Press Releases
Durbin Urges U.S. Sentencing Commission To Consider Impacts Of Chronic Underfunding And Understaffing At BOP
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission in response to its proposed priorities for the 2025-2026 amendment cycle. In the letter, Durbin urged the Commission to consider the impact that the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) resources and staffing levels have on BOP’s ability to adequately discharge its mission. “For years, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has faced significant challenges in … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Reveals Devastating Insights Into Florida ICE Detention Facilities In Exclusive Site Visit
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed devastating insights into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, following staff site visits to two Florida immigration detention facilities in June. The visits to Krome North Service Processing Center and Federal Detention Center (FDC) Miami provide new, incriminating insight into the cruelty of the illegal Trump mass deportation agenda, … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Devastating Impacts Of Republican Cuts To Public Broadcasting
CHICAGO — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference outside of the Chicago Public Media office to call out President Trump and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package that will claw back $1.1 billion in previously appropriated funding to public broadcasting. Five hundred public radio and TV stations across the country that rely on this federal funding to provide around-the-clock news, educational programming, and emergency alert services will be … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Military Construction And Commerce Government Funding Bills With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin, Duckworth
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a funding bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, as well as for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Durbin and Duckworth worked to secure various priorities for Illinois in the appropriations bills, both through Congressionally … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Presses Bondi, Patel, Bongino On Rifts Between DOJ, FBI, White House On Epstein Files
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino on apparent discrepancies regarding the handling of the Epstein files and findings from a July 7 Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum and instructions reportedly received by FBI personnel to identify records mentioning President Trump. In letters to Bondi, … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues In Demanding Trump Administrations Stops Blocking Funding For After School Programs, K-12 Schools
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding the immediate release of nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Talks Agriculture Policy With Illinois Corn Growers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, met with members of the Illinois Corn Growers to discuss their policy priorities, including concerns with the federal Farm Bill process, regional inequities in the federal crop insurance program, and the importance of federal policies that support E15 ethanol and conservation incentives. “I met with the Illinois Corn Growers to hear more about their priorities … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin, Van Hollen Call On Attorney General To Immediately Release The Epstein Files
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately release the Epstein files. The Senators’ letter follows the Senate Appropriations Committee’s unanimous passage of the Senators’ amendment requiring the Attorney General to “retain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Meets With Illinois Soybean Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, met with members of the Illinois Soybean Association. The group discussed concerns with the federal Farm Bill process, the importance of federal policies that support biodiesel and agricultural research, and the harmful effects on agriculture in policies proposed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. known as Making American Healthy … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Statement On Trump's FDA Allowing JUUL E-Cigarettes To Stay On The Market, Addict Children
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized JUUL Labs to keep selling its e-cigarettes on the U.S. market, despite a 2022 federal denial and JUUL’s shameful history of deceiving and harming children for profit: “For years, I have sounded the alarm on the dangers of the youth vaping epidemic and pushed FDA to use its enforcement tools, follow the law, and regulate these e-cigarettes. … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Violating Committee Rules, Leading Democrats To Walk Out Of Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Committee Democrats walked out of today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting during votes on 10 nominees, including Emil Bove’s nomination to be a United States Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Jeanine Pirro’s nomination to be United States Attorney for the District of … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin, Sanders, Warren, Welch Release Investigative Report On Pharma's New Direct-To-Consumer Telehealth Platforms
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released an investigative report titled “Big Pharma’s New Sales Scheme: Expanding Patient Access or a Virtual Pill Mill? A Direct-To-Consumer Telehealth Platform Investigation.” Over the past nine months, the Senate offices have investigated new telehealth platforms launched by pharmaceutical manufacturers Pfizer and Eli Lilly with … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Durbin Meets With Jeanine Pirro To Discuss U.S. Attorney Nomination
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Jeanine Pirro, nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia: “I met with Ms. Pirro as I do many nominees when extended a courtesy meeting ahead of potential committee action on their nomination. “Ms. Pirro’s record deeply troubles me as she’s considered to be a top law enforcement official. She’s a January 6 … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On The Way AI Interacts With Copyrights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training.” Today’s hearing examined the way AI interacts with intellectual property rights, particularly copyrights. Durbin asked Edward Lee, a Law Professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, about … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Durbin: Our Reputation In The World Is At Stake If We Pass Rescissions Bill To Cut $9 Billion From Foreign Aid, Public Broadcasting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor denouncing President Trump and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package that will claw back $9 billion in previously appropriated funding to foreign aid and public broadcasting. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized that the U.S.’ global leadership is at stake as Republicans target the foreign aid funding that developing nations rely on to make health, economic, and educational … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On The Way AI Interacts With Copyrights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training.” Today’s hearing will examine the way AI interacts with intellectual property rights, particularly copyrights. Key Quotes: “While AI can be an incredible tool that unlocks further … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
In Response To President Trump's Shady Memecoin Sales, Durbin Calls For Additional Oversight Over Cryptocurrency Industry
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, participated in an Agriculture Committee hearing entitled “Stakeholder Perspectives on Federal Oversight of Digital Commodities.” During the hearing, Durbin advocated for additional protections for Americans vulnerable to crypto ATM scams in addition to calling for increased federal oversight on crypto tokens to prevent President Trump from continuing to … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Republicans' Rescissions Bill To Cut $9 Billion In Funding To Foreign Aid, Public Broadcasting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting against President Trump’s and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package that claws back $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funding that had been previously appropriated on a bipartisan basis. The bill passed with a vote of 51-48: “Just two weeks after voting to rip health care away from 17 million Americans, … Continue Reading
July 15, 2025
Durbin Statement On Abrupt Termination Of Chicago Immigration Court Judge Peyton By The Trump Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the termination of Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jennifer Peyton, a non-political, esteemed official who led the Chicago Immigration Court, by the Trump Administration: “On July 3, Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Jennifer Peyton was abruptly fired without any stated cause. Judge Peyton’s termination notice simply said that … Continue Reading
July 15, 2025
Durbin Statement On Joseph Edlow's Confirmation To Be USCIS Director
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Joseph Edlow to be the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): “Under the Homeland Security Act, the USCIS Director is tasked with processing applications for individuals who want to immigrate or remain in the United States legally. However, Mr. Edlow has made clear that he does not intend to do … Continue Reading