Press Releases
On The Senate Floor, Durbin Continues To Call Out Trump For His Election Denialism
WASHINGTON - Following President Trump’s speech on Thursday where he peddled lies about the 2020 election and attempted to sow doubt in the 2026 and 2028 elections, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to debunk the President’s lies about election security. Durbin also called out Republicans’ SAVE America Act, legislation which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. “In a 25-minute … Continue Reading
July 17, 2026
Durbin, Padilla Urge DHS, DOJ To End Blanket $1.8 Million Fines Being Improperly Assessed On Law-Abiding Immigrants
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, today sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging them to end the improper application of certain civil penalties in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to law-abiding … Continue Reading
July 17, 2026
Durbin Joins Blumenthal, Darline Graham, Senators In Announcing Agreement On Legislation To Further Sanction Russia And Hold Purchasers Of Its Oil Accountable
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Darline Graham (R-SC), and 58 other members of the Senate in announcing the text of an agreement negotiated between the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and the White House that would add sanctions on key Russian individuals and industries as well as hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia’s war in … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Statement On Trump Election Denialism Speech
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Trump’s speech tonight peddling lies about the 2020 election and attempting to sow doubt in the 2026 and 2028 elections: “President Trump and his Republican Party are flailing. They know their MAGA agenda is making life more expensive, communities less safe, and government more corrupt. “Tonight’s ‘speech’ from the President is a … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin, Schatz, Gillibrand Introduce Child Marriage Prevention Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act, which would take steps to reduce child marriage across the United States. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) According to leading advocacy groups on this issue, data shows that between 2000 and 2021, more than … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Questions Outside Witness Panel For President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned the outside witness panel for the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Durbin began by offering his condolences to witness Jennifer Bos, a mother from Illinois whose daughter, Megan, went missing and was found dead on the property of an undocumented … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Receives National Retail Federation’s 2026 Champion Of Main Street Award
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), author of the Durbin Amendment and the Credit Card Competition Act, received the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2026 Champion of Main Street Award in honor of his leadership to address the high cost of debit and credit card interchange fees and his efforts to curb organized retail crime. “As Americans are struggling with the rising cost of everyday essentials, I’ve made it a priority in Congress to put money back in their … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement Ahead Of Outside Witness Panel For President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement ahead of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s outside witness panel for the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Durbin also introduced the Democratic witnesses: Liz Oyer and Dani Bensky. Ms. Oyer served as the Justice Department Pardon Attorney, a nonpolitical position, until she was fired in … Continue Reading
July 15, 2026
In Front Of Epstein Survivors, Durbin Presses Attorney General Nominee, Todd Blanche, To Meet With Survivors Within The Next 30 Days
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche, during his Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing. Durbin pressed Mr. Blanche on whether he would personally meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse within the next 30 days. Following Durbin’s repeated questions, Mr. Blanche would not commit to doing so. “[There are] 10 … Continue Reading
July 15, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Before turning to his opening statement, Durbin addressed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) comments about special prosecutor Jack Smith. Durbin again called for Committee … Continue Reading
July 14, 2026
Durbin Announces Bipartisan Proposal To Initiate Congressional Action To Strengthen Social Security On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced new bipartisan legislation to initiate Congressional action on extending Social Security’s solvency. The Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone (PROMISE) Act follows the release of the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report, which found that the Social Security Trust Fund will only be able to cover 78 percent of benefits in … Continue Reading
July 14, 2026
Durbin Presses Justices Kagan, Barrett On Judicial Security In Rare Congressional Appearance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, pressed Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett on judicial security in a rare Congressional appearance. This is the first time Supreme Court justices have appeared before Congress since 2019 and before the Senate since 2011. “Tomorrow we're considering Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination, who … Continue Reading
July 14, 2026
Durbin Statement On Courtesy Meeting With Trump’s Attorney General Pick Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after his meeting with Todd Blanche, President Trump’s nominee to be U.S. Attorney General: “Mr. Blanche is at the helm of a weaponized Justice Department, putting President Trump ahead of the Constitution, the rule of law, and you. “It’s clear that Mr. Blanche has never stopped being President Trump’s personal attorney, and I pushed him on his role … Continue Reading
July 14, 2026
Durbin, Cassidy, Kaine, Tillis, King, Cornyn, Coons, Armstrong Introduce Bipartisan Proposal To Initiate Congressional Action On Social Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Alan Armstrong (R-OK) today introduced a bipartisan proposal to initiate Congressional action on Social Security. The Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone (PROMISE) Act follows the release of the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report, … Continue Reading
July 14, 2026
Durbin Statement On Fatal ICE Officer Shootings In Houston And Maine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the fatal shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas, and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers: “The fatal shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero are tragic, heartbreaking, and enraging. There must be full, fair, and independent … Continue Reading
July 13, 2026
Durbin Statement On Trump’s Decision To Slash Boundaries Of Bears Ears & Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the boundaries of two national monuments—Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante. In 2017, the first Trump Administration put 27 national monuments under review with the requirement they were established after 1996 and were over 100,000 acres. Then-Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke recommended six monuments for reduction, but … Continue Reading
July 13, 2026
Durbin Remembers Senator Lindsey Graham On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) recognized U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) lifetime of public service following his sudden passing this weekend. “Last week, I joined several of my colleagues from the Senate and the House at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye… Last Wednesday, we had a dinner hosted by the U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack. There must have been 50 or 60 people there, all shared the concerns of the Summit … Continue Reading
July 13, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Legislation To Expand The Gateway Arch National Park Boundary Into Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Gateway Arch National Park Boundary Revision Act, bicameral legislation that would add nearly 50 acres to the Gateway Arch National Park into Illinois. Expanding the site into Illinois, including Malcolm Martin Park and East St. Louis, will promote economic development in Illinois by attracting more visitors to the Illinois side of the river. Expanding the site was part of … Continue Reading
July 13, 2026
Durbin Reflects On Recent Bipartisan, Bicameral Congressional Delegation Trip To The NATO Summit In Türkiye
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, reflected on his recent trip to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, Türkiye. During the summit, they discussed congressional support for the transatlantic relationship, the war in Iran, as well as continued Russian aggression and interference in western democracies. During his remarks, Durbin reflected on the life and legacy of … Continue Reading
July 13, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Announce NDAA Amendments To Prevent President Trump From Unlawfully Deploying The Military Into American Cities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced five amendments to the Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2027 to push back against the Trump Administration’s expansive use of the military for law enforcement or immigration … Continue Reading