Press Releases
Senate Confirms Zahid Quraishi To Be District Judge For District Of New Jersey
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate confirmed Zahid Quraishi to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey by a bipartisan vote of 81-16. Ahead of the confirmation vote, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his Senate colleagues to support Judge Quraishi's nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin highlighted Judge Quraishi's distinguished career in public service and his service as a U.S. Magistrate Judge. J… Continue Reading
06.10.21
University Of Illinois System Awarded $1 Million Open Textbook Pilot Grant
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the University of Illinois (U of I) System has been awarded $1.08 million from the U.S. Department of Education's Open Textbooks Pilot Program - a competitive grant program based on Durbin's Affordable College Textbook Act. The funding will support the creation and expand the use of open college textbooks - textbooks that are available under an open license, allowing professors, students, researchers, and others to f… Continue Reading
06.10.21
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Boardman, Griggsby District Court Nominations And Davis Nomination To Lead U.S. Marshals Service
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Deborah L. Boardman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland; Lydia Kay Griggsby, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland; and Ronald L. Davis, to be Director of the United States Marshals Service. Ahead of the votes, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his colleagues to support all three nominees. Key Durbin q… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Durbin Talks Music, Copyright Law With ASCAP, Illinois Songwriters
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and several Illinois-based songwriters to discuss the state of the music industry, the implementation of the Music Modernization Act, and efforts to ensure that songwriters and musical artists receive fair compensation for their work. "It was a pleasure to meet today with songwriters and artists from Illinois-who shared their music with me-to he… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Durbin Questions Latest Circuit & District Court Nominees To Come Before Committee
WASHINGTON - During today's Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Eunice C. Lee, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit; and Veronica S. Rossman, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit. Durbin highlighted their extensive and impressive professional backgrounds and asked them to reflect on the current state of justice in America today. Durbin also asked Ms.… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Durbin Gives Opening Remarks In Judiciary Committee Hearing For Circuit & District Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the nominations hearing for Eunice C. Lee, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit; Veronica S. Rossman, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit; David G. Estudillo, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington; Lauren J. King, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Was… Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Meets With South Suburban Coalition About Local Infrastructure Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with members of the South Suburban Coalition (SouthCom) to discuss the impact of the pandemic in their municipalities and the local government funding included in the American Rescue Plan. They talked about the need for increased federal investments in their communities through the American Jobs Plan. On the call, Durbin also provided an update about the ongoing infrastructure negotiations in the Senate and heard from … Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Statement On Republican Filibuster Of Paycheck Fairness Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans filibustered the Paycheck Fairness Act: "The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes that allow for pay discrimination and empower women to hold employers accountable when they're being underpaid. Senate Republicans blocked this common sense measure from consideration. The women who helped carry America's families through this pandemic should not have to wait any longe… Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan U.S. Innovation And Competition Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. The legislation represents the largest investment in U.S. science and technology leadership since the Apollo era. It will authorize more than $100 billion over five years to support breakthrough scientific discovery and technological innovation in 10 key areas that are vital to building an innovation economy … Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Statement On Bipartisan Confirmation Of Biden's First Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed, on a bipartisan basis, the nominations of Julien Xavier Neals, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; and Regina M. Rodriguez, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado. These are the first judicial nominees confirmed by the Senate during the Biden Administration. Mr. Neals was co… Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Joins Gillibrand To Announce New Legislation To Clean Up PFAS At Military Installations With Highest Levels Of Contamination
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to introduce the Filthy Fifty Act, legislation directing the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify and clean up per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at U.S. military installations with some of the highest detections across the country. The hundreds of contaminated military sites across the country jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being of military communities who have suffere… Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Questions Secretary Of State Blinken On Afghanisatn
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing about the State Department's Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Budget Request, questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the United States' policy towards Afghanistan in the future. "It appears the Taliban is going to be a political force there. There is also a government in place. I'm not quite sure if there is any accommodation between them going on or expected," Durbin said. "I think … Continue Reading
06.08.21
Durbin Calls On Colleagues To Support President Biden's First Judicial Nominees On The Floor Today
WASHINGTON - Ahead of their confirmation votes on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his Senate colleagues to support the nominations of Julien Xavier Neals, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; and Regina M. Rodriguez, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado. These will be the first judicial nominees confirmed by the Senate during the Biden Administration. In… Continue Reading
06.07.21
Durbin Urges Senate To Pass Bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today urged the Senate to pass the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would provide a path to lawful permanent residency for undocumented farmworkers and their family members. During the speech, Durbin thanked the countless farmworkers who have kept American families fed durin… Continue Reading
06.04.21
Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly Announce $372,000 In CARES Act Funding For Southland Development Authority
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today announced that the Southland Development Authority in Cook County, Illinois, has been awarded $372,500 in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's funding will support the Southland Equitable Recovery Stimulus Program, which will provide businesses with immediate pandemic recovery ass… Continue Reading
06.04.21
Durbin, Duckworth Lead Senators In Bipartisan Request For Additional C-130J Aircraft
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a bipartisan group of Senators in urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to support the additional procurement of at least eight C-130J Super Hercules aircraft as part of the modernization effort for the Air National Guard in the Fiscal year (FY) 2022 Defense Appropria… Continue Reading
06.03.21
Durbin, Duckworth Join 18 Senators In Calling On Federal Agencies To Share Data, Work Together To Expand Access To High-Speed Internet
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) in leading a group of 17 additional Senators in calling on the leaders of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to share data to identify communities without high-speed internet access and work together to improve broadband connectivity. "The COV… Continue Reading
06.03.21
Durbin, Wicker Request Strong FY22 DOD Medical Research Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), are urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to uphold its commitment to our nation's service members by providing at least $2.89 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Health Program's Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) account. "Such an allocation will build upon an exempla… Continue Reading
06.02.21
Durbin Statement On Termination Of Cruel "Remain In Mexico" Policy
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Mayorkas announced the termination of the former administration's Remain in Mexico policy. Under the Trump Administration, the policy-deceptively named Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)-blocked vulnerable asylum seekers from being in the U.S. while they awaited immigration court hearings, forcing them to wait in … Continue Reading
05.31.21
Durbin Releases Statement Observing Memorial Day, Thanks Servicemembers And Their Families
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released a video statement in observance of Memorial Day and the service of military members and their families, who have made immense sacrifices for their country. "While no words, symbols, or memorials can adequately express our nation's debt to all who have lost their lives to defend our liberties, we take this time to honor their service and sacrifice to our country," said Durbin. "This Memorial Day, when thousands of American… Continue Reading