In Aftermath Of Recent Attacks, Durbin Again Calls For Trump Admin To Step Up Efforts To Combat Domestic Terrorism & Hate Crimes

CHICAGO-Given the disturbing increase in domestic terrorism and hate crime incidents targeting religious minorities and communities of color, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today wrote to Attorney General William Barr and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray calling on them to take the initiative in leading a coordinated nationwide effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement and intelligence to disrupt and prevent these violent domestic terr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Introduce Comprehensive Legislation To Address Youth Tobacco Crisis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), introduced the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2020, comprehensive legislation to get kid-friendly e-cigarette flavors off the market, stop tobacco companies from targeting youth with marketing schemes, and to curb the rise in the use of tobacco and e-cigarette products among youth. The bill follows Congressional action to increase the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 yea… Continue Reading

Durbin Leads Bicameral, Bipartisan Coalition In Pledging Support To Australia Amid Ongoing Bushfire Crisis

WASHINGTON - Today, the co-chairs of the bicameral Friends of Australia Caucus, which include U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT-02) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08), sent a letter to Australian Ambassador Joe Hockey expressing their full support for the people of Australia during the ongoing bushfire crisis. Durbin, Blunt, Courtney, and Gallagher met with Ambassador Hockey this morning, and a photo of that meeting is available here. "… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Call For Investigation Of Arcelormittal Following Reports Of Pollution Violations

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to urge the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to conduct a full investigation of ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor facility in northwest Indiana following reports from Chicago Tribune and CBS Chicago that the corporation is manipulating water tests and that unacceptable levels of cyanide and ammonia were found in the water discharged from the plan… Continue Reading

Durbin: For The Sake Of Our Children, FDA Must Get Off Sidelines To Address Vaping Epidemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, discussed the Trump Administration's back-tracking on a plan to ban all e-cigarette flavors-including mint and menthol-and called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take additional steps to curb our nation's youth vaping epidemic. With five million children nationwide now vaping-a 135 percent increase over the last two years of this presidency-urgent, comprehensive action is needed now t… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Philippine Government To Release Filipina Senator De Lima

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today once again called for the Philippine government and its autocratic president, Rodrigo Duterte, to release Filipina Senator Leila de Lima or assure a quick and credible trial for her politically motivated incarceration. Senator de Lima is the former head of the National Human Rights Commission of the Philippines and an internationally recognized human right champion who was critical of President Duterte's extrajudicial killings. … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Support For USMCA Trade Deal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, announced that he will support the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), which updates the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Durbin applauded important labor and pharmaceutical changes secured by Democrats that made the USMCA better for American workers, farmers, manufacturers, and families. He also said the USMCA will support the economy in Illinois. "A new NAFTA, the USMCA, … Continue Reading

Durbin To Colleagues: Stand Up & Support Iran War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today cautioned President Donald Trump from plunging the United States into yet another endless war in the Middle East following Iran's ballistic missile attack at two military bases in Iraq where American troops are based. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also urged his colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-V… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senate Dems Demand Answers From Defense Department On Number Of Troop Deployment To Middle East Following Recent Strike

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and U.S. Army General Mark Milley, requesting that Congress be provided with regular briefings and documents detailing the number of troops the Trump Administration has deployed and plans to deploy in support of… Continue Reading

Durbin: Stand Up For Veterans, Students, And Families By Overturning DeVos Borrower Defense Rule

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, slammed Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' rewritten borrower defense rule that guts essential protections for student borrowers and taxpayers. Durbin urged his Senate colleagues to support his Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution (S.J.Res. 56) of disapproval overturning the DeVos rule when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote. "With this new rule, Secretary DeVos is saying … Continue Reading

Durbin To McConnell: Senate Must Conduct A Fair And Honest Impeachment Trial Including Key Witnesses & Documents

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to conduct a fair impeachment trial with key witnesses and documents directly related to the Trump Administration's decision-making regarding the delay in military aid to Ukraine and the Administration's requests that Ukraine conduct certain investigations. "What we are saying on the Democratic side is if there's to be a trial for impeachment… Continue Reading

Durbin: Only Congress Has The Power To Declare War With Iran

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today slammed President Donald Trump's erratic and incoherent policies regarding Iran that might plunge the United States into yet another endless war in the Middle East. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also urged his colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last week, to force a debate and vote in Congress … Continue Reading

Durbin, Kaine File War Powers Resolution To Require Congressional Authorization For War With Iran

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), introduced a war powers resolution to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran. "The Senate must not let this President march into another war in the Middle East without authorization from Congress," Durbin said. "The Constitution is clear - only the Congress can declare war. And whether it does or not, we must ask critical questions of what led … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On U.S. Strike That Killed Iranian General Soleimani

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Pentagon confirmed that a U.S. strike killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad: "The killing of Iranian General Soleimani invites even further escalation by a President who has a poor record of judgment in dealing with world powers. "While President Obama successfully negotiated a nuclear arms agreement with Ir… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Trump Administration's New E-Cigarette Flavor Policy

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that it will ban the sale of some flavored e-cigarette pods and cartridge products, such as those used in JUUL devices. However, in a major reversal, menthol flavored pods will be exempt from this ban and vape shops will be mostly exempt by being allowed to continue selling flavored liquid nicotine used in "open tank systems"-these products often come in f… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Continued Detention Of Philippine Senator Leila De Lima

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the continued detention of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima by the government of the Philippines and President Rodrigo Duterte: "Philippines human rights champion Senator Leila de Lima has been jailed for more than 1,000 days on highly questionable charges. Her release, which has been championed by groups such as Amnesty International - and now the U.S. Congress - is unfortunately symbolic o… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Nomination Of Stephen McGlynn To Serve As U.S. District Judge For The Southern District Of Illinois

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the White House announced the nomination of Stephen McGlynn to serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the President has nominated Judge Stephen McGlynn. He has the qualifications, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction as a district court judge in the Southern District of Illinois. We appreciate the A… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Creation Of New Website To Report Blocked Crossings To Federal Railroad Administration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will establish a website where the public can report blocked rail crossings by freight trains in an effort to collect better data and prevent blocked rail crossings, which are jeopardizing safety in communities across Illinois. Durbin helped secure provisions in this year's Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill that directed FRA to create this website in order to improve passenger rail ser… Continue Reading

Toomey, Durbin Introduce Bill To Add Ireland To E-3 Non-Immigrant Visa Program

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to add Ireland to the E-3 non-immigrant visa program. The bill would allow Irish nationals annual access to any unused E-3 visas from the previous fiscal year. In exchange, Ireland intends to provide Americans expanded access to work visas in Ireland. A similar bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI-05) and Richard Neal (D-MA-01) passed the House of Representa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Call On Mnuchin To Strengthen IRS Criminal Division

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), today sent a letter to the Department of the Treasury urging the Administration to strengthen the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) enforcement efforts, including focusing on tax code violations and financial crimes. The Senators, in a letter to Secretary Steven Mnuchin, expressed serious concern over the IRS Criminal Investiga… Continue Reading