senators Cardin, Feinstein, Leahy Call for Independent Nonpartisan Commission to Investigate Russian Interference in Election | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.12.16 Senators Cardin, Feinstein, Leahy Call for Independent Nonpartisan Commission to Investigate Russian Interference in Election WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) called Monday for the creation of an independent, nonpartisan commission to comprehensively investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. The commission would fully investigate alleged Russian cyberattacks on U.S. political entities and election infrastructure, seek to identify those responsible, and recommend a response as well as actions the U.S. can take to defend itself in the future. Modeled on other independent commissions, this body would compile all available classified intelligence and open source information, conduct hearings and interviews, with subpoena power, and report its findings to Congress within 18 months from being formed. The membership of the commission would be individuals appointed by the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional leadership. After the White House announced it was conducting its own review into alleged Russian interference in the election late last week, reporting in The Washington Post raised serious further questions about this matter. And in October, the Director of National Intelligence confirmed that senior-level Russian officials were involved in the hacks of the emails of the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. The Senators' announcement Monday complements the call by bipartisan leadership in the Senate for Congressional investigations as well as support in the House of Representatives for an independent commission. We've seen what Russia can do with a MiG, but they can be equally destructive with a mouse. The American people deserve a nonpartisan, transparent, public investigation into this insidious attack on our democratic institutions, said Senator Cardin, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Elections and the peaceful transfer of power are the founda… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-on-the-fy17-continuing-resolution | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On the FY17 Continuing Resolution | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.12.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On the FY17 Continuing Resolution Today, the Senate will vote to put the government on autopilot for the next four and a half months. Coupled with the continuing resolution we are currently under, that's seven months of Fiscal Year 2017 priorities funded or not under the terms of the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus bill. Freezing in place an earlier year's priorities ignoring the many hearings, and the committee work, and the debates, and the oversight that the Appropriations Committees have invested in genuine, full-year funding bills for next year by definition means this stop-gap bill is chock-full of great mis-matches between our current priorities, and those set long ago for an earlier fiscal year. By definition it means wasted diversion of funds to past priorities, and giving short-shrift to changing circumstances, needs and priorities. What does that mean to Vermonters? It means cuts to food assistance needs. It means halted homeland security preparedness grants. It means uncertainty for affordable housing developers and transportation planners. It means we here in Congress didn't get our job done. What makes the vote on this continuing resolution all the more frustrating is the fact that we didn't need to be in this predicament today. The Senate Appropriations Committee carefully considered 12 individual appropriations bills. All but one were reported with broad if not unanimous support. Through September, October, and into November we negotiated in good faith and in a productive way with our counterparts in the House of Representatives. That is, UNTIL the order came to stand down. The word was that the President-elect didn't want us to pass a responsible, full-year budget. The word was that he wanted Congress once again to kick the can further down the road. Then, Democrats in both the Senate and House were shut out of the process. No consultation, and no negotiations. In the absence of what could have been an achievable omnibus appropriati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/preclearance-bill-to-ease-vt-canada-rail-and-air-travel-clears-congress-saturday-morning | Leahy 'Preclearance' Bill To Ease Vt.-Canada Rail & Air Travel Clears Congress Saturday Morning | 2016-12-10 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.10.16 Leahy 'Preclearance' Bill To Ease Vt.-Canada Rail & Air Travel Clears Congress Saturday Morning Leahy-Authored Bill To Facilitate Preclearance Operations In Canada Passes Senate, Headed to President's Desk Legislation Needed To Facilitate Passenger Air And Rail Service Between Vermont And Canada, And Other Travel Destinations [BREAKING] WASHINGTON (SATURDAY, Dec. 10, 2016) The Senate Saturdayunanimously passed long-awaited legislation authored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to facilitate travel and commerce between the United States and Canada, the largest U.S. trading partner. Passage of the bill Saturday morning was one of the last actions of the Senate of this congressional session. The legislation, which will now go to the President's desk to be signed into law, is needed to facilitate air travel and eventually, passenger rail service between Burlington and Canadian cities, and between other U.S. and Canadian destinations. In March, Leahy introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act. The bill paves the way for expansion of preclearance facilities, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at land, rail, marine and air ports of departure in Canada, easing travel and commerce between the two countries. The Leahy-led bill promotes two key national goals: enhancing U.S. national security, and increasing efficiency for travelers and commercial exchanges. Leahy has long advocated improving cross-border travel and was the driving force behind this effort, forging the bipartisan and bicameral coalition and guiding its passage through the Senate. Leahy said: This agreement has long been a priority for Vermonters. It would make it possible to restore Amtrak service between Vermont and Quebec in the future. It's a win for Vermont's economy, and for Canadians who visit Vermont to sightsee, ski, shop and dine. This process has been a true bipartisan effort, at every level of government in both the United States and Canada have been… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-on-us-policy-on-cuba | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On U.S. Policy On Cuba | 2016-12-09 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.09.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On U.S. Policy On Cuba The election of Donald Trump as our next President has ignited a rash of speculation about the future of U.S. policy toward Cuba. What we know is that President-elect Trump has said contradictory things about President Obama's decision to resume diplomatic relations with Cuba, as he has about some other issues. Among other things, he has tweeted that he plans to reverse the Obama administration's regulatory changes relaxing restrictions on U.S. engagement with Cuba unless the Cuban government agrees to a better deal. Despite that, we don't actually know what he will do. I hope before making a decision he listens to advocates on both sides of the issue, including Cuban Americans, a growing majority of whom support the resumption of diplomatic relations. As someone who has traveled to Cuba many times and seen firsthand the benefits of the policy of engagement for both the Cuban people and American people, I will do whatever I can to encourage the President-elect to continue that policy. The decision to resume diplomatic relations has been enthusiastically supported here and around the world. The number of Americans traveling to Cuba has risen dramatically. U.S. airline companies and cruise ships are carrying passengers there. Hotel deals have been signed. Yet the same five Members of Congress three in the Senate and two in the House have steadfastly opposed the new opening with Cuba. They continually say that the only Cubans who have benefited from the new opening are Raul Castro and the Cuban military. The Cuban government has benefited, that is unavoidable. It happens in any country with state-owned enterprises with which we have diplomatic and commercial relations, of which there are many. But it is false and misleading to say that they alone have benefited. In fact, the Cuban people, particularly Cuban entrepreneurs, have benefited and so have the American people. And they overwhelmingly want this opening to continue. Thes… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-of-senators-chuck-grassley-r-iowa-and-patrick-leahy-d-vt-on-the-house-judiciary-proposal-to-reform-the-copyright-office | Comment Of Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On The House Judiciary Proposal To Reform The Copyright Office | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.08.16 Comment Of Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On The House Judiciary Proposal To Reform The Copyright Office We have been working together for the last year on a legislative proposal to modernize the U.S. Copyright Office in order to better fulfill its mission in a rapidly changing digital environment. Based on our extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, we believe the Copyright Office should have more independence, accountability, and authority to make decisions in areas such as IT, budget, and staffing. Our draft Senate proposal would achieve these important goals. Now that our partners in the House have unveiled their policy proposal, we look forward to working with them next Congress on this important issue. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee-floor-remarks-on-extending-the-eb-5-regional-center-program-without-reforms | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.08.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms I once again come to the floor, joined by Senator Grassley, to share my frustration with the EB-5 Regional Center program. Senator Grassley and I have been working for years to improve this flawed program, which is set to expire tomorrow. But once again Republican congressional leadership has rejected our bipartisan reforms and the program will be extended in the continuing resolution. Time and again, Republican leadership has caved behind closed doors to narrow corporate interests. I believe this is a serious mistake. The EB-5 program I once championed seems like a distant memory. The program was designed to bring jobs to underserved rural and distressed urban communities. And for some time it did just that. Communities in Vermont, like Warren and Vergennes, once used EB-5 to create and save jobs during difficult economic times. But that is the EB-5 of yesterday. Today EB-5 is mired in fraud and abuse. It suffers from obvious and outrageous flaws. It is a magnet for fraud. Securities violations are rampant. And the incentives that Congress created to promote investment and create jobs in rural and high unemployment areasthe sole reason why I championed this programhave been rendered obsolete through economic gerrymandering. Only three percent of EB-5 investors now invest in rural areas. Three percent. Less than 10 percent invest in true high unemployment areas. Almost every other EB-5 project uses gerrymandering to qualify as distressed, despite many being located in the most affluent areas of the country. The fact that a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills can use gerrymandering to claim it is located in a distressed community is troubling. But the fact that this type of abuse now represents almost 90 percent of the entire EB-5 program is appalling. Anyone who maintains that today's EB-5 program is about creating jobs is either a l… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/letter-president-elect-trump-welch-suggests-steps-stabilize-dairy | In Letter to President-Elect Trump, Welch Suggests Steps to Stabilize Dairy Industry | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONToday Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to President-Elect Donald Trump outlining practical steps he can take to steady wildly fluctuating milk prices and restore stability to the dairy industry. Dairy farmers are imperiled by wildly fluctuating milk prices that threaten the very existence of many farms. Just in the last two years, producers have experienced a 40 percent drop in milk prices. Many dairy farms are selling milk below the cost of production and are on the brink of selling their herds. This boom and bust cycle has taken a substantial toll on Vermont farmers, Welch writes. The letter suggests the following steps for stabilization: Implement a supply management tool to help prevent volatility in milk prices; Reform the Margin Protection Program, which has failed to provide dairy farmers with sufficient support in the face of steep milk price declines; Increase demand for dairy products by opening new markets abroad and encouraging domestic consumption; and Ensure a reliable labor supply. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/fleming-elementary-school | Fleming Elementary School | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.07.16 Fleming Elementary School On December 7, 2016, Senator Leahy conducted an online chat with the fifth graders of Fleming Elementary School. After having just finished their unit on government, Senator Leahy was quite impressed with the students' interest in the Constitution. He especially enjoyed answering their questions about the role of the three branches of government. Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/-senator-patrick-leahy-remarks-news-conference-with-cuban-entrepreneurs-russell-senate-office-building | Senator Patrick Leahy Remarks News Conference With Cuban Entrepreneurs Russell Senate Office Building | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.07.16 Senator Patrick Leahy Remarks News Conference With Cuban Entrepreneurs Russell Senate Office Building I want to thank the representatives of the Cuban private business community who are here. This is an all too rare opportunity for Members of Congress and the news media to hear directly from people like you, and we greatly appreciate you coming all this way. Since President Obama and President Raul Castro re-established diplomatic relations we have seen what many would describe as remarkable changes between the United States and Cuba. Critics of the new opening continually say that the only Cubans who have benefited are Raul Castro and the Cuban military. The Cuban government has benefited, that is unavoidable. It happens in any country with state-owned enterprises with which we have diplomatic and commercial relations, of which there are many. But it is false and misleading to say that they alone have benefited. In fact, the Cuban people, particularly Cuban entrepreneurs, have benefited and so have the American people. And they overwhelmingly want this opening to continue. Our governments have engaged in discussions on a wide range of topics, from resuming regular mail service to law enforcement cooperation to agricultural exports. United States cruise ships and regular airline service has resumed. Cultural and educational visits are increasing. Cuban private businesses, as we will hear today, are benefiting directly from the new opening with the United States. They will benefit even more when the U.S. embargo a failed, self-defeating, vindictive policy if there ever was one is finally ended. Those who continue to defend the embargo should listen to these people. I hope President-elect Trump will listen to them. We have a long way to go, but this is what the people of both countries want, and I am convinced that there is no going back. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-franken-and-leading-democratic-senators-again-call-on-wells-fargo-to-end-use-of-forced-arbitration-so-that-consumers-can-seek-justice-in-court | Leahy, Franken & Leading Democratic Senators Again Call On Wells Fargo To End Use Of Forced Arbitration So That Consumers Can Seek Justice In Court | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.07.16 Leahy, Franken & Leading Democratic Senators Again Call On Wells Fargo To End Use Of Forced Arbitration So That Consumers Can Seek Justice In Court WASHINGTON (Wednesday, December 7, 2016) Democratic Senators led by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are again pressing Wells Fargo to end the use of forced arbitration clauses and allow customers whose names were used to open fraudulent accounts to seek justice in court. The Senators reiterated their call after Wells Fargo refused to commit to end its use of forced arbitration in customer service agreements in a letter sent to lawmakers last week. Wells Fargo has used these clauses to deny customers access to the court system to challenge the creation of sham accounts by the financial institution. In fact, Wells Fargo asked a federal court in Utah to move a number of new sham account allegations to arbitration. We are shocked and appalled by this latest attempt to stack the deck against the victims of the bank's fraudulent scheme and your continued unwillingness to allow victims of this scheme to fully exercise their rights, the Senators wrote in a letter to CEO Timothy Sloan. In addition to Leahy and Brown, the letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). They added: Wells Fargo's demand to deny defrauded customers their fundamental rights demonstrates your complete failure to understand the gravity of the company's actions and an utter unwillingness, despite promises to the contrary, to actually put your customers first. Forced arbitration denies Americans their constitutional right to seek justice in a court of law and shields companies from accountability both from the courts and the public eye. We will not simply trust you to get this right as long as your actions continue to belie your words. We will not forget that your company has harmed millions of American… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee-statement-following-final-passage-of-the-justice-for-all-reauthorization-act | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee Statement Following Final Passage of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act | 2016-12-06 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.06.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee Statement Following Final Passage of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act For more than six years, I have championed the reauthorization of the Justice for All Act to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to our national pledge of liberty and justice for all. As a former prosecutor, I am committed to ensuring our criminal justice system has integrity and the confidence of the public it serves. From my time on the front lines as a State's Attorney in Vermont, in Chittenden County, and through the past 15 years I have served as Chairman or Ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, it has become clear to me that our system is deeply flawed. There is not always justice for all. I have met many innocent people who were wrongly convicted of crimes they did not commit. I have shared the story of Kirk Bloodsworth, one such man who was falsely convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl. He maintained his innocence, and in 1993 he became the first death row inmate to be exonerated by DNA. We know the system gets it wrong, and we have a responsibility to improve our criminal justice system. That is why I joined with Kirk years ago to introduce and enact the Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program. This was originally part of the Innocence Protection Act enacted in 2000, and it gives defendants like Kirk a chance to prove their innocence. To ensure that our justice system gets it right from the beginning, this bill provides the means to improve the quality of indigent defense. Ensuring good representation for those accused of crimes will mean fewer innocent people behind bars. It is an outrage when an innocent person is wrongly punished, and this injustice is exacerbated when the true culprit remains on the street. The American people deserve a system that gets it right the first time. Many Senators in this chamber know the story of my friend Debbie Smith who has… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee-statement-on-voting-rights | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee Statement On Voting Rights | 2016-12-06 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.06.