[195] In 2014, the Congressional Management Foundation awarded Leahy a "Silver Mouse Award" for his website, and a "Gold Mouse Award" for his engagement on social media.[196]. At the end of the exchange, Cheney told Leahy, "Go fuck yourself. It was the first arms treaty with Russia in eight years. The legislation also supported universal access to high-quality preschool programs for all three- and four-year-olds, changed compensation for the child care workforce, and provided training to aid both teachers and caregivers. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And I voted against that war. He assumed a leadership role in health insurance reform and in the push for marriage equality. Patrick Leahy. [98], Leahy endorsed Barack Obama, the Democratic junior senator from Illinois, in the 2008 presidential election, and recorded a radio advertisement for the Obama campaign to be aired in Vermont. In 2002, Ron and Marty sold the . [36] Crowell was confirmed by the Senate. He is popular for The Dark Knight Rises. [150], In January 2019, Leahy was one of 40 senators to introduce the Background Check Expansion Act, a bill that would require background checks for either the sale or transfer of all firearms, including unlicensed sellers. The Leahys live on a tree farm in Middlesex, Vermont. The following year he married Marcelle Pomerleau, and the couple later had three children. He served as president pro tempore of the Senate (201215; 202123). Leahy serves as second-highest Democrat on the Appropriations Committee and as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs. [126], After Minnesota Representative Rick Nolan retired from Congress in 2019, Leahy became the only remaining Watergate baby in Congress. I never could have done this without Marcelle, and she deserves to have my undivided attention. Omissions? My office is ideally located, right near the Senate floor. But yeah, some will stand out. He was also the youngest senator in the states history. We love to go scuba diving, which is not normally what one thinks of, as a senator, but there's a lot of things and we'll have more far more time with each other. What weve done to completely update the Violence Against Women Act. [12] He was also on the staff of The Shield, the Saint Michael's College yearbook and WSSE, the school's AM radio station. In December 2006, during an appearance at the law school of Georgetown University, Leahy said that after the September 11 attacks, "the White House accelerated its power plays at the expense of the other branches of government, all in the name of fighting terrorism." Leahy, who was born blind in one eye, graduated from Saint Michael's College in 1961. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [202] She is a registered nurse and has worked at hospitals in Burlington, Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Virginia. He is the chamber's longest-serving member first elected office in 1974. [122], In October 2018, Leahy, along with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez, and Lindsey Graham, sent President Trump a letter requesting that he begin an investigation of the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. [90] On November 2, 2004, Leahy easily defeated his opponent, businessman Jack McMullen, with 70.6 percent of the vote. Leahy was also the last of the Senate's "Watergate Babies"Democrats first elected to Congress in the wave election of 1974 that followed President Richard Nixon's resignation over the Watergate scandal. Epstein, Aaron; 3 High Court Hopefuls Deemed OK; as Former President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, President pro tempore of the United States Senate, President pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate, president pro tempore of the United States Senate, third-longest-serving U.S. senator in history, United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 1998 United States Senate election in Vermont, Recording Industry Association of America, Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act, Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, Agriculture Subcommittee on Research, Nutrition and General Legislation, United States federal government shutdown of January 2018, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit, Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support, Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts, Seventy-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly, Learn how and when to remove this template message, United States Secretary of Homeland Security, withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, "Congress' 'Watergate babies' compare, contrast current events", "Leahy, not Roberts, to preside over impeachment trial", "Sen. Patrick Leahy To Preside Over Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial", "Sen. Patrick Leahy announces he won't run for re-election", "Burlington airport to be named for Leahy; State of the City expected to focus on public safety", "Patrick Leahy's legacy of fighting for human rights", "Vermont Sen. Leahy Takes Shots Like No One Else", "Senate's Leahy finds peace on his Vermont farm", "Two Montpelier Youths Receiving Degrees Today at St. Michael's", "State's Attorney, City Grand Juror Resign", "Board Delays Settlement of Wheeler School Land Cases", "Vermont Attorney General Race Doesn't Have a Lot of Rules", "Leahy calls Curran murder scene among most violent he ever saw as prosecutor", "Marcelle & Patrick Leahy: A Vermont love story", "The Leahy legacy: Fidel, fundraising and influential friends", "Patrick Leahy sworn in as president pro tempore of Senate after Daniel Inouye's death", "U.S. Patrick Leahy, in full Patrick Joseph Leahy, (born March 31, 1940, Montpelier, Vermont, U.S.), American politician who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1974 and represented Vermont from 1975 to 2023. [153], In October 2017, Leahy cosponsored a bill aimed at easing sentences for some nonviolent offenders, such as for drug crimes, while beefing up other tough-on-crime laws. But we, we talked about it. [108], In January 2015, Leahy headed a congressional delegation to Cuba, meant to "impress upon Cuban leaders the importance of concrete results and positive momentum". Attempts at distorting that record by suggesting that her