Durbin Questions Nominees at Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing on Judicial Nominations

WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Judge Dena M. Coggins, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, about her work regarding juvenile justice. “Can you make any general observations or help us understand the challenges these young people are facing and how we should respond?” Durbin asked. Judge Coggins responded that with juv… Continue Reading

On Super Tuesday & In Honor of the Late John Lewis, Durbin Calls on His Republican Colleagues to Join Senate Democrats and Protect the Right to Vote

WASHINGTON – On Super Tuesday, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to support critical voting rights legislation that was introduced in the Senate last week.  The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act.  Durbin began his floor speech by reflecting on Super Tuesday, when millions of Americans will vote in primaries in 16 s… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Japanese Ambassador to the U.S., Shigeo Yamada

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Japanese Ambassador to the U.S., Shigeo Yamada, to discuss the continued strong relations between the United States and Japan.  They also discussed the numerous global security challenges, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.  “Japan is an important, long time U.S. ally and strategic partner in Asia, particularly in light of continued challenges with North Korea and China,” said Durbin.  “Following the first U.S… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets 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 with the new President of the Illinois Farm Bureau, Brian Duncan, who shared priorities of the Illinois’ agricultural sector for the upcoming year.  During their meeting, Mr. Duncan discussed the effects of California’s Proposition 12 on the economics of the hog industry and the important role of H-2A temporary workers for farm labor availability.   Mr. D… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Pediatric Dentists

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD) to discuss addressing the shortage of pediatric dentists across the state, as well as efforts to expand access to dental care forchildren and vulnerable populations.  In Illinois, nearly 50 percent of children are covered by Medicaid, yet only 14 percent of dentists in Illinois treat more than 50 Medicaid patients a year (one per week), according to a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Welch, Senate Judiciary Democrats Urge Action by Federal Judiciary to Avoid Continued Funding Shortfall for Federal Public Defenders

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), and every Senate Judiciary Democrat sent a letter to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts urging the office to give appropriate consideration to the funding of the Federal Public Defender program in the Office’s upcoming budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The letter comes as Federal Defenders face a… Continue Reading

Durbin Holds Roundtable at Dominican University to Discuss $2.5 Million in Federal Funding Through Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program

RIVER FOREST – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Dominican University to discuss $2.5 million in federal funding it received through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program to close the digital divide by helping Minority-Serving Institutions expand their broadband capacity and hire additional information technology personnel. “Dominican University has long been a champion of diversity and incl… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Adult Congenital Heart Association

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Caucus, today met with board members of the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), including President and CEO Mark Roeder.  During their meeting, Durbin and the ACHA patient and physician board members discussed building support for Durbin’s bipartisan Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act and bolstering funding for the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) program that… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Six Nominations to the Full Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced six nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary. “Today, we continued our historic pursuit to confirm highly qualified, diverse judges. The nominations advanced today are symbolic of good faith collaboration between the White House and Republican Senators. I thank President Biden, along with Senators Lee, Romney, Fischer, Ricketts, Cornyn, Cruz, Barrasso, and Lummis, fo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Warnock, Schumer Reintroduce John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), today reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act.  Durbin also announced that the Se… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons

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 “Examining and Preventing Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons.”  The hearing will examine myriad issues related to the operation and management of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that contributed to deaths in custody, such as the overuse of solitary confinement, BOP employee misconduct, inadequa… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Scrutinization of Credit Card and Airline Reward Programs with CFPB Director

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Rohit Chopra, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to discuss its scrutinization of credit card and airlines’ reward programs.  During their meeting, Durbin followed up on the information he requested in an October letter urging the Department of Transportation (DOT) and CFPB to investigate the unfair and deceptive practices of airline frequent flyer and loyalty programs.  “For years, airlines have … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Meet with Illinois Municipal Electric and Utilities Association

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IMEA/IMUA) to discuss public utilities in Illinois and grid security. During their conversation, the Senators and IMEA/IMUA members spoke about the unprecedented shortage of distribution transformers, which are an essential component of electrical infrastructure that adjust the voltage of currents moving through electri… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters and Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Examining and Preventing Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons.”  The hearing examined myriad issues related to the operation and management of BOP that contributed to deaths in custody… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Rock Island Arsenal with U.S. Army Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to discuss military readiness.  Durbin and General George also spoke about modernization of the organic industrial base and advanced capabilities at Rock Island Arsenal.  In addition, Durbin raised fielding of MQ-1C Gray Eagle 25M unmanned aerial systems in Illinois and Kentucky after securing $350 million for … Continue Reading

In Speech on Senate Floor, Durbin Previews Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Preventing Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor previewing tomorrow’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Examining and Preventing Deaths of Incarcerated Individuals in Federal Prisons.”  In his remarks, Durbin reaffirmed his commitment to holding the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) accountable for the operational and managerial deficiencies that have created unsafe conditions and critical t… Continue Reading

Following the Alabama IVF Ruling, Durbin Announces Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing to Examine the Continued Fallout Since the Supreme Court Overruled Roe v. Wade

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced the Committee will hold a full committee hearing this work period to examine the devastating fallout since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, including Alabama’s recent State Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos created during the IVF process are “children” under state law.  Durbin said, “Now, we live in the world of Dobbs—where Republica… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Military Readiness with U.S. Transportation Command

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today spoke by phone with the Commander of U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost.  TRANSCOM, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, is tasked with providing air, land, and sea transportation around the world for the Department of Defense (DOD).  During their call, Durbin and General Van Ovost discussed military logistical operations and … Continue Reading

Durbin, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Inspector General Access Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General to include alleged DOJ attorney misconduct.  Currently, the DOJ Inspector General (IG) has no authority to investigate professional misconduct by DOJ lawyers.  DOJ is the only agency whose IG has such a jurisdictional carve-out. Th… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams Republicans for Continuing to Delay Reauthorization of PEPFAR

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on his Republican colleagues to stop delaying the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan forAIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a Bush-era program that has saved more than 25 million lives worldwide in conjunction with its companion effort, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.  In his speech, Durbin spoke about the importance of programs built to support nations in Afr… Continue Reading