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee Statement On Voting Rights An editorial this morning in The New York Times is entitled, Why the Lies About Voting Fraud? That is a question that many of us who have been fighting for the right to vote have been asking for decades. Ten years ago this Congress reauthorized the Voting Rights Act. During the course of many Senate and House Judiciary Committee hearings we fought against the false narrative that in-person voting fraud was at all common in our country. The evidence clearly and irrefutably shows that it is not. But of course that evidence does not stop those partisans who are determined to make it harder for Americans to cast their votes.Right after five justices on the Supreme Court gutted the core protection of the Voting Rights Act, several states led by Republican majorities enacted voting restrictions that made it harder for many Americans to vote. It is most troubling that our President-elect has decided to himself make an unfounded charge of widespread voting fraud. I can imagine he is disappointed in the fact that he did not win the support of a majority of Americans who voted last month but we should all hope that when our next President is presented with unfavorable realities he will not resort to spreading information that has no basis in fact. That cannot be the standard of American leadership. In an article published in The Valley News of West Lebanon, N.H., and reprinted this morning in Vermont Digger, researchers at Dartmouth explored President-elect Trump's allegation of widespread voting fraud and they found nothing to support his claim, noting voter fraud concerns fomented and espoused by the Trump campaign are not grounded in any observable features of the 2016 presidential election." Many other analyses have also made this crystal clear. In a report to Congress, the Government Accountability Office concluded that no apparent cases of in-person voter impersonation [were] charg… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/under-leahys-initiative-bipartisan-leaders-of-the-senate-judiciary-committee-urge-senators-to-address-rising-prescription-drug-prices | Under Leahys Initiative, Bipartisan Leaders Of The Senate Judiciary Committee Urge Senators To Address Rising Prescription Drug Prices | 2016-12-06 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.06.16 Under Leahy's Initiative, Bipartisan Leaders Of The Senate Judiciary Committee Urge Senators To Address Rising Prescription Drug Prices WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2016) Senate Judiciary Committee members led by Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are calling on all senators to support a bipartisan amendment to benefit consumers and deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace. Leahy, joined by other leading members of the panel, filed an updated version of their bipartisan Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act as an amendment to the 21st Century Cures Act, which the Senate is debating this week. The CREATES Act targets anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies to block entry of lower-cost generic drugs. The bill was introduced in June by Leahy, Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), leaders of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. The Judiciary Committee also held a hearing on the issue of prescription drug prices earlier this year. Pharmaceutical companies should be compensated for their important work developing life-saving treatments, but predatory practices at the expense of consumers are unacceptable, Leahy said. As the Senate considers legislation to support healthcare innovation, we should be prioritizing the millions of consumers who deserve access to affordable drugs. The CREATES Act combats abusive behavior that drives up prescription costs. All senators should support this common sense amendment. The rising price of prescription drugs is having a major impact on families and seniors everywhere. Some brand-name drug companies are engaging in anti-competitive tactics that delay entry of lower cost generic drugs into the market, and this tactic is becoming more common, Grassley said. We need to start taking steps to ensure that our laws are not frustrated… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-bill-to-improve-criminal-justice-system_to-be-signed-into-law | Leahy Bill To Improve Criminal Justice System To Be Signed Into Law | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.02.16 Leahy Bill To Improve Criminal Justice System To Be Signed Into Law Bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act Renews Leahy's Groundbreaking Innocence Protection Act & Aims to Reduce Rape Kit Backlog WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, Dec. 2, 2016) Legislation long championed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to help ensure that the criminal justice system functions fairly now goes to the White House for signature after the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill late Thursday. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act aims to reduce the rape kit backlog by supporting grant programs that fund forensic testing. The bill, coauthored by Leahy and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), also renews the Innocence Protection Act, a landmark Leahy law which includes the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program. That program facilitates the use of post-conviction testing of DNA evidence that can exonerate the wrongly convicted and hold the guilty accountable. The bill also requires the Justice Department to assist state and local governments to improve their indigent defense systems and ensures implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. I have long championed the Justice for All Act to make our justice system more fair, said Leahy, a former prosecutor. Our bill will strengthen indigent defense and expand the rights of crime victims. It will improve the use of forensic evidence, including rape kits, to provide justice swiftly. It will help protect the innocent by increasing access to post-conviction DNA testing. Leahy has long worked to reduce the rape kit backlog and advance several bills in support of sexual assault survivors. In 2014, he led the successful effort to pass legislation renewing the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Reduction Program. Leahy also included language in the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Act, enacted in 2013, that significantly increased resources for survivors of sexual assault.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-approves-new-funding-states-battling-nationwide-opioid-epidemic | House Approves New Funding for States Battling Nationwide Opioid Epidemic | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation that will provide much-needed new funding for Vermont and other states battling the opioid epidemic devastating families and communities across the country. Also included in the bill is new funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for research on the treatment and cure of life threatening diseases. The legislation provides $1 billion in grants to states, localities, and service organizations working on the front lines of the epidemic. States experiencing a high incidence of opioid addiction will be given priority in the distribution of funds. The 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 34) was developed by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and his colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition to funding for opioid abuse and medical research, the bill includes two Welch-authored provisions. The Tick-Borne Disease Research Accountability Act (H.R. 789) will ensure coordination among federal agencies to promote Lyme disease research. The Ensuring Access to Quality Medicaid Providers Act (H.R. 3716) will reduce fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 392-26. It is expected to pass the Senate before Congress adjourns for the year and be signed into law by President Obama. Across Vermont, families and communities are reeling from the devastating impact of opioid addiction. Three years ago, Governor Peter Shumlin turned a bright light on the hidden crisis in Vermont which led to a nationwide acknowledgment of an epidemic ravaging rural America, Rep. Welch said. Congress is finally poised to provide long overdue resources to assist states battling this heartbreaking scourge on our communities. In addition, this legislation will jumpstart research to find treatments and cures for life threatening diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's. The 21st Century Cures Act sets aside $6 billion to implement the following cutting-edge health initiatives. $1 bil… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-on-the-dakota-access-pipeline- | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Dakota Access Pipeline | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.01.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Dakota Access Pipeline I share the concerns of many of my fellow Vermonters for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Lakota Nation and their supporters who oppose the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Marcelle and I also are troubled by the recent news reports of how they are being treated by some government officials and law enforcement agents. I firmly believe that the construction of this pipeline should be suspended indefinitely pending approval by the Standing Rock Tribal Leaders. We must also pay serious consideration to the long term environmental impacts of this pipeline. Climate change is real, and as such we should take this pipeline's potential to significantly contribute to global climate change very seriously. In October, I joined Senator Bernie Sanders in sending a letter to President Obama raising these concerns. You can read that letter here. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee-urging-final-passage-of-the-justice-for-all-reauthorization-act | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Urging Final Passage of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.01.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Urging Final Passage of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act Each morning in this chamber we pledge allegiance to our flag, and we end by declaring that we are one Nation under God with liberty and justice for all. It is not enough to say the words. It is our obligation to bring meaning to this promise. Today I hope the Congress will finally take an important step forward by passing the bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act. I have long championed the Justice for All Act to make our justice system more fair. Our bill will strengthen indigent defense and expand the rights of crime victims. It will improve the use of forensic evidence, including rape kits, to provide justice swiftly. It will help protect the innocent by increasing access to post-conviction DNA testing. The Senate passed this bipartisan legislation in June, and the House approved a slightly modified version earlier this week. I am disappointed the House decreased authorizations for many programs I support. Still, the bill makes important changes and will improve the lives of many of our most vulnerable citizens. I urge my fellow Senators to consent to its immediate passage. As a former prosecutor, I am dedicated to ensuring that our criminal justice system has integrity and the confidence of the public it serves. I started out on the front lines as State's Attorney in Chittenden County, Vermont. And for the past 20 years I have served as Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. During that time it has become clear to me that our system is deeply flawed there is not always justice for all. I have met many innocent people who were wrongly convicted of crimes they did not commit. Kirk Bloodsworth was one such young man. He was just out of the Marines in 1984 when he was falsely convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl. He was nearly executed until DNA evidence proved he w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senate-floor-remarks-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-on-the-duplicity-of-the-double-standard | Senate Floor Remarks of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On the Duplicity of the Double Standard | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.30.16 Senate Floor Remarks of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On the Duplicity of the Double Standard For months no, for years in the lead up to the November 8th election, congressional Republicans spent countless taxpayer dollars to air their unsubstantiated concerns about corruption at the highest levels of our government. The Clinton Foundation must be dissolved, they said. Every action, every meeting, every activity of the Clinton Foundation should be revealed, they said. We cannot allow such a foundation to run so close to the Oval Office, they said. It is ironic sadly ironic, maddeningly ironic that since November 8th, I have heard neither shout nor whisper from congressional Republicans echoing the same concerns about our President-elect's personal and profitable business dealings. No outrage that the President-elect's family may charge the American taxpayer millions of dollars to rent space for the Secret Service at Trump Tower. No demand that the President-elect the Chairman and President of The Trump Organization dissolve his stake in the corporation he owns. Now, today, we hear that the President-elect will finally explain how he plans to address these conflicts of interest which he feels is a visual problem rather than an ethical one. Unless he does what I and others have called for divest his interest in, and sever his relationship to, the Trump Organization, and put the proceeds in a true blind trust it is nothing more than lip service. And until we know more about what role his family will have both in his business interests and the government's operation under a Trump administration, no one should consider this serious concern addressed. And here is the duplicity of congressional Republicans' double standard. After years of partisan witch hunts, and millions of wasted taxpayer dollars investigating bogus allegations against Hillary Clinton, and by extension, the Clinton Foundation, if Republicans fail to demand the same of Donald Trump that they demanded of her, they wil… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/house-approves-bill-championed-by-leahy-to-improve-criminal-justice-system | House Approves Bill Championed By Leahy To Improve Criminal Justice System | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.29.16 House Approves Bill Championed By Leahy To Improve Criminal Justice System . . . Renewal Of Leahy's Groundbreaking Innocence Protection Act Facilitates Post-Conviction Use Of DNA Evidence WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, November 29, 2016) The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved legislation long championed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to help ensure that the criminal justice system functions fairly. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act supports critical grant programs which provide funding for forensic testing, including rape kits. The House-passed measure closely mirrors legislation coauthored by Leahy and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), which passed the Senate in June. On Tuesday, Leahy called on the Senate to pass the slightly modified bill in order to get it to the President's desk and signed into law. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act provides tools to strengthen indigent defense, expand the rights of crime victims, improve the use of forensic evidence and test rape kits, and protect the innocent by increasing access to post-conviction DNA testing. Now that the House has finally passed this bipartisan legislation, the Senate should do the same this week, Leahy said. Leahy has long worked to reduce the rape kit backlog and advance several bills in support of sexual assault survivors. In 2014, he led the successful reauthorization of legislation to renew the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Reduction Program. Leahy also included language in the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Act, enacted in 2013, to increase the resources for survivors of sexual assault and to reduce the rape kit backlog. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act also renews the Innocence Protection Act, a landmark Leahy law which includes the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program. That program facilitates the use of post-conviction testing of DNA evidence that can exonerate the wrongly convicted and hold accou… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt-ranking-member-senate-committee-on-the-judiciary-on-senate-passage-of-s-2944-public-safety-officers-benefits-improvement-act-of-2016 | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary On Senate Passage of S. 2944, Public Safety Officers Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.29.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary On Senate Passage of S. 2944, Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 Today, the Senate reiterates its commitment to our nation's law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders. Forty years ago, we created the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to support first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice. We have now passed legislation to make much needed improvements to the claims adjudication process, which for too long has been plagued by red tape and delays. Today's legislation builds upon my past efforts to improve the PSOB program. In 2003, I worked with a bipartisan group of senators to pass the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act, which recognized that law enforcement officers who suffer fatal heart attacks or strokes in the line of duty also deserve benefits. In 2009, I introduced the Dale Long Emergency Medical Service Providers Protection Act, which became law in 2012 and extended PSOB benefits to nonprofit Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers. This change covered an estimated 1,200 EMS personnel in Vermont alone. Today's legislation will add transparency to the PSOB's decision-making process and should help expedite the review of applications for benefits. The legislation also includes an amendment I offered in the Judiciary Committee that improved this bill in three important ways. First, it ensured that children are not disqualified from receiving education benefits due to delays within the PSOB program, which can approach 10 years. At a Senate Judiciary hearing in April, the Honorable Karol Mason, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, testified that this situation is unconscionable. I agree. My amendment ensures it will never happen again. Second, a fallen officer or first responder's family should not have their claim denied simply because their employer fails to provide necessary paperwork to the PSOB… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy_on--fiscal-year-2017-appropriations | Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.29.16 Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations Mr. President, for the past two years the Republican Party has enjoyed solid majorities in both the House and Senate. They control the schedule and the process. They can decide which legislation to call up for debate, and frankly for all intents and purposes, they can decide whether anything gets done around here. A good example is the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. If he had been treated like other Supreme Court nominees throughout the entire history of this country, he would have received a hearing and a vote and he almost certainly would have been easily confirmed just as he was when he was nominated to the DC Court of Appeals. Instead, the Republican leadership did not even give Judge Garland a hearing, much less a vote. The Republican Senators refused to do their job. There are countless examples of this. It would behoove people in this country who complain about the do nothing Congress to remind themselves that the Republicans are in control. They can make it possible for work to get done, or they can make it impossible. Their track record for the past two years speaks for itself. Instead of a Congress that sets the standard for the world's democracies, we have been treated to a lesson of how not to get things done. The latest example is the fiscal year 2017 appropriations bills. I went back and reviewed the record. For months, the Republican leadership extolled the virtues of regular order. They spoke with great optimism and confidence about passing appropriations bills. Individual bills, not even an omnibus bill that has become the norm. They said over and over that they were going to do their job this year and pass these bills, the way we used to do. We on the Democratic side fully supported that goal. And we negotiated 12 individual appropriations bills that were reported, with one exception, with bipartisan majorities in most cases overwhelming majorities by the Appropriations Comm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-engage-vermonters-priorities-new-president-and-congress | Welch to Engage Vermonters on Priorities for New President and Congress | 2016-11-28 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONAs President-elect Trump and a new Congress prepare to take office in January, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) today announced that he will host a live, statewide telephone town hall meeting on Tuesday evening, November 29th at 7:15 p.m. EST. Welch will outline his agenda and listen to Vermonters' priorities, hopes, and concerns. Callers will be able to ask Welch questions on the call, which is expected to last one hour. WHO: Congressman Peter Welch WHAT: Statewide Telephone Town Hall Meeting WHEN: TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 29th at 7:15 p.m. EST TOPIC: Conversation with Vermonters about new Congress and President To connect Vermonters to the live call, Welch's office will use a technology that automatically calls all Vermont households in its data base. Alternatively, Vermonters and media can join the call directly by dialing 877-229-8493 at 7:15 p.m. and using 116275 as the passcode. