Press Releases
Durbin Previews Tomorrow’s Judiciary Committee Hearing With Former Special Counsel Jack Smith
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, previewed tomorrow’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with former Special Counsel Jack Smith. In November 2022, then-Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Mr. Smith, a nonpartisan career prosecutor, as Special Counsel with authority to investigate President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as Trump’s effort to illegally … Continue Reading
September 28, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Democrats In Demanding OMB Director Vought Abandon Any Plan To Exert Political Control Over NIH Funding
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and of 27 their colleagues in demanding White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought halt any plan to exert political control over the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) grantmaking process. The Trump Administration considering an executive order to … Continue Reading
September 28, 2026
Durbin: President Trump’s Pocket Rescission Is “An Illegal Power Grab”
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor criticizing the Trump Administration’s illegal move to rescind $810 million for federal programs, cutting off bipartisan funding Congress has allocated for education programs, health research, assistance for minority-owned businesses, immigration services, and support to foreign countries. This pocket rescission by the President is a clear … Continue Reading
September 26, 2026
Durbin Statement On Trump’s Illegal “Pocket Rescission” Of Nearly $1 Billion
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after President Trump announced that he has unilaterally rescinded nearly $1 billion in funds that Congress has already approved for education programs, health research, assistance for minority owned businesses, immigration services, and support to foreign countries: “The illegal power grab by Donald Trump continues. The real question is whether my … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Allowing Trump Administration To Proceed With Flawed Voter Screening Database Ahead Of Midterms
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled today that the Trump Administration can move forward with an expansive and flawed database that states can use for potential voter purges. The database attempts to combine citizenship information, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive data about millions of Americans and is rife with errors: “The Supreme Court … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Durbin, Padilla Introduce New Legislation To Prevent Unlawful Immigration Arrests & Detentions
WASHINGTON - After immigration enforcement agents have arbitrarily arrested countless U.S. citizens and immigrants with lawful status, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, introduced new legislation to clarify existing requirements for immigration arrests and codify statutory procedures to prevent unlawful … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Durbin, Reed, Peters Release GAO Report Detailing Reckless Expansion Of Immigration Detention Under Trump
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), led the release of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) newly-completed report examining the Trump Administration’s flawed immigration detention expansion, … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Durbin Urges Chairman Grassley To Hold A Hearing To Investigate Donald Trump Jr. Accepting A Lavish Gift from A Russian Oligarch
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, again backed Senator John Curtis’s (R-UT) call for the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the use of presidential family relationships for private financial benefit, preferential treatment, or access by domestic and foreign interests. Curtis’s letter highlights the serious concerns over the lavish wedding reception provided to the President’s son, Donald Trump Jr., by a Russian … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Durbin Introduces Care For Moms Act To Address Maternal Mortality
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Community Access, Resources, and Empowerment (CARE) for Moms Act as maternal mortality and morbidity continues to rise across the United States, disproportionately impacting Black women. The CARE for Moms Act builds upon Durbin’s MOMMA Act, a provision of which was passed as part of the American Rescue Plan. The provision ensured that states had the option to expand Medicaid coverage to new moms from 60 days … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Ranking Members Durbin, Raskin, Padilla Press DHS Secretary On Refugee Admission During Refugee Consultation With Congress
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration; and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, yesterday pressed U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin on the Trump Administration’s uncertain refugee policies during an … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Flock Cameras & Protecting Americans’ Right To Privacy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network.” Today’s hearing examined the importance of protecting Americans’ right to privacy and underscored the need for meaningful oversight and accountability measures over Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Durbin in Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Flock Cameras: “We Have Got To Find A Way To Balance Privacy And Security”
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement in today’s Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network.” In his opening remarks, Durbin spoke about the importance of protecting Americans’ right to privacy and underscored the need for meaningful oversight and accountability measures over Automated License … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Durbin Shares 153rd Dreamer Story On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared his 153rd Dreamer story. During his time in Congress, Durbin has continuously shared stories of Dreamers—young people who have lived in America since they were children, built their lives here, and are American in every way except for their immigration status. Under current law, there is no pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. “For 25 years, I … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Durbin Denounces Judiciary Committee Republicans’ Hearing On Transgender Athletes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, denounced today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on transgender athletes in his opening statement. Durbin noted that he refuses to treat this hearing like a responsible exercise of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s authority. And therefore, he will not ask questions and did not call Democratic witnesses. Key Quotes: “If you ask the American people, what are the priority issues … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Durbin Backs Senator Curtis’ Call For Senate Judiciary Committee Investigation Into Donald Trump Jr.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, again backed Senator John Curtis’ (R-UT) call for the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the use of presidential family relationships for private financial benefit, preferential treatment, or access by domestic and foreign interests. Curtis’ letter highlights the serious concerns over the lavish wedding reception provided to the President’s son, Donald Trump Jr., by a Russian … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Durbin Leads Great Lakes Senators In Demanding Answers On Trump Administration’s Repeated Pauses Of The Brandon Road Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), today sent a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works demanding answers about why the Trump Administration has allowed for two administrative pauses to the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) without an adequate justification. While the second administrative pause has been lifted and the … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Durbin Sounds The Alarm On Trump’s Attacks On A Free & Open Press
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called out President Trump banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House grounds because of his personal disagreements with their coverage. The three news outlets have filed a First Amendment lawsuit to restore their access. “If a person walks the halls of the United States Capitol, there is a pretty good chance that you will bump into a reporter. They are seemingly around … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Durbin Calls On President Trump To Push For Release Of Chinese Political Prisoners During Meetings With President Xi Jinping This Week
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor advocating for the release of several Chinese political prisoners ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States this week. Specifically, Durbin called for the release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, who was reportedly imprisoned as retaliation for her family’s public criticism of the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs; Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai; Gao Quanfu and his wife … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Durbin, Young Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Children From Lead Poisoning
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) today reintroduced the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act, which would require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to update its lead poisoning prevention measures to reflect modern science and ensure that families and children living in federally-assisted housing are protected from the devastating consequences of lead poisoning. “Children should not be at risk from lead poisoning … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Durbin Statement On Call for Senate Judiciary Committee Investigation Into Donald Trump Jr.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) calling for the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the use of presidential family relationships for private financial benefit, preferential treatment, or access by domestic and foreign interests: “Corruption at the highest levels of our government should never be tolerated. Senator Curtis has made a … Continue Reading