Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony Of Secretaries Of State Who Endured Threats Following The 2020 Election
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released prepared testimony from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver during today's hearing entitled "Protecting our Democracy's Frontline Workers." In 2022, Benson received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her work during the 2020 election, when she received an onslaught of threats, including by armed protestors at her house. Toulouse Oliver similarly received a number of t… Continue Reading
08.03.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat To Election Workers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Protecting Our Democracy's Frontline Workers." This hearing will include testimony from officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on threats to election workers for the first time since the 2020 election-and the first formal update to Congr… Continue Reading
08.02.22
Durbin: Justice Department Must Take Over Investigation Of Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, continued his calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the missing text messages from former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, in the lead up to the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Last Friday, Durbin sent a letter to A… Continue Reading
07.29.22
Durbin Responds To MLB Commissioner Manfred
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement in response to today's letter from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: "It is reasonable to question the premise that MLB is treating the Minor Leaguers fairly. Commissioner Manfred's response to our bipartisan request for information raises more questions than it answers, and the discrepancies between today's letter and the reality that minor league players are e… Continue Reading
07.29.22
Durbin Calls For Justice Department To Investigate Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a report that text messages for former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, are missing for a key time period leading up to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The report also notes that the Office of Inspector General Josep… Continue Reading
07.28.22
Judiciary Committee Advances One Circuit Court Nominees, Two U.S. Attorneys, And Legislation To Improve Competition And Innovation
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Roopali H. Desai, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; E. Martin Estrada, to be United States Attorney for the Central District of California; and Gregory J. Haanstad, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, by voice vote. The Committee also advanced S.4430, Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2022, by voice vote. This bill-co-led by U.S. Senate Major… Continue Reading
07.27.22
Durbin: Women's Right To Contraception Is In Jeopardy In The Post-Roe America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today detailed how the conservative Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is threatening the constitutional right to contraception-which is protected under the Court's 1965 ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut. Justice Thomas's concurring opinion in Dobbs called for Griswold, among other cases, to be reconsidered because they were, in his view, "demonstrably errone… Continue Reading
07.27.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Latest Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Dana M. Douglas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit; Bradley N. Garcia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; Frances Kay Behm, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Jerry W. Blackwell, to be United States Dis… Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin Questions Witnesses At Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Federal Cannabis Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing entitled "Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms." Durbin first commended Weldon Angelos, President and Co-Founder of The Weldon Project, for sharing his experience as someone who has been personally impacted by the "war on drugs," and for … Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Decriminalizing Cannabis At The Federal Level
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing entitled "Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms." Key Quotes: "There has been a sea change in the way cannabis has been addressed throughout this country. Thirty-eight states have now legalized the medical use [of cannabis]… Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin, Leahy Call On Administration To Take An Unequivocal Position Against The Use of Torture-Derived Evidence
WASHINGTON - In response to a new letter from the Biden Administration, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released a joint statement expressing disappointment with the Administration for failing to take a firm and unequivocal position against the use of torture-derived evidence: "This is not a difficult question: Are we going to stand on principle and r… Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat America's Gun Violence Epidemic Poses To Law Enforcement
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." The hearing focused on the threat that our nation's gun violence epidemic poses to law enforcement officers. Firearm-related fatalities were the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in 2021 after COVID-19, according to the National Law Enforcement O… Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin Introduces Officer Ella Grace French Task Force Support Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Officer Ella Grace French Task Force Support Act of 2022, legislation that would authorize the use of Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhood funds to support multi-jurisdictional task forces that investigate and disrupt illicit straw purchasing and firearms trafficking activity. The bill is named after Chicago Police Officer Ella Grace French, who was tragically shot… Continue Reading
07.26.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat America's Gun Violence Epidemic Poses To Law Enforcement
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." The hearing focuses on the threat that our nation's gun violence epidemic poses to law enforcement officers. Firearm-related fatalities were the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in 2021 after COVID-19, according to the National … Continue Reading
07.26.22
Chicago Law Enforcement Leader To Congress: Protecting Officers From Shootings Must Be A Priority
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released Chicago Police Department Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform Angel Novalez's prepared testimony during today's hearing entitled "Law Enforcement Officer Safety: Protecting Those Who Protect and Serve." A 21-year member of the Department, Chief Novalez previously served as deputy chief of Community Policing, the commanding officer of the Neighborhood Policing Initiative, and as a watch operations lieutenant in the 25th (Grand Central) … Continue Reading
07.25.22
Durbin: Instead Of Calming The January 6 Insurrection, Donald Trump Poured Gasoline On The Fire
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about the revelations the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol has shared in its eight recent public hearings. Specifically, Durbin referenced the evidence that former President Donald Trump knowingly stood by during the attack, which threatened the lives of Members of Congress, law enforcement, and staff. … Continue Reading
07.21.22
Durbin Calls On Senate To Ban Military-Style Assault Weapons Following Highland Park Hearing
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his colleagues to ban military-style assault weapons that can be used to kill large numbers of people in mere seconds. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Independence Day Parade mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois - the 309th mass shooting this year. The hearing was the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in th… Continue Reading
07.21.22
Judiciary Committee Advances Ten Nominees, Including Two Judicial Nominees, Seven Sentencing Commission Nominees, And An Assistant Attorney General
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Florence Y. Pan, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; and Elizabeth Wilson Hanes, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. Pan received a vote of 13-9; and Hanes received a vote of 15-7. The Committee also advanced Carlton W. Reeves, to be a Member and Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission; Laura E. Mate, to be a Member of the United States… Continue Reading
07.20.22
Durbin Questions Witnesses At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Dangers Of Civilian Access To Military-Style Assault Weapons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned today's witnesses during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings." This hearing-the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic-focused on the dangers of widespread civilian access to military-style assault weapons that can be used … Continue Reading
07.20.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Dangers Of Civilian Access To Military-Style Assault Weapons
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings." This hearing-the Judiciary Committee's tenth hearing held in the 117th Congress on aspects of the nation's gun violence epidemic-focuses on the dangers of widespread civilian access to military-style assault weapons that can … Continue Reading