Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
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
October 03, 2017
Durbin: Congress Is Complicit In Gun Violence If We Continue This Course Of Inaction
WASHINGTON-Following the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, that killed at least 59 people and injured more than 500, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) challenged his Senate colleagues to not just be casual observers of gun violence, but to do their job and pass laws that make America safer. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called on Congress to pass a universal background checks bill and commonsense gun laws to help prevent the next mass shooting. "Gun violence … Continue Reading
August 22, 2017
Durbin, Bustos Tour Continued Activation Of Thomson Prison
THOMSON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today toured Thomson correctional facility and received an update on the continued activation of the facility by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). "Today, Congresswoman Bustos and I were assured that the activation of Thomson prison remains on schedule and that they are making good progress on critical infrastructure projects," Durbin said. "Congresswoman Bustos and I have been working to secure robust federal … Continue Reading
August 03, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Nomination Of John Lausch For U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois
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 John R. Lausch to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the President has nominated Mr. Lausch. The nonpartisan screening committee we established to evaluate potential candidates came to the same conclusion and recommended him as well. Mr. Lausch has served the people of the Northern … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Durbin Statement On Confirmation Of FBI Director Christopher Wray
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after voting to confirm Christopher Wray as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): The next FBI Director will be under incredible scrutiny. America needs an FBI Director who will face that pressure with integrity, independence, and a firm commitment to the rule of law. He may also have to stand up to this President if the interests of justice demand it. I believe Mr. Wray can do that, … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos: Senate Appropriations Committee Bill Continues Funding For Thomson Prison Activation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bipartisan fiscal year 2018 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill that includes $80 million for the continued activation of the Thomson correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. The legislation must now be passed by the full Senate and then … Continue Reading