Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Meet With Illinois Adjutant General Richard Neely

WASHINGTON - 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) today spoke by phone with Illinois Adjutant General Richard Neely about establishing a permanent flying mission for the Springfield 183rd Fighter Wing and ensuring that the Peoria 182nd Airlift Wing is considered for future C-130 modernization efforts that could upgrade the wing's C-130H1s to C-130Js. General Neely also provided an update about the deploy… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Remarks In Hearing On Extreme Risk Order Laws 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 Subcommittee on the Constitution hearing entitled "Stop Gun Violence: Extreme Risk Order / 'Red Flag' Laws". Durbin highlighted the deadly toll gun violence has taken in Illinois and across the nation and discussed how extreme risk order or "red flag" laws can help prevent tragedies by temporarily removing firearms from individuals deemed da… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Judicial Nominees' Experience As Federal Public Defenders In Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, President Biden's nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, during today's nominations hearing. Durbin highlighted the nominees' experience as federal public defenders-background that is noticeably lacki… Continue Reading

Durbin Gives Opening Remarks In First Judiciary Committee Hearing For President Biden's Judicial Nominees

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during the nominations hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Julien Xavier Neals, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Zahid N. Quraishi, to be United States District Judge for th… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets Virtually With USPS Board Of Governors Nominees

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with President Biden's nominees for the United States Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors - Ronald Stroman, former Deputy Postmaster General; Anton Hajjar, former General Counsel for the American Postal Workers Union; and Amber McReynolds, former CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute. During their meeting, Durbin asked the nominees for their thoughts on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10-year operational plan, whi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Urge President Biden To Issue Updated Presidential Determination With An Increased Refugee Admissions Target

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led 33 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to issue an updated presidential determination with an increased refugee admissions target for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 as soon as possible. The Senators also urged President Biden to set a target of at least 125,000 refugee admissions in FY 2022 and to set the refugee admissions target at 62,500 for… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Introduce Bill To Reduce Distracted Driving And Protect Roadside First Responders

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today introduced legislation designed to reduce crashes involving distracted driving and save lives, including preventing first responder roadside deaths. The bill would require the implementation of life-saving safety technologies on all new vehicles, including federal fleet vehicles, fund the deployment of digital alert technology for first … Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association For Virtual Town Hall

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association to talk about the details of President Biden's American Jobs Plan and discuss removing the $10,000 cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction. Durbin also answered questions from members about federal investment in Illinois transportation projects, including the extension of the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line. "After four years of hearing about Infrastruct… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill To Expand Protections For Puppies

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 11 of his Senate colleagues, today introduced the Puppy Protection Act, which would create stronger standards for veterinary care, housing, and breeding for dogs. The legislation would ensure that dogs within breeders' care have suitable and safe enclosures, access to outdoor areas, and regularly interact with other dogs and humans. "As many Americans welcomed a dog into their family during the pandemic, we must ensure that t… Continue Reading

Durbin: Why Is The U.S. Slow To Respond To The Power Of Social Media Algorithms?

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Tristan Harris, Co-Founder and President of the Center for Humane Technology, during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing entitled, "Algorithms and Amplification: How Social Media Platforms' Design Choices Shape Our Discourse and Our Minds." Durbin asked Harris why the United States has been slow to respond to the issue of highly targeted alg… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Privacy, Technology, And The Law Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the "Algorithms and Amplification: How Social Media Platforms' Design Choices Shape Our Discourse and Our Minds" Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing. During his opening statement, Durbin discussed protecting privacy and how social media platforms use highly targeted algorithms to captivate and persuade us in every aspect o… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Return Of Congressionally Directed Spending

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement regarding an announcement that the Appropriations Committee will, on a bipartisan basis, accept requests for congressionally directed spending items for Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills: "I support the return of congressionally directed spending. Senators and Representatives know their states and districts better than federal agency personnel i… Continue Reading

Durbin: America Can't Pinch Pennies When It Comes To Investing In Our Future

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted important provisions in President Biden's American Jobs Plan and spoke about the importance of going big and bold when investing in the future. During his speech, Durbin thanked Republican colleagues for their counter-proposal to the President's American Jobs Plan, but said it fails to meet a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform America and win the 21st century. "We need an infr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Boost Agricultural Research Funding

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), both members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, today introduced legislation that would require a five percent annual funding increase each year for the next ten years for research activities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). With federal agriculture research investments on the decline, the America Grows Act would restore the United States' commitment to publically funded agriculture… Continue Reading

Durbin Marks First 100 Days Of Biden Administration & Senate Democratic Majority In Speech On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - As President Joe Biden prepares to deliver his first Joint Address to Congress on Wednesday and mark the first 100 days in office, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed how far America has come in just 100 days. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin discussed how Congressional Democrats worked with President Biden to pass the American Rescue Plan, which in less than 40 days, is already working to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations and reduce food insecurity. … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill To Create Civilian Conservation Corps

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the RENEW Conservation Corps Act, a bill that would create a civilian conservation corps that provides valuable job training and work experience to Americans while also completing needed maintenance and restoration of parks, trails, and natural areas. Modeled after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps - which employed, educated, and trained three million young men during the Great Depression - Durbin's bi… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Spring 2021 Recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Keyla Michelle Ruiz, a junior at The George Washington University from Chicago, Illinois, as one of three Spring 2021 recipients of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program. This scholarship, open to students from Illinois or those studying in Illinois, is an opportunity for the students to receive financial assistance while obtaining a first-hand experience in one of Senator Durbin's offices. The program was created in honor of Durbin's … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Spring 2021 Recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Grace Traylor, a student at The George Washington University from Carlinville, Illinois, as one of three Spring 2021 recipients of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program. This scholarship, open to students from Illinois or those studying in Illinois, is an opportunity for the students to receive financial assistance while obtaining a first-hand experience in one of Senator Durbin's offices. The program was created in honor of Durbin's f… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Spring 2021 Recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Morgan Hopkins, a recent college graduate from Chicago, Illinois, as one of three Spring 2021 recipients of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program. This scholarship, open to students from Illinois or those studying in Illinois, is an opportunity for the students to receive financial assistance while obtaining a first-hand experience in Senator Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. The program was created in honor of Durbin's former Chief of… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce Medicare At 50 Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in reintroducing the Medicare at 50 Act. The bill would give people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old the option of buying into Medicare, while ensuring the program is protected for current Medicare beneficiaries. Millions of Americans approaching retirement or forced to retire early due to layoffs or m… Continue Reading