Press Releases
Durbin Questions Witnesses At Hearing On Texas's Unconstitutional Abortion Ban And The Role Of The Shadow Docket
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Texas's Unconstitutional Abortion Ban and the Role of the Shadow Docket." Durbin began his questioning by highlighting how the Supreme Court's "shadow docket" has been used in recent years. "To argue that this shadow docket is just routine, it happens, nothing to see here, move along - the numbers don't tell that … Continue Reading
September 29, 2021
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks During Hearing On Texas's Unconstitutional Abortion Ban And The Role Of The Shadow Docket
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening statement during a hearing entitled "Texas's Unconstitutional Abortion Ban and the Role of the Shadow Docket." The hearing will examine the consequences of Texas's S.B. 8 abortion ban and the increasing use of the Supreme Court's "shadow docket" to make drastic changes to legal and constitutional rights without full briefing, deliberation, or transparency. Key … Continue Reading
September 28, 2021
Durbin Meets With Philippines Foreign Minister And Ambassador
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Philippines Foreign Minister Teodor Locsin and Philippines Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez to discuss U.S.-Philippines cooperation and the ongoing detention of Filipina Senator Leila de Lima. Durbin raised several human rights concerns under Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, including extrajudicial drug-related killings, harassment of journalists such as Maria Ressa, and jailing of opposing voices such as de … Continue Reading
September 28, 2021
Durbin Statement On Refugee Consultation With Biden Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after participating in a statutorily-required refugee consultation between the Biden-Harris Administration and House and Senate Judiciary Committee leadership: "The number of refugees admitted in Fiscal Year 2021 - around 12,000 - is a disappointment. The dismantling of programs by the Trump Administration has hindered our efforts to accept more of the … Continue Reading
September 28, 2021
Durbin Discusses Disappearances Of Family Members Of Illinois Resident With Egyptian Ambassador
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), today spoke by phone with Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Motaz Zahran about reports of harassment, forced disappearances, and human rights violations in Egypt. During their conversation, Durbin followed up on a letter he and Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Booker sent earlier this year to Zahran, advocating for the release of three family members of Aly Hussin … Continue Reading
September 28, 2021
Senate Sponsors Laud House Passage Of EQUAL Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, Rob Portman (R-OH), Rand Paul (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bipartisan Senate sponsors of the EQUAL Act, issued the following statement: "Today, House Republicans and Democrats joined together in passing the EQUAL Act, legislation that will once and … Continue Reading
September 28, 2021
Durbin: Immigration Reform Will Drive Our Nation's Economic Recovery For Years To Come
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 discussed the economic impact of immigration reform to our nation's economic recovery and Senate Democrats' continued efforts to include immigration provisions in the Build Back Better reconciliation package. He also discussed his visit to Little Village in Chicago last week with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). They met … Continue Reading
September 27, 2021
Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Voting Against House-Passed CR & Debt Ceiling
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding every Senate Republican voting against the House-passed Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government and avoid catastrophic default: "Right now, our number one priority should be keeping the nation's economy on the path to recovery. Instead, Republicans are playing reckless political games with the economy and the full faith and credit of the United States by refusing to pay the … Continue Reading
September 27, 2021
Durbin, Leahy Urge President Biden To End Lethal Force Outside Of War Zones, Revise Nation's Counterterrorism Policies
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today sent a letter to President Biden urging the administration to revise our nation's policy regarding use of lethal force. Over the course of the past three administrations, Durbin and Leahy have raised questions about the legal bases and consequences of lethal strikes. As the Biden administration is … Continue Reading
September 27, 2021
Ahead Of Vote On Debt Ceiling, Durbin: This Is About Paying For Donald Trump's Debt & Averting Economic Catastrophe
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans-led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)-for their continued refusal to join Senate Democrats in voting to deal with the debt limit. During his speech, Durbin noted that raising or suspending the debt limit has nothing to do with approving new spending-it's about paying off the spending the government has already incurred. Much of the debt that Republicans … Continue Reading
September 24, 2021
Durbin, Padilla Visit Little Village, Discuss Federal COVID-19 Relief Efforts With Small Business Owners
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, today met with the Little Village Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders to discuss several federal programs that helped workers and small businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators also visited area businesses including La Chiquita Grocery … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Durbin, Cassidy Introduce Legislation To Support Leading Rehab Facilities
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to support rehabilitation facilities that lead the nation in medical research and complex treatment. The Dr. Joanne Smith Memorial Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act recognizes the unique role that a leading class of rehabilitation facilities play in our health care system, by driving innovative research for the entire field, providing medical training … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Durbin Honors Life and Legacy of Dr. Joanne Smith
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute on the Senate floor to medical visionary Dr. Joanne Smith, longtime President and CEO of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, who passed away this month. In his remarks, Durbin said Dr. Smith was a once-in-a-lifetime leader and a national treasure, whose brilliance, determination, and compassion reinvented the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. She created the world's first-ever "translational" research hospital for … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Latest Slate Of Nominations & Legislation
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the following nominations: Toby J. Heytens, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Patricia Tolliver Giles, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael S. Nachmanoff, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sarala Vidya Nagala, to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut; Omar Antonio Williams, to be United States District … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Durbin, Leahy, Ossoff Introduce New Legislation To Terminate AUMFs No Later Than 10 Years After Entactment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), today introduced new legislation-the Accountability for Endless Wars Act of 2021-to terminate authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs) and declarations of war no later than 10 years after the enactment of such authorizations or declarations. AUMFs set the legal framework, parameters, and constitutional basis for the United States' military … Continue Reading
September 23, 2021
Durbin Meets With CEO Climate Dialogue
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the CEO Climate Dialogue, a large group of companies and environmental groups that support carbon pricing as a means to combat climate change. During the meeting, Durbin spoke about his legislation, America's Clean Future Fund Act. Durbin's legislation would reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the U.S. transition to a green economy by leveraging revenue raised by a carbon fee to fund a new federal agency … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Senate Confirms Director Of U.S. Marshals Service
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Ronald Davis's nomination to serve as Director of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) by unanimous consent. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Mr. Davis's confirmation: "Ronald Davis is an experienced law enforcement veteran who will be ready on day one to lead the U.S. Marshals Service-which is why it was no surprise that he won the support of … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Durbin, Bill Gates: We Must Focus On Global Vaccine Equity
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about global COVID-19 vaccination efforts and barriers to achieving the Global Vaccine Alliance's distribution goal of 1.9 billion shots, including supply shortages, vaccine hoarding, and inadequate health care infrastructure in many nations. In particular, Durbin and Gates discussed the importance of preparing for the next pandemic and … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Durbin Statement On Police Reform Negotiations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding bipartisan police reform negotiations: "Senator Booker, for nine months, exhausted every possible pathway to get to a bipartisan deal on policing reform. Even after Senator Booker secured the support of policing groups such as FOP and IACP for our proposals, we could not win GOP support for the effort. The challenge remains despite his … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Durbin Urges Colleagues To Support Nomination Of Florence Pan To District Court Of D.C.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of the nomination of Florence Pan to the District Court for the District of Columbia ahead of her cloture vote on the Senate floor. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin highlighted Judge Pan's professional experience and the historic nature of her nomination. "This week, the Senate will vote on Florence Pan's nomination for the District Court for the District of … Continue Reading