Press Releases
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement On Oversight Of The Justice Department During Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business 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 where he outlined how Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi’s Justice Department is already stonewalling the Committee’s oversight efforts. Durbin also reiterated his calls for AG Bondi to provide to the Committee a memo she purportedly gave to the White House Counsel’s Office deeming … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Meets With Nominee To Serve As Chairman Of CFTC
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Brian Quintenz, who has been nominated to serve as Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). During their meeting, Durbin emphasized the need for regulation and steady oversight on cryptocurrency, as well as explicit consumer protections within the industry. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Durbin also discussed funding that is needed to enforce cryptocurrency regulation at … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Republicans' As Trump Administration Slashed Funding For Mental Health Grants, Gun Violence Prevention Efforts That Had Bipartisan Support
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, spoke out against the Trump Administration’s cuts to critical mental health programs and gun violence prevention efforts. Despite strong bipartisan support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, congressional Republicans have remained silent about these disastrous funding cuts that erode efforts to mitigate gun violence. “Currently, … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Meets With USCIS Nominee Ahead Of Confirmation Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after meeting with Joseph Edlow, President Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a fee-funded agency tasked with keeping our lawful immigration system functioning. Mr. Edlow currently serves as a Senior Advisor at USCIS. “The Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant record is a shameful … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Joins Ernst To Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Improve USDA Conservation Programs For Farmers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) to introduce bipartisan legislation, the Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act, that would remove bureaucratic barriers and better support farmers in implementing conservation practices that improve soil health and water quality. “Illinois ranks fourth in the nation in planted cropland, but for years, has ranked … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Meets With ACLU Of Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after meeting today with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois to discuss concerns regarding Republicans’ reconciliation package, Medicaid funding, immigration, and the SAVE Act: “The Trump Administration and extremist Republicans are threatening many of the fundamental liberties that make our country great, like the freedoms to vote, express … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Senate Unanimously Passes Grassley-Durbin Resolution Recognizing National Police Week
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and 79 Senators welcomed the Senate’s unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12-17, 2025 as “National Police Week” and reiterating the Senate’s unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States. “Every day, our country’s law enforcement officers put their lives at … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Investigates $400 Million Private Jet Gift From Qatar To President Trump
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the legal justification for President Trump’s attempted acquisition of a private jet as a gift from the royal family of Qatar, which the President has since confirmed. Bondi reportedly provided a memo to the White House Counsel’s Office (WHCO) deeming the gift “legally permissible,” despite its unconstitutionality and her … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin Introduces Legislation To Ban U.S. Recognition Of Any Ukrainian Territory Annexed By Russia, Including Crimea
WASHINGTON - As Russia continues their unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today introduced legislation to prohibit the United States from recognizing the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over Crimea or any other forcibly seized Ukrainian territory, including any related airspace or territorial waters. The bill simply states that it is the policy of the United States not to … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday met virtually with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who remains in hiding in Caracas. Ms. Machado was fairly chosen by voters in last year’s opposition primary to run against Nicolas Maduro in the July 2024 presidential election, but was crudely disqualified by the Maduro regime. Retired Venezuelan diplomat … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Pharmacy Benefit Managers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “PBM Power Play: Examining Competition Issues in the Prescription Drug Supply Chain.” This hearing will investigate the role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play in the drug supply chain and their impact on competition, patients, providers, and pharmacies. In his remarks, Durbin highlighted the … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
In Senate AG Committee Hearing, Durbin Speaks About Deadly Cost Of Dust Storms, Advocates For Programs To Incentive Farmers To Plant Cover Crops
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced Mrs. Megan Dwyer, an Illinoisan and the Director of Conservation and Nutrient Stewardship at the Illinois Corn Growers Association, at today’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. The hearing, entitled “Perspectives from the Field, Part 4: Conservation,” focused on farm conservation programs to promote soil health, water quality, air quality, and … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin, Delauro Introduce Bill To Ban Child Labor On Tobacco Farms
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today reintroduced legislation to protect child workers from the dangers of exposure to tobacco plants, including nicotine poisoning. The Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to prohibit children under the age of 18 from working in tobacco fields and coming into direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves by deeming this type of … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Pharmacy Benefit Managers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “PBM Power Play: Examining Competition Issues in the Prescription Drug Supply Chain.” The hearing investigated the role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play in the drug supply chain and their impact on competition, patients, providers, and pharmacies. Durbin began by challenging his colleagues on both … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin Meets With Chief Of Air Force Reserve
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Lt. Gen. John Healy, Chief of the Air Force Reserve, to discuss military readiness and supporting the mission of the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base. Over the last four years, Durbin has protected the 932nd Airlift Wing from disinvestment, securing nearly $60 million for aircraft upgrades to help maintain C-40 aircraft flown by the Wing’s … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Republicans' Plan to Strip Health Care From Millions Of Americans In Largest Cut To Medicaid In American History
WASHINGTON - Following the release of a non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report revealing that Republicans’ plan would kick nearly 14 million Americans off their health insurance, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) criticized Republicans’ dangerous proposal to fund tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding—making it the largest Medicaid cut in history. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized that Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Colleagues File Amicus Brief Slamming President Trump's Lawless Attempts To Dismantle The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and 41 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit brought forth after President Trump illegally fired staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The amicus brief condemns mass firings at the CFPB, reiterates that Congress created the CFPB to … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Budzinski Announce Final Segment Of Springfield Rail Improvements Project Can Move Forward
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fully obligated $157,126,494 in federal funding for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP), allowing construction to move forward. The multi-phased project is a large-scale effort supported by local, state, and federal funding designed to alleviate … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15 Million In Federal Funding For O'Hare International Airport
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $15,743,737 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for taxiway extensions for increased aircraft operations at O’Hare International Airport. “O’Hare keeps millions of Americans connected with reliable air travel. By improving and modernizing its infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for increased connectivity and reliability,” said … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $4.8 Million In Federal Funding For Illinois Airports
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $4,820,837 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to airports throughout Illinois. “By improving and modernizing airport infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for increased connectivity and reliability,” said Durbin. “Today’s announced federal funding for upgrading our airports across Illinois will enhance the travel … Continue Reading