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/reaction-of-senator-patrick-leahy-to-the-death-of-fidel-castro | Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Death Of Fidel Castro | 2016-11-26 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.26.16 Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Death Of Fidel Castro Fidel Castro will be remembered as an ideologue who liberated the Cuban people from a corrupt dictatorship only to replace it with a family dynasty that maintained its grip on power through fear and repression. While the Cuban people for the first time enjoyed universal access to basic health care and literacy, Castro's failed economic policies, compounded by the U.S. embargo, left the country impoverished. For 55 years, the mere mention of Fidel Castro has incited fiercely emotional reactions from a deeply divided Cuban population, whether separated by the Florida straits or political ideology. Throughout those years, U.S. - Cuban relations were fraught with hostility, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities on both sides. The majority of Cubans alive today were born after the Revolution, and are chafing for a better life. Having visited Cuba many times, I have seen the benefits of the steps President Obama and President Raul Castro have taken to rebuild bridges between our countries. That process has only begun, and it is in the interests of both countries that it continue. Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-statement-vermont-air-national-guard-deployment | Welch Statement on Vermont Air National Guard Deployment | 2016-11-22 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) today released the below statement following the announcement of a Vermont Air National Guard deployment. The brave men and women of the Vermont Air Guard have my full support for a successful mission and a safe and speedy return home. This is a particularly tough time of year for Guard members to leave their families, jobs and communities. As we have in the past, I know that all Vermonters will join together to support those being deployed as well as the families they leave behind. The Vermont Air Guard truly represents the best of Vermont. I am humbled by their service and thankful for their sacrifice. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-comment_on-the-upcoming-deployment-of-the-vermont-air-national-guard-- | Leahy Comment On The Upcoming Deployment Of The Vermont Air National Guard | 2016-11-22 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.22.16 Leahy Comment On The Upcoming Deployment Of The Vermont Air National Guard (TUESDAY, Nov. 22, 2016) -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following statement related to the announced deployment of the 158th Fighter Wing to the Central Command Area of Operations. Leahy, co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus said: The brave men and women of the Vermont Air National Guard once again are answering the call. Our country knows that when you call in the Green Mountain Boys, you're calling in the best. Their outstanding reputation has been earned through skill and sacrifice. Our pride in them is matched by our gratitude to them, their families, their employers and their communities. Marcelle and I continue to be humbled by their tireless devotion to Vermont and the nation. We are so proud of all that the Air Guard does, and we are behind them throughout this process. Leahy continued: The stresses that deployments place on Guard families are many, and they are constant. It is important that we come together as a state to support not only our fellow Vermonters serving overseas, but everyone affected by their departure. The burden of separation falls on loved ones and employers, and it is so important that their sacrifices and contributions do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Marcelle and I will have the men and women of the Vermont Air National Guard and their families in our thoughts and prayers throughout the coming months. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/thanksgiving-a-time-for-reflection-and-renewed-commitment | Thanksgiving: A Time For Reflection And Renewed Commitment | 2016-11-21 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.21.16 Thanksgiving: A Time For Reflection And Renewed Commitment by Patrick Leahy In our family, as in homes across Vermont and the nation, this Thanksgiving will be a time of especially deep and emotional reflection. After a bitterly contested election that tested our civility and fanned the flames of intolerance, we now move into a period that may further test our national character and our institutions. We already are ending a year in which a majority of senators have broken not only with precedent, but with the sworn obligation to uphold our constitutional responsibilities, by refusing to even hold a hearing on a president's nominee to fill a vacancy on our highest court. I have heard from countless Vermonters about the pain felt right now by so many. This year has left us reeling, a feeling shared by all Vermonters, regardless of who we supported. It is real, it is deep, and it comes from a campaign marked by vitriol, intolerance and hate speech that should have no place in our public discourse. What happened in this election cannot be tolerated or normalized. All of us as citizens need to speak out against bigotry and intolerance whenever and wherever they appear. I am thankful to live in a nation that is both good and great -- the wealthiest, most powerful and most generous nation in the world, endowed with freedoms, rights, values and ideals, and quality of life that are the envy of the world. These trying times challenge us to find common ground and to remain engaged in our communities and beyond. We need to share of ourselves and express the respect and the empathy that we have for each other. We can help steady our communities, our nation and our loved ones by helping where there is need, listening where there is frustration, and acting where there is injustice. Vermonters know how to weather storms. When times are toughest, we always come together to focus on what's important: each other. I … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-d-vt_ranking-member-senate-judiciary-committee--on-reports-of-senator-jeff-sessions-nomination-to-be-the-attorney-general-of-the-united-states- | Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Reports Of Senator Jeff Sessions Nomination To Be The Attorney General Of The United States | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.18.16 Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Reports Of Senator Jeff Sessions' Nomination To Be The Attorney General Of The United States The Attorney General serves as the chief law enforcement officer in the country. The Attorney General must be independent and fair. The Attorney General must be deeply committed to the rule of law and must ensure that all people are treated equally before the law. This means that he or she is also the chief protector of civil rights and civil liberties for everyone in our Nation. That has never been more important than in this moment, when hate crimes have spiked across the country, especially against Muslim and LGBTQ Americans. And when we have a President-elect who has proposed religious tests, a return to torture, and a deportation force that threatens to remove millions of immigrants. Senator Sessions and I have had significant disagreements over the years, particularly on civil rights, voting rights, immigration and criminal justice issues. But unlike Republicans' practice of unprecedented obstruction of President Obama's nominees, I believe nominees deserve a full and fair process before the Senate. The American people deserve to learn about Senator Sessions' record at the public Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-urges-epa-review-three-chemical-clusters-potentially-harmful-first | Welch Urges EPA to Review Three Chemical Clusters Potentially Harmful to First Responders | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) today sent a bipartisan letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the review for potential regulation of three chemical clusters that disproportionately affect first responders and emergency personnel. EPA's review of potentially toxic chemicals was directed by Congress in recently enacted toxic chemical safety legislation. Emergency response invariably involves a degree of risk, but we can help mitigate these inherent dangers by prioritizing chemicals that first responders disproportionately encounter. We commend EPA for its previous work assessing these chemical clusters and firmly believe they are strong candidates for further review, Welch's letter reads. The EPA review was authorized by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act which was signed into law by President Obama in June. The new law mandates the evaluation of potentially hazardous chemicals to determine if they pose an unreasonable risk to human health and the environment. EPA must select by the end of this year the first 10 chemicals that will be subject to this risk assessment. Welch and his colleagues are urging EPA to immediately review three classes of flame retardants, Chlorinated Phosphate Esters cluster, the Cyclic Aliphatic Bromides cluster, and the Tetrabromobisphenol A cluster. These chemicals are widely used in products such as household furniture, textiles, and electronic equipment, yet they can persist in the environment and potentially pose hazards to humans. First responders are often exposed to fumes containing these chemicals when responding to emergencies. Welch's bipartisan letter was signed by 26 House colleagues. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/breaking-leahy-to-serve-as-vice-chairman-of-senate-appropriations-committee- | BREAKING: Leahy To Serve As Vice Chairman Of Senate Appropriations Committee | 2016-11-16 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 11.16.16 BREAKING: Leahy To Serve As Vice Chairman Of Senate Appropriations Committee The results of this election have reshaped the policymaking landscape in Washington and show the need for checks and balances, now that one party controls the White House as well as both houses of Congress. There are many challenges ahead. Against this new backdrop, I have decided that I will best be able to represent Vermonters' voices, and reflect Vermont values and ideals, as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. I do not come to this decision lightly. Both the Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee are on the front lines of so many of today's pressing issues. These include the priorities we decide in funding the federal government in our annual appropriations bills, and the future of the Supreme Court. And as the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will continue to offer a strong and outspoken voice in defending our Constitution, protecting and promoting human and civil rights, defending Americans' privacy, and fighting for judicial independence. My ongoing efforts range from economic development in Vermont and rebuilding our country's infrastructure, to protecting Lake Champlain, fighting efforts to roll back protections of our air, water, and public lands, and pressing forward with action on climate change. My priorities also continue to include championing crime victims and addressing the opioid scourge, supporting research on cancer and infectious diseases, and advancing food security and human rights around the world. All of these issues are at the forefront of Vermonters' interests and concerns. I am committed to continue working as the steward of the trust Vermonters have again invested in me. I am determined to give Vermonters a front-and-center seat as budget and policy priorities are decided. Right now, at this unusual time, with these results, the best way for me to amplify Vermonters' voices is as the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committ… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-welch-legislation-quantify-economic-benefits-outdoor | House Passes Welch Legislation to Quantify Economic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation | 2016-11-15 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) that would direct the Department of Commerce to assess and quantify the contributions to job creation and consumer spending of the outdoor and recreation industry. The Outdoor Recreation's Economic Contributions (REC) Act would ensure that outdoor recreation jobs are counted by the federal government and would be measured as part of the overall GDP, for the first time ever. Welch introduced the REC Act in March with Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). Vermont has unparalleled natural beauty that provides Vermonters and tourists year-round opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. The consumer spending that results from that outdoor recreation is an important boost to Vermont's bottom-line. This legislation will ensure we have reliable data to accurately quantify the benefits of this key driver of our economy. "Outdoor recreation is a critical cornerstone of our economy and brand identity and the Vermont ski industry is enormously grateful for Congressman Welch's leadership in championing this measure to support this vital sector of our economy," said Ski Vermont President Parker Riehle. Congressman Welch appreciates the multiple benefits that outdoor recreational activities bring to the economy. Our economy and the environment don't need to be at odds with each other, and this legislation will help to demonstrate that. At a time when it's never been more important to recognize the value of swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters, this legislation couldn't come soon enough, said Executive Director of Lake Champlain International James Ehlers. "Tourism is a major part of Vermont's economy and spurring growth in this sector is important to our success. Vermont's outdoor recreation is one of the strongest attributes for living, working and building business in Vermont and having strong data is at the center of en… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/us-house-passes-welch-young-rural-call-quality-legislation | U.S. House Passes Welch, Young Rural Call Quality Legislation | 2016-11-14 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act (H.R. 2566), legislation introduced by Iowa Congressman David Young and Vermont Congressman Peter Welch to address call quality and reliability standards in rural areas. Whether an emergency call or a business order, Vermonters should have confidence that their calls are completed without disruption, Congressman Welch said. This bill addresses the epidemic of dropped calls in rural America and will ensure calls to emergency responders, businesses, customers, family and friends are reliably connected. Americans deserve consistent, quality phone service no matter where they choose to live, Congressman Young said. I appreciate the support this important legislation has received from members on both sides of the aisle, especially Congressman Welch, as we continue to move it forward and improve phone service for folks in Iowa communities and across rural America. The Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act requires intermediary providers to register with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and to meet quality standards ensuring rural Americans can rely on phone service. It also prohibits providers from using any intermediary routing services not registered with the FCC. It was examined by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, during a hearing entitled Rural Call Quality and Reliability on September 8, 2016. The legislation was subsequently marked up by the subcommittee on September 13, 2016, before it was sent to the full committee for consideration. It was considered and passed by the full U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on September 21, 2016. The legislation was originally passed by the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Communications Act Update Act of 2016 (S. 253) on September 27, 2016, but was approved today as a standalone bill. The Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act legislation heads to the U.S. Senat… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-leads-bipartisan-group-of-senators-urging-dod-to-restore-guard-bonuses | Leahy Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators Urging DoD To Restore Guard Bonuses | 2016-10-31 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.31.16 Leahy Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators Urging DoD To Restore Guard Bonuses . . . Leahy Is Co-Chair Of The Senate National Guard Caucus Senate National Guard Caucus Co-Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Ca.), is leading a bipartisan group of 30 senators in asking U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to restore bonuses and benefits incorrectly awarded to National Guard soldiers through no fault of their own. The Department has sought to recoup the wrongly awarded benefits after an audit found that due to faulty paperwork, mistakes by recruiters, and at least one case of criminal fraud, soldiers who did not qualify for the bonuses had received them. For those soldiers who have not already paid back the wrongly awarded bonuses, Leahy and his coalition also ask that the Defense Department make the process for considering debt forgiveness easy to navigate. They also commended Secretary Carter for taking speedy action to suspend recoupment efforts until the situation can be more fully understood. In the letter to Secretary Carter initiated by Leahy, the senators wrote: Current reports allege that most, if not all, of the rank and file members of the California Guard simply accepted a bonus which they should not have been offered.If this is the case, then we believe these debts should be forgiven.For those who have already undertaken the burden to repay them, the Department should return the amount recouped, along with appropriate compensation. During the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Congress approved the Army to offer the most generous reenlistment bonuses in history for certain military specialties that were in high demand. As a result, tens of thousands of men and women extended their time of service, deploying for second, third or fourth times. An October 22 investigative report by the Los Angeles Times highlighted the stories… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/with-calls-by-some-to-intimidate-voters-at-the-polls-leahy-and-schumer-press-doj-to-protect-americans-right-to-vote | With Calls By Some To Intimidate Voters At The Polls, Leahy & Schumer Press DOJ To Protect Americans Right To Vote | 2016-10-28 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.28.16 With Calls By Some To Intimidate Voters At The Polls, Leahy & Schumer Press DOJ To Protect Americans' Right To Vote The upcoming presidential election is the first since 1965 in which Americans will not have the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. Concerned by reports of voter intimidation throughout the country, Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday urged the Justice Department to ensure that Americans do not face intimidation at the polls. All Americans regardless of party affiliation deserve free and fair elections, the senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. No eligible voter should be intimidated, harassed, or otherwise prevented from exercising their right to vote and to participate in the democratic process. We are a better country when more, not fewer, Americans are engaged in our democratic process. They added: We urge the Department of Justice to take every step necessary to ensure that voter intimidation and voter discrimination are not occurring at the polls. And anyone who engages in illegal acts of voter intimidation or discrimination should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Leahy is the lead author of the Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore and expand on the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. Schumer is a cosponsor of the legislation. Since the Supreme Court gutted the core of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder three years ago, states and localities throughout the country have passed sweeping laws that disproportionately suppress the voting rights of minorities. These laws have left voters without the protections they need to exercise their constitutional right to vote, as recently detailed by the New York Times. A copy of the October 28 letter to Attorney General Lynch isonline. Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous A… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-comments-on-fccs-adoption-today-of-privacy-rules-and-announcement-of-rulemaking-on-forced-consumer-arbitration | Leahy Comments On FCCs Adoption Today Of Privacy Rules, & Announcement Of Rulemaking On Forced Consumer Arbitration | 2016-10-27 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.27.16 Leahy Comments On FCC's Adoption Today Of Privacy Rules, & Announcement Of Rulemaking On Forced Consumer Arbitration Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The FCC's Adoption Of Privacy Rules For Broadband Providers And Announcement Of Rulemaking On Forced Consumer Arbitration October 27, 2016 [The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday adopted a final order establishing rules for the use of consumer information by broadband service providers. For the first time there will be clear and meaningful regulations requiring express consumer consent before a broadband consumer provider can use information including financial and health information, as well as web browsing and app usage history. Senator Leahy, who is the author of the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, previously joined two letters to the FCC encouraging the adoption of strong privacy rules. Senator Leahy also urged the FCC to ban the use of forced arbitration clauses in broadband customer agreements. While the FCC did not adopt such a rule today, Chairman Wheeler announced that the FCC has begun the rulemaking process to address the use of forced arbitration by telecommunication providers. Senator Leahy has long raised concerns about the practice of forced arbitration. He is a long-time co-sponsor of the Arbitration Fairness Act and he introduced the Restoring Statutory Rights Act earlier this year.] The FCC took an important step today in the continued fight for consumer privacy. The Commission was right to adopt new rules requiring consumers to expressly consent before internet service providers may use their sensitive private information. However, I believe that there should be a higher standard for privacy protections across the Internet. We must also do more to ensure that the information we share with broadband providers and others is adequately protected against those who try to access it without authorization. That is why Congress must pass my Consumer Pri… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-comments-on-the-alarming-calls-by-some-republicans-for-permanent-obstruction-of-judicial-nominees-incl-scotus | Leahy Comments On The Alarming Calls By Some Republicans For Permanent Obstruction Of Judicial Nominees, Incl. SCOTUS | 2016-10-27 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.27.16 Leahy Comments On The Alarming Calls By Some Republicans For Permanent Obstruction Of Judicial Nominees, Incl. SCOTUS Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Alarming And Unprecedented Calls By Some Senate Republicans For Permanent Obstruction Of Judicial Nominees October 27, 2016 Eight months ago Republican senators attempted to justify their unprecedented obstruction of a Supreme Court nominee by claiming that the American people needed to be heard through the election. Now that we are on the eve of that democratic moment, some at last are making clear that this justification was simply a political farce. It should be alarming to anyone who cares about the fair administration of justice, and the integrity of America's judiciary, that some Republicans are already seeking to undermine the outcome of the upcoming election and further prevent our independent judiciary from fulfilling its constitutional role. These Republicans are proving that they have no intention of doing their jobs and that their blockade of judicial nominees is purely driven by politics. This amounts to piecemeal evisceration of the Constitution. I hope that reasonable Republicans will repudiate these calls for wholesale and enduring obstruction and get back to work to address skyrocketing judicial vacancies. Americans should not accept a Senate that has done almost nothing to address the vacancy crisis in courts throughout our country. Senators should honor their oaths of office and keep their word to the American people. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-presses-administration-to-take-on-opioid-distributors | Leahy Presses Administration To Take On Opioid Distributors | 2016-10-26 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.26.16 Leahy Presses Administration To Take On Opioid Distributors Leahy Presses Administration To Take On Opioid Distributors (WEDNESDAY, Oct. 26, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is urging the Department of Justice to increase enforcement efforts in order to keep addictive painkillers from entering communities in Vermont and across the nation. Leahy's push comes just days after the Washington Post reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) scaled back efforts to pursue drug companies who were flooding communities with powerful and highly addictive opioids. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Leahy noted concern that the DEA's apparent retreat from enforcement occurred just as our nation began to confront the scope of the opioid epidemicand just as the over-prescription of powerful opioid painkillers was recognized as a major driver of the crisis. With the opioid crisis plaguing communities in Vermont and across the country, Leahy said the Justice Department must ensure that its good faith attempts to work with the pharmaceutical industry do not compromise or hinder its enforcement efforts. We appreciate and commend the Justice Department for working together with drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, and others, where feasible, to safeguard the supply chain for prescription opioids. But well-intentioned cooperation must not come at the expense of rigorous oversight of such entities, Leahy wrote in a letter also signed by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). It is imperative that the DEA closely monitor the distribution process and prescribing practices, and vigorously pursue enforcement actions where there is abuse or danger to the public health or safety of Americans. In August, Leahy was joined by Vermont State Police Commander Matthew Birmingham in Williston to announce that six new positions including five detectives were added to the Vermont Drug Task Force to strengthen heroin trafficking investigations in Vermont, under a program that Leahy worked in the Se… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-on-proposed-merger-of-atandt-and-time-warner | Comment On Proposed Merger Of AT&T And Time Warner | 2016-10-24 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.24.16 Comment On Proposed Merger Of AT&T And Time Warner Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Proposed Merger of AT&T and Time Warner October 24, 2016 Millions of Americans rely on AT&T for their satellite or cable television, as well as their wireless telephone service and broadband Internet access. And millions of Americans use Time Warner's entertainment and news content. This proposed massive consolidation of distribution and content raises potentially serious questions about competition, consumer choice, and privacy across the media, cable TV, wireless and broadband industries. Given the potential impact for consumers, the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a public hearing on this proposed merger without delay. The antitrust regulators must also carefully consider whether it will benefit consumers in Vermont and across America. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/vice-president-bidens-cancer-moonshot-visit-to-vt/uvm/medical-center | Vice President Biden's "Cancer Moonshot" Visit To VT/UVM/Medical Center | 2016-10-20 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.20.16 Vice President Biden's "Cancer Moonshot" Visit To VT/UVM/Medical Center Senator Leahy invited Vice President Biden to UVM/UVM Medical Center to discuss Vermont's work on cancer research, in conjunction with President Obama's Cancer Moonshot initiative. Biden chairs the Cancer Moonshot Task Force and presented the Task Force's recommendations to President Obama this week (on Monday, Oct. 17). Webcast coverage of Friday's event at UVM begins at 10 a.m. Friday and can be viewed at this LINK: Cancer Moonshot Event N e w s B a c k g r o u n d e r Vermont And UVM Have A Track Record Of Initiative And Effort In Cancer Research And Prevention And In Supporting Cancer Patients Every Vermonter and every American is touched in some way by cancer through family, friends, coworkers, community, or themselves. Patrick and Marcelle Leahy are no different. Theirs is a personal experience, drawn from Marcelle's own successful fight against melanoma. Together they are committed to conquering cancer, promoting research and prevention, and widening access to care. Patrick Leahy was one of the first lawmakers chosen by the National Breast Cancer Coalition to be inducted into the Breast Cancer Hall of Fame. The University of Vermont and the UVM Medical Center right now are among research labs on such new frontiers as precision cancer treatment, and using genome mapping to treat patients. That is why Senator Leahy invited Vice President Biden to visit UVM and the UVM Medical Center in conjunction with the Vice President's leadership of the President's Cancer Moonshot Task Force initiative. Just this week on Oct. 17 -- Vice President Biden presented the Task Force's recommendations to President Obama. Born In Vermont' Cancer Research Advances Leahy authored the law establishing the National Program of Cancer Registries Inspired by a letter-writing campaign led by two Vermont breast cancer survivors, Joanne Rathgeb and Virginia Soffa, in 1992, Senator Patrick Leahy, joined by then-Representative Bernie Sande… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comment-on-the-passing-of-father-michael-cronogue-of-st-michaels-college | Comment On The Passing Of Father Michael Cronogue, Of St. Michael's College | 2016-10-14 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.14.16 Comment On The Passing Of Father Michael Cronogue, Of St. Michael's College Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), On the Passing of Father Michael Cronogue, S.S.E., Of St. Michael's College October 14, 2016 Like everyone in the St. Michael's community, I was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Father Mike. Teacher, advisor, friend, confidant there is no way to measure his impact on the lives he touched, in the St. Michael's community and beyond. Marcelle and I join countless others in sending prayers to Father Mike's family in this difficult time. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-leads-bipartisan-bicameral-appeal-to-omb-white-house-urging-support-for-usdas-efforts-to-ramp-up-help-to-struggling-dairy-farmers | Leahy Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Appeal To OMB (White House), Urging Support For USDA's Efforts To Ramp Up Help To Struggling DAIRY FARMERS | 2016-10-13 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.13.16 Leahy Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Appeal To OMB (White House), Urging Support For USDA's Efforts To Ramp Up Help To Struggling DAIRY FARMERS Leahy Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Appeal To OMB Urging Support For USDA's Efforts To Ramp Up Help To Struggling Dairy Farmers (THURSDAY, October 13, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is leading a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of 56 members of the House and Senate, including Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D), urging Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan to free up safety net funds to help dairy farmers in Vermont and across the nation who are struggling with declining milk prices. In a letter sent Thursday, Leahy and his partners request that Donovan do all he can to support Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in using existing authorities to expand and maintain U.S. domestic markets, encourage the domestic consumption of dairy products, and help dairy farmers through the ongoing financial crisis. In the letter headed by Leahy, the coalition of lawmakers wrote: These dairy farms make up the backbone of our rural economy, and farms both large and small act as economic drivers, providing local jobs and supporting a wide array of other businesses. The last financial crisis that hit the dairy industry in 2009 forced far too many families to go out of business and sell off their herds. Farms that had been in families for generations were driven into ruin and forced to close their doors for good. Through the support of this administration, we can hopefully prevent many farms from needing to make that same difficult decision today. We hope you will work with us to support all of our dairy farmers across the country. The letter follows an exchange between Leahy and Vilsack at a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee hearing in September, when Leahy shared several appeals and testimonials from Vermont dairy farmers struggling with plummeting prices. In response, Vilsack testified that the U.S.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/comments-on-the-highway-deaths-of-five-young-vermonters | Comments On The Highway Deaths Of Five Young Vermonters | 2016-10-10 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.10.16 Comments On The Highway Deaths Of Five Young Vermonters Comments Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Highway Deaths Of Five Young Vermonters Monday, Oct.10, 2016 "Marcelle and I join the entire Harwood community, and all Vermonters, in mourning the loss of these five young lives. We were shocked and deeply saddened by this unspeakable and unimaginable tragedy. We want their families to know that we are prayerful about their grief and their suffering." # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/29-vt-law-enforcement-agencies-receive-new-support-to-buy-bulletproof-vests-for-officers | 29 VT Law Enforcement Agencies Receive New Support To Buy BULLETPROOF VESTS For Officers | 2016-10-07 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.07.16 29 VT Law Enforcement Agencies Receive New Support To Buy BULLETPROOF VESTS For Officers Leahy: VT Law Enforcement Agencies Receive Support To Buy Bulletproof Vests For Officers . . . Funding Under Leahy Program Will Help Buy New Protective Vests For More Than 200 Vermont Officers (FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016) -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Friday announced that grants will be coming to Vermont to support the purchase of lifesaving protective vests for Vermont law enforcement officers, under the Leahy-authored Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. The funding includes $68,400 to help 29 local police and sheriff departments buy 214 new bulletproof vests for their officers. Leahy is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the author of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. He successfully fought for its reauthorization earlier this year. As a result, over the next five years more than 200,000 officers across the country will receive lifesaving vests. Law enforcement officers working on the frontlines must have the tools they need to protect themselves in the line of duty. We owe that to them and to their families. Leahy said. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program was created because of a tragic shootout with police on the Vermont-New Hampshire border. It is perhaps the most tangible support that Congress can provide to law enforcement officers, and I take great comfort in knowing that more Vermont officers will have the protection of lifesaving vests with these grants. Leahy said the program, which provides matching funds for departments to purchase bulletproof vests, is vital to small communities that struggle under tight budgets to keep their officers safe. Further responding to those needs, Leahy improved the federal grant program by authoring a provision in 2009 to waive in whole or in part the matching requirement for small jurisdictions in Vermont and other states that are experiencing financial hardships. Leahy frequently hears from Vermont … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/reaction-to-the-award-of-the-nobel-peace-prize-to-colombias-president-juan-manuel-santos | Reaction To The Award Of The Nobel Peace Prize To Colombias President Juan Manuel Santos | 2016-10-07 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.07.16 Reaction To The Award Of The Nobel Peace Prize To Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Award Of The Nobel Peace Prize To Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos [BURLINGTON, Vt. (FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016) -- Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-Vt., and ranking member of the Senate's State Department And Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee) for several years has been a partner in supporting and advancing President Santos' peace initiative, through Leahy's work on the Appropriations Committee and in other ways.] Peacemaking requires courage and patience and grit, and President Santos has invested all of these qualities in forging peace in Colombia. The United States has been a partner in the peace process, and I have come to know and admire President Santos through our work together. This is a proud moment and deserved recognition for him, for his country, and for his partners, and it should help propel his efforts to finally end a half century of war. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/vermont-firefighters-and-ems-personnel-receive-19-million-in-federal-grants | Vermont Firefighters and EMS Personnel Receive $1.9 Million in Federal Grants | 2016-10-07 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.07.16 Vermont Firefighters and EMS Personnel Receive $1.9 Million in Federal Grants Vermont Firefighters and EMS Personnel Receive $1.9 Million in Federal Grants BURLINGTON, Vt., Oct. 7 Vermont's congressional delegation announced Friday that firefighters and EMS personnel throughout Vermont are receiving $1.9 million through 15 federal grants. The awards are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which helps fire departments and EMS agencies train and purchase critically needed equipment. This year's grants will help buy a range of equipment, including turnout gear, breathing apparatus, hoses and nozzles, radios and cardiac monitors. These federal grants will help our first-responders protect Vermonters. Our firefighters and EMS personnel play an invaluable role in our communities and we are pleased to be able to help provide the resources they need, said Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.). The largest of the grant awards is for the Vermont Department of Public Safety's Fire Academy, which is receiving $500,000 for a burn building, a training facility that provides opportunities to practice firefighting scenarios. The Vermont Fire Academy is grateful to have received AFG funding that will allow us the opportunity to replace our live-fire training burn building. This is a real boost for the Vermont firefighting community. Thanks to all that continue to support this grant, said Peter Lynch, the state's chief of fire service training for the Vermont Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Public Safety. The federal grants were awarded to: Vermont Department of Public Safety (Vermont Fire Academy); $500,000 Underhill-Jericho Fire Department, Inc.; $228,262 Essex Fire Department; $180,000 St. Johnsbury Fire Department; $178,572 Ascutney Volunteer Fire Association; $156,762 Bellows Falls Fire Department; $142,858 Wardsboro Fire Department; $129,524 West Windsor Fire Department; $9… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-sanders-welch-announce-9m-to-vt-for-innovative-linking-learning-to-careers-program | Leahy, Sanders, Welch Announce $9M To VT For Innovative 'Linking Learning To Careers' Program | 2016-10-05 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.05.16 Leahy, Sanders, Welch Announce $9M To VT For Innovative 'Linking Learning To Careers' Program Leahy, Sanders And Welch Announce $9 Million To Vermont For Innovative Linking Learning To Careers' Program BURLINGTON, Vt. (WEDNESDAY, October 5, 2016) Vermont's congressional delegation Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), and Rep. Peter Welch (D) on Wednesday announced a nearly $9 million grant to support an innovative project to help Vermont students with disabilities in transitioning to the workforce. The grant from the U.S. Department of Education to the Vermont Agency of Human Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab) is for the Linking to Learning Careers Program. These funds will support a new pilot project through the federal Disability Innovation Fund to evaluate a pioneering model to support students with disabilities in preparing for and entering the workforce. In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: Our nation has made great progress since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but we must continue to focus our attention and investments on helping individuals with disabilities in realizing their potential. It is unacceptable that the employment of transition-age young people with disabilities remains well below that of their nondisabled peers. Vermont Voc Rehab and its network of partners has long been recognized as a model for collaborative, high-quality intervention programming. These young people, their families and Vermont communities will benefit from this opportunity. Hal Cohen, secretary of the Vermont Agency on Human Services said: This grant award will enable agency staff to provide early intervention efforts for Vermont high school students with significant barriers to employment. This intervention will support these students to be prepared to enter post-secondary education and training to be successful in careers in the 21st Century labor market. Linking Learning to Careers will build on the existing vocational re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/as-republicans-unprecedented-obstruction-continues-a-diminished-supreme-court-begins-its-new-term-with-only-eight-justices | As Republicans Unprecedented Obstruction Continues, A Diminished Supreme Court Begins Its New Term With Only Eight Justices | 2016-10-04 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.04.16 As Republicans' Unprecedented Obstruction Continues, A Diminished Supreme Court Begins Its New Term With Only Eight Justices As Republicans' Unprecedented Obstruction Continues, A Diminished Supreme Court Begins Its New Term With Only Eight Justices Leahy: A Supreme Court of only eight justices is unacceptable and Americans deserve better. Americans should not accept a Senate that has done almost nothing to address the vacancy crisis in courts throughout our country. WASHINGTON (Tuesday, October 4, 2016) The Supreme Court begins hearing oral arguments today without a crucial ninth justice, marking the second consecutive term that the Court has been diminished due to Republicans' refusal to fill the vacancy that has been open since February. Republicans' unprecedented obstruction of Chief Judge Merrick Garland's nomination has created uncertainty in the law, which has been harmful to businesses, law enforcement, and to families and children across the country. On Monday, the justices declined to rehear an important immigration case that affects millions of families throughout the country who have remained in legal uncertainty since June when the Court deadlocked because it lacked a critical ninth vote. Despite what the Republican Leader has said, there is absolutely no reason to be proud that the Supreme Court is now, for a second term, diminished, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said. A Supreme Court of only eight justices is unacceptable and Americans deserve better. Americans should not accept a Senate that has done almost nothing to address the vacancy crisis in courts throughout our country. He added: Senate Republicans should be working across the aisle to ensure that our independent federal judiciary can function. Instead, Republicans have refused to do their jobs and they have left town, avoiding their responsibilities to the American people and the independent judiciary that serves them. The New York Times wrote on Monday that the Republicans' re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leading-senators-call-for-the-release-of-children-in-prolonged-detention-and-an-end-to-family-detention | Leading Senators Call For The Release Of Children In Prolonged Detention & An End To Family Detention | 2016-10-04 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.04.16 Leading Senators Call For The Release Of Children In Prolonged Detention & An End To Family Detention Leading Senators Call For The Release Of Children In Prolonged Detention & An End To Family Detention WASHINGTON (Tuesday, October 4, 2016) A group of leading Senators pressed the Obama administration to end the detention of women and children who have fled gang violence in their home countries. The letter led by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) came after world leaders met in New York for the United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants. In their letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the lawmakers note that women and children as young as two-years-old have been in detention for nearly a year or longer at the Berks County Residential Center in Pennsylvania. The letter expresses concern that children at the detention facility are exhibiting serious health problems and experiencing psychological harms associated with prolonged detention. In addition to Leahy and Hirono, the letter is signed by: Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Senator Robert P. Menendez (D-N.J.