Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Voting Against The Right To IVF Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against the Right to IVF Act. The legislation, which Durbin is a cosponsor of, establishes a clear and enforceable nationwide right to receive, provide, or cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) services and other assisted reproductive technologies. It also expands insurance coverage for such care. “Whether, when, and how to … Continue Reading
June 13, 2024
Durbin Statement On The Supreme Court's Decision On FDA v. Alliance For Hippocratic Medicine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision on Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, which held that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) actions regarding the regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone: “In acknowledging that a group of anti-abortion activists has no standing to … Continue Reading
June 13, 2024
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Bipartisan Bill To Authorize Dozens Of New District Court Judgeships
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act, which would authorize 63 new permanent district court judgeships and three new temporary district court judgeships. “As dockets become overburdened, it’s important that Congress uses its authority to ensure the federal judiciary remains efficient. These new district court judgeships will help alleviate the caseloads for overburdened districts and ensure … Continue Reading
June 12, 2024
Senate Republican Blocks Durbin's Attempt To Tackle Nonconsensual, Sexually-Explicit Deepfakes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested unanimous consent (UC) today on the Senate floor to pass his bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act), legislation that would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. Despite broad support for the legislation, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) … Continue Reading
June 05, 2024
Durbin, Capito, Booker Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Enhance Reentry Programs, Promote Public Safety
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2024 to reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008, which was most recently reauthorized as part of Durbin’s First Step Act in 2018. The legislation would reauthorize critical programs to … Continue Reading
June 05, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing On Four 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 Embry J. Kidd, nominated to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit; Joseph Francis Saporito Jr., nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; Adam Abelson, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland; and Meredith Vacca, nominated to be … Continue Reading
June 04, 2024
Durbin Urges His Colleagues To Support The Right To Contraception Act Ahead Of Vote On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - During the week marking the 59th anniversary of the landmark Griswold v. Connecticut decision, in which the Supreme Court ruled that all married Americans have a constitutional right to use contraception, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his colleagues to support the Right to Contraception Act when it comes before the Senate tomorrow. This bill, which Durbin is a cosponsor of, would protect the rights of patients to … Continue Reading
June 03, 2024
Durbin Addresses The Supreme Court's Ethical Crisis In A Speech On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed the Supreme Court’s ethical crisis and cautioned that we cannot afford further erosion of public confidence in our courts. Durbin’s speech follows Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s refusal to recuse himself from cases concerning the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection. The justice’s refusal comes in response to a letter Durbin and … Continue Reading
June 03, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Rep. Kelly Introduce Bicameral Resolution In Observance Of National Gun Violence Awareness Month
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) in introducing a resolution to designate June 07, 2024, as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and June 2024 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month.” Each year, more than 43,000 people in the United States are killed and 76,000 are injured by gun violence, depriving many of a promising future. Designating both a specific day and month … Continue Reading
May 29, 2024
Durbin Responds To Justice Alito's Refusal To Recuse Himself In 2020 Election Cases
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito refused to recuse himself from cases concerning the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection. The justice’s refusal comes in response to a letter Durbin and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, sent to Chief Justice John Roberts last week imploring the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2024
Durbin, Whitehouse Request Meeting With Chief Justice Roberts, Urge Roberts To Ensure Justice Alito Recuses Himself In 2020 Election Cases
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, today announced that they sent a letter to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts imploring the Chief Justice take appropriate steps to ensure Justice Samuel Alito recuses himself from cases concerning the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection. The Senators’ letter comes on the heels … Continue Reading
May 22, 2024
Durbin: Justice Alito Must Recuse Himself From Cases Related To The 2020 Election After 'Appeal To Heaven' Flag Was Flown At His Home
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after a New York Times report that an “Appeal to Heaven” flag—a symbol carried on January 6—was flown at Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s vacation home: “This incident is yet another example of apparent ethical misconduct by a sitting justice, and it adds to the Court’s ongoing ethical crisis. For the good of our country and the Court, Justice Alito must … Continue Reading
May 22, 2024
Durbin, Schumer, Civil Rights Leaders Celebrate Milestone Of 200th Judge Confirmed During Biden Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and civil rights leaders today celebrated the milestone of 200 Article III judges confirmed during the Biden Administration. These 200 confirmations highlight the Judiciary Committee’s work filling judicial vacancies with highly qualified, diverse candidates who help ensure the fair and impartial administration of the American justice … Continue Reading
May 22, 2024
In Speech on Senate Floor, Durbin Celebrates Milestone Of 200 Judges Confirmed During Biden Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the confirmation of the 200th Article III judge confirmed during the Biden Administration. These 200 confirmations highlight the Judiciary Committee’s work filling judicial vacancies with highly qualified, diverse candidates who help ensure the fair and impartial administration of the American justice system. “Over the past three years something … Continue Reading
May 22, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing On Five 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 Judge Michelle Court, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California; Judge Anne Hwang, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California; Judge Sarah Netburn, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; Stacey … Continue Reading
May 21, 2024
Durbin Discusses Prison Reform Efforts During Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Prison Labor In America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed his efforts to date to reform the federal prison system, including conducting rigorous oversight and reducing the use of solitary confinement, at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “An Examination of Prison Labor in America.” “I’ve tried in my time on the Judiciary Committee, and in the few years that I have been Chair, to have a … Continue Reading
May 21, 2024
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Prescription Drug Prices, Competition, And Innovation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Ensuring Affordable & Accessible Medications: Examining Competition in the Prescription Drug Market.” The hearing examined prescription drug prices, competition, and innovation, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for American families. Durbin first questioned Dr. Will Feldman, a … Continue Reading
May 21, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Prescription Drug Prices, Competition, And Innovation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee a hearing entitled “Ensuring Affordable & Accessible Medications: Examining Competition in the Prescription Drug Market.” The hearing will examine prescription drug prices, competition, and innovation, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for American families. Durbin spoke on the Senate floor … Continue Reading
May 20, 2024
Durbin Statement On Senate Confirmation Of Seth Aframe To The U.S. Court Of Appeals For The First Circuit
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Mr. Seth Aframe to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Mr. Aframe’s confirmation: “Mr. Aframe is an experienced trial attorney and accomplished appellate practitioner who has over 20 years of legal experience. His significant litigation background and extensive experience in federal court ensure that he … Continue Reading
May 20, 2024
Durbin Previews Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Prescription Drug Prices, Competition, And Innovation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor highlighting tomorrow’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Ensuring Affordable & Accessible Medications: Examining Competition in the Prescription Drug Market.” The hearing will examine prescription drug prices, competition, and innovation, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for American families. Durbin began his remarks by … Continue Reading