Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Press Fda For Timely Implementation Of Ban On Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Cigars

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and 18 of their colleagues in sending a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, urging the FDA to promptly finalize its April 28, 2022 announced proposed rules to end the sale of menthol flavor in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars. "We urge the FDA to act with urgency to solidify and enforce the ban on these harmful pro… Continue Reading

Durbin, Klobuchar Reintroduce Comprehensive Legislation To Address Threats Targeting Election Workers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, reintroduced comprehensive legislation to address threats to election workers. The Election Worker Protection Act would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers' safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from int… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce Safe Banking Act To Improve Community Safety And Banking Access For Legal Cannabis Businesses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT) to reintroduce the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2023. This bill would ensure that legal cannabis businesses would have access to critical banking and financial services. Most state legal medicinal or recreational cannabis businesses are denied access to traditional and secure banking systems and finan… Continue Reading

Durbin, Illinois Attorney General Raoul Urge FDA To Heed Lessons On Youth Vaping Epidemic From Recent Juul Settlement

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to consider the findings from Illinois' recent $462 million settlement with JUUL and six other states, as part of the FDA's ongoing examination of the youth vaping epidemic and JUUL's e-cigarette application for marketing authorization. Attorney General Raoul had sued JUUL in 2019 alleging the company marketed its harm… Continue Reading

Durbin, Thune Statement On Biden Administration Decision To Sell E15 Fuel Through Summer

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision to allow summer sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline: "We are pleased that EPA heeded our calls and is using its existing authority to prevent the disruption of sales of E15 fuel this summer. It remains a strai… Continue Reading

Durbin, Hirono, Wyden, Whitehouse, Booker Introduce Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act To Expand Public Service Loan Forgiveness To Adjunct Professors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act to allow part-time faculty at colleges and universities - who are often have high student debt loads and are 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 p… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Judge Amanda Brailsford For Confirmation By Full Senate

WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of Judge Amanda Brailsford to the District of Idaho by voice vote for consideration by the full Senate. "Judge Amanda Brailsford's nomination embodies the good-faith cooperation that the American people expect when filling vacancies on the federal bench. She is experienced in both criminal and civil law matters, earned the support of both Republican Senators from Idaho, and would be the first woman to serve as district c… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following The Joint Session Of Congress With South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after today's Joint Session of Congress with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Following the Joint Session of Congress, Durbin met with his guest, Julie Eunju Choi, the 35th President of the Korean American Association of Chicago. "Today's Joint Session of Congress is a reminder of the importance of reaffirming our critical international relationships that have been at the forefront of President Bi… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets Illinois Teacher Of The Year

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Kimberly Radostits, who was awarded Illinois Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Ms. Radostits is an 8th to 12th grade Spanish teacher at Oregon High School in Oregon, Illinois, where she also leads a freshman mentoring program, Hawks Take Flight, with the goal of keeping students on track for four-year graduation. Hawks Take Flight uses an early warning system to identify students w… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Failed Senate Vote On The Equal Rights Amendment

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against S.J.Res.4, a bipartisan, joint resolution removing the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would enshrine gender equality into the Constitution: "Today, Senate Republicans failed to secure the rights of every American by voting against the Equal Rights Amendment. Right now, women al… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats Ask Chief Justice Roberts For Information Regarding Supreme Court Ethics Ahead Of Hearing On May 2

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts seeking additional information on the "Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices" the Chief Justice attached in a letter to Durbin declining his invitation to testify before the Committee on May 2 at a public hearing regarding Supreme Court ethics reform. "On April 25, you sent a letter to the Senate … Continue Reading

Ahead Of Senate Vote, Durbin Calls On His Colleagues To Support The Equal Rights Amendment

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his colleagues to support the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would enshrine gender equality into the Constitution. The Senate is scheduled to vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to this resolution later today. In February, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the ERA, the first Senate hearing on the topic since 1984. "The languag… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Water Infrastructure With Metropolitan Water Reclamation Department

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met Metropolitan Water Reclamation Department's (MWRD) leadership to discuss the organization's efforts to address excessive flooding in historically underserved communities in the Chicagoland area, including Harvey, South Holland, and Blue Island. Durbin and MWRD leadership also spoke about the dangers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Durbin emphasized the necessity of detecting PFAS contamination and … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With The Keep Kids Safe Coalition To Discuss Efforts To Protect Children From Exploitation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with the Keep Kids Safe Coalition to discuss efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. Durbin recently unveiled his new efforts to stop the exploitation of children online in a speech on the Senate floor. "Children are being bullied, harassed, and pressured into dangerous and even deadly behavior online. As lawmakers, it's our duty to impose stronger, enforceabl… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Strengthening Unions With UAW President

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain to talk through the upcoming contract negotiations between the union and automakers at the end of the year. In the meeting, Durbin reiterated his support for unions in addition to building up workforce development initiatives and apprenticeships to recruit and prepare young Americans to enter the auto industry. Fain and Durbin also emphasized the importance of investing in wo… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With President Of International Association Of Fire Fighters

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Ed Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), to discuss union priorities. During their meeting, Durbin and Kelly discussed the health risks posed by fire fighter turnout gear. Studies show that fire fighter gear contains unnecessary per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as "forever chemicals" that have been linked to cancer and other ser… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces America's Red Rock Wilderness Act To Protect Wilderness Lands In Utah

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act to protect more than eight million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. These landscapes are also the access point for many national parks and offer unparalleled research, educational, and recreational opportunities for scientists, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and American families. "The America's Red … Continue Reading

Durbin, Ossoff, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Overhaul Federal Prison Oversight

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) today to reintroduce bipartisan legislation, the Federal Prison Oversight Act, to overhaul federal prison oversight and strengthen security at federal prisons. The legislation would establish new, independent oversight of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The bipartisan bill requires the Department of Justice's Inspector General (I… Continue Reading

DURBIN QUESTIONS WITNESSES DURING SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING ON THE DEVASTATING FALLOUT SINCE THE SUPREME COURT OVERRULED ROE V. WADE

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine the devastating fallout since the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in June 2022. "The Assault on Reproductive Rights in a Post-Dobbs America" is the first hearing focused on reproductive rights in the House or the Senate this Congress. Durbin began by sharing his sympathy for one of today's witnesses, Ama… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Devastating Fallout Since The Supreme Court Overruled Roe V. Wade

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine the devastating fallout since the U.S. Supreme Court overruledRoe v. Wade in June 2022. "The Assault on Reproductive Rights in a Post-Dobbs America" is the first hearing focused on reproductive rights in the House or the Senate this Congress. Today's hearing follows the full committee hearing Durbin held… Continue Reading