Press Releases
Durbin Condemns Antisemitic Attack At Bondi Beach As Hanukkah Begins, Violent Shooting At Brown University
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Australia as Hanukkah begins, as well as the shooting at Brown University. “In Skokie, Illinois, just a few miles north of Chicago, is America’s second largest Holocaust Museum. Those who visit see thousands of artifacts from victims and survivors and their families. And there is one lesson that … Continue Reading
December 15, 2025
Durbin Slams Trump Administration For Cuts To NIH, Medical Research In Speech On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke out against the Trump Administration’s dangerous cuts to medical research. In his remarks, Durbin stressed that the President’s decision to cut medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will set back medical advancement by decades by disrupting research into cancer, brain diseases, mental health, drug development, and more. Durbin began his speech by recalling his first time meeting Dr. Francis … Continue Reading
December 12, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Republican Vote To Raise Health Insurance Premiums
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation’s (SIHF) Cahokia Heights Health Center following Senate Republicans’ vote yesterday to raise health insurance premiums for tens of millions of Americans. Senate Republicans voted against the Democratic legislation to extend the expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, meaning Illinoisans who purchase marketplace health plans will see … Continue Reading
December 12, 2025
Durbin, Blumenthal Release GAO Report Recommending Expansion Of FDA’s Personnel And Authority To Oversee Medical Device Recalls
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) newly-completed report on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight of medical device recalls. In December 2023, Durbin and Blumenthal requested the report from GAO following the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s and ProPublica’s reporting on Philips Respironics’ failure to submit timely and comprehensive adverse event reports, or … Continue Reading
December 11, 2025
Durbin, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Rise From Trauma Act To Address Childhood Trauma
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase support for children who have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma, including witnessing community violence, parental addiction, or abuse. The Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) from Trauma Act dramatically increases … Continue Reading
December 11, 2025
Durbin Condemns President Trump’s Racist Comments Towards Immigrants In Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Meeting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting condemning the Trump Administration’s failing immigration enforcement tactics and the diversion of necessary resources away from drug trafficking, gun violence, and other threats that put our nation’s security at risk—all while pardoning drug kingpins, including former Honduras … Continue Reading
December 11, 2025
Durbin Statement On Republicans Voting To Raise Health Insurance Premiums For Tens Of Millions Of Americans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans rejected Senate Democrats’ proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits to ensure millions of Americans could continue to afford their health care plans in 2026: “Need I remind my Republicans colleagues that their votes have real consequences for the people of this country? “Shame on Republicans for, once again, voting to push millions of … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Durbin, Delauro Introduce The Federal Food Administration Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) reintroduced the Federal Food Administration Act, legislation that would streamline our food safety system by consolidating the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) food oversight responsibilities into a single agency dedicated to keeping the foods Americans eat safe. “The sad reality is that FDA has failed to protect Americans from preventable foodborne illnesses and death. In … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Amid Surge In ICE Hiring, Durbin Remarks On Low Standards Of ICE Recruits Who Have Failed Drug Tests, Have Pending Criminal Charges, And More
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today denounced the low hiring standards of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruits amid a surge in hiring. The Trump Administration announced their goal of onboarding 10,000 new agents by the end of the year—which would double the number of deportation officers, from roughly 6,000 to 16,000. Durbin also spoke out on the Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Ahead Of The Senate’s ACA Tax Credit Vote, Durbin Joins Spotlight Forum Highlighting The Importance Of The ACA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a spotlight forum hosted by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) focused on the need to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits ahead of the Senate’s vote tomorrow on the Democratic proposal for a clean three-year extension of the ACA tax credits. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Durbin: Trump’s 2018 Racist Reference To “S-Hole” Countries Was An Embarrassment
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke about President Donald Trump finally admitting that he used the slur “shithole countries” to denigrate Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting in the Oval Office that Durbin attended. Trump admitted to this comment during his rally in Pennsylvania last night. Following the 2018 meeting, Durbin was criticized by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Legislation To Improve The Medical Device Recall Process
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today reintroduced legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients. The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals. It also … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Senate Judiciary Democrats Push Back Against FBI, DOJ Investigation Threats Into Six Members Of Congress
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in pushing back against the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) attempt to use the threat of investigation to harass and intimidate U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as U.S. Representatives Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-01), Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06)—after the Members … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Calls On Congress To Pass His Bill Combatting Online Child Sexual Abuse Material
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked for unanimous consent (UC) for the Senate to pass his bipartisan STOP CSAM Act alongside the bill’s cosponsor U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). “I come to the floor today to ask the Senate to pass the STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would finally open the courthouse doors to survivors of child exploitation and their families. Too many parents feel a pit in … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Speaks At Spotlight Forum Examining The Trump Administration’s Aggressive Tactics In Pursuing Its Mass Deportation Scheme
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today participated in a bicameral spotlight forum entitled “Our Values at Stake: DHS Overreach and Violations of U.S. Citizen Rights.” The forum, convened by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), provided a public platform for five U.S. citizens, including Dayanne Figueroa of Chicago, to share their story of being arbitrarily arrested … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Questions Witnesses On Addressing CSAM & Protecting Children Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Protecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.” Durbin first questioned Jessica Smolar, a former federal prosecutor who investigated and prosecuted child exploitation offenses, about the current child exploitation sentencing guidelines and whether those current guidelines are deficient in … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Judiciary Committee Hearing On Protecting Kids Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Protecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.” During his opening, Durbin highlighted his STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material, among other … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Landmark Legislative Package To Protect Kids Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced three bipartisan bills to hold violent criminals accountable and combat the disturbing rise in online child exploitation. The Committee is convening a hearing on child safety online today. The Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act), Ending Coercion of Children and Harm … Continue Reading
December 08, 2025
In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Calls On Republicans To Protect Health Care Coverage For Their Constituents Ahead Of This Week’s Vote To Extend ACA Tax Credits
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the Senate’s anticipated vote to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits this week. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Durbin received a commitment from Republican Leader John Thune to put a bill on … Continue Reading
December 05, 2025
Durbin Celebrates Final Introduction Of The Dream Act With Local Immigration Advocates
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined The Resurrection Project and other Chicago immigration advocacy groups to celebrate the introduction the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025, which would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as … Continue Reading