Press Releases
Durbin Visits Kaskaskia Regional Port District, Highlights Coming Improvements Made Possible by Federal Funding
NEW ATHENS - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Kaskaskia Regional Port District (KRPD) to highlight the upcoming upgrades planned for KRPD, which were made possible by the $8 million federal grant Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) secured for the project through the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The grant will improve safety, efficiency, and reliability of the rail corridor that connects Lenzburg … Continue Reading
June 16, 2023
Durbin Joins Introduction Of Senate Resolution Honoring Juneteenth
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in introducing a Senate resolution in honor of Juneteenth. Juneteenth, observed on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is also known as "Emancipation Day," "Jubilee Day," and "Juneteenth Independence Day." On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which announced that, in accordance with the Emancipation … Continue Reading
June 15, 2023
Durbin Celebrates 11th 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 11th 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-two years ago, Durbin first introduced the Dream Act-bipartisan legislation that would give undocumented immigrants who grew up in this … Continue Reading
June 15, 2023
Durbin, Collins Applaud Committee Passage Of SIREN Reauthorization Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today applauded the advancement of their bipartisan SIREN Reauthorization Act out of committee with a 20-1 vote. The legislation would extend funding through SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS agencies nationwide. The funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), … Continue Reading
June 15, 2023
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Bipartisan Bill To Preserve Strong, Independent Journalism And News Organizations
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bipartisan Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Kennedy (R-LA), to the full Senate on a bipartisan vote of 14-7. The bill would allow news organizations to jointly negotiate fair compensation by Big Tech companies that profit from their news content. "We all know the vital role that local newspapers and broadcasters play in informing the public, ensuring accountability, … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Meets With Director Of The National Cancer Institute & NIH Director Nominee, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, current Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and nominee to serve as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During their meeting, they discussed House Republican threats to cut NIH funding, women's health research, shortages of critical cancer drugs, and the rising costs of prescription drugs. "The National Institutes of Health is the preeminent medical research … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin, Gillibrand, Graham Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Allow Victims Of Age Discrimination To Seek Justice And Accountability
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), along with Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), announced the introduction of the bipartisan Protecting Older Americans Act. The legislation would invalidate forced arbitration clauses that prevent age discrimination victims from seeking justice and public accountability. Forced arbitration, or pre-dispute arbitration, … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Talks Credit Card Competition Act With National Restaurant Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Michelle Korsmo to discuss the impact of credit card swipe fees, one of the highest operating costs for restaurants. Durbin recently reintroduced his bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act, which would require the largest banks in the country to offer two networks to be used to process credit card transactions with one being a network outside of the Visa-Mastercard … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Supreme Court Ethics Reform
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing entitled, "Ensuring an Impartial Judiciary: Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023." Today's hearing is the third hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee has held this year on the topic of judicial ethics. Durbin first asked Donald K. … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Judiciary Committee Hearing On Ensuring The Safety And Well-Being Of Unaccompanied Children
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Ensuring the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children." Today's hearing examined the exploitation of unaccompanied non-citizen children in the United States, existing protections under the law, and the need to ensure that the United States protects these vulnerable children. Durbin first questioned Venus … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Supreme Court Ethics Reform
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing entitled "Ensuring an Impartial Judiciary: Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023." Today's hearing is the third hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee has held this year on the topic of judicial ethics. "It was February 2012 … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing On Ensuring The Safety And Well-Being Of Unaccompanied Children
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Ensuring the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children." Today's hearing will examine the exploitation of unaccompanied non-citizen children in the United States, existing protections under the law, and the need to ensure that the United States protects these vulnerable children. Key quotes: "During … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Cut Taxes For Illinois Workers & Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in reintroducing the Working Families Tax Relief Act. At a time when costs are higher than ever for parents and wages have failed to keep up with inflation, the Working Families Tax Relief Act would cut taxes for workers and families by expanding the Child Tax … Continue Reading
June 14, 2023
Senate Passes Durbin, Cruz Bill To Rename Cuban Embassy Street After Murdered Dissident Oswaldo Payá
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) praised the Senate's unanimous passage of bipartisan legislation they authored to rename the street outside of the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C. as "Oswaldo Payá Way" after the Cuban dissident leader who was murdered by the Cuban dictatorship. Earlier this week, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights released its findings in the suspicious death of Payá that confirmed the Cuban … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Durbin Questions Witness During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Artificial Intelligence And Human Rights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law hearing entitled, "Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights." After highlighting the Judiciary Committee's work unanimously reporting five bills designed to stop the exploitation of kids online, Durbin questioned Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, about his … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Durbin Delivers Remarks Honoring Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney As She Receives Paul H. Douglas Award For Ethics In Government
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered remarks at the University of Illinois award ceremony for the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government and introduced this year's honoree, former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney. In his remarks, Durbin praised Congresswoman Cheney's efforts to hold former President Donald Trump accountable for the incitement of the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, despite pushback from the Republican Party. Durbin began … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Judiciary Committee Hearing On Oversight Of Section 702 Of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Related Surveillance Authorities." Today's hearing examined the privacy and civil liberties impact of Section 702 and related surveillance authorities as Section 702's sunset approaches. The witnesses included Matt Olsen, Assistant Attorney … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing On Oversight Of Section 702 Of The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Related Surveillance Authorities." Today's hearing will examine the privacy and civil liberties impact of Section 702 and related surveillance authorities as Section 702's sunset approaches. "Today, the Judiciary Committee will focus … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Statement Following Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Findings in Oswaldo Paya Death
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) released the following statement after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights released its findings in the suspicious death of Cuban pro-democracy leader Oswaldo Payá: "At last, we have a clear verdict on what was suspected all along. After years of petty and cowardly harassment … Continue Reading
June 12, 2023
Durbin Advocates For Federal Funding For Illinois’ Southwest Connector Project To Expand Southern Illinois Highways
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor applauding the Biden Administration's commitment to creating jobs while investing billions in federal funding into local infrastructure projects, including in Illinois. During his speech, Durbin expressed his hope that the Southwest Connector-a project that would expand Illinois State Highways 127, 154, and 3 from two to four lanes and create … Continue Reading