Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Department Of Transportation For Implementing Key Provisions Of Their Protecting Roadside First Responders Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for implementing a key provision of their Protecting Roadside First Responders Act by proposing a rule to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) on all new light and heavy vehicles. The provision, which was passed in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries. … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Durbin, Menendez, Booker Lead Oversight Effort To Hold Companies Accountable For Contracting With Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. Which Unlawfully Employed Migrant Child Labor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), alongside several Senate colleagues, sent letters to nine companies that contracted with Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. (PSSI), which the Department of Labor (DOL) found was unlawfully employing migrant child labor at these host companies' facilities. In the letters, the Senators asked each host company to describe the changes to … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Immigrant Workers, Agriculture, And Need For Immigration Reform
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 entitled, "From Farm to Table: Immigrant Workers Get the Job Done." The hearing highlighted how immigrant workers are essential to put food on our tables, the need for immigration reform to help American farms and businesses, and the importance of protections and fair wages for both domestic and immigrant workers. Durbin … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Durbin Joins NAFSA Annual Conference To Talk About Study Abroad Programs And Immigration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined NAFSA: Association of International Educators for its annual conference to discuss his longstanding support for international education opportunities for Americans, as well as making an American education more accessible to international students seeking higher education. Durbin delivered remarks at the conference, noting the importance of legislation like his bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Immigrant Workers, Agriculture, And Need For Immigration Reform
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 entitled, "From Farm to Table: Immigrant Workers Get the Job Done." The hearing will highlight how immigrant workers are essential to put food on our tables, the need for immigration reform to help American farms and businesses, and the importance of protections and fair wages for both domestic and immigrant … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Durbin, Luján, Risch, And Blackburn Announce New Senate National Labs Caucus
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), James Risch, (R-ID) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today announced the creation of a new Senate National Labs Caucus. The National Lab Network conducts cutting-edge research to advance and deploy technologies that are critical to maintaining sustainable economic growth in the U.S. and safeguarding our national security. The Senate National Labs Caucus will coordinate with its … Continue Reading
May 30, 2023
Durbin: Chief Justice Roberts Should Strengthen Supreme Court Ethics Standards Before The Court’s Summer Recess
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the need for stronger Supreme Court ethics standards before the Court recesses for the summer. Durbin's calls come after ProPublica reporting that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted and failed to disclose years' worth of luxury travel and lodging from prominent Republican donor Harlan Crow, much of which took place during the Court's summer recesses. Durbin … Continue Reading
May 30, 2023
ICYMI: Durbin, Whitehouse Sent Follow Up Letter To Harlan Crow Seeking Full Information On Gifts, Travel, And Access Given To Supreme Court Justices
WASHINGTON - Last Friday, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, sent a follow up letter to Republican megadonor Harlan Crow seeking to identify the full extent of Mr. Crow's gifts of travel and lodging to Justice Clarence Thomas, which other individuals were able to gain personal and private access … Continue Reading
May 22, 2023
Durbin Releases Plan to Address Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Illinois
LINCOLN - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a news conference with Illinois health care leaders to release his "Roadmap to Grow Illinois' Rural Health Workforce." The partnership with hospitals, community health centers, medical and nursing schools, community colleges, dentists, physicians, and nurses will organize efforts and provide new funding to address health care workforce shortages and staffing crises in rural Illinois. The full Roadmap report can be viewed here. "The COVID … Continue Reading
May 19, 2023
Durbin Meets With Northwestern Researcher Who Led Breakthrough In Brain Cancer Treatment
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Adam Sonabend, Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, to discuss a major breakthrough in research into treating glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer that is diagnosed in about 12,000 Americans annually, including former U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Glioblastoma is difficult to treat as the tumor often cannot be completely … Continue Reading
May 19, 2023
Durbin Meets with Northside Refugee & Asylum Seeker Coalition
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with the Northside Refugee & Asylum Seeker Coalition (NRASC) to discuss ways to provide the Coalition with the necessary resources to assist the large number of refugees and asylum seekers in the Chicago area. This meeting comes amid Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s inhumane practice of busing migrants from Texas to Chicago. “Chicago and Illinois have shown humanity and compassion to … Continue Reading
May 19, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Introduce Legislation Guaranteeing Paid Sick Leave To Workers In America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and 40 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Healthy Families Act of 2023, which would guarantee paid sick leave to workers in America. Today, the U.S. remains one of the only two major countries that does not provide paid time off for short-term illnesses or paid leave for family and medical needs and emergencies. Currently, 34 million workers … Continue Reading
May 18, 2023
Durbin Honored With First Focus Award For Career Dedicated To Improving Lives Of Children
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met Miriam Abaya, the Vice President for Immigration and Children's Rights at First Focus on Children, and Kathy Sacco, Vice President for International Children's Policy at First Focus on Children, an organization dedicated to improving the health, education, economic mobility, and safety of children. During the meeting, Durbin was presented with the Champion for Children Award for his … Continue Reading
May 18, 2023
Senate Confirms Nancy Abudu To The U.S. Court Of Appeals For The Eleventh Circuit
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Nancy Abudu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Ms. Abudu's confirmation: "Nancy Abudu is a highly experienced litigator who has spent the majority of her career defending the civil rights of all Americans. She's worked on a range of matters, including defending voting rights, protecting religious … Continue Reading
May 18, 2023
Durbin: We Are Days Away From A Possible Economic Catastrophe Because Republicans Are Threatening To Default
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today slammed House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy for his threats to default on America's debt for the first time in history unless Democrats agree to slash funding for working families, veterans, law enforcement, and small businesses across the country. "June 1 looms on us unless Congress takes action or the United States will default on … Continue Reading
May 18, 2023
Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Ruling Ingonzalez V. Google
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's ruling inGonzalez v. Google: "Today's ruling in Gonzalez v. Google is disappointing but unsurprising. The Justices passed on their chance to clarify that Section 230 is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for online platforms when they cause harm. "Enough is enough. Big Tech has woefully failed to regulate itself. Congress must … Continue Reading
May 18, 2023
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Four Bills Supporting Law Enforcement, Public Safety
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on a bipartisan basis to advance four bills supporting law enforcement to the full Senate during National Police Week. "The bipartisan bills that we advanced today show our police officers who serve with dignity and integrity that we appreciate their service and stay committed to finding the best ways to support their profession. Officers are faced with challenges every single day, both on duty and off, as they tackle the physical, … Continue Reading
May 17, 2023
Durbin Questions Witness During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Judicial Ethics Processes At The Judicial Conference Of The U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Senior Judge Mark Wolf of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, who served as a member of the Judicial Conference from 2010-2012, at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing entitled, "Review of Federal Judicial Ethics Processes at the Judicial Conference of the United States." Durbin … Continue Reading
May 17, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Judicial Ethics Processes At The Judicial Conference Of The U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing entitled, "Review of Federal Judicial Ethics Processes at the Judicial Conference of the United States." The hearing examined the roles the Judicial Conference and its Committee on Financial Disclosure have in reviewing allegations that members of the … Continue Reading
May 17, 2023
DURBIN CALLS ON SENATE COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PROTECT CHILDREN’S SAFETY ONLINE
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his colleagues to support a package of bipartisan bills that aim to stop the exploitation of children online. In his remarks, Durbin described how social media companies design their products to keep children hooked to their platforms, and discussed the serious, even deadly, harms that children face online, as well as the inadequate efforts of social media … Continue Reading