{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"IL\" and year = 2025 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-highlights-key-2025-efforts-as-2025-draws-to-a-close", "Duckworth Highlights Key 2025 Efforts as 2025 Draws to a Close", "2025-12-29", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 As 2025 comes to a close, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) highlighted several key accomplishments she secured over the last year:\n\n\u201cWhether helping nearly 2,900 Illinoisans recover more than $13 million the federal government owed them, passing a law making it easier for new parents to travel with critical breast milk supplies, pushing back against Trump and Republicans as they work to jack up costs for everything from groceries to health care, fighting Donald Trump\u2019s illegal and reckless invasion of our state or getting Veterans\u2019 jobs back after this Administration cruelly fired Veterans Crisis Line workers\u2014I\u2019m proud of everything we\u2019ve been able to do this past year,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cWhile this year was far too difficult for far too many in our community, I am as committed as ever to showing up and getting things done for my fellow Illinoisans\u2014and all those who feel targeted by the Trump Administration. I look forward to continuing my work for our state in 2026.\u201d\n\nOver the past year, Duckworth and her office responded to over 1,047,000 emails as well as other messages and assisted more than 2,800 Illinoisans who were experiencing difficulties navigating the federal bureaucracy, helping recover more than $13.2 million in Social Security payments, Veterans\u2019 benefits, tax refunds and more for her constituents. A select list of Duckworth\u2019s accomplishments from the past year is below.\n\nDuckworth hosted a series of town halls and telephone town halls this year to hear directly from her constituents on how the Trump Administration is negatively impacting their lives and the lives of their families and communities, hearing from Illinoisans in McHenry County, Rockford, Carbondale and throughout Chicagoland.\n\nKey Efforts:\n\nDuckworth\u2019s Bipartisan BABES Enhancement Act Became Law: After passing the House and unanimously passing the Senate, bipartisan legislation authored and championed by Senator Duckworth to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies became one of roughly 30 bills to be signed into law in 2025. Senator Duckworth\u2019s Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on handling breast milk, baby formula and other related nutrition products, including ice packs, in consultation with leading maternal health groups.\n\nFighting to Prevent Healthcare Costs from Skyrocketing: As Republicans time and again voted to gut Medicaid with Trump\u2019s Big, Beautiful Betrayal and did nothing to stop health insurance premiums from skyrocketing, Senator Duckworth fought against these efforts at every turn. She voted against the Republicans\u2019 Big Beautiful Bill and voted against all of Republicans\u2019 extreme partisan funding bills. She met with health care leaders throughout Central Illinois, Southern Illinois and the Chicagoland area to discuss how these cuts will impact health care access for all Illinoisans. Trump and Republicans plunged the nation into the longest government shutdown in history to guarantee that out-of-pocket health care costs will skyrocket, refusing to negotiate an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of the year. Duckworth continuously called out Republicans for refusing to help stop health insurance bills from doubling or even tripling for millions of hardworking families, including their own constituents. Then, in December, when Republicans finally had the chance to vote to extend these ACA subsidies, they chose to please Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies rather than serve the tens of millions of Americans who will see their premiums rise\u2014or the four million who will lose coverage entirely.\n\nDefending Reproductive Freedom and Expanding Access to IVF: Senator Duckworth has been a strong advocate for reproductive freedom and access to IVF in the face of Republicans\u2019 anti-choice crusade. In June, she introduced the Protect IVF Act to establish a nationwide right to IVF. She has also long pushed to pass her Right to IVF Act\u2014which Senate Republicans blocked not once, but twice last year\u2014that would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle-class families across the country. This year, Duckworth successfully secured a provision in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act requiring TRICARE coverage of fertility services, including IVF, for servicemembers, reflecting her earlier IVF for Military Families Act. However, Speaker Mike Johnson single-handedly blocked her provision, denying troops the same IVF coverage available to Members of Congress despite broad bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. This is the second time Duckworth secured this provision in an NDAA bill that passed committee, only to have Republicans block her amendment from the final NDAA\u2014despite it being included in the committee-approved version.\n\nProtecting Our State from Trump\u2019s Unlawful Domestic Deployment: Senator Duckworth, alongside Governor Pritzker and Senator Durbin, helped lead our state\u2019s effective pushback against the Trump Administration\u2019s unconstitutional and dangerous deployments of National Guard troops into American cities, including Chicago. She singlehandedly secured the first and only Senate hearing on Trump\u2019s domestic deployments, during which top Trump Defense officials admitted to three damning revelations that had never been publicly stated before. In addition to numerous actions, including visiting Naval Station Great Lakes amid threats to deploy the military to Chicago and filing an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit against Trump for his misuse of the U.S. military, Duckworth successfully advanced her Military in Law Enforcement Accountability Act to finally help rein in Trump\u2019s continued misuse of our military and troops.\n\nPushing Back on DHS\u2019 Invasion on Chicago: In light of Trump\u2019s \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d Senator Duckworth continued her efforts as an outspoken champion for defending Illinoisans and their First Amendment rights. She condemned DHS\u2019s excessive and aggressive force, including unlawful abductions, deploying tear gas near schools and raiding community shelters. Additionally, she demanded an end to forcing law enforcement to abandon criminal investigations in order to assist ICE and called on ICE and CBP to enforce body-camera requirements in compliance with federal orders. Duckworth and Senator Durbin also visited the grounds of the Broadview ICE processing center in their congressional oversight roles.\n\nSupporting Servicemembers and Holding Pete Hegseth Accountable for Putting Them at Needless Risk: As a combat Veteran and member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator Duckworth has condemned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth\u2019s lack of experience or qualifications to lead our troops, repeatedly calling on him to resign, especially after reports confirmed he sent highly-sensitive war plans in an unclassified group chat with other Trump Administration officials, putting servicemembers at greater risk and undermining mission effectiveness. She denounced the Trump Administration\u2019s unlawful military strikes and supported a resolution to block illegal use of force in or against Venezuela without congressional approval, while raising concerns about violating the laws of war and endangering our servicemembers and national security.\n\nSupporting Our Veterans: After Trump fired more Veterans than any other President in history and imposed illegal pauses in federal funding and slashed Veterans\u2019 care, Senator Duckworth continued her life\u2019s mission of advocating for our brave servicemembers and their families affected by Trump\u2019s recklessness. This year, she introduced legislation to protect the lifesaving Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) and restore collective bargaining rights for VA health care professionals. She demanded accountability from Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins for the VCL firings. She also introduced her Protect Veteran Jobs Act to reinstate Veterans who were fired from their jobs as part of Trump and Elon Musk\u2019s indiscriminate purge of federal employees. Duckworth spoke at the \u201cUnite for Veterans\u201d rally on the National Mall, criticizing Trump for using Veterans as political pawns and undermining their care and benefits. She also hosted a Veterans town hall in Crystal Lake to hear directly from Veterans about the impact of the Trump Administration and Elon Musk\u2019s cuts to federal programs and mass federal worker firings.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-statement-on-trumps-va-abortion-ban-that-denies-millions-of-veterans-the-care-theyve-earned", "Duckworth Statement on Trump\u2019s VA Abortion Ban That Denies Millions of Veterans the Care They\u2019ve Earned", "2025-12-24", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after the Trump Administration quietly implemented a policy banning the VA from providing abortion care to Veterans and their families\u2014including in cases of rape, incest or to protect the health of the mother\u2014despite widespread opposition from advocates and the Veteran community:\n\n\u201cOur Veterans risked their lives to safeguard our freedoms. And yet a man who has never served a day in his life is taking away their own freedom to choose what's best for their health.\n\n\u201cIn cases of rape, incest or when the health of the mother is at risk, Trump is denying our heroes the care they\u2019ve earned through their service\u2014and it\u2019ll be those living in states with extreme abortion bans who will suffer the most.\n\n\u201cTrump implemented this extreme policy during the holiday season, quietly and over the objections of Veterans, thinking we wouldn\u2019t notice. Well, we did. And I will keep fighting to give Veterans and all Americans the health care and reproductive freedom they deserve.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-statement-on-supreme-court-ruling-blocking-deployment-of-national-guard-troops-to-chicago", "Duckworth, Durbin Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Blocking Deployment of National Guard Troops to Chicago", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[CHICAGO, IL] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Supreme Court declined to stay a federal judge\u2019s temporary restraining order that blocked President Trump\u2019s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s long past time for the Trump Administration to back off Chicago. The majority of Americans believe they\u2019ve gone too far, and even the Supreme Court\u2019s conservative supermajority refused to greenlight this blatantly unlawful overreach. Our government is supposed to help our communities\u2014not go to war with them.\n\n\u201cImmigrants make our country better, and we will keep fighting like hell to protect the promise of America.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-statement-on-supreme-court-ruling-blocking-deployment-of-national-guard-troops-to-chicago", "Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Supreme Court Ruling Blocking Deployment Of National Guard Troops To Chicago", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CHICAGO \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Supreme Court declined to stay a federal judge\u2019s temporary restraining order that blocked President Trump\u2019s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s long past time for the Trump Administration to back off Chicago. The majority of Americans believe they\u2019ve gone too far, and even the Supreme Court\u2019s conservative supermajority refused to greenlight this blatantly unlawful overreach. Our government is supposed to help our communities\u2014not go to war with them.\n\n\u201cImmigrants make our country better, and we will keep fighting like hell to protect the promise of America.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-trump-administration-failure-to-release-the-complete-epstein-files", "Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Failure To Release The Complete Epstein Files", "2025-12-20", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CHICAGO \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Department of Justice failed to produce the complete Epstein files yesterday in accordance with federal law:\n\n\u201cYesterday could have been a win for survivors, accountability, and transparency to the public. It wasn\u2019t. After mishandling the Epstein files all year, the Trump Administration is now violating federal law to protect the rich and powerful.\n\n\u201cIt took an act of Congress to force Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino to even consider providing justice. They had a choice: survivors or Donald Trump. They chose the latter.\n\n\u201cSenate Judiciary Democrats will investigate this violation of law and make sure the American people know about it.\n\n\u201cThe survivors deserve better. It\u2019s clear Donald Trump and his Republican enablers are working for the rich and powerful elites\u2014and not you.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-blumenthal-demand-investigation-into-trumps-misuse-of-va-resources-to-help-execute-his-extreme-deportation-campaign", "Duckworth, Blumenthal Demand Investigation into Trump\u2019s Misuse of VA Resources to Help Execute His Extreme Deportation Campaign", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Combat Veteran and U.S. Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee (SVAC) member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), today demanded an independent investigation into the Trump Administration\u2019s decision to divert personnel, equipment and financial resources away from serving our nation\u2019s Veterans and toward developing a database to track non-U.S. citizen employees as part of Donald Trump\u2019s inhumane mass deportation campaign. After Donald Trump fired 30,000 VA employees and jeopardized timely VA care for our Veterans earlier this year, Duckworth\u2019s letter underscores that aiding immigration enforcement does not support or advance the VA\u2019s sacred mission of caring for our Veterans and their families and only further demoralizes the dedicated VA workforce.\n\n\u201cBeyond cutting 30,000 Federal employees from the workforce this year, VA leadership is hindering Veterans\u2019 prompt access to exemplary healthcare, and their swift delivery of benefits, by pursuing policy functions and using valuable resources irrelevant to its statutory responsibilities,\u201d wrote Duckworth. \u201cThese actions are indicative of potential fraud, waste and misuse of Congressionally appropriated funds at VA. Furthermore, they also suggest possible gross mismanagement that undermines VA\u2019s mission.\u201d\n\nDemanding an independent investigation into this latest attempt by the Trump Administration to undermine the mission of the VA, Duckworth wrote: \u201c\u2026we request VA OIG conduct an independent investigation to include findings, if warranted, on the database\u2019s adverse impact on delivering and managing healthcare and benefits and whether such activities are consistent with congressional intent for VA\u2019s congressionally appropriated resources.\u201d\n\nDuckworth has been a fierce leader and advocate for improving our Veterans\u2019 and servicemembers\u2019 access to care amid Trump\u2019s ongoing attacks on the VA. In October, she defended disabled Veterans as Senate Republicans shamefully promoted Trump\u2019s dangerous efforts to cut even more of their benefits. In September, she reintroduced legislation that would improve Veterans\u2019 access to contraception and increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness for contraceptive products at the VA. A few weeks prior, Duckworth sent a letter to VA Secretary Collins demanding he block ICE from stealing VA resources at Hines VA Hospital in Chicago.\n\nDuckworth also joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in reintroducing legislation to help make it easier for our Veterans who struggle with infertility to build their families. After the first VA purge laid off workers with the Veterans Crisis Line\u2014including several Veterans\u2014Duckworth successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reinstate these devoted public servants that work to support our Veterans in their darkest moments. In the aftermath, she introduced the Protect Veteran Jobs Act with U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) to reinstate the thousands of Veterans who were fired in Trump\u2019s mass layoffs\u2014an effort Republicans shamefully blocked in March.