Press Releases
Senate Judiciary Committee Announces Accomplishments Under Chair Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a review of the accomplishments of the 2021-2024 Democratic majority Senate Judiciary Committee, which includes a compilation of the four years under Chair Durbin’s leadership and during the Biden-Harris Administration. “Our country demands much of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve as its Chair for the last four years. We defended our … Continue Reading
December 23, 2024
Durbin Applauds President Biden's Commutations Of Most Federal Death Sentences To Life Imprisonments
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement applauding President Biden for commuting the sentences of most individuals currently on federal death row to life imprisonment. In November, Durbin led 12 Senators in a letter to President Biden calling on him to review the cases of all individuals currently on federal death row and commute to life imprisonment the sentences of all individuals he considers … Continue Reading
December 21, 2024
Following Republican Disarray, Durbin Votes For Short-Term Government Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate passage of the short-term Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the government through March 14, extend the 2018 Farm Bill for one year, and provide $100 billion in disaster supplemental funding and $10 billion in economic assistance payments for farmers: “At the 11th hour, Republicans abandoned a bipartisan agreement to fund the … Continue Reading
December 20, 2024
Durbin Celebrates 235 Federal Judges Confirmed During The Biden-Harris Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today celebrated the confirmation of Benjamin J. Cheeks to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of California and Serena Raquel Murillo to be a United States District Judge for the Central District of California. These nominees mark the 234th and 235th lifetime judicial appointments confirmed under Senate Democrats and the Biden-Harris administration. This breaks the … Continue Reading
December 20, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Illinois Delegation urge EPA To Fund Cleanup Of Chicago Area Waterway System
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), today sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore urging her to immediately allocate funds under the Great Lakes … Continue Reading
December 20, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $4.3 Million In Federal Funding For Math Education
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $4,338,911 in federal funding going to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees through the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Innovation and Research grant program. This award will support professional development for school principals and math educators to increase math proficiency of students. “With today’s announced funding, our schools and teachers will be better … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster Celebrate Passage Of Resolution To Name Fermilab Research Center After Renowned Physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today applauded the House and Senate passage of their bicameral resolution, included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, to rename Fermilab’s Integrated Engineering Research Center (IERC) after the late Dr. Helen Edwards, who worked at Fermilab as a particle physicist for 40 years. The IERC is home to new office and lab space that hosts an … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Stabenow, Peters Secure Increase In Federal Cost Share To Help Protect The Great Lakes In Final 2024 Water Resources Development Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) lauded the inclusion of their provision to increase the federal cost share for the Brandon Road Project in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), which passed the Senate last night. Under the provision, the federal government will pay 90 percent of the operation and maintenance costs for Brandon Road after … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Secure Illinois Wins In Water Resources Development Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founding Co-Chair of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, today highlighted several critical provisions they successfully secured for Illinois in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which passed the Senate and will head to President Biden’s desk. These provisions - ranging from adjusting the cost share for … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin Introduces U.S. International Trade Commission Nominee & Illinoisan Jim Coughlan In Senate Finance Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced Illinois native Jim Coughlan at the Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination to serve on the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) for a nine-year term. Key Quotes: “During my time as Chair [of the Senate Judiciary Committee], it has been my privilege to evaluate literally hundreds of Americans [for federal judgeships]. So, I understand this process, and I understand what makes someone a spectacular … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Chicago Delegation Announce $1.9 Billion Funding Agreement With FTA To Support Chicago's Red Line Extension Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) intends to sign a full funding grant agreement for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s Red Line Extension Project. The funding agreement will contractually … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin Applauds Senate Passage Of His Bipartisan Legislation To Extend Authorization Of Global Basic Education Effort
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded Senate passage of his bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to reauthorize for another five years the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The legislation continues a strategic approach for U.S. development assistance focused on basic education for vulnerable children around the globe. “Given … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin Highlights Judiciary Committee Accomplishments During His Time As Chair
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reflected on his time serving as Chair and highlighted the accomplishments of the Committee over the last four years. During Durbin’s time as Chair, the Committee held 145 full Committee hearings, 88 subcommittee hearings, and 86 executive business meetings; advanced 373 executive and judicial nominees out of Committee; and reported 56 bills out of … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of NDAA For Fiscal Year 2025
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes an authorization of nearly $895 billion for the national defense budget, including support for Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, and a 4.5 percent pay raise for all military personnel and a historic 14.5 percent pay raise for junior … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Sorensen Call For Extension Of Federal Funding For Chicago-Quad Cities Passenger Rail Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to grant an extension for the federal funding secured for the proposed Chicago-Quad Cities passenger rail project, an Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline, Illinois. In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized that progress has been made in the planning phase of the project … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Durbin Questions NCAA President Baker During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Explosive Growth In Sports Betting Since Murphy V. NCAA Supreme Court Decision
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned NCAA President, Charlie Baker, in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.” The hearing examined the growth in sports betting since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. Durbin first asked President Baker about athlete harassment in … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Durbin Calls For Removal Of Provision Banning Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender Children Of Service Members From NDAA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor decrying the inclusion of a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference agreement to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members. Durbin began his remarks by highlighting the positive components of the NDAA, which includes Durbin’s READ Reauthorization Act to support basic education programs internationally, while … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Durbin Celebrates Sixth Anniversary Of The First Step Act On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, celebrated the sixth anniversary of the First Step Act—bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to re-enter society successfully. The First Step Act was signed into law by then-President … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Explosive Growth In Sports Betting Since Murphy V. NCAA Supreme Court Decision
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “America’s High-Stakes Bet on Legalized Sports Gambling.” The hearing will examine the growth in sports betting since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. Key Quotes: “In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Durbin Joins Baldwin, Colleagues To Introduce NDAA Amendment To Protect Military Parents' Right To Health Care For Their Kids
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2025 to remove language that would strip away service members’ parental rights to access medically necessary health care for their transgender children. The U.S. House of Representatives-passed NDAA includes language that bans certain medical treatments under TRICARE for … Continue Reading