Durbin, Leahy Call On Administration To Take An Unequivocal Position Against The Use of Torture-Derived Evidence

WASHINGTON - In response to a new letter from the Biden Administration, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released a joint statement expressing disappointment with the Administration for failing to take a firm and unequivocal position against the use of torture-derived evidence: "This is not a difficult question: Are we going to stand on principle and r… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat America's Gun Violence Epidemic Poses To Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." The hearing focused on the threat that our nation's gun violence epidemic poses to law enforcement officers. Firearm-related fatalities were the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in 2021 after COVID-19, according to the National Law Enforcement O… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Officer Ella Grace French Task Force Support Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Officer Ella Grace French Task Force Support Act of 2022, legislation that would authorize the use of Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhood funds to support multi-jurisdictional task forces that investigate and disrupt illicit straw purchasing and firearms trafficking activity. The bill is named after Chicago Police Officer Ella Grace French, who was tragically shot… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat America's Gun Violence Epidemic Poses To Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." The hearing focuses on the threat that our nation's gun violence epidemic poses to law enforcement officers. Firearm-related fatalities were the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in 2021 after COVID-19, according to the National … Continue Reading

Chicago Law Enforcement Leader To Congress: Protecting Officers From Shootings Must Be A Priority

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Chicago Police Department Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform Angel Novalez's prepared testimony during today's hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." A 21-year member of the Department, Chief Novalez previously served as deputy chief of Community Policing, the commanding officer of the Neighborhood Policing Initiative, and as a watch operations lieutenant in the 25th (Grand Central) … Continue Reading

Durbin: Instead Of Calming The January 6 Insurrection, Donald Trump Poured Gasoline On The Fire

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 revelations the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol has shared in its eight recent public hearings. Specifically, Durbin referenced the evidence that former President Donald Trump knowingly stood by during the attack, which threatened the lives of Members of Congress, law enforcement, and staff. … Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Colleagues To Protect A Woman's Right To Access Critical Reproductive Care

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized the conservative Supreme Court's majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. In the speech, Durbin continued to call on his colleagues to support enshrining into law a statutory right to an abortion. Durbin also highlighted various instances where an abortion is necessary, including a 10-year-old… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi, Newman Urge Surface Transportation Board To Oppose Canadian Pacific And Kansas City Southern Rail Merger

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8) and Marie Newman (D-IL-3) today sent a letter to Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Martin Oberman urging the STB to oppose the Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad merger as proposed because of concerns about noise pollution, blocked crossings, safety conditions, and commuter rail delays. "We write to express our… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi, Newman Urge Surface Transportation Board To Oppose Canadian Pacific And Kansas City Southern Rail Merger

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8) and Marie Newman (D-IL-3) today sent a letter to Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Martin Oberman urging the STB to oppose the Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad merger as proposed because of concerns about noise pollution, blocked crossings, safety conditions, and commuter rail delays. "We write to express our… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Markey, Colleagues In Expressing Support For FDA's Proposed Ban On Menthol Cigarettes And Flavored Cigars

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA) and 18 of their colleagues sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in support of FDA rules proposed earlier this year that would ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars. Menthol numbs the throat and masks the harshness of tobacco smoke, making menthol cigarettes more appealing to youth and people beginning to smoke. "By increasing youth smoking and making cessation … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $1 Million For Chicago River Habitat Restoration And Conservation Efforts

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined officials from the Shedd Aquarium and Chicago Park District to announce $1 million in new federal funding he secured in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Omnibus appropriations bill to address habitat restoration and conservation needs in the polluted ecosystem on the South Branch of the Chicago River-commonly known as "Bubbly Creek." "For more than 100 years, this area was a dumping ground for animal waste, industrial waste, and sewage from the … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $49 Million for Variety Of Illinois Health Care Programs And Initiatives

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $49,068,220 for a variety of health care programs, initiatives, and community projects across the state. "With this robust federal funding, Illinois can invest in its wide-range of initiatives and programs aimed at keeping residents healthy. From efforts to end the HIV epidemic to treating Alzheimer's, these programs provide a vital service to Illinoisans through the toughest times … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $12.2 Million For Health Care Research In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $12,245,863 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) biomedical research grants for Illinois institutions. The funding will be put toward research programs across the state to support medical advancement in various fields, ranging from vascular diseases to mental health research. "Federal investments in medical research pushes our society forward, bringing us new treatm… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Newman, Quigley Urge FRA To Consider Illinois For Location Of Future University Rail Research And Development Center Of Excellence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Marie Newman (D-IL-3) and Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) today sent a letter to Federal Railroad Administrator (FRA) Amit Bose urging him to consider Illinois as a home for the future University Rail Research and Development Center of Excellence. The Members authored language in the historic bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requiring FRA to establish the rail research … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate To Ban Military-Style Assault Weapons Following Highland Park Hearing

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his colleagues to ban military-style assault weapons that can be used to kill large numbers of people in mere seconds. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Independence Day Parade mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois - the 309th mass shooting this year. The hearing was the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $46.8 Million For Head Start Programs In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $46,851,870 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to support Head Start services for children under the age of five in receiving wrap-around support in early learning and development. "This federal investment will be put toward building the foundation for lifelong success for children by supporting their early learning, health, and family well-being… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Advances Ten Nominees, Including Two Judicial Nominees, Seven Sentencing Commission Nominees, And An Assistant Attorney General

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Florence Y. Pan, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; and Elizabeth Wilson Hanes, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. Pan received a vote of 13-9; and Hanes received a vote of 15-7. The Committee also advanced Carlton W. Reeves, to be a Member and Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission; Laura E. Mate, to be a Member of the United States… Continue Reading

Durbin: If Republicans Really Care About Inflation, Why Are They Opposing Plans To Lower Prescription Drug Prices?

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged Republicans to join Democrats and lower the cost of prescription drug prices. Due to Big Pharma's price gouging, Americans pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, an average of nearly 4 times more than other Western countries for the exact same medications-many of which are developed in the United States using research paid for by American taxpayers. During his speech, Durbi… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Dangers Of Civilian Access To Military-Style Assault Weapons

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned today's witnesses during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings." This hearing-the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic-focused on the dangers of widespread civilian access to military-style assault weapons that can be used … Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Dangers Of Civilian Access To Military-Style Assault Weapons

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings." This hearing-the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic-focuses on the dangers of widespread civilian access to military-style assault weapons that can … Continue Reading