Durbin Statement Condemning Attack on Navalny's Former Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON – Following the seemingly targeted attack against Alexei Navalny’s former Chief of Staff, Leonid Volkov, in Lithuania, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement: “Lithuania has been a resolute and important safe haven fordemocratic leaders facing repression in their home countries, including those from Belarus and Russia.  While yesterday’s attack on Leonid Volkov was despicable, I am encouraged by the forcef… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Corn Growers Association

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, met with the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) who shared priorities of Illinois’ agricultural sector for the upcoming year.  During their meeting, ICGA spoke about the importance of crop insurance, increased trade dollars, and the farm conservation incentives provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.  ICGA also highlighted the importance of expanding high-octan… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Senate Democrats On The Floor To Call For Passage Of Veterans Families Health Services Act, Protection For IVF

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined his Democratic colleagues in speaking in support of the Veterans Families Health Services Act, which Durbin cosponsored, ahead of U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) request to pass the bill by unanimous consent.  Despite the importance of providing accessible health care to female veterans and claims that Republicans support IVF, U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) objected to the passage of the bill. Durbin began his remarks… Continue Reading

Durbin Attends National Association of Convenience Stores Day on the Hill to Discuss Credit Card Competition Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today attended the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Day on the Hill to discuss his Credit Card Competition Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced that if enacted, will help convenience stores and small businesses across the United States.  The bill he introduced with U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Judge Sunil Harjani To Serve As Federal District Court Judge In The Northern District Of Illinois Eastern Division

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 U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Judge Sunil Harjani to serve as a Federal District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division: “We are pleased that the Senate has confirmed Judge Sunil Harjani to serve as a District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Divis… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Air Mobility Command’s Mission With General Minihan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Commander of Air Mobility Command (AMC) General Mike Minihan to discuss U.S. Air Force operations related to airlift, air refueling, and air mobility support.  During their meeting, Durbin and General Minihan spoke about AMC’s role in providing humanitarian support to Gaza and the delivery of weaponry to Ukraine, as well as discussed a proposal for a new Aerome… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Voting Rights

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 “The Right Side of History: Protecting Voting Rights in America.”  Durbin first questioned Sophia Lin Lakin, Director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, about voter ID requirements, and how these laws disproportionally impact people of color.  During his questioning, Durbin referenced a study the Brennan Center condu… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Protecting Voting Rights

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 “The Right Side of History: Protecting Voting Rights in America.”  The hearing will feature testimony from two panels: a member panel featuring U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), as well as an expert panel featuring voting rights advocates and litigators. The hearing follows reintroduction of the John R. L… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President Biden's FY2025 Budget Proposal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden unveiled an outline of his Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget proposal: “Following the momentum from President Biden’s strong State of the Union Address last week, he once again has laid out a vision for the American people that we can all get behind.  The President’s budget will lower costs for working families, reduce prescrip… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues to Voice Concerns Over FASFA Form Error Harming Students in Mixed-Status Families

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and 22 additional Senators in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to address the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form error that is preventing students with contributors, including parents and spouses, who do not have a Social Security number (SSN) from completing the new FAFSA form. With the passage o… Continue Reading

Senate Advances "Minibus" Spending Bills with Illinois Priorities Secured by Durbin, Duckworth

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the United States Senate passed six funding bills known as a “minibus” for Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Transportat… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Passage of "Minibus" of Six Government Funding Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the Senate passed six funding bills, known as a “minibus,” for Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Devel… Continue Reading

Durbin Defends Adeel Mangi Amid Baseless, Islamophobic Attacks by Senate Republicans

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, took to the Senate floor to defend Adeel Mangi, nominee to be a U.S. Circuit Court Judge for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, amid baseless, Islamophobic attacks by Senate Republicans throughout his nomination process. Durbin began by highlighting the unprecedented nature of the attacks on Mr. Mangi, which are inconsistent with his record and reality. “Mr. Mangi is a highly qualified nominee … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President Biden's State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address: “With President Biden at the helm, we have seen tremendous progress in our country.  The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is building new infrastructure and pushing our transportation industry forward.  Belvidere, Illinois, has its Stellantis operation up and running again and is awaiting a new battery plant because of the deal struck by UAW President… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with His State of the Union Guest, MedGlobal President and Illinoisan, Dr. Zaher Sahloul

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with his guest for President Biden’s State of the Union address, Dr. Zaher Sahloul, President of MedGlobal, a nonprofit that provides critical medical services in areas of crisis.  Through MedGlobal, Dr. Sahloul has been coordinating humanitarian and medical relief services for innocent people in Gaza caught in the crossfire spurred by the horrific October 7 Hamas attacks.  Gaza hospitals have been in desperate need of medical sup… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Google Endorsement of Stop CSAM Act, Package of Kids' Online Safety Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after Google announced its endorsement of the STOP CSAM Act and other bills aimed to protect children online: “For too long, Big Tech used every trick in the book to halt legislation holding social media companies accountable, while still trying to win the PR game. I’m glad to see that some tech companies are beginning to make good on their word to work with Congr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Wyden, Sanders, Brown, Blumenthal Urge Convenience Stores, Wholesalers to Follow the Law and Remove Unauthorized E-Cigarettes from their Shelves

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee; Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent letters to 22 major convenience stores… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Nine Nominations to the Full Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced nine nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary. The nominations advanced include five judicial nominees, two U.S. Attorney nominees, one U.S. Marshal nominee, and one nominee to the U.S. Parole Commission. “We continued our work to advance highly qualified, diverse nominees to help ensure a fair system of justice today. Notably, we advanced the nomination of Rebecca L… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Nomination of Judge Sunil Harjani to be Federal District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division

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 Judiciary Committee voted to advance the nomination of Judge Sunil Harjani to a Federal District Court Judge vacancy in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division: “We are pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the nomination of Judge Sunil Harjani to fill a judicial vacancy f… Continue Reading

Durbin Outlines Strong Momentum for His Stop CSAM Act, The Need for Action on Children's Online Safety on the Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, took to the Senate floor to outline the strong momentum for his STOP CSAM Act and the need for action on children’s online safety. Durbin began by recapping the Senate Judiciary Committee’s historic hearing on January 31st on Big Tech’s failures to protect kids from sexual exploitation online, as well as the remarkable bipartisan note struck in the committee on this issue. “That hearing demonstr… Continue Reading