Majority News Releases
Leahy Floor Statement On The Path Forward For The Omnibus
Today, we are careening toward another unnecessary, manufactured crisis with current government funding set to expire in 8 days. I want to take a moment to talk about how we got here and the path forward. In fiscal year 2022, Leader McConnell required parity between defense and non-defense funding. This was a requirement that we met, and it provided the commonsense framework that allowed us to complete our work. Now, the Republicans have abandoned this framework, demanding steep cuts to prog… Continue Reading
12.06.22
Impacts of a Full Year Continuing Resolution
At a time of inflation, a continuing resolution undermines national security and the ability of American families to cope with the increased costs of heating and cooling, food, and housing. Republicans' refusal to compromise on an omnibus spending bill threatens to drive us toward a year-long continuing resolution. This would hurt not only Democratic priorities and programs, but programs that have strong bipartisan support and perform critical functions for the nation. Impacts under a year-lo… Continue Reading
09.29.22
Leahy Statement on Final Passage of the Continuing Resolution
Before I begin, I want to acknowledge that this morning, countless Floridians woke up to a world turned upside down in the wake of Hurricane Ian. And hundreds of thousands in Puerto Rico remain without power more than 10 days after the storm that ravaged the island. Vermonters will stand by your side as you rebuild your communities and your lives, and so will this chamber. The continuing resolution we are about to consider contains $18.8 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, which would… Continue Reading
09.27.22
Leahy Statement On the Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023
Today, the Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 6833, and take up a substitute amendment containing a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 16. I will vote to invoke cloture and move the process forward. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Funding the federal government is the most basic responsibility of Congress. The continuing resolution before the Senate today will keep vital services running for the American people through … Continue Reading
09.27.22
Comment of Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on the Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government Through Dec. 16
Funding the federal government is the most basic responsibility of Congress. This bill will keep vital services running for the American people through December 16 and provide critical support for Ukraine while we negotiate a bipartisan, bicameral omnibus appropriations bill. Enacting full year appropriations bills into law must be our top priority. In a time of rising inflation, when everything costs more - energy, food, fuel, housing - we must respond accordingly. Running on autopilot afte… Continue Reading
09.26.22
Bill Text and Section-by-Section Summary of the Continuing Resolution
Bill Text: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/download/h6833am07 Section-by-Section Summary: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/download/continuing-resolution_section-by-section_final… Continue Reading
09.21.22
Leahy Lauds GAO Reports Tracking Congressionally Directed Spending
WASHINGTON (Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday praised the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) publication of six reports tracking the implementation of Congressionally Directed Spending and Community Project Funding in the Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The reports were published at the direction of the Chairman under new rules to increase transparency and accountability on the process commonly referred … Continue Reading
07.28.22
Leahy, Murray, Coons Introduce $21 Billion Emergency Supplemental To Address The Ongoing COVID Crisis And Other Emerging Diseases
WASHINGTON (Thursday, July 28, 2022) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Chairman Christopher Coons (D-Del.) Thursday introduced a $21 billion emergency supplemental funding bill to provide the necessary resources to prepare for the next phase of… Continue Reading
07.28.22
Chairman Leahy Releases Fiscal Year 2023 Senate Appropriations Bills
WASHINGTON (Thursday, July 28, 2022) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday released the Chairman's mark of the 12 senate appropriations bills. The nearly $1.7 trillion fiscal year 2023 appropriations package includes $653 billion in non-defense discretionary spending, a 10.1 percent increase over fiscal year 2022; $850 billion in defense discretionary spending, an 8.7 percent increase over fiscal year 2022 and consistent with the bipartisan National Defense A… Continue Reading
07.12.22
Update on the Status of Appropriations
Chairman Leahy continues to push for a bipartisan, bicameral topline agreement. That is the most efficient path to completing FY 2023 bills. But in the absence of a deal, the Appropriations Committee needs to do its work. It has a responsibility to the American people. The Committee has held 39 hearings examining the budget for Fiscal Year 2023, and it is time to put pen to paper. The Subcommittee Chairs are working to draft fair, responsible bills to release to the public at the end of Jul… Continue Reading
06.23.22
Leahy Statement On The Urgent Need For Additional COVID Funding
As Senators prepare to return to their home states for the July 4th holiday, it is frustrating that we have once again kicked the can down the road on providing the needed funding to address the ongoing COVID pandemic. For months, the Administration, scientists, and health care experts have raised the alarm that we do not have the resources we need to stay ahead of this virus. And with COVID, if you are not staying ahead of it, you are slipping behind, to the detriment of all Americans. To ke… Continue Reading
