Majority News Releases
Vice Chairman Leahy Statement On The Motion To Instruct Conferees For The National Defense Authorization Act
Today, the Senate will vote on the motion to instruct conferees for the National Defense Authorization Act to backfill the military construction money the President stole from our troops to pay for his wall. As the Dean of the Senate, and President Pro Tempore Emeritus, I no doubt have supported, and voted for, more funding for our military and their families than any other member of this chamber. As members of the Senate - there are only 100 of us to represent all 330 million Americans -… Continue Reading
09.24.19
Statement of Vice Chairman Leahy On The Joint Resolution Of Disapproval Of President Trump's Declaration Of A National Emergency
Sometimes casting a vote on the Senate floor is just a matter of course. It is something we do routinely, usually without considering the impact of that vote on the Senate as an institution, let alone on our constitutional republic as we know it. This week's vote on President Trump's national emergency declaration is different. It is a pivotal moment in this body's history. It is a stress test of the very notion of separation of powers. And it will be viewed for decades as the moment when Congr… Continue Reading
09.24.19
SUMMARY: FY 2020 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary level of $70.725 billion, of which $17.352 billion is provided for Disaster Relief, as defined by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, and $190 million is provided for Coast Guard Overseas Contingency Operations funds. After excluding these two amounts, the net discretionary appropriation for DHS is $53.183 billion, $3.772 billion more than the fiscal year 2019 en… Continue Reading
09.24.19
SUMMARY: FY2020 CJS Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill provides a total of $70.8 billion in discretionary funding, consistent with the Subcommittee's 302(b) allocation. This amount is $6.7 billion more than fiscal year 2019 and $1.1 billion more than the President's request. In addition, under the terms of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, there is an additional cap adjustment of $2.5 billion for the 2020 Census, bringing the total d… Continue Reading
09.24.19
SUMMARY: FY2020 Interior, Environment Appropriations Bill Approved by Senate Subcommittee
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill provides a total discretionary funding level of $35.8 billion, which is $248 million more than the fiscal year 2019 level and $5.46 billion more than the President's request. In addition, for the first time, the bill provides $2.25 billion in a wildfire budget cap adjustment to respond to the increasing incidence of catastrophic wildfires across the country. U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N… Continue Reading
09.19.19
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $250 Million In Critical Election Security Funding
WASHINGTON (Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019) - The Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday approved $250 million in funds to support state and local governments' efforts to strengthen election security ahead of the 2020 elections. The funding was included in a bipartisan amendment to the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations bill and sponsored by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Al… Continue Reading
09.19.19
SUMMARY: FSGG Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Senate Financial Services and General Government bill provides $24.347 billion to related agencies, which is $924 million more than funding provided in fiscal year 2019, and $251 million higher than the President's budget request. Key Points & Highlights The bill provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and more than two dozen independent federal agencies. … Continue Reading
09.19.19
Vice Chairman Leahy Remarks on the Leahy/Shelby/Coons Election Security Amendment
Chairman Shelby, Senator Coons, and I would like to offer an amendment to provide $250 million for grants to help states secure their election infrastructure. I am pleased we were able to come to a bipartisan resolution to this issue, and I appreciate the Chairman working with me on this issue. These funds will allow states to upgrade election technology, improve cybersecurity, and help prevent future cyberattacks. We know from both the Mueller report and from the report recently released by… Continue Reading
09.19.19
SUMMARY: Senate FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Gains Committee Approval
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies provides discretionary funding of $23.1 billion. This amount is $58 million over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $4.1 billion over the budget request. Key Points & Highlights - The agriculture bill provides funding for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The work of these agencies impacts the lives … Continue Reading
09.19.19
Statement Vice Chairman Leahy On Consideration Of The Fiscal Year 2020 Agriculture, THUD, And FSGG Appropriations Bills
Today, the Committee will be considering the fiscal year 2020 Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bills. These three bills are the product of hard work and bipartisan cooperation by each of the subcommittees. They show that despite the atmosphere we must operate in, the Appropriations Committee can still put partisan disputes aside and make strong investments in the priorities of the American people. I want … Continue Reading
09.19.19
SUMMARY: FY2020 T-HUD Appropriations Bill Advanced by Senate Committee
