Durbin To Biden Administration: Push Every Possible Lever To Secure The Safe And Urgent Release Of Mark Frerichs

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reiterated that the United States must do whatever it can to bring home Mark Frerichs, originally from Illinois and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, who was abducted in Afghanistan two years ago. At the time, Mr. Frerichs was working as a civil engineer and for a decade, he had been leading construction projects to benefit the Afghan people. "Two years ago Mark Frerichs, a veteran of the United States… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors Justice Stephen Breyer On The Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today honored Justice Stephen Breyer on the Senate floor following his announcement that he will retire at the end of this Supreme Court term. "In his nearly three decades on the Supreme Court, Justice Stephen Breyer has… ensured the law is a force for good, a force for unity, and a force for freedom and equality," Durbin said. "Justice Breyer's record when it came to the Supreme Cour… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Resolution To Celebrate 100 Years Of Diplomatic Relations Between United States And Baltic States

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Co-Chairs of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, led 17 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to celebrate 100 years of diplomatic relations with the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid increasing Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. "This year… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos' Protecting Roadside First Responders Act Provisions Included In National Roadway Safety Strategy

WASHINGTON - This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the federal government's comprehensive National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) - a roadmap for addressing the national crisis in roadway fatalities and serious injuries - will include key provisions from the Protecting Roadside First Responders Act. Authored by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), the Protecting Roadside First … Continue Reading

Durbin, Lightfoot, Members Of Delegation Highlight How Infrastructure Bill Will Benefit Chicago's Shoreline And Lake Michigan

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mayor Lori Lightfoot, along with U.S. Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL-01), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), and Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today joined state, local, and environmental leaders at the Shedd Aquarium to discuss how new federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help protect Lake Michigan and Chicago's shoreline. The funding, allocated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAC… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Department Of Transportation, Auto Industry To Take Coordinated Action To Address Carjackings

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is pressing the Biden Administration, vehicle manufacturers, and law enforcement groups to work together to prevent and respond to the recent surge in carjackings. In two letters sent to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Durbin urged the development of uniform standards for swift law enforcement access to vehicle location tracking data in carjacki… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Retirement Of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after reports that Justice Stephen Breyer plans to announce his retirement from the Supreme Court: "I thank Justice Breyer for his decades serving the Court and the nation. He has been a trusted voice on the bench with a first-rate legal mind. "With this Supreme Court vacancy, President Biden has the opportunity to nominate someone who will bring diversit… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights New Funding Available For Illinois Rural EMS Agencies

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today encouraged rural communities in Illinois to apply for a new grant opportunity to support fire and emergency medical services (EMS). The funding, created through Durbin's Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act, supports EMS agencies in training and recruiting staff, conducting certification courses, and purchasing equipment-for everything from naloxone and personal protective equipment (PPE), to power stretchers or new ambulances. … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Urge Treasury To Provide Additional Federal Rent Relief To Keep Most Vulnerable Americans Housed

WASHINGTON- As our country continues to face the impacts of the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) in leading a group of Senators in calling on the Treasury Department to reallocate federal rent relief funding to communities most in need. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Senators requested new guidelines for the distribution of reallocated Emergency R… Continue Reading

In Letter To Illinois Health Providers, Durbin Highlights American Rescue Plan Funding For Health Care Workers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) this week sent a letter to Illinois health care providers, clinics and hospitals, and schools of medicine, nursing, and dentistry urging them to publicize the availability of an historic $1 billion in National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps scholarship and loan repayment funding for health care workers. The funding, which Durbin helped secure, was set aside in the American Rescue Plan to remedy health workforce shortages in u… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce New Upcoming Funding Opportunities For Infrastructure Improvements

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced 25 upcoming infrastructure grant opportunities for local governments as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Local governments throughout Illinois will be able to apply for funding to improve roads, bridges, public transit, water infrastructure, broadband access, and more. In addition to these grant opportunities, Illinois will receive more than $17 billion in dedicated funding as a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Urge Department Of Interior To Protect Lands By Designing Wilderness Study Areas

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in sending a letter to Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland urging her to use her authority under the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) to provide protections for lands that demonstrate wilderness characteristics as Wilderness Study Areas. Designating these areas as Wilde… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Holly Thomas To Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Holly Thomas's nomination to serve on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 48-40. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge Thomas's confirmation: "Judge Holly Thomas is a highly qualified and evenhanded jurist with a distinguished record of public service. Her varied professional background, extensive appellate experience, and tenure as a judg… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Advances One Circuit Court Nominee, Eleven District Court Nominees

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Alison J. Nathan, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit; Victoria Marie Calvert, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia; John H. Chun, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington; Sarah Elisabeth Geraghty, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia; Dale E. Ho, to be United States District Judge for the Southe… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bipartisan Colleagues Urge President Biden To Include Funding For Emergency International Food Aid In Any Supplemental Request To Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 17 of his Senate colleagues today in a bipartisan letter to President Biden urging him to include funding for emergency international food aid in any upcoming supplemental request to Congress. Recently, the Biden Administration provided an additional $308 million in aid and eased procedures for humanitarian groups. However, the Senators noted in their letter that both the United Nations and World Food Programme (WFP) indicate far mo… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans' Filibuster Of Historic Voting Rights Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans filibustered the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act: "Sadly, many Republican lawmakers would rather repeat the twice impeached former President's 'Big Lie' than face his wrath. And tonight, that revealed itself as Senate Republicans used the filibuster once again to kill legislation that would protect Americans' fundamental right to… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes For Rules Change Following Senate Republicans' Filibuster Of Historic Voting Rights Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted to support a change to Senate rules that would allow for a talking filibuster on the historic voting rights legislation-the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act-after Senate Republicans filibustered it earlier in the evening: "Unfortunately, a majority of Senators have pledged allegiance to the filibuster. But I believe there is something more critical than a Senate rule that has been … Continue Reading

DURBIN, DUCKWORTH, BLUNT, GRASSLEY, BUSTOS, HINSON ANNOUNCE $829 MILLION IN FUNDING TO MODERNIZE LOCK AND DAMS ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI & ILLINOIS RIVERS

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA-01) announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has allocated $829.1 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) on the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). Spec… Continue Reading

Durbin: To Restore The Power Of The Voting Rights Act Is To Restore The Promise Of America

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support critical voting rights legislation that will come before the Senate tonight. The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act combines the bipartisan John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also discussed the continued threat to our democracy posed by Donald Trump's "Big Lie." "App… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Mayor Lightfoot, Members Of Chicago Delegation Announce $1.5 Million In Funding From Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal To Restore Chicago Shoreline

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, along with U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), and Marie Newman (D-IL-03) announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has allocated $1.5 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to the Chicago Shoreline Storm Damage Reduction Project. The funding will suppo… Continue Reading