\n\nFull text of the letter is available below and on the Senator\u2019s website:\n\nDear Inspector General Mason:\n\nWe write to request that you initiate an independent investigation into the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA\u2019s) diversion of personnel, equipment and financial resources to develop a database on non-U.S. citizen employees. This non-mission critical activity, regardless of VA\u2019s stated pretext for initiating it, appears to represent VA wasting time, attention and congressionally appropriated funds on activities that support already well-funded Federal agencies\u2019 civil immigration enforcement operations, while doing nothing to improve patient care or benefits administration.\n\nVA\u2019s sacred mission is to care for those who have served our country and their families, caregivers and survivors. Beyond cutting 30,000 Federal employees from the workforce this year, VA leadership is hindering Veterans\u2019 prompt access to exemplary healthcare, and their swift delivery of benefits, by pursuing policy functions and using valuable resources irrelevant to its statutory responsibilities. These actions are indicative of potential fraud, waste and misuse of Congressionally appropriated funds at VA. Furthermore, they also suggest possible gross mismanagement that undermines VA\u2019s mission. Recent reporting and commentary from VA officials validate and escalate our concerns that these immigration enforcement efforts risk the timely delivery of care and benefits to Veterans.\n\nTo better understand these recent actions at VA, we request VA OIG conduct an independent investigation to include findings, if warranted, on the database\u2019s adverse impact on delivering and managing healthcare and benefits and whether such activities are consistent with congressional intent for VA\u2019s congressionally appropriated resources. We also request that your investigation recommends corrective actions, as necessary, including policy reforms, disciplinary matters and referrals to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.\n\nWe respectfully request that your office prioritize this investigation and provide our offices with routine updates, including preliminary findings or recommendations. Thank you for attention to this urgent matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-announce-135-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-illinois-students", "Durbin, Duckworth Announce $13.5 Million In Federal Funding To Support Illinois Students", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $13,467,325 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Education for mental health and literacy support for students in Illinois.\n\n\u201cThere is a growing mental health and literacy crisis amongst today\u2019s youth that must be addressed,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cToday\u2019s announced federal funding for programs that build the pipeline of mental health professionals, connect professionals to students, and support literacy research will help Illinois face these concerns head-on. It also demonstrates the importance of the Department of Education as the Trump Administration continues its attempts to dismantle the agency. Senator Duckworth and I will always work to ensure our students have access to resources that help put them on a path toward success.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, which is why I\u2019m proud to see this investment support critical mental health programs that help students across Illinois thrive,\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cWhile this funding will reach our state this time around, it\u2019s cruel that Donald Trump\u2019s cuts to federal services have jeopardized programs that prepare the next generation\u2014hurting the very middle-class families he swore to protect, all while enriching his billionaire buddies. That\u2019s why I will continue doing everything I can at the federal level, alongside Senator Durbin, to safeguard these investments and ensure every student across our state has the chance to succeed, both inside and outside the classroom.\u201d\n\nThe Department of Education\u2019s School-Based Mental Health Grant Program and Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program provide competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and consortia of LEAs to train and increase the number of credentialed mental health services providers providing school-based mental health services to students. The Education Innovation and Research grant provides funding to create, develop, implement, replicate, or scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, and field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students.\n\nThe Department of Education funding recipients include:\n\nCahlhoun, Greene, Jersey, and Macoupin Counties: Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program ($1,246,643)\n\nIllinois State Board of Education: School-Based Mental Health Grant Program ($1,743,772) and Mental Health Service Professionals Development Program ($476,910)\n\nThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois: Education Innovation and Research ($10,000,000)\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-members-of-illinois-delegation-request-25-million-in-reimbursements-for-mwrds-work-on-the-thornton-reservoir", "Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of Illinois Delegation Request $25 Million In Reimbursements For MWRD\u2019s Work On The Thornton Reservoir", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Jesus G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garcia (D-IL-04), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle urging the Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to include $25 million in construction funds in its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Work Plan to reimburse the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago for the work it has completed on the design and construction of the Thornton Composite Reservoir.\n\n\u201cWe are writing to request that you include $25 million in Construction funds in the Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Fiscal Year 2026 Work Plan to reimburse the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for design and construction work conducted on the Thornton Composite Reservoir,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nIn 2009, MWRD executed an amendment to its Project Cooperation Agreement with the Army Corps for the design and construction of the Thornton Composite Reservoir, enabling MWRD to work on the project while being eligible for federal reimbursement. Despite the reservoir being in service since 2015 and providing an estimated $660 million in flood reduction benefits to 14 communities, the Army Corps still owes MWRD approximately $200 million in reimbursements.\n\n\u201cCurrently, the Army Corps of Engineers owes MWRD approximately $200 million in reimbursements for the cost of designing and constructing the Thornton Reservoir, which is needed to support flood-prone communities struggling to build resilient infrastructure. Cook County experienced significant flooding during storm events in 2023, 2024, and 2025, leading to three disaster declarations. These reimbursement funds would be used to advance shovel-ready projects to address flood damages in the Chicagoland area,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\n\u201cNot only will this flood protection work help communities be more resilient, it also will help boost economic development. Including a $25 million reimbursement in the FY 2026 Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Work Plan will ensure that MWRD can reinvest in these communities to mitigate flooding and create a strong economic base,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe lawmakers concluded their letter by emphasizing the necessity of including the reimbursement funds in the FY26 Work Plan to support flood protection projects across the state.\n\n\u201cThese funds are needed to provide community flood protection for projects currently in design, including projects in Maine Township, Park Ridge, the City of Harvey, Bremen Township, Midlothian, Crestwood, and Oak Lawn. FY 2026 funding would build on the $20 million in the FY 2024 Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan; the $7.2 million reimbursement to MWRD in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act\u2019s Construction Spend Plan, Summer 2023 Addendum; and the $12 million in the FY 2022 Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan, allowing MWRD to focus on completing critical projects, including the Robbins Flood Protection Project,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\n\u201cAs the Army Corps determines how to best address its flood damage reduction obligations and meet its commitments to its partners, we strongly urge you to include $25 million in Construction funds for the reimbursement owed to MWRD in the FY 2026 Work Plan to help create a better future for our constituents,\u201d the lawmakers concluded their letter.\n\nDurbin has previously secured additional reimbursements from the Corps for MWRD\u2019s work on Thornton Reservoir. In Fiscal Year 2022, Durbin secured $12 million in reimbursement funds in the Army Corps\u2019 FY22 Work Plan. The following year, Durbin secured $7.2 million in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Construction Spend Plan for the project. In Fiscal Year 2024, Durbin also secured $20 million in the Army Corps\u2019 work plan for reimbursement.\n\nA copy of the letter is available here and below:\n\nDecember 19, 2025\n\nDear Assistant Secretary Telle:\n\nWe are writing to request that you include $25 million in Construction funds in the Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 (Army Corps) Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Work Plan to reimburse the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago for design and construction work conducted on the Thornton Composite Reservoir.\n\nIn 2009, MWRD executed an amendment to its Project Cooperation Agreement with the Army Corps for the design and construction of the Thornton Composite Reservoir. This enabled MWRD to design and construct the Thornton Composite Reservoir project and allowed it to be eligible for federal reimbursement. The reservoir was put into service in 2015 and has provided an estimated $660 million in flood reduction benefits to 14 communities over the last 10 years, protecting more than 35,000 structures from flooding.\n\nCurrently, the Army Corps of Engineers owes MWRD approximately $200 million in reimbursements for the cost of designing and constructing the Thornton Reservoir, which is needed to support flood-prone communities struggling to build resilient infrastructure. Cook County experienced significant flooding during storm events in 2023, 2024, and 2025, leading to three disaster declarations. These reimbursement funds would be used to advance shovel-ready projects to address flood damages in the Chicagoland area. Not only will this flood protection work help communities be more resilient, it also will help boost economic development. Including a $25 million reimbursement in the FY 2026 Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Work Plan will ensure that MWRD can reinvest in these communities to mitigate flooding and create a strong economic base.\n\nThese funds are needed to provide community flood protection for projects currently in design, including projects in Maine Township, Park Ridge, the City of Harvey, Bremen Township, Midlothian, Crestwood, and Oak Lawn. FY 2026 funding would build on the $20 million in the FY 2024 Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan; the $7.2 million reimbursement to MWRD in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act\u2019s Construction Spend Plan, Summer 2023 Addendum; and the $12 million in the FY 2022 Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan, allowing MWRD to focus on completing critical projects, including the Robbins Flood Protection Project.\n\nAs the Army Corps determines how to best address its flood damage reduction obligations and meet its commitments to its partners, we strongly urge you to include $25 million in Construction funds for the reimbursement owed to MWRD in the FY 2026 Work Plan to help create a better future for our constituents.\n\nThank you for your consideration of our important request.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-joins-blumenthal-ross-to-introduce-legislation-to-shine-light-on-supreme-court-shadow-docket-decisions", "Durbin Joins Blumenthal, Ross To Introduce Legislation To Shine Light On Supreme Court Shadow Docket Decisions", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act requires the Supreme Court to provide a written explanation for shadow docket decisions and a vote count detailing how each justice voted on the decision, promoting transparency and consistency in judicial decision making.\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Deborah Ross (D-NC) to introduce bicameral legislation establishing transparency in decisions on the Supreme Court\u2019s emergency docket, also known as the \u201cshadow docket.\u201d The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act requires the Supreme Court to provide a written explanation for shadow docket decisions and a vote count detailing how each Justice voted on the decision, promoting transparency and consistency in judicial decision making.\n\nThe Supreme Court\u2019s increasing reliance on the shadow docket allows it to make decisions on short notice without oral argument or any legal explanation of the Court\u2019s reasoning. The Court has utilized the shadow docket to decide a number of wide-ranging, highly consequential cases, including the September 8, 2025 decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo. The decision allows ICE agents to stop and arrest individuals based on their appearance, the language they speak, where they live, and what they do for work.\n\nThe Trump Administration has also urged the Supreme Court to decide Trump v. Illinois, a case that will determine the legality of the Trump Administration\u2019s federalization and deployment of the National Guard in Illinois, on the shadow docket. The Trump Administration\u2019s emergency application is still pending.\n\n\u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s abuse of the shadow docket has allowed justices to hand down major rulings without justification and sets a dangerous precedent under which consequential cases are decided without a clear rationale\u2014even when those cases involve a presidential administration that has shown little regard for the Constitution. This abuse of process must stop,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cThe highest court in the land should not issue decisions in the dark. The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act would require justices to explain their decision making in every case, providing the American people with the transparency and accountability they deserve from their government.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe shadow docket decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, a highly chilling legal landmark, condones racial profiling in Trump\u2019s immigration enforcement. Shockingly, this very significant ruling was issued without any public argument or majority opinion. The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act shines light on the Supreme Court\u2019s emergency docket rulings, like Vazquez Perdomo, and requires the Supreme Court to be accountable and explain its rulings. Americans deserve clarity from the nation\u2019s highest Court\u2014especially as the Court increasingly uses the shadow docket to issue far-reaching consequential decisions. Recent shadow docket decisions demonstrate the dire need for our legislation\u2019s enforceable guidelines that hold the Court accountable,\u201d said Blumenthal.\n\n\u201cThe conservative majority on the Supreme Court continues to issue harmful, backwards decisions through the shadow docket, often offering no explanation of their reasoning or how the justices voted,\u201d said Ross. \u201cFrom allowing DOGE to access sensitive data to permitting the illegal mass firings of federal employees, the Supreme Court has used the shadow docket to hand down major decisions that impact millions of Americans\u2019 daily lives. This important legislation will require the Court to operate with the transparency that the American people deserve.