Patrick J. Leahy

Patrick J. Leahy DEMDemocrat

American politician and lawyer (born 1940)

Profile Photo
Patrick J. LeahyDEMDemocrat American politician and lawyer (born 1940)
84
Years of Age
48
Years of Experience
VTResidence (state)

Patrick Joseph Leahy, (LAY-hee; born March 31, 1940) 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 piece of 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.

Voterly's Issue Scores  (1 - 30 of 30)

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Special Interest Group Ratings

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Average Score

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Campaign Funding

20
18
$4,940,984
Total Raised
$4,847,014
Total Spent
$1,668,865
Cash on Hand
Top Industries  (1 - 4 of 10) View All Industries
99%
Lawyers/Law Firms$565,459
58%
Leadership PACs$331,600
50%
TV/Movies/Music$286,947
44%
Lobbyists$253,886
33%
Securities & Investment$187,620
26%
Retired$150,565
25%
Defense Aerospace$144,301
24%
Telecom Services$136,951
22%
Electronics Mfg & Equip$125,092
14%
Non-Profit Institutions$80,676
Direct campaign contributions grouped by the industry industry of each donor/PAC.

Largest Contributors

Funding generally from an organization's PAC or its members/employees. Organizations did not donate directly.
Financial Data Source: Center for Responsive Politics
Education5 - 5 of 3
Saint Michael's College
1961
Georgetown University
Georgetown University Law Center
Juris Doctor
1964
Past Positions1 - 3 of 3
http:
2015
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
United States of America
2012 - 2023
United States senator
United States of America
1975 - 2023
Other Experience1 - 12 of 12
Member
Vermont Bar Association
1964
Co-Chair
National Guard Caucus
Current
Co-Chair
Congressional Internet Caucus
2003 - Current
Co-Founder
Congressional Internet Caucus
2003 - Current
Co-Chair
Senate National Guard Caucus, present
Former Member
Joint Committee on the Library, United States Senate
Former Member
Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing, and Agriculture Security, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Nutrition, Agricultural Research, and Specialty Crops, United States Senate
Former Ranking Member
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, United States Senate
Member
Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee