Leahy retiring after 47 years in Senate

By Tony Bertuca / November 15, 2021 at 11:41 AM

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), one of the longest serving senators in U.S. history, announced today he would not run for reelection in 2022, creating a potential opening at the head of one of the most powerful committees in Congress.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), the ranking Republican on the committee, is also retiring in 2022, meaning a significant realignment will occur at the appropriations panel regardless of the outcome of next year’s elections.

For Democrats, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) would be next in line for the job, while Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) could end up leading the committee should Republicans win a majority next November.

In a statement released today, Leahy, currently the longest-serving sitting member of the Senate, said it is time to “pass the torch.” He was first elected in 1974, and by the time he retires will be the third longest-serving Senator in U.S. history.

“It is time to come home,” he said.

Leahy joked that his approach to appropriations over his career has been simple: “Help all states in alphabetical order -- starting with the letter V, Vermont.”

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