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Patrick Leahy is a former United States Senator from Vermont, serving from 1975 until 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the longest-serving senator in Vermont's history and held significant leadership roles, including President pro tempore of the Senate. Throughout his tenure, Leahy was known for his work on issues such as civil liberties, health care, and environmental protection. He played a key role in various legislative efforts, including the Violence Against Women Act and initiatives to reform the criminal justice system.
of the many global challenges we face, protecting the environment should find support in all corners of the world. Similarly, we should support those who work on behalf of the environment. Unfortunately, in some countries, environmental…
on June 12, 1967, during a period of significant political and racial tension in our Nation, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous landmark decision in Loving v. Virginia that overturned laws banning interracial marriage. This decision…
I do not agree. I think it is the fact that we in the Congress have not fixed a broken immigration system.
I would urge you to allow others to go in and look at these facilities or, frankly, some of us will come down and look at them.
What we could do, if we wanted to solve the problem, is have the House pass the legislation that we passed.
Are you taking steps to ensure that there is proper training and proper action when excessive force is used?
tomorrow, the Senate will vote to proceed to a bill that I am proud to cosponsor, to allow students to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates. We must take this commonsense approach to allow those with student loans to take…
when Vermonters contemplate the history of our great State, many think fondly of our former State archivist, Gregory Sanford. With his flowing gray beard and quick wit, Gregory is a noted scholar on all things relating to Vermont's history…
I join today with Senator Grassley to introduce legislation to reauthorize for another 5 years expiring provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act, STELA. This law provides satellite television carriers with the…
I do not think it has helped the Republican Party, but it also has not helped the country.
Every day the House fails to act is another day that families are torn apart and our economy lags.
President Obama has called this an 'urgent humanitarian situation,' and I agree.
This country, to its credit, has responded to humanitarian crises around the world.
Republicans and Democrats worked together to get it through the Senate, and we passed it.
The status quo is not an option. It is not sustainable for our families, for our economy, or for our national security.
Do you remember when the gavel came down on the final vote, a number of people in the back of the room stood up and shouted, 'Viva, Leahy'?
I want to thank Chairman Leahy of the Senate Judiciary Committee for authorizing this hearing to take place in Rhode Island and for his support for reauthorization of the JJDPA.
today, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of three nominees to serve on the U.S. district courts in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. The Senate Judiciary Committee reported two of these nominees…
I do not see anybody seeking recognition, so I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
following the resignation of Secretary Shinseki last week, it is time for some deep soul-searching about the future of the Department of Veterans Affairs. As details slowly emerge from the inspector general's investigation, I am struck by…
it is no secret that communities across the country are struggling to break the cycle of addiction to powerful opioids, including heroin. We are now seeing addiction creep into neighborhoods and communities of all sizes, both rural and…
what is the regular order? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time until noon is equally divided on the Harper nomination.
Has that time expired? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The hour of 12 noon having arrived, all postcloture time is expired. The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination of Keith M. Harper, of Maryland, for the rank of…
Eighty percent oppose Citizens United and unlimited spending; 74 percent of voters in Colorado and Montana voted to call for this amendment.
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