Durbin Introduces Bill to Curb Firearms Trafficking from the United States to Mexican Drug Cartels

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a group of six Senate colleagues in introducing the Stop Arming Cartels Act. The bill would stem the “iron river” of firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico, enabled by weakAmerican gun laws and gun industry practices. The deadly stream of firearms trafficking exacerbates violence, enables cartels who smuggle migrants to our southern border, and facilitates the illicit tr… Continue Reading

Durbin: We're Five Days Away From A Government Shutdown, And House Republicans Still Haven't Taken Their Responsibility to the American People Seriously

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to condemn Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans for their failure to reach an agreement to fund the government.  The House Republicans’ proposal would cut millions from public health, child care, education, food safety, law enforcement, housing, and more.  During his speech, he also urged his colleagues in the Senate to pass a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR… Continue Reading

Durbin: We're Five Days Away From A Government Shutdown, And House Republicans Still Haven't Taken Their Responsibility to the American Seriously

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to condemn Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans for their failure to reach an agreement to fund the government.  The House Republicans’ proposal would cut millions from public health, child care, education, food safety, law enforcement, housing, and more.  During his speech, he also urged his colleagues in the Senate to pass a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR… Continue Reading

Durbin Reiterates Solidarity with UAW Members Amid Strikes Across the Country

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor reiterating his support for members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) as they strike across the country forbetter wages and benefits.  Durbin has repeatedly called on the Big Three Automakers – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis – to negotiate in good faith with UAW to reach an agreement before UAW members began their strike earlier this month. “I heard my colleague earlier, Senator Schumer, … Continue Reading

Durbin, Wyden, Krishnamoorthi, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Bill to Reduce Tobacco Use in America

WASHINGTON—U.S Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), today introduced the bicameral Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2023.  The bill would close tax code loopholes for tobacco products by establishing a new federal tax on e-cigarettes, updating the federal cigarette tax rate to restore its public health impact, and harmonizing the tax rate across tobacco products to address gamesmanship … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15.2 Million for Keokuk Junction Railway Improvements

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $15,268,018 forthe Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY) through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to develop, design, and construct activities to complete various track-related improvements in an effort to rehabilitate KJRY’s 126-mile mainline. The project will increase track safety standards, resulting in… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2.8 Million for Metra's BNSF Railway

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,888,000 forthe West Cook County Rail Safety Improvement Project through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to design and construct trespassing prevention improvements along the BNSF Railway, the busiest line for the Metra commuter rail system and a major freight corridor. “Metra’s BNSF railway, li… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Venezuelan Migrants Who Fled Maduro Regime in Chicago

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, yesterday met with recent migrant arrivals in Chicago—many of whom fled the Maduro regime in Venezuela.  After visiting with migrants to hear their stories and ask questions about their experience, Durbin met with City of Chicago leadership, including Project Manager for the Department of Family and Support Services Natalia Santillan; Deputy Mayor of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights Beatriz Ponc… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins HHS, SAMHSA Officials to Announce Federal Funding and Recognition for Haymarket Center

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Haymarket Center with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Region 5 Director Michael Cabonargi and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Region 5 Administrator Jeffrey Coady to announce Haymarket’s federal approval for designation as an “FQHC Look-Alike” for its treatment of individuals experiencing homelessness. With this recognition, Haymarket will provide a comprehensive set of primary care s… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins UAW Picket Line in Bolingbrook

BOLINGBROOK – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today showed his support for striking United Auto Workers (UAW) by joining them on the picket line at General Motors in Bolingbrook, Illinois. “The ongoing strike led by UAW is a vivid reminder of the power and resilience of American workers,” said Durbin. “These men and women who build the cars and trucks that drive our country forward are the backbone of our manufacturing sector, and their dedication and skill have made America a global leader in … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Wyden, 28 Senate Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Recognize September as National Voting Rights Month

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 28 Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution recognizing September as “National Voting Rights Month.” Along with Wyden, U.S. Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) led the bicameral effort. “Republicans and right-wing ideologues are dead set on making it more difficult for Americans to vote nationwide. They’re gerrymand… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Justice Clarence Thomas to Recuse Himself from Loper Bright V. Raimondo in Upcoming Supreme Court Term

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement regarding ProPublica’s investigative report with new details of Justice Clarence Thomas’s secret participation in donor summits organized by billionaires Charles and David Koch: “Once again, Justice Thomas’s gaggle of fawning billionaires expands and their influence on the Court grows larger. The Koch brothers are the architects of one of the largest, most successful p… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $5 Million to Support Dislocated Workers

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $5,000,000 for the Illinois Department of Commerce through the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training Dislocated Worker Grant Program to support unemployed and underemployed people access, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs in infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy,and other critical and growing industries. “Dislocated w… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2.3 Million to Support Hispanic-Serving Institutions

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,388,667 for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) through the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities and support for Hispanic students. “In Illinois, HSIs play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our diverse communities,” said Durbin. “By investing in these institutions, we are opening… Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Local Chicago Business to Discuss Credit Card Competition Act

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today convened the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and local small business owners to discuss his Credit Card Competition Act, bipartisan legislation that would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. “Illinoisans are concerned about inflation and the high prices of groceries and gas. What they may not know is that the fees charged by Visa and Mastercard when th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley Lead 29 Midwest Colleagues In Urging Dot To Support Chicago Hub Improvement Program For Chicago Union Station

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today led 29 Midwest colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose expressing their support for Amtrak’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program application for the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP) for… Continue Reading

Durbin & Schakowsky Introduce Legislation To Protect Patients, Improve The Medical Device Recall Process

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today introduced bicameral legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients.  The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format formedical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals.  It a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15 Million For Health Care Research In Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $15,128,931 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical research grant funding for Illinois institutions. The funding will be put toward research programs across the state to support advancements in sectors ranging from diabetes to aging research. “Investing in medical research through the National Institutes of Health is a commitment to the idea that every America… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Help Committee Markup Of Package To Bolster Health Workforce

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) passed a package of legislation to help bolster America’s health workforce, including reauthorizations of the mandatory funding forcommunity health centers (CHCs) and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), which are set to expire on September 30.  In order to help pay for this legi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s Meeting With U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with United States Senators: “For nearly 19 months, the Ukrainian people have put up a valiant fight against Russia’s renewed aggression—a fight that few thought they could win, but here they are, still standing.  This is, in part, due to President Zelenskyy’s tireless leadership and courageous determination for his … Continue Reading