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). A copy of the September 27 letter to DHS Secretary Johnson is below and online. # # # # September 27, 2016 The Honorable Jeh Johnson Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 Dear Secretary Johnson: We write to reiterate our strong belief that the policy of family detention is wrong and should be ended immediately. Although we were encouraged to hear your announcement in August that the average leng… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-announces-93-m-in-grants-to-support-vt-crime-victims-and-domestic-violence-survivors | Leahy Announces $9.3 M. In Grants To Support VT CRIME VICTIMS and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS | 2016-10-04 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.04.16 Leahy Announces $9.3 M. In Grants To Support VT CRIME VICTIMS and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS Leahy Announces $9.3 Million in Grants To Support Vermont Crime Victims And Domestic Violence Survivors Rural grants will reach underserved populations MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2016) U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Tuesday announced that Vermont will receive $9.3 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support victims of crime throughout the state, including survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The funding includes 12 separate federal grants that will address a wide range of needs. Leahy, a former prosecutor, has long been the Senate's leading champion for crime victims. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Justice Department, Leahy was instrumental two years ago in raising the cap on the Crime Victims Fund, which supports several victim assistance programs. Leahy's success in raising the cap has led to a three-fold annual increase in funding, totaling $4.7 million this year. The Fund is supported through federal fines and penalties, and not with taxpayer dollars. Leahy said: As a former prosecutor I know something about what crime victims go through, and about the need for this help. When someone is the victim of a random street crime or a hit-and-run accident, they should not have to worry about how to pay their medical bills. When a woman flees her abuser, she needs a safe place to live, and a safe place for her children as well. When Leahy led the effort to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 2013, he succeeded in expanding protections to include LGBT, immigrant and tribal populations not previously supported by VAWA. This year's grants include funding to reach victims in rural areas who otherwise may not have sought the help they need. Leahy steered his VAWA bill through the Judiciary and through the Senate, and then won its approval by the House. Leahy said: A victim should not… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/reaction-to-the-vote-rejecting-the-peace-agreement-in-colombia | Reaction To The Vote Rejecting The Peace Agreement In Colombia | 2016-10-03 | 2016 | 2016-10 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 10.03.16 Reaction To The Vote Rejecting The Peace Agreement In Colombia Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee On The State Department And Foreign Operations) To The Vote Rejecting The Peace Agreement In Colombia Monday, Oct. 3, 2016 The nearly even split in the vote illustrates the social, economic, and political divisions that are at the root of the conflict. Further bloodshed would only deepen those divisions. Any peace agreement requires painful compromises, particularly when both sides are responsible for numerous atrocities against civilians. Both sides have clearly had enough of war. Despite the vote, there is no turning back. I have confidence that President Santos, who has shown great political courage to get to this point, will find a way to bring the process to a satisfactory conclusion. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-welch-legislation-improve-phone-service-rural-america | House Passes Welch Legislation to Improve Phone Service in Rural America | 2016-09-29 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONThe U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously approved bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) that will improve the quality and reliability of phone service in rural America. The Improving Call Quality and Reliability Act (H.R. 2566), co-sponsored by Rep. David Young (R-IA), passed the House on Tuesday evening. Welch introduced his bill after learning from Vermont small businesses, schools, and small telecommunication companies that calls were not connecting or being dropped. In some rural areas of the country, nearly one in five inbound calls to land line phones are not completed or are of poor quality, resulting in inconvenience for families and lost revenue for small businesses. "Whether an emergency call or a business order, Vermonters should have confidence that their calls are completed without disruption," Rep. Welch said. This bill addresses the epidemic of dropped calls in rural America and will ensure calls to emergency responders, businesses, customers, family and friends are reliably connected." For rural residents and businesses, the problem begins with how incoming calls are routed. Large telecommunications companies often rely on intermediate providers (least cost routers') to route calls from larger networks to local service providers. The least cost router' frequently declines to connect calls in rural areas to save money, leaving rural customers unable to consistently and reliably use their landline telephone. Welch's bill would for the first time hold these providers accountable. It would require them to register with the FCC and meet quality standards. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits providers from using any intermediary routing service that is not registered with the FCC. Welch's legislation will now be considered by the Senate. Read the full legislation here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/leahy-sanders-and-welch-issue-joint-statement-rutland-s-designation | Leahy, Sanders And Welch Issue Joint Statement On Rutlands Designation As A Refugee Resettlement Site | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | We learned this morning that the City of Rutland will receive refugees who have fled the relentless violence in Syria and Iraq, sometimes with just the clothes on their backs. The vast majority of refugees admitted from Syria have been women and children, and when we see the photographs of children fleeing this awful tragedy, we see our own children and are called to do our part to help. We know the good people of Rutland and Vermont will welcome these newcomers into the community. Struggling families, fleeing peril and motivated to start their lives anew, always have and always will enrich America and contribute immeasurably to our state. We are also very pleased that in a separate announcement, the Department of Health and Human Service has awarded Vermont a $150,000 grant to help the newly resettled refugees obtain employment and achieve self-sufficiency. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/14-m-grant-will-help-shape-decisions-on-the-moran-plant-on-the-burlington-waterfront | $1.4 M. Grant Will Help Shape Decisions On The Moran Plant On The BURLINGTON WATERFRONT | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 $1.4 M. Grant Will Help Shape Decisions On The Moran Plant On The BURLINGTON WATERFRONT Leahy: $1.4 M. Grant Will Help Shape Decisions On The Moran Plant On The Burlington Waterfront BURLINGTON, Vt. (WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28, 2016) -- In a major boost to economic development efforts on the Burlington Waterfront, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced on Wednesday a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to the City for waterproofing and flood resiliency of the former Moran Plant. Previous high-water events on Lake Champlain have flooded the building and impeded redevelopment. The federal funding would help ensure that the ground-level space, with its vaulted ceiling heights, would be flood proof and available for use, maximizing the potential economic benefits of any redevelopment project. The funds require a one-to-one match and are restricted from being used for demolition. Part of the EDA grant agreement with the City will require a feasible development agreement before any federal funds can be expended. Leahy, who has collaborated with Burlington officials to identify federal funding for multiple city priorities like this one, said: Burlington's waterfront is one of Vermont's grandest jewels. Reclaiming the waterfront from its industrial past for all Vermonters to enjoy has been a goal I have worked on for many years. As the City and its potential partners develop final plans for the former Moran Plant, this grant is a catalyst and a good faith step toward making those plans a reality. If the City in the end decides that this project is not feasible, it will go forward knowing that every opportunity and resource was considered. U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said: The Department of Commerce through our Economic Development Administration is pleased to partner with the City of Burlington to enable redevelopment of the Moran Plant so that it can be used year-round for publically supported commercial endeavors. This EDA investment wil… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-praises-administrations-rule-issued-tonight-to-end-forced-arbitration-in-long-term-care-facilities | Leahy Praises Administration's Rule, Issued Tonight, To End Forced Arbitration In Long-Term Care Facilities | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Leahy Praises Administration's Rule, Issued Tonight, To End Forced Arbitration In Long-Term Care Facilities Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Administration's Long-Term Care Facility Rule and Forced Arbitration September 28, 2016 [The Department of Health and Human Services has published its final regulations for long-term care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid. Among the new regulations is a prohibition on binding arbitration clauses in the agreements between patients and facilities. The ban on forced arbitration was recommended by Senator Leahy and other Democratic Senators last year in a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid. Senator Leahy has long raised concerns about the practice of forced arbitration, including in hearings of the Senate Judiciary Committee he convened in 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2013. He also recently sent a letter to Wells Fargo's CEO, asking him to immediately cease the practice of using forced arbitration. Senator Leahy is also a long-time co-sponsor of the Arbitration Fairness Act, S. 1133, and introduced the Restoring Statutory Rights Act, S. 2506, earlier this year.] I applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for banning the use of forced arbitration clauses by long-term care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs. It is simply unacceptable to provide taxpayer dollars to organizations that deny consumers their day in court. Today's rule is a small but important victory in the long battle to root out these secretive, complicated arbitration clauses that favor corporate interests over consumer rights. Too often, long-term care facilities require potential residents and their families to decide whether to waive their legal rights by signing mandatory arbitration clauses that are slipped into a contract and written in legal jargon. These clauses are not in the interest of the consumer, yet the sad reality is that today too many Americans must choose bet… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-sanders-welch-joint-statement-on-rutlands-designation-as-a-refugee-resettlement-site | Leahy, Sanders, Welch: Joint Statement On Rutland's Designation As A Refugee Resettlement Site | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Leahy, Sanders, Welch: Joint Statement On Rutland's Designation As A Refugee Resettlement Site Leahy, Sanders And Welch Issue Joint Statement On Rutland's Designation As A Refugee Resettlement Site Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 We learned this morning that the City of Rutland will receive refugees who have fled the relentless violence in Syria and Iraq, sometimes with just the clothes on their backs. The vast majority of refugees admitted from Syria have been women and children, and when we see the photographs of children fleeing this awful tragedy, we see our own children and are called to do our part to help. We know the good people of Rutland and Vermont will welcome these newcomers into the community. Struggling families, fleeing peril and motivated to start their lives anew, always have and always will enrich America and contribute immeasurably to our state. We are also very pleased that in a separate announcement, the Department of Health and Human Service has awarded Vermont a $150,000 grant to help the newly resettled refugees obtain employment and achieve self-sufficiency. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-aya-hijazi | Statement On Aya Hijazi | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Statement On Aya Hijazi Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Aya Hijazi Congressional Record September 27, 2016 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to speak about a matter in Egypt, a long-time ally of the United States, a country with a rich history and culture, but whose people have suffered for years due to corrupt, repressive governments and an anemic economy that stagnates under excessive statist control. This is the situation despite more than $75 billion in U.S. economic and military aid for Egypt over the past 50 years. Today, more than five years after public protests led to the resignation of President Mubarak, followed by the election of the Muslim Brotherhood, the military-supported coup that forcibly removed and imprisoned President Morsi and thousands of his followers, and the election that brought President al-Sisi, a former army general, to power, the United States and Egypt are struggling to preserve a long history of security cooperation. That cooperation is important to the Middle East region as a whole, but U.S.-Egypt relations face increasing challenges as President al-Sisi tightens his grip on power by persecuting political opponents, silencing members of the media -- including deporting American and other foreign journalists who criticize his policies -- and imprisoning representatives of civil society. The brutal torture and killing of Giulio Regeni, an Italian student and journalist who many believe was an innocent victim of the Egyptian police, occurred only four months after the Egyptian army attacked a convoy of tourists in September 2015, killing twelve and injuring ten, including an American who continues to suffer from her injuries for which she has received no compensation. Just last week, a court in Cairo froze the assets of some of Egypt's most prominent human rights defenders in an attempt to silence them and put their organizations out of business. The State Department responded by urging the Egyptian Government to ease restrictions on association and e… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-passage-of-the-survivors-bill-of-rights-act | Statement On Passage Of The Survivors Bill of Rights Act | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Statement On Passage Of The Survivors' Bill of Rights Act Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Passage Of The Survivors' Bill of Rights Act September 28, 2016 Today, we take an important step forward for victims of crime by establishing key protections for survivors of sexual assault in our criminal justice system. I was proud to work with Senator Shaheen on this legislation when it passed in the Senate earlier this year. Her Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act addresses the unique challenges faced by sexual assault survivors. This bipartisan bill received overwhelming support in the Senate. The House has acted on a companion bill, H.R. 5578, that is nearly identical to what Senator Shaheen championed in the Senate. Today we pass the House measure and ensure that it will become law. In many jurisdictions across the country, survivors of sexual assault face a labyrinth of complex policies that deter them from pursuing justice. We have seen that even when survivors make the decision to come forward, sometimes evidence is not properly preserved or tested. This is not acceptable. Survivors of sexual assault should never feel abandoned by our criminal justice system. Senator Shaheen's Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act treats survivors with the dignity and respect that they deserve. It guarantees basic rights to survivors and serves as a model for reform across our Nation. It strengthens notice requirements to ensure that survivors understand their rights, and know the status of their cases. Senator Shaheen was an original cosponsor of the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which was signed into law in 2013 and significantly increased resources for survivors of sexual assault. We are building on that progress today by passing the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, but our work is not done. I urge the House to pass my bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act, which increases protections for victims of crime… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-recent-events-in-ethiopia | Statement on Recent Events in Ethiopia | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Statement on Recent Events in Ethiopia Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) On Recent Events in Ethiopia Congressional record September 27, 2016 MR. