Durbin Questions Latest Nominees in Senate Judiciary Committee 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 Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, nominated to be United States District Judge for the District of Utah, and Ernest Gonzalez, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, about their legal experience and how, if confirmed, they would be impartial judges. “You spent a significant amount of time … Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Union Priorities with UAW Leaders

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Region 4 leaders of United Auto Workers (UAW) to discuss the union’s priorities, including protecting workers and ensuring that union members are supported as automakers transition to electric vehicle production.  Durbin spoke about the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois, that was secured in the historic labor contract signed by the UAW and the Big Three automakers—Ford, Stellantis, and General… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $25 Million Rail Safety Grant for Kane County

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $25,000,000 for Kane County through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program, otherwise known as the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, to construct a grade separation of Randall Road over the Canadian National Railroad and reconstruct an existing intersection at Hopps Road adjacent to t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement on Confirmation of Normal Mayor Chris Koos to Amtrak Board of Directors

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Normal, Illinois, Mayor Chris Koos to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors: “Mayor Koos has a long history as a powerful, positive voice in Illinois’ transportation sector.  He understands the importance of passenger rail to communities in Illinois, the Midwest, and nationwide.  His nomination, which we strongly recommended to Pres… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Must Restore Order at Our Southern Border and Enforce Our Immigration Laws in a Fair and Humane Way

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his colleagues to reach a deal on immigration reform to restore order at the southern border while also enforcing these laws in a humane and fair way.  During his remarks, Durbin slammed Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) for his continued inhumane practice when migrants reach the Texas border. Durbin said, “We must restore order at our southern border an… Continue Reading

Durbin Marks Sixth Annual National Gun Violence Survivors Week with Senate Floor Speech Sharing Constituent Stories on Gun Violence

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor recognizing the sixth annual National Gun Violence Survivors Week.  During his remarks, Durbin spoke about the horror of mass shootings and shared stories about the emotional and physical toll that gun violence has on communities in Illinois.  “This week, we recognize the unbelievable toll of gun violence in America, and we offer our support to the sur… Continue Reading

Durbin, Whitehouse, Hawley Call on Supreme Court to Reject Georgia-Pacific's Bankruptcy Maneuver to Evade Accountability to Hundreds of Thousands of Asbestos Victims

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led fellow Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Bestwall LLC v. Official Committee of Asbestos Claimants, supporting hundreds of thousands of victims of the company’s asbestos-linked products. To avoid facing the legal claims of victims in court, Georgia-Pacific “moved” to Texas fo… Continue Reading

On the 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Durbin Recommits to Protecting Reproductive Rights

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, recommitted to protecting reproductive rights on the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  During his speech, Durbin condemned the Supreme Court’s decision inDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overruled a nearly 50-year-old precedent that had been reaffirmed multiple times.  “Roe v. Wade enshrined into law something that should have been a given… Continue Reading

Durbin, Young, Senators Urge Bangladesh PM to End the Government's Harassment of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Yunus

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) along with U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent the following letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urging the Bangladeshi government to end the persistent harassment of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Profe… Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates Pace's First Electric Bus

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) todayparticipated in a celebration for the introduction of Pace’s first electric bus—the first step in its commitment to convert the entire fleet of 700+ buses to zero emission vehicles by 2040—coined Project Zero. “By embracing cutting-edge technology, Pace is not just transforming its fleet; it's catalyzing a broader conversation about the intersection of public transportation and environmental responsibility,” said Durbin. “Pace’s leadership in embra… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $6 Million to Enhance Electric Vehicle Charging Resiliency

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $5,994,441 through the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s Ride and Drive Electric Program for UL Solutions North America to expand its Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Laboratory to increase commercial capacity for the testing and certification of high-power EV chargers. “As we electrify transportation across the country, we must strive to build smarter, faster charging infrastr… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Passage of Bill to Keep Government Funded

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund various federal agencies through March 1st and March 8th, respectively: “It’s disappointing that the best we can do is ‘keep the lights on’ when funding the government.  We should be addressing issues that are important to the American people, not kicking the can down the road once again.… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Twenty Judicial Nominations, One Executive Nomination to the Full Senate

WASHINGTON – In its first business meeting of the year, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced twenty judicial nominations and one executive nomination to the full Senate, including previously reported judicial and executive nominations that were resubmitted by President Biden this year. “Advancing and confirming highly qualified, diverse nominees to the federal bench has been one of this Committee’s and Senate Democrats’ greatest successes. Today’s business meeting adds numerous nominati… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with U.S. Sentencing Commission Chair As Commission Considers New Amendments to Sentencing Guidelines

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with Judge Carlton Reeves, Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, to discuss policy priorities for the upcoming sentencing guideline amendment cycle. During their meeting, Durbin encouraged the Commission to consider an amendment to the Guidelines Manual that would prohibit the use of acquitted conduct in applying sentencing guidelines.  This potential amendment would align with Durbi… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Co-Founder of Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes to Discuss the Youth Vaping Epidemic

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Meredith Berkman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes (PAVe), to discuss FDA’s failure to protect children from the dangers of vaping as the agency continues to miss and delay critical deadlines, including a missed federal court deadline on December 31, 2023.  Durbin has repeatedly criticized FDA for failing to clear the market of addictive, kid-friendly e-cigarettes amid its long-overdue review of pre-market … Continue Reading

Durbin, Padilla Denounce Texas Governor for Preventing Federal Officials from Reaching Migrants in Distress

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, released the following statement condemning reported actions by Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s administration that prevented federal officials from aiding migrants in distress at the southwest border: “First and foremost: Governor Abbott’s horrific conduct over the weeken… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Fifth Anniversary of the Landmark First Step Act

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 “Five Years of the First Step Act: Reimagining Rehabilitation and Protecting Public Safety.”  The law serves as a beacon for “smart on crime” policies, and the hearing examined its successes and impact.  Durbin first questioned Matthew Charles, a First Step Act beneficiary after serving over two decades in prison and n… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Senate Floor Speech on New Bipartisan Legislation to Support Dental Care

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech on his new bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) to reauthorize funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Oral Health program for the next five years.  In his remarks, Durbin spoke about the impetus of the Promoting Dental Health Act, hearing stories from across Illinois, including rural and dental shortage areas, where children with… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $7 Million to Improve Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $7,074,498 for the Illinois Department of Transportation through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program to repair or replace broken or non-operational EV chargers to improve the reliability of existing charging infrastructure. “By bolstering the accessibility … Continue Reading

Durbin, Marshall Introduce New Legislation to Bolster Public Health Efforts to Improve Dental Health

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today introduced new bipartisan legislation, the Promoting Dental Health Act, to reauthorize funding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Oral Health program for the next five years.  The Oral Health program receives $20.5 million in annual funding for a range of public health activities to promote oral health.  This funding is allocated to 20 states to prevent cavities, gum d… Continue Reading