Durbin Urges Biden To Look At Chicago HEAL Initiative As Model For Community Violence Intervention Programs

WASHINGTON - In response to our nation's public health crisis of gun violence and President Biden's recent announcement to promote community violence intervention programs, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today highlighted the Chicago Hospital Engagement, Action, and Leadership (HEAL) Initiative as a strategy to help the Administration implement its focus on preventing and reducing gun violence in America. The Chicago HEAL Initiative, launch… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker: Judiciary Committee Democrats Are Committed To Addressing Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, today pressed back on a letter they received from Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, requesting a Judiciary Committee hearing to… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Refugee Admissions Decision By Biden Administration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it would keep the Fiscal Year 2021 refugee admissions target at 15,000: "This Biden Administration refugee admissions target is unacceptable. These refugees can wait years for their chance and go through extensive vetting. Thirty-five thousand are ready. Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time there is no rea… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Congressional Black Caucus Virtual Health Summit On Gun Violence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined a "Virtual Health Summit on Gun Violence" hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. The discussion focused on addressing gun violence in Chicago and nationwide, including how public health systems are conducting violence intervention initiatives to reduce violence. The event was also hosted by U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and Obama Administration Education Se… Continue Reading

Durbin, Leahy, Senate Democrats Urge Biden To Finally Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today led 22 Senate Democrats on a letter to President Joe Biden expressing their support for finally closing the detention facility at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In their letter, the Senators wrote that as a symbol of lawlessness and human rights abuses, the detention facility continues to harm U.S.… Continue Reading

Durbin Marks Autism Acceptance Month With The Autism Society Of Southern Illinois

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke virtually with the Autism Society of Southern Illinois to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month. The Autism Society of Sothern Illinois provides services to those on the autism spectrum without regard to a person's age, race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or income level. Members of the Autism Society of America, Illinois Autism Task Force, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Autism Workforce also were on the call. … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Release Of Video Of Fatal Police Shooting Of Adam Toledo

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after footage was released showing the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Chicago, Illinois, on March 29: "In the midst of the trial of Derek Chauvin and the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, Chicago has come to face the shocking fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. He was a seventh grader at Gary Elementary School in Little Village with his whole life ahead of him… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate Republicans To Support Vanita Gupta's Nomination For Associate AG

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote to discharge from the Judiciary Committee the nomination of Vanita Gupta, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support her nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department.… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions BOP Director Carvajal On COVID-19 Prison Policies

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversight hearing with BOP Director Michael Carvajal. Durbin asked Carvajal about why BOP has not issued more home confinement or compassionate release orders to reduce overcrowding in prisons and protect vulnerable staff and inmates from COVID-19. Durbin shared the recently published story of Jimmy Monk, a first-time offender convi… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions BOP Director Carvajal On Use Of Solitary Confirnement

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversight hearing with BOP Director Michael Carvajal. Durbin asked Carvajal about BOP's use of solitary confinement and whether the Bureau is working to reduce its use. Solitary confinement - or restricted housing as defined by BOP - places an inmate in an isolated cell for approximately 22 hours per day with only an hour or two of t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Maloney Introduce Legislation To Expand Family Leave Protections

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY-12), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, today introduced legislation that would modernize the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for the 21st Century. The Family Medical Leave Modernization Act will guarantee small necessities leave and make important updates to the definition of family to ensure a broader range of caregiving relationships are covered by FMLA's prot… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets Virtually with University of Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with University of Illinois trustees, administrators, faculty, and students to discuss higher education affordability, including Pell Grants and open textbooks, and the recently passed American Rescue Plan. On the call, Durbin also praised the COVID-19 testing program developed by the university, SHIELD, which is now being used in more than 80 facilities across Illinois. "The University of Illinois is an institution that o… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleague Introduce Black Maternal Health Week Resolution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to introduce a resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week, "to bring national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing persons." Black Maternal Health Week is observed from April 11 through April 17. "Too many families h… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Kristen Clarke On Police Reform

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Kristen Clarke, President Biden's nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, during her nomination hearing. Durbin asked Clarke to discuss her views on police reform, racial justice in America, and how to improve law enforcement training and social services. "We do need more social workers. They are a necessary part of law enforcement as far as I'm c… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Kristen Clarke On Police Reform

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Kristen Clarke, President Biden's nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, during her nomination hearing. Durbin asked Clarke to discuss her views on police reform, racial justice in America, and how to improve law enforcement training and social services. "We do need more social workers. They are a necessary part of law enforcement as far as I'm c… Continue Reading

Durbin: Clarke And Kim Are The Leaders DOJ Needs For Critical Divisions

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 Kristen Clarke to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and Todd Kim to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). In it, Durbin said that Clarke and Kim are experienced leaders who can restore integrity and independence to the Department of Justice, … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Climate Leadership Council

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with the Climate Leadership Council to discuss carbon pricing and climate change policy. On the call, Durbin spoke about his own legislation, America's Clean Future Fund Act. Durbin's legislation would reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the U.S. transition to a green economy by leveraging revenue raised by a carbon fee to fund a new federal agency called the Climate Change Finance Corporation. Durbin and the Climate Lea… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Todd Kim's Opening Remarks Ahead Of Hearing To Be Assistant Attorney General For The Environment And Natural Resources Division

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Todd Kim's opening statement ahead of his nomination hearing to be U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). His nomination hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 14 at 10:00 AM ET. Key quotes: "In my seven-and-a-half years [at ENRD], I also learned firsthand the skill, dedication, professionalism, and integrity of the career staff that work day in and day out enforcing environmental law… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Kristen Clarke's Opening Remarks Ahead Of Hearing To Be Assistant Attorney General For The Civil Rights Division

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Kristen Clarke's opening statement ahead of her nomination hearing to be U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Her nomination hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 14 at 10:00 AM ET. Key quotes: "When I left DOJ, I carried the words of the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall as my guide: 'Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. M… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams Georgia Voting Restrictions As Deliberate Effort To Suppress Voters Of Color

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Georgia's new voting restrictions that will make it harder for Georgians of color to vote. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin criticized the provisions included in the new law that will reduce the number of drop boxes available to voters in the Atlanta area, restrict access to and implement strict voter ID requirements for absentee ballots, and make it a criminal offense to pro… Continue Reading