Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Campaigns and Elections
Durbin Reintroduces Joint Resolution To Enshrine Americans’ Right To Vote In The Constitution
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reintroduced a joint resolution that would finally enshrine an explicit, individual right to vote in the U.S. Constitution, and protect all Americans who seek to exercise this fundamental right. “In the words of the late John Lewis, the right to vote is ‘the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument we have in a democratic society.’ When Congress passed the Voting Rights Act … Continue Reading
April 24, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Join Introduction Of Bill To Block Trump’s Executive Order Restricting Vote By Mail
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) to introduce the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act (Absentee MVP Act), which would block President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots and protect the right to vote by mail. The Absentee MVP Act would nullify Trump’s … Continue Reading
April 22, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Join Letter Demanding USPS Uphold Federal Law Over President Trump’s Illegal Executive Order To Restrict Mail-In Voting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and 32 of their Democratic colleagues in demanding the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) uphold existing federal law over the executive order signed by President Trump. The executive order, which has been challenged in the courts, would direct USPS to create and maintain “Mail-in Absentee Participations Lists” that … Continue Reading
April 21, 2026
Durbin Questions Election Denier & Conspiracy Theorist, Jeffrey Clark, During Latest Arctic Frost Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Jeffrey Clark at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Arctic Frost: Conspiracy and Coordination Against President Trump and the American Right.” Mr. Clark is an environmental lawyer who was the Acting Assistant Attorney General for DOJ’s Civil Division at the end of 2020 and played a key role in President Trump’s failed efforts to overturn the 2020 … Continue Reading
April 21, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement Slamming Senate Republicans For Holding Yet Another Wasteful Hearing On Arctic Frost
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 Subcommittee hearing entitled “Arctic Frost: Conspiracy and Coordination Against President Trump and the American Right.” Instead of allowing Special Prosecutor Jack Smith to testify, the subcommittee heard from Jeffrey Clark, an environmental lawyer who was the Acting Assistant Attorney General for DOJ’s Civil Division at the … Continue Reading
April 14, 2026
Durbin Slams Latest Unconstitutional Attempts By Trump To Restrict Voting
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed the latest attempts by President Donald Trump and his Administration to restrict voters’ access to the ballot box, including his latest executive order targeting mail-in voting, as well as Senate Republican’s misguided SAVE America Act. “People should not be allowed to vote in an election illegally. Is that a radical idea? I think it’s a … Continue Reading
March 23, 2026
Durbin Files Amendments To SAVE America Act, Calls For Voter Protections
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he filed 11 amendments to the Republicans’ SAVE America Act, a bill that would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters by implementing extreme voter ID requirements that are designed to prevent Americans from exercising their fundamental right to vote. Durbin’s amendments range from protecting voters’ access to the ballot box and affirming the outcome of the … Continue Reading
March 20, 2026
Durbin Outlines Various Obstacles Americans Would Face When Attempting To Register To Vote Under The Republicans’ SAVE America Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, outlined the various obstacles that Americans would face when attempting to register to vote under Republicans’ SAVE America Act, legislation that is designed to prevent Americans from exercising their fundamental right to vote. Under the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote, driver’s licenses and other … Continue Reading
March 20, 2026
Durbin Denounces Republicans’ Voter Suppression Legislation 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, denounced Republicans’ SAVE America Act, legislation that is designed to prevent Americans from exercising their fundamental right to vote. Under the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote, driver’s licenses and other government-issued IDs, including a REAL ID, alone would not be sufficient. According to a nonpartisan … Continue Reading
March 19, 2026
Durbin Denounces SAVE America Act & Republicans’ Efforts To Restrict Americans’ Fundamental Right To Vote
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor denouncing the Republicans’ SAVE America Act, which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. In his remarks, Durbin laid out the barriers to voting that the SAVE America Act would create by requiring all Americans who are registering to vote to show documentary proof of citizenship. “On August 6, 1965, President … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
Durbin Slams Republicans’ SAVE America Act
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at Chicago-Kent College of Law with the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois to speak out against Congressional Republicans’ SAVE America Act, which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. Earlier this week, President Trump said he would not sign any legislation until Congress passes this bill. It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Durbin Slams Senate Republicans For Blocking Bill To Fund TSA, FEMA, And More While DHS Funding Negotiations Continue
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, slammed Senate Republicans for blocking a bill that would fund every agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—except U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and the Office of the Secretary—while negotiations continue to rein in federal … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026
Durbin Sounds The Alarm On President Trump’s Threats To Election Integrity
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sounded the alarm on the Trump Administration’s threats to election integrity. Durbin began his remarks by commenting on the Administration’s outrageous attempt to convince a grand jury to indict Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and U.S. Representatives Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02), and … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Condemns Dark Money In Politics On Anniversary Of Citizens United Supreme Court Decision
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined his Senate Democratic colleagues in marking the sixteenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, which opened the floodgates for dark money in our politics. Durbin began by reflecting on the campaign finance landscape during his first Congressional run in 1982. “In 1982, I decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time… I … Continue Reading
July 30, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Spotlight Forum Examining Trump Administration's Voter Suppression Efforts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at his and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-CA) spotlight forum entitled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.” Today’s spotlight forum examined the recent surge in voter suppression by Republican state legislatures and the Trump Administration, ranging from attempts to purge voter rolls to the push to … Continue Reading
July 29, 2025
Durbin, Warnock Reintroduce John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA), along with U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and all other Senate Democrats, today reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act. This legislation is especially relevant in … Continue Reading
January 14, 2025
Durbin Statement On Former Special Counsel Jack Smith's Report On Trump's Interference In The 2020 Election
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on then-President Trump’s efforts to interfere with the lawful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election and the certification of the Electoral College vote held on January 6, 2021: “The former Special Counsel’s report shows the American people just how close we came to a … Continue Reading
November 13, 2024
Durbin Meets With Democratic Senators-Elect
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Democratic Senators-elect, including Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), to congratulate them and discuss their goals for the 119th Congress. “It’s an honor to welcome these newly-elected Senators to Washington. They each bring a unique experience in public service and new energy to our efforts to address the issues … Continue Reading
November 07, 2024
Durbin Statement On The Outcome Of The 2024 Election
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: “To Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz—thank you. Thank you for running a campaign filled with hope, joy, and possibility. I am sorry that we will not see your vision for America come to be. “While the Administration will change in January, my belief in the promise of this country never will. I promise to work with all of my strength each day in the Senate to look out for the most … Continue Reading
August 12, 2024
Durbin, Klobuchar, Welch, Lead Colleagues In Urging Justice Department To Protect Election Workers Ahead Of 2024 Election
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Peter Welch (D-VT) led a group of 19 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco urging the Department of Justice to take further action to counter threats targeting election workers ahead of the upcoming election. “We write to express serious concern about ongoing and persistent … Continue Reading