Press Releases
Durbin Meets With Illinois Farm Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today sat down with members of the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss the challenges in the farm economy, from low prices and high costs of equipment to fertilizer, the importance of updating farm loans to match current economic conditions, and the effects of Proposition 12. The group also discussed the critical role of foreign workers in keeping Illinois … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Durbin Statement After Senate Republicans Voted Against Releasing The Epstein Files
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against releasing the Epstein files: “The American people have asked for the truth about the Epstein files, but the Trump Administration has stalled, distracted, and fabricated falsehoods to prevent the release of the files. It’s about transparency in government and holding abusers accountable,” Durbin said. “The … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Durbin Highlights Importance Of Foregn Farmworkers During Meeting With Illinois Pork Producers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with the Illinois Pork Producers Association who shared their top policy priorities in the pork industry. Durbin and the group discussed the effects of California’s Proposition 12 on Illinois pork production, as well as the critical role of foreign workers in keeping the Illinois pork industry strong. “Illinois pork production relies heavily on … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Durbin Urges Senate To Pass His STOP CSAM Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his Senate colleagues to pass hisbipartisan STOP CSAM Act. The Committee advanced the bill unanimously in June. Durbin began by highlighting the grave concerns parents have about their kids online, saying: “Protecting our children is one of the most important duties of public service. When families send their kids to school, or let them … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Durbin Delivers Floor Speech On Russian Drone Incursions Into Poland, Violating NATO Member Airspace
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning Russia for violating NATO airspace with multiple Russian drone incursions into Poland. It was the first time in the history of NATO that alliance fighters had engaged enemy targets in allied airspace. During his remarks, Durbin also chastised the Pentagon’s reported … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Durbin Talks Youth Mental Health, Education Funding With Illinois Association Of School Boards
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) to discuss federal education funding as the Trump Administration aims to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and cut off local school districts from federal resources. During their meeting, Durbin and IASB members addressed the importance of pushing back against the Trump Administration’s cuts by securing strong funding for Title I schools and increasing … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Durbin Meets With Lurie Children's Hospital CEO To Discuss Medicaid Cuts In Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Lurie Children’s Hospital CEO, Dr. Tom Shanley, to discuss Medicaid cuts in President Trump and congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). They also discussed the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget proposal. In light of HHS Secretary Kennedy’s dangerous vaccine misinformation crusade, they also discussed how … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Durbin, Schiff, Padilla, Senate Democrats File Amicus Brief Fighting Trump's Abuse Of Military Deployments
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) and 16 other Senators in filing an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the lawsuit brought against President Trump for his ongoing misuse of the U.S. military in Los Angeles that began earlier this year. Now, the Trump Administration has threatened to deploy the military to Chicago and other U.S. … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
As Pentagon Reportedly Moves to Cut Security Aid to Baltic Allies, Durbin Speaks on NDAA Amendment And Urges Trump to Continue Bipartisan Support for Baltic Security Initiative
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor chastising the Pentagon’s decision to suspend the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), a program that Durbin has been integral in establishing. Durbin introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 that would shore up support for BSI as the Trump … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Durbin Condemns President Trump's Vile, Fearmongering Social Post About Mass Deportations In Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a scathing rebuttal to President Trump’s continued attacks on Chicago, in addition to his deployment of ICE agents to the city as part of his newly-announced “Operation Midway Blitz.” In his remarks on the Senate floor, Durbin made clear that President Trump’s actions are performative, and if he did intend to truly support Chicagoans, he would work with the state’s … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Durbin Statement On Federal Immigration Raids In Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on planned immigration raids as part of the Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago: “As President Trump continues to wrongly hyper-fixate on deploying the military to Chicago, his Administration is now ramping up its campaign to arrest hardworking immigrants with no criminal convictions. “These actions don’t make us safer. They … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Durbin Files NDAA Amendment Based On Bipartisan DEFIANCE Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 to hold individuals accountable who proliferate nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. The amendment would create a federal civil cause of action for victims to sue individuals who produce, distribute, possess, or solicit these digital forgeries without consent. The amendment is … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider Visit Naval Station Great Lakes, Locked Out By DHS
NORTH CHICAGO — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) to visit Naval Station Great Lakes amid President Trump’s plans to support U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and his threats to deploy the military to Chicago are imminent. “The Naval Station Great Lakes is one of the most important training facilities our nation has,” said Durbin. “I’ve been honored to work alongside my … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce NDAA Amendments To Increase Oversight As President Trump Threatens To Deploy Military, ICE To Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced seven amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 to push back against the Trump Administration’s threats to deploy the military to cities across the country, including … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Durbin, Booker Lead Judiciary Democrats In A Letter To Attorney General Bondi On Politicization Of Antitrust Enforcement Activity At DOJ
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) troubling approach to recent antitrust matters and partisan weaponization of DOJ’s Antitrust Division—including the extreme departures from Department process that led to the proposed settlement in Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) $14 billion acquisition of … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Durbin Announces NDAA Amendment To Protect The Baltic Security Initiative
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, introduced a bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 to shore up support for his Baltic Security Initiative as the Trump Administration aims to suspend the program. “The Baltic nations are essential NATO partners in upholding democratic values and transatlantic security. As the Trump Administration plans to suspend the Baltic Security Initiative, … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin Releases Statement On Trump Administration Suspending Baltic Security Initiative
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration suspending the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI): “The Baltic nations are essential NATO partners in upholding democratic values and transatlantic security. By suspending the Baltic Security Initiative, President Trump is turning his back on our longstanding NATO allies, stripping them of the resources needed … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin Meets With NIU President As Trump Administration Slashes Research Funding, Restricts Financial Support For Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Lisa Freeman, President of Northern Illinois University (NIU), to discuss the harmful impacts of congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which caps graduate student and Parent PLUS loans and institutes a lifetime borrowing limit that makes higher education increasingly more inaccessible for low and middle-income students. The legislation also places new limitations on Pell … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin Introduces Legislation To Invest In A Clean Climate Future And Spur Job Creation
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced the America’s Clean Future Fund Act, a bill that would spur job creation by investing in a clean energy economy. The bill seeks to drive significant carbon emissions reductions to combat the climate crisis; provide economic transition assistance to environmental justice (EJ) communities, farmers, and fossil fuel-reliant communities; and provide financing for climate resilience and clean energy projects. “The … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Urge Bondi, Noem, Hegseth, Patel To Provide Immediate Information About President Trump's Imminent Military Deployment And Increased Federal Law Enforcement Presence In Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to Attorney General Bondi, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem, Department of Defense Secretary Hegseth, and FBI Director Patel requesting immediate information regarding President Trump’s imminent actions to send the military and increase federal law enforcement presence in Chicago. The Senators wrote, “We strongly object to President … Continue Reading