Majority News Releases
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Washington, D.C. - The conference agreement includes $98.058 billion in total discretionary budget authority for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Related Agencies, $5.3 billion more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $1 billion more than the President's budget request. This includes, $10.332 billion in defense spending for military construction, $86.8 billion in non-defense funding, and $921.4 million for Overseas Contingency Operations. For defense s… Continue Reading
09.10.18
Energy and Water Conference Report
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development fiscal year 2019 funding legislation totals $44.6 billion in discretionary budget authority, $1.4 billion more than fiscal year 2018, $874 million more than the Senate bill, and $60 million less than the House bill. Bipartisan Budget Agreement - The bipartisan budget agreement resulted in a $6.9 billion increase compared to fiscal year 2017 levels, including $2.5 billion for defense programs and $4.4 billion in non-… Continue Reading
09.06.18
Statement Of Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On FY 2019 Appropriations Bills – A Path Forward
In the last few months, the Senate has achieved record progress in processing appropriations bills. As we return from the Labor Day weekend, the Senate has already passed 9 of the 12 Appropriations bills by overwhelming margins and the Appropriations Committee has reported the remaining 3 bills with bipartisan support. The end of the fiscal year is only few short weeks away, but, because of the record pace of our work, there is no reason that we cannot conference all of these bills with th… Continue Reading
09.05.18
Statement of Vice Chairman Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Conference Meeting For The "Minibus I" Appropriations Bill
I am pleased to be here for the first conference of the FY 2019 Appropriations season. The "minibus" before us contains three important appropriations bills. This minibus provides important resources for the support and care of our Nation's veterans, and it makes critical investments in our country's water infrastructure and energy programs. It also provides support to numerous agencies under the umbrella of the Legislative Branch. We have made a lot of progress toward an agreement that wil… Continue Reading
08.28.18
Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Decision Not To Submit A Second Rescission Package
"This is a welcome decision. In the Senate, we are moving forward on appropriations bills that have bipartisan support, that are at spending levels agreed to in the bipartisan budget deal, and that reject poison pill riders and controversial authorizing language. This is a process that requires trust, a trust that would have been damaged by such a proposal. Rescinding funds that had been agreed to by Congress and signed into law by the President, in the waning days of the fiscal year, would h… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Senate Passes Defense, LHHS “Minibus” Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON (THURSDAY, Aug. 23, 2018) - The Senate Thursday passed the Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Programs "Minibus" appropriations bill, accounting for 65 percent of all discretionary spending, notching the latest bipartisan achievement in returning the appropriations process to regular order and fulfilling core goals of the bipartisan budget deal signed into law in February. The bill passed with broad bipartisan support by a vote of 85 to 7. Senate A… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Statement On Senate Passage Of The Defense, LHHS “Minibus” Appropriations Bill
The Senate, and Congress as a whole, best serves the American people when we reach real, bipartisan solutions. Today, the Senate will pass its third bipartisan appropriations package, completing Senate consideration of nine of the 12 appropriations bills reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee and accounting for 87 percent of all discretionary spending. We are proving that when we put partisan politics aside, we can do the work of the American people. This progress would not have bee… Continue Reading
08.20.18
Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On Senate Consideration Of The Defense & Labor, Health And Human Services, Education, And Related Agencies “Minibus” Appropriations Bill
Today the Senate begins consideration of the Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related agencies "Minibus" appropriations bill. This will be the third appropriations package brought to the Senate floor this year, and once we complete action, the Senate will have passed nine out of the 12 committee-reported appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2019. I want to thank Chairman Shelby for his commitment to a bipartisan process, and his friendship, that have made this prog… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy (D-Vt.) Statement On Senate Passage Of The Interior, THUD, FSGG & Agriculture “Minibus” Appropriations Bill
Today, we are voting on final passage of the second "minibus" package of appropriations bills, and I urge an "aye" vote. This bill contains the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies bill, the Financial Services and General Government and Related Agencies bill, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies bill. Each of these were reported by the Appropriations Committ… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Senate Republicans Block The Leahy Election Security Grant Funding Amendment
WASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, Aug. 1, 2018) - Despite gaining the support of a majority of senators voting, an amendment to bolster election security efforts by the states, offered by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), was blocked Wednesday by Senate Republicans. Leahy's amendment would strengthen election security ahead of the 2018 midterms by providing $250 million in grants to states. The amendment to one of the four annual Appropriations bills pending on the Sena… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Statement of Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On Urging A Senate Floor Vote On The Election Security Grant Amendment
