Press Releases

February 03, 2025

Durbin Denounces Trump Tariffs In Senate Floor Speech, Emphasizes That This Will Hurt American Families

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China that he announced on Friday.  As of today, President Trump has now delayed for one month the 25 percent tariff on Mexico and Canada as their governments negotiate with the Trump Administration.  In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as President Trump promised during his campaign, … Continue Reading


February 03, 2025

Durbin Leads All Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats In Letters Demanding Answers From FBI, DOJ Nominees, Acting Attorney General, And Acting FBI Director On Trump Administration Forcing Out DOJ And FBI Officials

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in letters to President Trump’s nominee to be the Attorney General of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Pam Bondi; nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel; nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche; as well as the Acting Attorney General,  James McHenry; and Acting FBI Director, … Continue Reading


February 03, 2025

Durbin, Castro Introduce Bill To Curb Firearms Trafficking From The United States To Mexican Drug Cartels

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, led the bicameral introduction of the Stop Arming Cartels Act.  The legislation is introduced as an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 American-made guns are trafficked into Mexico annually, largely attributable to unlicensed gun dealers, straw … Continue Reading


January 31, 2025

Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Forcing Out Multiple DOJ And FBI Officials

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration reportedly purged multiple Justice Department and FBI officials involved in Donald Trump’s prosecution and the prosecution of January 6 rioters: “The Trump Administration’s purge of dozens of DOJ and FBI officials involved in investigating Donald Trump and the January 6 rioters is a major blow to the FBI and Justice … Continue Reading


January 31, 2025

Durbin Visits El Valor Children And Family Center

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited El Valor Cantu Children & Family Center in Little Village to meet with staff members and families impacted by recent overreaching executive orders from the Trump Administration. El Valor serves more than 4,000 children, adults with disabilities, and their families annually. Durbin met with leadership staff at the center to discuss the recently announced federal grant funding freeze, the impact of U.S. Immigration and … Continue Reading


January 31, 2025

Durbin, Grassley Urge PhRMA To Embrace Their Bill To End Price Secrecy In Prescription Drug Advertisements

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today sent a letter to the President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) urging them to embrace their bipartisan legislation, the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, to empower patients and providers and commit to voluntarily disclosing list prices in DTC advertisements.  The … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Durbin Questions FBI Director Nominee, Kash Patel, About His Involvement With The "J6 Choir" And His Conspiracy Theory That The FBI Planned The January 6 Attack

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today again questioned Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during his nomination hearing. Durbin first asked Mr. Patel about political violence and his promotion of the “J6 choir.” Mr. Patel co-produced, promoted, and sold a record recorded by the so-called “J6 prison choir” - a group of January 6 rioters who were incarcerated in … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Durbin Shares Constituent Concerns About Trump's Federal Funding Freeze

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor last night, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) shared stories of constituent calls his office received over the last two days in reaction to the Trump Administration’s decision to issue an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement” of trillions of dollars of Federal financial assistance, which caused mass confusion about the funding and operations of hundreds of … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Durbin Questions FBI Director Nominee, Kash Patel, About Trump Pardoning The Dangerous January 6 Rioters, Connections To Radical Extremist

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during his nomination hearing. Durbin first asked Mr. Patel about President Trump’s decision to pardon the violent January 6 insurrections—several of whom have already been rearrested or are wanted for vile crimes committed prior to January 6, 2021, including soliciting a sexual … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing For President Trump's Pick To Be FBI Director, Kash Patel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Key Quotes: “Mr. Patel has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead an agency of 38,000 [people] and 400 field offices around the globe. During the time I’ve served on this … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Kash Patel Disparages Public Figures On A Regular Basis

Kash Patel has frequently posted or reposted attacks on prominent public figures, both Republican and Democratic. The attacks go beyond mere policy disagreements and veer into personal attacks and suggestions of criminality. Among others, Kash Patel has publicly disparaged: Public servants, who he threatened with a “constitutional guillotine.” Journalists, including calling for specific reporters to be stripped of their credentials. Members of Congress, who he chainsawed in an … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Kash Patel Praises Radical Extremists

Kash Patel has frequently associated with—and sometimes praised—extremist figures with well-documented histories of racist, antisemitic, conspiratorial, or violent statements or beliefs. This history is extremely concerning for someone who may be a top law enforcement officer. Ted Nugent is a radical political activist who referred to President Obama as a “subhuman mongrel,” as well as referring to Jewish people who supported gun safety laws as “Nazis in disguise” and crudely disparaging the … Continue Reading


January 30, 2025

Radical Extremist Kash Patel Would Weaponize The FBI To Target Enemies Of Trump, Not Enemies Of America

Radical extremist Kash Patel is a staunch MAGA loyalist who has repeatedly peddled false conspiracy theories and threatened to go after President Trump’s political enemies. With Kash Patel, President Trump found someone who will use the FBI to target his enemies—and not the enemies of our nation. Kash Patel has published an enemies list of 60 people he calls “members of the deep state,” all of whom are public servants—both Democrats and Republicans. He has even said he plans to “shut down … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin: Many Insurrectionists Pardoned By President Trump Pose a Clear Threat To Public Safety

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rebuked President Trump for his pardon of approximately 1,500 January 6th insurrectionists, several of whom have already been rearrested or are wanted for vile crimes committed prior to January 6, 2021, including soliciting a sexual relationship with a minor.  Because of President Trump’s pardons, dangerous individuals, who have recently made … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin: President Trump's Proposed Freeze On NIH's Work Is Cruel And Will Have Life Or Death Consequences

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the serious consequences the Trump Administration’s plan to freeze federal assistance would have on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and medical research. NIH supports more than 400,000 jobs nationwide—jobs focused on conducting vital medical research that leads to new cures and treatments that improve and save lives. Each year, NIH awards nearly $38 billion in research grants to all 50 … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin, Schiff, Judiciary Democrats Request Committee Access To Volume II Of Special Counsel Jack Smith's Report As It Pertains To Kash Patel's Nomination To Lead The FBI

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with every  Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Acting Attorney General James McHenry requesting urgent access to materials that have not yet been shared with the Committee and bear directly on the suitability of Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to be Director of the Federal Bureau of … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin: If Your Goal Is To Make America Great Again, Why Would You Start By Cutting Basic Services For Families?

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor last night, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) denounced the Trump Administration’s decision to issue an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of trillions of dollars of Federal financial assistance,” which caused mass confusion about the funding and operations of hundreds of government-funded programs ranging from Medicaid, to Head Start, to Violence Against … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

In Bicameral Letter, Durbin, Raskin, Padilla, Jayapal Call On Secretary Rubio To Immediately Restore Refugee Resettlement Services

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; along with U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety; and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Mentoring To Succeed Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), today introduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act in recognition of January as National Mentoring Month.  U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), and Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this week.  This legislation creates a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to ensure … Continue Reading


January 29, 2025

Durbin Votes 'No' On Advancing President Trump's Pick To Be Attorney General, Pam Bondi

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted against advancing President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi, in the Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting this morning. The Committee voted to advance her nomination on a party-line vote of 12-10. Key Quotes: “If you want to know the role of the Department of Justice under President Trump, just listen to his words. He … Continue Reading

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