Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Book Bans And Censorship

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 “Book Bans: How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature.” In 2022, activists submitted more than 1,000 requests to ban books at public schools and libraries—the highest number of requests submitted to ban books in over twenty years. This hearing will examine the history of book bans in the United States, th… Continue Reading

ICYMI: Sen. Durbin, Illinois Sec. of State Giannoulias to Discuss Book Bans and Censorship in U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, the Chicago Sun-Times previewed tomorrow’s U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on book bans and censorship, chaired by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The hearing will feature testimony from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias in Washington, D.C. Sec. Giannoulias also serves as the State Librarian and drafted Illinois’ first-in-the-nation ban on book bans. Additionally, University of Illinoi… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams FDA On Failure To Regulate E-Cigarettes Two Years After A Missed Federal Court Order

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forits failure to complete its long-overdue review of pre-market tobacco product applications (PMTAs) from e-cigarette manufacturers following the two-year anniversary of a federal court deadline.  Since FDA missed the September 9, 2021, deadline, an estimate of approximately two million children may have picked up vaping.  Durbin said, “And despite mis… Continue Reading

Durbin Marks 22nd Anniversary Of 9/11 Attacks In Speech On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor recognizing the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  In his remarks, Durbin spoke with reverence about the heroes who acted with immense courage to divert planes or provide emergency services outside Washington, D.C., in New York City, and in Pennsylvania. “Today, we take a moment to remember the anniversary of September 11, 2001.  Many people will recall vividly t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Warren, Blumenthal Warn University of Idaho on the Dangers of Purchasing Predatory For-Profit College University of Phoenix

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with his colleagues U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), today sent a letter to the President of the University of Idaho (UI) urging the school to reconsider its decision to acquire the University of Phoenix (Phoenix), a nefarious for-profit college with a history of preying on veterans, low-income students, and students of color.  The Senators discussed a number of Phoenix’s predatory practices, inc… Continue Reading

Durbin Cosponsors Legislation to Expand Access to Contraception

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he is cosponsoring U.S. Senator John Fetterman’s (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood’s (D-IL-14) Convenient Contraception Act, legislation that would improve access to contraceptive products, including over-the-counter birth control. The bill provides individuals covered by private health insurance with the option to receive up to a full year of birth control at t… Continue Reading

Following the Two_year Anniversary of FDA Failing to Regulate Unlawfully Marketed Vaping Products, Durbin Again Urges FDA, DOJ to Act

WASHINGTON – Following the two-year anniversary of a federal court-ordered deadline for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to complete its long-overdue review of pre-market tobacco product applications (PMTAs) from e-cigarette manufacturers, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to FDA’s Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf and a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging them to immediately address the youth vaping epidemic.  S… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Justice Alito's Refusal to Rescue Himself in Moore v. U.S.

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after Justice Samuel Alito refused to recuse himself in Moore v. United States: “Justice Alito, of the originalist school of thinking that empty seats on an airplane don’t count as gifts, surprises no one by sitting on a case involving a lawyer who honored him with a puff piece in the Wall Street Journal. Why do these Justices continue to take a wrecking ball to the re… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quigley, Kelly Join FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez to Announce $1.9 Billion for Red Line Extension Project

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) and Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) joined Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Administrator Nuria Fernandez today to announce that the Red Line Extension (RLE) project has entered the engineering phase of FTA’s Capital Investment Grants program, with a $1.947 billion federal funding commitment from the FTA, which is roughly 50 percent of the project’s cost and one of the largest New Starts awards in th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2.6 Million To Address Air Pollution In The Great Lakes Region

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,674,331 forthe Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium (LADCO) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help support member states' air pollution control programs to understand and address air pollution problems in the Great Lakes Region. “The Great Lakes have long been a source of life and livelihood forcountless communities, providing drinking water for millions, s… Continue Reading

Durbin: Inflation Reduction Act is Delivering for Americans by Granting Medicare Negotiating Power to Lower Prices for Medications

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor emphasizing the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefit to patients following the Biden Administration’s recent announcement of the first 10 drugs that would be negotiated for lower prices, based upon new authority passed by Democrats in Congress and signed into law by President Biden. These 10 medications cost Medicare a total of more than $50 billion last year alone.  In 2022, seniors nationwide s… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Introduce Resolution Designating 2024 As The Year Of Democracy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), former Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced a Senate resolution designating 2024 as the Year of Democracy.  The resolution asks Americans to reflect on the contributions of the system of government of the United States to a more free and stable world. “Our democracy is only as strong as our commitment to relentlessly pursue its… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Department Of Education’s Move To Approve Borrower Defense Claims For Former Ashford University Students

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) took to the Senate floor to applaud the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) decision to approve more than 2,300 borrower defense claims filed by former Ashford University students, totaling $72 million in student debt relief.  Of the 2,300 claims discharged, 120 belonged to Illinois student borrowers, amounting to more than $3.6 million in relief. “This year, some students are breathing easier.  They were the victims of a for-pro… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Office Of National Drug Control Policy Director Gupta

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Dr. Rahul Gupta, M.D., Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the first medical doctor to lead this office. Among other topics, Durbin and Gupta discussed ONDCP reauthorization, child online safety legislation that the Judiciary Committee advanced this summer, reform of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and combating drug overdose death… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With FCC Commissioner Nominee Anna Gomez

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Anna Gomez, the Biden Administration’s nominee to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  During their meeting, Durbin and Gomez discussed the importance of helping all communities gain access to broadband services, which millions of Americans rely on to communicate with emergency responders, complete homework, and stay connected to loved ones.  Durbin also emphasized the importance of maint… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Latest Nominees In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Richard E. N. Federico, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, about his experience serving as a federal public defender, as well as a Navy JAG Corps prosecutor and defense lawyer. “You’ve served as both a prosecutor and as a defense counsel in your career… And in the Navy and Navy Reserve, I’m sure you’ve had opportunities to deal with both… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley, Duckworth, Sorensen Press BOP to Investigate Allegations of Abuse at USP Thomson

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters requesting information about serious allegations of abuse at United States Penitentiary (… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley, Duckworth, Sorensen Press BOP To Investigate Allegations Of Abuse At USP Thomson

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters requesting information about serious allegations of abuse at United States Penitentiary (… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.9 Million To Improve Housing Across Local Communities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $3,900,000 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Housing Rehabilitation programs, which provide residents with safe and sanitary living conditions and help to stabilize neighborhoods and affordable housing in communities. “A thriving community begins with a safe and secure place to call home,” said Durbin. “… Continue Reading

ICYMI: Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Delivering On The Demands Of Youth Advocates At The Forefront Of Children’s Online Safety Debate

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, The Washington Post highlighted the involvement of youth advocates in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s work to protect children’s online safety. Earlier this summer, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with youth advocates from Design It For Us, a coalition of youth-led organizations that advocates for online protection for youth and young adults. Emma Lembke, a co-chair of the organization, testified bef… Continue Reading