Durbin Statement On Reports That President Biden Will Declare World War I-Era Killings Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding reports that President Joe Biden is preparing to declare the Ottoman Empire's killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians an act of genocide. Last month, Durbin joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in requesting the Biden Administration join the U.S. Congress in officially recognizing this genocide against the Armenian people. Durbin is also the sponsor and cosponsor of multiple … Continue Reading

Durbin Holds Virtual News Conference To Discuss Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Treatment

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Illinois mental health and addiction treatment experts to discuss how the American Rescue Plan (ARP) will help provide care and treatment for mental health, trauma, and substance use disorders, which have only been compounded across Illinois by the COVID-19 pandemic-especially within communities of color. Illinois has already received $63 million through the ARP in substance abuse block grant funding and $29 million in mental… Continue Reading

Durbin, Wyden, Krishnamoorthi, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Bill To Reduce Tobacco Use In America

WASHINGTON-U.S Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-D-08) and seven other Senate Democrats, today introduced the bicameral Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021. The bill would help reduce youth tobacco use by closing loopholes in the tax code that have long been exploited by the tobacco industry to avoid regulation and taxes for their products. The bill would also apply tax parity across al… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Infrastructure With Champaign County First

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Champaign County First to discuss how President Biden's American Jobs Plan can help the county address its infrastructure priorities through significant investment in transportation, clean energy, and workforce development. During their conversation, Durbin and Champaign County leaders touched on several current infrastructure projects in the county that Durbin has supported, including the renovations to The Yards… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes For The COVID-19 Hates Crimes Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). This legislation will improve the Justice Department's response to the appalling rise in hate incidents targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and provide state and local law enforcement with guidance… Continue Reading

Durbin Marks Earth Day In Senate Floor Speech

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor to mark Earth Day, the planet's largest annual civic event. Durbin discussed President Biden's Earth Day Leaders Summit, the President's pledge to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emission by at least 50 percent by 2030, and the importance of global collaboration to combat the impacts of climate change. "With this Earth Day Leaders Summit, President Biden is sending the world a clear message. The United States i… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On His Senate Colleagues To Support The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). This legislation will improve the Justice Department's response to the appalling rise in hate incidents targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and provide state and local law enforcement with guidance and tools… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Criminal Justice 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 "Behavioral Health and Policing: Interactions and Solutions" Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Subcommittee, made history as the first African American Chair of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee. During his opening statement, Durbin highlighted the importance of addre… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos, McNamara Applaud AAR Corp And United Airlines For Partnership At Rockford International Airport

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, today applauded the announcement from Illinois-based AAR Corp that United Airlines will use its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility at Rockford International Airport (RFD) as a new maintenance location. The agreement with AAR Corp and United Airlines to use RFD's AAR facility as the maintenance location for Unite… Continue Reading

Durbin, Shaheen, Boozman Applaud Committee Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Increase U.S. Exports To Africa

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and John Boozman (R-AR), today announced that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) advanced their bipartisan legislation to improve America's competiveness throughout the African continent and in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Increasing American Jobs through Greater Exports to Africa Act will force better coordination between U.S. government agencies and departments, establish compre… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets Virtually With Illinois J Street Members

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois J Street members to discuss returning to the Iran nuclear agreement, support for the two-state peace process, continued U.S.-Israeli security cooperation, and restoration of U.S. humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, including help with COVID-19 vaccines. On the call, Durbin expressed his support for a 'compliance for compliance' return to the Iran nuclear agreement as the most effective way of halting… Continue Reading

After DeVos Delay, Durbin Urges Cardona To Grant Borrower Defense Discharges For Illinois Westwood College Students

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged the Department of Education to provide prompt federal student loan debt relief to approximately 3,600 Illinois students who were defrauded by Westwood College in 2012. Westwood College deceived Illinois students about the costs and accreditation of its criminal justice program and their prospects for employment upon completing the program. Westwood led Illinois students to believe that its criminal justice program was highly… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Vanita Gupta To Be Associate Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the confirmation vote on the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be U.S. Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged his colleagues to support her nomination in a speech on the Senate floor. Durbin has continuously argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also argued that Ms. Gupta is the right person… Continue Reading

Durbin To McConnell: Broadband And Child Care Expansion Is Common Sense, Not Socialist

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted important provisions in President Biden's American Jobs Plan, including the expansion of broadband service and child care. In response to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Durbin said Republican attempts to block or oppose President Biden's American Jobs Plan aren't in the best interest of the country. "To think that the Republican definition of infrastructure in America doe… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Need Vanita Gupta At The Department Of Justice

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on cloture and confirmation on the nomination of Vanita Gupta, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support her nomination. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that Ms. Gupta is a dedicated, eminently qualified leader who can restore integrity and independence in the Justice Department. He also a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Save Seniors, Taxpayers Billions In Prescription Drug Costs From Big Pharma's Wasteful Pricing

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced a bipartisan bill that would reduce the egregious wasted spending on discarded medications that are the result of excessively large, single-use drug vials. The Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs (REFUND) Act would enable Medicare to recoup money from drug companies who are paid for wasted medications, and provide savings to seniors enrolled in Medicare. Durbin an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly, Duckworth, Underwood Meet With Maternal And Child Health Groups & Dr. Ezike To Discuss Ground-Breaking Illinois Efforts To Improve Health Outcomes For New Moms

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) met virtually with national and Illinois-based maternal and child health advocates, as well as Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, to discuss last week's approval of Illinois' 1115 waiver, which will extend health care coverage for new moms on Medicaid in Illinois from 60 da… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Lisa Monaco To Be Deputy Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the vote on the nomination of Lisa Monaco to be U.S. Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of her nomination on the Senate floor. Shortly after, Monaco was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 98-2. "Lisa Monaco may be the most qualified individual ever nominated to be Deputy Attorney General… Her credentials include a wealth of experience, her commitment to restoring i… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Derek Chauvin Being Found Guilty On All Charges In Death Of George Floyd

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd: "The image of Derek Chauvin staring straight into the camera as George Floyd died under his knee haunts me to this day. The injustice of his killing is undeniable. And so is the fact that systemic racism continues to plague America. "The verdict of this jury gives me hope … Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Stacey Abrams And Georgia Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones On New Georgia Voting Law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote". Durbin asked Stacey Abrams, Founder of Fair Fight Action and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, to explain why it's false to suggest Georgia's new voting law expands the right to vote for Georgians of color. "I think the bottom line question … Continue Reading