Patrick Leahy was elected to the United States Senate in 1974 and remains the only Democrat elected to this office from Vermont. At 34, he was the youngest U.S. Senator ever to be elected from the Green Mountain State.
Leahy was born in Montpelier and grew up across from the State House. A graduate of Saint Michael's College in Colchester (1961), he received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center (1964). He served for eight years as State's Attorney in Chittenden County where he gained a national reputation for his law enforcement activities and was selected as one of three outstanding prosecutors in the United States in 1974.
Vermont is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest states in the nation. Recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Vermont ranks at the top or near the top of the list on a variety of metrics, including a child’s access to health care, and percentage of children who exercise regularly.
Senator Leahy is proud that Vermont remains committed to improving its goal of providing quality and affordable coverage for all. He firmly believes that all who require care should have access, regardless of their income or where they live.
Senator Leahy is a consistent and tireless advocate of the Affordable Care Act, supporting Medicare, ensuring health care providers have the resources they need, and stemming the tide of drug abuse in New England and across the country.