Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin: Stop Moving Trump Nominees Through the Judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called out the Republican majority's handling of nominations in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Since 1984, the Committee has only twice ever held a nomination hearing during a lame duck session of a presidential election year and both of those hearings followed the re-election of a sitting president. "Over the past four years, the Republican side has moved at break-neck speed to c… Continue Reading
12.09.20
Durbin, Booker Call for President Trump to Issue a Commutation Reducing the Sentence of Brandon Bernard, Who is Scheduled to be Executed Tomorrow, December 10
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on President Donald Trump to issue a commutation reducing the sentence of Brandon Bernard, who is scheduled to be executed tomorrow, December 10. Mr. Bernard was sentenced to death in June 2000 as an accomplice to a crime committed when he was just 18 years old. Five of the jurors who condemned him to death twenty years ago now oppose the imposition of the death p… Continue Reading
12.04.20
Durbin, Duckworth Join Booker to Introduce Resolution Calling for First United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce the United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation resolution, urging Congress to form the first commission acknowledging and examining the systemic racism that has disenfranchised Black Americans and other communities of color throughout U.S. history and the racial inequities that persist today. U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the … Continue Reading
11.17.20
Durbin: Instead of Negotiating Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Legislation, McConnell Focused on Confirming More Under-Qualified Judges
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals and health clinics, state and local governments, and small businesses as COVID-19 cases spike across Illinois and the country. Durbin also slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) boycott of negotiations and delay in passing meaningful, bipartisan COVID-19 relief legislation. Instead of focusing on … Continue Reading
11.10.20
Durbin Slams Republicans On Judiciary Committee For Continuing To Relitigate The 2016 Election And The Mueller Investigation
WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, entitled "Oversight of the Crossfire Hurricane Investigation: Day 4," which featured former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed Republicans on the Committee for continuing their partisan sideshow re-litigating the investigation into 2016 Russian election interference, and ignoring their responsibility to conduct oversight of the Trump Administrat… Continue Reading
10.26.20
Durbin Votes Against President Trump's Supreme Court Nomination Of Amy Coney Barrett
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after voting against President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court: "This is a dark day for the United States Senate. Republicans are defying the rules and traditions of this body in a rush to confirm Judge Barrett in the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic and an election. "On Friday and Saturday, more t… Continue Reading
10.26.20
Ahead Of Confirmation Vote, Durbin Slams Senate Republicans For Jamming Through Supreme Court Nomination Instead Of Focusing On COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the confirmation vote for President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through this nomination process instead of focusing on the urgent needs of the American people, including comprehensive bipartisan legislation to respond to the grave public he… Continue Reading
10.22.20
Durbin: McConnell Ignoring Grave Threat Of COVID-19 In Order To Rush Through President Trump's Nominee To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court instead of focusing on a comprehensive bipartisan response to the grave public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin urged Leader McConnell to start negotiating in good faith - as the Senate did in March when it passe… Continue Reading
10.21.20
Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Democrats To Attorney General Barr: Drop Lawsuit To Gut The Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 17 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General William Barr, urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to rescind its support of the Supreme Court lawsuit brought by 18 Republican state Attorneys General that seeks to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In the letter, the Senators highlight how health insurance protections for millions of Americans are at stake in … Continue Reading
10.16.20
Durbin Joins Illinoisans To Highlight What Is At Stake If The ACA Is Struck Down By The Supreme Court
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) held a news conference at the International Union of Operating Engineers to discuss the Supreme Court nomination and what is at stake if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were to be struck down. Durbin was joined by two Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions who shared their stories highlighting the importance of the protections provided by the ACA. "We are in the middle of a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 217,000 Americans and infected more th… Continue Reading
10.15.20
Durbin: Affordable Care Act, Women's Right To Privacy & Choice, Election Integrity At Stake With This Supreme Court Nomination
WASHINGTON - On the fourth day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reiterated what is at stake with this Supreme Court nomination, including the Affordable Care Act, the right to privacy and choice, and the outcome of the election. "We know that this process is really stacked-the President told us so, repeatedly. Where we can't get a direct answer from the nominee,… Continue Reading
10.15.20
Durbin Highlights Montgomery, Illinois Family's Health Care Story As Fourth Day Of Supreme Court Nomination Hearing Begins
WASHINGTON - As the fourth day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett begins today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared the health care story of Nate Lau, 8, from Montgomery, Illinois, who has relied upon protections enshrined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to access critical health care treatments. At three months old, Nate was diagnosed with a condition known as biliary atresia that causes scarring a… Continue Reading
10.14.20
Durbin: Affordable Care Act, Gun Safety Laws, Voting Rights, Election Integrity At Stake With This Supreme Court Nomination
WASHINGTON - On the third day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, once again emphasized the dangerous repercussions of filling this judicial vacancy without voters' input as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) just one week after the November 3, 2020, election. Durbin shared the health care story of Buffalo G… Continue Reading
10.14.20
Durbin Highlights Buffalo Grove Resident's Health Care Story As Third Day Of Supreme Court Nomination Hearing Begins
WASHINGTON - As the third day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett begins today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared the health care story of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, resident Jared Ray, who has relied upon protections enshrined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to access lifesaving health care treatments. Earlier this year, Jared, 20, began experiencing increasingly severe headaches. After a month of s… Continue Reading
10.13.20
During First Day Of Questioning, Durbin Highlights What Is At Stake With Nomination Of Judge Barrett To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - On the second day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again emphasized the dangerous repercussions of filling this judicial vacancy without voters' input as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) just one week after the November 3, 2020, election. Durbin shared the health care story of th… Continue Reading
10.12.20
Durbin To Highlight Chicagoland Family's Health Care Story During First Day Of Supreme Court Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON - On the first day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will share the health care story of his constituent, Kenny Murray, who is able to get the care he needs through protections enshrined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sue and Ken Murray's second child, Kenny, was diagnosed in utero with multiple complex congenital heart defects. Before his first birthday,… Continue Reading
10.12.20
Durbin: The Affordable Care Act Is At Stake In This Supreme Court Nomination
WASHINGTON - On the first day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called out Senate Republicans' reversal on filling a Supreme Court vacancy in a presidential election year and argued it is a thinly-veiled effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after numerous failed attempts to undo the law in Congress. Durbin emphasized the dangerous repercussions of filli… Continue Reading
10.05.20
Durbin, Warren To Federal Prison Authorities: Take Urgent Action To Contain Further Spread Of COVID-19 In Federal Prisons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to act promptly to reduce the rapid spread of COVID-19 in federal facilities by adopting a public health-driven approach to managing the novel coronavirus, including releasing eligible individuals to home confinement and adopting appropriate and humane procedures to medically isolate or quarantine individuals infected with COVID-19 instead of c… Continue Reading
10.02.20
Durbin Joins Illinoisans With Pre-Existing Conditions To Speak Out Against Republican Threat To Overturn Affordable Care Act With SCOTUS Nomination
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, to discuss the Supreme Court nomination and the importance of coverage for those with pre-existing conditions provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Durbin was joined by several Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions who shared their stories highlighting the importance of the protections provided by the ACA. One week after Election Day, the Supreme Court will take up a case that will deter… Continue Reading
10.01.20
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Federal Funding For Gun Violence Prevention Research
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Northwestern University has been awarded more than $500,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study the effects of gun violence. This is the first time in more than 20 years that federal funding has been appropriated for research related to firearm violence prevention at the CDC after Congress passed the Dickey Amendment in 1996, which effectively banne… Continue Reading