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Durbin and Blumenthal, the Shadow Docket Sunlight Act is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). In addition to Ross, the legislation is cosponsored in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Hank Johnson (D-GA).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by a number of organizations including the National Women\u2019s Law Center, Fix the Court, People for the American Way, Court Accountability Action, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).\n\nThe text of the bill can be found here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-whistleblower-disclosure-regarding-uscis-circumventing-court-order", "Durbin Statement On Whistleblower Disclosure Regarding USCIS Circumventing Court Order", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CHICAGO \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a whistleblower disclosure alleging that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is feigning compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and a court order in a class action lawsuit in order to avoid court oversight.\n\nThe Nightingale court order simply requires USCIS to comply with existing FOIA law to process immigration case files and report its progress to the court. Yet, according to this whistleblower report, USCIS is trying to avoid court reporting requirements and obligations under FOIA by prematurely closing cases, even when a USCIS FOIA officer has found the case file information and could provide it to the FOIA requester. The disclosure comes after USCIS reported to the court that it had a 99 percent timely completion rate for immigration case file FOIA requests.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s disclosure alleges that the DHS FOIA office wants a district court judge to believe FOIA requests are being processed more efficiently. But in fact, they are being summarily closed to cook the numbers.\n\n\u201cThe agency\u2019s actions directly conflict with the spirit of the Nightingale lawsuit, which was filed to ensure due process for individuals who only can access their records through FOIA. They also appear to conflict with the Freedom of Information Act, which instructs agencies not to withhold information unless the agency reasonably foresees that the disclosure would harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption.\n\n\u201cNew policies that allow the agency to reject FOIA requests reduce transparency and are just one more way that the Trump-Noem DHS is operating with impunity. The information contained in case files is vital as immigrants increasingly are the targets of violent enforcement actions and must dispute false narratives devised by this Administration. USCIS must respond to FOIA requests fully and in a timely fashion.\u201d\n\nRecords contained in immigration case files only obtainable through FOIA are critical. For example, case files reveal details about immigration enforcement actions against an individual, including a warrant or the absence of a warrant, analysis of U.S. citizenship claims, and details about an arrest. In another example, attorneys representing vulnerable populations, such as unaccompanied minors, must obtain case file information to reconstruct basic facts like entry dates or prior shelter placements to help prepare unaccompanied minor immigrants\u2019 cases.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-leads-her-colleagues-in-demanding-the-trump-administration-reverse-its-termination-of-tps-for-burma", "Duckworth Leads Her Colleagues in Demanding the Trump Administration Reverse its Termination of TPS for Burma", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 After Donald Trump continued his extreme, anti-immigrant campaign by terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led her Senate Democratic colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration immediately reverse this harmful, misguided policy and reinstate Burma\u2019s TPS designation. In the letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Senators highlighted the inconsistencies in the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s rationale for terminating TPS and urged the Administration to stop staking the lives of lawful TPS beneficiaries on the misleading claims of authoritarian leaders and advancing a policy that will force them to return to an active war zone. In addition to Duckworth, the letter is co-signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).\n\nIn the letter, the Senators wrote: \u201cYour termination notice ignores the Burmese military\u2019s brutality, often targeted at returnees, and heartlessly requires TPS holders to return to an active war zone. We ask that you stop relying on the claims of authoritarian leaders to justify politically expedient TPS terminations and immediately reverse this decision.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued: \u201cWe are particularly alarmed that your justification for terminating TPS for Burma embraces the talking points of Burma\u2019s military junta. In your termination notice, you highlight the military State Administration Council\u2019s self-dissolution and revocation of its 2021 state of emergency and the National Defense and Security Council\u2019s plans to hold what you deem \u201cfree and fair\u201d elections as signs of major improvement in Burma that guided your decision. However, you fail to acknowledge that, after ending emergency rule in July, military leaders immediately reimposed a state of emergency and martial law in townships in 9 of Burma\u2019s 14 states and regions, admitted that scheduled elections in December 2025 and January 2026 will not be nationwide and passed a law designed to criminalize protests of the electoral process\u2014guaranteeing tight military control over election administration.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter is available below and on the Senator\u2019s website:\n\nDear Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio:\n\nWe write to express deep concern about the U.S. Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma. Your termination notice ignores the Burmese military\u2019s brutality, often targeted at returnees, and heartlessly requires TPS holders to return to an active war zone. We ask that you stop relying on the claims of authoritarian leaders to justify politically expedient TPS terminations and immediately reverse this decision.\n\nBurma was initially designated for TPS on May 25, 2021, on the basis of extraordinary and temporary conditions caused by a military coup that sparked political and humanitarian crises characterized by state-perpetrated violence against civilians, the arbitrary arrest and detention of demonstrators and the persecution of minority groups such as the Rohingya Muslims. This designation was subsequently extended and redesignated, most recently on May 26, 2024, with DHS citing ongoing violence in 315 of Burma\u2019s 330 townships; the abduction and trafficking of children for use in combat; and dire humanitarian needs stemming from food insecurity, a deteriorating economy and a collapsing healthcare system. Despite these findings, on November 24, 2025, you capriciously terminated TPS for Burma, effective January 26, 2026, asserting that \u201cthe situation in Burma has improved enough that it is safe for Burmese citizens to return home.\u201d\n\nThis characterization belies facts on the ground in Burma, which has been mired by intensified civil war since February 2021 and is reeling from a devastating earthquake in March 2025 that pushed the country\u2019s already strained infrastructure and health system further towards failure. It also appears contrary to the Department of State\u2019s own appraisal of conditions in Burma, including its level \u201cDo Not Travel\u201d advisory for the country that warns \u201cDo not travel to Burma due to civil unrest, armed conflict, and arbitrary enforcement of local laws.\u201d\n\nWe are particularly alarmed that your justification for terminating TPS for Burma embraces the talking points of Burma\u2019s military junta. In your termination notice, you highlight the military State Administration Council\u2019s self-dissolution and revocation of its 2021 state of emergency and the National Defense and Security Council\u2019s plans to hold what you deem \u201cfree and fair\u201d elections as signs of major improvement in Burma that guided your decision. However, you fail to acknowledge that, after ending emergency rule in July, military leaders immediately reimposed a state of emergency and martial law in townships in 9 of Burma\u2019s 14 states and regions, admitted that scheduled elections in December 2025 and January 2026 will not be nationwide and passed a law designed to criminalize protests of the electoral process\u2014guaranteeing tight military control over election administration.\n\nContrary to your claims, these elections are not expected to alleviate the conflict in Burma. Since its 2021 coup, the Burmese military has banned or dissolved 40 political parties, leading international observers to denounce the upcoming elections as a farcical attempt to legitimize military rule. Additionally, humanitarian conditions have worsened this fall, as the military expands airstrikes on civilian sites and intensifies its campaign against Christian and Muslim minorities.\n\nFor these reasons, numerous international and non-governmental organizations have rebuked your TPS termination and the misleading claims of improvement that buoy it. The United Nations Special Rapporteur responsible for monitoring human rights violations in Burma condemned the termination as \u201can assault on human rights and human decency based on a cruel fiction that ignores overwhelming evidence of Myanmar\u2019s [Burma\u2019s] spiraling crisis,\u201d adding that, \u201cIt is inconceivable that any good-faith review of Myanmar\u2019s situation could conclude that conditions are safe or improving\u2026Attacks on civilians have reached record highs this year as the military burns villages, bombs churches, and jails, tortures, and executes its opponents.\u201d These pervasive acts of violence inhibit safe return, and it is nonsensical and cruel to force 3,969 Burmese nationals and lawful TPS holders in the U.S. back to Burma to face violence\u2014if not targeted persecution, detention and killing\u2014when conditions clearly merit a TPS extension.\n\nIt is unconscionable that you refuse to interrogate the assertions of Burma\u2019s military junta\u2014leaders of which your own Departments would block from entering the United States due to their gross violations of human rights\u2014because their claims happen to help you justify President Trump\u2019s attacks on our lawful immigration system. Burmese TPS holders are human rights advocates, opposition figures, journalists and others who champion democracy and human rights, which are values that the United States has historically upheld and that enrich American communities. We ask that you immediately reverse your termination of TPS for Burma, and that you immediately cease staking the lives of lawful TPS holders on the promises of dictators and abusive military regimes.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-led-provision-to-rein-in-trumps-misuse-of-the-military-passes-congress-awaits-presidents-signature", "Duckworth-Led Provision to Rein in Trump\u2019s Misuse of the Military Passes Congress, Awaits President\u2019s Signature", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation\u2019s servicemembers into American communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, the Senate passed a provision authored and championed by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) that would rein in Trump\u2019s misuse of the military, help strengthen public trust in the military and ensure servicemembers identify themselves as part of the Armed Forces when assisting federal law enforcement in the United States. The Senator\u2019s provision\u2014which is a modified version of her Military in Law Enforcement Accountability (MiLEA) Act\u2014was included in the National Defense Authorization Act that both chambers of Congress have now passed. The provision will ensure that servicemembers identify themselves properly to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties.\n\n\u201cIt is inexcusable that the Trump Administration is intentionally trying to borrow the respected image of the military and make it hard for Americans to tell the difference between abusive federal agents and our professional servicemembers\u2014with DHS agents dressing in camo and wielding military-style weapons,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cIn my own experience serving in the National Guard, I saw firsthand the difference that drawing a bright line between the roles of our military and law enforcement can make in terms of maintaining public trust in our military. Although the courts have stopped him in city after city, it\u2019s clear Donald Trump wants our professional military to defend his incredibly abusive and unprofessional agents in carrying out his cruel and extreme domestic policies. My provision would provide accountability to the public during tense moments when troops might be interacting with citizens, from protests to natural disasters to humanitarian crises\u2014and help build back the public\u2019s trust in the military.\u201d\n\nDuckworth has repeatedly criticized Trump and his Administration for repeatedly trying to blur the lines between our highly trained troops and lawless federal agents, which is eroding public trust in our military. During her questioning at SASC hearing she successfully secured, Duckworth pressed U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) Commander General Gregory M. Guillot, USAF, about whether the Department was ensuring differentiation between our troops and federal agents. He confirmed that he had not received any guidance or orders from the Administration on making this distinction. However, he assured that he has the authority to direct members under his command to distinguish themselves from ICE.\n\nDuckworth successfully secured this hearing in early October\u2014weeks after she led all of her fellow SASC Democrats in calling on SASC Chairman Wicker to hold this hearing, and shortly after she blocked expedited passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in order to secure it.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-led-provisions-to-protect-rock-island-arsenal-support-illinois-quantum-technology-research-and-safeguard-care-for-veterans-passes-congress-awaits-presidents-signature", "Duckworth-Led Provisions to Protect Rock Island Arsenal, Support Illinois Quantum Technology Research and Safeguard Care for Veterans Passes Congress, Awaits President\u2019s Signature", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), successfully secured several important provisions to support Illinoisans, servicemembers, Veterans and our state\u2019s economy that passed Congress this week and are heading to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law. Some of the priorities Duckworth secured to help Illinoisans include protecting Rock Island Arsenal from any restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plans, supporting research and development at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago and expanding access to vital health care services for our state\u2019s servicemembers, Veterans and military families.\n\n\u201cThroughout bipartisan negotiations, I\u2019m proud to have helped lead the charge to secure several important provisions that will support our servicemembers and ensure Illinois\u2019s defense innovation ecosystem and Rock Island Arsenal are as strong as possible,\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cThese critical provisions will help benefit our state by protecting operations at Rock Island Arsenal, protecting health care access for our military and Veteran families and supporting groundbreaking quantum computing research in Chicago.\u201d\n\nKey Duckworth-led provisions set to be signed into law that will support Illinoisans include:\n\nSupporting and Protecting Rock Island Arsenal Operations:\n\nBy Protecting Jobs: This provision limits funds available to the Secretary of the Army allocated for restructuring Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate the two commands, helping ensure operations and jobs at Rock Island Arsenal are not unnecessarily affected.