Press Releases
Durbin Receives Joint Baltic American National Committee’s Baltic Freedom Award
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, received the Baltic Freedom Award from the Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC) for his strong connections to the Baltic countries and his continued leadership in Congress to strengthen Baltic security. Durbin was presented the award from the Lithuania diaspora—the country his mother immigrated from. “As a proud son of a Lithuanian immigrant, I was honored to … Continue Reading
March 18, 2026
Durbin, Cortez Masto Lead 39 Senate Colleagues In Demanding DHS Reduce Delays For DACA Renewals
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, and U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) led 39 of their Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues in a letter to outgoing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow demanding DHS reduce the delays in processing renewal applications under the Deferred Action … Continue Reading
March 17, 2026
Durbin Asks Witnesses About Developmental Impact Of Immigration Detention On Children During Spotlight Forum On MAGA Mass Deportation Agenda
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at his spotlight forum entitled “The Kids Are Not Alright: How Mass Deportation is Traumatizing Children.” Today’s forum, which featured testimony from Chicago residents, examined how the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant campaign has terrorized both immigrant and U.S. citizen children and is leaving lasting emotional scars on innocent kids. Durbin … Continue Reading
March 17, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In His Spotlight Forum On Children Traumatized By The MAGA Mass Deportation Agenda
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today hosted a spotlight forum entitled “The Kids Are Not Alright: How Mass Deportation is Traumatizing Children.” Today’s forum, which featured testimony from Chicago residents, examined how the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant campaign has terrorized both immigrant and U.S. citizen children and is leaving lasting emotional scars on innocent kids. Durbin delivered an opening … Continue Reading
March 17, 2026
Senate Passes Durbin, Duckworth, Warnock, Booker, And Blunt Rochester’s Resolution Honoring The Late Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the United States Senate passed by unanimous consent a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., that was led by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE). The resolution recognizes Rev. Jackson’s significant leadership during the Civil Rights … Continue Reading
March 16, 2026
Senate, House Judiciary Leaders Refer Kristi Noem To Justice Department For Perjury Investigation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, referred embattled Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for investigation into potential perjury charges and for knowingly making false statements under oath following her appearances before the Committees on March 3 and 4, … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider Slam Trump EPA Proposed Weakening Of EtO Protections
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Ethylene Oxide Task Force, today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s proposal to roll back a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that protected Americans from harmful exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO), a known … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
Durbin Slams Republicans’ SAVE America Act
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at Chicago-Kent College of Law with the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois to speak out against Congressional Republicans’ SAVE America Act, which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. Earlier this week, President Trump said he would not sign any legislation until Congress passes this bill. It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
As The President Continues To Line His Pockets Off Cryptocurrency Schemes, Durbin Introduces No Crypto In Social Security Act
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the No Crypto in Social Security Act to ensure that the Social Security Trust Funds never invest in cryptocurrencies. The Social Security Trust Funds hold $2.56 trillion in assets (as of January 2026), which are invested in U.S. Treasury securities by law. However, given President Trump’s efforts to integrate cryptocurrencies further into the U.S. financial system, the Social Security Trust Funds must be safeguarded to ensure … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
Senate Passes Durbin, Lankford, Quigley, Edwards, Pappas Resolution Honoring 175th Anniversary Of YMCA
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) celebrated the Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution to honor the YMCA ahead of the organization’s 175th anniversary. Headquartered in Chicago, the YMCA has about 2,600 locations, serving more than 10,000 communities across the country. The resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Boozman (R-AR), Todd Young (R-IN), and Lindsey Graham … Continue Reading
March 12, 2026
Durbin Discusses Credit Card Competition Act With National Restaurant Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the National Restaurant Association to discuss the impact of credit card swipe fees, one of the highest operating costs for restaurants. Earlier this year, Durbin reintroduced his bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act, which President Trump publicly endorsed in January. The legislation would require the largest banks in the country to offer two networks to be used to process credit card transactions … Continue Reading
March 12, 2026
Durbin Slams Trump Admin For Nominating January 6 Apologists To Judicial U.S. Attorney Positions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting slamming President Trump for pardoning violent January 6 rioters who have gone on to commit heinous crimes. Durbin also criticized President Trump for nominating extreme and unqualified U.S. attorney nominees who defended the January 6 rioters and embrace the Big Lie that the 2020 … Continue Reading
March 12, 2026
Durbin Calls For Reforms To FISA Section 702 Ahead Of Its Expiration Next Month
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for serious reforms to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire next month. Section 702 grew out of a secret warrantless surveillance program conducted by the Bush Administration after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. When this illegal spying program was exposed, Congress enacted Section … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Durbin Sits Down With Illinois Soybean Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with members of the Illinois Soybean Association and the American Soybean Association to discuss the severe downturn in the farm economy. Topics ranged from the importance of a full, five-year Farm Bill, strong crop insurance programs, and the financial harm caused by federal trade policies that have damaged the Chinese market for Illinois soybeans. … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Durbin Calls On President Trump To Follow Through On Promise To Prevent Invasive Carp From Entering Great Lakes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) after President Trump posted via social media that he will work together with government officials from the Midwest to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. In his remarks, Durbin spoke about the necessity of moving the project forward after the Trump Administration halted progress on BRIP to conduct an “administrative review,” despite the … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Bipartisan Group Of Senators Call For Independent Audit Of Epstein Files Redactions Protocol
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) called for an independent audit and report to Congress about the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) practices in redacting information of the public release of the Epstein Files. Multiple reports have spotlighted DOJ’s failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act’s clear requirement … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Durbin Slams Senate Republicans For Blocking Bill To Fund TSA, FEMA, And More While DHS Funding Negotiations Continue
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, slammed Senate Republicans for blocking a bill that would fund every agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—except U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and the Office of the Secretary—while negotiations continue to rein in federal … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
As Prices Continue To Rise, Durbin Condemns Trump Administration Policies That Continue To Hurt American Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor today criticizing the Trump Administration for disregarding Americans’ concerns with the rising costs of food, power, housing, health care, and more. President Trump has previously dismissed the affordability crisis we are facing in the U.S. as a “hoax.” “Our job as elected officials is to give Americans a helping hand to afford these necessities. Sadly, the Administration has not learned that lesson. On … Continue Reading
March 11, 2026
Durbin Introduces Bill To Create Interagency Committee To Expand Oversight On For-Profit College Industry
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), today reintroduced the Proprietary Education Oversight Task Force Act, legislation that will establish an interagency committee tasked with improving coordination of federal oversight of for-profit colleges to ensure that students are not scammed out of an education and into a mountain of debt. … Continue Reading
March 10, 2026
Durbin Highlights Three Policy Decisions By The Trump Administration That Hurt The Farm Economy, Calls For Immigration Reform To Support Farmers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today participated in an Agriculture Committee hearing entitled “Increasing Domestic Consumption of U.S.-Grown Agricultural Products.” Durbin first pointed out that the American agricultural industry does not have the workforce to keep up with demand, and he called for an immigration policy that accounts for foreign workers who are critical for farming … Continue Reading