Press Releases
Durbin, Judiciary Committee Democrats To Chairman Graham: Follow Your Own Rule And Delay Filling Supreme Court Vacancy Until After Inauguration
CHICAGO-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and 9 Judiciary Committee Democrats in calling on Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to delay action on filling Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat on the Supreme Court until after the inauguration of the next president. "In light of the vacancy created by Justice Ginsburg's death, we call upon you to state unequivocally and publicly … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Durbin Statement On The Passing Of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: "The Supreme Court's most valiant champion for justice in our lifetime is gone. Justice Ginsburg was an American hero. "Please remember Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's demand that Supreme Court vacancies go unfilled during a presidential election year, which was also Justice Ginsburg's dying wish. Senator McConnell pleaded with … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $10 Million For Springfield Rail Improvement Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the City of Springfield has been awarded $10 million in federal funding for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. Today's investment, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, will fund the replacement of two existing rail bridges at the South Grand Avenue and Cook Street underpasses with … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $16 Million In VAWA Funding For Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $15.9 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to help Illinois agencies and community groups provide critical support and protections for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Today's funding comes from various DOJ programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to prevent, combat, and investigate sexual assault and violence against … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Urge Online Platforms To Take Additional Measures To Stop Voting Related Misinformation And Disinformation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in leading 15 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter and YouTube, urging executives to take further measures to stop voting related misinformation and disinformation. The Intelligence Community has confirmed that Russia is trying to influence and undermine the election through social media and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned that foreign actors may leverage … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth: Trump Administration Rollback Of Toxic Metals Pollution Regulation Could Further Harm Lake Michigan
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today slammed the Trump Administration's recent rollback of Obama-era pollution standards, specifically a 2015 rule that regulates how coal-fired power plants dispose of toxic metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium in wastewater that flows into U.S. bodies of water, including Lake Michigan. In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Durbin and … Continue Reading
September 17, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Join Schumer, Warren To Introduce Resolution Calling On President To Cancel Student Loan Debt For Federal Borrowers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today to introduce a resolution outlining a bold plan for the President of the United States to use existing authority under the Higher Education Act to cancel up to $50,000 in Federal student loan debt for Federal student loan borrowers. The resolution outlines how the President should use executive authority to cancel student loan … Continue Reading
September 17, 2020
Durbin, Senate Dems Unveil America Leads Act To Confront The Rise Of China
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats to introduce the America Labor, Economic competitiveness, Alliances, Democracy and Security (America LEADS) Act, Senate Democrats' proposal for a new U.S.-China policy. The most comprehensive China legislation to date, the America LEADS Act seeks to recognize that only when we have a … Continue Reading
September 17, 2020
Senate Confirms Nominations Of Four Illinois District Judges
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed the nominations of Franklin Valderrama and Iain Johnston to serve as Judges on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Valderrama and Johnston were part of a package of four Illinois nominees selected pursuant to Illinois' longstanding bipartisan judicial selection process, along with David Dugan and Stephen … Continue Reading
September 17, 2020
Durbin Meets With Illinois Pork Producers Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke by phone with Illinois Pork Producers Executive Director Jennifer Tirey and President Dale Weitekamp about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pork producers and federal support for farmers during this crisis, including the USDA Coronavirus Assistance Program. In May, Durbin joined a bipartisan letter calling for additional USDA funding in the next COVID-19 relief … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Ninety Days Since Landmark Supreme Court DACA Decisions And Following Critical TPS Decision, Durbin Calls On Senate To Pass Dream And Promise Act
WASHINGTON - Ninety days since the Supreme Court's decision rejecting President Donald Trump's repeal of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee and author of the Dream Act, once again called on the Senate to pass the bipartisan, House-passed American Dream and Promise Act. The legislation will establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants with … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Durbin Discusses Illinois Water Infrastructure Projects With Rock Island Army Corp District Commander
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) received an update today from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander Colonel Steven Sattinger about several Illinois water infrastructure projects including the Quincy Bay Restoration Project, the Brandon Road Project, and the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). On the call, Durbin spoke with Colonel Sattinger about securing an additional $20 million in funding for the Quincy Bay project through the U.S. … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Durbin Meets With Mississippi Valley Army Corps Commander To Urge Funding For Quincy Bay
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division Commander Major General Diana Holland to push the Corps to select the Quincy Bay Restoration Project for funding through the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program. Durbin has repeatedly pushed the Army Corps for funding to restore Quincy Bay, one of the largest natural bays of the Upper Mississippi River. "The environmental need for the Quincy Bay project is … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Senate Republicans Continue To Block Bipartisan, House-Passed Venezuela TPS Legislation
WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans today again blocked bipartisan, House-passed legislation that would designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and protect approximately 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from deportation. U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) was joined by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on the Senate floor to make a unanimous consent (UC) request to … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Durbin Statement On Illinois Budget Issues Resulting From COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker sent a letter to the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation about the State's budget issues and revenue shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked for federal support for state and local governments in the next COVID-19 relief package: "The State of Illinois is not alone facing a serious revenue loss resulting from this pandemic. State and local governments … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Durbin Speaks With Growth Energy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke with members of Growth Energy about the harmful impact Trump Administration policies and the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the ethanol industry, which is projected to cause more than $3 billion in economic damage for biofuel producers. During the call, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration's approval of 85 small refinery waivers during the past several years … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
Durbin Slams President Trump's Comments On Vaccine Approval Timeline, ACA Repeal Efforts, And State Of Testing In America During Senate Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, at a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hearing about the Trump Administration's coronavirus response efforts, questioned witnesses about President Trump's claim that a COVID-19 vaccine would be ready "within weeks". Durbin also slammed the President's inaccurate suggestion that the United States has a high number of COVID-19 cases because of the number of tests conducted, … Continue Reading
September 15, 2020
Ahead Of Upcoming National Assembly Elections, Durbin Shares Support For Venezuelan President Juan Guaido
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the approaching Venezuelan National Assembly elections on December 6, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke via phone to interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó about the ongoing violent repression and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela caused by the discredited regime of Nicolás Maduro. During today's call, Durbin reiterated his support for Guaidó and his constitutional role to help Venezuela return to the community of … Continue Reading
September 15, 2020
Durbin Speaks With National Children's Alliance About COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact On Child Abuse
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone today with National Children's Alliance members about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the 40 Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Illinois and the families they serve. On the call, Durbin heard from child protection professionals about their concerns that, despite a lower number of reported cases, child abuse may have increased during the pandemic due to unemployment, economic stress, and isolation with abusive parents or siblings. … Continue Reading
September 15, 2020
Durbin Speaks With Illinois Farmers Union
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke by phone with members of the Illinois Farmers Union about COVID-19 relief for farmers, support for ethanol producers, broadband, and strengthening trade markets. "Today I heard from members of the Illinois Farmers Union who shared their concerns about financial difficulties they continue to face from the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the decisions by the Trump … Continue Reading