Kay Granger
American politician
Patrick Leahy was a long-serving U.S. senator from Vermont, known for his landmark legislation and being the first senator to preside over a former president’s impeachment trial. He was the third-longest-serving senator in history and the longest-serving member of Congress to serve solely as a senator.
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About the Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph Leahy, is an American politician and attorney who represented Vermont in the United States Senate from 1975 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he also was the president pro tempore of the United States Senate from 2012 to 2015 and from 2021 to 2023.
Leahy was the third-longest-serving U.S. senator in history at 48 years, and was the longest-serving member of the United States Congress to serve solely as a senator. During his tenure he chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee. In March 2022, he became the most senior member of Congress. At the time of his retirement, Leahy was the dean of Vermont’s congressional delegation, Vermont’s longest-serving U.S. senator, and the first Democrat ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Vermont. Leahy was succeeded by Peter Welch, who became the second Democrat to represent Vermont in the Senate.
Leahy’s signature legislation is the Leahy Law forbidding the United States from funding foreign military units which violate human rights. Leahy was the presiding officer at Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial, becoming the first senator to preside over a former president’s impeachment trial. In 2023, Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport was renamed after him.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patrick Leahy is an American politician and attorney who represented Vermont in the United States Senate from 1975 to 2023. He was a member of the Democratic Party and served as the president pro tempore of the Senate from 2012 to 2015 and 2021 to 2023.
Patrick Leahy served in the U.S. Senate for 48 years, making him the third-longest-serving senator in history and the longest-serving member of the United States Congress to serve solely as a senator.
Patrick Leahy’s signature legislation is the Leahy Law, which forbids the United States from funding foreign military units that violate human rights.
Patrick Leahy was the presiding officer at Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial, becoming the first senator to preside over a former president’s impeachment trial.
In 2023, the Burlington International Airport was renamed the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in honor of the long-serving senator.
Patrick Leahy was the first Democrat ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Vermont and became the dean of Vermont’s congressional delegation, as well as the state’s longest-serving U.S. senator.
Peter Welch, a fellow Democrat, succeeded Patrick Leahy in the U.S. Senate, becoming the second Democrat to represent Vermont in the Senate.
7 Quotes by Patrick Leahy
- 1.
We need to consider nominations as thoroughly and carefully as the American people deserve. No one is entitled to a free pass to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 2.
Why do the President and Vice-President constantly change the subject when asked to explain why things are going so badly in Iraq? The answer is simple. They have been consistently wrong about Iraq, and the results speak for themselves.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 3.
You get fifteen democrats in a room, and you get twenty opinions.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 4.
The American public is sick and tired of being lied to.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 5.
Our alliances and our credibility are crucial elements of our working capital in advancing America’s interests in the world, and they have been eroded over the last four years.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 6.
The rights of copyright holders need to be protected, but some draconian remedies that have been suggested would create more problems than they would solve.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)
- 7.
There have been 111 Justices in the Supreme Court of the United States. Only three have been women. If she is confirmed, Solicitor General Kagan will bring the Supreme Court to an historical high-water mark, with three women concurrently serving as Justices.
Patrick LeahyAmerican politician and lawyer (born 1940)