Press Releases
Durbin Honors Former Secretary Of State Madeleine Albright On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor honoring the life and legacy of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve in the position. In his remarks, Durbin spoke about Albright's upbringing as a refugee from Czechoslovakia, and how this experience shaped her as a diplomat and tireless advocate for democracy. "Last week, America and the world lost another trailblazing woman and defender of justice and … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Durbin Introduces Legislation To Restore Veteran Education Benefits After Unaccredited, For-Profit College Scams Illinois Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to give the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) authority to restore benefits under the American Rescue Plan's Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) to veterans whose education is interrupted by their school's closure or loss of eligibility. The bill, titled the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration Act, would help more than 300 Illinois veterans who were scammed out of … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Durbin: The Russian People Will Decide If Putin Stays Or Goes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor on Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Last week, the Biden Administration announced another $1 billion in new funding towards humanitarian assistance for those affected by Putin's war in Ukraine, along with plans to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia's aggression through a full range of legal immigration pathways, … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Durbin: Clarity & Impartiality, That Is Judge Jackson
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today commended Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court, for her clear and thorough explanation of her approach to judicial decision-making during last week's Judiciary Committee nomination hearings. "Clarity and impartiality, that is Judge Jackson. During the hearing, several of my colleagues asked her to describe her … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At Judiciary Committee Markup On Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the Judiciary Committee markup on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Committee also considered the nominations of Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit; Arianna J. Freeman, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Durbin Statement On President Biden's FY2023 Budget Proposal
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden unveiled an outline of his Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget proposal: "With this budget, President Biden has laid out bold priorities for America that create good paying jobs, provide safety and security at home and abroad, improve our economy, and much more. I'll work with my colleagues to see the President's vision across … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Durbin Rebuts McConnell's Reasons For Opposing Judge Jackson To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - After the final day of hearings on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today rebutted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) explanation for opposing this exceptional nominee-including accusations that she supports court packing, declined to answer questions on her judicial philosophy, and that she is "soft on crime." "It seems … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Durbin Questions Law Enforcement Representative, Other Witnesses On Judge Jackson's Record
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Captain Frederick Thomas, the National President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and Wade Henderson, the President & CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony From Majority's Outside Witnesses
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released testimony from the Majority's outside witnesses on the final day of the Committee's hearing on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Testimony is provided below on behalf of the Honorable Joyce Beatty, United States House of Representatives, 3rd District of Ohio; Ms. Risa Goluboff, Dean, Arnold H. Leon Professor of Law, and Professor of History, University of Virginia; Mr. Wade … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
In Response To Durbin's Questions, ABA Debunks Republican Myths About Judge Jackson's Sentencing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses from the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's sentencing record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The ABA members serving as witnesses were Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary Chair … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At Fourth Day Of Nomination Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The American Bar Association (ABA) witnesses on the first panel include Judge Ann Claire Williams, the Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary; D. Jean Veta, Senior Counsel, Covington … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony By The American Bar Association
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released the testimony as prepared on behalf of the American Bar Association (ABA). On March 18, the ABA officially rated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson unanimously "Well Qualified" to serve on the United States Supreme Court-ABA's highest possible rating. Key quotes: "Judge Jackson has a sterling reputation for integrity. Judges and lawyers who have known her in every capacity uniformly praised her character, calling her integrity … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Durbin Announces First Markup Of Judge Jackson's Nomination To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced on Monday, March 28 at 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first markup on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "The Committee will meet in Executive Session to consider Judge Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court this Monday, March 28th at 3:00 PM." … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Senate Confirms Alison Nathan To Second Circuit Court Of Appeals
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alison Nathan's nomination to serve on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 49-47. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge Nathan's confirmation: "Judge Nathan is a highly qualified and evenhanded jurist. For 10 years, before her elevation to the Second Circuit, she served with distinction on the U.S. District Court for the Southern … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Durbin Questions Judge Jackson On Freedom Of The Press
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about interpreting the First Amendment, specifically freedom of the press, given the evolving technology that is available today compared to when the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, at the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "How do you move … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates Her Duty As A Public Defender Was To Provide The Right To Counsel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender, specifically to clarify Senator John Cornyn's (R-TX) false claims that she called former President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld "war criminals," on the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Sixth … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates That She Will Maintain Separation Between The Judiciary And Policymaking
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her opinion on "court packing" on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. During his questioning, Durbin reminded his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee that while Senate Republicans currently support maintaining nine Justices on the Supreme … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Durbin Questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson On The Right To Counsel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender at the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson worked from 2005 to 2007 in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Washington, D.C. At the time, the D.C. District Court was the exclusive venue charged with … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Durbin Questions Judge Jackson On The False, Debunked Claims Made By Senator Hawley
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, at the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin asked Judge Jackson about the false claims made by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), stating Judge Jackson "has a pattern of letting child pornography offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes." But in each case … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Durbin Questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson On Her Judicial Philosophy During Second Day Of Her Nomination Hearing To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her judicial philosophy on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin asked Judge Jackson to explain her decisionmaking process on the bench. Durbin reminded his colleagues on the dais that Judge Jackson has shared her nearly 600 written judicial opinions … Continue Reading