Press Releases
Senate Judiciary Committee Announces Logistics For Hearings On Supreme Court Nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing entitled "The Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" to begin Monday, March 21, 2022, at 11:00 AM ET and continue through Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The hearings will begin on Monday, March 21 at 11:00 AM ET with statements from Committee members, the individuals who will introduce Judge Jackson, and Judge … Continue Reading
March 15, 2022
Durbin Calls Out FDA On Senate Floor For Six Month Delay In Regulating E-Cigarettes
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for failing to meet a court deadline to complete its public health review of e-cigarette premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs). The deadline for FDA to finish reviewing e-cigarette applications was September 9, 2021, more than six months ago. While the FDA neglects its responsibility under the law and court order to regulate e-cigarettes, … Continue Reading
March 14, 2022
Durbin: Vladimir Putin Should Be Charged And Convicted Of The Worst Possible War Crimes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor on the heinous crimes committed by Vladimir Putin in his unprovoked, unjustified invasion of Ukraine. An estimated 2.8 million Ukrainians-almost all of them women, children, and seniors-have fled to other nations, carrying only a few possessions. Durbin also discussed a meeting he held last week with the Senate Democratic Caucus and European Ambassadors. During the … Continue Reading
March 14, 2022
Durbin Discusses Retirement Security With Illinois State Treasurer
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs about the state of retirement and financial security in Illinois. During their meeting, Durbin received an update from Frerichs about Illinois Secure Choice, a state-facilitated retirement program that helps Illinois employers provide their workers with access to a retirement savings vehicle. Durbin and Frerichs also discussed the ABLE Age Adjustment Act as a possible avenue to offer … Continue Reading
March 14, 2022
Durbin Delivers Floor Speech On The First Anniversary Of The American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about the importance of the American Rescue Plan one year after Democrats passed the legislation-without a single Republican vote. The American Rescue Plan provided a critical lifeline to low-income families, and it helped stabilize middle-class families by providing enhanced child tax credits, expanded unemployment insurance, and housing relief. It also expanded the availability of affordable health coverage - including … Continue Reading
March 14, 2022
Durbin Delivers Tribute To Illinois Director Of Public Health Dr. Ngozi Ezike
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to express his gratitude to Dr. Ngozi Ezike as she steps down from her position as Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health today after leading Illinois through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin highlighted Dr. Ezike's positive impact on public health and applauded her approach to reassuring and educating Illinoisans about coronavirus. Dr. Ezike is a Harvard-trained, … Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Congress Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill. "Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to pass a comprehensive budget, which will benefit families across Illinois. This bill makes critical investments in public health, housing, infrastructure, public safety and violence prevention, election security, … Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Senate Passes Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
Senate Passes Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Washington-The Senate passed the omnibus government funding bill that includes the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, authored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). The bill, which would reauthorize VAWA through 2027, preserves advancements made in previous reauthorizations and includes a number … Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Secure $211 Million For Illinois Projects In FY22 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
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) secured $211 million through Congressionally-directed spending for Illinois projects in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Omnibus appropriations bill. The bill passed the Senate and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. "This appropriations package invests in the future of Illinois," Durbin said. "The use of … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Senate Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill With Key Priorities Secured By Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus appropriations bill. "The omnibus spending package is a testament to the incredible progress we have made in the last year and makes significant investments for Illinois. It provides more than $13 billion to the people of Ukraine fighting tooth and nail to defend their freedom. It also … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin Talks Infrastructure With Champaign County First
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Champaign County First to discuss county infrastructure priorities now that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has been signed into law. During their conversation, Durbin and Champaign County leaders discussed potential federal funding for several current projects in the region, including The Yards development at the Illinois Terminal of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD); the Curtis … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin, Shaheen, Colleagues Meet With European Ambassadors On Ukraine
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, hosted key European Ambassadors to brief the Senate Democratic Caucus on Ukraine. The Senators and Ambassadors discussed transatlantic unity and additional actions Congress and the Administration can take in the coming days and weeks to help the Ukrainian people as they … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin, King, Smith, Sinema, Neguse Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable
WASHINGTON - In observation of Open Educational Resource Week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), today introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. The legislation, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin Discusses Quincy Bay Restoration, Modernization Of Illinois Locks And Dams, And Protecting The Great Lakes From Invasive Species With Rock Island Army Corp District Commander
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) received an update today from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander Colonel Jesse Curry about several Illinois water infrastructure projects including the restoration of Quincy Bay, the Brandon Road project to protect the Great Lakes from the spread of invasive Asian Carp, and the modernization of Illinois locks and dams through the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). "Illinois' water … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin: This Spending Package Is A Testament To The Progress We've Made During The Past Year Of The Democratic Majority
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Omnibus. The funding will reduce the cost of living for working families, create good-paying jobs, ensure families and children can access critical supplies, provide more than $13 billion to Ukrainians, make critical investments in our future, and much more. "Ukraine needs humanitarian, military, and … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Judiciary Committee Advances Six District Court Judges, Two U.S. Attorneys
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Kenly Kiya Kato, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Jennifer Louise Rochon, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York; Sunshine Suzanne Sykes, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Sherilyn Peace Garnett, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Nina Morrison, to be United … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin, Thune, Duckworth Lead Bipartisan Push to Utilize E15, Restore American Energy Independence
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a letter signed by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and a bipartisan group of their colleagues urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in order to reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of energy. The Senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable energy … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin, Senators To FDA Commissioner: Agency Is Six Months Past Court-Ordered Deadline To Regulate E-Cigarettes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a bipartisan letter with Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and 13 other Senators to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf urging the FDA to end its delays in reviewing premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) for the e-cigarette products that have fueled the youth vaping epidemic. In the letter, the Senators reiterated that the deadline for FDA's review was six months ago as mandated by a U.S. District … Continue Reading
March 09, 2022
Durbin Statement On Omnibus Provision To Close E-Cigarette Loophole, Regulate Synthetic Nicotine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after he led a bipartisan Senate effort to successfully secure a provision in the fiscal year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will clarify the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) ability to regulate products containing synthetic nicotine as tobacco products. This legislative fix was necessary to close legal loopholes that manufacturers of kid-friendly, flavored e-cigarettes sought to … Continue Reading
March 08, 2022
Durbin Meets Virtually With Illinois Farm Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met virtually with Illinois Farm Bureau members, who thanked him for his work to secure $829 million in federal funding to modernize Illinois locks and dams. During the meeting, the members also spoke about the importance of federal crop insurance in the upcoming farm bill, the challenges of the rising costs of fertilizer, COVID-19-induced trucking … Continue Reading