Durbin, Graham Introduce National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act to reauthorize relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship.  The legislation would protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-te… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal, Bipartisan Group of Senators Demand Documents from Mark Zuckerberg After Newly Unsealed Court Filing Alleges Meta Hid Evidence of Harms to Kids

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a bipartisan group of Senators demanding Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg provide documents related to senior executives’ knowledge of the mental and physical health harms associated with its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. In addition to Durbin and Blumenthal, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Lindsey Graham (R-S… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Illinois Dental Medicaid Insurers for Answers on Obstacles to Providing Oral Health Care

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent oversight letters to three companies – DentaQuest, Envolve, and Avesis – that administer dental benefits for Medicaid managed care companies (MCOs) in Illinois to seek answers on barriers to providing dental care to Medicaid enrollees.  Durbin’s letters raise concerns and investigate certain insurance practices that can limit and discourage provider participation in Medicaid, which exacerbate existing reimbursement rate challen… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions District Court Nominees at Latest Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing

WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Judge Sara E. Hill, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; John David Russell, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; and Ramona Villagomez Manglona, nominated to be Judge for the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands. Durbin … Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing on Three Judicial Nominations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Sara E. Hill, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; John David Russell, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma; and Ramona Villagomez Manglona, to be Judge for the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands.   Key Quotes: “… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Ukrainian Leaders to Discuss Emergency National Security Supplemental

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with the Ambassador of Ukraine, Oksana Markarova; Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak; and First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Economy, Ms. Yulia Svyrydenko, to discuss President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises.  In addition to Durbin, U.S. Senator … Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal, Hickenlooper Press Commissioner on Major League Baseball's Lobbying for an Exemption from Florida State Wage and Hour Requirements

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led his colleagues U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) in pressing Rob Manfred, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB), on the MLB’s lobbying for a broad wage and hour exemption in Florida at the same time it was negotiating a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), which undermines the agree… Continue Reading

Durbin Objects to Partisan Bill that Dangerously Omits Funding for Ukraine

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor joined members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in opposing U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) request for unanimous consent (UC) to pass House Republicans’ partisan aid package, which includes funding forIsrael but neglects to support Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Putin’s unrelenting attacks and conditions support for Israel by offsetting other federal funding.  In his remarks, Durbin emphasized his suppo… Continue Reading

Key Unions Endorse Durbin, Marshall Credit Card Competition Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today released the following statement applauding key unions’ endorsement of their Credit Card Competition Act, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU): “Our unions understand that American consumers are concerned about inflation and the high prices of everyday items like groceries and g… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senate Confirmation of Judge Ana de Alba to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ana de Alba to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge de Alba’s confirmation: “Judge Ana de Alba is a seasoned litigator with both federal and state-level judicial experience. She is a legal champion for civil and labor rights, a sense of justice shaped by her powerful personal experience as a first-… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to Supreme Court's New Code of Conduct in Speech on Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – Following a years-long effort by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to deliver on Supreme Court ethics reform, the Supreme Court announced today a first-ever code of conduct for all Supreme Court Justices. Durbin responded to the announcement in a speech on the Senate floor. Key quotes here: “After years of refusing to act, a series of scandalous disclosures involving several justices on the Court, and the Senate Judiciary Commit… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Lead Members of Illinois Delegation in Urging President Biden to Grant Federal Disaster Declaration for Cook County Following Severe September Rainfall, Flash Flooding

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led nearly every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Cook County recover from storm damage.  In September, severe storms passed through Cook County producing nine inches of rainfall and flash flooding. “W… Continue Reading

Durbin, Markey Statement on Release of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) today released the following statement regarding Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, who was released on bail in the Philippines: “After nearly seven years of unjust detention for defending human rights, former Philippine Senator Leila de Lima is finally free on bail.  We welcome this long overdue decision and call on any remaining bogus charges to be dropped once and for all.  Her eloquent words upon releas… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Push to Renew Expired Funding for Child Care

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), in leading a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for child care in any supplemental funding package… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Release Statement on Biden, UAW President Visit to Belvidere Plant in Celebration of UAW-Stellantis Deal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statements on President Biden’s and United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain’s visit to Belvidere, Illinois, after UAW and Stellantis reached a deal to restart the Belvidere Assembly Plant and add on an electric vehicle battery plant to the facility: “While I cannot welcome them in person, I am pleased to have President Biden and UAW President Shawn Fain visit Bel… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Judiciary Committee Effort to Authorize Subpoenas for Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the followingstatement regarding the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing effort to authorize subpoenas for Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo relating to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation: “Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats remain united in our effort to implement an enforceable code of conduct for Supreme Court justices.  To inform this effort, we will continue to pu… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and Jorge Ramirez, Secretary and Treasurer, to discuss MPEA’s impact on the Chicago region and Illinois economy as the largest convention center in North America.  Durbin and Clark also spoke about future plans for McCormick Square, including making infrastructure improvements to the convention center. “Chicago’s major attractions, including Navy Pi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Jayapal, Schakowsky, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Designate Palestinian Territories for Temporary Protected Status or Authorize Deferred Enforcement Departure for Palestinians in U.S.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today led 104 of their colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden calling on his Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States.  TPS and DED offer temporary relief from remo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rubio Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Authorization of Global Basic Education

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act of 2017 for an additional five years.  The legislation equitably expands access to basic education for children around the globe. “Given the terrible learning loss around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic and troubling backsliding on girls education in pl… Continue Reading

Durbin, Gooden Request Accounting for Exorbiant Swipe Fees Being Paid by Federal Government

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Lance Gooden (R-TX-05) requested a comprehensive review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailing the federal government's interchange fee expenses over the last five fiscal years.  This request highlights the exorbitant credit card interchange or "swipe" fees, a staggering burden the federal government and, in turn, American taxpayers, pay at around $240 million every year.  In addition to Dur… Continue Reading