First elected in 1974, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is currently the longest-serving senator in the United States Senate. Not only is the sheer length of his service impressive, but his steadfast dedication to creator’s rights has made a huge impact over the last 47 years.

During his time in the Senate, he has continually fought to improve copyright standards in order to prevent the theft of intellectual property. He has successfully shepherded numerous copyright bills signed into law, including the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act in 1997 and the PRO-IP Act of 2008. Additionally, during his time as both Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he continued to introduce and advocate for other impactful copyright legislation, including a current review of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

In conjunction with his dedication to copyright laws, Senator Leahy has also been devoted to creators’ rights and has been continually involved with the Recording Academy. 

In 2009, he introduced the Performance Rights Act, which would give performers and producers equal rights to fair compensation from when their music is broadcasted on terrestrial (AM/FM) radio. Senator Leahy participated in a GRAMMY Town Hall to discuss its importance alongside a bipartisan group of legislators and music makers including Josh Groban, Sam Moore and the late Mary Wilson.

The Performance Rights Act was passed favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and set the stage for meaningful reforms to the music licensing framework in the years to come, as well as lay the foundation for current legislation like the American Music Fairness Act.

In 2018, he was one of the original co-sponsors of the comprehensive Music Modernization Act (MMA), which was signed into law on Oct. 11, 2018. This historic bill was the most significant update to copyright law in a generation and included protections for all music creators nationwide. Senator Leahy has also been the lead sponsor for the ARTS Act, a bipartisan immigration reform bill that would speed the processing times of arts-related O or P visa petitions from visiting musicians and artists. 

As a friend of the music community, Senator Leahy was a deserving honoree at the 2002 GRAMMYs On The Hill Awards. He has been both an advocate for and a lover of the arts — notably, he has an affinity for the Grateful Dead.

Despite his upcoming retirement, Senator Leahy’s dedication to creator’s rights will have a long-lasting impact and his service will not soon be forgotten.

Behind The Record Advocacy: The Recording Academy’s Next Campaign on Capitol Hill