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to bring the Senate's attention to the Ethiopian government's brutal crackdown on protestors over the past nine months. According to Human Rights Watch, more than 500 people have been killed by Ethiopian security forces in anti-government demonstrations since November 2015, including over 100 gunned down in early August of this year alone. These protests by the country's two largest ethnic groups, the Oromos and Amharas, reflect enduring tensions brought on by the Ethiopian government's longstanding marginalization and persecution of these communities. But such grievances are shared by even broader segments of Ethiopian society, including from other communities that have been forcibly evicted from their land in the name of development, and the journalists, civil society activists, and countless other political prisoners sitting in Ethiopian jails for speaking out against the government's repressive rule. The international community, including the United States, has paid too little attention to the Ethiopian government's repressive policies, focusing instead on the country's rapid development gains and the government's cooperation on regional security. But it is time for the Ethiopian government to acknowledge that grievances stemming from marginalization, abuse, and exclusive governance cannot be effectively addressed through the provision of basic services alone. The United States should set an example by redefining its relationship with Ethiopia, starting with the recognition of this reality. In too many developing countries, legitimate concerns about unaccountable governance are given short shrift as aspirational and inconvenient tradeoffs for positive relations with host governments. But the quiet diplomacy of the past backroom condemnation and public praise has proven unable to ensure the sustainabili… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-the-nomination-of-jeffrey-delaurentis | Statement On The Nomination of Jeffrey DeLaurentis | 2016-09-28 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.28.16 Statement On The Nomination of Jeffrey DeLaurentis Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On The Nomination of Jeffrey DeLaurentis September 28, 2016 Mr. LEAHY: Mr. President, yesterday President Obama nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis to be United States Ambassador to Cuba. If confirmed, Mr. DeLaurentis would be the first U.S. ambassador in Havana in more than half a century. I have known Jeff DeLaurentis since he became the U.S. chief of mission in Havana, and he is the obvious choice to be ambassador. He is a career diplomat who is universally respected by his peers, and by Democrats and Republicans in Congress, for his intellect, his integrity, and his thoughtfulness. The decision to resume diplomatic relations with Cuba has been widely supported, and the number of Americans traveling to Cuba is increasing dramatically. We need an Ambassador who knows Cuba, who is respected by the Cuban Government, and who will stand up for U.S. interests and values. Jeff DeLaurentis is that person. The Cuban people have their ambassador in Washington. The American people need their ambassador in Havana. Not surprisingly, one Senator who has opposed the resumption of diplomatic relations with Cuba criticized the nomination of Mr. DeLaurentis. While he did not challenge Mr. DeLaurentis' qualifications for the job, since he is obviously exceptionally well qualified, the Senator instead said rewarding the Castro government with a U.S. ambassador is another last-ditch legacy project for the president that needs to be stopped. He said the nomination should go nowhere until the Castro regime makes significant and irreversible progress in the areas of human rights and political freedom for the Cuban people. He was joined in his opposition to Mr. DeLaurentis' nomination by another Senator. Having been to Cuba many times where I have met with Cuban government officials, as well as with critics of the government including some who have been persecuted and imprisoned, no one is a stronger defender of human rights ther… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-continues-push-rein-skyrocketing-prescription-drug-prices | Welch Continues Push to Rein in Skyrocketing Prescription Drug Prices | 2016-09-27 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONRep. Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) that would address a loophole in the Medicare 340B Drug Pricing Program that is contributing to the rising cost of health care for consumers and threatening access to lifesaving medications. The introduction of this legislation is the latest in Welch's efforts to fix the broken prescription drug market that has led to unrestrained price increases for consumers and providers. The full text of the Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act can be found HERE. Drug companies have been taking advantage of the orphan drug' loophole since 2014 at the expense of consumers and rural hospitals and healthcare providers, Rep. Welch said. Vermont hospitals rely on the 340B program to ensure they are able to continue to serve those with health care needs. These hospitals and those they serve cannot afford to have this critical program circumvented due to yet another market failure that allows big drug corporations to cash in at their expense. Congressman Welch and I have clarified the scope and intent of the designation for which drugs are excluded from the 340B Program pricing, which will enable hospitals and rural health centers to provide the best possible care options for our country's most vulnerable patients, Rep. Griffith said. This clarification will close the orphan drug loophole, currently allowing drug companies to charge healthcare facilities in Southwest Virginia and other rural and underprivileged areas a higher price than intended by the program as designed by Congress. The 340B Drug Pricing Program requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible health care organizations at significantly reduced prices. This includes Federally Qualified Health Centers, Critical Access Hospitals, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantees, and certain types of hospitals and specialized clinics with a high proportion of Medicare and Medicaid patients. Vermont has 14 number of hospitals t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/in-wake-of-massive-data-breach-affecting-millions-of-customers-leahy-leads-senators-in-pressing-yahoo-for-answers | In Wake Of Massive Data Breach Affecting Millions Of Customers, Leahy Leads Senators In Pressing Yahoo! For Answers | 2016-09-27 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.27.16 In Wake Of Massive Data Breach Affecting Millions Of Customers, Leahy Leads Senators In Pressing Yahoo! For Answers Following Massive Data Breach Affecting Millions Of Customers, Leahy Leads Senators In Pressing Yahoo! For Answers WASHINGTON (Tuesday, September 27, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the author of a comprehensive data security and breach notification bill that requires companies to take reasonable steps to secure their customers' sensitive data and notify customers in the event of a hack, called on the leader of Yahoo! to disclose how a massive hack at their company went unnoticed for two years. In a letter to Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, Leahy and leading Democratic Senators asked the company to provide a timeline of the hack, which compromised at least 500 million accounts, and when law enforcement and users were notified. The lawmakers are also seeking information about how widespread the hack is, and what Yahoo! is doing to prevent such a hack in the future. The stolen data included usernames, passwords, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and security questions and answers. This is highly sensitive, personal information that hackers can use not only to access Yahoo customer accounts, but also potentially to gain access to any other account or service that users access with similar login or personal information, including bank information and social media profiles, the letter states. The letter continues: We are even more disturbed that user information was first compromised in 2014, yet the company only announced the breach last week. That means millions of Americans' data may have been compromised for two years. This is unacceptable. This breach is the latest in a series of data breaches that have impacted the privacy of millions of American consumers in recent years, but it is by far the largest. Consumers put their trust in companies when they share personal and sensitive information with them, and they expect all possible steps be taken to protect … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senator-patrick-leahy-and-senator-benjamin-cardin-on-recent-developments-in-the-philippines-and-indonesia | Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Benjamin Cardin On Recent Developments in the Philippines and Indonesia | 2016-09-27 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.27.16 Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Benjamin Cardin On Recent Developments in the Philippines and Indonesia Colloquy Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Benjamin Cardin On Recent Developments in the Philippines and Indonesia Congressional Record September 26 2016 MR. LEAHY: Mr. President, according to recent reports, more than 3,000 people have been killed in the Philippines in the twelve weeks since President Duterte announced his campaign to wipe out illicit drug use. More than 1,000 of those deaths were at the hands of the Philippine National Police during counternarcotic operations, compared to 68 such killings this year in the months prior to President Duterte taking office, half of which happened in the period between his election and inauguration. The rest were killed apart from police operations, incited by President Duterte's violent rhetoric, which has been well documented. The vast majority of these individuals were low-level drug users, victims of a government seeking to make up for years of ineffective, corrupt law enforcement and rampant crime by terrorizing the population into submission. As the ranking member or chairman for more than 25 years of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds U.S. foreign assistance programs, I have been frustrated that we often fail to learn obvious lessons when it comes to foreign assistance investments. One example is that economic opportunity and security alone cannot assure stability. Stability requires legitimate governance and the protection of human rights. This is not just an aspiration; it is a practical, strategic imperative. As a former prosecutor and now ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, I know the difference between those who need help versus those who deserve to be punished. I also know, as do most people, that when governments condone extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, and prey on vulnerable populations, they are sowing the seeds of instability, not preventing it. For roughly 700,000 Filipino drug u… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-the-supreme-court-nomination-of-chief-judge-merrick-garland-9-27-2016 | Statement On the Supreme Court Nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland | 2016-09-27 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.27.16 Statement On the Supreme Court Nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Supreme Court Nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland September 27, 2016 Eleven years ago this week, following the death of Chief Justice Rehnquist, the Senate confirmed Chief Justice John Roberts to the Supreme Court. After his Judiciary Committee hearing in September, he was given full and fair consideration by the Senate and confirmed about two weeks later on September 29. This ensured that the Supreme Court was not missing a justice when it began its term on the first Monday in October. The Senate acted responsibly eleven years ago when a Republican was in the White House. But not today. Under Republican leadership, the Senate is deliberately leaving the Supreme Court short-handed. Chief Judge Merrick Garland deserves the same consideration that Chief Justice Roberts received eleven years ago. Like Chief Justice Roberts, Chief Judge Garland is eminently qualified. Like Chief Justice Roberts, he hails from the Midwest, and is a D.C. Circuit Court judge who has earned the respect and admiration of those who have worked with him. Yet unlike Chief Justice Roberts, who was confirmed in about two months, Chief Judge Garland has been pending before the Senate for more than six months. That is longer than any Supreme Court nominee in history. No hearing. No vote. No consideration at all by the Senate. Our independent judicial branch is fundamental to our constitutional system of government. The Senate's duty to consider judicial nominations under the Constitution is not a political game. This Republican obstruction has consequences for all Americans. Because Senate Republicans refuse to do their jobs, the Supreme Court has been repeatedly unable to uphold its essential constitutional role as the final arbiter of the law. The uncertainty in the law has been harmful to businesses, law enforcement, and to families and children a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/the-presidents-intention-to-nominate-jeffrey-delaurentis-as-us-ambassador-to-cuba | The President's Intention To Nominate Jeffrey DeLaurentis As U.S. Ambassador To Cuba | 2016-09-27 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.27.16 The President's Intention To Nominate Jeffrey DeLaurentis As U.S. Ambassador To Cuba Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Ranking Member, Senate State Department And Foreign Operations Subcommittee) To The President's Announcement Of His Intention To Name Jeffrey DeLaurentis As U.S. Ambassador To Cuba Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 I have known Jeff DeLaurentis since he became the U.S. Chief of Mission in Havana, and he is the obvious choice to be Ambassador. He is a career diplomat who is universally respected by his peers, and by Democrats and Republicans in Congress, for his intellect, his integrity, and his thoughtfulness. The decision to resume diplomatic relations with Cuba has been widely supported, and the number of Americans traveling to Cuba is increasing dramatically. We need an Ambassador who knows Cuba, who is respected by the Cuban Government, and who will stand up for U.S. interests and values. Jeff is that person. The Cuban people have their ambassador in Washington. The American people need their ambassador in Havana. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-leads-senators-in-demanding-answers-from-dhs-on-use-of-private-prisons | Leahy Leads Senators In Demanding Answers From DHS On Use Of Private Prisons | 2016-09-26 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.26.16 Leahy Leads Senators In Demanding Answers From DHS On Use Of Private Prisons Senator Leahy Leads Senators In Demanding Answers From DHS On Use Of Private Prisons WASHINGTON (MONDAY, Sept. 26, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), with other leading senators, pressed the Obama administration Monday on the use of private prisons and contract facilities by the Department of Homeland Security. The letter comes amid an internal review at DHS regarding its use of private prisons, and the senators urged DHS to ensure the review was meaningful and genuine. In their letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, the senators state that we strongly oppose the use of for-profit prison companies in immigration detention and raise alarm about the lack of transparency in detention contracts, which has too often led to poor conditions and exorbitant costs to the taxpayers. For far too long, the contracting process and the management of contract facilities housing immigrant detainees have been opaque. The lack of transparency has led to a lack of accountability. Unlike federally-run institutions, these facilities are not obligated to provide to DHS or Congress information about their cost, operational efficiency, or ability to provide adequate detention conditions. And the results are unacceptable, the senators wrote. The senators also expressed concern about the pivotal role the private prison industry has played recently in institutionalizing mass family detention and increasing detention of asylum seekers. In addition to Leahy, the letter is signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii.). The letter comes less than a week after the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Sarah Saldaa, told the House Judiciary Committee that ICE's prisons are almost completely c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/signing-of-final-peace-agreement-in-colombia- | Signing Of Final Peace Agreement In Colombia | 2016-09-26 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.26.16 Signing Of Final Peace Agreement In Colombia Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy To The Sept. 26 Signing Of A Final Peace Agreement In Colombia, Ending 5 Decades Of Civil War Monday, Sept. 26, 2016 Today was a very long time in coming. During decades of war that killed hundreds of thousands and uprooted millions, every Colombian citizen and family paid a price. President Santos staked his political reputation on the negotiations, the outcome of which was never certain. He deserves great credit for having the vision and the courage for staying the course. We also owe thanks to the governments of Cuba and Norway that helped facilitate the talks, and to the Obama administration for its strong support for a political settlement that offers the Colombian people the best chance to build a unified, peaceful country. In many respects the agreement signifies the end of the beginning. It is up to the Colombian Government, the FARC leaders, and the Colombian people to work together to implement it in a manner that finally and effectively addresses the poverty, injustice, inequality, insecurity and impunity that were at the heart of the conflict. At a time when people throughout Latin America are looking for a social, economic and political model that can bring lasting prosperity and security, they and the United States also have a strong interest in Colombia's success. # # # # # Press Contact Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressional-delegation-announces-2-million-grant-vermont-affordable | Congressional Delegation Announces $2 Million Grant for Vermont Affordable Housing | 2016-09-23 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 23 The Vermont congressional delegation announced Friday a $2 million grant to Housing Vermont to help provide affordable housing to low-income families in the state. While the economy has certainly improved since the Great Recession, far too many people in Vermont and across the country are still struggling to get by on stagnant wages. Many pay 50 percent or more of their limited incomes to keep a roof over their heads, leaving little for food, childcare, transportation and health care, said Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) These funds will help get us a little closer to the day when all Vermonters have safe, decent and affordable housing. Housing Vermont is a Burlington-based nonprofit founded in 1988, which creates permanently affordable rental housing and enables investments in economic and community development to benefit Vermonters through partnerships with local organizations, public agencies and the private sector. Housing Vermont has built 5,120 affordable apartments in 171 developments throughout the state. We are excited to get these federal funds to Vermont. This $2 million will strengthen our ability to build more affordable housing, said Nancy Owens, president of Housing Vermont. There is a tremendous shortage of affordable housing in Vermont. These funds will really help us serve our mission by helping low-income Vermonters in high-need communities secure affordable housing. The funds announced by the delegation today are part of $91.5 million in grants from the U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, which were awarded to 32 organizations throughout the United States for the development of affordable housing and community facilities in low-income communities. The awards were made through the fiscal year 2016 round of the Capital Magnet Fund. The Capital Magnet Fund was part of the same legislation that created the National Housing Trust Fund. Sanders led the 15-year effort to pass the National Housin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/congressional-delegation-announces-2-million-grant-for-vermont-affordable-housing | Congressional Delegation Announces $2 Million Grant for Vermont Affordable Housing | 2016-09-23 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.23.16 Congressional Delegation Announces $2 Million Grant for Vermont Affordable Housing Congressional Delegation Announces $2 Million Grant for Vermont Affordable Housing BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 23 The Vermont congressional delegation announced Friday a $2 million grant to Housing Vermont to help provide affordable housing to low-income families in the state. While the economy has certainly improved since the Great Recession, far too many people in Vermont and across the country are still struggling to get by on stagnant wages. Many pay 50 percent or more of their limited incomes to keep a roof over their heads, leaving little for food, childcare, transportation and health care, said Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) These funds will help get us a little closer to the day when all Vermonters have safe, decent and affordable housing. Housing Vermont is a Burlington-based nonprofit founded in 1988, which creates permanently affordable rental housing and enables investments in economic and community development to benefit Vermonters through partnerships with local organizations, public agencies and the private sector. Housing Vermont has built 5,120 affordable apartments in 171 developments throughout the state. We are excited to get these federal funds to Vermont. This $2 million will strengthen our ability to build more affordable housing, said Nancy Owens, president of Housing Vermont. There is a tremendous shortage of affordable housing in Vermont. These funds will really help us serve our mission by helping low-income Vermonters in high-need communities secure affordable housing. The funds announced by the delegation today are part of $91.5 million in grants from the U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, which were awarded to 32 organizations throughout the United States for the development of affordable housing and community facilities in low-income communities. The awards were made through the fiscal year 2016 rou… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-brown-and-leading-democratic-senators-call-on-wells-fargo-to-end-use-of-forced-arbitration-on-consumers | Leahy, Brown & Leading Democratic Senators Call On Wells Fargo To End Use Of Forced Arbitration On Consumers | 2016-09-23 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.23.16 Leahy, Brown & Leading Democratic Senators Call On Wells Fargo To End Use Of Forced Arbitration On Consumers Leahy, Brown & Leading Democratic Senators Call On Wells Fargo To End Use Of Forced Arbitration So That Consumers Can Seek