\n\nBy Sustaining Workload and Industrial Base: This provision establishes a 5-year pilot program requiring DoD to give preference to public-private partnerships in arsenals and depots, especially those non-public partners that ensure a workshare to DoD employees to protect critical skills. This provision would help ensure arsenals and factories, like Rock Island Arsenal, remain active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation\u2019s defense industrial base. This is a modified version of Senator Durbin\u2019s Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act.\n\nBy Constructing a Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal: The bill authorizes $50 million in Major Construction funds for a new addition to the Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal and to consolidate the existing facilities and make upgrades to meet DoD guidelines and safety requirements, ensuring that eligible families at Rock Island Arsenal have a safe, modern facility for childcare.\n\nBy Improving Predictive Manufacturing Analytics at Army Arsenals: Language urging the continued implementation of industrial control networks across our Army\u2019s arsenals to enable the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data associated with the manufacture and repair of equipment and supplies. This work completed by MxD, the nation\u2019s digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, located in Chicago, helps ensure the efficiency and security of the critical manufacturing completed at Rock Island Arsenal and the Army\u2019s other arsenals.?\n\nBy Expanding Robotic Enhancements for Armaments Manufacturing: Language authorizing an additional $5 million for the Secretary of the Army to expand prototyping and production capacity by integrating robotics, automation and digital manufacturing into the munitions industrial base, further modernizing production at Rock Island Arsenal with technology pioneered by innovators in Chicago.?\n\nBy Improving the Governance of the Organic Industrial Base: Language directing the Army to analyze the effectiveness of their current governance and resourcing model for the Army\u2019s arsenals, depots as well as ammunition plants and identify opportunities for changes to ensure the enterprise and its workforce can support the military\u2019s munitions and sustainment requirements now and in the future. The Senator helped secure this provision alongside Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK). ?\n\nSafeguarding Veteran Medical Care in North Chicago: This provision, led with Senator Durbin, secures a one-year extension of the Joint Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, which supports the operations of the North Chicago-based Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This provision will help safeguard continued access to vital services for military families and Veterans in the area.\n\nProtecting Cities Like Chicago from the Trump Administration\u2019s Overreach with the Military: Two provisions improve American civil rights and put guardrails on misuse of the military domestically, including:\n\nBy Distinguishing Troops from Federal Agents. A modified version of a provision of Senator Duckworth\u2019s Military In Law Enforcement Accountability Act (MiLEAA) requires servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement when operating in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation\u2019s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly\u2014to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties.\n\nBy Requiring Mandatory Training to Servicemembers on Rules for Use of Force and Legal Responsibilities During Domestic Deployments. This provision helps ensure troops know how to responsibly operate within the bounds of domestic laws and protect American civil rights. This provision requires DoD to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States.\n\nInvesting in Quantum Technology in Chicago: Language recognizing the importance of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency\u2019s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program, which aims to build a commercially useful fault-tolerant quantum computer (FTQC) by 2033, and encouraging the Department to concurrently prepare algorithms to operate those machines, while the hardware is being built. This provision recognizes the importance of the development of the first FTQC, which is being built at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, Illinois.\n\nChampioning Domestic Manufacturing in Belleville: A provision requiring DoD to increase investments in and develop strategies related to enhancing the capacity, technological advancement, and long-term stability of the domestic textile and footwear industrial base, including expand domestic production capacity of textiles or footwear, maximize the use of annual or multi-year contracts for acquisitions to ensure stability and predictability to industry, and assess the resilience of the supply chain for textiles and footwear industries and reduce reliance from foreign manufacturers. This language is a modified version of the Senator\u2019s Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, which recognizes that our defense industrial base for combat boots needs investment in order for it to support our troops and help ensure they have the sturdiest and most protective boots in a possible war, like those manufactured in Illinois at Belleville\u2019s Belleville Boot Manufacturing Co.\n\nAdvancing U.S. Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation in Champaign: This provision supports the innovative work being done at advanced facilities like the University of Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) by requiring more information on how DoD is investing in this technology critical for national security.\n\nEncouraging Investment in Nuclear Energy and Domestic Printed Circuit Boards: A provision allowing the Office of Strategic Capital to enter into investments in nuclear fusion and fission energy and directing OSC to explore printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies, to ensure these critical technologies\u2014which Illinois plays a central role in manufacturing and advancing\u2014has sufficient capital investments to scale for warfighting.\n\nProtecting Servicemembers from Dangerous PFAS in their Protective Garments: Language requiring the DoD to articulate its plan for acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals as soon as possible.?Innovative Illinois research and development and manufacturing is leading the way on alternatives that protect servicemembers without relying on toxic chemicals.\n\nSupporting Investments in Biomechanical, Physiological and Psychological Research on Injuries. Language that expresses support for investments in biomechanical, physiological, and psychological research to mitigate injury risks and improve physical resilience in combat operations.\n\nDesigning a New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Scott Air Force Base: The bill authorizes $6 million in Planning and Design funds for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support the training and operational mission of the 126th Aerial Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base. The current hangar was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair and no longer meets Department of Defense standards or mission requirements, making a new hangar critical to the Wing\u2019s mission.\n\nRenovating General Jones Readiness Center: The bill authorizes $5 million in Planning and Design funds for major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. Renovating it to meet mission requirements is a top priority for the Illinois National Guard.\n\nOther key funding for Illinois projects set to be signed into law include:\n\n$5 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support forging annex at Rock Island Arsenal.\n\n$3.05 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support range control at Marseilles Training Center.\n\n$8 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support the Peoria Armory Readiness Center.\n\n-30-\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-casten-introduce-resolution-honoring-illinois-blue-ribbon-schools-after-trump-administration-ends-program", "Durbin, Duckworth, Casten Introduce Resolution Honoring Illinois\u2019 Blue Ribbon Schools After Trump Administration Ends Program", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The resolution recognizes the 28 Illinois schools who earned a designation as a Blue Ribbon School before the Trump Administration ended the program earlier this year\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014 After the Trump Administration ended the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today introduced a resolution to recognize the 28 Illinois schools that were selected to receive the designation of Blue Ribbon Schools this year. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program was a national recognition from the U.S. Department of Education given to public, charter, and private schools for their exemplary education and work to close the achievement gap.\n\n\u201cRather than continue our nation\u2019s tradition of celebrating schools that have dedicated themselves to closing the achievement gap, the Trump Administration has focused its energy on closing the Department of Education at the detriment of our nation\u2019s students and their education. While the Trump Administration will not recognize the hard work of educators, I am proud to celebrate the achievements of Illinois schools who earned the title of being a Blue Ribbon School,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cMy resolution with Senator Duckworth and Congressman Casten gives these schools \u2013 and the educators, faculty, and staff that run them \u2013 the recognition they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our schools and support our teachers,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to recognize this year\u2019s National Blue Ribbon Schools across Illinois and their efforts to help students thrive inside and outside the classroom. I will continue to work alongside Senator Durbin to ensure that all students\u2014no matter their zip code\u2014have the opportunity to grow and thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cIllinois\u2019 Blue Ribbon Schools represent the very best of our state\u2019s education system,\u201d said Casten. \u201cTeachers, administrators, and students work tirelessly to earn this distinction, which recognizes a sustained commitment to academic excellence. Although the Trump Administration needlessly ended the program, Congress can and should continue to honor deserving institutions. I am proud to introduce this resolution with Senator Durbin to ensure their achievements receive the recognition they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\n\nCreated in 1982 by the Reagan Administration, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program was the highest federal recognition a school could receive. The program showcased the best teaching practices of educators and encouraged other schools to model them. Since its inception, the program honored more than 9,000 public, private, charter, and parochial schools nationwide.\n\nJoining Durbin, Duckworth, and Casten in introducing the resolution are U.S. Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Johnathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09).\n\nFull text of the resolution is available here.\n\nIllinois schools that were selected for the 2025 Blue Ribbon Schools designation prior to the discontinuation of the program are:\n\nAscension Catholic School \u2013 Oak Park, Illinois\n\nClarendon Hills Middle School \u2013 Clarendon Hills, Illinois\n\nGlen Oaks Elementary School \u2013 Hickory Hills, Illinois\n\nHighlands Elementary School \u2013 La Grange, Illinois\n\nKennedy Junior High School \u2013 Lisle, Illinois\n\nLiberty Intermediate School \u2013 Bourbonnais, Illinois\n\nLincoln-Way East High School \u2013 Frankfort, Illinois\n\nLyons Township High School \u2013 La Grange, Illinois\n\nMascoutah Middle School \u2013 Mascoutah, Illinois\n\nOur Lady of Mount Carmel Academy \u2013 Chicago, Illinois\n\nPleasantdale Middle School \u2013 Burr Ridge, Illinois\n\nPrescott Elementary School \u2013 Chicago, Illinois\n\nRegina Dominican High School \u2013 Wilmette, Illinois\n\nSarah Adams Elementary School \u2013 Lake Zurich, Illinois\n\nSt. Anne Catholic School \u2013 Barrington, Illinois\n\nSt. Giles School \u2013 Oak Park, Illinois\n\nSt. John of the Cross Parish School \u2013 Western Springs, Illinois\n\nSt. Matthias School \u2013 Chicago, Illinois\n\nSt. Norbert School \u2013 Northbrook, Illinois\n\nSt. Therese Chinese Catholic School \u2013 Chicago, Illinois\n\nSunset Ridge Elementary School \u2013 Northfield, Illinois\n\nThe Academy at St. Joan of Arc \u2013 Evanston, Illinois\n\nTimothy Christian P\u20138 \u2013 Elmhurst, Illinois\n\nWalker Elementary School \u2013 Clarendon Hills, Illinois\n\nWarren Elementary School \u2013 Warren, Illinois\n\nWheaton Academy \u2013 West Chicago, Illinois\n\nWilliam Fremd High School \u2013 Palatine, Illinois\n\nWoodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart \u2013 Lake Forest, Illinois\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-submit-criminal-referral-to-doj-regarding-trump-officials-unconstitutional-immigration-enforcement-activity", "Durbin, Duckworth Submit Criminal Referral To DOJ Regarding Trump Officials\u2019 Unconstitutional Immigration Enforcement Activity", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Senators notify DOJ they are gathering and preserving additional evidence of violations of Section 242 amid \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d and other unlawful immigration raids across the country\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today referred the unlawful actions of Trump Administration officials and federal law enforcement agents responsible for immigration enforcement in Illinois to Attorney General Pam Bondi for investigation.\n\nThe Trump Administration repeatedly appears to have violated the constitutional rights of individuals in Illinois during \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d and the officials responsible for these violations are acting with impunity. Under 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 242, it is a federal crime for any person acting \u201cunder color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom\u201d to \u201cwillfully subject[] any person . . . to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.\u201d Anyone who willfully violates another person\u2019s Fourth Amendment rights by engaging in warrantless arrests or use of excessive force under color of law may be held liable under Section 242. If this Administration fails to pursue charges, the statute of limitations will permit the next Administration to prosecute officials who acted unlawfully.\n\nThe Senators wrote, \u201cWe write to alert the Department of Justice to potential violations of law by federal immigration agents and senior Administration officials during implementation of President Trump\u2019s mass deportation campaign\u2014and specifically the so-called \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 in Illinois. This enforcement campaign\u2014defined by use of excessive force and warrantless arrests\u2014has reached multiple states and is intentionally creating fear and havoc in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Minneapolis. As indicated by agency leadership, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in operations in more than 27 cities and looking to expand their interior operations.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cDuring \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019, federal immigration agents have violated the Fourth Amendment by conducting warrantless arrests and use of excessive force as they violently confront individuals, including U.S. citizens, during immigration enforcement operations. They have shoved Chicagoans, including U.S. citizens, into unmarked vehicles, tased them, punched them, launched pepper balls at them, and tear gassed and shot them.\u201d\n\nIn the letter, the Senators cite various ways federal agents appear to have violated individuals\u2019 Fourth Amendment rights. Federal agents have repeatedly and unjustifiably arrested individuals without warrants, including incidents in which agents have broken car windows as they executed such arrests. In the first six months of this Administration\u2019s immigration crackdown, there have been at least 50 documented instances of immigration agents breaking car windows, compared to eight public accounts of agents breaking windows in the previous decade. Immigration agents also have engaged in use of excessive force. Federal immigration agents have unnecessarily tackled, punched, and slammed people to the ground with such force that targeted individuals have reported broken bones and needing medical care. Video footage, eyewitness accounts, and multiple reports confirm these incidents of use of excessive force.