05.19.22
Leahy Statement On Senate Passage of the Emergency Supplemental for Ukraine
In just a few moments, the Senate will pass H.R. 7691, an emergency supplemental to provide funding to Ukraine and to stem the global hunger crisis exacerbated by Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war. It is a shame that because of the actions of one Senator we could not pass this urgently needed bill, which will receive overwhelming bipartisan support, last week. To confront Vladimir Putin on the global stage, we must stand united. Tomorrow, I will be leading a delegation to Brussels to receive a… Continue Reading
05.16.22
Leahy Statement On The Emergency Supplemental Funding For Ukraine And Global Food Aid
The horrors we have witnessed in the weeks and months following Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack on Ukraine are an abomination and an affront to all civilized people. Entire communities wiped from the face of the earth. Countless lives ruined. Unarmed civilians summarily executed randomly in the street. Millions of desperate people fleeing everything they have ever known because of one man's zeal to destroy whatever is necessary to realize his own twisted vision of the world. All of this … Continue Reading
05.10.22
Leahy REAX On House Passage of the Emergency Supplemental for Ukraine and Global Food Aid
After weeks of negotiations, I am glad that tonight the House passed the emergency supplemental funding bill to provide emergency humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. Importantly, this supplemental also begins to address the escalating global hunger crisis that is trailing in the wake of Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war. The bill provides $40.1 billion - $7.1 billion more than what the Administration requested - in critical military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. This includes $… Continue Reading
04.04.22
Leahy Statement On The Bipartisan Agreement For Additional COVID Aid
I am glad that we have reached a bipartisan agreement to provide $10 billion in desperately needed funding to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Through great personal sacrifice by the American people, in particular our many brave healthcare workers, and an unprecedented mobilization of federal resources, we are slowly returning to a sense of "normal." But this pandemic is far from over. This needed funding will allow us to purchase additional vaccines, testing, therapeutics and treatment… Continue Reading
03.28.22
Appropriations Committee Chairman Leahy Comment On President Biden’s Budget Proposal
Earlier this month, President Biden laid out his vision for our country at the State of the Union by prioritizing investments in education, health care, growing the workforce, and building our economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down. He rejected isolationism, and called for rebuilding partnerships with foreign allies and partners and projecting U.S. global leadership consistent with our values. Today's budget is a reflection of those priorities. It makes investment… Continue Reading
03.10.22
Chairman Leahy Statement on the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Earlier this week, and after months of negotiations, the Committees on Appropriations introduced the $1.5 trillion Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. This is the consolidation of 12 annual Appropriations bills to fund the Federal Government for the remainder of this Fiscal Year. Last night the House passed it on a bipartisan basis. We need to act on it quickly. Our annual Appropriations bills are where we reflect and act on our national priorities. In total, this bill includes $7… Continue Reading
03.09.22
Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Releases Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON (Wednesday, March 9, 2022) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday released the $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The omnibus includes a 6.7 percent increase for non-defense discretionary programs, the largest increase in four years. The bill makes significant investments in communities around the country, funds critical programs supporting America's middle class families, protects our nation's veterans, and invests in our… Continue Reading
02.17.22
Statement Of Chairman Leahy On Senate Passage Of The Continuing Resolution
Today, it is imperative that we take up and pass H.R. 6617, the Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act. This bill will keep the federal government funded and fully operating through March 11 while we work out the details of full-year appropriations bills to meet the needs of the American people. In a few moments we will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the continuing resolution. As Chairman of the Appropriations Committee I strongly urge all members to vote aye.… Continue Reading
02.08.22
Chairman Leahy Comment On The Continuing Resolution
I am glad that the House acted quickly to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 11th, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to take it up and pass it. Over the last several weeks, Chair DeLauro, Vice Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Granger and I have made real progress on reaching a full year funding agreement. I believe this continuing resolution will provide us with the time we need to finish our bipartisan work while removing the unnecessary threat of gove… Continue Reading