Durbin Statement on Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Joe Biden was sworn-in as the 46th President of the United States of America and Kamala Harris was sworn-in as the Vice President of the United States: "President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. "Their inauguration comes during a time of unprecedented challenge for our country-more than 400,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus; a struggling economy; a deeply divided nation; an… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President Biden's Executive Orders on DACA, Muslim Travel Ban, and Border Wall

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden issued executive orders to restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, reverse the Muslim travel ban, and stop diverting money from the Department of Defense for construction of the Southern border wall: "With these Executive Orders, President Biden is turning the page on four years of policies that dragged our c… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Tony Blinken, Biden Nominee for Secretary of State, at Nomination Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced Tony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State, at his nomination hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Durbin noted that Mr. Blinken's career with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later the Obama Administration - including as the Deputy Secretary of State - make him an ideal choice to lead the State Department and represent our nation around the world. "With the end … Continue Reading

Durbin Thanks Capitol Police for Their Heroic Efforts During January 6th Insurrection

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today thanked the Capitol Police, D.C. Metropolitan Police, and other law enforcement agencies that aided the Capitol during the insurrection on January 6. Durbin also looked forward to tomorrow's inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. "The Capitol police… were heroic. They were overwhelmed by this massive insurrectionist mob. The Capitol Police&helli… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Environmental Protection and Justice with Michael Regan, Biden Nominee for EPA Administrator

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Michael Regan, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). During their Zoom call, Durbin and Regan discussed Illinois environmental priorities and climate change, and spoke about the importance of not just reversing Trump Administration roll backs of EPA rules, but pursuing an aggressive agenda that addresses climate change and protects communities that have long-suffered from env… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Protecting National Parks and Monuments with Rep. Deb Haaland, Biden Nominee for Secretary of Interior

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM-01), President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Interior. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Haaland discussed the importance of restoring and protecting National Parks and Monuments, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante Monuments, which were reduced by 85 percent by the Trump Administration. Durbin also spoke to Haaland about his bill that would protect the Cahokia Mounds, … Continue Reading

Durbin & Bipartisan Senators Urge FDA to Protect Kids as it Reviews E-Cigarette Applications

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 11 other bipartisan Senators, today urged Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Stephen Hahn to comply with the agency's requirements to reject e-cigarette applications that do not protect the public health, as part of the FDA's long-overdue product review for e-cigarettes that began on September. The Senators, in a letter to Commissioner Hahn, highlighted the high standard the Family Smoking Prevention … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Agriculture Priorities with Tom Vilsack, Biden Nominee for Secretary of Agriculture

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Tom Vilsack, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Agriculture. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Vilsack discussed Illinois agriculture priorities and how the Department can assist farmers after years of uncertainty during the Trump Administration. Durbin spoke about the importance of expanding markets and trade for farmers instead of President Trump's government aid and lost exports, ending favoritism of cotton over so… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Infrastructure with Pete Buttigieg, Biden Nominee for Secretary of Transportation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Pete Buttigieg, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Transportation. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Buttigieg discussed the need to work together to pass an infrastructure package that invests in our economy and puts Americans back to work. They also discussed expanding diversity in infrastructure jobs, Amtrak On-Time Performance, and the need for additional COVID relief for the transportation industry and transporta… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Labor Priorities and Infrastructure with LIUNA

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with a group of Laborers' members from Illinois to discuss the importance of investing in transportation infrastructure and prioritizing policies that support workers and their families. Durbin discussed ideas to help increase funding and flexibility for existing transportation formula and competitive grant programs. Durbin and the group also discussed President-elect Biden's Labor Secretary nominee, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "Illinois … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Pandemic, For-Profit Colleges with Dr. Miguel Cardona, Biden Nominee for Secretary of Education

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Miguel Cardona, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Education. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Cardona discussed how teacher shortages in Illinois and around the country have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and how Durbin's RETAIN Act would incentivize teacher retention by providing a fully refundable tax credit for teachers, paraprofessionals, mental health providers, and school leaders in Title I scho… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Economic Recovery with Janet Yellen, Biden Nominee for Secretary of the Treasury

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Janet Yellen, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of the Treasury. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Yellen discussed the need to address the COVID-19 pandemic's economic devastation and how to ensure Americans who are unemployed, families that are struggling, and small businesses that worried about their future are supported by the federal government during this crisis. The recent COVID-19 relief bill passed in December… Continue Reading

Durbin, Pressley, Colleagues Announce Plans to Introduce Bill to End Federal Death Penalty

Bill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF) WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) announced that they will lead more than 70 of their colleagues to soon reintroduce the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021, bicameral legislation to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The announcement comes with three more people scheduled to be executed in the… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Veterans Issues With Denis McDonough, Biden Nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Denis McDonough, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA). During their Zoom call, Durbin and McDonough discussed the need to address the COVID-19 pandemic and how to ensure veterans and VA staff get vaccinated. Durbin and McDonough also discussed support for State Veterans Homes in Illinois, the expansion of the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, VA medical research, and th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $843 Million to Support Expanded Testing and Vaccine Distribution in Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $843,870,238 in federal funding to support COVID-19 testing and vaccination distribution in Illinois. The funding is being awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as directed by the recently enacted Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. "This federal funding for COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution will provide essential support for our publ… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses American Global Leadership with Tony Blinken, Biden Nominee for Secretary of State

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Tony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Blinken discussed the need to reestablish America's leading role in the world, including to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the global refugee crisis, access to clean water, and supporting Venezuelan Interim-President Juan Guaido and democracy in Venezuela. Durbin and Blinken also spoke about the threats posed from nations like R… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President-Elect Biden's Attorney General Nominee, Merrick Garland

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement on President-elect Joe Biden's announcement that he would nominate Merrick Garland to be U.S. Attorney General: "I applaud President-elect Biden's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to be the next Attorney General of the United States. An Illinois native, Judge Garland has dedicated his career to public service and to upholding the rule of law. He is clearly well-qualified to serve as our nation… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks on Senate Floor About Violence at the U.S. Capitol & 2020 Election Certification

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of Congress certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election and after a pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol building. "The vote we're going to have here is a clear choice of whether we are going to feed the beast of ignorance or are we going to tell the truth to the American people? We saw that beast today roaming the halls. Let's not invite it back," Durbin said. Video of Durbin's re… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Eviction Crisis and Affordable Housing Initiatives with Rep. Marcia Fudge, Biden Nominee for HUD Secretary

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11), President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). During their Zoom call, Durbin and Fudge spoke about the need to address the affordable housing crisis by investing in affordable housing and repairing the public housing stock. Durbin discussed how to bring economic opportunity to historically marginalized individuals and communities, including in East… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Illinois Rural EMS Agencies to Apply for New SIREN Grant Program Funds

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the start of the grant application process for a federal grant program that supports rural 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 first aid kits, to power stretchers or new ambulances. Durbin's b… Continue Reading