Senate Report Card: Patrick Leahy D-VT

Senator Patrick Leahy is the senior Democratic United States Senator from the state of Vermont. He assumed office in 1975. He was reelected in 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, and 2004.

Senator Leahy serves on the Appropriations and Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committees. He is currently the chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee. He is generally considered a liberal voice within the Senate, but has also been known to break with the Democrats on issues.

Leahy was one of two Senators targeted in the 2001 anthrax attacks that came in the wake of the September 11th attacks. The anthrax letter meant for him was intercepted before it reached his office. Vice President Dick Cheney attacked Leahy for his accusations of Cheney over Halliburton's alleged war profiteering. The discussion ended with Cheney telling Leahy to "... go f*** yourself".

In response to the Music Industry's appeal for action against downloading online of music, Senator Leahy introduced the Pirate Act backed by the Recording Institute of Ameria as part of an on-going crusade against Internet file sharing. He also introduced the INDUCE Act aimed at fighting copyright infringement.

He has no solid record with regards to gun control, he voted against the Brady Bill. He voted for NAFTA but against CAFTA and is against farm subsidies. Leahy voted for the Defense of Marriage Act and was one of the few liberal Democrats to support the ban on partial-birth abortions. He voted against theUSA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act, to reauthorize the Patriot Act.

Senator Leahy has been highly critical of President Bush's Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. The Attorney General dismissed nine United States District Attorney's over what appears to have been politically motivated purposes.

Senator Leahy voted for President Bush's nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts to the Supreme Court. He voted against the Samuel Alito nomination.

The senator presented the Leahy War Victims Fund, which provides medical, vocational and related assistance to civilian victims of war. He has done extensive work to ban landmines, including the first law in any country to ban the export the weapons. He brought the Leahy Law to the Senate, which prohibits U.S. aid to foreign military and police forces that violate human rights. He has created an infectious disease and neglected diseases initiatives which target malaria, elephantiasis, and other diseases that afflict hundreds of millions of people in tropical countries.

Senator Patrick Leahy voted against the use of military force in Iraq. He has since been in favor of pulling out and redeploying the troops. He is in favor of timelines for the war.

Senator Patrick Leahy is up for reelection in 2011.