Durbin Honors Senate Tenure of Roy Blunt

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) paid tribute to U.S. Senator Roy Blunt's (R-MO) tenure in the Senate ahead of Blunt's retirement at the end of the 117th Congress. Durbin began his speech by praising Blunt's commitment to working across the aisle to ensure that water infrastructure projects along the shared Illinois-Missouri border were adequately funded. "Many of the locks and dams that keep the [Mississippi] river navigable are nearly a hundred years old. For many … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Senate Judiciary Committee Advancing Nomination Of Colleen Lawless To Serve As District Court Judge For The Central District Of Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Judge Colleen Lawless to serve as a District Court Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the nomination of Judge Colleen Lawless to serve as a District Court Judge for… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With U.S. Sentencing Commission On Implementing Provisions in First Step Act Into Sentencing Guidelines

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with the U.S. Sentencing Commission to discuss policy priorities for the upcoming sentencing guideline amendment cycle, including implementing provisions from Durbin's bipartisan First Step Act. During their meeting, Durbin encouraged the Commission to update the guidelines to reflect the First Step Act's expanded eligibility for "safety valve" relief from mandatory minimum sentences f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rubio Applaud Committee Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Authorization on Global Basic Education

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today announced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) advanced their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act of 2017 for an additional five years to equitably expand access to basic education for children around the globe. The legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Karen Bass (D-CA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). "Given … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate To Pass Immigration Reform Legislation Before The End Of The Year

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, spoke on the Senate floor today about the reported immigration deal between Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), as well as the urgency of passing the Dream Act this Congress to protect Dreamers from deportation. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has allowed hundreds of thousands of Dreamers to thrive in the United States. The… Continue Reading

Durbin, MLB Announce New Netting Requirements For All Professional Development League Clubs To Increase Fan Safety

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) announced a new requirement today to have extensive protective netting in place at all Professional Development League (PDL) ballparks. The fan safety initiative was adopted at the 2022 Winter Meetings after being unanimously approved by the MLB PDL Executive Board. In June 2019, after repeated incidents of MLB fans being hit by foul balls, Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) wrote to MLB Com… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Resilience of Ukrainian People Amid Putin's War

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reflected on the resilience of the Ukrainian people and continued allied unity amid Putin's unprovoked and illegal war. Yesterday, Durbin hosted members of the Ukrainian Parliament to receive an update on Putin's war, and discuss calls for a special tribunal to hold Russian leaders accountable for the crime of aggress… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate Colleagues To Include Measures To Regulate Dietary Supplements In Omnibus Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech that called on his Senate colleagues to include provisions from his bipartisan Dietary Supplement Listing Act in the end-of-year omnibus appropriations bill. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must exercise more oversight over the dietary supplement industry in order to empower consumers and protect public health. "More than seventy-five p… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Foster Applaud Final Passage Of Bill To Rename Will County Post Office In Honor Of Larry Walsh, Sr.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today applauded last night's Senate passage of H.R. 700, legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office facility located at 303 E. Mississippi Ave. in Elwood, Illinois, after former Will County Executive Lawrence M. "Larry" Walsh, Sr. The bill will now head to President Biden's desk for his signature. A longtime farmer, Walsh began his political career in 1970, at … Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Nomination of David Davis to Serve As U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of David C. Davis to serve as United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois: "David Davis has decades of experience in the U.S. Marshals Service-serving and protecting the people of the Southern District-as well as the integrity and judgment to serve with di… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Members of the Ukrainian Parliament

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today hosted members of the Ukrainian Parliament to receive an update on Putin's unprovoked war in Ukraine, and discuss calls for a special tribunal to hold Russian leaders accountable for the crime of aggression. Senator Durbin was joined by Ambassador-at-Large, Anton Korynevych; Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), also Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus; as w… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With Lithuanian Prime Minister

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyt? to discuss persistent threats against Eastern Europe as Russia continues its brutal war against Ukraine. In their meeting, they also discussed Lithuania's leadership in the region and neighboring Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's support for Putin's war. Durbin also offered support to Lithuania as the nation faces ec… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Need for Efforts to Combat Antisemitism and Importance of Two-State Solution With Illinois Members of J Street

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of J Street to discuss the recent uptick in antisemitism across the nation and the dangers posed by online hate against religious minorities. In the meeting, Durbin discussed his ongoing efforts to protect targeted populations from harassment and physical violence. They also discussed the continued need for a two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians. "Attacks against America's Jewish co… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield to discuss Ukraine's continued resilience and determination to repel Russia's unprovoked and illegal war. They also discussed the need to bring political stability to Haiti and the recent peace agreement ending the conflict in Ethiopia. Later today, Durbin is hosting Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova and members of the Ukr… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's Service With Speech On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) took to the Senate floor to honor Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White as he prepares to retire after six terms in the position. "Secretary White is a rare leader: a living legend and a truly humble man. He loves his work because he works for who he loves, the people of Illinois. Throughout his life, he has been a model of integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to public service...On behalf of everyone in Illinois, I want to… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Judge Doris Pryor to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed the nomination of Judge Doris Pryor to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals by a bipartisan vote of 60-31: "Judge Pryor has significant federal experience and a proven track record of neutral decision-making on the bench. She was unanimously rated 'Qualified' by the American Bar Association, and she has received blue slip… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Sinema-Tillis Immigration Deal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, released the following statement regarding the reported immigration deal reached between Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC): "As the author of the original Dream Act more than 20 years ago, I applaud every good faith effort to give these deserving individuals a path to citizenship. I've been in touch with my colleagues and will carefully review thei… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Underwood Introduce Legislation To Name Fermilab Research Center After Renowned Physicist Dr. Helen Edwards

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) today introduced legislation to rename Fermilab's Integrated Engineering Research Center (IERC) after the late Dr. Helen Edwards, who worked at Fermilab as a particle physicist for 40 years. The newly-constructed IERC, which was recently authorized for official use, will be home to new office and lab space that will host an interse… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Springfield Naacp And Religious Leaders To Discuss Protecting Historic 1908 Springfield Race Riot Site

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Springfield NAACP, including President Teresa Haley, and religious leaders to discuss federal efforts to protect the 1908 Springfield Race Riot Site. Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the 1908 Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act to establish the site as a unit of the U.S. National Park Service. In January 2021, Durbin and Duckworth penned a letter to then-President-Elect Bide… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senate Passage of Legislation to Avoid a Rail Strike

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate passed legislation to avert a potential railroad strike: "While I am disappointed that not enough of my Republican colleagues would support legislation to increase paid sick leave for union rail workers, I'm relieved that we could come together to quickly pass the labor agreement in order to prevent a rail strike-which would have been devastating to the American economy and put mil… Continue Reading