\n\nFederal immigration agents have unnecessarily deployed tear gas and fired pepper balls to intimidate and disperse journalists and peaceful protesters, including clergy and other community members. These chemical agents have sickened people\u2014including children, pregnant women, and the elderly\u2014and have created hazards for motorists. Federal immigration agents also have unjustifiably used tasers to disable individuals during \u201cOperation Midway Blitz.\u201d In one instance, a fearful U.S. citizen tried to prevent an immigration agent from forcibly opening his car door; in response, the agent tased him in the face, requiring him to seek medical treatment at a hospital.\n\nSenior Trump Administration officials appear to have sanctioned and even approved the persistent use of warrantless arrests and use of excessive force by federal agents involved in immigration enforcement operations in Illinois. In an October 30 deposition, Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Border Patrol agent responsible for Midway Blitz enforcement operations, praised federal immigration agents\u2019 use of force, stating: \u201cThe use of force that I\u2019ve seen has been exemplary\u2014the least amount of force necessary to accomplish the mission.\u201d He also stated: \u201cIf someone strays into a pepper ball, then that\u2019s on them. Don\u2019t protest and don\u2019t trespass.\u201d After departing Illinois in November, Bovino returned to Chicago earlier this week.\n\nIn the letter, the Senators cite legal challenges where courts have attempted to rein in these unlawful enforcement activities. A federal judge in the Northern District of Illinois, for example, issued a preliminary injunction that prohibits federal agents from using pepper balls, chemical agents, or other projectiles at the Broadview Processing Facility or anywhere in the Chicagoland area, absent an imminent threat to federal agents, and also prohibits \u201chands-on physical force,\u201d such as shoving someone to the ground, tackling or body slamming, restraint techniques such as chokeholds and neck restraints, and the indiscriminate use of chemical agents and projectiles. The judge issued the preliminary injunction, along with a lengthy opinion, after federal agents refused to comply with an initial and expanded temporary injunction in the same case. Incidents in the days that followed the preliminary injunction demonstrate that agents continued to defy the court\u2019s order.\n\nThe Senators wrote, \u201cAs you have previously noted, \u2018No one is above the law.\u2019 We agree, and that\u2019s why we urge the Department of Justice to set aside partisan politics and immediately investigate the potential violations of Section 242 outlined above.\u201d\n\nThe Senators concluded, \u201cSenator Durbin has directed Senate Judiciary Committee minority staff to continue gathering evidence of potential violations of Section 242 and other federal laws, and we will provide this evidence to the Department in due course. Federal law enforcement officers participating in \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 and other unnecessarily aggressive immigration enforcement activities throughout the United States, as well as their leadership directing them to engage in these inappropriate enforcement actions, should be on notice that we are closely monitoring such activities and that they can be held accountable for violating individuals\u2019 constitutional rights.\u201d\n\nA copy of the letter is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-graham-introduce-bill-to-sunset-section-230-immunity-for-tech-companies-protect-americans-online", "Durbin, Graham Introduce Bill To Sunset Section 230 Immunity For Tech Companies, Protect Americans Online", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Sunset Section 230 Act would repeal Section 230 two years after the date of enactment so that those harmed online can bring legal action against companies\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced the Sunset Section 230 Act, which would repeal Section 230 two years after the date of enactment so that those harmed online can bring legal action against companies and finally hold them accountable for the harms that occur on their platforms.\n\n\u201cChildren are being exploited and abused because Big Tech consistently prioritizes profits over people. Enough is enough. Sunsetting Section 230 will force Big Tech to come to the table to take ownership over the harms it has wrought. And if Big Tech doesn\u2019t, this bill will open the courtroom to victims of its platforms. Parents have been begging Congress to step in, and it\u2019s time we do so. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Graham on this effort, and we will push for it to become law,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cI am extremely pleased that there is such wide and deep bipartisan support for repealing Section 230, which protects social media companies from being sued by the people whose lives they destroy. Giant social media platforms are unregulated, immune from lawsuits and are making billions of dollars in advertising revenue off some of the most unsavory content and criminal activity imaginable. It is past time to allow those who have been harmed by these behemoths to have their day in court,\u201d said Graham.\n\nIn addition to Durbin and Graham, the bill is sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Peter Welch (D-VT).\n\n\u201cFor nearly 30 years, Section 230 has provided Big Tech cover as they turn a blind eye to heinous crimes committed on their platforms. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I\u2019m glad to join my bipartisan colleagues in this effort to update our nation\u2019s laws, reign in Section 230 and hold Big Tech accountable,\u201d said Grassley.\n\n\u201cWhen Section 230 was enacted 30 years ago it was intended to give small tech companies space to innovate. But today many of these companies are now worth billions and even trillions of dollars yet the law still shields them from accountability from harms that occur on their platforms including child exploitation and illegal fentanyl sales. Parents and victims should be able to hold these companies accountable by suing for damages, the same way they can sue if injured by nearly any other product,\u201d said Klobuchar.\n\n\u201cFor too long, Big Tech giants have hidden behind the outdated shield of Section 230 to censor conservative voices and silence viewpoints they don't agree with. We must repeal Section 230 to finally hold Big Tech accountable and restore true freedom of speech and fairness online for the American people,\u201d said Blackburn.\n\n\u201cBig Tech hides behind Section 230 to dodge accountability while their platforms exploit children and inflict harm on the American people. Mark Zuckerberg and others have spent a decade claiming to support Section 230 reforms in public, while their lobbyists and lawyers fight tooth-and-nail behind the scenes. Our bipartisan measure would force Big Tech to the table with a bold demand: either negotiate sensible reforms now or lose your absolute immunity forever,\u201d said Blumenthal.\n\n\u201cAs a former prosecutor and the mother of a school aged child I know firsthand the dangers our children face online. We are the first generation of parents having to deal with predators getting to our children under our own roofs through their devices. The old rules \u2014 stranger danger, don\u2019t get in the van \u2014 aren\u2019t enough to protect them anymore. That is why I am throwing my full support behind the Sunset Section 230 Act, and I urge my colleagues to get off the sidelines and finally do something to protect our kids,\u201d said Moody.\n\n\u201cThe internet has dramatically transformed since the Communications Decency Act was passed in 1996. Nearly 30 years later, Section 230 has been used by America\u2019s biggest tech giants not as a tool but as a shield, providing immunity from legal consequences when their platforms harm consumers. Our bipartisan bill to sunset Section 230 is an important step forward in a bipartisan effort to hold Big Tech accountable. It will protect children and other vulnerable communities from harm, misinformation, and exploitation,\u201d said Welch.\n\nSection 230 was created in 1996, as a part of the Communications Decency Act, to allow then-fledgling social media companies to grow without fear of lawsuits. Those days have long since passed, as these companies are now some of the most powerful in the history of the world.\n\nIn the digital era, thousands of Americans, many of whom are children, have been targeted by online perpetrators who engage in harassment, bullying, the dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and sextortion\u2014a type of online blackmail using nude or sexually explicit images. In certain cases, victims of these crimes are driven to suicide within mere minutes or hours after being abused online, long before their loved ones ever knew they were victimized. Surviving victims and their families are unable to sue the social media companies that criminals use to commit these heinous acts due to protections under Section 230.\n\nThis bill is endorsed by Less Than 3, Enough Is Enough, Zero Abuse Project, National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), Institute for Family Studies, American Principles Project, Bull Moose Project, Protect Young Eyes, Concerned Women for America Action, Fairplay for Kids, ParentsSOS, David\u2019s Legacy Foundation, Digital Progress Institute, Rights4Girls, and Digital Childhood Alliance.\n\nFull text of the bill is available here.\n\nDurbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.\n\nDurbin and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined forces to re-introduce the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, which would combat online child sexual abuse material. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously and awaits action on the Senate floor.\n\nIn addition, Durbin\u2019s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024\u2014and was reintroduced in the Senate this year. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit \u201cdeepfake\u201d images and videos. The volume of \u201cdeepfake\u201d content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and produced without the consent of the person depicted.\n\nEarlier this year, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled \u201cChildren\u2019s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.\u201d Durbin\u2019s opening statement from that hearing is available here, and his questions for the witnesses are available here.\n\nEarlier this month, Durbin and Grassley introduced a bipartisan legislative package to address CSAM.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-shaheen-meet-with-polish-embassys-head-of-mission", "Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Polish Embassy\u2019s Head Of Mission", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with the Head of Mission at the Polish Embassy, Bogdan Klich, to discuss Poland\u2019s strong support of Ukraine as Vladimir Putin continues his brutal war. They also discussed Russia\u2019s provocative incursion into Polish airspace, creating a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine that marks the first time NATO planes engaged enemy targets in alliance airspace.\n\n\u201cWhile I support efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine started by Russia, it is also clear that after each such engagement or threatened deadline from President Trump, Russia\u2019s attacks on Ukraine brazenly increased, not decreased,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cAs I reiterated to Mr. Klich, we must stand strong together\u2014the United States, Poland, and Ukraine\u2014to push back on Vladimir Putin and ensure any peace agreement is not a sellout to Putin. I also reiterated that Poland is our ally, and I hope the Trump Administration takes the Russian drone incursions to NATO seriously.\u201d\n\n\u201cPoland is an invaluable NATO ally, a keystone of our collective defense on the Eastern flank and a steadfast partner in supporting Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom,\u201d said Shaheen. \u201cIn our meeting today, I reiterated my deep reservations about the Trump Administration\u2019s initial so-called \u2018peace\u2019 proposal that is willing to accommodate Putin\u2019s demands at the expense of Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and broader U.S. and European security interests. The United States should follow Poland\u2019s lead and recognize the urgency of the moment\u2014now is the time for a strong, coordinated Allied posture.\u201d\n\nIn October, Durbin and Shaheen introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Russian incursions into NATO territory and reaffirming Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.\n\nDurbin has visited Poland multiple times in recent years, including in February 2022 just days before Russia began its most recent assault on Ukraine. Chicago, Illinois, is home to the largest population of those with Polish ancestry outside of Poland. The Illinois National Guard has a long-standing partnership with Poland that includes training and exchanges. The FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which just passed the Senate yesterday, included a Durbin-supported provision prohibiting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe, including Poland.\n\nPhotos of the meeting are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-fbi-deputy-directors-announced-departure", "Durbin Statement On FBI Deputy Director\u2019s Announced Departure", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced he\u2019s departing his post after less than a year of service:\n\n\u201cDan Bongino was a bad pick from the start. His service was remarkably ineffective, highlighted by his woeful mishandling of the Epstein files and his need for a polygraph exam waiver to be eligible for the job. The men and women who protect our nation at the FBI deserve better than a conspiracy theorist podcaster with an axe to grind.\n\n\u201cI encourage Director Patel to return to longstanding tradition and appoint an experienced career FBI agent who is interested in the agency\u2019s ever-important day-to-day work of keeping our nation safe.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-upcoming-epstein-files-deadline", "Durbin Statement On Upcoming Epstein Files Deadline", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement as tomorrow marks the statutory deadline for the Trump Administration to release the Epstein files:\n\n\u201cThis should be a big step towards transparency to the American public about the horrors of Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s crimes.\n\n\u201cAs the statutory deadline to release the Epstein files approaches, it\u2019s important to center survivors at the forefront. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell committed horrific crimes that put young women through unspeakable trauma. Because of these survivors\u2019 bravery, the American people may soon know a fuller truth.\n\n\u201cThat said, it\u2019s also important to hold those responsible for the politicization of this case accountable. Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino intentionally misled the public before their appointments. Once in office, they let politics serve as their North Star\u2014not justice. Stunt press conferences, binders with no new information, false proclamations on TV, and shoddy searches for the President\u2019s name are shameful distractions from meaningful efforts to seek justice for survivors.\n\n\u201cIt took an act of Congress to get to this point. I will be looking closely for: appropriate redactions of victim\u2019s identifying information, faulty redactions shielding those who caused harm from accountability, and any sense that the Administration is covering up for the wealthy and powerful.\n\n\u201cSurvivors and the public deserve transparency and accountability\u2014no matter who it implicates.