Senate Republican Blocks Durbin's Attempt To Tackle Nonconsensual, Sexually-Explicit Deepfakes

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested unanimous consent (UC) today on the Senate floor to pass his bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act), legislation that would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. Despite broad support for the legislation, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) objected.… Continue Reading

Senate Republicans Block Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats' Unanimous Consent Request To Pass Supreme Court Ethics Legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in asking unanimous consent (UC) for the Senate to pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, objected to Durbin’s UC request, which comes amid a myriad of apparent ethical lapses by Supreme Court justices demonstrating the need for ethics … Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Public Transit With Amalgamated Transit Union

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) to discuss Illinois’ transit priorities.  During the meeting, Durbin and the ATU members spoke about ensuring Illinois’ public transit systems remain fully funded and continue to expand service and connect communities.  They also discussed keeping transit workers safe on the job. “A strong public transit system is necessary to keep our communities thriving.  Illinoisa… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions FDA, DOJ On Allowing Sale Of Unauthorized Vaping Products During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Prevalence Of Youth E-Cigarette Use

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Combatting the Youth Vaping Epidemic by Enhancing Enforcement Against Illegal E-Cigarettes.” The hearing underscored the alarming level of youth e-cigarette use—including the role of the tobacco industry in flooding the market with kid-friendly, flavored vaping devices —and examined how federal agencies have failed to… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Prevalence Of Youth E-Cigarette Use

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Combatting the Youth Vaping Epidemic by Enhancing Enforcement Against Illegal E-Cigarettes.” The hearing underscored the alarming level of youth e-cigarette use and examined how federal agencies have failed to enforce laws designed to protect children from a lifetime of nicotine addiction. In his opening st… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Passing Of Judge Harry Leinenweber

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the passing of U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber: “Judge Harry Leinenweber was respected for his knowledge of the law and his reputation for fairness. I always knew that he would bring that reputation to every assignment. He never disappointed. “To his wife, Lynn Martin—my former House colleague—and his family, Loretta and I extend our thanks for a … Continue Reading

Durbin, Shaheen, Welch Meet With Head Of Belarusian Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and member of the Free Belarus Caucus; U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and Co-Founder of the Free Belarus Caucus; and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) today met with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to discuss her efforts to push back against Belarusia’s strongman leadership by Alexa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Shore Up Funding For Crime Victims Fund

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced a bill to shore up funding for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), which supports state victim compensation and assistance programs. The proposal would divert surplus funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA) that currently go to the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury to the CVF. “The Crime Victims Fund is a lifeline for survivors and thei… Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates Upcoming 12th Anniversary Of DACA, Calls On Congress To Finally Pass The DREAM Act

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, celebrated the upcoming 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and called on Congress to finally pass the Dream Act to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. More than 20 years ago, Durbin first introduced the Dream Act—bipartisan legislation that would give undocumented immigrants who grew up in this co… Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates Upcoming 12th Anniversary Of DACA, Calls On Congress To Finally Pass The DREAM Act

Durbin Reacts To Creation Of Federal Multi-Agency Task Force To Combat Sale Of Illegal E-Cigarette Products

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a federal multi-agency task force to combat the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes.  The task force aims to employ all criminal and civil enforcement tools to crack down on the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarette products.  Joining DOJ and F… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $1 Million To Renovate Youth Services Area At Lincoln Library

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today held a news conference at the Lincoln Library to announce $1 million in Congressionally Directed Spending—also known as an earmark—that he secured to renovate the Youth Services space at the Lincoln Library’s downtown location. The funding will be used to upgrade technology infrastructure, create a single public entrance for safety, install modern shelving, acquire materials and supplies, and provide ne… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schakowsky Offer Recommendations For New Department Of Education Mentorship Grant Program

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today sent a bicameral letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona applauding the inclusion of a Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) appropriations bill provision that creates a mentorship grant program that mirrors Durbin and Schakowsky’s Mentoring to Succeed Act.  In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted the benefits of mentorship and offered suggestions on developing the mentorship grant … Continue Reading

Durbin, Capito, Booker Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Enhance Reentry Programs, Promote Public Safety

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2024 to reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008, which was most recently reauthorized as part of Durbin’s First Step Act in 2018. The legislation would reauthorize critical programs to reduc… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Social Security Administration Commissioner

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O’Malley to discuss the agency’s service performance and budget.  During their meeting, Durbin and Commissioner O’Malley spoke about the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request, and how the SSA’s budget has not kept pace with the increase in beneficiaries served—which can pose challenges for timely benefit processing and eligibility determinations. “Millions of I… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Voting Against The Right To Contraception Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against the Right to Contraception Act. This bill, which Durbin is a cosponsor of, would protect the rights of patients to access and use contraception and of health care providers to provide contraception and information about contraception. It would codify the right to contraception that the Supreme Court first recognized in G… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rounds Introduce Legislation To Protect Rural Postal Processing Facilities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) today introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to protect mail processing centers in rural communities by mandating a study on the consequences of downsizing or closing these facilities, which is already required before the closure of a storefront post office, but not for Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DCs).  The Postal Processing Protection Act would ensure t… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions District Court Nominees In Latest Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing

WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Adam Abelson, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland; Joseph Saporito Jr., nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; and Meredith Vacca, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of New York. Before questioning the second panel of nominees, Durbin first pra… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing On Four Judicial Nominations

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Embry J. Kidd, nominated to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit; Joseph Francis Saporito Jr., nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; Adam Abelson, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland; and Meredith Vacca, nominated to be U… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks High Prescription Drug Prices, Children's Online Safety With FTC Chair Lina Khan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Lina Khan, Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  The two discussed their efforts to prevent Big Pharma from exploiting patent policy to inflate its profit margins at the expense of delivering affordable and accessible medications to Americans.  Pharmaceutical companies often improperly list patents the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Orange Book in an attempt to delay FDA app… Continue Reading