Press Releases
Durbin Statement On Senate Agriculture Committee Advancing Partisan Crypto Market Structure Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after the Committee advanced cryptocurrency market structure legislation along party lines. Republicans also voted to reject two amendments that Durbin offered in order to strengthen the bill. Durbin’s amendments attempted to crack down on crypto ATM fraud and ban some crypto intermediaries from receiving a federal bailout. “The 2008 financial crisis was … Continue Reading
January 29, 2026
Durbin Statement On Senate Agriculture Committee Advancing Partisan Crypto Market Structure Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after the Committee advanced cryptocurrency market structure legislation along party lines. Republicans also voted to reject two amendments that Durbin offered in order to strengthen the bill. Durbin’s amendments attempted to crack down on crypto ATM fraud and ban some crypto intermediaries from receiving a federal bailout. “The 2008 financial crisis was … Continue Reading
January 29, 2026
Durbin Votes Against Department Of Homeland Security Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting against the government funding package that includes the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill: “As we have said, Democrats are ready to pass the five bipartisan government funding bills now, but the DHS bill needs serious work. I’m glad that the White House has finally … Continue Reading
January 28, 2026
Durbin Responds To The Killing Of Alex Pretti On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke about the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a VA hospital in Minneapolis, by federal agents this weekend. During his speech, Durbin reiterated his opposition to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill and argued that if the government shuts down yet again, it … Continue Reading
January 28, 2026
Durbin Questions Witnesses During A Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Need To Reform The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Review and Reform: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Executive Accountability.” In less than three months, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will expire. Durbin began his remarks by commenting on the lawlessness of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) cruel … Continue Reading
January 28, 2026
Durbin, Merkley, Peters Lead Amicus Brief Urging Court To Affirm Critical Protections For Minors In Immigration Detention
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, led a group of 23 Senators in filing an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals urging the Court to uphold the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement, which sets critical … Continue Reading
January 28, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Need To Reform The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Review and Reform: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Executive Accountability.” In less than three months, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will expire. The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over FISA, and during his opening, Durbin noted the … Continue Reading
January 28, 2026
Durbin Delivers Remarks As He Is Presented National Head Start Association Lifetime Achievement Award
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today received the National Head Start Association’s (NHSA) Robert E. Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of support for the early childhood education program. In his remarks, Durbin spoke about the importance of early childhood development support and the integral role that Head Start plays in supporting children and families from underserved communities. Durbin denounced the Trump Administration’s … Continue Reading
January 27, 2026
Durbin, Pingree, Buchanan Introduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation To Establish ‘Produce Prescription’ Program For Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) today introduced the Produce Prescription for Veterans Act, new legislation that would authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide produce prescriptions to veterans. These produce prescription programs would allow veterans who have diet-related chronic conditions to be “prescribed” vouchers or debit cards that allow them to purchase … Continue Reading
January 26, 2026
Durbin Statement On Announcement That Secretary Noem Will Testify Before The Senate Judiciary Committee On March 3
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the announcement that U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will finally testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3: “Secretary Noem refused to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year and now tells us that she will be available in five weeks—should she still be DHS Secretary at that … Continue Reading
January 26, 2026
Durbin Leads Release Of GAO Report Recommending Improved Oversight Of Medical Care In CBP Custody
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a group of colleagues in releasing the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) newly-completed report on systemic failures at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that resulted in years of deficient medical care. The report was requested in December 2023 after the death of Anadith Danay Reyes Álvarez, an eight-year-old girl with sickle cell and congenital heart disease who … Continue Reading
January 24, 2026
Durbin To Vote Against Department Of Homeland Security Funding Bill
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding bill: “I will not vote to fund the illegal DHS and ICE operations that terrorize Chicago, Minneapolis, and many other communities. The deaths of innocent Americans and the detaining of thousands of innocent people are a national disgrace. … Continue Reading
January 23, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Secure Support For Illinois Priorities In Recently Passed Package Of Three Government Funding Bills
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the various priorities for Illinois they secured in the recently passed package of government funding bills for Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). “This government funding package had a strong showing of bipartisan support, a step in the right … Continue Reading
January 21, 2026
Durbin Slams Trump’s Child Care Funding Freeze At Rockford YWCA
ROCKFORD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at the YWCA of Northwestern Illinois in Rockford to call out the Trump Administration’s heartless decision to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care, community programs, and financial support for families in five Democratic-led states—including $1 billion for Illinois. The YWCA of Northwestern Illinois serves families who qualify for the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program, which is partially … Continue Reading
January 21, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Release Data On Rising Cost Of Living In Illinois Under Trump Administration
SPRINGFIELD - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) shared data from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) showing that the average Illinois household has paid $1,781 in higher costs since President Trump took office one year ago. Despite numerous claims that the second Trump Administration will lower the cost of living for Americans, President Trump has instead focused his energy on slashing $1 trillion in Medicaid funds, pricing out … Continue Reading
January 20, 2026
Durbin Blasts Kristi Noem On Targeting, Racial Profiling Of American Citizens By ICE Agents
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called out U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on her department’s threats to American citizens, as well as misstatements of law by senior Trump Administration officials. In a letter to Noem, Durbin wrote: “I am outraged at the repeated targeting and racial profiling of U.S. citizens facing warrantless searches and detainment by federal immigration … Continue Reading
January 20, 2026
Durbin Joins Small Business Owners In Springfield To Discuss Credit Card Competition Act
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined small business owners at Café Moxo in Springfield to discuss how his recently reintroduced bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act will increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses—and, ultimately, consumers. Today, Visa and Mastercard control about 85 percent of the credit card market and refuse to negotiate fair terms with Main Street … Continue Reading
January 20, 2026
Durbin Statement On The Weaponization Of The Justice Department Against Minnesota Politicians
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Justice Department reportedly opened investigations into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison over an alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents: “During his campaign and his presidency, President Trump promised ‘retribution’ against his enemies. He has made good on his … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Congressional Delegation To Copenhagen
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) is joining a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation to Copenhagen, Denmark to highlight the more than 200 years of friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark, including enduring national security ties and decades of economic cooperation. The delegation will be in Copenhagen on Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17. “President Trump’s continued threats toward Greenland are unnecessary and would only … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin, Shaheen Host Bipartisan Meeting With Venezuelan Opposition Leader, María Corina Machado
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, hosted Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, María Corina Machado, for a bipartisan meeting with United States Senators. In attendance at today’s meeting along with Durbin and Shaheen were U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Curtis (R-UT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ruben Gallego … Continue Reading