After DeVos Delay, Durbin Urges Cardona To Grant Borrower Defense Discharges For Illinois Westwood College Students

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged the Department of Education to provide prompt federal student loan debt relief to approximately 3,600 Illinois students who were defrauded by Westwood College in 2012. Westwood College deceived Illinois students about the costs and accreditation of its criminal justice program and their prospects for employment upon completing the program. Westwood led Illinois students to believe that its criminal justice program was highly… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Vanita Gupta To Be Associate Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the confirmation vote on the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be U.S. Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged his colleagues to support her nomination in a speech on the Senate floor. Durbin has continuously argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also argued that Ms. Gupta is the right person… Continue Reading

Durbin To McConnell: Broadband And Child Care Expansion Is Common Sense, Not Socialist

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted important provisions in President Biden's American Jobs Plan, including the expansion of broadband service and child care. In response to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Durbin said Republican attempts to block or oppose President Biden's American Jobs Plan aren't in the best interest of the country. "To think that the Republican definition of infrastructure in America doe… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Need Vanita Gupta At The Department Of Justice

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on cloture and confirmation on the nomination of Vanita Gupta, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support her nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Save Seniors, Taxpayers Billions In Prescription Drug Costs From Big Pharma's Wasteful Pricing

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced a bipartisan bill that would reduce the egregious wasted spending on discarded medications that are the result of excessively large, single-use drug vials. The Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs (REFUND) Act would enable Medicare to recoup money from drug companies who are paid for wasted medications, and provide savings to seniors enrolled in Medicare. Durbin an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly, Duckworth, Underwood Meet With Maternal And Child Health Groups & Dr. Ezike To Discuss Ground-Breaking Illinois Efforts To Improve Health Outcomes For New Moms

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) met virtually with national and Illinois-based maternal and child health advocates, as well as Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, to discuss last week's approval of Illinois' 1115 waiver, which will extend health care coverage for new moms on Medicaid in Illinois from 60 da… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Lisa Monaco To Be Deputy Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on the nomination of Lisa Monaco to be U.S. Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of her nomination on the Senate floor. Shortly after, Monaco was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 98-2. "Lisa Monaco may be the most qualified individual ever nominated to be Deputy Attorney General… Her credentials include a wealth of experience, her commitment to restoring i… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Derek Chauvin Being Found Guilty On All Charges In Death Of George Floyd

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd: "The image of Derek Chauvin staring straight into the camera as George Floyd died under his knee haunts me to this day. The injustice of his killing is undeniable. And so is the fact that systemic racism continues to plague America. "The verdict of this jury gives me hope … Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Stacey Abrams And Georgia Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones On New Georgia Voting Law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote". Durbin asked Stacey Abrams, Founder of Fair Fight Action and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, to explain why it's false to suggest Georgia's new voting law expands the right to vote for Georgians of color. "I think the bottom line question … Continue Reading

Durbin Requests Information On Trump Admin Political Appointees Who Sought Permanent Jobs At DOJ In Final Year

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting information on Trump Administration political appointees who have converted to civil service positions at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its components. In particular, Durbin requested information about political appointees for whom conversions to civil service positions at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) w… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At "Jim Crow 2021" Hearing On Voting Rights In America

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during the "Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote" hearing. Durbin highlighted America's long history of voter suppression laws that states have passed to disenfranchise Americans of color. He also slammed Georgia's new voting restrictions, which will make it harder for Georgians of color to vote, and criticized the provisions included in the… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committees, Application Process For U.S. Attorney And U.S. Marshal Positions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that they will begin accepting applications from those interested in serving in the following positions: U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Central District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois The Senators will be assisted by screeni… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Fuller News Coverage Of Mass Shootings Across All Communities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the public health crisis of gun violence in Illinois and across the nation. During his speech, Durbin shared the story of seven-year-old Jaslyn Adams, who was shot and killed in the back seat of a car while at a McDonald's drive through on Sunday afternoon. She was one of 27 people shot in Chicago this weekend; five lost their lives. "These are just some of… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $42.5 Million To Support Head Start And Early Head Start In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $42.5 million in federal grant funding to the City of Chicago for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families, will support comprehensive child development programs for low-income children from birth to age five. "Head Start and Early Head Start programs are sources of countless … Continue Reading

Durbin, Warnock, Bustos Introduce Bill To Invest In American Workforce

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today introduced bicameral legislation that increases federal investments in worker training and helps prepare workers for the jobs of the future. The Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act would ensure that American workers have the skills needed to successfully navigate the transition into higher-skilled positions and in-demand industries. It has been estimated that… Continue Reading

Durbin Reintroduces Bill To Make Cahokia Mounds A National Historic Park

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced his bill to designate the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site as a National Historic Park. Durbin's bill, which would elevate the site beyond its current designation as a National Historic Landmark, will offer additional protections for the ancient mounds in St. Clair and Madison counties along with Sugarloaf Mound in St. Louis - the city's only remaining mound. "Cahokia Mounds is an important natural, archeological, an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Renew Push To Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to reintroduce the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing a concerted effort to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. These high-capacity magazines are designed for shooting and killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in some of t… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Biden To Look At Chicago HEAL Initiative As Model For Community Violence Intervention Programs

WASHINGTON - In response to our nation's public health crisis of gun violence and President Biden's recent announcement to promote community violence intervention programs, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today highlighted the Chicago Hospital Engagement, Action, and Leadership (HEAL) Initiative as a strategy to help the Administration implement its focus on preventing and reducing gun violence in America. The Chicago HEAL Initiative, launch… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker: Judiciary Committee Democrats Are Committed To Addressing Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, today pressed back on a letter they received from Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, requesting a Judiciary Committee hearing to… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Refugee Admissions Decision By Biden Administration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it would keep the Fiscal Year 2021 refugee admissions target at 15,000: "This Biden Administration refugee admissions target is unacceptable. These refugees can wait years for their chance and go through extensive vetting. Thirty-five thousand are ready. Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time there is no rea… Continue Reading