Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Military and Veterans
Durbin Joins Senator Duckworth On The Floor To Denounce Deployment Of National Guard Troops To Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor along with Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to denounce the Trump Administration’s deployment of Texas and Illinois National Guard troops to Illinois. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized the illegality of President Trump’s deployment of troops to American cities and underscored that these actions are motivated by the President’s desire to play a strongman … Continue Reading
October 08, 2025
Durbin On Deployment Of National Guard Troops To Chicago: The Trump Admin’s Unlawful Use Of The Military To Police American Cities Makes Our Country Less Safe
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor to denounce the Trump Administration’s deployment of Texas and Illinois National Guard troops to Illinois. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized the illegality of President Trump’s deployment of troops to American cities and underscored that these actions are motivated by the President’s desire to play a strongman on television rather than to help … Continue Reading
October 04, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Trump Deploying The Military To Chicago
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today as the Trump Administration reportedly prepares to deploy the military to Chicago: “Terrorizing families with midnight raids and military troops in our streets is writing a shameful chapter in our nation’s history. This President is not intent on fighting crime. He is intent on spreading … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider Visit Naval Station Great Lakes, Locked Out By DHS
NORTH CHICAGO — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) to visit Naval Station Great Lakes amid President Trump’s plans to support U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and his threats to deploy the military to Chicago are imminent. “The Naval Station Great Lakes is one of the most important training facilities our nation has,” said Durbin. “I’ve been honored to work alongside my … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Warren To Lead Investigation Into Trump Administration's Betrayal Of Immigrant Service Members, Veterans, And Military Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02), and Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), opened a new investigation into the Trump Administration’s arrest, detention, and deportation of non-citizen service members, Veterans, and military families. The lawmakers wrote to the Department of … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Durbin, Sorensen, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan Call For Continued Support For Defense Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), along with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Representative Blake Moore (R-UT-01), today led a bipartisan letter urging Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to maintain robust support for the Department of Defense’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC). The OLDCC administers crucial programs, including the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), the … Continue Reading
July 09, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill Expanding Student Loan Refinancing For Service Members
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, legislation that would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow service members to consolidate or refinance student loan debt they had when they entered the military and continue to benefit from the six percent interest rate cap to which they are entitled through the SCRA. A provision in the SCRA protects service … Continue Reading
June 26, 2024
Durbin Issues Statement On President Biden's Pardon Of LGBTQ+ Service Members Who Wrongfully Received Dishonorable Discharges For Their Identity
CHICAGO - On the ninth anniversary of the Obergefell v. Hodeges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Biden’s pardon for military service members who were convicted under a now-repealed military law because of their sexual orientation: “On the anniversary of Obergefell, President Biden has taken another step forward in advancing the rights of … Continue Reading
May 16, 2024
Durbin Talks Military Readiness With Chief of U.S. Air Force Reserves
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Lt. Gen. John Healy, Chief of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, to discuss military readiness. Durbin also received an update about Scott Air Force Base’s 932nd Airlift Wing, which Durbin protected from divestment and for which he secured nearly $60 million for aircraft upgrades in recent fiscal years. The 932nd Airlift Wing trains, equips, and employs C-40C … Continue Reading
March 12, 2024
Durbin Joins Senate Democrats On The Floor To Call For Passage Of Veterans Families Health Services Act, Protection For IVF
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined his Democratic colleagues in speaking in support of the Veterans Families Health Services Act, which Durbin cosponsored, ahead of U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) request to pass the bill by unanimous consent. Despite the importance of providing accessible health care to female veterans and claims that Republicans support IVF, U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) objected to the passage of the bill. Durbin began his … Continue Reading
February 27, 2024
Durbin Talks Military Readiness with U.S. Transportation Command
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today spoke by phone with the Commander of U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost. TRANSCOM, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, is tasked with providing air, land, and sea transportation around the world for the Department of Defense (DOD). During their call, Durbin and General Van Ovost discussed military logistical operations … Continue Reading
May 03, 2023
Durbin Leads Colleagues In Penning Letter To Departments Of Education, Defense, And Veterans Affairs Warning Against Predatory For-Profit College University Of Phoenix
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough warning the agency leaders about the predatory for-profit college University of Phoenix's (Phoenix) latest tactics to recruit students using … Continue Reading
March 08, 2023
Durbin Meets With Illinois Veterans With Wounded Warrior Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Illinois veterans with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), an organization that focuses on supporting post-9/11 veterans, caregivers, and families of veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury during their service. During their meeting, Durbin and the veterans discussed the importance of adequately staffing VA medical centers with mental health … Continue Reading
February 02, 2023
In Amicus Brief, Durbin And Colleagues Call On Seventh Circuit To Reject 3M’s Attempt To Use Bankruptcy To Evade Accountability To Military Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a group of Senate and House Democratic colleagues in submitting an amicus brief in a bankruptcy case before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, in support of 231,000 military veterans who are seeking restitution from 3M and its subsidiary Aearo Technologies for allegedly manufacturing defective earplugs. The company and its subsidiary attempted a complex maneuver similar to the infamous … Continue Reading
September 30, 2022
Durbin, Marshall Introduce Amendment to NDAA to Address High Swipe Fees Affecting Our Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) introduced two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address excessively high credit and debit card swipe fees that burden American consumers, small businesses, and veterans. Their first amendment would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Treasury Department to issue a report about a current law, 10 USC 1065, that requires some veteran populations including … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Honoring Our PACT Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Honoring Our PACT Act, legislation that will expand eligibility for health care for veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty: "When Americans sign up to serve our country in the military, we promise that we will not leave them behind. The Senate honored our veterans' service today with the passage of the PACT Act, which will give new … Continue Reading
June 08, 2022
President Biden Signs Durbin, D. Davis, Underwood Bill Restoring Education Benefits To Veterans Into Law
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, President Joe Biden signed the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-IL-7), and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), into law. The legislation will help more than 300 Illinois veterans who were scammed out of their benefits by the unaccredited, for-profit Future Tech Career Institute (FTCI) in Chicago. "During the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2022
Durbin, D. Davis, Underwood Urge VA To Quickly Implement Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration And Recovery Act Once Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL-07) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) today sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Denis McDonough requesting an update about how the VA plans to implement the Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act after it is signed into law by President Biden. The legislation, led by Durbin, Davis, and Underwood, will help more than 300 Illinois veterans … Continue Reading
May 12, 2022
Durbin Talks Military Modernization With U.S. Air Force Secretary
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall III about the Air Force's priorities for Fiscal Year 2023 and military modernization efforts. On the call, Durbin received an update about recent upgrades to satellite communications equipment on C-40 planes based in Illinois. Durbin urged against efforts to divest from the 932nd Airlift Wing's C-40 plans at Scott … Continue Reading
April 27, 2022
Durbin Questions Secretary Of State Antony Blinken On Situation In Ukraine At Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), today at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs hearing questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the U.S. Department of State's Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget request. Durbin, Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, began his questioning asking about Ukraine's needs following Putin's unjustified and unprovoked war. "Are we falling short for what they need [Ukraine]? Are we doing … Continue Reading