Majority News Releases
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
12.15.21
Statement of Chairman Leahy on the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act
The Senate will soon have the opportunity to vote on passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As they do every year, I am sure Senators are preparing their press releases touting all of the things in this bill they support-a pay raise for the military, increases for medical research, investments to counter Chinese aggression-all things worthy of talking about. But let's be honest with the American people about what we are doing and what we are not. We can al… Continue Reading
12.02.21
Chairman Leahy Statement on the Further Extending Government Funding Act
It is my hope that soon the Senate will vote on a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open and funded through February 18th. I am pleased we reached this agreement. The only thing worse than running the government under a continuing resolution (CR) is a government shutdown. A shutdown only hurts the American people and wastes billions in taxpayer dollars. I am glad that the bill includes critical funding to support Afghan refugees as we help them get resettled here in the United Sta… Continue Reading
12.02.21
Leahy Statement On The Continuing Resolution
I am glad that we have reached a bipartisan agreement to keep the government funded through February 18 that includes needed funding to support Afghan refugees. These brave men and women were our allies through 20 years of war, and we have an obligation to support them as they begin their new lives. Since May, I have called for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations with the White House to establish toplines. On October 18, Senate Democrats released a comprehensive opening offer in an effor… Continue Reading
11.04.21
Chair Leahy on Need To Finish FY 2022 Appropriations Bills and Impact of a Full-Year CR
We are now four weeks into the fiscal year, the federal government is running on auto-pilot, and we only have four more weeks until the government shuts down unless Congress takes action. This is not a theoretical exercise. The actions we take, or don't take, in this Chamber with respect to the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations bills affect people's lives and the direction of this nation. These bills provide for our national defense, help educate our nation's children, provide medical care for… Continue Reading
11.02.21
REAX of Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy Following Four Corners Appropriations Meeting
"Republicans seem to want to drive us into a full year continuing resolution. Democrats made a good faith offer last month that provided a 5 percent increase in defense spending, which is consistent with the bipartisan NDAA, but it takes two to negotiate. We still have not received a topline offer in response to ours. An endless cycle of continuing resolutions is not a responsible way to govern. It means cuts to veterans, cuts to national security and defense, handcuffing our response to the… Continue Reading
10.19.21
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Release Of The Nine Remaining Appropriations Bills
Yesterday the Senate Appropriations Committee released nine appropriations bills that allocate important resources to help address the pressing priorities of America's families and communities, and promote U.S. national security. The appropriations bills made public include the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill; the Department of Defense bill; the Financial Services and General Government bill; the Department of Homeland Security bill; the Department of Interior, Environmen… Continue Reading
10.18.21
Chairman Leahy Releases Remaining Nine Senate Appropriations Bills
WASHINGTON (Monday, Oct. 18, 2021) - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday released the remaining nine Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bills. Monday's announcement follows months of Leahy calling for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations with the White House on topline spending and the successful, bipartisan passage of the Energy & Water, Military Construction and Veteran's Affairs, and Agriculture and Rural Development appropriations bills out of the Committee … Continue Reading
09.30.21
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Leahy Statement On The Continuing Resolution
The substitute amendment before us is identical to H.R. 5305, the House-passed continuing resolution, except that the provision raising the debt ceiling has been removed. This stop-gap measure will keep the government funded through December 3rd. It provides $28 billion to help states ravaged by hurricanes and wildfires. And it provides critical assistance to Afghan refugees who have fled the Taliban in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. I urge all members to vote for it. Bu… Continue Reading
09.27.21
Statement of Chairman Leahy Objecting to Unanimous Consent To Take Up And Pass The Republican Substitute For The FY 2022 Continuing Resolution
I rise to object. The substitute offered by my friend and the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Shelby, does not solve the problem in front of us. It fails to address the looming debt crisis facing our nation, choosing instead to pretend it doesn't exist. While my colleagues on the other side of the aisle may want to wash their hands of this, they cannot. Much of this debt was incurred under a Republican President, and under a Republican controlled-Senate. Debt rack… Continue Reading