Press Releases
Durbin, Merkley, Kaine, Welch Statement Following the Bangladesh Election
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following statement after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh won a fourth consecutive term: “On Sunday, despite the peaceful participation of millions of Bangladeshis, the country’s election and pre-election processes were marred by violence and troubling government intimidation of opposition candidates. The refusal of the main opposition … Continue Reading
01.04.24
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues to Warn Non-Unionized Automakers Not to Interfere in UAW Unionization Efforts
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), along with 26 of their colleagues, in sending a letter to 13 non-unionized automakers urging them not to illegally block United Auto Workers’ (UAW) unionization efforts at their manufacturing plants. After the ratification of historic agreements between UAW a… Continue Reading
12.20.23
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases 2023 Year-in-Review
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, proudly released the 2023 Senate Judiciary Committee Year-In-Review. “Our democracy demands much of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and I am honored to lead this Committee to defend our freedoms, advance justice and equality, and bring balance to our federal judiciary. We advanced highly qualified nominees, who reflect the diversity of America. We continued to revitalize our Committee’s oversight… Continue Reading
12.20.23
Durbin Urges Department of Transportation to Allocate Rail Grants to Springfield Rail Improvements Project in 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to strongly consider the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP) for federal rail grants in 2024, as the project was not awarded any federal support in 2023. SRIP, a joint effort between the City of Springfield, Sangamon County, and the Illinois Department of Transportation, aims to relocate all passenger and freight traffic from the Third Street Corridor t… Continue Reading
12.20.23
Durbin, Graham React to President Biden Signing their National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act Into Law
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded President Biden for signing into law their bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act, whichreauthorizes relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation will protect a long-s… Continue Reading
12.19.23
Durbin, Warren, Ossoff Lead Colleagues in Raising Concerns with Wellpath Over Inadequate Health Care Services in Prisons and Jails Nationwide
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Peter Welch (D-VT) to send a letter to Wellpath—the nation’s largest private provider of prison health care—raising concern over reports of inadequate ca… Continue Reading
12.19.23
Durbin Statement on Sale of U.S. Steel & Future of Granite City Works
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding reports that the Japanese-based Nippon Steel Corp. has agreed to purchase U.S. Steel, the parent company of Granite City Works in the Metro East: “I’ve been fighting for years to save jobs at Granite City Works. And I’ve been troubled by announcements over the last several years about reducing production and slashing jobs at this plant. With the recent news that U.S. Steel will be purcha… Continue Reading
12.19.23
Durbin Reflects on Suffering in the Middle East and Long-Term Path to Hope and Security
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, and called for leadership to address the immediate suffering and longer term needs for a two-state solution. During his speech, Durbin also remembered the victims of the October 7th horrific Hamas terrorist attack and called for all remaining hostages to be released—including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who has ties to Illinois. Durbin repeated his warning that Israel not make th… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin Urges Department of Transportation to Allocate Additional Grants to Chicago Hub Improvement Project for Chicago Union Station
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to consider the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) for additional grant opportunities to support the project’s mission to modernize Chicago Union Station (CUS). Durbin began his letter by acknowledging the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) recent announcement that Amtrak and its partners will receive $93 million for CHIP. These funds will support platfor… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin, Graham Applaud Passage of National Guard And Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded the passage of their bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act, which reauthorizes relief for an additional four years forqualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation will protect a long-standing bipartisan car… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin Presses for Further Investigation into Systemic Failures at Customs and Border Protection Resulting in Years of Deficient Medical Care
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed for further investigation into systemic failures at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure proper oversight of its medical care contractor, Loyal Source. Durbin is continuing his investigation in a series of three letters to CBP, Loyal Source, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The letters follow a report by a CBP employee whistleblower alleging years of deficient… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin, Booker Celebrate Fifth Anniversary of the First Step Act on Senate Floor
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, on the Senate floor to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the First Step Act—bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarce… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin, Colleagues Urge Department of Education, OMB to Prioritize Funding for Open Textbook Pilot in Fiscal Year 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), today led ten of their colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young, urging the agency leaders to include strong funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot (Pilot) in the Biden Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget request. The Pilot, based on Durbin’s Affordable Co… Continue Reading
12.14.23
Durbin, Collins Applaud Senate Passage of SIREN Reauthorization Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan SIREN Reauthorization Act. The legislation would extend funding for five additional years for SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS agencies nationwide. The funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which was created through… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Durbin Statement on Senate Passage of NDAA for Fiscal Year 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes an authorization of nearly $886 billion for national security, including authorizations for military construction projects in Illinois and a 5.2 percent pay raise for service members and the Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workforce, wh… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Junior Senator from Ohio Continues to Block Durbin's Attempt to Confirm U.S. Attorney Nominations on the Senate Floor
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today on the Senate floor requested unanimous consent (UC) to schedule confirmation votes on two U.S. Attorney nominations being held by U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH)—Rebecca C. Lutzko, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; and April M. Perry, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. Attorneys are empowered to prosecut… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Durbin Questions Circuit, District Court Nominees At Latest Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Nicole G. Berner, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, and Adeel Abdullah Mangi, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. Durbin first questioned Ms. Berner about her role as an advocate. “You’ve been a passionate advocate and effective advocate for many controversia… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Durbin Questions DOJ Officials, Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Ensuring Accountability for Corporate Criminals
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Department of Justice (DOJ) officials during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Cleaning Up the C-Suite: Ensuring Accountability forCorporate Criminals.” Durbin first questioned Matthew Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, about holding individuals accountable forcorporate crime. Durbin specifically asked about Olsen’s work successfully prosecut… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing on Five 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 Nicole G. Berner, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Adeel Abdullah Mangi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; Amy M. Baggio, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon; Cristal C. Brisco, to be United States District Judge for the Nort… Continue Reading
12.13.23
Durbin, Blumenthal Call on GAO to Review FDA's Oversight of Medical Device Recalls
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) calling on the agency to update its 2011 report entitled “Medical Devices: FDA Should Enhance Its Oversight of Recalls” by conducting a review of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight of medical device recalls. The Senators sent today’s letter following the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s and ProPublica’s reporting on Phili… Continue Reading