Justice In Court WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2016) Democratic Senators led by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are calling on Wells Fargo to end the use of forced arbitration clauses that prevent customers whose names were used to open fraudulent accounts from seeking justice in court. Arbitration clauses force consumers to waive their rights to bring a claim in court or to band together in a class action, before any dispute has arisen. These clauses also deny access to the courts even when consumers are seeking to enforce their rights under fundamental state and federal laws. Instead, consumers must seek justice individually, on a case-by-case basis in closed-door arbitration proceedings that are often stacked in favor of the corporate defendant. In a letter to Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf, the Senators call on the company to end its use of forced arbitration clauses which were used to deny customers access to the court system to challenge Wells Fargo's creation of sham accounts. In addition to Leahy and Brown, the letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The ability to force customers into secret arbitration proceedings allowed Wells Fargo to continue its outrageous practices with impunity for far too long, the Senators wrote. Wells Fargo customers have attempted to sue Wells Fargo in open court over the sham accounts, including a case filed more than three years ago. The suits were forced behind the closed doors of arbitration and it took years before the public learned the truth of the allegations. If either of the lawsuits had been able to proceed in court, countless Wel… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/-leahys-speech-just-now-on-the-senate-floor-time-has-come-to-reform-eb-5-or-to-end-it | Leahy's Speech Just Now On The Senate Floor: Time Has Come To Reform EB-5, Or To End It | 2016-09-22 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.22.16 Leahy's Speech Just Now On The Senate Floor: Time Has Come To Reform EB-5, Or To End It Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) spoke back-to-back on the Senate Floor Thursday morning, as the EB-5 reform issue goes down to the wire. The program's authorization expires on Sept. 30. Some in Congress are pushing for a simple extension of the program. Leahy and Grassley are insisting on reforms, if the program is to go forward at all. In their tandem remarks on the Senate Floor, both said they will not support a simple extension of EB-5 without reform. Leahy has made this clear many times earlier this year. Leahy Thursday went further to say that he will oppose the forthcoming CR (the stop-gap government funding bill that's the last big must-pass bill of this sessionwhich ends in just a few days) if it includes a simple extension and not the reforms that Leahy, Grassley and their House allies have been pressing for. Grassley is the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Leahy is the Ranking Member. For years Leahy and Grassley have been pushing for EB-5 reforms on which they have held hearings introduced reform legislation. LINK to speech on the Leahy website: https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/floor-remarks-on-extending-the-eb-5-regional-center-program-without-reforms Senator Patrick Leahy Senate Floor Remarks: Don't Extend EB-5 Program Without Reforms Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms Senate Floor September 22, 2016 I come to the floor today, joined by Senator Grassley, to share my concerns about the EB-5 Regional Center program. This program's authorization is set to expire at the end of the month, but Senate leadership wants to extend the EB-5 program as part of the continuing resolution. If this flawed program is not reformed, I believe it should end. I can no longer support a straight extension of this program. For years, I … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/floor-remarks-on-extending-the-eb-5-regional-center-program-without-reforms | Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms | 2016-09-22 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.22.16 Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Floor remarks on extending the EB-5 Regional Center program without reforms September 22, 2016 I come to the floor today, joined by Senator Grassley, to share my concerns about the EB-5 Regional Center program. This program's authorization is set to expire at the end of the month, but Senate leadership wants to extend the EB-5 program as part of the continuing resolution. If this flawed program is not reformed, I believe it should end. I can no longer support a straight extension of this program. For years, I strongly supported the EB-5 program. I even championed its reauthorization. I did so because EB-5 was designed to bring investment and jobs to underserved rural and urban communities. And for some time, that is what it did. In my home State of Vermont, communities like Warren and Vergennes used EB-5 to create and save jobs during difficult economic times. They are EB-5 success stories. But that is the EB-5 of yesterday. The EB-5 program of today is mired in fraud and abuse. It has strayed from its important policy goals. The incentives that Congress created to direct investment to underserved areasthe very reason why I supported this programhave been rendered meaningless. The program has become an unintended boon for the wealthiest business districts in the country. Affluent areas now dominate the program by exploiting incentives intended for underserved areas, a practice Department of Homeland Security Secretary Johnson has rightly described as gerrymandering. It has gotten to a point where a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills qualifies as a distressed urban area. Only in the world of EB-5 is Beverly Hills considered economically distressed. This type of abuse is not the exceptionit is the rule. Currently, 90 percent of EB-5 capital goes to areas that rely on gerrymandering to qualify as distressed. Ninety percent. That is wh… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-military-sales-to-saudi-arabia | Statement On Military Sales to Saudi Arabia | 2016-09-21 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.21.16 Statement On Military Sales to Saudi Arabia Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On Military Sales to Saudi Arabia Congressional Record September 21, 2016 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to address the issues at the heart of S. J. Res. 39, the resolution introduced by Senators Paul, Murphy, Lee and Franken regarding the sale of $1.15 billion in military equipment to the Government of Saudi Arabia. Despite obvious differences in our systems of government and concerning the rights of women and other issues, the United States and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding partnership that has benefitted both countries. For roughly six decades security cooperation has been an important part of the relationship, fueled by military sales to Saudi Arabia under both Republican and Democratic administrations. For its part, the Government of Saudi Arabia has pledged to work with the United States in countering terrorism in the region. But what has been unfolding in Yemen since the spring of 2015 should concern all Senators. There have been frequent, credible reports of Saudi Arabian armed forces indiscriminately attacking civilian-populated areas, targeting civilians, and otherwise misusing U.S.-origin weapons; of humanitarian access being impeded; and of a lack of serious investigations of, and accountability for, those who have alleged to have caused civilian casualties. I am not opposed to training and equipping our allies, or selling them the weapons they require, to combat terrorism. But the conditions under which we provide such support must include a commitment to avoid civilian casualties, and to ensure that if egregious harm is done to the civilian population there are thorough investigations, punishment if warranted, and assistance is provided to the victims. We should also be confident that the strategy and tactics of our allies are achieving goals that we share. Since the earliest reports of harm inflicted by Saudi forces on the civilian population in Yemen I have repeatedly raised this … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-unveils-legislation-to-authorize-critical-anti-heroin-task-force-program | Leahy Unveils Legislation To Authorize Critical Anti-Heroin Task Force Program | 2016-09-20 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.20.16 Leahy Unveils Legislation To Authorize Critical Anti-Heroin Task Force Program Leahy Unveils Legislation To Authorize Critical Anti-Heroin Task Force Program WASHINGTON (Tuesday, September 20, 2016) In his continued effort to combat the epidemic of opioid abuse affecting Vermont, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday to authorize critical resources for the Anti-Heroin Task Force program that has proven effective in communities throughout the country. Leahy helped to establish the Anti-Heroin Task Force program in 2014, but without authorization, its critical funding is at risk. Leahy successfully included language in the Senate Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) to provide resources to these programs, yet despite overwhelming support, the language was stripped at the last minute. The bill Leahy introduced Tuesday during Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week will help pave the way for state and local law enforcement agencies to secure necessary federal funding and support for anti-heroin task forces around the country. The bill, which is cosponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), also authorizes anti-methamphetamine task forces. States are seeing an influx of powerful, deadly opioids that law enforcement has never seen before. In Congress we must support smart policies to reduce the demand for these poisons. And we must support targeted enforcement efforts to keep them out of our communities in the first place, Leahy said in a statement on the Senate floor. Last month, Leahy was joined by Vermont State Police Commander Matthew Birmingham in Williston to announce that six new positions including five detectives were added to the Vermont Drug Task Force to strengthen heroin trafficking investigations in Vermont. This expansion of the Task Force was made possible through a $1.4 million grant awarded from the Department of Justice's Anti-Heroin Task Force program. The program targets areas with high rates of primary treatm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-the-introduction-of-legislation-to-strengthen-the-anti-heroin-task-force-program | Statement On the Introduction of Legislation to Strengthen the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program | 2016-09-20 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.20.16 Statement On the Introduction of Legislation to Strengthen the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Introduction of Legislation to Strengthen the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program September 20, 2016 I have come to this Floor many times to speak about the toll that the abuse of prescription opioids and heroin has taken on our communities. When I talk to Vermonters about this crisis whether at Judiciary Committee field hearings in our state, or in conversations at kitchen tables and on street corners I hear how opioid abuse destroys lives, tears apart families, and overwhelms communities. I am proud of our small state, where law enforcement and community leaders have joined together to take a comprehensive and constructive approach to fighting addiction. Together they have created innovative and successful programs such as the Rapid Intervention Community Court in Burlington, and Project VISION in Rutland. The Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Vermont are working with schools and public health officials to help children affected by the epidemic and to prevent them from being swept up in that world. Local television stations are participating in public awareness campaigns to educate our citizens about drug abuse. These are positive efforts that make me proud to be a Vermonter. But I am not here just to praise the good work in my state; I am here to work for my state and all states coping with this drug addiction scourge. Earlier this year, Congress took an important step forward by passing the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, or CARA. This new law treats addiction as the public health crisis that it is, and I was proud to support this legislation in the Senate. However, the final product fell short. CARA did not include the funding necessary to put its programs to work. And the final legislation stripped out many of the best practices included in the Senate bill, including my provision to authori… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-the-un-summit-on-the-global-refugee-crisis | Statement On The UN Summit On The Global Refugee Crisis | 2016-09-20 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.20.16 Statement On The UN Summit On The Global Refugee Crisis Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The UN Summit On The Global Refugee Crisis September 20, 2016 With the exception of climate change, no issue more urgently requires collective action by the world's governments than the calamity facing tens of millions refugees and internally displaced people. The protracted conflicts in Syria and South Sudan alone have uprooted millions. Tens of thousands of Central American children have braved the journey north seeking safety in our own country. Syrians fleeing to Europe have exposed deeply rooted prejudices. It is worth recalling that those same European countries were the source of countless desperate people who were welcomed by the United States and others during World War II. We are seeing some of the same xenophobic reactions here toward Muslims and Central Americans, and this summit takes place against the backdrop of a U.S. system of family detention that has resulted in small children being detained for more than a year. The psychological harm of such detention is well-documented and the policy is incompatible with our country's longstanding commitment to those fleeing persecution. Since the days of the pilgrims, America has been a haven for people fleeing persecution. We take pride in the words engraved on the Statue of Liberty. Canada and many other countries have likewise welcomed those seeking refuge from foreign conflicts. By hosting the UN Summit, President Obama has stepped forward when others have shamelessly called for erecting new barriers. Our generation will be judged by how we respond to humanitarian catastrophes that have forced us to confront this question: Will we recognize our common humanity and responsibility to help those who have lost everything and are fleeing for their lives, or will we succumb to fears and excuses to turn our backs? No country can shoulder the current humanitarian burden alone, but President Obama is right that we can set an example by doi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-column-marking-5th-anniv-of-leahy-smith-patent-reforms | Leahy column marking 5th anniv. of Leahy-Smith patent reforms | 2016-09-16 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.16.16 Leahy column marking 5th anniv. of Leahy-Smith patent reforms A Modern Patent System Helps Energize Vermont's Economy, And The Nation's By Patrick Leahy Five years ago, in front of an audience of school-aged inventors, President Obama signed into law the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. That law contained the most extensive reforms of the U.S. patent system in 60 years, creating the foundation for an innovative patent system for the 21st Century. As we commemorate this legislative feat, six years in the making, it is important to reflect on how the America Invents Act has changed our patent system, and to look ahead to the work still to be done. The story of innovation in Vermont is truly the American story. The first government-issued patent was granted by Thomas Jefferson, signed by George Washington, and given to Samuel Hopkins, from Pittsford, Vermont. Since that first patent was issued in 1790, Vermont inventors and small businesses have been taking chances on new ideas and changing the lives of Americans in the process. American innovation and creativity are vital engines of our economy, in the Green Mountain State, and across the land. Vermont has been at the top of the list of patents filed per-capita, among all the states. While our nation's Founders recognized the importance of promoting innovation in the Constitution, for too long our patent system unlike the inventors who used it remained stagnant. That's why I set out a decade ago to work with Democrats and Republicans to begin drafting the America Invents Act. Like a determined inventor looking to achieve their vision, we worked together to update the patent system for the modern era. The result was the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, a new law enacted in 2011to improve patent quality and make our patent system even more competitive on the global stage. By giving the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) much-needed tools, including more control over the fees it collects, the America Invents Act ensures that high qualit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-calls-for-senate-action-on-bipartisan-reforms-to-protect-older-americans-from-workplace-discrimination | Leahy Calls For Senate Action On Bipartisan Reforms To Protect Older Americans From Workplace Discrimination | 2016-09-15 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.15.16 Leahy Calls For Senate Action On Bipartisan Reforms To Protect Older Americans From Workplace Discrimination WASHINGTON Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is urging the top leaders of the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to take up his bipartisan bill to protect older Americans from workplace discrimination. Leahy, in a bipartisan letter with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), noted that the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) would restore critical workplace protections for older Americans that were stripped away following the 2009 Supreme Court's decision in Gross v. FBL Financial. That decision made it far more difficult for older workers to fight age discrimination. We are concerned that the Gross decision has allowed employers to discriminate on the basis of age with impunity as long as it is paired with other reasons, the senators wrote. They added: The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act would make clear that when an older worker shows that age was a motivating factor in employment discrimination, the burden is on the employer to prove it was not. This bill further extends the same standard of proof to other workplace discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This measure is crucial for all Americans to be fully protected under the law. We urge you to swiftly take action and report this important legislation to reaffirm Congress' commitment to equal rights in the workplace. Full text of the letter, below: September 15, 2016 The Honorable Lamar Alexander Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee 455 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Chairman Alexander: We write to express our strong support for S.2180, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, and ask that you mark up the bill quickly. This bill will restore vital civil rights protections for older workers that were … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senate-republicans-have-not-confirmed-a-single-judicial-nominee_in-more-than-two-months | Senate Republicans Have Not Confirmed A Single Judicial Nominee In More Than Two Months | 2016-09-15 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.15.16 Senate Republicans Have Not Confirmed A Single Judicial Nominee In More Than Two Months While GOP Refuses To Act, Judicial Vacancies Increase To 90; And Because Of GOP Inaction, SCOTUS Nominee Merrick Garland Has Been Pending For Six Months WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans have not allowed the confirmation of a single judicial nomination since July while at the same time refusing to give Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a hearing or a vote. On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy said that Republicans should confirm the backlog of judicial nominees, including Chief Judge Garland, before leaving town for another recess. The Republican leadership should not schedule recess until we confirm Chief Judge Garland and the 30 judicial nominees pending on the Executive Calendar, said Leahy, who as chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 2008 steered 10 of President Bush's judicial nominees to confirmation in the month of September alone. Those 10 confirmations reduced the number of judicial vacancies all the way to 34, roughly one-third of the 90 that exist today. There is no good reason we cannot do for these nominees this September what I did for President Bush's judicial nominees eight years ago. Among the nominees pending on the Senate calendar are five nominees to fill vacancies on the Court of Federal Claims (CFC). All five were nominated over two years ago, and they were unanimously approved by the Judiciary Committee twice. One of those nominees, Armando Bonilla, would be the first Hispanic judge to hold a seat on the CFC if he is confirmed. Yet Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) continues to block these nominees. Senate Republicans have also refused to confirm the longest pending district court nominees on the calendar, Edward Stanton of Tennessee and Julien Neals of New Jersey, despite the support of their Republican and Democratic home state