Press Releases
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Explosive Growth In Sports Betting Since Murphy V. NCAA Supreme Court Decision
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.” The hearing will examine the growth in sports betting since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. Key Quotes: “In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin Joins Baldwin, Colleagues To Introduce NDAA Amendment To Protect Military Parents' Right To Health Care For Their Kids
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2025 to remove language that would strip away service members’ parental rights to access medically necessary health care for their transgender children. The U.S. House of Representatives-passed NDAA includes language that bans certain medical treatments under TRICARE for … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin Meets With Illinois Farm Bureau Leadership
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan and Illinois Farm Bureau Vice President Evan Hultine to discuss Farm Bill dynamics and the outlook for passing year-end legislation that addresses current economic conditions faced by farmers. During their meeting, Durbin and the Illinois Farm Bureau leaders also spoke about Illinois as a leading … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin Highlights Bitcoin ATM Fraud Against Elderly Americans In Speech On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor highlighting how Bitcoin ATMs frequently contribute to financial fraud against elderly Americans. Reporting in the Illinois Times and New York Times outlines egregious examples of criminals contacting elderly Americans and using threats and other forms of intimidation to coerce them into depositing large sums of money in the criminals’ crypto wallets via local Bitcoin ATMs. Durbin said, … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin, Welch, Duckworth, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration To Designate The Palestinian Territories For TPS, Provide Palestinians Additional Protection From Deportation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) in urging President Biden to promptly designate the Palestinian Territories forTemporary Protected Status (TPS) and further protect Palestinians present in the United States from … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $10 Million In Federal Funding For Purpose-Grown Energy Crops
WASHINGTON ? U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $10 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office awarded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This project will advance the production of low carbon intensity, purpose-grown energy crops that will accelerate a clean energy economy by expanding the domestic supply chain of alternative carbon sources. “Today’s … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2 Million In Federal Funding For Improved Data On Car Crashes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,038,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to create an interface that would transfer car crash data in Illinois to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “Today’s investment will improve how we understand transportation safety in our state,” said Durbin. “As technology continues to progress, it is crucial that we bring … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin, Schatz, Welch Introduce Constitutional Amendment To End Undemocratic Electoral College
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College system and restore democracy by allowing the direct election of presidents through popular vote alone. “In 2000, before the general election, I introduced a bipartisan resolution to amend the Constitution and abolish the Electoral College. I still believe today … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Durbin Leads Letter To Department Of Education Calling For Data Collection On DIversity Of Educator Workforce
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Representative Matthew Cartwright (D-PA-8), today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to include additional data on the diversity of the educator workforce in the annual Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Maintaining a diverse educator workforce has shown to improve outcomes for all students. “The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a valuable tool to measure whether students have equal … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley Call On Transportation Leaders To Reach Agreement, Finalize Federal Funding Application For Chicago Hub Improvement Project
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today sent a letter to the leaders of Amtrak, Canadian National, Metra, and Union Pacific, urging the leaders to reach an agreement on all outstanding aspects of Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s upcoming federal grant application to advance the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) for Chicago Union Station (CUS). The application … Continue Reading
December 12, 2024
As Debt Ceiling Looms, Durbin Joins Introduction Of Legislation To Avoid Catastrophic Default
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 16 colleagues in introducing the End the Threat of Default Act, legislation that would permanently remove the threat of a default by repealing the national debt ceiling, an arbitrary limit restricting the amount that the United States Treasury can borrow to pay its debts. In June 2023, President Biden signed legislation that suspended the statutory debt ceiling until January 2, … Continue Reading
December 12, 2024
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Two Judicial Nominations To Full Senate At Last Scheduled Meeting Under Democratic Control
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two judicial nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary and keep our communities safe. Under the leadership of Chair Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 375 nominees to the full Senate, including 244 judicial nominees. The Senate has confirmed 233 judges to lifetime appointments on the federal bench during the Biden-Harris Administration. At the top … Continue Reading
December 12, 2024
Durbin Pays Tribute To Vice President Harris For Her Service To The Nation
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to Vice President Kamala Harris for her service to our nation as the Biden-Harris administration comes to a close. “On January 20, 2021, little girls worldwide watched in awe as the daughter of a mother from India and a father from Jamaica placed her hand on the bible of the late civil rights icon and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and she took the oath to serve in one of the … Continue Reading
December 12, 2024
Durbin Statement On President Biden's Clemency Announcement
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans who were placed on CARES Act home confinement and will pardon 39 additional individuals: “The President took an important step by commuting the sentences of these men and women. In far too many cases in our justice system, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I have … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
Durbin Statement On FBI Director Wray's Announcement That He Will Resign At The End Of The Biden Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding FBI Director Christopher Wray announcing that he will resign at the end of the Biden administration: “The FBI is critical to our nation’s security and our families’ safety. It will soon embark on a perilous new era with serious questions about its future. I want to thank Director Wray for his service to our nation, and all the men and women of … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
Durbin Pays Tribute To Senators Brown, Tester, Casey, And Romney, For Their Service In The U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to four additional Senators who will be leaving the United States Senate at the end of the 118th Congress—U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jon Tester (D-MT), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Mitt Romney (R-UT). On Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Durbin said: “Sherrod Brown spent 50 years in public office… including the last 18 years in the Senate. He is the kind of person that comes to the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2024
On The Senate Floor, Durbin Highlights, Urges The Release Of Political Prisoners From Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted the plight of political prisoners in four nations and called for their immediate and unconditional release. All of these political prisoners have been outspoken in their support for democracy and basic freedoms. Durbin was joined by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) on the floor. “Periodically I come to the Senate floor to raise the issue of political prisoners languishing in jails around … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President-Elect Trump's Threats Of Mass Deportation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy.” The hearing will examine the consequences of mass deportations, as well as stress the need to shift congressional efforts toward sensible solutions that bring order to the border and provide a path to … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President-Elect Trump's Threats Of Mass Deportation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy.” The hearing examined the consequences of President-elect Trump’s threats of mass deportations, as well as stressed the need to shift congressional efforts toward sensible solutions that bring order to the border … Continue Reading
December 10, 2024
Durbin Meets With CDC Director Cohen
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Mandy Cohen, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to discuss several issues important to the public health and safety of children. During the meeting, they discussed the need to provide CDC with robust federal funding in order to protect the public health—from the agency’s work to ensure children are protected from preventable childhood diseases and illnesses, to monitoring and helping … Continue Reading