Durbin, Duckworth Join Introduction of Constitutional Amendment To Clarify No One Is Above The Law

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and 26 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a constitutional amendment making clear that no one in the United States is above the law, including the President. In response to the Supreme Court’s unprecedented decision last month that Presidents are immune from prosecution for “official” actions, the amendment wou… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Secure Illinois Wins In Senate-Passed Water Resources Development Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founding Co-Chair of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, today highlighted several critical provisions they successfully secured for Illinois in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which passed the Senate earlier this week.  These provisions – ranging from adjusting the cost share for the Brandon Road Projec… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cortez Masto Urge USCIS To Amend Its Policy & Invite Special Immigrant Juvenile Youth With Deferred Action To Apply For Advance Parole Documents

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and 16 of their Senate colleagues today urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to invite noncitizens with approved Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) petitions and Deferred Action to request Advance Parole Documents in a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.  Along with Durbin and Cortez Masto,… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schatz, Gillibrand Introduce Child Marriage Prevention Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act of 2024, which would take steps to reduce child marriage across the United States. According to leading advocacy groups on this issue, data shows that between 2000 and 2018, more than 300,000 minors were married in the United States, most of whom were 16 or 17 years of age. However, so… Continue Reading

Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Bill To Authorize Dozens of New District Court Judgeships

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today celebrated unanimous Senate passage of the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act, which would authorize 63 new permanent district court judgeships and three new temporary district court judgeships. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. In June, the JUDGES Act advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 20-0 vote. “As dockets b… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Voting Against The Tax Relief For American Families And Workers Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.  The bill expands the Child Tax Credit (CTC), restores certain business tax breaks that help small businesses, and increases subsidies for affordable housing and disaster assistance.  Earlier this year, this legislation passed the House of Representatives on a large bipartisan basis, 357-70. “As cost… Continue Reading

Durbin, Shaheen Statement In Response To Prisoner Swap And Safe Return Of Americans

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Chair of the Europe and Regional Security Cooperation Subcommittee, today issued the following joint statement in response to the Biden-Harris Administration’s announcement that Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Alsu Kurmasheva, along with others wrongfully detained… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Seven Judicial Nomination To The Full Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced seven judicial nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary. The nominations advanced include two circuit court nominees and five district court nominees. “Since Democrats took back the White House and the Senate majority in January 2021, we have been committed to advancing highly qualified nominations to lifetime appointments across the federal judiciary who are reflect… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Over $1.3 Million For Illinois Americorps Programs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $1,303,609 in federal funding going to three organizations in Illinois as a result of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) AmeriCorps State and National Public Health grant competition.  Using funds provided by the American Rescue Plan and CARES Act, these programs will support Illinois’ public health workforce by addressing mental health, chronic disease prevention, and public health readine… Continue Reading

Durbin, Welch, Shaheen Meet With Members Of The Ukrainian Parliament

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, hosted members of the Ukrainian Parliament to discuss continued Congressional support for Ukraine.  The members visiting also serve on Ukraine’s parliamentary delegation in the Council of Europe.  In addition to Durbin, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) also joined.  “More than two years after Putin began his brutal, criminal invasion, Ukraine remains on the frontlines of d… Continue Reading

Durbin, Daines Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Fund The Future Of Quantum Research At DOE

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) today introduced legislation to advance the United States’ capacity to invest in quantum information science and research and development (R&D) through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  As R&D advances quantum science, engineering, and technology, the DOE Quantum Leadership Act of 2024 would reinvigorate R&D projects at DOE by authorizing $2.5 billion in funding over the next five years… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing Examining Medical, Physical, And Emotional Abuse Of Pregnant & Postpartum Incarcerated Individuals

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 Human Rights and the Law hearing entitled “Birth Behind Bars.” Today’s hearing examined the medical, physical, and emotional abuse experienced by pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals. Today’s hearing included two powerful witness testimonials. Ms. Jessica Umberger testified to her experience being pregnant while incarc… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Latest Judiciary Committee Hearing On Five Judicial Nominations

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 Ryan Young Park, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Byron B. Conway, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin; Jonathan E. Hawley, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois; April M. P… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cassidy Introduce Legislation To Lower Drug Prices By Promoting Generic Competition

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced a bipartisan bill to tackle certain efforts by the pharmaceutical industry to extend monopolies on lifesaving drugs.  The Reforming Evergreening and Manipulation that Extends Drug Years (REMEDY) Act, would promote competition by removing barriers to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for lower-cost generic drugs.  Many high-cost, brand-name drugs are shielded from compet… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Legislation To Ensure Stable, Robust Funding For Biomedical Research

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the American Cures Act, legislation that restores the United States’ commitment to breakthrough scientific and biomedical research.  The American Cures Act would create mandatory funds to provide steady, predictable funding for breakthrough research at America’s top research agencies, allowing the U.S. to remain a leader in development and discovery for decades to come.  The American Cures Act would overcome the uncertai… Continue Reading

Durbin, Collins, Rep. Hank Johnson Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Improve Fairness In Criminal Justice System

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), along with U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, today reintroduced the Criminal Judicial Administration Act (CJAA), a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would improve fairness in the criminal justice system by facilitating court attendance by out-of-cust… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2.6 Million To Prevent Youth Substance Use In Illinois

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,624,906 in federal funding going to 21 Illinois coalitions through the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program. This funding will be used by communities to achieve and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use, tackling issues ranging from tobacco prevention to opioid misuse.   “It is our duty to ensure that every Illinoisan has… Continue Reading

Durbin, Hirono, House Leaders Release GAO Report Constrained By AO Blocking Access To Federal Audit Of Sexual Harassment In the Judiciary System

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, alongside U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), and Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report addressing the judiciary’s policies and practices to prevent and respond to workplace misconduct. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) failed to fully cooperate with the GAO audit, a pr… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions FBI, Secret Service During The Senate Judiciary, Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committees' Bipartisan Joint Oversight Hearing On Trump Assassination Attempt

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Ronald L. Rowe, Jr., Acting Director of the United States Secret Service (USSS), and Paul Abbate, Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during a Senate Judiciary Committee, in partnership with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, hearing entitled “Examination of the Security Failures Leading to the Assassination Attempt on Former… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Kids Online Safety And Privacy Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act: “Today’s overwhelming vote should send a message to Big Tech that its days of policing itself are over.  “As the Senate Judiciary Committee has shown throughout this Congress, social media and other tech platforms pose serious dangers to the physical and mental health of our kids and grandkids. But mor… Continue Reading