Press Releases
Durbin Leads Colleagues In Demanding Answers About Closure Of Head Start Office In Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tina Smith (D-MN) in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers about the closure of five regional Head Start offices across the country, including the Region 5 office in Chicago. The Region 5 office serves Head Start grantees in … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Demand Answers, Return Of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported To El Salvador
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and 22 Senators in writing to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Tedd Lyons. The Senators’ letter urged Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally, under a … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin Highlights Importance Of NIH Funding To Red States & Urges Republicans Senators To Stand Up For Medical Research
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor slamming the Trump Administration for its attempts to dismantle the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the harmful impacts it will have on medical research across the country, including in red states. Durbin began his remarks by highlighting the importance of NIH funding to patients nationwide. Durbin said, “There is certainty in funding medical research. Certainty in knowing that while not all … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciay Committee Hearing On Importance Of Transparency In Government
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Freedom of Information Act: Perspectives from Public Requesters.” Durbin began his questioning by asking Professor Margaret Benvignati Kwoka, a law professor at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, about her thoughts on the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) evading … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin Pushes DHS Secretary Noem, FBI Director Patel To Reverse Course On Cuts To Domestic Terrorism PPRevention Efforts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel to reverse course on their deprioritization of domestic terrorism prevention efforts, which leaves our nation less secure and Americans less safe. Durbin began by condemning recent actions, writing: “I write to strongly object to the Department of Homeland … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin, Padilla, Raskin, Jayapal Statement On SCOTUS Alien Enemies Act Ruling
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee; and U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court lifted a hold on removals … Continue Reading
April 08, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Hearing On Importance Of Freedom Of Information Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Freedom of Information Act: Perspectives from Public Requesters.” During his opening remarks, Durbin underscored the importance of transparency in government, and he further reiterated that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be subject to the Freedom of … Continue Reading
April 07, 2025
Durbin Introduces Resolution Recognizing National Assistant Principals Week
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a resolution designating the week of April 7, 2025, as “National Assistant Principals Week.” Amid a national educator shortage, the resolution expresses support for assistant principals’ commitment to instructional leadership and the role they play in addressing student and staff needs while establishing positive school learning environments with strong community relationships. “Assistant principals play a critical … Continue Reading
April 05, 2025
Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Advancing Their Plan To Cut Medicaid & Social Security In Order To Pay For Tax Cuts For Billionaires
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding Senate Republicans advancing their budget resolution, which proposes cuts to Medicaid, the Social Security Administration (SSA), veterans’ benefits, and more to pay for tax cuts for billionaires: “Last night, Senate Democrats were on the Senate floor fighting for working families one amendment at a time while Republicans struck down each one. Their message was clear: Let’s give billionaires … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin, Sanders Call On Trump To Release Ozturk, Khalil, & All Those Targeted For Political Activities Protected By First Amendment
WASHINGTON - Following the arrests of Rumeysa Ozturk, Mahmoud Khalil, and reports of numerous other students, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today called on President Donald Trump to release all those targeted solely for political activities protected by the First Amendment and immediately terminate all … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin, Joins Bipartisan Senate Leaders To Urge The Trump Administration To Reverse Course On LIHEAP Staffing Cuts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and nine of their Senate colleagues who are LIHEAP champions in sending a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on the recent reported elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) workforce. The letter comes in response to the Trump Administration’s reduction of about 10,000 employees from the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin Slams Republican Plans To Cut Medicaid In Order To Pay For Tax Cuts For Billionaires
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans for their plan to slash Medicaid and Medicare funding to give tax breaks to billionaires through their budget resolution. House Republicans have proposed $880 billion in cuts to the Medicaid program in order to pay for President Trump’s tax cutsfor billionaires, and Senate Republicans have similarly put this program in the crosshairs. Durbin … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Thune Urge President Trump To Permit Nationwide, Year-Round Sale Of E15 Fuel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Thune (R-SD) led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in asking President Trump to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel through the summer of 2025 in order to enhance America’s energy security and lower fuel costs for consumers while leveraging American agriculture. “To meet our nation’s energy needs and … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin, Senate Democrats Demand Answers On Dismantling Of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee; and Peter Welch (D-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee, led eighteen Senators in condemning the dismantling of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including a funding freeze that has halted refugee processing and resettlement. The indefinite … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Demand Trump Rescind Illegal Executive Order Threatening Federal Employee Collective Bargaining Agreements
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and the rest of the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in urging President Donald Trump to rescind his March 27 executive order to end collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies and bureaus. In their letter, the Democratic Senators blasted the move as a “gross overreach” of presidential authority, … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025
Durbin Speaks In Support Of Bipartisan Legislation To Impose Hard-Hitting Sanctions On Russia If It Does Not Negotiate In Good Faith To End The War In Ukraine
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke in support of new, bipartisan legislation he introduced this week with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), which would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia’s ongoing illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine. The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by 50 U.S. Senators, evenly divided by … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025
Durbin, Foster Introduce American Innovation Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today reintroduced the bicameral American Innovation Act, which would provide annual budget increases at a rate of five percent, indexed to inflation, for cutting edge research at five federal agencies: the Department of Energy Office of Science; the National Science Foundation; the National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientific and Technical Research Services; the Department of … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025
Durbin Discusses Credit Card Competition Act With National Retail Federation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the National Retail Federation (NRF) to discuss his bipartisan legislation, the Credit Card Competition Act. The legislation would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market that is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. Building off of debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010, the bill would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure the giant credit … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025
Durbin, Rep. Kelly Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Update Laws Governing Licensed Firearm Dealers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today introduced the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to update the laws governing licensed firearm dealers for the first time in over 30 years. Current laws are inadequate to meet the business, technological, and cultural realities of the 21st century, ultimately insulating rogue firearms dealers from law enforcement. “Our existing laws … Continue Reading
April 03, 2025
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Six Bipartisan Bills To Lower Prescription Drug Prices
WASHINGTON - This morning, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced six bipartisan bills to help lower the price of prescription drugs. U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement: “Families are struggling to afford their medications. Congress must take an all-options approach to lowering prescription drug prices, and the bills we advanced today embody that spirit. The legislative package will improve … Continue Reading