Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin: $1.8 Million in COPS Funding for Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $1,865,151 in funding from the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Today's funding - part of a nationwide announcement of $27 million in COPS grants - will be used for school safety and to locate, arrest, and prosecute child sexual predators and exploiters. "At a time when tight budgets have forced … Continue Reading
September 15, 2009
Durbin Chairs Hearing on Mental Health in US Prisons
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired a hearing on "Human Rights at Home: Mental Illness in U.S. Prisons and Jails," today before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law. The hearing, which focused on the high rate of mental illness among U.S. prisoners, was the Subcommittee's first hearing examining a domestic human rights issue. "Mental illness has been criminalized in our country over the last thirty years," Durbin said. … Continue Reading
August 17, 2009
Durbin Announces $1.5 Million in Continuing Grants for Illinois Drug-Free Community Coalitions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that 14 Illinois communities would receive continuing grants as part of the Drug-Free Communities program. The grants, totaling approximately $1.5 million will assist local community coalitions as they work to prevent and reduce youth substance use. The Drug-Free Communities Support (DFC) program is directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The DFC program provides coalition … Continue Reading
August 14, 2009
Durbin Announces $12.2 Million in Byrne Grants Funding for Illinois Communities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the state of Illinois has been awarded $12,212,026 in funding for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants. Byrne grants are often used by state and local governments for programs dealing with drug prevention and enforcement, law enforcement information sharing, and combating gangs. The Byrne grant program, administered by Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, allows states and local … Continue Reading
August 07, 2009
Durbin Forwards Recommendations for Federal Judges and US Marshal to White House
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a list of names to the White House to consider when filling positions for the U.S. District Court and U.S. Marshal in the Northern District of Illinois. There are currently three vacancies to be filled on the U.S. District Court and one position of U.S. Marshal for the Northern District; Durbin has already recommended that current U.S. Attorney for the Northern District, Patrick Fitzgerald retain his post. Based on … Continue Reading
August 06, 2009
Durbin Statement on the Confirmation of Judge Sonya Sotomayor
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Senate voted to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court: "When the doors of the Supreme Court open for Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the doors of opportunity open wider in America." "In the history of the United States, 110 Supreme Court Justices have served under our Constitution; 106 of them have been white males. We've … Continue Reading
July 31, 2009
Durbin Announces Senate Committee Approval of $7 Million for Campus Safety
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $7 million in funding for colleges and universities to support their emergency management and campus safety efforts. The money will be used for a program passed into law last year and based on Durbin's legislation, the Campus Law Enforcement Emergency Response Act, which will help ensure that all colleges and universities develop emergency response procedures and … Continue Reading
July 30, 2009
Durbin Bill to Provide Financial Security to Families of Federal Judges Passes House, Sent to President Obama for Signature
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan bill to provide the surviving family members of Federal judges with financial and health benefits, unanimously passed the US House of Representatives late yesterday, sending it to the president for his signature. The bill will provide for a limited 6-month open season for Federal judges to opt into the Judicial Survivors' Annuities System (JSAS). Earlier this month the Senate unanimously passed the legislation which is sponsored by Assistant Senate Majority … Continue Reading
July 28, 2009
Durbin: Recovery Act Funding Will Put 50 More Cops on the Beat in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $25,867,708 in Recovery Act funding under the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP). Today's funding will be used to hire or rehire 106 new police officers in Illinois - 50 of which will be in Chicago. "At a time when tight budgets have forced many law enforcement … Continue Reading
July 27, 2009
Durbin Announces More Than $6 Million in FEMA Grants for Chicago Transit
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $6,539,988 in grants available for Chicago area transit security. "The funding announced today will help increase passenger safety along Chicago area transit lines that provide nearly two million rides each week day," said Durbin. "As more and more people are choosing to leave their cars at home for their daily commute, we must ensure that public transit is not … Continue Reading
July 22, 2009
Durbin, Graham Introduce First Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation today to completely eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. The bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act would refocus scarce federal resources away from nonviolent offenses and toward large scale, violent traffickers. Restoring sentencing parity would do more than any other policy change to close the gap in incarceration rates between African … Continue Reading
July 10, 2009
Durbin Bill to Provide Financial Security to Families of Federal Judges Unanimously Passes the Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bill to provide the surviving family members of Federal judges with financial and health benefits, unanimously passed the Senate today. The bill, sponsored by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Graham (R-SC) and Hatch (R-UT), will provide for a limited 6-month open season for Federal judges to opt into the Judicial Survivors' Annuities System (JSAS). "Many of the nation's best and brightest attorneys no longer seek Federal judgeships … Continue Reading
July 09, 2009
Durbin Financial Services, General Government Appropriations Bill Passes Full Committee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - The Senate Appropriations Committee reported Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin's (D-IL), Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill out of committee today, sending the $46.4 billion package for fiscal year 2010 to the Senate floor. As Chairman of the Subcommittee, Durbin has budgetary oversight authority over a range of agencies in the Executive Branch, the Federal Courts, the District of Columbia and a host of independent agencies. The … Continue Reading
July 08, 2009
Durbin Unveils 2010 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, today unveiled the subcommittee's appropriations package for fiscal year 2010. The bill covers $46.4 billion in overall spending for a number of agencies within the Executive Branch; the Federal Courts; District of Columbia; and independent agencies including the nation's financial services regulators. "White-collar … Continue Reading
July 08, 2009
Durbin Statement on Lisa Madigan's Plans to Run for Re-Election
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she will run for re-election: "Lisa Madigan made the right decision for our state and her family. She has been an incredibly capable and effective Attorney General. I look forward to working together with her for the people of … Continue Reading
July 06, 2009
Durbin Forwards Recommendations for US Attorneys and US Marshals to White House
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a list of names to the White House to consider when filling four positions for U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals in Central and Southern Illinois. Based on recommendations made by bipartisan screening committees in the state, Durbin has forwarded the names of the following ten individuals to the President for consideration: For U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois: Gregory Harris and James Lewis For … Continue Reading
June 25, 2009
Durbin: Senate Committee Approves $3.45 Million for Illinois Projects
[Washington, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $3.45 million for projects in the state of Illinois in the Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill. The Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill includes funding for the following projects in Illinois: Department of Justice • Ceasefire at the University of Illinois, Chicago. $500,000 in funding for the Chicago Project for … Continue Reading
June 24, 2009
Durbin, Leahy, and Feingold Introduce Legislation Making Crimes Against Humanity a Violation of US Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader and Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, Dick Durbin (D-IL), introduced the Crimes Against Humanity Act today - legislation that would make it a violation of U.S. law to commit a crime against humanity. This legislation is needed to ensure that perpetrators of the worst human rights violations do not find safe haven in our country. "The United States led the first prosecutions for crimes against humanity … Continue Reading
June 23, 2009
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Boost Program That Helps Law Enforcement Quickly Find Missing Persons
WASHINGTON - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and 10 other Senators in introducing legislation (S. 1301) that would make a federal investment in an effective program that assists law enforcement efforts to locating missing persons quickly. They are seeking $5 million per year for six years for the non-profit organization A … Continue Reading
June 02, 2009
Durbin Statement on Meeting with Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) made the following statement today after meeting with Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor: "Judge Sotomayor has an impressive life story. She came up the hard way and excelled as a student at Princeton. Her experience as a prosecutor and years on the federal bench have prepared her well for this historic opportunity." In addition to being a member of Senate leadership, Durbin serves on the Senate … Continue Reading