Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Nominations For U.S. Marshal For Central And Southern Districts Of Illinois
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his nominees for the United States Marshal for the Central District of Illinois, Brendan O. Heffner, and the United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois, Bradley A. Maxwell. "Through many years of service to Illinois, Brendan Heffner and Bradley Maxwell have demonstrated strong qualifications to serve as United States Marshals. … Continue Reading
February 27, 2018
Durbin Meets With Stoneman Douglas Students, Calls on Congress To Toughen Gun Laws
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor to discuss the urgent need for Congress to pass legislation to curb gun violence. Durbin earlier met with survivors of the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. "These students and young people across the country are changing the debate about gun violence," said Durbin. "They are making clear how absurd it is for lawmakers to do nothing when Americans are getting shot every day in … Continue Reading
February 21, 2018
Durbin: Congress Must Stand Up to Gun Sales Lobby & Act to Prevent the Next Mass Shooting
CHICAGO - In the wake of the tragic mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined local gun safety advocates to call on Congress to act on common sense gun reforms and stop turning a blind eye to the deadly toll of gun violence in our schools and neighborhoods. The only vote the U.S. Senate has held this Congress on guns has been to overturn a regulation to keep guns out of the hands of individuals with mental … Continue Reading
February 15, 2018
Judiciary Committee Advances Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act
WASHINGTON-The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted 16-5 to advance comprehensive legislation aimed at reducing mandatory minimums for certain non-violent offenders to help law enforcement devote their resources to targeting drug kingpins, manufacturers and violent criminals. Under this bill, judges would be better able to take individual circumstances into account at sentencing so that they can make sure that the appropriate punishment fits the crime. But it also preserves mandatory minimum … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Nomination Of Michael Scudder & Amy St. Eve For The 7th Circuit Court Of Appeals
CHICAGO-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the White House announced the nomination of Michael Y. Scudder, Jr. and U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve to serve as Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, based in Chicago: "We are pleased that the President has nominated Judge St. Eve and Mr. Scudder. They both have the experience, integrity, and judgment that we look for in federal judges, and we expect … Continue Reading
January 12, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committee Application Process For Federal District Court In The Northern District Of Illinois
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that they will begin accepting applications from those interested in serving as a Federal District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois. The Senators will be assisted by a screening committee whose task is to review and vet District Court candidates and advise the Senators regarding the candidates' qualifications and fitness for the position. The Senators' screening committee in the Northern … Continue Reading
January 08, 2018
Lawmakers File Amicus Brief Against Sessions' Efforts To Block Byrne-JAG Funds From American Cities
WASHINGTON-Twelve members of the United States Senate and 33 members of the United States House filed a Congressional amicus brief in the appeal of the case City of Chicago v. Sessions, which is the lawsuit that the City of Chicago brought in August seeking a preliminary injunction to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from blocking critical violence prevention funds from American cities in order to boost the Trump Administration's extreme immigration … Continue Reading
December 01, 2017
Durbin Statement On Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn Guilty Plea
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Judiciary Committee, released the following statement: Michael Flynn's guilty plea is a significant development. I continue to have the utmost confidence in Bob Mueller as he proceeds in this … Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Durbin Introduces Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced new legislation to address the growing threat of white supremacist groups and other violent domestic extremists. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act would enhance the federal government's efforts to prevent domestic terrorism by requiring federal law enforcement agencies to regularly assess those threats and provide training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in addressing these … Continue Reading
November 16, 2017
Durbin Statement On Senator Franken
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: There is never an excuse for this behavior-ever. What Senator Franken did was wrong, and it should be referred to the Ethics Committee for … Continue Reading
November 09, 2017
Durbin Statement On Confirmation Of John Lausch For U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed the nomination of John R. Lausch to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. "With all the partisanship and division in Washington, it's critical that Chicago's U.S. Attorney be a non-partisan professional-I believe Mr. Lausch is the right person for the job. Senator Duckworth and I were glad to work with the White House on Mr. Lausch's nomination and I'm … Continue Reading
November 07, 2017
Durbin: GOP Must Stand Up To Gun Sales Lobby & Act To Prevent The Next Slaughter
WASHINGTON-Following the tragic mass shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that killed at least 26 people and injured 20 more, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on his congressional Republican colleagues to work with Democrats on a bipartisan basis to reduce gun violence. The only vote the U.S. Senate has held this year on guns has been to overturn a regulation to keep guns out of the hands of individuals with mental illness. "It is so sad that … Continue Reading
October 31, 2017
Durbin Blasts GOP Hypocrisy On Obstruction Of Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today argued against Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) complaint of what he calls Democratic obstruction of President Trump's judicial nominees. So far this year, the Senate has confirmed four of President Trump's circuit court nominees and four of his district court nominees. At this same point in his first year, President Obama had one circuit court nominee and three district court nominees … Continue Reading
October 25, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Background Check Expansion Act To Reduce Gun Violence
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and 26 of their Senate colleagues to announce the introduction of the Background Check Expansion Act, which will expand federal background checks to the sale or transfer of all firearms by private sellers, with certain reasonable exceptions. Under current law, unlicensed or private sellers are not required to conduct a background check prior to transferring a firearm. Research … Continue Reading
October 23, 2017
Durbin, Senators Request Update On Drug Enforcement Law
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Ed Markey (D-MA) led a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting information on the impact of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016 highlighted in a recent report from The Washington Post and "60 Minutes." The letter also calls upon the agencies to submit a long-overdue report to Congress providing both an … Continue Reading
October 19, 2017
Durbin Introduces Bill To Curb Gun Violence From Stolen Firearms
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to reduce gun violence by cracking down on thefts from federally-licensed firearms dealers. A companion measure was introduced in the House by Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) in July. It is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). "The 96% of Americans who support … Continue Reading
October 19, 2017
Durbin Statement On Committee Approval Of John Lausch For U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after voting in support of the nomination of John R. Lausch to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois during today's Senate Judiciary Committee mark up. Mr. Lausch's nomination passed unanimously out of committee and will next be voted on by the full Senate. "From the outset, Senator Duckworth and I made clear to the White House that we expected Zach Fardon's successor to be … Continue Reading
October 18, 2017
Durbin Calls Out AG Sessions For Attempting To Eliminate Vital Federal Funds From Chicago's Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
WASHINGTON-During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) assailed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for threatening to cut off Chicago's access to federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) funding unless local police forces commit to assist the Department of Homeland Security in its enforcement of federal civil immigration laws. Earlier this year, the Department of Justice placed new and onerous conditions on local law … Continue Reading
October 06, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce "No Check, No Sale" Bill To Close Loophole Allowing Gun Sales Without A Completed Background Check
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and 18 additional Senate colleagues introduced legislation to close a current loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed after 72 hours, even if the gun buyer is not legally allowed to purchase a gun. The gap in existing law has allowed thousands of gun sales to prohibited buyers, including the … Continue Reading
October 04, 2017
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform Package
WASHINGTON-A bipartisan group of senators today reintroduced the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017 to recalibrate prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, target violent and career criminals and save taxpayer dollars. The legislation permits more judicial discretion at sentencing for offenders with minimal criminal histories and helps inmates successfully reenter society, while tightening penalties for violent criminals and preserving key prosecutorial tools for law … Continue Reading