Press Releases
Durbin Statement on President Biden's Decision to Halt U.S. Military Involvement in Yemen
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President Joe Biden's decision to reverse the Trump Administration's support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen: "Not only was this war never authorized as required by the Constitution, it is a humanitarian disaster with tens of thousands of children having already died of malnutrition. Thankfully, U.S. taxpayer dollars will no longer support this Saudi-led disaster in Yemen. Thank you, … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Durbin & Graham Introduce the Dream Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced the Dream Act of 2021, which would allow immigrant students without lawful status who were brought here as children and grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. Durbin and Graham introduced identical legislation in the last two sessions of Congress. These young people, known as Dreamers, … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues to Introduce Resolution Asking President Biden to Cancel up to $50,000 in Federal Student Loan Debt Immediately
WASHINGTON - United States Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) today to reintroduce their bicameral resolution outlining a bold plan for President Biden to tackle the student loan debt crisis by using existing authority under the Higher Education Act to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt for Federal … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Durbin Meets with Illinois Community Colleges to Discuss COVID-19 Relief, Higher Ed Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) virtually met with Illinois community college trustees, presidents, and staff for the Illinois Community College Trustee Association (ICCTA) to discuss President Biden's American Rescue Plan and how it supports higher education and state and local governments. The American Rescue Plan includes $35 billion for higher education with an additional $5 billion fund for governors to address education concerns. "Our community colleges have always stepped … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Durbin Meets with Civil Rights Leaders on Judiciary Committee Priorities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Wade Henderson, Interim President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; and Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. During their call, the group discussed civil and human rights priorities, including criminal justice reform, voting rights, policing … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Durbin, Cortez Masto, Senate Dems Introduce Bill to Protect Unemployed Workers' Health Insurance During Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), together with 11 Senate Democrats, today re-introduced the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act, a bill that would protect millions of unemployed or furloughed workers from losing their health insurance in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would allow laid off workers to remain on their employer health plans, through the COBRA program, at no cost. "Recent estimates have shown that millions of … Continue Reading
February 04, 2021
Twenty Years Since it Was First Introduced, Durbin Calls on the Senate to Finally Make the Dream Act the Law of the Land
WASHINGTON - Twenty years since he first introduced the Dream Act, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on the Senate to finally make the bipartisan Dream Act the law of the land. The bill would allow immigrant students who were brought here as children and grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. Durbin, along with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), will introduce the Dream Act … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Durbin: We Can't Waste Time to Pass President Biden's American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Senate to support President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan, which would deliver economic relief to American families and small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden's American Rescue Plan is a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and businesses a bridge to an economic recovery, and … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Durbin: I Will Remember Officer Sicknick During next Week's Impeachment Trial
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today honored Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who suffered fatal injuries during the insurrection on January 6, following a ceremony where Officer Sicknick was lying in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. Durbin also argued that the Senate has a responsibility to move forward with the second impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump. "Next … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Durbin Discusses Justice Department Priorities with Kristen Clarke, Nominee for Assistant Attorney General for DOJ Civil Rights Division
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with Kristen Clarke, President Joe Biden's nominee be the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Clarke discussed the importance of working closely together on DOJ priorities, including reinvigorating DOJ's protection of Americans' civil rights and voting rights, combating hate crimes and domestic … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin Discusses Supporting Workers with Secretary of Labor Nominee Marty Walsh
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Labor. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Walsh discussed the importance of supporting working families - especially those who are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic - and prioritizing policies that will rebuild the middle class and expand economic opportunity to all. "Mayor Walsh was a former leader of a labor union and he knows what we must do to … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin, Grassley Press DOJ and FBI for Answers on Security Failures that Led to January 6th Attack
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), incoming Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requesting additional information regarding the security posture and planning provided in advance of and during the January 6, 2021, Joint Session of Congress. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Monty … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin Votes to Proceed to Budget Resolution to Give Congress Tool to Pass COVID-19 Relief
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate voted to proceed to a budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2021 that gives Congress an additional legislative tool to pass the urgently-needed bipartisan COVID-19 relief legislation: "For months, our health care heroes, small businesses, state and local governments, schools, and unemployed Americans have pleaded with Congress to pass meaningful federal funding that can break the … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin Statement on President Biden's Immigration Executive Actions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, today released the following statement on President Joe Biden's executive actions on immigration, which include forming a task force to locate and reunify families separated by the Trump Administration; addressing irregular migration across the Southern border and restoring a humane refugee and asylum system; and restoring our legal immigration system and … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin Statement on Selection as Senate Judiciary Committee Chair
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after being selected as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 117th Congress: "This moment in history demands much of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I'm honored to lead my colleagues as we face these challenges. We start by confirming President Biden's nominees; combating the threat of domestic terrorism; passing long overdue reforms, like the Dream Act, to fix our broken … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster Introduce Legislation to Provide Relief for Unemployed Americans
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11), along with U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA-03), introduced legislation to provide tax relief for Americans who lost their jobs and utilized unemployment benefits last year - allowing millions of workers to focus their benefits on covering essentials during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and recession. The Coronavirus Unemployment … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Dems to Introduce Resolution Denouncing Pervasive Threat of Domestic Terrorism and White Supremacy
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senate Intelligence Committee Member Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Democrats to introduce a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on the imminent and pervasive threat of domestic terrorism, violent white supremacists, neo-Nazis, anti-government militias, and dangerous, fringe conspiracy … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin, Axne Introduce Legislation to Provide Tax Relief for Unemployed Americans
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA-03) introduced legislation to provide tax relief for Americans who lost their jobs and utilized unemployment benefits last year - allowing millions of workers to focus their benefits on covering essentials during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and recession. The Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tax Relief Act would waive federal income taxes on the first $10,200 of unemployment … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Durbin: Delaying Judge Garland's Confirmation Hearing Risks our National Security
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to again urge current Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to schedule Judge Merrick Garland's confirmation hearing to be considered as the next U.S. Attorney General. Due to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's unprecedented obstruction of the Senate organizing resolution, Graham is still Judiciary Committee Chairman and controls the Committee's agenda. … Continue Reading
February 01, 2021
Durbin to Graham: No Justification to Delay Judge Garland's Confirmation Hearing
SPRINGFIELD - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), incoming Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to current Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC), urging the prompt scheduling of Judge Merrick Garland's confirmation hearing to be considered as the next U.S. Attorney General. In his letter, Durbin pointed out the urgent need to confirm the nation's top law enforcement officer to protect our national security, and asked Graham to proceed with a February 8th … Continue Reading