Honorable Patrick Leahy
United States Senator, Vermont, Democrat
Senator Patrick Leahy was first elected to the U.S. Senate in November 1974. He is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The following is excerpted from Senator Leahy’s January 16, 2007, remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Among the estimated 1.8 million Iraqis who have fled their country are hundreds of thousands of destitute refugees who escaped to neighboring countries with little more than they could carry. Many have been denied refugee status and even forced back into Iraq. I am particularly concerned that we have not made provisions or created the legal authority necessary in this country to secure…
