Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Honoring Our PACT Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Honoring Our PACT Act, legislation that will expand eligibility for health care for veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty: "When Americans sign up to serve our country in the military, we promise that we will not leave them behind. The Senate honored our veterans' service today with the passage of the PACT Act, which will give new hope… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Approving Sweden And Finland's Membership In NATO

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate ratified the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): "With Russia's outrageous and barbaric actions in Ukraine and ongoing threats to others in Europe, the importance of NATO couldn't be more apparent. Today, the Senate overwhelmingly approved NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, adding two essential democratic partne… Continue Reading

Durbin Enthusiastically Supports Finland And Sweden Accession To NATO

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, applauded the Senate's upcoming vote to approve Sweden and Finland's membership to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). During his speech, Durbin reflected on his recent trip to Lithuania and the NATO summit in Madrid. "I stand in solid support of the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO," said Durbin. "I visited Lithuania… I met wi… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With New BOP Director

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a lead author of the landmark First Step Act, today met virtually with Colette Peters, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). During their meeting, Durbin asked Peters to commit to root out misconduct and to implement badly needed reforms-including the continued implementation of the First Step Act-at BOP, and emphasized his expectation that BOP will cooperate with the Judici… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat To Election Workers

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 "Protecting Our Democracy's Frontline Workers." The hearing included testimony from officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on threats to election workers for the first time since the 2020 election-and the first formal update to Congress since DOJ's annou… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For DOD IG To Investigate Missing Text Messages From Trump's Defense Department Leadership In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today released the following statement regarding a report that text messages for former President Donald Trump's then-Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, former chief of staff Kash Patel, and former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy are missing for a key time period leading up to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony Of Secretaries Of State Who Endured Threats Following The 2020 Election

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released prepared testimony from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver during today's hearing entitled "Protecting our Democracy's Frontline Workers." In 2022, Benson received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her work during the 2020 election, when she received an onslaught of threats, including by armed protestors at her house. Toulouse Oliver similarly received a number of t… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat To Election Workers

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 "Protecting Our Democracy's Frontline Workers." This hearing will include testimony from officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on threats to election workers for the first time since the 2020 election-and the first formal update to Congr… Continue Reading

Durbin Raises Questions About Cryptocurrency On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) raised questions about cryptocurrency and the dangers it poses to personal finances. Durbin began his speech by highlighting various celebrities who have promoted cryptocurrency companies, including NBA star LeBron James and comedian Larry David, in commercials during the Super Bowl. During these commercials, LeBron James promoted Crypto.com, a cryptocurrency exchange based in Singapore, while Larry … Continue Reading

Durbin: Justice Department Must Take Over Investigation Of Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, continued his calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the missing text messages from former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, in the lead up to the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Last Friday, Durbin sent a letter to A… Continue Reading

Durbin: Al-Zawahiri Is Dead And The World Is Safer Because Of It

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the death of al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was targeted by a U.S. drone strike. Al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, helped orchestrate the September 11th, 2001, attack that claimed the lives of 3,000 Americans. Al-Zawahiri had been the head of al-Qaeda since President Obama's similarly successful targeting of Bin Laden 11 years ago. He had been rumored variousl… Continue Reading

Senate Unanimously Passes Critical Law Enforcement Legislation

WASHINGTON - Last night, the Senate unanimously passed six bills that will support law enforcement officers and their families by providing additional support for mental health needs and ensuring that officers have the necessary resources and training to provide safe and effective community policing. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement commending the bills' passage: "With every disturbance call, every domestic … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Secure More Than $178 Million In Senate Appropriations Bills For Illinois Projects

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) secured more than $178 million through Congressionally-directed spending for Illinois projects in the Senate's draft Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) appropriations bills. The projects range from gun violence prevention, funding for Illinois' rural and agriculture communities, clean drinking water, education, small businesses, community health programs, and m… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Continue To Press ICE On Overuse Of Solitary Confinement

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) today sent a second letter to Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Tae D. Johnson regarding ICE's overuse of solitary confinement in detention facilities. Today's letter follows Acting Director Johnson's response to the Sena… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $23.8 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 $23,826,881 for a variety of health care programs, initiatives, and community projects across the state. "The wide-range of health care initiatives and programs across Illinois are fundamental to the overall health and well-being of our state's residents," said Durbin. "Thanks to this substantial federal funding for these programs, we can do more to address everything from the state… Continue Reading

Durbin, Warnock, Senate Democrats Call On Biden Administration To Increase The Rate Of Refugee Admissions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) today led 28 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on the Biden Administration to work urgently to increase the rate of refugee admissions for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the Senators further urge the President to maintain or increase the target of 125,000 refugee admissions in FY 2023 and take meani… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds To MLB Commissioner Manfred

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement in response to today's letter from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: "It is reasonable to question the premise that MLB is treating the Minor Leaguers fairly. Commissioner Manfred's response to our bipartisan request for information raises more questions than it answers, and the discrepancies between today's letter and the reality that minor league players are e… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Justice Department To Investigate Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a report that text messages for former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, are missing for a key time period leading up to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The report also notes that the Office of Inspector General Josep… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $11 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 $11,061,526 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, from mental health research to cancer biology research. "Federal funding towards medical research is key in advancing the field and ensuring the Unit… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Press Walgreens On Policy That Fails To Consider Patients' Medical Needs And Right-To-Privacy When Purchasing Reproductive Health Products

WASHINGTON - Following recent reports that a nationwide Walgreens policy allows employees to refuse to dispense contraceptives to customers based on their religious or moral beliefs without sufficient accommodations for the rights and privacy of customers, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer requesting that Walgreens revisit this policy to ensure their customers' p… Continue Reading