Durbin Joins Stabenow On The Senate Floor To Push For Passage Of Farm Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today took to the Senate floor to highlight the efforts of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to complete the Farm Bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.  In his remarks, Durbin asked Stabenow, who was also on the Senate floor, about several aspects of the Farm Bill, which must be passed or extended by the end of December to prevent agricultura… Continue Reading

Durbin: I'll Do Everything In My Power To Ensure That Donald Trump Cannot Turn DOJ Into His Personal Law Firm

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered a stark warning to his colleagues about President-elect Donald Trump’s vision for the Department of Justice (DOJ) during his Administration. “Last week, Mark Paoletta, who is overseeing the Trump transition team for the Department of Justice, warned that ‘career DOJ lawyers must be fully committed to implementing President Trump’s policies or they should… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For GAO Investigation Into ICE Detention Facilities, Medical Care, Dangerous Conditions

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to expand its pending investigation of mental health care to include medical care and mismanagement of federal contracts in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities. He also called on ICE to halt intake of individuals at Baker County Detention Center during the investigation. The call for an investigation follows a bomb… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President-Elect Trump's Department Of Health And Human Services Nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): “Mr. Kennedy is entirely unqualified to lead our federal health programs. While masquerading as a crusader against corporate influence or for the concerns of children and parents, Mr. Kennedy pushes quack science that will cause mo… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President-Elect Trump's Justice Department Nominations

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Todd Blanche as Deputy Attorney General and John Sauer as Solicitor General: “Coupled with the announcement that he intends to nominate former Congressman Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General, these selections show Donald Trump intends to weaponize the Justice Department to seek vengeance. Donald Trump vi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly, Underwood Announce $82 Million In Federal Funding For Illinois Port Upgrades

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) today announced $82,091,644 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) administered by the Maritime Administration. PIDP grants support efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet the nation’s frei… Continue Reading

Durbin Duckworth Announce $31.9 Million In Federal Funding For Low Carbon Construction Materials

WASHINGTON  ?  U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $31,933,577 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Fiscal Year 2022 Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program. Administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Illinois Department of Transportation will receive this federal funding to implement and use low carbon materials on Federal-aid construction projects statewide. “As … Continue Reading

Chair Durbin Leads Senate Judiciary Democrats In Letter Asking House Ethics Committee To Release Ethics Report On Matt Gaetz

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in a letter to the House Ethics Committee urging the House Ethics Committee to preserve and transmit to the Senate Judiciary Committee all relevant documentation on former Congressman Matt Gaetz, including the report that the House Ethics Committee was reportedly prepared to vote to release tomorrow. The letter follows Mr. Gaetz’s resignation from Congress … Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Two Judicial Nominations, One Marshall Nomination, Patent Bill To Full Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two judicial nominations and one U.S. Marshal nomination to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary and keep our communities safe. Additionally, the Committee advanced a bill to improve the collection of information on barriers inventors face in accessing the patent system. At the top of the hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Commi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On House Ethics Committee Report On Matt Gaetz

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the preservation and sharing of the House Ethics Committee report with the Senate Judiciary Committee about allegations against former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who resigned from Congress yesterday after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Mr. Gaetz to serve as Attorney General: “In light of Donald Trump’s selection of fo… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President-Elect Trump's Attorney General Nominee, Rep. Matt Gaetz

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he will nominate U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz to be U.S. Attorney General: “During his first administration, Donald Trump assaulted the Constitution, undermined the rule of law, and tried to use the Department of Justice to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He has made it clear that he now… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Democratic Senators-Elect

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Democratic Senators-elect, including Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), to congratulate them and discuss their goals for the 119th Congress.  “It’s an honor to welcome these newly-elected Senators to Washington. They each bring a unique experience in public service and new energy to our efforts to address the issues faci… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Senate Confirmation Of U.S. Magistrate Judge Hawley To Serve As A District Court Judge For The Central District Of Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Central District of Illinois: “We are pleased that the United States Senate has confirmed U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for t… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Must Confirm Every Possible Federal Judge In The Lame Duck Session

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his colleagues to confirm every pending judicial nominee before the end of the 118th Congress. Thanks to Durbin, Leader Schumer, and the Biden-Harris Administration, Senate Democrats have confirmed 214 judges to lifetime positions on the federal judiciary in the last four years. Right now, there are 16 nominees pending on the Senate floor—four circuit nominee… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Gun Conversion Devices That Are Amplifying The Gun Violence Pandemic

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 “How Bump Stocks and Other Conversion Devices are Amplifying the Gun Violence Epidemic.”  The hearing examined how firearm conversion devices like Glock switches, auto sears, bump stocks, and pistol braces make firearms more lethal and enable evasion of commonsense gun regulations.  In 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Toba… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Gun Conversion Devices That Are Amplifying The Gun Violence Epidemic

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “How Bump Stocks and Other Conversion Devices are Amplifying the Gun Violence Epidemic.”  The hearing examined how firearm conversion devices like Glock switches, auto sears, bump stocks, and pistol braces make firearms more lethal and enable evasion of commonsense gun regulations.  In 2018, the Bureau of Alcoh… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Lead Delegation Letter Urging GSA To Act To Remediate Elevated Levels Of Lead And Legionella Found In Federal Buildings In Chicago, Rockford

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL07), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), and Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) sent a letter to the leadership of the General Services Administration (GSA) requesting answers on how the agency w… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Senate Confirmation Of April Perry To Serve As A District Court Judge For The Northern District Of Ilinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of April Perry to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois: “We are pleased that the United States Senate has confirmed April Perry to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Ms. Perr… Continue Reading

Durbin Reflects On The Senate Judiciary Committee's Historic Achievements During Biden Administration; Vows To Continue These Efforts During The Incoming Trump Administration

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighted the historic achievements of the Senate Judiciary Committee over the last four years. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, Leader Schumer, and Chair Durbin, the Senate has confirmed 213 judges, and counting, to lifetime appointments on the federal bench during the Biden-Harris Administration. The Committee has also held hearings on the issues mo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $192 Million To Help Illinois Families Save On Home Energy Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $192,607,773 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help Illinoisans afford the rising cost of home heating bills this winter. This announcement includes funding appropriated from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Durbin and Duckworth both supported. “In the f… Continue Reading