Senators. At the same time, Repu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/days-after-welch-and-duckworth-s-request-oversight-committee-calls | Days After Welch and Duckworths Request, Oversight Committee Calls Hearing on Prescription Drug Pricing | 2016-09-14 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONLess than a week after Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called on House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz to hold a hearing on recent prescription drug price hikes, the Chairman announced a hearing to investigate the cause of and potential solutions to prevent skyrocketing drug prices. In light of recent unacceptable price increases in the lifesaving EpiPen, Welch and Duckworth last week wrote a letter to Chaffetz requesting the hearing. Earlier this year, you convened a hearing on the exorbitant price increases for Daraprim, Isuprel, and Nitropress. Executives from Turing and Valeant produced documents for the hearing and testified. We were able to get a glimpse at what motivated these companies to increase the prices simply because they could. In light of recent intolerable and inexplicable price increases in the life saving EpiPen, we write to request that the Oversight and Government Reform Committee hold a second hearing on this issue to take a broad look at the root cause of skyrocketing prescription drug prices as well as possible solutions, the lawmakers wrote. Today the requested hearing was announced for Wednesday, September 21st. Prescription drugs can be life-saving and pain-reliving, but the skyrocketing prices are killing consumers, Rep. Welch said. Meanwhile, big pharmaceutical corporations are raking in record profits. It is a bipartisan responsibility to ensure no parent has to lose a child because they can't afford medication. I look forward to working with my Committee colleagues to find bipartisan solutions to fix this broken market. Recent indefensible price hikes for EpiPens and other lifesaving medications underscore the cost of leaving corporate greed unchecked: when people can't afford the medications they or their children need, lives are at risk, Rep. Duckworth said. We called for this hearing to shed light on how these outrageous prices have been set and, hopefully, offer solutions to prevent similar price-gouging in the… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-joins-in-introducing-bill-to-overhaul-va-health-system-appeal-process | Leahy Joins In Introducing Bill To Overhaul VA Health System Appeal Process | 2016-09-14 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.14.16 Leahy Joins In Introducing Bill To Overhaul VA Health System Appeal Process Leahy And 9 Other Senators Introduce Bill To Overhaul The Veterans Health System Appeal Process (WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14, 2016) Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is among ten senators who this week introduced legislation to reform the appeals process for veterans benefits. The bill is sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and cosponsored by Leahy and Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Patty Murray (D-WA). Because of redundancies and inefficiencies in the current process, most veterans wait years for decisions on their appeals. The new bill (the Department of Veterans Affairs Appeals Modernization Act) would replace the current appeals process which today stands at more than 450,000 appeals awaiting decisions with one that Leahy and the other senators said is simple, fair and transparent. Leahy said: I'm proud to be part of the effort to modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs appeals process, a reform that is extremely important to veterans in Vermont and across the nation. This bill is the product of the experience and recommendations of veterans, to revolutionize the appeals process and to more quickly get to veterans the benefits they need and were promised. Improvements that make a difference in veterans' experience with the VA health system deserve to be and must be a high priority for Congress. Blumenthal said: The current appeals process for veterans benefits is a quagmire that no longer serves veterans and their families. Without reform, thousands of our nation's veterans will continue to languish for years without receiving a fair and just consideration of their appeal, and denied access to the benefits they need and deserve. Today, I am proud to introduce legislation that is the product of true collaboration between all stakeholders with this kind of rare consensus, I am conf… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-on-the-pending-nominees-to-the-us-court-of-federal-claims | Statement On the Pending Nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims | 2016-09-14 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.14.16 Statement On the Pending Nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On the Pending Nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims September 13, 2016 For two years, President Obama's five eminently qualified nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims have been awaiting a vote. This Court has been referred to as the keeper of the nation's conscience and the People's Court. It was created by Congress approximately 160 years ago and embodies the constitutional principle that individuals have rights against their government. As President Lincoln said, It is as much the duty of Government to render prompt justice against itself, in favor of citizens, as it is to administer the same between private individuals. That is what this Court does it allows citizens to seek prompt justice against our government. Yet two years of obstruction by a single Senator, the junior Senator from Arkansas, has forced the Court to operate without one-third of its allotted judges. While these five nominees have been waiting for a vote, another judge retired, leaving the court with only 10 judges for 16 seats, or a vacancy rate of 38 percent. This takes Senate Republican obstruction of judicial nominees to a new level. The Court's jurisdiction is authorized by statute, and it primarily hears monetary claims against the United States Government deriving from the Constitution, Federal statutes, executive regulations, and civilian or military contracts. For example, the Court has presided over such important cases as the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and the World War II internment of Japanese-Americans. It also presides over civilian and military pay claims, and money claims under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause. I have heard no objections to the qualifications of any of the five nominees to this court. One of these nominees, Armando Bonilla, would be the first Hispanic judge to hold a seat on the Court. He is endorse… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/welch-durbin-statement-house-committee-passage-repeal-wall-street-reform | Welch, Durbin Statement on House Committee Passage of Repeal of Wall Street Reform | 2016-09-13 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following statement regarding the Financial CHOICE Act, legislation by U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) that would gut the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The bill was just narrowly passed by Hensarling's House Financial Services Committee, over bipartisan opposition. "This bill's 500+ pages are stuffed full of goodies and giveaways for Wall Street banks at the expense of Main Street families and businesses. The bill would gut consumer protections and unleash the same predatory forces that caused the financial meltdown of 2008 and led to the Great Recession. "It would repeal the Volcker Rule, which prevents banks from gambling with their customers' money. It would cripple the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which protects consumers from the kind of abusive practices that we just saw from Wells Fargo. And it would dramatically increase debit card swipe fees, which would be like dropping an $8 billion per year tax increase on America's small businesses to benefit the same big banks that got us into the mess in the first place. "Chairman Hensarling and his fellow committee Republicans are turning their backs on American families and small businesses with this big bank bonanza bill. The better choice would be to keep critical Wall Street reform protections in place and reject this misguided bill." ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-guest-column-about-constitution-day | Leahy Guest Column About Constitution Day | 2016-09-13 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.13.16 Leahy Guest Column About Constitution Day Constitution Day: Protecting Our Democracy By Patrick Leahy When the Framers signed the United States Constitution, they created a federal system of government with three co-equal branches, designed to work cooperatively but also designed to serve as checks and balances. As we celebrate the 229th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, Americans across this great nation take time to reflect on its enduring legacy and the many challenges that our constitutional system of government faces. Those of us who took an oath to uphold the Constitution and that includes every U.S. senator have a duty to ensure that our government created by and sustained by our Constitution continues to function for the good of the American people. The Senate plays a unique role in relation to the president and the judiciary. Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution provides that the president with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Judges of the Supreme Court. With this language, the Framers imposed on the Senate the duty to consider a president's judicial nominees. This year, unfortunately, Senate Republicans decided to shirk that fundamental constitutional duty. Within hours of the news in February that Justice Antonin Scalia had passed, Senate Republican leadership declared that they would block any consideration of President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court. No hearings. No consideration by the Judiciary Committee or committee vote. No up-or-down confirmation vote in the Senate. This partisan obstruction of a Supreme Court nomination is not only unprecedented but it is contrary to the constitutional design of the Framers. Senate Republicans' shutdown of any consideration of the Supreme Court nominee diminishes both of the other co-equal branches of government. It imposes a novel time limit on one of the most important constitutional roles of our president. And it diminishes the role that our highest court can play while i… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/grassley-leahy-to-senate-leadership-reform-investor-visa-program-now-or-let-it-expire | Grassley, Leahy to Senate Leadership: Reform Investor Visa Program Now or Let it Expire | 2016-09-12 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.12.16 Grassley, Leahy to Senate Leadership: Reform Investor Visa Program Now or Let it Expire Grassley, Leahy to Senate Leadership: Reform Investor Visa Program Now or Let it Expire WASHINGTON Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy are calling on Senate leadership to reform the flawed EB-5 foreign investor visa program or allow it to expire. The program, which allows foreign nationals to invest $1 million (or $500,000 in rural or high unemployment areas) in a commercial enterprise in exchange for green cards and U.S. citizenship, has been beset with fraud, abuse and national security vulnerabilities. The program is set to expire at the end of September. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran and Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski, the senators cite fraud, securities violations, money laundering, investor exploitation and failed projects as evidence of the need for reforms. If the program is going to continue in some form, at a minimum, we should provide the Department of Homeland Security with the tools necessary to expand background checks, site visits, audits, and the vetting of projects and investors alike. We must also better monitor compliance with securities laws, increase program transparency, raise minimum investment thresholds and restore program incentives so more money goes to the communities that need it, as Congress intended. The Department must also be authorized to sanction regional centers and other program participants for noncompliance, the senators said in the letter. Grassley and Leahy introduced legislation to reform the program last year, and have worked with bipartisan counterparts in the House of Representatives to restore integrity in the program, reduce fraud and abuse and return the program to its original intent of assisting rural and economically depressed parts of the country. Full text of the letter follows: … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/senator-leahy-welcomes-bipartisan-house-bill-to-reform-foreign-investment-program-eb-5 | Senator Leahy Welcomes Bipartisan House Bill To Reform Foreign Investment Program (EB-5) | 2016-09-12 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.12.16 Senator Leahy Welcomes Bipartisan House Bill To Reform Foreign Investment Program (EB-5) Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Need To Reform The EB-5 Program September 12, 2016 [Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued the following comment Monday after House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced legislation to reform and reauthorize the EB-5 Regional Center program, which is currently authorized through September. The legislation, H.R. 5992, the American Job Creation and Investment Promotion Reform Act, is a companion to legislation of the same name introduced last year by Senator Leahy and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The four leaders of the Judiciary Committees pressed to include these reforms as part of the omnibus appropriations bill last December, but their efforts were blocked by House and Senate leadership. Last week, Senators Leahy and Grassley wrote to Senate leadership opposing any reauthorization of the EB-5 program that did not include broad and necessary reforms.] Rampant fraud and abuse within the EB-5 Regional Center program prevents the program from serving its original purpose, which was to create jobs and direct capital to underserved areas starved for investment. As I have said before, the program needs to be reformed or it needs to end. The bipartisan bill introduced in the House today represents good progress and reflects a proposal I developed with the leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees last year, which was supported by the civil rights community. Importantly, the House proposal includes additional reforms that I suggested to require transparency and promote accountability in the use of investor funds. It ensures that investors and the Department of Homeland Security can better track investments and requires a third party to sign off on any expenditures. The bill also provides protecti… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://welch.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/key-house-subcommittee-holds-hearing-welch-s-bipartisan-bill-improve | Key House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Welchs Bipartisan Bill to Improve Rural Phone Service | 2016-09-09 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Peter Welch | W000800 | welch.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONThe House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing this week on Rep. Peter Welch's (D-VT) bipartisan legislation to improve the quality and reliability of phone calls in rural areas of the country. Welch introduced the legislation after learning from Vermont small businesses, schools, and small telecommunication companies about calls not connecting or being dropped throughout the state. Welch arranged for Mr. Eric LeBeau, General Manager of Ferrisburgh's Dakin Farm to testify at the hearing about the company's experience with customer calls being dropped in the middle of ordering products. LeBeau told the Committee how his company was harmed by call completion issues from 2010 through 2012. This is about basic telephone service. And it's pretty astonishing when you think about it that you can't have confidence as a business or individual that your call is going to go through, Rep. Welch said in the hearing. [This hearing is] an indication that this committee is sincerely committed to making certain that the tools of the modern economylet alone the telephoneare available to folks in rural America. That's red states, blue, states, its all of us. His full remarks can be found here. For rural residents and businesses, the problem begins with how incoming calls are routed. Large telecommunications companies often rely on intermediate providers (least cost routers') to route calls from larger networks to local service providers. The least cost router' frequently declines to connect calls in rural areas to save money, leaving rural customers unable to consistently and reliably use their landline telephone. Welch's bill with Rep. David Young (R-IA) would for the first time hold both the intermediary provider and the originating providers accountable. It would require intermediary providers to register with the Federal Communications Commission and meet call rural quality standards. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits providers from using any intermediary routing s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/housing-is-not-a-political-issue-its-a-moral-issue | Housing Is Not A Political Issue; Its A Moral Issue | 2016-09-09 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.09.16 Housing Is Not A Political Issue; It's A Moral Issue A Report On HUD Sec. Julin Castro's Visit To Vermont Housing Is Not A Political Issue; It's A Moral Issue A Report On HUD Sec. Julin Castro's Visit To Vermont by Patrick Leahy Last week President Obama's chief housing officer, Secretary Julin Castro of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), accepted my invitation to visit Vermont. In his first visit to the Green Mountain State since he took office in 2014, he remarked how surprised he was to see so much green. In fact our uniquely rural nature is why I had invited him to our state and why I had gathered a panel of Vermont's housing partners and homelessness advocates to discuss the array of successes and challenges of achieving affordable housing in our state and rural America. Vermont is a state where affordable housing is not a slogan, but a real priority. Vermont's rural nature means that for many the greatest challenge is isolation. Housing costs continue to rise, and for years Vermont has maintained a one percent vacancy rate. Our rural communities remain challenged with meeting the complex needs of our most vulnerable citizens, but we continue to make significant gains. For instance, with the help of federal HUD investments, Vermont saw a 25 percent decrease in chronic homelessness last year. This is an impressive achievement, and a result of ingenuity and collaboration at every level. Yet even with these gains, we will not be able to meet our goals of eradicating homelessness just as we will not overcome inequality, advance education or build a stronger economy unless we invest in housing. In Vermont, we know the value of Housing First, and our ability to build stronger depends on our ability to first build together. The strength of our rural network results in a collective mission of servicing shelters, developing downtowns and supporting self-sufficiency. No one should … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahys-message-on-the-anniversary-of-9/11 | Leahy's Message On The Anniversary Of 9/11 | 2016-09-09 | 2016 | 2016-09 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 09.09.16 Leahy's Message On The Anniversary Of 9/11 [Following Is Senator Patrick Leahy's Message On The 15th Anniversary Of 9/11] Rekindling The Common Spirit That United Us After 9/11 It is hard to believe that 15 years ago this Sunday the Twin Towers fell, smoke from the Pentagon could be seen from miles away, and a plane went down in a Pennsylvania field. For those who lived through that horrible day, the memory still feels fresh. Of course, this is especially true for those who lost loved ones. This weekend, Americans across the country will gather to remember the thousands of innocent lives that were taken so callously and indiscriminately in those terrorist attacks. And we remember the first responders, law enforcement, intelligence, and military personnel who work every single day to keep our country safe. This year, we must also take a moment to remember the spirit that united us in the days after the attacks. Americans of all races, religions and backgrounds stood together in solidarity to support one another and stand against the cowardice of terrorism. Following the attacks, President George W. Bush visited a mosque. At a joint session of Congress, he reminded Americans that, No one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith. In the years after September 11, our country did not always live up to those words. But we must remember the ideals, values, and humanity that sustained us through those first dark days. In today's political environment, it is easy to lose sight of that common spirit. Some are trying hard to divide us. A federal judge has been accused of bias because of his ethnic heritage. Religious and ideological tests for visitors to the United States are discussed as though they are serious policy proposals. The sacrifices of war heroes and Gold Star families are belittled. And that is just the beginning. On this fifteenth anniversary of September 11, we must reject this divisiveness. While Americans wil… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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