Durbin Statement On President Biden's FY2023 Budget Proposal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden unveiled an outline of his Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget proposal: "With this budget, President Biden has laid out bold priorities for America that create good paying jobs, provide safety and security at home and abroad, improve our economy, and much more. I'll work with my colleagues to see the President's vision across t… Continue Reading

Durbin Rebuts McConnell's Reasons For Opposing Judge Jackson To The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - After the final day of hearings on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today rebutted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) explanation for opposing this exceptional nominee-including accusations that she supports court packing, declined to answer questions on her judicial philosophy, and that she is "soft on crime." "It seems tha… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Law Enforcement Representative, Other Witnesses On Judge Jackson's Record

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Captain Frederick Thomas, the National President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and Wade Henderson, the President & CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the … Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony From Majority's Outside Witnesses

WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released testimony from the Majority's outside witnesses on the final day of the Committee's hearing on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Testimony is provided below on behalf of the Honorable Joyce Beatty, United States House of Representatives, 3rd District of Ohio; Ms. Risa Goluboff, Dean, Arnold H. Leon Professor of Law, and Professor of History, University of Virginia; Mr. Wade H… Continue Reading

In Response To Durbin's Questions, ABA Debunks Republican Myths About Judge Jackson's Sentencing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses from the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's sentencing record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The ABA members serving as witnesses were Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary Chair Judg… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At Fourth Day Of Nomination Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The American Bar Association (ABA) witnesses on the first panel include Judge Ann Claire Williams, the Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary; D. Jean Veta, Senior Counsel, Covington &… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony By The American Bar Association

WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released the testimony as prepared on behalf of the American Bar Association (ABA). On March 18, the ABA officially rated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson unanimously "Well Qualified" to serve on the United States Supreme Court-ABA's highest possible rating. Key quotes: "Judge Jackson has a sterling reputation for integrity. Judges and lawyers who have known her in every capacity uniformly praised her character, calling her integrity 'beyond… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces First Markup Of Judge Jackson's Nomination To The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced on Monday, March 28 at 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first markup on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "The Committee will meet in Executive Session to consider Judge Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court this Monday, March 28th at 3:00 PM." -30-… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Alison Nathan To Second Circuit Court Of Appeals

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alison Nathan's nomination to serve on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 49-47. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge Nathan's confirmation: "Judge Nathan is a highly qualified and evenhanded jurist. For 10 years, before her elevation to the Second Circuit, she served with distinction on the U.S. District Court for the Southern Distr… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judge Jackson On Freedom Of The Press

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about interpreting the First Amendment, specifically freedom of the press, given the evolving technology that is available today compared to when the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, at the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "How do you move fr… Continue Reading

Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates Her Duty As A Public Defender Was To Provide The Right To Counsel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender, specifically to clarify Senator John Cornyn's (R-TX) false claims that she called former President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld "war criminals," on the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Sixth Amen… Continue Reading

Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates That She Will Maintain Separation Between The Judiciary And Policymaking

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her opinion on "court packing" on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. During his questioning, Durbin reminded his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee that while Senate Republicans currently support maintaining nine Justices on the Supreme Court, … Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson On The Right To Counsel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender at the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson worked from 2005 to 2007 in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Washington, D.C. At the time, the D.C. District Court was the exclusive venue charged with reviewin… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judge Jackson On The False, Debunked Claims Made By Senator Hawley

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, at the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin asked Judge Jackson about the false claims made by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), stating Judge Jackson "has a pattern of letting child pornography offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes." But in each case Hawl… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson On Her Judicial Philosophy During Second Day Of Her Nomination Hearing To The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her judicial philosophy on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin asked Judge Jackson to explain her decisionmaking process on the bench. Durbin reminded his colleagues on the dais that Judge Jackson has shared her nearly 600 written judicial opinions and… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At First Day Of Confirmation Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the first day of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Key quotes: "In its more than 230 years, the Court has had 115 Justices. 108 have been white men. Just two Justices have been men of color. Only five women have served on the Court-and just one woman of color. Not a single Ju… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At First Day Of Confirmation Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the first day of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Key quotes: "In its more than 230 years, the Court has had 115 Justices. 108 have been white men. Just two Justices have been men of color. Only five women have served on the Court-and just one woman of color. Not a single Ju… Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Special Illinois Guests At First Day Of Confirmation Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will host Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (D-IL), Illinois State Senator and Majority Caucus Chair Mattie Hunter (D-IL-3), and Illinois State Representative and Chair of the Illinois House Black Caucus Kam Buckner (D-IL-26) today at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. "Today is an historic moment as the Se… Continue Reading

American Bar Association Rates Judge Jackson Unanimously "Well Qualified" To Serve On The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - In a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the American Bar Association (ABA) rated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson unanimously "Well Qualified" to serve on the United States Supreme Court-ABA's highest possible rating. "As you know, the Standing Committee confines its evaluation to the qualities of integrity, professional competence, and judi… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Amalgamated Transit Union, Discusses New Resources For Worker Safety

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leadership of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which represents thousands of Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Pace Suburban Bus workers, to discuss new safety measures included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to better protect transit employees while on the job. ATU has seen an increase in attacks on its members since the start of the pandemic, including a bus driver who was stabbed late last year. IIJA prov… Continue Reading