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Senate Appropriations bill provides $74.3 billion in discretionary budget authority - $2.6 billion more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and $15.8 billion more than the President's request. The programs and activities supported by this bill include significant responsibilities entrusted to the Federal government and its partners to protect human health and safety by providi… Continue Reading
09.18.19
Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On Introduction Of The Two-Month Continuing Resolution
Today, Chairwoman Lowey introduced a continuing resolution to fully fund the federal government through November 21 at fiscal year 2019 levels, terms and conditions. This is a welcome development, and I will urge the Senate to take up this bill and pass it next week and allow the Committee more time to negotiate bipartisan bills to implement the bipartisan budget agreement reached in July. I look forward to continuing to work with my dear friend, Chairman Shelby, on a path forward. # # # # #… Continue Reading
09.18.19
Statement of Vice Chairman Leahy (D-Vt.) Opposing the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 2470
Today, we will vote on whether to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2470, the House Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Energy and Water, and the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bills. I strongly urge Senators to vote no. The underlying House bills are good bills. If this were a vote to consider the House bills, it would be easy. But that is not what we are doing. Senator McConnell has made clear that H.R. 2470 is simply a vehicle for considerati… Continue Reading
09.17.19
SUMMARY: FY 2020 Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies provides discretionary funding of $23.1 billion. This amount is $58 million over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $4.1 billion over the budget request. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies subcommittee, said: This bill will support critical… Continue Reading
09.17.19
SUMMARY: FY 2020 FSGG Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Senate Financial Services and General Government bill provides $24.347 billion to related agencies, which is $924 million more than funding provided in fiscal year 2019, and $251 million higher than the President's budget request. Key Points & Highlights The bill provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and more than two dozen independent federal agencies. … Continue Reading
09.17.19
SUMMARY: Energy and Water Development FY 2020 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations approved fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development funding legislation that totals $48.86 billion in discretionary budget authority, which is $4.226 billion more than the fiscal year 2019 level and $10.944 billion above the President's requested level. Non-defense activities see an increase of $2.266 billion, emphasizing the importance of funding the nation's infrastructure, scientific research, and technology development prior… Continue Reading
09.17.19
SUMMARY: Subcommittee Approves FY2020 Transportation, HUD Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2020 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Senate Appropriations bill provides $74.3 billion in discretionary budget authority - $2.6 billion more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and $15.8 billion more than the President's request. The programs and activities supported by this bill include significant responsibilities entrusted to the Federal government and its partners to protect human health and safety by providi… Continue Reading
09.12.19
Senate Republicans Reject Investing In American Communities In Favor Of Trump’s Ineffective Vanity Wall
WASHINGTON (Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019) - Senate Appropriations Committee Republicans Thursday rejected a proposal by Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to invest in American communities, instead directing billions of taxpayer dollars to President Trump's ineffective border wall. The Leahy proposal would redirect $5 billion from the Republicans' allocations for the Appropriations Committee's 12 subcommittees, commonly referred to as 302(b)s, from President Trump's ineffective wall to i… Continue Reading
09.12.19
Republicans Reject Amendment Preventing President Trump From Stealing From The Military And Military Families To Pay For Ineffective Border Wall
WASHINGTON (Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019) - Senate Appropriations Committee Republicans Thursday rejected an amendment offered by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Vice Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) meant to protect funding appropriated for the military and military families from being raided by President Trump to pay for an ineffective, vanity wall along the southern border. Leahy said: "The power of the purse is … Continue Reading
09.12.19
SUMMARY: Senate Appropriations Committee FY2020 Defense Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020, provides $694.9 billion for the Department of Defense, in accordance with the budget agreement. This amount is $20.5 billion over the enacted level, and a decrease of $3 billion from the President's request. Of the funds provided in the bill, $622.5 billion is for base budget requirements, $70.6 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $1.7 billion for response to natural disasters impacting military facilities. Un… Continue Reading