Press Releases
Durbin Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Congressional Delegation To Copenhagen
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) is joining a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation to Copenhagen, Denmark to highlight the more than 200 years of friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark, including enduring national security ties and decades of economic cooperation. The delegation will be in Copenhagen on Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17. “President Trump’s continued threats toward Greenland are unnecessary and would only … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin, Shaheen Host Bipartisan Meeting With Venezuelan Opposition Leader, María Corina Machado
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, hosted Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, María Corina Machado, for a bipartisan meeting with United States Senators. In attendance at today’s meeting along with Durbin and Shaheen were U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Curtis (R-UT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ruben Gallego … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth, Peters, Slotkin Push OMB To Resume Brandon Road Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), today sent a letter to Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russ Vought and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle urging the leaders to resume work on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP), which was halted for administrative review despite the project having been previously reviewed, authorized, … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin, Britt Urge CDC To Study Rise Of Youth Sports Betting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urging the agency to further study the alarming rise in sports gambling among America’s youth and the potential adverse effects on teens and young adults. “We write to urge the United States Centers for Disease Control … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Urges Senate Colleagues To Support His Bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged his Senate colleagues to support his bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), which would increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses—and, ultimately, consumers. Durbin and Marshall re-introduced the legislation earlier this week, which was … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Introduces Legislation To Improve Transparency And Safety Of Dietary Supplements
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced the Dietary Supplement Listing Act, legislation to require dietary supplement manufacturers to register their products with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which provided FDA with authorities to regulate dietary supplements. However, DSHEA did not require dietary supplement companies to register their products with FDA, leaving … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Condemns Trump Admin’s Whitewashing Of January 6 In Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Meeting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting condemning the Trump Administration’s whitewashing of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Durbin also again called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to testify in front of the Committee and urged Chairman Grassley to consider issuing a subpoena … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Joint Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Vetting Afghan Nationals
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Department of State, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of Defense (DOD) officials during a Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee hearing entitled “Biden’s Afghan Parolee Program - A Trojan Horse with Flawed Vetting and Deadly Consequences.” The hearing was scheduled in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy on November 26, when a gunman killed two National … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Durbin Condemns Dark Money In Politics On Anniversary Of Citizens United Supreme Court Decision
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined his Senate Democratic colleagues in marking the sixteenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, which opened the floodgates for dark money in our politics. Durbin began by reflecting on the campaign finance landscape during his first Congressional run in 1982. “In 1982, I decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time… I … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin Statement On Republicans’ Vote Against Venezuela War Powers Resolution
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate failed to pass the bipartisan war powers resolution, which would block the use of the U.S. Armed Forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress. The resolution previously advanced in the Senate by a vote of 52-47. “The U.S. Constitution explicitly says that the power to declare war resides with Congress. The Trump Administration is … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Joint Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Vetting Afghan Nationals
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today’s Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee hearing entitled “Biden’s Afghan Parolee Program - A Trojan Horse with Flawed Vetting and Deadly Consequences.” The hearing was scheduled in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy on November 26, when a gunman killed two National Guard members in Washington, DC. During his opening, Durbin condemned the Trump … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin, Fischer’s Protecting Children With Food Allergies Bill Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today celebrated that their bipartisan Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act became law through an amendment in the newly signed Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Durbin and Fischer’s legislation will ensure school food service staff receive essential training about food allergies, so that they are better equipped to … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin, Murphy Call On Appropriations Leadership To Protect Funding For Amtrak & Rail Projects In Illinois
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) in leading 12 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in urging U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leadership, including the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development leadership, to defend funding for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (IPR) grant … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin Denounces Trump Administration’s Cruel Efforts To Shut Down Legal Immigration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor to deliver a scathing condemnation of the Trump Administration’s crackdown on legal immigration across the country. Under the guise of going after the “worst of the worst,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have gone after U.S. citizens and immigrants who are … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin Meets With Metropolitan Water Reclamation District To Discuss Thornton Reservoir
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Kari K. Steele, President of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to discuss funding for the Thornton Reservoir, which was built to reduce chronic flooding in the Great Lakes region. During their meeting, Durbin and President Steele spoke about securing federal reimbursement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of the reservoir, which was guaranteed through MWRD’s Project … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Terminating Funding For Addiction Treatment, Suicide Prevention, And Rural Ambulance Services
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration terminated an estimated $2 billion in grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to treat addiction, mental health, and provide homelessness services. The grant cuts also affect Durbin’s longstanding bipartisan priorities to address childhood trauma and bolster rural ambulance services. Durbin’s office was notified by … Continue Reading
January 13, 2026
Durbin, Coons, Reed, Rosen Meet With Chinese Ambassador To The United States
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) met with Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, to discuss a broad range of issues including U.S. agricultural exports to China, the war in Ukraine, tariffs, fentanyl, critical minerals, and Taiwan. “At a time when the U.S. and China have a number of shared interests, as well as areas of … Continue Reading
January 13, 2026
Durbin, Marshall Reintroduce The Credit Card Competition Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) reintroduced the Credit Card Competition Act, which will increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses—and, ultimately, consumers. President Trump endorsed the legislation early this morning Today, Visa and Mastercard control about 85 percent of the credit card market and refuse to negotiate fair terms … Continue Reading
January 13, 2026
Durbin Successfully Passes Bill To Combat Nonconsensual, Sexually-Explicit Deepfake Images
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today successfully passed his Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act (DEFIANCE Act) on the Senate floor via a live unanimous consent request. “I rise today to ask the Senate to pass the DEFIANCE Act—bipartisan legislation that gives victims of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit deepfakes the tools they need to fight back against those who exploit them,” Durbin … Continue Reading
January 13, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth File Amendment To Appropriations Bill To Restore Funding For Chicago Harbor Lock
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act to restore to recent funding levels the Chicago Harbor Lock. Currently, the appropriations bill, as well as the President’s proposed budget, only allocates $298,000 for the operation and maintenance of the Chicago Harbor Lock, which is a $16.4 … Continue Reading