The Honorable Patrick Leahy

United States Senator
United States Senate
May 10, 2012

I hope that we can assemble a quorum quickly to accomplish what is possible this morning.

On our agenda are the nominees to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board from our April 18 hearing. I worked with Senator Durbin and others to establish and then reestablish the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. I chaired our hearing and we took a break from our important job of considering judicial nominations in order to consider these important nominations.

At a time when our Nation faces growing threats to national security at home, abroad and in cyberspace, having a fully functioning Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight board is more important than ever. Congress is currently working on various cybersecurity proposals. Many would have a significant impact on the privacy rights and civil liberties of all Americans. I have received many phone calls and letters from Vermonters who are very concerned about their personal liberties. Protecting our privacy and civil liberties should not be a partisan issue. I hope we can all join together to approve this bipartisan slate of nominees.

Mindful that next week is Police Week, I have also included on our agenda legislation to reauthorize the bulletproof vest partnership program that I initiated with Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. I have asked my staff to work with Senator Grassley's to see whether we can agree, as we did with the Drug Free Communities program, on extension legislation.
At his request, I have also included a bill introduced by Senator Grassley on the agenda, the Officer Safety Act.

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