ethnicity or heritage will be the driving force in her decisions as a justice of the Supreme Court are demeaning to women and all communities of color. I had the benefit when I came there, my mentor, the first person who took me under his wing, was Sen. Robert Stafford Mr. Republican in Vermont. [32] In 1992, Secretary of State of Vermont Jim Douglas held him to 54 percent of the vote. Senators Patrick Leahy Democrat-Vermont and David Durenberger Democrat - Vermont speaking with the press on Captiol Hill. Read. "[201], Leahy married Marcelle Pomerleau in 1962. And then then we'll decide. Leahy has called for the domestic partners of federal employees to receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples. [27] He ran in the wake of the Watergate scandal that had resulted in President Richard Nixon's resignation in August of that year, won a close race against Republican Congressman Richard W. Mallary, and succeeded the retiring George Aiken. The bill overcame opposition from The Coca-Cola Company and other representatives of the beverage industry, as well as some education organizations, and was enacted. He is the chamber's longest-serving member first elected office in 1974. [134][135], On March 11, 1982, Leahy voted against a measure sponsored by Orrin Hatch that sought to reverse Roe v. Wade and allow Congress and individual states to adopt laws banning abortions. [15] He was also a representative to the school's Student Bar Association. They have a daughter, two sons, and five grandchildren. [74][75], The 1998 United States Senate election in Vermont was noteworthy, in that Republican candidate Fred Tuttle endorsed Leahy. It became known as the Leahy Amendment, and prevents the federal government from spending federal tax dollars to prosecute people who are following their state's cannabis laws. [121], In September 2018, as the Senate weighed the first spending package for the 2019 fiscal year, Leahy advocated for increasing the spending cap for a veterans' care program. "[80] Leahy was one of two senators targeted in the 2001 anthrax attacks. You know, passing the organic farm bill and how that's helped so many people. [92] On January 19, 2006, Leahy announced that he would vote against Judge Samuel Alito, to be a justice of the Supreme Court. Are there a couple of others that stand out that you say, you know, I really did the right thing? Sen. Patrick Leahy announced Monday that he will not seek another term as U.S. In addition, he serves as liaison between UVM and organizations and communities throughout Vermont.[220]. More from VPR: Sen. Leahy announces he won't seek reelection next fall, You've passed thousands and thousands of votes I think probably more than any other senator in the history of this country or something close to it . He also argued that the Chinese government should commit to ending the use of torture, organ harvesting of prisoners, and propaganda against minorities. [150], In June 2017, after President Trump announced the US would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, Leahy called the move a "great leap backward", adding that pandering "to a handful of billionaires and special interests would impose huge harm upon our generation, upon future generations, and upon our fragile planet." In April 2023, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that Burlington International Airport would be renamed Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. [68] The 1994 midterm elections resulted in a Republican majority in the House for the first time since the 1950s,[69] and conversation arose of limiting feeding programs. They have Three children. He made his announcement at the Statehouse in Montpelier. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events. You know, I'm wondering how you feel the state of democracy is in this country. That's what I'm doing in making this announcement now. And we basically made it this summer, you know, walking around the fields and the woods at home. Bob Byrd is about 1000 ahead of me, but he's got about 17,000 votes. 2. [60] In 1992, he penned a bill to prohibit the export of land mines, the first law of its kind. He sponsored this bipartisan bill with Republican Mike Lee of Utah. [81] In 2000, Leahy cosigned a letter sent to Appropriations Committee conference members, requesting a delay in implementing Section 304 in H.R. He rejects school prayer initiatives. [189] In a statement after the North KoreaUnited States summit, Leahy commended Trump "for beginning direct negotiations" but added that it was troubling that Trump "agreed to unilaterally halt military exercises with South Korea without verifiable commitments from North Korea to denuclearize, while giving Kim the recognition he has long craved. Well, I think there's going to be a lot of new leaders coming. He ranks first in seniority in the Senate. And what would you like to see moving forward? It's Not Who You Think", "Leahy To Trump Administration: Don't Threaten States That Legalize Marijuana", "U.S. [129] On November 15, 2021, Leahy announced that he was not running for a ninth term. [76] After winning the Republican nomination in a campaign designed both to promote the movie and to mock ostensible GOP frontrunner Jack McMullen, who had only recently moved to Vermont from Massachusetts, Tuttle recommended that voters support Leahy. [48] Reagan signed the legislation the next month. Patrick Leahy, in full Patrick Joseph Leahy, (born March 31, 1940, Montpelier, Vermont, U.S.), American politician who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1974 and represented Vermont from 1975 to 2023. [66] Clinton publicly weighed reducing funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) by half. [138], In March 2019, Leahy was one of 38 senators to sign a letter to United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue warning that dairy farmers "have continued to face market instability and are struggling to survive the fourth year of sustained low prices", and urging his department to "strongly encourage these farmers to consider the Dairy Margin Coverage program". [34], In May 1981, Leahy and Senator Ted Kennedy requested that the Senate reject John Crowell Jr.'s nomination as Assistant Agriculture Secretary. Leahy added that bipartisan support for the bill would only come from collaborating with Democrats and charged Republicans with "appealing for our support only after they've written a mishmash bill crafted behind closed doors". [76][77] Leahy was touched by this gesture; he and Tuttle made several joint appearances during the campaign, and Leahy said of Tuttle that he was the "distilled essence of Vermonthood". Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster. So I can look at a lot of them that are in there. [128], In May 2021, POLITICO reported that Leahy was "leaning toward [running for a ninth term]" and asking his Senate colleagues for support. [217] Leahy also appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, playing Senator Purrington, in a scene set during Superman's Senate hearing which is subsequently destroyed by an explosion. Vice President George H.W. [100] In August, on the day of Sotomayor's confirmation, Leahy defended her record against Republican critics: "Judge Sotomayor's career and judicial record demonstrates that she has always followed the rule of law. Senator Seeks to Cut Aid to Elite IDF Units Operating in West Bank and Gaza", "Leahy asked State Department to investigate suspected Israeli human rights violations", "Six Democrats introduce Senate bill to restore humanitarian aid to Palestinians", "Democratic senators release letter warning Israel against annexation", "Baldwin, Democratic Senators Call TrumpCare Disastrous for Battle Against Opioid Crisis", "Democratic senators demand Pompeo reverse visa denials for LGBTQIA+ diplomats' partners", "Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy, On the SNDA amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act", "Democrats warn Trump on North Korea deal", "Trump-Kim summit: Leahy, Welch doubtful on N. Korean denuclearization", "Senate Passes Arms Control Treaty With Russia, 7126", "Dem senators call for independent Flynn probe", "Biden sparks bipartisan backlash on Afghanistan withdrawal", "Leahy nets first award for social media use in Congress", "DOE JGI Director honored by Middlebury College", "Leahy to address first class to graduate from Albany College of Pharmacy's Colchester campus", "Sen. Leahy and wife, Marcelle, celebrate 50 years", "Leahy: A Vermonter's perspectives on immigration, family values and American values", "Antonio Pomerleau, Vermont Philanthropist, Dies At 100", "Tribute to Senator Patrick Leahy, Senate President Pro Tempore", "Sen. Patrick Leahy Home from Brief Hospitalization After Presiding Over Opening of Trump's Impeachment Trial", "Leahy recovering from hip replacement surgery", "Leahy returns to hospital for 2nd hip operation", "Sen. Leahy out of hospital, plans to return to Vermont", "Leahy making another 'Dark Knight' cameo", "Opening Statement, Senate hearing on diplomacy", "Senator Leahy has Speaking Role in Upcoming Batman Film", "Senator Leahy Joins UVM as President's Distinguished Fellow", "Sen. Patrick Leahy was in 5 Batman movies. Now he's written the foreword for the superhero's 80th anniversary", "Tracking Senator Patrick Leahy's Batman film cameos", "10 Things You Didn't Know About Batman: The Animated Series", "How two senators scored cameos in 'Batman v Superman', Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, President pro tempore emeritus of the U.S. Senate, Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate, United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, Republican reactions to Donald Trump's claims of 2020 election fraud, 2021 United States Electoral College vote count, Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, National Institute of Standards and Technology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patrick_Leahy&oldid=1151194697, Democratic Party United States senators from Vermont, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles slanted towards recent events from March 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 April 2023, at 14:03. . [58] In May 1990, he and Representative Dan Glickman introduced the Consumer Seafood Safety Act, a bill that would have strengthened fish inspections. When Leahy asked him to come over and talk to the Democrats, Cheney upbraided Leahy for the Senator's recent excoriations of Halliburton's activities in Iraq. I think I'm second now. [192], In February 2017, Leahy was one of 11 senators to sign a letter to United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions expressing their concern "about credible allegations that the Trump campaign, transition team, and Administration has colluded with the Russian government, including most recently the events leading to the resignation of Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser". [123] Later that month, Leahy was one of eight senators to sign a letter to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats requesting a classified briefing on what the American intelligence community knew about threats to Khashoggi, so that the senators may fulfill their "oversight obligation" as members of Congress. Leahy, Grassley, and Schumer Urge Deferral of New Leak Statute", "Have You Seen 'File 8'? Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy has announced he won't seek reelection next fall. [210], Leahy is a published photographer and author. [220] He has also been assigned roles as an advisor and mentor to students and faculty members, a classroom guest lecturer, and a university representative at public events. Leahy claims that both of these issues disproportionately impact the LGBTQIA+ community. [4] He was succeeded by Peter Welch, who became the second Democrat to represent Vermont in the Senate. In 2021 Leahy announced that he would not seek a ninth term, and he left office in 2023. Sixty-one percent of bills he sponsored had both Democratic and Republican co-sponsors. [208][209], Leahy was hospitalized again on October 13, 2022, after feeling unwell. [106], In June 2013, Leahy filed three amendments to an immigration reform package, including one that proposed recognizing same-sex marriages when one spouse is an American. They have a daughter, two sons, and five grandchildren. [39] The vote was seen as a rebuff of the Reagan administration. [94] He voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is in favor of phasing out farm subsidies. In July 2004, Leahy and Hatch introduced the INDUCE Act.