Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin Delivers Remarks In Hearing On Extreme Risk Order Laws To Reduce Gun Violence
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution hearing entitled "Stop Gun Violence: Extreme Risk Order / 'Red Flag' Laws". Durbin highlighted the deadly toll gun violence has taken in Illinois and across the nation and discussed how extreme risk order or "red flag" laws can help prevent tragedies by temporarily removing firearms from individuals deemed … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Durbin Highlights Judicial Nominees' Experience As Federal Public Defenders In Judiciary Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, President Biden's nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, during today's nominations hearing. Durbin highlighted the nominees' experience as federal public defenders-background that is noticeably … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
Durbin Gives Opening Remarks In First Judiciary Committee Hearing For President Biden's Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during the nominations hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Julien Xavier Neals, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Zahid N. Quraishi, to be United States District Judge for … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Durbin: Why Is The U.S. Slow To Respond To The Power Of Social Media Algorithms?
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Tristan Harris, Co-Founder and President of the Center for Humane Technology, during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing entitled, "Algorithms and Amplification: How Social Media Platforms' Design Choices Shape Our Discourse and Our Minds." Durbin asked Harris why the United States has been slow to respond to the issue of highly targeted … Continue Reading
April 23, 2021
Durbin, Booker Call On AG Garland To Rescind Trump-Era OLC Opinion That Would For Individuals On Home Confinement To Return To Prison Following Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting that he rescind the Office of Legal Counsel's January 15, 2021, memorandum opinion entitled "Home Confinement of Federal Prisoners After the COVID-19 Emergency" (OLC opinion). In their letter, Durbin and … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Durbin Votes For The COVID-19 Hates Crimes Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). This legislation will improve the Justice Department's response to the appalling rise in hate incidents targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and provide state and local law enforcement with … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Criminal Justice Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the "Behavioral Health and Policing: Interactions and Solutions" Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Subcommittee, made history as the first African American Chair of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee. During his opening statement, Durbin highlighted the importance of … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Senate Confirms Vanita Gupta To Be Associate Attorney General
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the confirmation vote on the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be U.S. Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged his colleagues to support her nomination in a speech on the Senate floor. Durbin has continuously argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also argued that Ms. Gupta is the right … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Durbin: We Need Vanita Gupta At The Department Of Justice
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on cloture and confirmation on the nomination of Vanita Gupta, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support her nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also … Continue Reading
April 21, 2021
Senate Confirms Lisa Monaco To Be Deputy Attorney General
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on the nomination of Lisa Monaco to be U.S. Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of her nomination on the Senate floor. Shortly after, Monaco was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 98-2. "Lisa Monaco may be the most qualified individual ever nominated to be Deputy Attorney General… Her credentials include a wealth of experience, her commitment to restoring … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Durbin Statement On Derek Chauvin Being Found Guilty On All Charges In Death Of George Floyd
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd: "The image of Derek Chauvin staring straight into the camera as George Floyd died under his knee haunts me to this day. The injustice of his killing is undeniable. And so is the fact that systemic racism continues to plague America. "The verdict of this jury gives me … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Durbin Questions Stacey Abrams And Georgia Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones On New Georgia Voting Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote". Durbin asked Stacey Abrams, Founder of Fair Fight Action and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, to explain why it's false to suggest Georgia's new voting law expands the right to vote for Georgians of color. "I think the bottom line … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Durbin Requests Information On Trump Admin Political Appointees Who Sought Permanent Jobs At DOJ In Final Year
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting information on Trump Administration political appointees who have converted to civil service positions at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its components. In particular, Durbin requested information about political appointees for whom conversions to civil service positions at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At "Jim Crow 2021" Hearing On Voting Rights In America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during the "Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote" hearing. Durbin highlighted America's long history of voter suppression laws that states have passed to disenfranchise Americans of color. He also slammed Georgia's new voting restrictions, which will make it harder for Georgians of color to vote, and criticized the provisions included in … Continue Reading
April 19, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committees, Application Process For U.S. Attorney And U.S. Marshal Positions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that they will begin accepting applications from those interested in serving in the following positions: U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Central District of Illinois U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois The Senators will be assisted by … Continue Reading
April 19, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Renew Push To Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to reintroduce the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing a concerted effort to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. These high-capacity magazines are designed for shooting and killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in some of … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Durbin Joins Congressional Black Caucus Virtual Health Summit On Gun Violence
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined a "Virtual Health Summit on Gun Violence" hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. The discussion focused on addressing gun violence in Chicago and nationwide, including how public health systems are conducting violence intervention initiatives to reduce violence. The event was also hosted by U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and Obama Administration Education … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Durbin Statement On Release Of Video Of Fatal Police Shooting Of Adam Toledo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after footage was released showing the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Chicago, Illinois, on March 29: "In the midst of the trial of Derek Chauvin and the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, Chicago has come to face the shocking fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. He was a seventh grader at Gary Elementary School in Little Village with his whole life ahead of … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Durbin Calls On Senate Republicans To Support Vanita Gupta's Nomination For Associate AG
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote to discharge from the Judiciary Committee the nomination of Vanita Gupta, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support her nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Durbin Questions BOP Director Carvajal On COVID-19 Prison Policies
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversight hearing with BOP Director Michael Carvajal. Durbin asked Carvajal about why BOP has not issued more home confinement or compassionate release orders to reduce overcrowding in prisons and protect vulnerable staff and inmates from COVID-19. Durbin shared the recently published story of Jimmy Monk, a first-time offender … Continue Reading