Press Releases
Durbin Meets with FBI Director Wray
SPRINGFIELD – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray and other FBI officials to discuss a range of matters. Among other topics, Durbin and Wray discussed the reauthorization and reform of Section 702, children’s online safety, the fentanyl crisis and online drug trafficking, and border security. In June, Durbin and the Senate Judiciary Committee held an … Continue Reading
August 08, 2023
Durbin Holds Roundtable on Rural Health Care Challenges, Solutions with Quincy-Area Medical Providers
QUINCY – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a rural health care roundtable discussion with leaders of local Quincy-area medical institutions to discuss the challenges that patients and providers in rural communities face. Durbin spoke about his new “Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Health Workforce,” a partnership with hospitals, community health centers, medical and nursing schools, community colleges, dentists, physicians, and nurses to … Continue Reading
August 08, 2023
Durbin Meets With McDonough District Hospital Leaders to Discuss Rural Health Care Priorities
MACOMB – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with McDonough District Hospital’s leadership team to discuss the challenges that patients and providers in rural communities face. During the visit, Durbin discussed his Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, legislation he introduced with Senator James Lankford (R-OK), that would support financially vulnerable rural hospitals facing risk of closure. Durbin also spoke about his new “Roadmap to Grow … Continue Reading
August 07, 2023
DURBIN, DUCKWORTH LEAD ILLINOIS DELEGATION IN URGING PRESIDENT BIDEN TO GRANT FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION FOR ILLINOIS FOLLOWING SEVERE WEATHER IN COOK COUNTY
QUINCY – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor J.B. Pritzker’s request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Illinois, to help Cook County recover from storm damage. From late June to early July, severe … Continue Reading
August 07, 2023
Durbin Holds Roundtable on Rural Health Care Challenges, Solutions With Quincy-Area Medical Providers
QUINCY – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a rural health care roundtable discussion with leaders of local Quincy-area medical institutions to discuss the challenges that patients and providers in rural communities face. Durbin spoke about his new “Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Health Workforce,” a partnership with hospitals, community health centers, medical and nursing schools, community colleges, dentists, physicians, and nurses to … Continue Reading
August 07, 2023
DURBIN REACTS TO JUSTICE KAGAN’S COMMENTS ON SUPREME COURT ETHICS REFORM
CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on Justice Elena Kagan’s public comments on Supreme Court ethics reform at the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference in Portland, Oregon: “Justice Kagan’s response to the Supreme Court’s ethics crisis provides a sharp contrast to the ‘back off’ warning we heard from Justice Alito in the Wall Street Journal. Justice Kagan … Continue Reading
August 07, 2023
Durbin Reacts to Justice Kagan's Comments on Supreme Court Ethics Reform
CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on Justice Elena Kagan’s public comments on Supreme Court ethics reform at the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference in Portland, Oregon: “Justice Kagan’s response to the Supreme Court’s ethics crisis provides a sharp contrast to the ‘back off’ warning we heard from Justice Alito in the Wall Street Journal. Justice Kagan … Continue Reading
August 04, 2023
Durbin, Judiciary Committee Dems urge Chief Justice to Address Justice Alito's Wall Street Journal Interview That Violates The Court's Statement on Ethics
WASHINGTON – Following Justice Samuel Alito’s public criticism of Supreme Court ethics reform legislation in a recent Wall Street Journal interview, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led Judiciary Committee Democratic colleagues in a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts urging the Chief Justice to take appropriate steps to ensure that Justice Alito will recuse himself in any future cases concerning legislation that … Continue Reading
August 04, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley Announce Amtrak's Federal Grant Application for Chicago Hub Improvement Project to Modernize Union Station
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) today announced Amtrak’s $873 million federal grant application, with $218 million in matching funds from project sponsors, for the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) to modernize Chicago Union Station. The application was submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal-State Partnerships for Intercity Passenger Rail … Continue Reading
August 04, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $14.7 Million in Federal Grant Funding for Illinois EPA
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $14,772,472 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants for Illinois EPA (IEPA). The funding, split across two separate grants, will support IEPA’s mission to provide a clean, livable environment and clean air and water sources forIllinoisans. “Illinoisans deserve safe air to breathe and clean water to drink. Illinois EPA works … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin Responds to Justice Alito Comments on Supreme Court Ethics Reform
CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on Justice Samuel Alito’s public criticism of Supreme Court ethics reform legislation in a recent Wall Street Journal interview: “Thus far, the Supreme Court has resisted efforts by the Senate Judiciary Committee to engage on ethics reform beginning with Chief Justice Roberts, who has rebuffed information requests and an invitation to discuss … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin Visits Head Start Center to Discuss Federal Funding for Early Childhood Learning and Development
CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child and Family Center in Englewood to discuss federal funding he secured for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Illinois, which provide free, high-quality child care for children from low-income families ages birth to five and wrap around services for these children and their families. The Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child and Family Center is part of Brightpoint, a nonprofit organization that … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin, Budzinski, Secretary Buttigieg Visit Metrolink Rail Facility to Highlight $196 Million In Federal Funding From FTA's Rail Vehicle Replacement Program
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg today visited one of MetroLink’s rail facilities, the transit system serving St. Louis and Metro East, to highlight the $196 million in federal funding they recently received through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Rail Vehicle Replacement (RVR) Program to replace up to 48 of the system’s … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth, Bush, Budzinski Applaud More Than $28 Million From Emergency Relief Fund for MetroLink
EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Cori Bush (D-MO-01) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), today joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to announce $28 million in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) federal funding for MetroLink, the transit system servicing St. Louis and the Metro-East. The federal funding, supplied through Federal Transit Administration (FTA) … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin, Budzinski, Secretary Buttigieg Announce $22.6 Million for Village of Savoy's Curtis Road Grade Separation And Complete Streets Project
SAVOY – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today joined local officials to announce that the Village of Savoy will receive more than $22.6 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Spending Bills with Illinois Priorities Secured by Durbin, Duckworth
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced four Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills last week for Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Homeland Security; and Defense. Durbin and Duckworth worked to secure various priorities for Illinois in these … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Durbin Statement on Trump Indictment By the Justice Department in January 6 Case
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the indictment of former President Donald Trump by the Department of Justice for his alleged efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and foment the ensuing insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021: “No man, not even a former President, is above the law. The anger and resentment Donald Trump … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Senate Passes Durbin, Shaheen, Boozman, Coons, Cassidy Bipartisan Bill To Increase U.S. Exports To Africa And Latin America In NDAA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Boozman (R-AR), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today applauded last night's Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation to improve America's competiveness throughout the African continent and in Latin America and the Caribbean. Included in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Durbin, Delauro Urge FDA Commissioner Califf To Provide An Update On Food Safety Reforms
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf requesting an update on its plans to reorganize the Human Foods Program and the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), which was announced on June 27, 2023. According to the announcement, the new Deputy Commissioner forHuman Foods will have authority over "all budget and resource allocations for the [Human … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Durbin, Graham Applaud Senate Passage Of Legislation To Reauthorize Missing Children’s Assistance Act
WASHINGTON - This week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023. The bill renews funding for the Missing Children's Assistance Act (MCAA) through Fiscal Year 2028 and updates the statute concerning the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). As the bill's sponsors, 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 … Continue Reading