Durbin, Boozman, Inhofe, Booker, Cardin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase U.S. Exports to Africa

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), James Inhofe (R-OK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced bipartisan legislation to improve America's competiveness throughout the African continent by forcing better coordination between U.S. government agencies and departments, establishing comprehensive strategic goals, countering anticompetitive measures by China, and marshaling private investments to improve U.S. exports to… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Advances Monaco and Gupta Nominations

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of Lisa Monaco to be U.S. Deputy Attorney General by a unanimous voice vote and the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be U.S. Associate Attorney General by a vote of 11-11. Under the provisions of S. Res. 27, Leader Schumer may now file a discharge motion on Ms. Gupta's nomination to place her on the executive calendar. Ahead of the votes, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee,… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $5.5 Million for Illinois Veterans' Homes to protect Against COVID-19 And Other Infectious Diseases

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $5.5 million in federal grant funding to the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) for upgrades to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. This funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and appropriated by Congress though the CARES Act. The funds will reimburse the state for upgrades and improvements to air purification, ventilation, and other mecha… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $71 Million in FEMA Reimbursement Funding for Illinois COVID-19 Response

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois has been awarded a total of $71.9 million in federal grant funding to offset costs related to COVID-19 testing and response. The funding, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), covers the costs of the collection of COVID-19 tests, equipment rentals, and supplies procured by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) from January 20, 2020 through August 31, 2020. "This… Continue Reading

Durbin Reintroduces Legislation to Combat Rising Domestic Terrorism Threat

WASHINGTON-Following the continued rise in horrific incidents of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting religious and ethnic minorities and communities of color, as well as the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reintroduced legislation to address the growing domestic terrorism threat. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 would enhance the federal government's efforts to pre… Continue Reading

Durbin: To State That The Filibuster Has No Racial History Is To Ignore the Obvious

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pushed back against an argument that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made yesterday when he stated, "[the filibuster] has no racial history at all. None." Durbin reminded his colleagues that the filibuster has been used, going back as far as the early 19th century, to block civil rights laws by segregationists. It was used for decades to block measures meant to protect African Amer… Continue Reading

Durbin: Saving Lives From Gun Violence Is Not Theatre

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed the hearing he held yesterday on constitutional and common sense steps to reduce gun violence in America. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing came on the heels of two mass shootings within a week of each other in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado, which claimed the lives of 18 Americans including one police officer. During his floor speech,… Continue Reading

Durbin, Meeks Statement on GAO Report on U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Mexico

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statements after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an update of its January 2016 report on efforts to combat firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico. Today's report found that trafficking of U.S.-sourced firearms into Mexico is a "national sec… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Chicago Water Infrastructure Projects with Army Corps District Commander

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) received an update today from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District Commander Colonel Paul Culberson about several Chicago area Army Crops water infrastructure projects, including the expansion of the Chicago Shoreline, the Great Lakes Resiliency Study, and the Bubbly Creek Restoration Project. "The time is now to address the rising lake levels on the Chicago shoreline," said Durbin. "Over the years, the Army Corps has helped bui… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces American Cures Act and American Innovation Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced two pieces of legislation to restore the United States' commitment to breakthrough scientific and biomedical research. The American Cures Act and the American Innovation Act would create mandatory funds to provide steady, predictable funding for breakthrough research at America's top research agencies, allowing the United States to remain a leader in development and discovery for decades to come. Durbin is sponsoring bot… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Postmaster General DeJoy's 10 Year USPS Service Plan

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Postmaster General Louis DeJoy released the United States Postal Service's (USPS) "Delivering for America" 10-Year Plan, which drastically cuts hours and raises prices for USPS service: "There's no DeJoy in the Post Office tonight. Postmaster General DeJoy's plan to raise costs and cut services is designed to sink the postal service, not save it." Since taking control of USPS, DeJoy's polici… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cassidy, Grassley, Hirono, Coons, Tillis Introduce Bill to Ensure Greater Transparency for Third-Party Sellers of Consumer Products Online

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced legislation to combat the online sale of stolen, counterfeit, and dangerous consumer products by ensuring transparency of high-volume third-party sellers in online retail marketplaces. The Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers (INFORM Consumers) Act would direct online retail marketplaces that include third-party sellers of consumer products to authenticate th… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses on Trauma & Background Checks During Judiciary Committee Hearing on Proposals to Reduce Gun Violence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions of witnesses during a Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Constitutional and Common Sense Steps to Reduce Gun Violence". Durbin first asked Dr. Selwyn Rogers, Jr., Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at University of Chicago Medicine, to explain how trauma perpetuates a cycle of gun violence in Chicago. "We face two realities, certainly from a Chicago perspective, tha… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks in Hearing on Proposals to Reduce Gun Violence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Constitutional and Common Sense Steps to Reduce Gun Violence". Durbin recognized the victims of the recent mass shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado, which claimed 18 lives in total. Durbin also argued that gun violence is an epidemic in our country and that it requires urgent action from Congress… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for the Release of Political Prisoners Languishing in Jails Around the World

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today shared the stories of political prisoners languishing in jails around the world for nothing more than advocating for human rights and political freedoms, and called for their immediate release. Durbin noted that these brave souls - journalists, activists, opposition politicians - are often cruelly led to believe they or their efforts to push for freedoms are forgotten, which Durbin wanted to ensure … Continue Reading

Durbin Previews Judiciary Committee Hearing on Common Sense Solutions to Gun Violence in America

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed the recent mass shooting in Atlanta where a gunman murdered eight people-six of whom were Asian-American women-in what appears to be an act of domestic terrorism. Durbin also previewed a hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold tomorrow on gun violence in America and advocated for passage of common sense gun violence prevention measures. … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on COVID Relief Program for Live-Event Businesses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program would start accepting applications on April 8 from live-event businesses, such as music clubs, theatres, concert venues, and museums that have been affected by the pandemic: "Illinois' music venues, theatres, and other live-event spaces have been hit hard by this pandemic. T… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Save Public Infrastructure Projects Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and a group of Senate Democrats to introduce the Public Transit Capital Investment Relief Act of 2021. The legislation would provide relief for public transportation agencies through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program by increasing the federal cost share of the total project cost for qualifying projects that are under construction or near completion. Durbin and Murray were joined by U.S. Se… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $380 Million for Illinois Schools for COVID-19 Testing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $381.6 million in federal funding for the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago to support COVID-19 screening testing for teachers, staff, and students to assist schools in re-opening safely for in-person instruction and to support essential worker testing. With funding provided through the American Rescue Plan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $300.5 million to the… Continue Reading

Ahead of House Vote on Immigration Legislation, Durbin Calls on the Senate to Act

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the House of Representatives vote on the American Dream and Promise Act, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, today called on the Senate to take up the legislation after the House passes it. TheAmerican Dream and Promise Act would establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Durbin also spoke in strong sup… Continue Reading