Press Releases
Durbin, Congressional Democrats Fight Back Against Trump's Attacks On The FTC and Independent Agencies
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, led Senate and House Democrats in an amicus brief opposing President Donald Trump’s unlawful attempt to fire members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). FTC Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya are duly appointed, Senate-confirmed Commissioners at an independent … Continue Reading
April 15, 2025
Durbin Continues to Call For The Immediate Return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement calling for the immediate return of Mr. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally in Maryland with his family until he was wrongfully deported without due process by the Trump Administration last month to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses. The Trump Administration has admitted that Mr. Abrego … Continue Reading
April 15, 2025
Durbin Calls On Illinois Educators To Sounds The Alarm On For-Profit-Colleges
SPRINGFIELD - As high school seniors finalize their postsecondary education plans for the upcoming school year ahead of College Decision Day on May 1, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) is enlisting the help of Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks associated with attending for-profit colleges. In the past few years, the U.S. has experienced workforce shortages across various industries. … Continue Reading
April 15, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Democrats To Warn Americans About Republicans Cutting SNAP Benefits To Give Tax Breaks To Billionaires
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senate Democrats, led by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), in sending an open letter to the American public warning that congressional Republicans are trying to cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. After promising to lower prices … Continue Reading
April 14, 2025
Durbin, Grassley, Lee Urge DOJ To Protect Vital Antitrust Field Offices
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, are advocating for the Chicago and San Francisco antitrust field offices to remain open. Many agricultural and tech antitrust cases are referred to these offices. “Now more than ever, antitrust enforcement is needed … Continue Reading
April 14, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Trump Administration's USDA Cuts During Visit To Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House
METRO EAST — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined leaders from the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House and the St. Louis Area Foodbank to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s cuts to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on food pantries and their ability to serve the Metro East. USDA halted $1 billion from the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA), which reimburses states for purchasing fresh produce from local farmers, which is then … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Durbin, Hirono, Warren, Lead Colleagues In Urging DOJ To Reverse Decisions Greenlighting Cryptocurrency-Based Crime
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee led six Senators in urging Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to reverse the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decisions to effectively terminate the Department’s cryptocurrency investigations and … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Lead Illinois Democratic Delegation In Message To Secretary Kennedy: The Dismantling Of HHS Does Nothing To 'Make America Healthy Again'
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led the Illinois Democratic Delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing frustration and concern that HHS has slashed critical federal funding for the state’s public health programs and infrastructure. “We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to terminate … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Durbin, Fischer Introduce Protecting Children With Food Allergies Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), who are both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today introduced the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act. The legislation would ensure school food personnel receive essential information about food allergies as part of their existing annual trainings, so that they are better equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to allergic food reactions. Food … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Introduction Of Legislation To Increase Value Of Tax Credits That Help Working Class Americans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined their Senate colleagues to introduce two bills, the American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act, aimed at expanding tax credits for American families. “As costs have risen, wages haven’t kept up. And now Republicans want to give tax cuts to billionaires. What we need to do instead is give workers and families more tools to help make ends meet,” said Durbin. “The American Family … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Durbin Meets With Quad Cities Chamber Of Commerce In Washington
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (QCC) to discuss the Trump Administration’s haphazard tariff policies that will harm Illinois’ agricultural industry, QCC’s priorities to help the Quad Cities remain competitive for new jobs and investment, and workforce development. QCC also raised its tax policy priorities, and Durbin discussed the dangerous Republican plan for cutting Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Durbin Meets With Fareway CEO & President To Discuss Trump Tariffs, Senator's Credit Card Competition Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Fareway Stores CEO Reynolds Cramer and President Garrett Piklapp to discuss the Senator’s bipartisan legislation, the Credit Card Competition Act, which would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market that is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. Companies like Fareway would benefit from the Credit Card Competition Act, which, if enacted, would save merchants and consumers an … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin Questions META Whistleblower In Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former Director of Global Public Policy, at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress.” Durbin first asked Ms. Wynn-Williams about protecting children online. “You made a reference in the … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin Meets With Bar Associations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with representatives from the Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Bar Foundation, Illinois State Bar Association, and American Bar Association and released the following statement: “I appreciated the chance to discuss legal aid, judicial security, and judicial independence with members of bar associations in Illinois and across the country today. Their work is crucial to our … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing With META Whistleblower
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress.” Today’s hearing includes testimony from one witness—Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former Director of Global Public Policy. The hearing will highlight … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Amid Trump's Trade War, Durbin Meets With Illinois Pork Producers Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with the Illinois Pork Producers Association to discuss federal issues that affect the Illinois hog industry. Illinois ranks fourth in the nation in pork production. Producers emphasized the challenging market dynamics in the pork industry over the past several years, and the importance of maintaining free trade and strong export markets, including … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin: The Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Should Be Resumed And The Hostage Returned Immediately
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor on the importance of ending the war in Gaza and addressing the humanitarian crisis. During his remarks, Durbin reiterated the need to resume the ceasefire and return the hostages immediately. “I am proud of the fact that President Harry Truman was the first president to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and I certainly concur with that sentiment to this day. The creation of the state of Israel after … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Tariff Pause
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump announced he was temporarily dropping tariffs to 10 percent for 90 days. The President’s chaos has caused the markets to plummet in the last few days. In the week after President Trump’s tariff announcement, the S&P 500 dropped by nearly 19 percent from its last high on February 19—creeping eerily close to bear market territory. “The chaos, uncertainty, and real damage … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Protect Employees When Businesses File For Bankruptcy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act. The bipartisan legislation would correct abuses of the bankruptcy process that deprive employees and retirees of their hard-earned wages, benefits, and retirement savings. As businesses’ bankruptcy filings have increased, jobs, pensions, and long-promised … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin: If The Trump Tariff Tax Continues Unabated, It's Going To Destroy This Economy
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor about the Trump Administration’s thoughtless and hazardous approach to trade policy that has already caused uncertainty in the stock market. In the week following President Trump’s tariff announcement, the S&P 500 dropped by nearly 19 percent from its last high on February 19, bringing the stock market dangerously close to a bear market. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that … Continue Reading