[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8224-S8225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Tribute to Patrick Leahy

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, the desk behind me is empty at this 
moment, but whenever anything important is taking place on the floor, 
you will find seated there the dean of the U.S. Senate, Senator Patrick 
Leahy of Vermont.
  This week, he surprised a number of us by announcing his retirement 
at the end of next year.
  I have come to know Pat during my service in the Senate. He is a 
humanitarian. He is a gifted lawmaker and a

[[Page S8225]]

passionate defender of America's national ideals and, I might add, of 
international human rights. Loretta and I count Patrick and his 
wonderful wife Marcelle as really good friends.
  I have been on the Senate Judiciary Committee, chairing it for a 
year. I have more insight into that job than I ever had before, and I 
have certainly realized that when Senator Leahy was the chair of that 
committee, he wrote an extraordinary record, which many of us only 
dream of emulating.
  I thank him for his passionate, consistent, faithful support of the 
DREAM Act, which I introduced 20 years ago, and his efforts to help me 
get this enacted into law. I also appreciated when he gave me the 
opportunity to create a new subcommittee in Judiciary entitled the 
``Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law,'' which I chaired. We did 
good things for America and the world.
  Pat Leahy is known throughout the world, and I mean that literally, 
as a defender of human rights and human dignity. I have seen it so many 
times.
  He and I decided to join forces a few years ago on behalf of a 
political prisoner. Her name is Leila de Lima. She is a human rights 
advocate and a senator in the Philippines. She is in jail.
  Two years ago, Senator Leahy passed an amendment on her behalf in the 
State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. As a result, 
strongman Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines banned both Senator Leahy 
and myself from entering the Philippines because of our action. I can 
tell you that we take great pride in being singled out in that manner. 
Duterte knew, as we all know, that when Patrick Leahy sees injustice, 
he will use his power in office to put things right.
  His service in the Senate has been a great benefit to our Nation, our 
world, and his beloved State of Vermont, and we will certainly miss him 
when he retires. I will just add, though, watch closely because he is 
going to run through the tape. He has a little over a year left in the 
Senate, and I am sure he will work for that entire period of time for 
the betterment of this Nation and his beautiful Vermont.