Durbin Calls For A Pathway To Citizenship And Secure, Compassionate Immigration System

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for a secure, compassionate immigration reform after 35 years of inaction by Congress on the issue. In his speech, Durbin spoke about the continued uncertainty that undocumented immigrants face, including the looming fear of deportation that prevents them from living a full life in the United States despite residing on American soil for years or… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Hirono, Booker Introduce Bill To Expand Public Service Loan Forgiveness To Adjunct Professors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced the Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act to allow part-time faculty at colleges and universities - who are often paid low wages with few benefits - to be eligible to participate in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. PSLF is designed to encourage graduates to pursue a career in public service by offering loan forgi… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Owe It To The Capitol Police To Investigate January 6 Insurrection

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again slammed Senate Republicans' refusal to support the bipartisan January 6 commission to investigate what took place at the U.S. Capitol Building. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that a full investigation is necessary in order to prevent another incident and to honor the brave law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on that day. "The men and women who safegu… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Baseball Safety Advocates & MLB Commissioner Manfred To Discuss Fan Safety

WASHINGTON-This week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with a group of baseball safety advocates and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to discuss fan safety at Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) games. In separate meetings, Durbin discussed the implementation of extended protective netting at many ballparks around the country and applauded MLB for asking teams to extend netting after the 2019 season. "In 2019, it was clear something had to be done to protect… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Latest Slate Of Judicial & Executive Nominations

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Gustavo A. Gelpi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit; Angel Kelley, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts; Christine P. O'Hearn, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Helaine Ann Greenfeld, to be an Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs; and Christopher H. Schroeder, to be an Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal … Continue Reading

Durbin to Join Attorney General Garland In Chicago Today To Announce Gun Violence Strike Force

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced he will be joining Attorney General Merrick Garland on his trip to Chicago today to discuss several initiatives to address gun violence in the city, including the Department of Justice's (DOJ) implementation of a firearms trafficking strike force: "When it comes to the gun violence epidemic, we have a choice: give up or stand up. Attorney General Garland and I are committed to ass… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets Virtually With Illinois Farm Bureau President

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met virtually with Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert and members of the organization. On the call, Durbin discussed agriculture priorities for Illinois' farmers, including the importance of farmworker labor, ethanol production, international trade agreements, greater price transparency in the livestock markets, and the need for strong transportat… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $121 Million In Federal Funding For Emergency Preparedness In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $121 million in federal funding to improve emergency preparedness across Illinois. The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will go to state and local authorities, nonprofit and religious institutions, transportation agencies, and port facility operators in Illinois to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other disasters. "Illinois will … Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses At Hearing On Need For Path To Citizenship For Immigrant Farmworkers

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Immigrant Farmworkers are Essential to Feeding America," U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reflect on the state of agriculture in Secretary Vilsack's home state of Iowa as it relates to the issue of immigrant farmworkers. "We have a witness in the next panel, Linnea Kooistra-thank you for being here-she's from a dairy family… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Vote

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the failed Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework: "For months, Senators negotiated this bipartisan infrastructure framework. It is unfortunate we could not agree to merely start debate today. "Illinois needs the federal funding promised in this bipartisan infrastructure framework right now. We are ready to put people t… Continue Reading

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Delivers Opening Statement At Immigrant Farmworkers Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified today during the "Immigrant Farmworkers are Essential to Feeding America" Judiciary Committee hearing, the first-ever appearance by an Agriculture Secretary before the full Senate Judiciary Committee. During his opening statement, Vilsack discussed the important role immigrant farmworkers have in the food and agriculture industry and the overall economy. He also voiced support for passage of the bipartisan, House-passed Farm Workforce M… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Hearing On Need For Path To Citizenship For Immigrant Farmworkers

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 "Immigrant Farmworkers are Essential to Feeding America." The hearing will examine the essential contributions of immigrant farmworkers to our food supply and highlight the need for the Senate to take up legislation to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented farmworkers. Key quotes: "During this p… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Welcome Belarusian Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya To Senate

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to welcome Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to the U.S. Senate this afternoon to meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The lawmakers were also joined by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Julie Fisher - the United States Ambassador to Belarus - for the discussion, where they highlighted U.S. support… Continue Reading

Senate Passes Critical Bipartisan, House-Passed Legislation To Strengthen The Victims Of Crime Act

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan, House-passed legislation to strengthen the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) by fixing how the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) is funded. This legislation, led by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will redirect monetary penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements into the CVF to increase funding for state victim compensation and assistan… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker: We Should Not Force Individuals On Home Confinement To Return To Prison

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, today responded to reports that the Biden Administration has decided that thousands of nonviolent inmates who were released on home confinement to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will be required to return to prison one month after the official state of emergency for the pandemic… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge Forest Service To Review Shawnee National Forest For Wilderness Designation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Nutrition Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service requesting that the lands of the Shawnee National Forest be reviewed to determine if areas of the forest meet the requirements to be considered for wilderness protection. U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and U.S. Representative John Curtis (R-UT-03) introduced the Shawnee Wilderness … Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks On Bipartisan & Bicameral Legislation To Sustain Crime Victims Fund

WASHINGTON - Ahead of a vote on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of the bipartisan, bicameral VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act, which strengthens the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) by fixing how the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) is funded. Specifically, the bill redirects monetary penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements into the CVF to increase funding for state… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Kenneth Polite, Jr. To Be Assistant Attorney General For The Criminal Division

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. to be Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Criminal Division. Ahead of the confirmation vote, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in support of Mr. Polite, Jr.'s nomination. He was confirmed by the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 56-44. "As an experienced prosecutor who has served his community throughout his career, Mr… Continue Reading

Durbin Praises Expanded Child Tax Credit On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to emphasize the impact of the historic Child Tax Credit expansion included in the American Rescue Plan, which was made possible by the efforts of Democrats and President Biden. In his remarks, Durbin highlighted the importance of the automatic monthly payments and estimates that the expanded credit could cut child poverty by half this year. "Last week was an important day for literally millions of America… Continue Reading

Durbin: Republicans Must Drop Opposition To Emergency Supplemental Bill To Pay National Guard, Capitol Police

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged Senate Republicans to support an emergency supplemental appropriations bill, introduced by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), that would address the urgent security needs facing the Capitol and the country. The $3.7 billion bill would address the violent insurrection that took place on January 6, provide fun… Continue Reading