Press Releases
Durbin, Collins Call On HHS to Reverse Changes To Runaway And Homeless Youth Act Grant Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. urging him to take action to ensure Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) grant programs remain accessible and effective. Two weeks ago, HHS released the Fiscal Year 2025 RHYA applications, which included significant changes, such as the elimination of the Street Outreach Program as a standalone program and … Continue Reading
July 23, 2025
Durbin Meets With New Bureau Of Prisons Leadership
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Billy Marshall III and Deputy Director Joshua Smith: “It was my pleasure to welcome Director Marshall and Deputy Director Smith to my office to talk about reforms I’ve long sought at the Bureau of Prisons under both Democratic and Republican Administrations. “I shared my concerns about the … Continue Reading
July 23, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Ask For Unanimous Consent To Pass Their Bill To Crack Down On Pharmaceutical Advertisements
WASHINGTON - Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass their bipartisan Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, a bipartisan bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to empower patients and reduce Americans’ colossal spending on medications. The United States is one of only two industrialized countries in the world that … Continue Reading
July 23, 2025
Durbin, Blumenthal, Scanlon Introduce Bicameral Corporate Crime Database Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05) today reintroduced the Corporate Crime Database Act, bicameral legislation that would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to collect, aggregate, analyze, and publish comprehensive data on federal corporate criminal enforcement actions. “It’s time we made a coordinated effort to curtail … Continue Reading
July 23, 2025
Durbin Joins Merkley, Boyle To Introduce Legislation To End Cycle Of Republican Default Brinkmanship
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA-02) to introduce legislation, the Debt Ceiling Reform Act, which would end the political brinkmanship around the debt ceiling and allow for a process to suspend the debt ceiling, subject to a congressional override. President Trump signaled his support multiple times for scrapping the debt ceiling to avoid an “economic catastrophe.” “Time … Continue Reading
July 22, 2025
During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Pushes Back Against Trump Administration's Focus On Mass Deportation While Unauthorized Drone Usage Threatens National Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his questioning, Durbin made clear that the Trump Administration should utilize its resources to address the serious threat of unauthorized drone usage, including at the U.S.-Mexico border and special events, rather than unilaterally … Continue Reading
July 22, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Drones
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his opening remarks, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration’s unilateral focus on mass deportation at the expense of addressing serious threats posed by hostile foreign nations, cartels, and other malign actors. Further, … Continue Reading
July 22, 2025
Durbin Introduced Bill To Create Climate Bond Programs To Fund Climate Resiliency Projects
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced the Climate Change Resiliency Fund for America Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Treasury to issue from $200 million to $1 billion in state and local tax-exempt “climate bonds” annually for any American to purchase and contribute to the effort to address the impacts of climate change. Inspired by the national war bond program during World War II, these bonds would fund a new “Climate Change … Continue Reading
July 21, 2025
Durbin Speaks Out Against Trump's Controversial Judicial Nominees, Joshua Divine & Cristian Stevens
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke against the nominations of Joshua Divine to serve as a judge on the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri and Judge Cristian Stevens to serve as a judge on the Eastern District of Missouri. The Senate is slated to vote on their confirmations this week. Durbin first spoke out against Mr. Divine who received his law degree only nine years … Continue Reading
July 21, 2025
In Speech On Senate Floor, Durbin Criticizes Congressional Republicans, Trump Admin For Slashing Funding For Public Broadcasting, Foreign Aid
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to the rescissions package that the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans jammed through Congress last week, clawing back $9 billion in previously appropriated funding to public broadcasting and foreign aid. In his remarks, Durbin underscored the danger of defunding sources of public media and destroying foreign aid programs. “What was in this bill? There were primarily … Continue Reading
July 21, 2025
Durbin Secures Key Provisions To Support Rock Island Arsenal, Defense Manufacturing In Illinois In Committee-Passed NDAA
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today highlighted the critical provisions he secured in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). The bill, which will now head to the Senate floor, includes significant support for Rock Island Arsenal, provides security aid to Ukraine, and authorizes $112 million in military … Continue Reading
July 21, 2025
Durbin Urges U.S. Sentencing Commission To Consider Impacts Of Chronic Underfunding And Understaffing At BOP
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission in response to its proposed priorities for the 2025-2026 amendment cycle. In the letter, Durbin urged the Commission to consider the impact that the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) resources and staffing levels have on BOP’s ability to adequately discharge its mission. “For years, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has faced significant challenges in … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Reveals Devastating Insights Into Florida ICE Detention Facilities In Exclusive Site Visit
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed devastating insights into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, following staff site visits to two Florida immigration detention facilities in June. The visits to Krome North Service Processing Center and Federal Detention Center (FDC) Miami provide new, incriminating insight into the cruelty of the illegal Trump mass deportation agenda, … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Devastating Impacts Of Republican Cuts To Public Broadcasting
CHICAGO — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference outside of the Chicago Public Media office to call out President Trump and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package that will claw back $1.1 billion in previously appropriated funding to public broadcasting. Five hundred public radio and TV stations across the country that rely on this federal funding to provide around-the-clock news, educational programming, and emergency alert services will be … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Military Construction And Commerce Government Funding Bills With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin, Duckworth
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a funding bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, as well as for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Durbin and Duckworth worked to secure various priorities for Illinois in the appropriations bills, both through Congressionally … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Durbin Presses Bondi, Patel, Bongino On Rifts Between DOJ, FBI, White House On Epstein Files
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino on apparent discrepancies regarding the handling of the Epstein files and findings from a July 7 Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum and instructions reportedly received by FBI personnel to identify records mentioning President Trump. In letters to Bondi, … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues In Demanding Trump Administrations Stops Blocking Funding For After School Programs, K-12 Schools
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding the immediate release of nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Talks Agriculture Policy With Illinois Corn Growers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, met with members of the Illinois Corn Growers to discuss their policy priorities, including concerns with the federal Farm Bill process, regional inequities in the federal crop insurance program, and the importance of federal policies that support E15 ethanol and conservation incentives. “I met with the Illinois Corn Growers to hear more about their priorities … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin, Van Hollen Call On Attorney General To Immediately Release The Epstein Files
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately release the Epstein files. The Senators’ letter follows the Senate Appropriations Committee’s unanimous passage of the Senators’ amendment requiring the Attorney General to “retain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of … Continue Reading
July 17, 2025
Durbin Meets With Illinois Soybean Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, met with members of the Illinois Soybean Association. The group discussed concerns with the federal Farm Bill process, the importance of federal policies that support biodiesel and agricultural research, and the harmful effects on agriculture in policies proposed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. known as Making American Healthy … Continue Reading