Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Closing The Detention Center At Guantanamo Bay

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Closing Guantanamo: Ending 20 Years of Injustice." In his opening statement, Durbin argued that every day that the detention center at Guantanamo Bay remains open, it damages our moral standing and credibility around the world, weakens our national security, and wastes taxpayer dollars. Key quotes: "… Continue Reading

Durbin: The Senate Must Be United In Condemning Threats Of Violence Against School Boards

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the escalating violence and threats of violence against teachers, school officials, and school board members across the country. In October, Attorney General Merrick Garland directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys' Offices to reach out to state and local law enforcement to address threats of violence made against school board members, teachers and workers in our … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill To Reauthorize The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act, which would authorize the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ALNHA) until 2038, an additional 15 years past the current expiration date of 2023. The bill would allow Illinoisans and Americans to visit and learn more about the historical and cultural impact of the ALNHA and Lincoln's legacy for years to come. "As … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the federal government through February 18, 2022: "Keeping America's government open and functioning should never be a political issue. This time, Republicans delayed the bill over an anti-vaccine stunt to prevent Americans from staying safe during a deadly pandemic. "I'm glad… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Successful Discharge Vote For Rachael Rollins, Nominated To Be U.S. Attorney For The District Of Massachusetts

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to discharge Rachael S. Rollins, nominated to be United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, from the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 50-47. In September, Rollins' nomination advanced out of Committee by a vote of 11-11. Under the provisions of S. Res. 27, Leader Schumer had to file a discharge motion on Rollins'… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Dangerous Dysfunction At Bureau Of Prisons, Calls On Attorney General Garland To Dismiss Director Carvajal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the unacceptable dysfunction within the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and the urgent need for new leadership. Durbin pointed to egregious examples of misconduct by BOP staff highlighted in a recent Associated Press report, such as prison workers convicted of crimes including sexual abuse, murder, and introducing contraband into prisons. "It's a recurring pattern o… Continue Reading

Following School Shooting In Michigan, Durbin Calls For Passage Of Universal Background Check Legislation

WASHINGTON - On the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in requesting unanimous consent to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, which would close gaping loopholes in the background check system and require FBI background checks for nearly all gun sales. Durbin's speech follows the school shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan this… Continue Reading

Lead Senate Sponsors Laud Passage Of Judicial Security Bill Through Committee

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed out of committee the bipartisan Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act. The bill-named for Judge Esther Salas's son, who died protecting his family from a disgruntled litigant-would protect judges' sensitive personal information from being sold by commercial data brokers online, limit the posting of judges' personal information on government websites, and set up a process overseen by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts t… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Advances Nominations Of Two Circuit Court Judges, Ten District Court Judges, And Four U.S. Attorneys

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Holly A. Thomas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit and Gabriel P. Sanchez, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit. The Committee also advanced the nominations of Mary Katherine Dimke, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington; Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Charlotte N. Sweene… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees In Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Leonard Stark, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit, to discuss his tribute to Judge Walter Stapleton in the Delaware Law Review and the lessons he learned from him. Stark said he clerked for Judge Stapleton and was taught about the importance of careful scrutiny and respecting binding precedents… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Latest Circuit & District Court Nominations Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Judge Leonard Stark, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit; Victoria Calvert, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia; Judge Jacqueline Corley, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Cal… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge Biden To Designate Cahokia Mounds As Unit Of National Park System

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth today sent a letter to President Biden urging him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to incorporate the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site under the National Park System and offer additional protections for the ancient mounds in St. Clair and Madison counties. In their letter, the Senators call back to Durbin's 2014 request for the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a reconnaissance study t… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Closure Of Guantanamo Bay In NDAA

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about the importance of closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and announced he had filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to close the facility once and for all. During his speech, Durbin also honored the life and legacy of U.S. Army Major Ian Fishback, who spoke out against America's inhumane treatment of detainees … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, LaHood, Bost, Bustos, Davis Urge FEMA To Review Levee Reimbursement Methodology Across Regions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-18), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13), sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requesting that the Agency's headquarters revisit the formulas being used across its regions to calculate Public Assistant reimbursements with regards to pumping costs. In their letter, the lawmakers said the… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Select Committee Recommending Criminal Contempt Charges Against Former DOJ Official Jeffery Clark

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement in light of news that the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol will vote on a report recommending that the House of Representatives cite Jeffrey Clark for criminal contempt of Congress and refer him for prosecution: "The information uncovered in the recent Senate Judiciary Committee majority staff report, … Continue Reading

Durbin, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Improve Fairness In Criminal Justice System

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Criminal Judicial Administration Act (CJAA), a bipartisan bill that would improve fairness in the criminal justice system by facilitating court attendance by out-of-custody indigent federal defendants. The bill would authorize federal courts to direct the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to pay for round-trip travel and subsistence for the … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Verdict In Ahmaud Arbery Trial

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the verdict in the trial for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery: "I hope today's verdict can provide some small solace to Ahmaud Arbery's family and friends, but the cold truth is that Mr. Arbery will never have a chance to marry, raise children, or grow old. These murderers carried out a modern-day lynching that snuffed out a promising young life and then wal… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $11 Million In DOJ Awards For Illinois To Advance Community Policing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $11,076,506 in funding from the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to hire 80 new full-time law enforcement professionals, including 50 in Chicago. This funding is part of a nationwide announcement of $139 million in COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grants to 183 agencies across the nation. "These federal gra… Continue Reading

Durbin, Feinstein, Grassley Press Inspector General, FBI To Act On Larry Nassar Case

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law; and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a bipartisan group of Senators seeking additional scrutiny of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) approach to child sex abuse cases following its dereliction of duty in the Larry Nassar case. The Senator… Continue Reading

Durbin: Infrastructure Bill Puts Illinois on Path to Lead Nation in EV Manufacturing

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined workers from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134 to discuss how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help Illinois become a leader in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing and the importance of passing the Build Back Better Act to bring even more opportunities to Illinois."Illinois has the workforce, institutions, and leadership to play an important role in the EV revolution and with the passage of the I… Continue Reading