Durbin, Duckworth Applaud 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 White House announced its intent to nominate Judge Sunil Harjani to a Federal District Court Judge vacancy in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division: “We are pleased that President Biden is nominating Judge Sunil Harjani to fill a judicial vacancy for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Divi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Honor Labor Leader Ed Smith in Speech on Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today paid tribute to Cairo, Illinois, native Ed Smith, former leader of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, on the Senate floor after his passing on January 3.  In their remarks, Durbin and Duckworth shared personal stories about their relationship with Smith, who dedicated his life to advancing labor rights. “Who wanted to demonstrate the dignity of work way beyond quitting time o… Continue Reading

Durbin to Join Kaine, Colleagues in Amendment to Maintain Congressional Oversight of Foreign Military Assistance

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, to announce that they intend to file an amendment to maintain the congressional notification requirement for all U.S. assistance to foreign militaries.  Specifically, the amendment would strike a provision in the proposed national security supplemental funding bill that waives oversight requirements for U.S. funding for Israel und… Continue Reading

On the Senate Floor, Durbin Urges the Release of Political Prisoners from Russia, Belarus, Algeria, Cambodia, and Guatemala

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted the plight of political prisoners in five nations and called for their immediate release.  All of these political prisoners have been outspoken in their support for democracy and basic freedoms. Durbin began his speech by highlighting two Russians—Alexei Navalny and opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was arrested in Moscow following an interview in which he called Vladimir Putin’… Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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