Press Releases
Durbin Urges DOJ, USPS To Work Together To Protect Letter Carriers And Better Investigate And Prosecute Armed Robberies
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today held a news conference with members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to call on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and United States Postal Service (USPS) to take necessary action to respond to the increase in armed robberies of letter carriers. In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, Durbin urged DOJ and USPS to work … Continue Reading
April 22, 2023
Durbin Receives Response To April 10th Letter To Chief Justice Roberts On Supreme Court Ethical Standards
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after receiving a response to an April 10th letter he and other Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic members sent to Chief Justice John Roberts urging the Chief Justice to investigate ProPublicareports that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted and failed to disclose 20 years' worth of lavish gifts and luxury travel from prominent Republican donor Harlan … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Durbin Statement On Supreme Court’s Decision To Preserve Access To The Abortion Pill Mifepristone
SPRINGFIELD - Tonight, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to preserve access to the abortion pill mifepristone: "Tonight's decision out of the Supreme Court is good news for millions of women nationwide who deserve the right to make their own reproductive health care decisions and will still have access to a drug that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled to be … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Durbin Joins Introduction Of Legislation To Avoid Catastrophic Debt Default
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to reintroduce legislation to avoid default by repealing the national debt ceiling, an arbitrary limit set by Congress on the amount of funding that the United States Treasury may borrow. In practice, the debt limit has no impact on government spending, which is authorized and approved through the federal budget and appropriations process. Instead, the ceiling restricts the U.S. … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Durbin Warns Illinois Education Professionals To Sound The Alarm On For-Profit Colleges
SPRINGFIELD - As high school seniors consider their plans for higher education this spring, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) is enlisting the help of Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks associated with attending for-profit colleges. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. is facing a concerning workforce shortage across several industries, including the health care and education fields, … Continue Reading
April 21, 2023
Durbin Visits Big Brothers Big Sisters To Announce $500,000 To Expand Youth Mentoring Efforts
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago (BBBSCHI) to discuss the $500,000 in federal funding he secured through Congressionally-directed spending in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Omnibus appropriations bill for the expansion of their youth mentoring efforts to include the West and far South Sides of Chicago and south suburban Cook County. "Too many children grow up facing life's challenges without a strong support system,"said … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Durbin Applauds Senate Passage Of Fire Grants And Safety Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, applauded the Senate passage of the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act,which would reauthorize the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program through Fiscal Year 2030. These programs help with the staffing, hiring, training, and equipping of emergency personnel, but without House passage of … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bill To Require Price Transparency In Prescription Drug Advertisements
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today reintroduced the bipartisan Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs, in order to empower patients and reduce spending on medications. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the impact of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising which found that prescription drugs … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Nominations Of Jeffrey Cummings & Lashonda Hunt To Serve As District Court Judges For The Northern District Of Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the nominations of Jeffrey Cummings and LaShonda Hunt to serve as District Court Judges on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the nominations of Judge Jeffrey Cummings and … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Durbin, Grassley Reintroduce Criminal Justice Reform Bills
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the lead sponsors of the landmark First Step Act (FSA), reintroduced three pieces of criminal justice reform legislation today to further implement the FSA and advance its goals. The First Step Act, which was signed into law in 2018, is bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Nine Nominees For Confirmation By Full Senate
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced nine nominations on a bipartisan basis for consideration by the full Senate. "First and foremost, on behalf of all members of the Committee, I wish Senator Feinstein a speedy recovery and return. Our Committee continues to advance diverse, highly-qualified nominees for confirmation to the federal bench, and that mission remains as strong as ever. I appreciate the bipartisan support earned by each of today's nominees, and we will … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Durbin Invites Chief Justice Roberts To Testify Before The Judiciary Committee Regarding Supreme Court Ethics
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts inviting him, or another Justice whom he designates, to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. to testify at a public hearing regarding Supreme Court ethics reform. "Your last significant discussion of how Supreme Court Justices address ethical issues was presented in your 2011 Year-End Report on the Federal … Continue Reading
April 20, 2023
Durbin Unveils New Efforts To Protect Children’s Online Safety On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, unveiled new efforts 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 companies to protect children against these … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Meets With U.S. Citizenship And Immigration Services Director Jaddou
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). During the meeting, Durbin discussed a broad range of issues and initiatives aimed at processing increasing asylum caseloads, reducing immigration backlogs, and supporting communities that receive migrants. "I appreciated sitting down with Director Jaddou today to discuss how we can bolster our … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Questions Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Accountability For Russian War Crimes And Crimes Against Humanity In Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Holding Russian Kleptocrats and Human Rights Violators Accountable for their Crimes Against Ukraine." Durbin first asked Monaco about U.S. support for the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the atrocities committed in Ukraine. Durbin and Judiciary Committee Ranking … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Introduces Stop CSAM Act To Crack Down On The Proliferation Of Child Sex Abuse Material Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Strengthening Transparency and Obligation to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2023 (STOP CSAM Act), legislation to crack down on the proliferation of child sex abuse material online. To combat this horrific crime, the STOP CSAM Actsupports victims and increases accountability and transparency for online platforms. "In almost every aspect of … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Meets With Hispanic Association Of Colleges And Universities
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with leaders from several of Illinois' Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), which are members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. During the meeting, Durbin spoke in favor of allocating additional federal funding to Department of Education programs that support HSIs and Hispanic students. Durbin also advocated for a legal path to citizenship for undocumented students and additional support for HSIs to … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Accountability For Russian War Crimes And Crimes Against Humanity In Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Holding Russian Kleptocrats and Human Rights Violators Accountable for their Crimes Against Ukraine," featuring testimony from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. Yesterday, Durbin and Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) met with Ukrainian Prosecutor General … Continue Reading
April 19, 2023
Durbin Discusses Supporting Workers With Secretary Of Labor Nominee Julie Su
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su regarding her nomination as Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL). During the meeting, Durbin and Su discussed the importance of investing in workforce development initiatives and apprenticeships, and concerns with retirement plans that offer investments in crypto. In March, Durbin along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to DOL urging … Continue Reading
April 18, 2023
Durbin, Graham Meet With Ukrainian Prosecutor General
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with members of the Committee, hosted Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin to receive an update on Putin's unprovoked war in Ukraine, and specifically on reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The meeting comes before tomorrow's Senate … Continue Reading