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-tillis-conaway-maloy-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-strengthen-and-improve-enforcement-of-illegal-tobacco-products", "Durbin, Tillis, Conaway, Maloy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Strengthen And Improve Enforcement Of Illegal Tobacco Products", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In 2024, DOJ and FDA established a task force to crack down on illegally sold vape products after Durbin urged the agencies to enforce federal laws against the unlawful sale of unauthorized e-cigarette products to children\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with U.S. Representative Herb Conaway Jr., MD (D-NJ-03) and U.S. Representative Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02), today introduced new bicameral and bipartisan legislation to crack down on illegal vape products that are targeted to children. The Strengthening Task Force Operations to Prevent Illicit Vaping Act (S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act) would strengthen a federal multi-agency task force, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to coordinate enforcement, information sharing, and strategy to combat the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes.\n\nIn 2024, FDA and DOJ established this task force after Durbin repeatedly called on the agencies to better enforce federal laws against the unlawful sale of unauthorized e-cigarette products. Durbin secured $2 million for the task force in the Fiscal Year 2026 funding bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies. This funding will support the task force\u2019s efforts to bring all criminal and civil tools to bear against the illegal manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of e-cigarettes from China and other foreign countries.\n\n\u201cIf we hope to prevent the next generation of children from getting hooked on nicotine, we must enforce our existing laws and finally crack down on the illegal e-cigarette products that are flooding stores nationwide,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cMy bipartisan legislation, the S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act, would cement DOJ and FDA\u2019s task force dedicated to preventing the unlawful sale of these unauthorized vape products.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe flood of illegal and unregulated e-cigarettes, particularly from China, undermines public health, skirts federal law, and disadvantages businesses that play by the rules,\u201d said Tillis. \u201cThe S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens coordination among federal agencies to crack down on these illicit products, protect kids from unauthorized nicotine devices, and ensure our laws are enforced as Congress intended.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe rise of illegally imported and unregulated e-cigarettes is a growing threat to public health, legitimate businesses, and the integrity of our enforcement system,\u201d said Conaway. \u201cAs a physician, I understand the urgency of protecting Americans from illegal and dangerous tobacco products. The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens federal task forces on the front lines, equipping them with the tools and coordination necessary to disrupt illegal vaping networks. This bill takes a responsible, enforcement-focused approach to safeguarding communities and ensuring a lawful, transparent marketplace.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere are clear laws on the books governing tobacco and vaping products, but those laws only matter if they\u2019re enforced,\u201d said Maloy. \u201cThe S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens enforcement by improving coordination across agencies so illegal operators can\u2019t take advantage of gaps in the system.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids strongly supports the legislation introduced by Sen. Durbin and Sen. Tillis to help ensure the federal government is taking comprehensive enforcement action against the many illegal e-cigarette products that are currently on the market. We commend their efforts to prevent illegal e-cigarettes from being imported, distributed and sold in the United States and to hold bad actors accountable for endangering the health of our kids,\u201d said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.\n\nDurbin has criticized FDA for its continued lack of urgency as millions of children have begun using addictive e-cigarettes. For years, FDA has failed to regulate e-cigarettes, falling years behind court-ordered and congressional mandated deadlines to review applications from vaping companies, and refusing to enforce the law and take action against companies marketing illegal vaping products to children. Under the Tobacco Control Act (TCA), e-cigarette companies are required to obtain authorization from FDA prior to entering the market, which the agency has neglected to properly enforce.\n\nIn an effort to strengthen coordination and facilitate enforcement against the sale of unauthorized vaping products, the S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act would formally codify the existing multi-agency task force to combat the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of e-cigarettes. Further, the bill would direct the task force to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for reducing the number of unauthorized e-cigarettes on the market.\n\nThe task force would be comprised of the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, as well as representatives from FDA; DOJ; Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and other federal agencies as appropriate.\n\nThe task force would be directed to meet on an annual basis and submit a report to Congress detailing authorities, actions taken, and recommendations for additional criminal or civil authorities needed to address the public health threat of the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of e-cigarettes.\n\nThe S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act is endorsed by the following organizations: American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, American Cancer Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.\n\nText of the S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act can be found here.\n\nIn 2023, Durbin\u2019s office examined FDA\u2019s public data files to identify e-cigarette manufacturers who have received both marketing denial orders and warning letters yet continue to sell unauthorized products, in order to assess FDA\u2019s effectiveness in taking enforcement action against some of the most flagrantly defiant examples. Durbin\u2019s office found at least 22 vaping products that appeared to be sold online by the manufacturer in violation of the law and in defiance of repeated enforcement actions by FDA. In addition to those products sold online by the manufacturer, several other such products remained available for purchase from third-party retailers, including one of the most popular e-cigarettes among children, Breeze Smoke. Durbin\u2019s investigation also found that FDA had only issued \u201ccloseout letters\u201d to 10 percent of the 685 tobacco warning letters it has issued since January 1, 2021. A closeout letter indicates that FDA has verified that corrective action has taken place to address the violations contained in the warning letter.\n\nDurbin has been a vocal leader in the fight against Big Tobacco, particularly since he lost his father to lung cancer when Durbin was 14. He went after Big Tobacco when he served in the House of Representatives and led the charge to ban smoking on airplanes, which eventually led to restaurants, office buildings, trains, and much more. Durbin has also led efforts to grant FDA jurisdiction over tobacco, raise tobacco taxes to prevent youth initiation, and enhance support for tobacco cessation tools.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-senate-floor-durbin-announces-criminal-referral-to-doj-regarding-trump-officials-unconstitutional-immigration-enforcement-activity", "On Senate Floor, Durbin Announces Criminal Referral To DOJ Regarding Trump Officials\u2019 Unconstitutional Immigration Enforcement Activity", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin: Today, I am putting those participating in \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d on notice; you will be held accountable for unlawful actions\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced he, along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), have submitted a criminal referral to the Justice Department regarding the unlawful actions of senior Administration officials and federal immigration agents in \u201cOperation Midway Blitz.\u201d The Trump Administration repeatedly appears to have violated the constitutional rights of individuals in Illinois during \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d and the officials responsible for these violations are acting with impunity.\n\nDurbin said, \u201cEarlier this year, the Trump Administration began a calculated show of political theater and force designed to spread fear and terror in Illinois communities. Masked federal agents pepper sprayed, punched, body slammed, and even shot individuals, including U.S. citizens, during violent immigration enforcement actions\u2026 They deployed tear gas canisters against clergy, broke into apartments, and zip-tied children.\u201d\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cPresident Trump has not gone after \u2018the worst of the worst,\u2019 as he promised\u2014instead, he has brought some of the worst, most unprofessional, and most poorly trained federal law enforcement officers and agents into our city. Because of his so-called \u2018Operation Midway Blitz,\u2019 children are afraid to go to school, businesses are closing, and families are being torn apart. Yet the Trump Administration has shown no regret. They are reveling in the fear and chaos they have created. Just look at Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.\u201d\n\nOn Tuesday, Bovino returned to Chicago after leaving last month to bring his campaign of fear to North Carolina and New Orleans. As soon as he arrived back in Chicago, Bovino went to the picket line of Local 705 Teamsters at Mauser Packaging Solutions.\n\nDurbin said, \u201cBovino brought federal agents to the line to intimidate and interrogate these workers. He laughed in their faces as they demanded better working conditions. In court testimony, Mr. Bovino has praised federal agents\u2019 use of excessive force as \u2018exemplary,\u2019 even after multiple U.S. citizens were hospitalized following their encounters with his federal agents.\u201d\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cWhen addressing federal agents prior to a confrontation with peaceful protesters, Mr. Bovino stated \u2018If someone strays into a pepper ball, then that\u2019s on them.\u2019 Bovino has teargassed peaceful crowds, encouraged his agents to fire pepper balls at protestors, and threatened to go \u2018even harder on the streets,\u2019 when federal judges dare to order him to follow the law. But Mr. Bovino is not alone in his cruelty. Many Trump Administration officials have been posting and gloating about these clear violations of individuals\u2019 constitutional rights.\u201d\n\nUnder 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 242, it is a federal crime for any person acting \u201cunder color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom\u201d to \u201cwillfully subject[] any person . . . to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.\u201d Anyone who willfully violates another person\u2019s Fourth Amendment rights by engaging in warrantless arrests or use of excessive force under color of law may be held liable under Section 242. If this Administration fails to pursue charges, the statute of limitations will permit the next Administration to prosecute officials who acted unlawfully.\n\nDurbin noted that while the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Trump v. United States may have immunized President Trump personally from prosecution, it provided no such protection for his lackeys.\n\nDurbin said, \u201cThe Trump Administration officials responsible for the use of excessive force or unlawful detentions may face criminal consequences for their role in \u2018Midway Blitz.\u2019 That is why today my colleague Senator Duckworth and I have submitted a criminal referral to the Justice Department regarding the unlawful actions of senior Administration officials and federal immigration agents in \u2018Operation Midway Blitz.\u2019\u201d\n\nDurbin noted a Border Patrol agent shot a Chicago woman multiple times. Body-camera video reportedly shows the agent threatening the woman, prior to shooting her. Afterwards, he bragged in text messages to other agents about shooting the woman, writing, \u201c5 shots, 7 holes.\u201d\n\nDurbin said, \u201cAs Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have directed my staff to continue gathering evidence of potential violations of Section 242, and we will provide this evidence to the Justice Department in due course.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Durbin\u2019s and Duckworth\u2019s actions, Illinois elected officials are hard at work documenting the crimes committed by federal agents. The Mayor of Evanston has opened an investigation after federal agents pinned down a man and struck him in the head. The Village of Broadview is conducting criminal investigations related to ICE\u2019s use of tear gas and rubber bullets against first responders and peaceful protestors. Tomorrow, the Illinois Accountability Commission will hold its first public hearing, which will examine the widespread use of chemical agents during \u201cMidway Blitz.\u201d\n\nDurbin said, \u201cThere will come a time when the people responsible for the assaults, tear gassing, and unjust detention during these lawless immigration enforcement actions will face real accountability. These officials swore an oath when they began their service to preserve and protect the Constitution. But in their roles as federal law enforcement officials, there is ample evidence that they have violated the very rights they promised to defend.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cToday, I am putting those participating in \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 on notice. You can continue to terrorize people. You can ignore the rulings of our courts, our laws, and our Constitution. You can hide behind your masks. You can ignore the due process requirements of the Constitution. But the day will come when justice will be served. The day will come when you will be held accountable. The day will come when this pitiful display of meanness and intolerance will become one of the saddest chapters of our nation\u2019s history. And you will be held accountable.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-judiciary-democrats-press-for-hearing-on-legality-of-trumps-extrajudicial-killings-in-caribbean-sea", "Senate Judiciary Democrats Press For Hearing On Legality Of Trump\u2019s Extrajudicial Killings In Caribbean Sea", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin, SJC Dems to Grassley: \u201cThese strikes are extrajudicial killings and shocking violations of fundamental principles of due process and the right to life under U.S. and international law.\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in urging Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to hold a hearing on the Trump Administration\u2019s executions of alleged drug traffickers via military strikes on boats at sea, which have killed at least 95 people so far in 25 separate strikes. The Committee has jurisdiction over extrajudicial killings, murder, war crimes, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), which authored a classified memo providing cover for these killings.\n\nIn a letter to Grassley, the Senators highlighted the shocking conduct by the Trump Administration, writing: \u201cSince September, the Trump Administration has summarily executed at least 95 people in 25 known strikes on alleged drug smugglers in vessels at sea. This is not a time to mince words. These strikes are extrajudicial killings and shocking violations of fundamental principles of due process and the right to life under U.S. and international law. The Administration\u2019s claims that the people it is killing are guilty of crimes, affiliated with a criminal or terrorist organization, or \u2018combatants\u2019 in a nonexistent armed conflict, do not render these extrajudicial killings any less unlawful. This Committee must address the serious concerns that these strikes may violate U.S. criminal laws, and that Department of Justice attorneys who gave President Trump and Secretary Hegseth legal cover to summarily execute suspected criminals have violated their ethical obligations.