Minority News Releases
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
06.26.18
SUMMARY: FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill Approved by Subcommittee
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
06.26.18
SUMMARY: FY2019 Labor, HHS, & Education Appropriations Bill Gains Subcommittee Approval
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
06.25.18
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Leahy On Passage Of The FY 2019 "Minibus" Appropriations Bill
Today we are voting on final passage of the first package of Senate appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2019. This "minibus" contains three appropriations bills - the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, and the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. Chairman Shelby and I, working closely with Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer, have committed to getting the appropriations process back on track. Our strategy has been t… Continue Reading
06.21.18
Appropriations Vice Chair Leahy: Summary Of The Department Of Homeland Security FY19 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2019 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill provides a discretionary total of $55.151 billion, of which $6.652 billion is provided for Disaster Relief, as defined by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, and $165 million is provided for Coast Guard Overseas Contingency Operations funds. After excluding these two amounts, the net discretionary appropriation for DHS is $48.334 billion, $611 million more than the fiscal year 2… Continue Reading
06.21.18
Appropriations Vice Chair Leahy: Summary Of The Financial Services And General Government FY19 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. - The fiscal year 2019 Senate Financial Services and General Government bill provides $23.688 billion to related agencies, which is $265 million more than fiscal year 2018, and $70 million more than the President's budget request. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, said: "This bill funds some of the key regulatory agencies, notably the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Co… Continue Reading
06.21.18
SUMMARY -- FY 2019 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. (Thursday, June 21, 2018) - The bill provides $54.418 billion in discretionary budget authority, including $8 billion in OCO. The allocation is $12.2 billion above the President's request as scored by CBO, and $400 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, said: "This bill is an example of the Congress rejecting the divisive, reck… Continue Reading
06.21.18
Vice Chairman Leahy Statement On The FY 19 Homeland Security, SFOPS, and FSGG Appropriations Bill
The Committee has three bills before us today - the State, Foreign Operations bill, Department of Homeland Security bill, and the Financial Services and General Government bill. I thank all of the Chairs and Ranking Members for their hard work. As the Ranking Member of the State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I will reserve my remarks on the bill until we turn to it. I will note that I worked closely with Senator Graham, as we always do, in drafting the bill, and I believe we produced a tr… Continue Reading
06.20.18
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Senate Rejecting President Trump’s Rescission Package
The Senate has reinforced the bipartisan, bicameral budget deal struck by Congress four months ago by rejecting President Trump's shortsighted rescission package. The message that this vote sends at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue will be heard loudly and clearly. Here in the Senate, we are committed to making the appropriations process work again. The Appropriations Committee has reported seven, bipartisan appropriations bills, and we will consider three more tomorrow in committee. This w… Continue Reading
06.20.18
Vice Chairman Of Appropriations Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On President Trump’s Rescission Package
In just the latest example of the cut first and ask questions later policies of the Trump administration, we are voting on a bill today that would claw back billions of dollars from children's health insurance, affordable housing investments, infrastructure, rural development, and innovative energy programs. For a White House who just forced through Congress a $1.9 trillion tax giveaway to billionaires and corporations, to defend these cuts as necessary to reduce the deficit is laughable. It i… Continue Reading
06.19.18
SUMMARY -- FY2019 State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill Approved by Senate Subcommittee
Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, June 19, 2018) - The bill provides $54.418 billion in discretionary budget authority, including $8 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations. The allocation is $12.2 billion above the President's request and $400 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, said: "This bill is an example of the Congress rejecting the divi… Continue Reading
06.19.18
Vice Chairman Leahy Statement On the FY 2019 Energy & Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch “Minibus” Appropriations Bill
Today we open debate on the first Senate appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019. The "minibus" before us contains the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, and the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. These bills have strong bipartisan support and are the result of hard work and compromise on the part of the Chair and Ranking Member of each Subcommittee. The Appropriations Committee has so far reported to the floor seve… Continue Reading