Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances President Biden's First Slate Of Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of 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 the District of New Jersey; and Regina M. Rodriguez, to be United States District Judge for the … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Durbin Meets With Biden's Nominee To Lead Drug Enforcement Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met virtually with Anne Milgram, President Joe Biden's nominee to be the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). During their meeting, Durbin discussed reining in excessive opioid production, incorporating public health approaches into law enforcement policies, and combatting the opioid epidemic. "After years of absent leadership at DEA, I am pleased to see a … Continue Reading
May 19, 2021
Durbin Slams Republican Refusal To Support Bipartisan January 6th Commission
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Congressional Republicans' refusal to support the bipartisan January 6 Commission, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that the bipartisan Commission is necessary in order to prevent Trump loyalists from rewriting the reality of what happened on January 6, 2021. "We know President Trump and his followers have … Continue Reading
May 18, 2021
Ahead Of Motion To Discharge, Durbin Calls On Senate Republicans To Support Kristen Clarke's Nomination To Lead DOJ Civil Rights Division
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote to discharge from the Judiciary Committee the nomination of Kristen Clarke, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, 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. Clarke is the ideal candidate to restore credibility at the … Continue Reading
May 14, 2021
Senate Judiciary Dems Press DOJ To Not Appeal Federal Court Decision Ordering Release Of Key Memo Related To Mueller Report
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, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights; today led Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing serious concerns about the Trump-era Department of Justice's (DOJ) apparent misrepresentations to a federal court regarding an … Continue Reading
May 13, 2021
Judiciary Committee Advance Three Bipartisan Law Enforcement Bills During Police Week
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that the Committee advanced three bills, on a unanimous and bipartisan basis, that will help support law enforcement officers by providing resources they need to do their jobs safely and build trust within the communities they serve. In 1962, President Kennedy signed a law authorizing the President to proclaim May 15 as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it … Continue Reading
May 13, 2021
Judiciary Committee Advance Nominations Of Kristen Clarke & Todd Kim
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of Todd Kim to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) by a vote of 15-7 and the nomination of Kristen Clarke to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division by a vote of 11-11. Under the provisions of S. Res. 27, Leader Schumer may now file a discharge motion on Ms. Clarke's nomination to place her on the executive calendar. Ahead of the votes, … Continue Reading
May 13, 2021
Durbin Meets With Advocates From The Alliance For Criminal Justice Reform
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met virtually with advocates from the Alliance for Criminal Justice Reform (ACJR) to discuss police reform. In their meeting, the group talked about the need to meet the moment with real change to bring about justice and accountability that Americans across the nation are calling for. "In 2018, Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to tackle one of the toughest political issues of our … Continue Reading
May 12, 2021
Durbin Questions AG Garland & DHS Secretary Mayorkas On Domestic Terrorism & Border Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on domestic violent extremism with Attorney General Merrick Garland and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Durbin asked Attorney General Garland how the Department of Justice (DOJ) is addressing the possibility that members of law enforcement were involved in the January 6 … Continue Reading
May 12, 2021
Durbin Meets With ATF Director Nominee David Chipman
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met virtually with David Chipman, nominee to be the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). During their meeting, Durbin and Chipman discussed efforts to address the gun violence epidemic and protect public safety, including the President's proposal to stop the proliferation of ghost guns, combatting illicit firearm trafficking, and tracing crime guns. … Continue Reading
May 12, 2021
Durbin: Donald Trump's 'Big Lie' Sowed Distrust In Our Election; We Must Pass The For The People Act To Defend Our Democratic Process
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke in support of the For The People Act, a measure that will combat voter suppression and protect our democratic process. Durbin argued that Donald Trump's 'Big Lie' that the 2020 election was stolen from him presents an existential threat to our democracy, and that Congress needs to uphold its constitutional obligation to defend our democratic process by passing the For The People Act. Since … Continue Reading
May 12, 2021
Durbin Statement On Latest Slate Of White House Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the White House announced its latest slate of judicial nominations: Chief Judge Gustavo Gelpí, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; Eunice Lee, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Veronica Rossman, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; Judge Angel Kelly, United States District Court for the … Continue Reading
May 11, 2021
Durbin Delivers Remarks In Hearing On Ghost Guns
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: Ghost Guns." Durbin expressed his support for taking action to rein in the proliferation of untraceable ghost guns, which are currently being sold without background checks and are increasingly being used in shootings and recovered at crime scenes. Last week, the … Continue Reading
May 05, 2021
Durbin, Grassley Press DOJ To Strengthen First Step Act Rule On Earned Time Credits To Incentivize Rehabilitation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to direct the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to expeditiously revise the proposed rule published on November 25, 2020, regarding earned time credits authorized by the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA). In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Senators highlighted … Continue Reading
May 03, 2021
Durbin Asks FBI To Explain Failure To Detect January 6 Threat From Proud Boys Sources
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting answers to recent reports suggesting the FBI failed to use its sources in the Proud Boys to develop intelligence about the January 6, 2021 insurrection. In March, Director Wray appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, during which he testified that the January 6 insurrection was an act of … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
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