\u201d\n\nThe Senators then made their request, writing: \u201cWe respectfully request that you immediately convene a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to ensure that those who authorized these extrajudicial killings are held to account.\u201d\n\nThe Senators denounced state-sanctioned extrajudicial killings, writing: \u201cThere is not, nor can there be, any justification for state-sanctioned extrajudicial killings. Summary executions have no place in a constitutional democracy operating under the rule of law, no matter how heinous the accusations a government makes against someone. Nor can governments fabricate an armed conflict or falsely label people \u2018combatants\u2019 to kill them.\u201d\n\nU.S. officials and Members of Congress from both parties have long condemned extrajudicial killings, including of alleged drug traffickers, when committed by other nations, including then-Senator Marco Rubio in 2020 and 2024 and State Departments under both Republican and Democratic Presidents.\n\nThe Senators condemned the Trump Administration\u2019s weak approach to drug trafficking, including pardoning two drug kingpins, writing: \u201cMake no mistake, drug trafficking is a terrible crime. And it must be addressed with robust, effective, and lawful measures, including interdicting vessels transporting such drugs, prosecuting violators to the full extent of the law, and supporting the needs of impacted families and communities. Instead of intensifying such efforts, President Trump has weakened them.\u201d\n\nSince President Trump returned to office, his Administration has diverted thousands of agents from critical drug enforcement missions, shuttered a critical task force, terminated hundreds of grants for state and local law enforcement, and slashed drug trafficking programs, which all has culminated in the lowest level of federal drug prosecutions in decades.\n\nThe Senators concluded by reiterating their request for a hearing, writing: \u201cThe American people want real solutions to crime and the drug epidemic\u2014not extrajudicial killings committed in their name. In accordance with the Committee\u2019s oversight responsibilities, I urge you to schedule an immediate hearing on this outrage.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).\n\nFor a PDF of the letter to Chairman Grassley, click here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/amid-trumps-escalating-misuse-of-our-military-against-americans-duckworth-votes-to-block-final-passage-of-defense-authorization-bill-for-the-first-time-in-her-career", "Amid Trump\u2019s Escalating Misuse of Our Military Against Americans, Duckworth Votes to Block Final Passage of Defense Authorization Bill for the First Time in Her Career", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Citing her deep concern over Donald Trump\u2019s continuing\u2014and escalating\u2014abuse of our nation\u2019s nonpartisan military and servicemembers by unconstitutionally deploying them into American cities including Chicago to intimidate Americans in their own communities, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today voted against the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the first time in her career. Duckworth has supported every NDAA since she was first elected to Congress in 2012.\n\n\u201cEach year, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to forge a bipartisan Defense Authorization bill that supports our military and protects our national security. This year\u2019s NDAA, however, authorizes DoD funding that Donald Trump has misused\u2014and that he continues misusing\u2014to deploy our troops into American cities in an effort that neither protects our national security nor makes our communities safer. And it is because I love our military so much, and respect our troops so deeply, that I had no choice but to vote against this authorization.\n\n\u201cThe power to deploy troops domestically must remain exceptional, accountable and rooted in law\u2014not in one man\u2019s judgment about what constitutes disorder.?I will never vote to enable a wannabe tinpot dictator to use the authorities or money Congress allocates to our Armed Forces in an un-American campaign\u2014especially when that campaign abuses our servicemembers and disrespects their sacrifices by ordering them to intimidate Americans in their own communities rather than defend our nation against its adversaries.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-pushes-for-long-term-funding-certainty-for-air-traffic-control-system-modernization-project-and-calls-on-faa-to-invest-in-both-technology-and-training", "Duckworth Pushes for Long-Term Funding Certainty for Air Traffic Control System Modernization Project and Calls on FAA to Invest in Both Technology and Training", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 At today\u2019s U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST) Aviation Subcommittee hearing, Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reiterated the urgent need to modernize our nation\u2019s air traffic control system, expressing support for providing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an additional $20 billion to ensure long-term funding certainty, while calling on the FAA to prioritize phase one investments on the systems and infrastructure that is guaranteed to deliver long-term value. Video of the Senator\u2019s opening remarks are available on her YouTube.\n\n\u201cIf we want any chance of success at ATC modernization, we simply cannot afford to deny FAA the certainty of long-term funding\u2014$12.5 billion is a meaningful downpayment, but it\u2019s not nearly enough,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cOver the past several decades, the FAA has neglected the capabilities and capacity of the ATC system\u2019s most important asset\u2014its people. The bottom line is that successfully building a \u2018Brand New\u2019 ATC system will require rebuilding a depleted and demoralized workforce.\u201d\n\nIn addition to upgrading radars and replacing telecom equipment, Duckworth urged FAA Administrator Brian Bedford to invest a portion of the modernization project\u2019s existing $12.5 billion downpayment toward enhancing the FAA\u2019s workforce infrastructure to enhance its capabilities and capacity to hire, train and retain more desperately needed air traffic controllers and FAA technicians. Specifically, Duckworth expressed support for the FAA using modernization funds to procure ATC training equipment to entice far more academic institutions to join the FAA\u2019s Enhanced Collegiate Training Initiative and pushed Administrator Bedford to invest in additional FAA Academies in population centers across the country.\n\nDuckworth also stressed her concerns over the FAA\u2019s self-imposed 2028 deadline to complete the latest massive ATC modernization project, and she pressed FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on how he plans to ensure standards aren\u2019t compromised for the sake of speed\u2014especially after Donald Trump slashed the FAA workforce in his indiscriminate mass firings. Video of the Senator\u2019s questioning are available on her YouTube.\n\n\u201cI am concerned by the focus on meeting an arbitrary, unrealistic three-year timeline,\u201d continued Duckworth. \u201cWithout stringent oversight, such an environment is at high risk for less stringent quality control, malfunctioning systems and inadequate time to train controllers on new technology. We cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to our aviation system. The American people need us to be sure we have worked out issues before we entrust their lives to any new system or technologies.\u201d\n\nDuckworth has long been a leading voice in the push to strengthen our air traffic control system and workforce. Earlier this month, after the Trump Administration cruelly provided only four percent of the ATC and technician workforce with $10,000 bonuses\u2014despite all of them working without pay during the Republican-led government shutdown\u2014Duckworth demanded Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to award those bonuses to every single ATC and technician.\n\nFor years, Duckworth has been sounding the alarm that we must make critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings\u2014one last December and the other a year prior\u2014to address our aviation industry\u2019s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.\n\nLast year, Duckworth helped author the landmark bipartisan FAA reauthorization that was signed into law to extend the FAA\u2019s funding and authorities through Fiscal Year 2028. The reauthorization included several of her provisions to safeguard the 1,500-hour rule, improve consumer safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-highlights-the-senates-responsibility-to-hold-the-executive-branch-accountable-amid-president-trumps-abuses-of-powers", "Durbin Highlights The Senate\u2019s Responsibility To Hold The Executive Branch Accountable Amid President Trump\u2019s Abuses Of Powers", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During Durbin\u2019s opening statement in a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, he also condemned President Trump\u2019s attempts to undermine the Senate blue slip tradition\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing highlighted the Senate\u2019s responsibility to provide advice and consent on presidential nominees; called out President Trump\u2019s cruel immigration tactics, as well as his unlawful and un-American actions; and commented on the longstanding bipartisan Senate tradition, the blue slip. Durbin also condemned Secretary Hegseth\u2019s refusal during a classified briefing yesterday to share with all Senators the full, unedited video of the September 2nd lethal strikes on an alleged drug boat that killed two survivors.\n\nToday\u2019s hearing is on the nominations of Daniel Edward Burrows, to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy (OLP); Megan Blair Benton, to the U.S District Court for the Western District of Missouri; Brian Charles Lea, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; and Justin Ross Olson, to the U.S District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.\n\nKey Quotes:\n\n\u201cThe Senate, as part of the legislative branch, must provide advice and consent on presidential nominees. It is a responsibility that goes back to our nation\u2019s founding\u2026To ensure the president could not become a despot like King George III, our Founders designed a system of checks and balances [that] separated the federal government\u2019s powers among its three branches.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Senate\u2019s role in providing advice and consent on presidential nominees is one critical check on the executive branch. Today\u2019s hearing is a step in that process. And it has never been more important that the Senate exercise this role\u2014because the President is determined to push the bounds of his power at every opportunity.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the country, immigration agents are racially profiling and arresting American citizens\u2014even veterans. At a spotlight forum last week, I spoke about how one Chicagoan\u2014a U.S. citizen on her way to work\u2014was physically assaulted, arrested, and detained for several hours after ICE agents crashed into her car and pointed their weapons at her\u2026 [This] is not conduct that we can or should tolerate in the United States.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut the Trump Administration\u2019s unlawful and un-American actions are not limited to our own shores or our fellow citizens. The President has ordered extrajudicial killings of at least 95 people off the coast of Venezuela. Yesterday, our self-styled \u2018Secretary of War\u2019 essentially told Senators to \u2018go to hell\u2019 when we asked to see videos of the episode where two stranded victims may have been executed in violation of international, legal standards.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration alleges that these individuals are \u2018narco-terrorists.\u2019 Drug trafficking is a serious crime and should be prosecuted. But that is not what is happening here. Instead, President Trump is engaging in the summary executions of criminal suspects. That is a violation of law\u2014in both peacetime and wartime.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s hearing is part of our effort to fulfill our obligation. But we must also conduct oversight and hold accountable a President who too often ignores the limits of power\u2026 We are now about to finish this calendar year with the Department of Homeland Security spurning every effort made to bring and hold her [Secretary Noem] accountable for what\u2019s happening [in regard to immigration raids across the country].\u201d\n\n\u201cIn closing, I want to note that multiple nominees on today\u2019s panel are here because of this Committee\u2019s longstanding, bipartisan tradition of requiring blue slips from Senators supporting district court nominees from their states.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust this week, the President falsely claimed, \u2018if you have one Democrat in a state, it is not possible to appoint because of blue slips.\u2019 In fact, this year the Committee has reported\u2014and the Senate has confirmed\u2014numerous judicial and U.S. Attorney nominees from blue states with the support of Democratic Senators.\u201d\n\n\u201c[Blue slips] simply require that President Trump do what every other President before him has done\u2014work with home-state Senators to identify well-qualified nominees who will follow the law. Blue slips remain a critical part of this body\u2019s advice and consent [responsibility] even when they frustrate the party in power. I want to thank Chairman Grassley for continuing to follow this practice.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-secures-key-provisions-to-support-rock-island-arsenal-defense-manufacturing-in-illinois-in-national-defense-authorization-act", "Durbin Secures Key Provisions To Support Rock Island Arsenal, Defense Manufacturing In Illinois In National Defense Authorization Act", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The FY26 NDAA, which passed the Senate today and now heads to the President\u2019s desk, includes a number of Durbin-led measures & authorizations for military construction projects in Illinois\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today highlighted the critical provisions he secured in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was passed by the Senate today and now heads to the President\u2019s desk for signature. The bill includes significant support for Rock Island Arsenal, provides security aid to Ukraine, and authorizes $113 million in military construction funds for Illinois.\n\n\u201cThe NDAA is a strong, bipartisan show of support for our national defense and to our men and women in uniform. The bill, which has earned the support of both chambers of Congress, includes my provisions to ensure that Rock Island Arsenal remains central to our nation\u2019s effort to modernize the military and strengthens security cooperation with our allies around the world,\u201d said Durbin.\n\nDurbin-led measures included in the FY26 NDAA are:\n\nRock Island Arsenal:\n\nAuthorizes a new pilot program modeled after Durbin\u2019s Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act to give contracting preference to public-private partnerships between industry and Army arsenals such as at Rock Island. This provision will help ensure Rock Island Arsenal remains active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment, and production capacity critical to the nation\u2019s defense industrial base.\n\nRestricts the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about its proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping to ensure operations and protect jobs at Rock Island Arsenal from unnecessary cuts.\n\nAuthorizes the Army to expand robotic munitions manufacturing capabilities at government-owned, contractor-operated facilities, which will help boost workload for facilities such as the Quad City Cartridge Case Facility.\n\nOversight\n\nRequires the Department of Defense (DoD) to notify Congress on immigration enforcement support to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to include the use of military aircraft for deportation flights, the use of DoD bases for detention, and other support to improve congressional and public oversight amid the Trump Administration\u2019s increased use of the military for immigration operations.\n\nEnhances oversight of the use of service members to support domestic law enforcement, including increased legal training for all service members on rules of engagement and appropriate public identification of service members providing support on U.S. soil.