I want to thank the Senior Senator from Alabama for working closely with me throughout this process. We are continuing to work on a managers' package, and I also want to bring up my election security grants amendment soon. The Senate must act as a coequal branch of government in defending against a threat to our democracy. The threat is very real. Our intelligence community unanimously agrees that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections, and that there is an imminent threat to the 2018 ele… Continue Reading
07.26.18
Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy REAX To House Appropriations Committee Passing The DHS Appropriations Bill
[(WASHINGTON-THURSDAY, July 26, 2018) - The House Appropriations Committee Wednesday passed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill out of the House Appropriations Committee, continuing a partisan process of passing bills that have no chance of passing the Senate. The House bill contains $5 billion for a border wall, $3.9 billion more than the President's request, along America's Southern Border. It also includes drastic increases for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer… Continue Reading
07.26.18
Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Statement On The Election Security Grants Amendment
Today, Congress must heed the clear warnings of our Intelligence Community and take an important step - a meaningful step -- toward defending our democracy. If we do nothing, we leave our elections vulnerable to an aggressive foreign adversary fully intent on destabilizing our country. To this Vermonter, and many of the Senators in this chamber, this is a simple choice, and a solemn responsibility. Today, the Senate must vote on my amendment to provide $250 million dollars in grants to the s… Continue Reading
07.24.18
Leahy, Senate Democrats File Amendment To Bolster Election Security Ahead Of 2018 Midterms
WASHINGTON (TUESDAY, July 24, 2018) - Senate Democrats, led by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Tuesday filed an amendment to bolster election security against Russian attacks and other hostile foreign powers ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. The amendment would provide $250 million for State Election Security Grants. Leahy said: "If you believe that Russia is fully intent on destabilizing our democracy yet again in November - as all of our national secur… Continue Reading
07.24.18
Remarks of Senator Patrick Leahy Supporting Appropriations Amendment on State Election Security Grants
I come to the floor today to talk about an amendment I will be offering that provides $250 million dollars for State Election Security Grants to protect our upcoming elections from attacks by Russia and other hostile foreign powers - which we know are growing and active threats. After our Intelligence Community's unanimous assessment that Russia interfered in our 2016 election, Congress came together and appropriated $380 million dollars for State Election Security Grants in the FY 2018 Omnibu… Continue Reading
07.24.18
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Leahy Statement On The FY 2019 Interior, FSGG, and Agriculture "Minibus" Appropriations Bill
I am pleased to join Chairman Shelby as we prepare to debate the second set of appropriations bills to reach the Senate floor this session. This "minibus" contains four important bills for Fiscal Year 2019: the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, the Financial Services and General Government bill, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies bill. Each of th… Continue Reading
07.12.18
“Minibus” Conference Committee Delayed
WASHINGTON (THURSDAY, July 12, 2018) - Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday expressed disappointment following the delay of the first Appropriations Conference Committee Meeting of the fiscal year 2019 appropriations process. Leahy is hopeful the meeting will be rescheduled and intends to offer an amendment that would facilitate funding for the VA Choice program, which was transferred only recently to the discretionary side of the budget as part of the… Continue Reading
06.28.18
Statement Of Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On the FY 2019 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, and the FY 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
Today we will mark up the last two of the 12 appropriations bills-the FY 2019 Defense Appropriations Bill, and the FY 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Bill. Like the 10 bills before them, these bills are the product of bipartisan cooperation and I urge members to support them. Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Durbin have put before us a Defense bill that provides much needed resources to support our men and women in uniform and makes important inves… Continue Reading
06.28.18
Summary Of The FY19 Defense Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2019, provides $607.1 billion for the base budget of the Department of Defense, and $67.9 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense, said: "This defense bill makes investment in innovation a top priority for our Armed Forces and our Nation. Working with Chairman Shelby, we have written a bill that provides for the largest R&D budget in the hi… Continue Reading
06.28.18
Summary Of The Labor, Health And Human Services, Education, And Related Programs FY19 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2019 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations bill provides a total of $181.2 billion in discretionary budget authority - $2.2 billion more than the fiscal year 2018 level and $11.9 billion more than the budget request. The total funding includes $179.3 billion in discretionary funding as well as $1.897 billion in cap adjustment funding to prevent waste, fraud, abuse and improper payments in the… Continue Reading