Press Releases
Senate Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill With Key Priorities Secured By Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus appropriations bill. "The omnibus spending package is a testament to the incredible progress we have made in the last year and makes significant investments for Illinois. It provides more than $13 billion to the people of Ukraine fighting tooth and nail to defend their freedom. It also … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin Talks Infrastructure With Champaign County First
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Champaign County First to discuss county infrastructure priorities now that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has been signed into law. During their conversation, Durbin and Champaign County leaders discussed potential federal funding for several current projects in the region, including The Yards development at the Illinois Terminal of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD); the Curtis … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin, Shaheen, Colleagues Meet With European Ambassadors On Ukraine
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, hosted key European Ambassadors to brief the Senate Democratic Caucus on Ukraine. The Senators and Ambassadors discussed transatlantic unity and additional actions Congress and the Administration can take in the coming days and weeks to help the Ukrainian people as they … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin, King, Smith, Sinema, Neguse Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable
WASHINGTON - In observation of Open Educational Resource Week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), today introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. The legislation, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin Discusses Quincy Bay Restoration, Modernization Of Illinois Locks And Dams, And Protecting The Great Lakes From Invasive Species With Rock Island Army Corp District Commander
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) received an update today from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander Colonel Jesse Curry about several Illinois water infrastructure projects including the restoration of Quincy Bay, the Brandon Road project to protect the Great Lakes from the spread of invasive Asian Carp, and the modernization of Illinois locks and dams through the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). "Illinois' water … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin: This Spending Package Is A Testament To The Progress We've Made During The Past Year Of The Democratic Majority
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Omnibus. The funding will reduce the cost of living for working families, create good-paying jobs, ensure families and children can access critical supplies, provide more than $13 billion to Ukrainians, make critical investments in our future, and much more. "Ukraine needs humanitarian, military, and … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Judiciary Committee Advances Six District Court Judges, Two U.S. Attorneys
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Kenly Kiya Kato, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Jennifer Louise Rochon, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York; Sunshine Suzanne Sykes, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Sherilyn Peace Garnett, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Nina Morrison, to be United … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin, Thune, Duckworth Lead Bipartisan Push to Utilize E15, Restore American Energy Independence
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a letter signed by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and a bipartisan group of their colleagues urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in order to reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of energy. The Senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable energy … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin, Senators To FDA Commissioner: Agency Is Six Months Past Court-Ordered Deadline To Regulate E-Cigarettes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a bipartisan letter with Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and 13 other Senators to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf urging the FDA to end its delays in reviewing premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) for the e-cigarette products that have fueled the youth vaping epidemic. In the letter, the Senators reiterated that the deadline for FDA's review was six months ago as mandated by a U.S. District … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin Statement On Omnibus Provision To Close E-Cigarette Loophole, Regulate Synthetic Nicotine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after he led a bipartisan Senate effort to successfully secure a provision in the fiscal year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will clarify the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) ability to regulate products containing synthetic nicotine as tobacco products. This legislative fix was necessary to close legal loopholes that manufacturers of kid-friendly, flavored e-cigarettes sought to … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Meets Virtually With Illinois Farm Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met virtually with Illinois Farm Bureau members, who thanked him for his work to secure $829 million in federal funding to modernize Illinois locks and dams. During the meeting, the members also spoke about the importance of federal crop insurance in the upcoming farm bill, the challenges of the rising costs of fertilizer, COVID-19-induced trucking … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Statement On Passage Of Postal Service Reform Act
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on Senate passage of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022: "With passage of the Postal Service Reform Act, we will finally address some of the root issues plaguing the U.S. Postal Service-including solvency and access to health care for retirees-while ensuring that Americans will continue to have six-day integrated delivery and reliable mail service. "Passage of this bill also reaffirms … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin: Judge Jackson Will Be A Strong, Fair, Principled, Evenhanded, & Impartial Supreme Court Justice
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about his meeting last week with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court. Durbin discussed Judge Jackson's breadth of experience, character and temperament, and evenhandedness and impartiality. "As I said, the day her nomination was announced, it's hard to think of a better jurist to replace the highly regarded … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Questions Justice Department In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Rise Of Hate Crimes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Combating the Rise in Hate Crimes." This hearing includes the first DOJ testimony on hate crimes since the January 15 synagogue attack in Colleyville, Texas, and the recent wave of bomb threats against Historically Black … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Statement On Biden Administration's Announcement To Ban Russian Oil Imports
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced a ban to Russian oil imports: "I applaud the Biden Administration's announcement to ban Russian oil imports. We cannot continue to purchase millions of barrels of oil to help fund Putin's unprovoked and unjustified war. This is another important step in tightening economic pressure on Putin and his cowardly enablers and … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks During Hearing On Rise Of Hate Crimes Following Recent Synagogue Attack In Colleyville, TX And Nationwide HBCU Bomb Threats
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during a hearing entitled "Combating the Rise in Hate Crimes." This hearing includes the first Department of Justice (DOJ) testimony on hate crimes since the January 15 synagogue attack in Colleyville, Texas, and the recent wave of bomb threats against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Key quotes: "We are hardly three months into … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of The Emmett Till Antilynching Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding Senate passage of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act: "Last night, the Senate unanimously passed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, which finally explicitly designates lynching as a hate crime in this country. There are direct links to this historic moment, the State of Illinois, and the City of Chicago. "Congressman Bobby Rush led the … Continue Reading
March 07, 2022
Following Meeting With Ukrainian President Zelensky, Durbin Calls On U.S. To Ban Russian Oil Imports
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, took to the Senate floor today to call on Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Durbin also reiterated his support for the bipartisan Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which was introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The legislation would … Continue Reading
March 07, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $118 Million In Additional American Rescue Plan Funding For CTA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $118 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This funding is in addition to $912.1 million in ARP funds previously awarded to the CTA and will help the transit agency continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, support operating expenses, and prevent cuts to the CTA workforce. "As the country's second … Continue Reading
March 07, 2022
Durbin Cosponsors Bill To Protect Consumers By Banning Forced Arbitration In Financial Products
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Arbitration Fairness for Consumers Act, legislation to prohibit banks and other financial institutions from using forced arbitration clauses against consumers who want to seek restitution and justice. "For years, banks and financial institutions have manipulated consumers into surrendering their rights in exchange for banking services, but consumers should never have their … Continue Reading