Durbin: McConnell's Efforts To Stop An Investigation Into January 6 Failed

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today commended the brave Capitol Police Officers and D.C. Metropolitan Police Officers who testified at yesterday's House Select Committee hearing to investigate the events that led up to and occurred on January 6, 2021, and once again slammed Senate Republicans' refusal to support the bipartisan, independent January 6 commission. "It continues to amaze me that an independent, bipartisan commit… Continue Reading

Durbin: To Protect Yourself, Your Family, And Your Community, Get Vaccinated

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of getting vaccinated and dispelling misinformation about COVID-19. Due to low vaccination rates in some parts of the country, the more contagious Delta variant has spread quickly among the unvaccinated and has resulted in "breakthrough cases" among vaccinated populations. In his remarks, Durbin reiterated the updated CDC guidelines and encouraged all individuals, including fully vaccin… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors Former Senator Mike Enzi On The Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to former U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) on the Senate floor who passed away suddenly after suffering serious injuries in a bicycle accident. During his speech, Durbin discussed his efforts with Enzi to give small businesses and Main Street America more of a fighting chance in the age of Amazon and eventual passage of their bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act in the Senate in 2013. "I'm saddened today to learn of the d… Continue Reading

Durbin Sits Down With Illinois Speaker Of The House Emanuel "Chris" Welch

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Speaker of the House Emanuel "Chris" Welch to discuss federal and state priorities for Illinois. During their discussion, Durbin and Welch spoke about the ongoing infrastructure negotiations and maintaining Illinois' position as a leader in the electric vehicle industry. Also joining today's meeting was Illinois State Representative Kam Buckner (D-IL-26). "Our government works best when it works together. I'm grat… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions DOJ and FBI On Combating Ransomware Attacks

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "America Under Cyber Siege: Preventing and Responding to Ransomware Attacks," U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Richard Downing, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Criminal Division about the role of cryptocurrency in ransomware attacks. "Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin are the coin of the realm when it comes to ransomware. What … Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Todd Kim To Be Assistant Attorney General, Environment & Natural Resources Division

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Kim to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) at the Justice Department by a bipartisan vote of 58-41. Following the vote, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on Kim's confirmation: "With Mr. Kim leading ENRD, the American people can trust that our nation's public lands and natural resources will be protected… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee On Ransomware Attacks

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "America Under Cyber Siege: Preventing and Responding to Ransomware Attacks." The hearing will examine the growing wave of ransomware attacks affecting businesses, non-profits, and local governments across the nation. Key Quotes: "It is about more than money and inconvenience. The harm of ransomware can a… Continue Reading

Durbin: Anti-Vax Rhetoric Is Risking The Lives Of Our Fellow Americans

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on Americans to get vaccinated as the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to spread across the U.S., leading to increased cases and hospitalizations. In his remarks, Durbin highlighted the importance of confronting vaccine misinformation and the need for a bipartisan commitment to promoting public health. "The vaccines that we all have access to right now will stop the Delta variant in it… Continue Reading

Durbin: Gun Trafficking Strike Force, Investments In Community Violence Prevention Programs, Needed In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about his time with Attorney General Merrick Garland in Chicago last Thursday to discuss several initiatives to address gun violence, including the Department of Justice's (DOJ) implementation of a firearms trafficking strike force in the city. Durbin and Garland visited the Chicago Police Department (CPD) 11th District Office for a briefing about law enforcement ef… Continue Reading

Durbin: Ransomware Is A Growing Threat To Our Economic And National Security

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the threat that ransomware attacks pose to our economic and national security. Tomorrow, July 27 at 10:00 AM ET, the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled "America Under Cyber Siege: Preventing and Responding to Ransomware Attacks," during which experts from the Department of Justice, the FBI, CISA, and the Secret Service will discuss efforts to pr… Continue Reading

Durbin: Public Lands And Natural Resources Are In Good Hands With Todd Kim

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of a vote for Todd Kim to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). During his speech, Durbin said that Kim is an experienced leader who has received praise from both sides of the aisle, can restore integrity and independence to the Department of Justice, and can be trusted to protect public lands and natural … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on First Slate Of Biden Administration U.S. Attorney Nominations

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the first slate of U.S. Attorney nominations from the Biden Administration: "I'm pleased that the Biden Administration has announced its first slate of U.S. Attorney nominees. I look forward to timely consideration of these nominations in Committee." Today's slate of U.S. Attorney nominees include: Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney nominee for the… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge SBA To Support State's Request For McLean County Disaster Declaration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman supporting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for a Disaster Declaration for McLean County in Illinois as a result of severe flooding that occurred last month. Severe storms caused up to 10 inches of flooding in McLean County. The damage assessment conducted this month by the SBA found that many proper… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation To Hold E-Cigarette Companies Accountable For The Youth Vaping Crisis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to protect children from the dangers of e-cigarettes. The Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping Act would require that e-cigarette manufacturers pay user fees to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide the agency with additional resources to conduct stron… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Urge President Biden To Restore Bears Ears National Monument

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led his colleagues U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to restore the boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments using his authority under the Antiquities Act. Under the previous administr… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses DACA Program With DHS Secretary Mayorkas

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met virtually yesterday afternoon with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the importance of fortifying DACA and passing the Dream Act following a Texas federal judge vacating the DACA program earlier this month. The judge's ruling prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from approving new DACA applications. "I'm relieved to work with an Administration th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Lightfoot, Attorney General Garland Discuss Gun Trafficking Strike Force, Investments In Community Violence Prevention Programs In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined Attorney General Merrick Garland in Chicago to discuss several initiatives to address gun violence in the city, including the Department of Justice's (DOJ) implementation of a firearms trafficking strike force in the city. Durbin, Lightfoot, and Garland visited the Chicago Police Department (CPD) 11th District Office for a briefing about law enforce… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For A Pathway To Citizenship And Secure, Compassionate Immigration System

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for a secure, compassionate immigration reform after 35 years of inaction by Congress on the issue. In his speech, Durbin spoke about the continued uncertainty that undocumented immigrants face, including the looming fear of deportation that prevents them from living a full life in the United States despite residing on American soil for years or… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Hirono, Booker Introduce Bill To Expand Public Service Loan Forgiveness To Adjunct Professors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced the Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act to allow part-time faculty at colleges and universities - who are often paid low wages with few benefits - to be eligible to participate in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. PSLF is designed to encourage graduates to pursue a career in public service by offering loan forgi… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Owe It To The Capitol Police To Investigate January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again slammed Senate Republicans' refusal to support the bipartisan January 6 commission to investigate what took place at the U.S. Capitol Building. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that a full investigation is necessary in order to prevent another incident and to honor the brave law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on that day. "The men and women who safegu… Continue Reading