Press Releases

March 01, 2022

Durbin To Putin: Your Legacy Will Be One Of Shame And Infamy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, took to the Senate floor today to once again renounce Russia's relentless unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and recognize Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova who met with the Ukraine Caucus yesterday. "Why is Putin doing this? Because of his own petty grievances and warped nostalgia for the dark days of the Soviet Union and taking control. In his twisted mind, an entire innocent … Continue Reading


March 01, 2022

Durbin Hosts Three Illinoisans for President Biden's First State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a virtual news conference to preview President Biden's first State of the Union Address to Congress. Durbin's "virtual guests" include Mayor Vernard Alsberry Jr., of Hazel Crest; Don Finn of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker (IBEW) Local 134 in Chicago; and Christine Morris, RN, Site Manager at Heartland Health Services in Peoria. All three guests have made significant contributions to their communities … Continue Reading


March 01, 2022

Durbin, Portman, Urkaine Caucus Meet With Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova. The Ambassador provided an update to the Senate Ukraine Caucus on the Russian military invasion into Ukraine. The bipartisan meeting was attended by 22 senators. "The Ukrainian people are fighting a valiant battle against all odds," said Durbin. "Today's meeting reaffirmed the United States' commitment to do … Continue Reading


March 01, 2022

Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan H-1B, L-1 Visa Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced bipartisan, legislation to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act will reduce fraud and abuse, provide protections for American workers and visa holders, and require more transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers. This comprehensive … Continue Reading


March 01, 2022

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Increase Number Of Green Cards, Eliminating The Backlog

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, legislation to eliminate the family and employment green card backlog by increasing the number of green cards. Almost four million future Americans are on the State Department's immigrant visa waiting list, in addition to hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the U.S. who are also waiting for green … Continue Reading


March 01, 2022

Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On Carjacking

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Cook County Sherriff Thomas Dart and President and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau David J. Glawe about striking the balance between consumer privacy and providing law enforcement with prompt location tracking information of carjacked vehicles at today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Federal Support for Preventing and Responding to Carjackings." Durbin asked … Continue Reading


February 28, 2022

In Speech On Senate Floor, Durbin Rebukes Russia's Attack On Ukraine, Speaks Out In Support Of Granting TPS For Ukrainians

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor expressing his full support to the Ukrainian people as they push back against Russian military forces brutally attacking cities across the country. In his remarks, Durbin recognized Poland for taking in Ukrainian refugees and called on the Biden Administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians already in the United States. … Continue Reading


February 28, 2022

Senators Durbin, Menendez, Portman Lead Letter Urging Biden Administration To Designate Ukraine For Temporary Protected Status

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus; U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today led 39 Senators in a letter to President Biden urging the Administration to grant Temporary Protected … Continue Reading


February 25, 2022

Feinstein, Durbin, Grassley Call For Additional Information On FBI's Response To Nassar Case

Washington-Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and a bipartisan group of Senate Judiciary Committee members today called on FBI Director Christopher Wray to provide additional details about the FBI's approach to child sex abuse cases following its failures to properly investigate the Larry Nassar case. In November, the senators sent letters to the FBI and Office of the Inspector General following the OIG's investigation into … Continue Reading


February 25, 2022

Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson-former clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer-to be the next Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court: "From a strong list of prospective candidates, President Biden has chosen an extraordinary nominee in D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. … Continue Reading


February 23, 2022

Durbin Statement On Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine: "Let me be clear: Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine's sovereign land is a dire threat to the established international order and must be resolutely deterred. Ukraine and our NATO allies facing ongoing Russian belligerence have strong bipartisan, bicameral support in the U.S. Congress. As someone who has strong ties to the region, my prayers are … Continue Reading


February 21, 2022

Durbin in Poland, Lithuania to Discuss Russian Aggression, Support for Baltic States & NATO

WARSAW-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and the Baltic Freedom Caucus, is in Warsaw, Poland, today as part of travel to two eastern European nations to discuss Russian aggression and interference in western democracies, and congressional support for the transatlantic relationship and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Durbin was joined by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in Warsaw for meetings with … Continue Reading


February 18, 2022

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Announce $1.8 Million Grant For Metrolink To Expand Ferry Service

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today announced that Rock Island County will receive $1,850,000 in federal funding to expand MetroLINK's passenger ferry service. The funding, awarded by the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant Program, will support the construction of a terminal near the newly developed "Bend District" on the Mississippi River in East Moline, Illinois. The new … Continue Reading


February 18, 2022

Senate Passes Durbin Led, Duckworth Cosponsored Resolution Showing Bipartisan Support For Ukraine Against Russian Aggression

WASHINGTON - Yesterday evening, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in support of a bipartisan resolution led by U.S. Senate Majority Whip and Senate Ukraine Caucus Co-Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and John Cornyn (R-TX). U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined as a cosponsor of the resolution in support of Ukraine in the face of increased Russian aggression. The resolution is a renewed bipartisan message from the U.S. Senate in fierce … Continue Reading


February 18, 2022

Durbin, Manchin, Barrasso, And Blackburn Introduce DOE Science For The Future Act Of 2022

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act of 2022. This bipartisan legislation strengthens our nation's investment in world-leading scientific research by providing the first-ever comprehensive authorization for the DOE's Office of … Continue Reading


February 17, 2022

Durbin To Join Congressional Delegation To Munich Security Conference

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) will join Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and 12 of his Senate colleagues in a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to this weekend's Munich Security Conference (MSC) amid increased Russian aggression and interference in western democracies. The MSC is widely considered the world's leading forum for international security policy. The conference is a "marketplace of ideas" where initiatives and solutions are … Continue Reading


February 17, 2022

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the federal government through March 11th: "The CR that passed the Senate today is essential to keeping the government funded. However, we cannot keep kicking the can down the road - we need a comprehensive funding package. It is time for Congress to step up to the plate and … Continue Reading


February 17, 2022

Durbin, Portman Introduce Bill To Expand Mental Health Support For Survivors, First Responders After Emergencies & Disasters

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC), introduced the Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, bipartisan legislation that would expand eligibility for FEMA's Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP). CCP provides short-term mental health and trauma support resources for survivors and first responders. Currently, support through … Continue Reading


February 17, 2022

Durbin: If Republicans Were Serious About Violent Crime, They Would Get Serious About The January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - Responding to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today condemned the Republican Party's hypocrisy on combating violent crime. "We are going through regular-sometimes daily, sometimes weekly-lectures from the Republicans about who's soft on crime," Durbin said. "Every single nominee that comes from the Biden White House is subject to being challenged as to … Continue Reading


February 17, 2022

Durbin, Shaheen, Portman Reaffirm Bipartisan Support For Ukraine, Lead New Resolution In Support Of Democratic Partners

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, led a bipartisan group of Senators, including Senate Foreign Relations Chairman and Ranking Member, Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Jim Risch (R-ID), and U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), on a new, bipartisan resolution in support of Ukraine … Continue Reading

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