Press Releases
Durbin Outlines Concerns With The Laken Riley Act On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor outlining his concerns with the Laken Riley Act, legislation the Senate is considering this week. “The loss of a child is something no parent should have to endure. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Laken Riley. By every measure, [she was] an outstanding young woman. We should do everything possible to make sure this type of tragedy never … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Durbin Outlines Concerns Regarding Pam Bondi, Trump's Attorney General Pick, Ahead Of Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor ahead of this week’s nomination hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General pick, Pam Bondi. The speech follows a meeting between Durbin and Bondi last week. Durbin began by underscoring the importance of the Attorney General’s role to the daily lives of the American people, saying: “The significance of the Attorney General cannot be … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Durbin Statement On Meeting With President-Elect Trump's Secretary Of State Pick, Senator Marco Rubio
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after meeting with Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s intended nominee to be U.S. Secretary of State: “Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world, the continued threat of China, and the recent sham election in Venezuela. We also … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats Urge Attorney General Garland To Preserve All Materials From Trump Investigations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to preserve all existing and future materials related to former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Donald Trump and investigations conducted by Congress. The request is particularly timely, given decisions by Judge Aileen Cannon to temporarily block Special Counsel Smith’s report, … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Durbin, Shaheen Applaud DHS, State Department To Grant Romania Eligibility In The U.S. Visa Waiver Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today applauded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State for the agencies’ decision to designate Romania as a participating country in the U.S. visa waiver program. The decision comes after the Senators introduced legislation in March 2023 that would have … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Durbin Celebrates Federal Funding Agreement For CTA's Red Line Extension Project
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined local transportation leaders in a signing ceremony for the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red Line Extension (RLE) Project federal funding agreement, which pledges more than $1.9 billion for the project. The RLE project will extend the CTA’s Red Line by 5.5 miles, from 95th Street to 130th Street, and add four new ADA accessible stations. The project includes connections that will have bus, bike, pedestrian, and park … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Durbin Requests Crucial, Outstanding Information From DOJ, National Archives On Presidential-Elect Trump's Attorney General Pick, Pam Bondi
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requesting records relevant to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s consideration of the nomination of President-elect Trump’s presumptive nominee to be Attorney General, Pam Bondi. From January 2019 through November 2019, and again from January 2020 to present, Ms. Bondi … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Durbin Joins Blumenthal, Smith, & Booker To Call Out FDA For Proposed Cuts To State & Local Food Safety Programs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in writing to Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seeking an explanation regarding the agency’s plans to significantly reduce funding for state and local food safety programs. These programs perform a majority of food inspections reported by FDA, including processing facility inspections, … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More THan $115 Million In Federal Funding For Illinois Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $115,674,140 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for six Illinois projects, ranging from accessibility upgrades to rail infrastructure and pedestrian safety. “Investments in rebuilding and modernizing Illinois’ infrastructure are critical to improving … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $105 Million In Federal Funding For Rail Improvements
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $105,877,100 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding for six Illinois-based transportation projects, ranging from safety upgrades to improving mobility and constructing pedestrian crossings. “Today’s funding is a major investment in Illinois’ future. Our state’s communities will be safer and better connected because … Continue Reading
January 08, 2025
Durbin Statement On Meeting With President-Elect Trump's Attorney General Pick, Pam Bondi
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 Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s intended nominee to be U.S. Attorney General: “In today’s meeting, I raised concerns with Ms. Bondi regarding her record—one in which she served as a personal attorney to President-elect Trump, was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, and has echoed the … Continue Reading
January 08, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $114 Million In Federal Funding For EV Charging Stations Across Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $114,471,562 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout the Chicagoland area. The recipients of this funding are the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. IEPA’s project Equitable Future-Ready Electrification Infrastructure for Green Heavy-duty Transportation … Continue Reading
January 08, 2025
Durbin Reflects On The Life & Legacy Of President Jimmy Carter
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) reflected on the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. “For many presidents, their legacy is written and sealed by their actions in office—their post-presidency activities nothing but fodder for the tabloids and a footnote in history books. But not for Jimmy Carter,” said Durbin. “I remember the last days of the Carter presidency. After 444 painful days of … Continue Reading
January 06, 2025
Durbin Statement On Fourth Anniversary Of January 6th Insurrection At The U.S. Capitol
SPRINGFIELD - On the fourth anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on certifying the 2024 presidential election and ensuring that an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol does not happen again: “Today, January 6, 2025, Congress will vote to certify the 2024 presidential election in a Joint Session of Congress. Sadly, four years ago, this solemn … Continue Reading
January 03, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $856 Million In Federal Funding For Disaster Relief In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $856,307,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support communities in Illinois with unmet disaster recovery needs that were majorly impacted by disasters that occurred in 2023 and 2024. “Over the past two years, Illinois communities have experienced their share of major disasters and have worked tirelessly to recover,” said … Continue Reading
January 03, 2025
Durbin Welcomes New Democratic U.S. Senators
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after attending the swearing in of the six new Democratic U.S. Senators: Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ): “It is an honor to welcome Adam Schiff, Andy Kim, Angela Alsobrooks, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Elissa Slotkin, and Ruben Gallego as newly sworn-in Democratic Senators. They bring new energy … Continue Reading
December 29, 2024
Durbin Statement On The Passing Of President Jimmy Carter
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States: “Jimmy Carter proved that excellence in public service can extend beyond the White House. His life was an inspiration to those of us who aspire to lead a life of service. “I offer my condolences to the entire Carter family, to his friends and former staff members, and to the untold millions of people throughout the … Continue Reading
December 23, 2024
Senate Judiciary Committee Announces Accomplishments Under Chair Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a review of the accomplishments of the 2021-2024 Democratic majority Senate Judiciary Committee, which includes a compilation of the four years under Chair Durbin’s leadership and during the Biden-Harris Administration. “Our country demands much of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve as its Chair for the last four years. We defended our … Continue Reading
December 23, 2024
Durbin Applauds President Biden's Commutations Of Most Federal Death Sentences To Life Imprisonments
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement applauding President Biden for commuting the sentences of most individuals currently on federal death row to life imprisonment. In November, Durbin led 12 Senators in a letter to President Biden calling on him to review the cases of all individuals currently on federal death row and commute to life imprisonment the sentences of all individuals he considers … Continue Reading
December 21, 2024
Following Republican Disarray, Durbin Votes For Short-Term Government Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate passage of the short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the government through March 14, extend the 2018 Farm Bill for one year, and provide $100 billion in disaster supplemental funding and $10 billion in economic assistance payments for farmers: “At the 11th hour, Republicans abandoned a bipartisan agreement to fund the … Continue Reading