Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Evgenia Kara-Murza, Wife Of Russian Dissident

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe, today met with Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza. During their meeting, they discussed his unjust detention and continued pressure to release him and other Russian political prisoners. The Senate recently passed Durbin, Shaheen, and Senator Marco Rubio's (R-FL) bip… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Colleagues To Support Nominee To Lead ATF

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged his colleagues to support the nomination of Steven Dettelbach to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Earlier today, Mr. Dettelbach's nomination advanced out of the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 11-11. Under the provisions of S. Res. 27, Leader Schumer must file a discharge motion on Mr. Dettelbach's nominat… Continue Reading

Durbin, Portman, Ukraine Caucus Receive Updates From Members Of The Ukrainian Parliament

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, hosted members of the Ukrainian Parliament so that they could brief members of the Caucus on the latest events regarding Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and how the U.S. Senate can continue to better support our ally through military, economic, and humanitarian assistance. Ukrainian Parliament members in attendance included David Arakhami… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Advances Nomination Of Steven Dettelbach To Lead ATF

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Sarah A.L. Merriam, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit; Lara E. Montecalvo, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit; Tiffany M. Cartwright, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington; and Nina Nin-Yuen Wang, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado. Merriam received a vote of 12-10; Montecalvo received a vote of 12-10; Cartwrig… Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates 10th Anniversary Of DACA, Calls On Congress To Finally Pass The Dream Act

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead author of the Dream Act, today celebrated the 10th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and called on Congress to finally pass the Dream Act to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. Twenty-one years ago, Durbin first introduced the Dream Act-bipartisan legislation that would give undocumented immigrants who grew up in this country… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Impact Of Gun Violence On Children

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 on the impact of gun violence on children following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers. This is the ninth hearing that the Judiciary Committee has held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic. Durbin first questioned Phoenix… Continue Reading

Law Enforcement Leader: Gun Violence Is One Of The Most Significant Threats Facing Our Nation - And Our Children

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Phoenix Police Department Chief Jeri Williams' prepared testimony during today's hearing entitled "Protecting America's Children From Gun Violence." Williams is the President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). MCCA has adopted a Firearms Violence Policy that calls for legislative reforms including universal background checks, closing domestic violence loopholes in the background check system, supporting "red flag" laws, banning b… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Impact Of Gun Violence On Children

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 America's Children From Gun Violence." This is the ninth hearing that the Judiciary Committee has held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic. Key Quotes: "Today, the Committee will consider the terrible reality that guns have now become the leading cause of de… Continue Reading

President Of The American Academy Of Pediatrics Testifies On The Impact Of Gun Violence On Children

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Dr. Moira Szilagyi's prepared testimony during today's hearing entitled "Protecting America's Children From Gun Violence." Dr. Szilagyi, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), will additionally discuss how the AAP invited their member pediatricians to submit stories about gun violence and its impact on their patients. AAP has received hundreds of stories from pediatricians, which are available here. Key quotes as prepared: … Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony Of Young Man From Chicago Who Grew Up In The Middle Of The Gun Violence Epidemic

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Ernest Willingham's prepared testimony during today's hearing entitled "Protecting America's Children From Gun Violence." Ernest Willingham is a 19-year-old college student at Northeastern University who grew up on the West Side of Chicago. The youngest of 11 children in his family and the first in his family to attend high school or college, Ernest has multiple family members who have been shot, and four years ago his best friend was fatall… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions DACA Recipient In Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Immigration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Dalia Larios, a resident at Harvard's Radiation Oncology Program and the first DACA recipient to be admitted to Harvard Medical School, at the "Strengthening our Workforce and Economy through Higher Education and Immigration" Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety hearing. The hearing comes one day before the tenth anniversary of Deferred Action for … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Statement On Caterpillar Decision To Move Headquarters From Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today released the following statement regarding Caterpillar's plans to move its headquarters from the Chicago area to Texas after nearly 100 years: "Caterpillar's surprise decision to move its headquarters from Illinois after nearly 100 years is extremely disappointing. While in terms of jobs impact for Illinois, this transition will only directly aff… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Immigration Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the "Strengthening our Workforce and Economy through Higher Education and Immigration" Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety hearing. The hearing comes one day before the tenth anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). During his opening statement, Durbin highlighted the need for Congress to pass legis… Continue Reading

On Senate Floor, Durbin urges Release Of Political Prisoners

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted the plight of political prisoners in four nations and called for their immediate release. All of these political prisoners have been outspoken in their support for democracy and basic freedoms. Durbin began his speech by highlighting Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was arrested in Moscow following an interview in which he called Vladimir Putin's government "a team of m… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Came Close To Losing Democracy In America On January 6

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about the revelations the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol has shared in its first two public hearings. "After 11 months and more than a thousand interviews, the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol is sharing its findings with America and the revelations … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $5 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 $5,063,700 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants. The funding will go to research institutions throughout Illinois to invest in groundbreaking research, improved care, and efforts to treat illnesses and diseases. "Illinois is home to world-class health care providers and research institutions. If we hope to expand our understanding of diseases, from degenerat… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $8 Million For Cancer Prevention And Control Programs In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced nearly $7.791 million in Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants. The funding will go to three programs in Illinois that promote cancer prevention and reduce the incidence of cancer. "This federal funding will support critical work being done to treat cancer in Illinois," Durbin said. "Strong investments in medical research - which lead to new cures and treatments for… Continue Reading

In Speech On Senate Floor, Durbin Calls For Group Discharge Of Student Loans For Those Defrauded By Westwood College

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech calling on the Department of Education to finally forgive the outstanding federal student loans of borrowers who were enrolled in Westwood College's fraudulent criminal justice program. Durbin's call to action comes after the Department wiped away $5.8 billion in student debt for borrowers who attended any campus owned by Corinthian Colleges, regardless if they applied for relief. "West… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge Illinois School District To Apply For EPA Clean School Bus Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to more than 300 Illinois school district administrators to inform them that their districts are eligible to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to convert the nation's school bus fleets to low- and zero-emission ve… Continue Reading

On Senate Floor, Durbin Praises New Bipartisan Gun Safety Framework

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today praised the bipartisan framework to help keep America's children and communities safe from our nation's epidemic of gun violence. The bipartisan proposal was crafted by a group of senators led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and John Cornyn (R-TX), and comes after recent mass shootings including the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that cl… Continue Reading