Key Unions Endorse Durbin, Marshall Credit Card Competition Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today released the following statement applauding key unions’ endorsement of their Credit Card Competition Act, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU): “Our unions understand that American consumers are concerned about inflation and the high prices of everyday items like groceries and g… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senate Confirmation of Judge Ana de Alba to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ana de Alba to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge de Alba’s confirmation: “Judge Ana de Alba is a seasoned litigator with both federal and state-level judicial experience. She is a legal champion for civil and labor rights, a sense of justice shaped by her powerful personal experience as a first-… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to Supreme Court's New Code of Conduct in Speech on Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – Following a years-long effort by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to deliver on Supreme Court ethics reform, the Supreme Court announced today a first-ever code of conduct for all Supreme Court Justices. Durbin responded to the announcement in a speech on the Senate floor. Key quotes here: “After years of refusing to act, a series of scandalous disclosures involving several justices on the Court, and the Senate Judiciary Commit… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Lead Members of Illinois Delegation in Urging President Biden to Grant Federal Disaster Declaration for Cook County Following Severe September Rainfall, Flash Flooding

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led nearly every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Cook County recover from storm damage.  In September, severe storms passed through Cook County producing nine inches of rainfall and flash flooding. “W… Continue Reading

Durbin, Markey Statement on Release of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) today released the following statement regarding Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, who was released on bail in the Philippines: “After nearly seven years of unjust detention for defending human rights, former Philippine Senator Leila de Lima is finally free on bail.  We welcome this long overdue decision and call on any remaining bogus charges to be dropped once and for all.  Her eloquent words upon releas… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Push to Renew Expired Funding for Child Care

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), in leading a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for child care in any supplemental funding package… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Release Statement on Biden, UAW President Visit to Belvidere Plant in Celebration of UAW-Stellantis Deal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statements on President Biden’s and United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain’s visit to Belvidere, Illinois, after UAW and Stellantis reached a deal to restart the Belvidere Assembly Plant and add on an electric vehicle battery plant to the facility: “While I cannot welcome them in person, I am pleased to have President Biden and UAW President Shawn Fain visit Bel… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Judiciary Committee Effort to Authorize Subpoenas for Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the followingstatement regarding the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing effort to authorize subpoenas for Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo relating to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation: “Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats remain united in our effort to implement an enforceable code of conduct for Supreme Court justices.  To inform this effort, we will continue to pu… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and Jorge Ramirez, Secretary and Treasurer, to discuss MPEA’s impact on the Chicago region and Illinois economy as the largest convention center in North America.  Durbin and Clark also spoke about future plans for McCormick Square, including making infrastructure improvements to the convention center. “Chicago’s major attractions, including Navy Pi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Jayapal, Schakowsky, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Designate Palestinian Territories for Temporary Protected Status or Authorize Deferred Enforcement Departure for Palestinians in U.S.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today led 104 of their colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden calling on his Administration to designate the Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and/or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians present in the United States.  TPS and DED offer temporary relief from remo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rubio Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Authorization of Global Basic Education

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act of 2017 for an additional five years.  The legislation equitably expands access to basic education for children around the globe. “Given the terrible learning loss around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic and troubling backsliding on girls education in pl… Continue Reading

Durbin, Gooden Request Accounting for Exorbiant Swipe Fees Being Paid by Federal Government

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Lance Gooden (R-TX-05) requested a comprehensive review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailing the federal government's interchange fee expenses over the last five fiscal years.  This request highlights the exorbitant credit card interchange or "swipe" fees, a staggering burden the federal government and, in turn, American taxpayers, pay at around $240 million every year.  In addition to Dur… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Finnish Ambassador, Mikko Hautala

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with Finnish Ambassador to the U.S., Mikko Hautala, to discuss continued support for Ukraine.  They also discussed ways to strengthen the NATO alliance seven months after Finland formally joined the alliance.  Finland’s historic entry into NATO added significant military capability, notably along more than 800 miles of Russia’s border. “More than 20 months after Putin began his brutal, criminal… Continue Reading

On Senate Floor, Durbin Reiterates Need to Authorize Subpoenas Related to Supreme Court Ethics Reform

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed his announcement last week that the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to authorize issuing subpoenas as it relates to the Judiciary Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation.  These votes in Committee could take place as soon as Thursday. “I do not make this decision lightly.  Seeking authorization to issue subpoenas is a relatively rare occurren… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Judiciary Committee Will No Longer Vote to Authorize Subpoena for Robin Arkley Following Cooperation in Supreme Court Ethics Investigation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will no longer vote to authorize issuing a subpoena to Robin Arkley II at this time as it relates to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation after he provided the Committee with information that he had been withholding.  The Committee will move forward with a vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo. “Months … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Majority of Senate Democratic Caucus in Push for More Information Around Strategy to Defeat Hamas, Protect Civilians in Gaza

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Jack Reed (D-RI) led the majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to President Biden condemning the brutal terror attacks by Hamas, expressing support for immediatefunding to replenish Israel’s defensive systems, and seeking information… Continue Reading

At A Senate Appropriations Hearing, Durbin Questions Secretary Mayorkas About Meaningful Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing about the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) and Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) supplemental budget request, questioned DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the need to address the flow of fentanyl, which is mostly coming through ports of entry into the United States. Durbin asked, “Secretary Mayork… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill to Expand Lincoln Home National Historic Site

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), today reintroduced the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act, legislation that would expand the boundary of the Lincoln Home National Historic site to include a replica 1844 Lincoln cottage and the Elijah Iles home.  The bill would also require the National Park Service to increase the height of the road in front of the Lincoln home and at the intersection of 8th and… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Confirmation of 150th Judge During Biden Administration

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, applauded the confirmation of the 150th lifetime judicial appointment during the Biden Administration in a speech on the Senate floor.  The Senate has confirmed more women nominated by President Biden to the federal bench than any previous Senate in any previous President’s first term. “We have been building one of the most important accomplishments of the Biden-Harris Administration: the confirm… Continue Reading

At A Senate Appropriations Hearing, Durbin Questions Secretaries Blinken, Austin on the President's Emergency National Security Supplemental

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Israel, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises.  Durbin, Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, first questioned Secretary Austin about the need to continue to provide Ukraine with financia… Continue Reading