Durbin Speaks on Need to Authorize Subpoenas for Crow, Leo, and Arkley 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 recent announcement that the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, and Robin Arkley II as it relates to the Judiciary Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation. “Last night, I announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee, which I chair, will vote to subpoena Harlan Crow, Robin Arkley, a… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve AI Testing and Evaluation Systems, Safeguard Americans Against Risks

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate National Labs Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Thune (R-SD), to introduce the bipartisan Testing and Evaluation Systems for Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TEST) AI Act, legislation that would improve the federal government’s capacity to test and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to drive innovation, protect national security,… Continue Reading

Durbin, Collins Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Help Runaway and Homeless Youth

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023.  This bipartisan legislation will reauthorize key federal grant programs to provide states with funding to help thousands of homeless young people nationwide.  “This legislation is an investment in the future of our nation and a promise not to give up on any child,” said Durbin.… 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 prosecute… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees at Latest Judicial Committee Nominations 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 Seth Aframe, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit Court of Appeals; Sarah Russell, nominated to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut; and Judge Edward Kiel, nominated to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey. Durbin began by asking Mr. Aframe a… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine to Discuss Emergency National Security Supplemental

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink to discuss President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises.  In addition to Durbin, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) also joined. “More than 2… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Protecting Children Online with National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), along with NCMEC General Counsel Yiota Souras, to discuss NCMEC’s Congressional appropriation and Durbin’s efforts to protect children online. “I’ve worked hand-in-hand with Ms. DeLaune and her team since the Senate Judiciary Committee began its legislative push to protect chil… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $176 Million to Help Illinois Families Save on Home Energy Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $176,702,627 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help Illinoisans pay the rising cost of home heating bills this winter. This announcement includes funding appropriated for Fiscal Year 2024 from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Durbin and Duckworth both sup… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Ensuring the Safety And Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children

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 “Ensuring the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children, Part II.”  The hearing builds on the committee’s hearing on this issue in June, which featured testimony from child welfare and labor experts, and follows Chair Durbin’s letter with 11 Senate colleagues to Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Secretar… Continue Reading

Durbin Reflects on Horrific Violence in the Middle East and Need for Long Term Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.  During his speech, Durbin remembered the victims of the October 7th horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and commended President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel, as well as the recent provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict.  “The wanton slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and an estimate… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cortez Masto, Hirono, Gillibrand, Menendez, Merkley Introduce New Legislation to Reform Government's Care & Custody of Unaccompanied Noncitizen Children

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today introduced new legislation to provide a comprehensive framework to reform the federal government’s care and custody of unaccompanied noncitizen children (UC).  The Protecting Unaccompanied Children Act would address gaps in our system by improving exis… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Administration Officials During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Ensuring the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Children

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Administration officials at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the safety and well-being of unaccompanied noncitizen children (UC), who arrive in the United States without immigration status and without a parent or guardian to care forthem. Durbin first questioned the State Department’s Director for Central America, Bureau for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Joseph Salazar, ab… Continue Reading

Junior Senator From Ohio Once Again Blocks 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

Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues to Introduce Senate Resolution in Solidarity with UAW Workers on Strike

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), along with 30 of their colleagues in the Senate, to introduce a resolution in solidarity with 150,000 members of United Auto Workers (UAW) bargaining for a fair contract, with 34,000 currently on strike. Auto workers voted to go on strike in September, in one of the largest U.S. strikes in the past three decades, calling for… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds President Biden's Emergency Supplemental Request to Provide Security Aid to Israel and Ukraine

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement in support of President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel and Ukraine: “The scale and viciousness of the Hamas terrorist attack against the Israeli people are reprehensible, and I support President Biden’s emergency aid request to help Israel defend itself and free any hostages. Violence against the innocent—both Israelis an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Murphy, Senators Call for Humanitarian Aid to Address Emergency Needs in Gaza

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), led 28 of their Senate colleagues in urging the Biden Administration to lead the international community in contributing to the United Nations’ emergency appeal of $294 million to address the immediate humanitarian needs in the West Bank and Gaza. Today, President Biden announced significant humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in those areas.  Durbin and Duckw… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Curb Food Waste

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the bipartisan Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act, legislation that would prevent and reduce food waste across the country.  Each year, the U.S. produces and imports nearly 241 million tons of food annually, but 33 percent of this food is never sold or eaten, while millions of Americans experience food … Continue Reading

On the 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 Questions Facebook Whistleblower During Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on Social Media Harms to Kids

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Facebook whistleblower Arturo Béjar, former Director of Engineering for Facebook’s Protect and Care team, at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing entitled “Social Media and the Teen Mental Health Crisis.” “The bottom line is this.  They [Meta] made a decision that it [monitoring online child sexual exploitation] is not a priority to them bec… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco to Discuss BOP Oversight

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco to discuss Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversight.  During their meeting, Durbin followed up on his September letter to Deputy Attorney General Monaco requesting information about the reports of excessive force in BOP facilities, including United States Penitentiary Thomson (USP Thomson).  “I take BOP oversight seriously in my position as Chai… Continue Reading