Press Releases
Durbin Discusses Expanding Workforce Opportunities And Apprenticeships With Illinois Members Of IBEW
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to discuss pressing labor issues, including expanding access to apprenticeships and job opportunities. During the meeting, Durbin expressed the need for union labor to be involved in the clean energy jobs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Durbin also spoke about the need for a Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub in … Continue Reading
March 28, 2023
Durbin Questions Secretary Mayorkas During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing Of The Department Of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security." Durbin first asked Secretary Mayorkas about the fentanyl crisis. "Tell me how we strike a relationship with Mexico to actively cooperate [with] the flow of individuals coming toward the United States … Continue Reading
March 28, 2023
Durbin Discusses BOP Staffing Crisis With National President Of The Council Of Prison Locals
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with Shane Fausey, National President of the Council of Prison Locals, to discuss the safety and working conditions of federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees. During the meeting, Durbin heard from Fausey about how BOP has been slow to fill thousands of vacant positions in correctional facilities, exacerbating the staffing crisis. Without proper staffing, BOP employees, including … Continue Reading
March 28, 2023
Durbin Meets With Illinois Municipal League, Illinois Mayors To Talk Infrastructure
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Municipal League (IML) leadership and Illinois mayors to discuss federal funding secured for Illinois infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP). During the meeting, Durbin spoke about $17 billion in formula funding coming to Illinois from the IIJA and the $1.8 billion in IIJA grant funding he helped secure in 2022 for infrastructure projects … Continue Reading
March 28, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing With DHS Secretary Mayorkas
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 "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security," featuring testimony from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. During his remarks, Durbin spoke on the horrific mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, that left three children and three adults dead. … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
Durbin Urges His Colleagues To Repeal Iraq AUMFs
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged his colleagues to repeal two outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) against Iraq. During his speech, Durbin reflected on the 2002 Iraq War AUMF vote, which he opposed over 20 years ago. "I remember that vote as clearly as if it were yesterday. It was a little more than a year after the vicious terrorist attacks of 9/11. Our nation felt deeply about what happened to … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
In Speech On Senate Floor, Durbin Reacts To Nashville School Shooting, Calls On Colleagues To Ban Assault Weapons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor responding to the horrific mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, that left at least three children and three adults dead. The school shooting is the 129th mass shooting in America so far this year, despite being fewer than 90 days into 2023. "This morning, a shooter entered the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
ICYMI: Top Democrats Warn Biden: Don’t Restart Family Detentions
WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, the Los Angeles Times highlighted the efforts by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and 18 Senate colleagues urging against the use of family detention. In a letter to President Biden, the Senators raise concerns over reports the Administration is considering a return to the ineffective and inhumane practice of detaining migrant families, after previously putting an end to family detention in December … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
ICYMI: Durbin, Graham, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urge President Biden To Support The ICC’s Investigation Into Atrocities In Ukraine
WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, USA TODAY highlighted a bipartisan call for President Biden to use enhanced authority to assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its efforts to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine. The letter is led by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The piece also included an exclusive … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan H-1B, L-1 Visa Reform Legislation To Protect Workers And Stop Outsourcing Of American Jobs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act will reduce fraud and abuse in our immigration system, provide protections for American workers and visa holders, and require more transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers. … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
Durbin, King, Smith, Sinema, Neguse Introduce Legislation To Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), today introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. The legislation, known as theAffordable College Textbook Act, would authorize a competitive grant program to support the … Continue Reading
March 27, 2023
Durbin Leads Letter To President Biden Urging Against The Use Of Family Detention
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led 18 Senate colleagues in a letter to President Biden raising concerns over reports the Administration is considering a return to the ineffective and inhumane practice of detaining migrant families, after previously putting an end to family detention in December 2021. The Senators wrote, "Under both the Obama and Trump Administrations, family detention had disastrous effects on migrant … Continue Reading
March 24, 2023
Durbin, Graham, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urge President Biden To Support The ICC’s Investigation Into Atrocities 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, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to President Biden urging his Administration to support the International … Continue Reading
March 23, 2023
Durbin, Blackburn, Budzinski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Increase Medical Providers In Rural Communities
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and U.S Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today introduced the bipartisan Rural America Health Corps Act. The legislation will incentivize more health professionals to serve and plant roots in rural communities. U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Tina Smith (D-MN) are sponsoring this legislation. "Patients across rural Illinois face … Continue Reading
March 21, 2023
Durbin, Krishnamoorthi Join Merkley To Protect Students From Worthless Degrees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to introduce the Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act of 2023. This bill would help protect students from predatory for-profit college schemes by ending federal financial aid for unaccredited degree programs. The legislation would close a loophole by preventing for-profit colleges from receiving federal financial aid dollars for … Continue Reading
March 20, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Nomination Of Jeremy Daniel To Serve As District Court Judge For The Northern District Of Illinois
CHICAGO - 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 White House announced its intent to nominate Jeremy Daniel to serve as a District Court Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that President Biden is nominating Jeremy Daniel to fill a judicial vacancy for the Northern District of Illinois. He was highly … Continue Reading
March 20, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Send Two Finalists For U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois To The White House
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today recommended two individuals for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois to President Joe Biden for consideration. The two finalists are, in alphabetical order: Sergio Acosta and April Perry. "We appreciate the opportunity to provide assistance and input in filling this important position, and we look forward to working with … Continue Reading
March 17, 2023
Durbin Participates in Mental Health, Violence Prevention Roundtable With HHS Secretary and U.S. Rep. Jackson
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a roundtable with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01) to discuss mental health and how gun violence has impacted the community. "Across the country, gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children," said Durbin. "These shootings have ripple effects on those who are hit by gunfire, those who witness it, and those who grow up … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Durbin Questions USDA Secretary About New Revenues From Clean Energy Generation On Farms
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture." During the hearing, Durbin questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack about how the federal government can support farmers in creating new revenue streams from clean energy generation on the farm to help combat climate change. "Farm organizations are arguing that … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Durbin Applauds The Administration’s Response To Collapse Of Silicon Valley Bank
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke about the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and applauded the Biden Administration's swift action to minimize the damage. During his speech, Durbin slammed former President Trump's decision in 2018 to roll-back critical parts of the Dodd-Frank Act-the strongest bank regulations since the Great Depression. "Americans woke up with a bad case of déjà vu. We witnessed the … Continue Reading