Durbin, Booker, Whitehouse, Coons Raise Concerns About Proposed Changes To Bop Inmate Trust Accounts

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Chris Coons (D-DE), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a comment letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) and BOP's proposed rule on the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program. In the letter, the Senators a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker Urge State Department To Impose Sanctions Following Renewed Reports Of Rebel Group M23’s Use Of Child Soldiers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the rebel group M23's troubling activities in and around the Democratic Republic of Congo, and renewed reports of the group's use of child soldiers, and the consequences of such under the Child Soldier Prevention Act (Public Law 110-457). In the letter, the Senators urged Secretary Blinken to impose further sanctions on M23 under Public Law 112-23… Continue Reading

Durbin, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Marking National Social And Emotional Learning Week

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating the week of March 6, 2023 as National Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Week. SEL is centered on developing the self-awareness, ability to manage emotions, and interpersonal skills that are necessary for school, the workplace, and life. Research shows that SEL promotes student academic outcomes, self-efficacy, and mental health, especially for students … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $14.4 Million In Federal Funding For Chicago Public Schools And Illinois State Board Of Education For Student Mental Health And Trauma-Informed Care

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. College Preparatory High School to unveil new federal funding totaling $14.4 million to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to expand trauma-informed care and increase student mental health personnel in schools. This funding comes from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act(BSCA), which was signed into law last year and is the most significant gun safety reform in nearly th… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Temporary Conversion Of Thomson Prison To Low-Security Facility

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the decision by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to temporarily convert United States Penitentiary (USP) Thomson into a low-security prison and enhance training for the hundreds of Thomson staff who will all remain employed at the institution: "Today's announcement is good news for the Thomson facility-it remains par… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Protecting Wilderness Areas With Illinois Volunteers From Utah Wilderness Coalition

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois volunteers from the Utah Wilderness Coalition to discuss protecting lands and wilderness areas across the country. Durbin plans to reintroduce his legislation, the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, which would protect more than eight million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. "Our public lands are facing increasing pressure, both fr… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Congress To Protect Children From Exploitation & Fix Broken Immigration System

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 a recent New York Timesarticle that raised serious concerns about the vetting of sponsors of unaccompanied non-citizen children and found large numbers of such children are being placed with exploitative sponsors and working long hours in dangerous conditions. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has reported a 69 percent increase in illegally empl… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown, Warren, Smith Urge Department of Labor to Investigate Retirement Plans That Offer Investments In Crypto

WASHINGTON - Following the Department of Labor's (DOL) March 10, 2022, guidance related to 401(k) plan investments in cryptocurrencies, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Secretary Marty Walsh urging DOL to expeditiously act on the announcement that it would investigate plans that offer investments in crypto. The Senators requested that DOL provide a detailed report outlining any… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Bill To Revise And Strengthen The D.C. Criminal Code

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead sponsor of the landmark First Step Act, today released the following statement after voting against H.J.Res.26, a joint resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act (RCCA) of 2022: "Partisan opponents of D.C.'s revised criminal code have claimed that the bill is 'soft on crime' because it reduces maximum sentences for so… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With CEO Of Chicago Public Schools To Discuss Expanding Trauma-Informed Care For Students

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), to discuss helping our students thrive and succeed, including by addressing trauma and providing supportive school-based services through the Chicago HEAL Initiative. Durbin and Martinez also spoke about the implementation of grants, created through theBipartisan Safer Communities Act, that allocate $3 million to CPS for the hiring of school-based mental health professio… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Farm Bureau

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with Illinois Farm Bureau members. During the meeting, they discussed agriculture priorities for Illinois' farmers, including the importance of the crop insurance safety net, keeping nutrition assistance programs strong, federal funding for conservation improvements, and protecting and expanding international markets for Illinois agriculture. "As the Sen… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Veterans With Wounded Warrior Project

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Illinois veterans with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), an organization that focuses on supporting post-9/11 veterans, caregivers, and families of veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury during their service. During their meeting, Durbin and the veterans discussed the importance of adequately staffing VA medical centers with mental health profession… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cortez Masto Revive Push To Allow Dreamers To Work In Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, and U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) revived their push to increase diversity in government by reintroducing their legislation to allow Dreamers to work in Congress. The American Dream Employment Act lifts the current ban on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients from working or participating in paid inter… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Primary Health Care Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) to discuss workforce shortages in the health care sector, and funding to ensure Illinoisans can continue to get the high quality, affordable care they need. One in nine patients in Illinois are served by community health centers across urban, suburban, and rural parts of the state-providing primary, behavioral, and even dental health care to patients regardless of their … Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Social Media Platform Accountability & Opportunities For Reform

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 Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing entitled, "Platform Accountability: Gonzalez and Reform." The hearing examined social media platform accountability and opportunities for reform. Key quotes: "We had a rather historic meeting of the Judiciary Committee just a few weeks ago… the hearing considered the sub… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions CFTC Chairman On Crypto At Agriculture Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), today, in a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing, questioned the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Rostin Behnam about the collapse of FTX-one of the world's largest crypto trading platforms. In November, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, resigned. Durbin previously asked Chairman Behnam about FTX at an Agriculture Committee hearing in December. Durbin said… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses At Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Restoring Competition To Our Digital Markets

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Protection hearing titled, "Reining in Dominant Digital Platforms: Restoring Competition to Our Digital Markets." Durbin began his questioning by highlighting the challenges Congress faces when trying to keep up with the constant changes of technology. "My observation in general is that t… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Public Health & Medicaid Officials

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Sameer Vohra and Medicaid Administrator at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Kelly Cunningham to discuss workforce shortages in the health care sector, and public heath funding to ensure Illinoisans can continue to get the high quality, affordable care they need. "Our health care professionals put their all into caring for their patients, … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Public Health & Medicaid Officials

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Sameer Vohra and Medicaid Administrator at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Kelly Cunningham to discuss workforce shortages in the health care sector, and public heath funding to ensure Illinoisans can continue to get the high quality, affordable care they need. "Our health care professionals put their all into caring for their patients,… Continue Reading

Durbin Expresses Support For Railway Safety Act Of 2023 In Speech On The Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to sound the alarm on railway safety after news broke this morning of a third rail accident involving Norfolk Southern. The accident, in which a Norfolk Southern train collided with a dump truck in Cleveland and killed a rail employee, is the third incident in one month involving the rail company. In his speech, Durbin urged his colleagues to prioritize railway safety before another community loses a loved… Continue Reading