Press Releases
Durbin, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Amend National Child Protection Act To Expand Nationwide Background Check Access
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 (NCPA) to ensure that individuals with unsupervised access to children, such as those under contract with a school, are, once again, authorized to have a national background check. Since 1993, the National Child Protection … Continue Reading
September 26, 2024
Durbin Applauds Biden-Harris Executive Actions To Curb Gun Violence And Save Lives
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on President Biden and Vice President Harris’s new executive actions to help curb gun violence and save lives: “Gun violence is a uniquely American crisis. As they have since day one, President Biden and Vice President Harris are taking actionable steps to help curb this crisis and save lives. Congress was part of that effort by passing the most significant gun … Continue Reading
September 26, 2024
Durbin, Young Celebrate Their Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act Heading To President's Desk
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) celebrated U.S. Senate passage of their Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, which will now head to the President’s desk for his signature. The legislation extends funding for public health efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve childhood survival rates, prevent premature death and disability, and increase quality of life for the two-and-a-half million … Continue Reading
September 25, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Ramirez, Underwood Celebrate Senate Passage Of Resolution Honoring Wadee Alfayoumi
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) celebrated Senate passage of a resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a six-year-old Palestinian American boy who was murdered as a victim of a hate crime in Plainfield, Illinois, on October 14, 2023. The lawmakers introduced the resolution earlier this year. “Wadee … Continue Reading
September 25, 2024
Durbin Statement On Passage Of Short-Term Government Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate passage of the short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the government through December 20: “It’s disappointing that the best we can do is ‘keep the lights on’ when funding the government. Congress should be addressing issues that are important to the American people, not kicking the can down the road once again. Democrats want … Continue Reading
September 25, 2024
Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees In Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON - During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Sarah Morgan Davenport, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico, about her unique background. Durbin also began his remarks by highlighting the rigorous vetting process nominees undergo to be considered for a judicial nomination. “Among our nominees is Ms. Davenport, who graduated … Continue Reading
September 25, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing On Six Judicial Nominations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Anthony J. Brindisi, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York; Elizabeth C. Coombe, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York; Sarah Morgan Davenport, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee On Supreme Court Ruling In Donald Trump Immunity Case
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “‘When the President Does It, that Means It’s Not Illegal’: The Supreme Court’s Unprecedented Immunity Decision.” The hearing explored the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States. Durbin began by questioning Mary McCord, Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin, Wicker Introduce Resolution Commemorating the 30th Anniversary Of the Eradication Of Polio In The Americas
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) today introduced a resolution commemorating the 30th anniversary of the eradication of polio in the Americas, in which the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the region as being “polio-free” on September 29, 1994. Nearly 60,000 children in the United States were reported to have polio in 1952, with more than 20,000 cases of paralysis. The polio vaccine was discovered at the University of … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin, Padilla Engage In Refugee Consultation With Biden-Harris Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, today participated in the statutorily-required refugee consultation between the Biden-Harris Administration and House and Senate Judiciary Committee leadership. The Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. is on track to welcome 100,000 arrivals this fiscal … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin, Marshall Statement On DOJ Lawsuit Alleging Visa Debit Card Practices Violate Federal Antitrust Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), lead sponsors of the Credit Card Competition Act, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Visa alleging that the company illegally maintains a monopoly over debit network markets through anticompetitive practices that violate federal antitrust law: “According to DOJ’s lawsuit, Visa … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Supreme Court Ruling In Donald Trump Immunity Case
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “‘When the President Does It, that Means It’s Not Illegal’: The Supreme Court’s Unprecedented Immunity Decision.” The hearing will explore the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States. Key Quotes: “Nearly two decades ago, then-Judge John Roberts came before this Committee for … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $11 Million In Federal Funding For Health Care Research In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $10,906,668 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical research grants for Illinois institutions. The federal funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be put toward research programs across the state to support medical advancement in various fields, ranging from lung diseases to mental health research. “Federal investments in medical … Continue Reading
September 23, 2024
Durbin, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urge Supreme Court To Maintain Strength Of Landmark Criminal Justice Reform Provision in HEWITT V. U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led fellow Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Mike Lee (R-UT) in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Hewitt v. United States. The brief deals with the Senators’ landmark 2018 bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation—the First Step Act (FSA)—and provisions reducing the length of mandatory minimums and modifying … Continue Reading
September 23, 2024
Following Their Letter, Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Biden Administration For Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following Summer Tornadoes, Extreme Weather
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to support seven Illinois counties in recovering from severe storms in which more than 40 tornadoes spun through Central and Northern Illinois and downstate Illinois flooded between July 13 and July 16, … Continue Reading
September 23, 2024
Durbin Highlights The Urgent Need To Protect Dreamers And Pass The Dream Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor highlighting the urgent need for Congress to pass legal protections for noncitizens who were brought to the United States as children, known as Dreamers. More than 20 years ago, Durbin first introduced the Dream Act. In 2010, Durbin sent a letter, joined by the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers. … Continue Reading
September 23, 2024
Durbin: We Must Work In Good Faith To Fund The Government. Time Is Of The Essence.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to offer his support for the bipartisan funding agreement that was reached over the weekend to fund the government through December 20, preventing a shutdown from occurring on October 1. In his speech, Durbin expressed his frustration at the broken funding process, which has led to repeated threats of a shutdown every year. “We’re one week away from the deadline to fund the government. It is an … Continue Reading
September 20, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley, Announce More Than $300 Million In Federal Funding For Transportation Infrastructure Improvements In Chicago
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Quigley (D-IL-05) today announced $305,467,517 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Mega Program. With this federal funding, the Illinois Department of Transportation will receive $209,877,984 for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program and $95,589,533 for the I-290/IL171 (1st Avenue) Interchange Project. … Continue Reading
September 19, 2024
Durbin Meets With Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty To Discuss Ongoing Conflict In Gaza
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and Iranian-sponsored instability. During the meeting, they also discussed a path for post-war Gaza. In addition to Durbin, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) also joined the meeting. “Egypt is an important voice in the Middle East and remains a critical voice in helping humanitarian aid enter Gaza and assisting negotiations toward a … Continue Reading
September 19, 2024
Durbin Introduces America's Clean Future Fund Act To Invest In A Clean Future And Spur Job Creation
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the America’s Clean Future Fund Act, a bill that would spur job creation by investing in a clean energy economy. The bill seeks to drive significant carbon emissions reductions to combat the climate crisis; provide transition assistance to environmental justice (EJ) communities, farmers, and fossil fuel-reliant communities; and provide financing for climate resilience and clean energy projects. “We are already … Continue Reading