\n\nRequires a congressional notification if the President removes a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from office or transfers them to another position before the end of their term to enhance oversight of the Trump Administration\u2019s actions.\n\nLimits funding for the consolidation of geographic combatant commands to enhance oversight of the Trump Administration\u2019s actions.\n\nPFAS\n\nRequires DoD to develop a plan to procure chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear personnel protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals.\n\nGovernment Contracts\n\nSupports APEX Accelerators, including in Illinois, which help small businesses be more competitive for DoD and other government contracts.\n\nForeign Relations\n\nCodifies Durbin\u2019s Baltic Security Initiative, particularly timely amid reports that the Pentagon was seeking to eliminate such security assistance programs. Durbin created this program in Fiscal Year 2021 to strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid an increase of Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, and Russia\u2019s ongoing war in Ukraine.\n\nCondemns Russia\u2019s illegal abduction of Ukrainian children.\n\nProhibits funds to recognize sovereign Ukrainian territory forcibly seized by Russia.\n\nExtends and increases the authorization for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative from $300 million to $400 million and authorizes continued intelligence sharing for Ukraine.\n\nProhibits the reduction of U.S. Armed Forces stationed and equipment in Europe, over concerns that President Trump may remove U.S. troops from Germany, Poland, or the Baltics.\n\nStrengthens the trilateral AUKUS security pact.\n\nQuantum\n\nAccelerates quantum research efforts across the Department of Defense, which will support work at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.\n\nVeterans\u2019 Health\n\nReauthorizes for another year the Treasury account to provide for the operations of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago.\n\nImpact Aid\n\nAuthorizes $80 million for Impact Aid programs to provide financial assistance to school districts that support military families in compensation for the lost local tax base imposed upon by a neighboring military installation.\n\nMilitary Construction\n\nAuthorizes Military Construction funds for the following projects in Illinois:\n\n$50 million for construction of a new Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal;\n\n$5 million in planning and design funds to house the expanding forging capability at the Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center;\n\n$5 million in planning and design funds for the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago for the Army Guard;\n\n$3.05 million in planning and design funds for an operations and maintenance facility in Marseilles for the Army Guard;\n\n$8 million in planning and design funds for a new Readiness Center in Peoria for the Army Guard;\n\n$6 million in planning and design funds for a new aircraft hangar at Scott Air Force Base for the Air Guard; and\n\n$36 million in maintenance support at Fort Sheridan.\n\nLaw Enforcement and Survivor Support\n\nIncludes four bills that were unanimously reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee during National Police Week in May:\n\nThe PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 Reauthorization, which reauthorizes and modernizes the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program;\n\nThe Improving Police CARE Act, which establishes baseline standards for trauma kits purchased using grant funding under the Byrne JAG program;\n\nThe Chief Herbert D. Proffit Act of 2025, which expands Public Safety Officers\u2019 Benefits Program eligibility criteria; and\n\nThe Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which expands access to federal support through the Public Safety Officers\u2019 Benefits Program for first responders and their families.\n\nSupreme Court Security\n\nAuthorizes the Marshal of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Police to protect retired or former Supreme Court justices and their immediate families if they determine there is a need.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-jack-smiths-closed-door-house-testimony", "Durbin Statement On Jack Smith\u2019s Closed Door House Testimony", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on Jack Smith\u2019s closed-door testimony to the House Judiciary Committee today:\n\n\u201cIf Senate Republicans and the Attorney General are truly committed to transparency, they\u2019ll allow Jack Smith to testify publicly under oath, as he\u2019s offered. They also must release the unredacted Volume II of his report and any materials not already produced related to Volumes I and II. But they refuse.\n\n\u201cMr. Smith is the only person with direct knowledge of decisions and actions taken under his leadership as Special Counsel. If Republicans have so many questions, a transparent means of answering is necessary. Anything less than public testimony under oath is unacceptable.\u201d\n\nOn October 30, Durbin and Senate Judiciary Democrats called on Chairman Grassley to allow Former Special Counsel Jack Smith to testify publicly before the Committee. In their letter, the Senators also urged Grassley to request the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) release Volume II of the unredacted \u201cFinal Report of the Special Counsel\u2019s Investigations and Prosecutions,\u201d which was submitted to then-Attorney General (AG) Merrick Garland in January 2025.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-help-introduce-no-check-no-sale-bill-to-close-the-charleston-loophole", "Duckworth, Durbin Help Introduce \u201cNo Check, No Sale\u201d Bill to Close the Charleston Loophole", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "In 2024, nearly 3,000 firearms were sold to people who legally shouldn\u2019t have access to firearms because dealers were not required to wait for completed background checks\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) with 23 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to close a current loophole that allows firearm sales to proceed if a background check is not completed within a certain time period, even if the buyer is not legally allowed to purchase a firearm. The gap in existing law has allowed thousands of firearm sales to prohibited buyers, including the sale of the firearm used by the shooter in the deadly attack at Charleston\u2019s Emanuel AME Church.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s just common sense that if you can\u2019t pass a background check, you shouldn\u2019t be able to purchase a firearm\u2014and the vast majority of Americans agree,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cThis legislation will help us close this senseless loophole and help keep weapons out of the hands of those who shouldn\u2019t have them. Enough is enough.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have seen the tragic consequences when guns end up in the hands of prohibited buyers because a background check was not able to be completed in time. The Background Check Completion Act would finally ensure that no one will be able to purchase a firearm from a gun dealer without first passing a background check,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cIt\u2019s long past time that we fixed this loophole.\u201d\n\nWhen a criminal background check indicates that a firearm purchaser may have a criminal record, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tries to determine whether the purchaser can legally buy a firearm. If this process takes longer than 72 hours for those 21 years of age or older, or 10 days for those under 21, firearm dealers can complete the sale even though there is a heightened risk that the purchaser is legally disqualified from purchasing a firearm.\n\nThe Background Check Completion Act would require a completed background check for every buyer who purchases a firearm from a federally licensed firearm dealer.\n\nAlong with Duckworth, Durbin and Blumenthal, the Background Check Completion Act is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Brady, Sandy Hook Promise and Newtown Action Alliance.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-celebrates-seventh-anniversary-of-the-first-step-act-in-speech-on-senate-floor", "Durbin Celebrates Seventh Anniversary Of The First Step Act In Speech On Senate Floor", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, celebrated the seventh anniversary of the First Step Act (FSA)\u2014bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to re-enter society successfully. The First Step Act was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018, and was championed by Durbin and U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Mike Lee (R-UT).\n\n\u201cThis December marks the seventh anniversary of the passage of the First Step Act\u2014the most significant reform to our criminal justice system in a generation. That victory was born out of years of bipartisan negotiations led by myself and my colleagues, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and Senator Mike Lee of Utah. The end result was\u2014and continues to be\u2014life-changing for the people who were impacted. The First Step Act delivered much-needed reforms to our outdated sentencing laws and provided opportunities for incarcerated Americans to safely reenter their communities. Those reforms have reduced populations in overcrowded prisons, reunited families, and revitalized the communities these men and women reenter as productive neighbors. And the evidence backs that up.\u201d\n\nDurbin noted that the reforms made by the First Step Act have been tremendously successful. Of more than 40,000 people released under the law through January 2024, just under 10 percent have been rearrested compared to the Bureau of Prisons\u2019 overall recidivism rate of about 45 percent.\n\nDurbin went on to share the story of Eugenia Jennings from Alton, Illinois, who sadly experienced the injustice of our antiquated sentencing laws firsthand. Eugenia was terribly abused as a child, and by age 15, she was addicted to crack cocaine. At age 23, then a mother of three, Eugenia was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for selling less than 14 grams of the drug.\n\n\u201cIn prison, she was a model for others. She took all the courses available to her, overcame her addiction, and talked to students about the dangers of drug addiction. Sadly, while she was incarcerated, she developed leukemia. I asked President Barack Obama, my former colleague in the Senate, to commute Eugenia\u2019s sentence, and he did just that\u2026 Eugenia was released just in time to see her oldest daughter graduate from high school. I cannot tell you the joy in her voice when she told me that. She passed away two years later, but her story has lived on\u2014and served as a driving force behind my efforts to reform our federal drug sentencing laws. Eugenia\u2019s story led me to meet more individuals whose lives were forever altered by unfair sentencing laws\u2014including Matthew Charles.\u201d\n\nDurbin then shared the story of Matthew Charles who, like Eugenia, also had a difficult childhood, enduring both physical and verbal abuse. He joined the Army at age 18, but found himself still filled with anger and hurt\u2014eventually turning to what he has called \u201cwayward living\u201d and selling drugs. Matthew received a state conviction and then a federal conviction. Because he had a prior conviction when he ended up in federal court, and because he had been selling crack rather than powder cocaine, Matthew received a 35-year sentence.\n\n\u201cWhile in prison, he worked as a GED tutor and a law library clerk, in addition to mentoring younger people. He helped other incarcerated individuals who could not read to understand their letters and court documents, and he drafted filings for them. In 21 years in prison, Matthew did not receive a single disciplinary infraction. After Matthew\u2019s conviction and sentence, Congress passed a law I wrote, called the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses. But the law was not retroactive,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cWhen Eugenia and Matthew were sentenced, the hands of their sentencing judges were tied\u2014because Congress severely limited a judge\u2019s discretion to impose an individualized sentence and instead mandated overly-harsh one-size-fits-all penalties. The First Step Act took one giant step toward correcting that unfair system. Among other reforms, it made the Fair Sentencing Act retroactive. Matthew Charles was one of the first people released from prison after the First Step Act became law.\u201d\n\nDurbin then spoke about a package of bipartisan bills he introduced this week with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to expand on the progress of the FSA. Durbin and Grassley reintroduced the First Step Implementation Act, the Safer Detention Act, and the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act. They also introduced new legislation to extend the FSA\u2019s annual reporting requirement by five years.\n\n\u201cBut, as the name of the First Step Act suggests, it is just that\u2014one first step. There is more to be done. To make our justice system fairer and our communities safer, we must continue reforming our sentencing laws in a smart way,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cThe First Step Act\u2019s passage was a glimmer of bipartisanship in a political arena\u2026 and its success shows what we can accomplish on behalf of the American people when we put aside our differences and come to the table with reasonable approaches. We need evidence-backed solutions to reduce crime and make our communities safer. So, as we celebrate this anniversary, I will continue to work with my colleagues to reform outdated sentencing laws. Let\u2019s rekindle that spirit of bipartisanship and get something done in the Senate\u2026 Together, we can reduce crime, improve our justice system, and make our communities safer.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\nDurbin has long championed efforts to address inequities in our criminal justice system. Durbin was also the lead sponsor of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, bipartisan legislation signed into law by then-President Obama that reduced the unjust sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine and eliminated the mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of crack cocaine.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-grassley-introduce-criminal-justice-reform-bills", "Durbin, Grassley Introduce Criminal Justice Reform Bills", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "As lead sponsors of the landmark First Step Act, Durbin and Grassley are working to continue to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer, including introducing new legislation to extend the First Step Act\u2019s annual reporting requirement by five years\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Around the seventh anniversary of the First Step Act (FSA), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced four pieces of criminal justice reform legislation to further implement the FSA and advance its goals. Durbin and Grassley were the lead sponsors of the landmark First Step Act, which is bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to reenter society successfully. It was signed into law in December 2018. Durbin and Grassley reintroduced the First Step Implementation Act, the Safer Detention Act, and the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act. They also introduced new legislation to extend the FSA\u2019s annual reporting requirement by five years.\n\n\u201cSeven years ago, Congress came together to pass the most important criminal justice reform law in a generation. But as its name suggests, it was just the first step,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cIn order to keep making our justice system fairer and our communities safer, we must continue reforming our antiquated and outdated sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to reenter society successfully. I appreciate Senator Grassley\u2019s partnership in this important endeavor.\u201d\n\n\u201cCriminals must face just penalties, and our nation\u2019s criminal justice system should seek to prevent recidivism,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI\u2019m committed to advancing efforts that will help reduce crime, improve our nation\u2019s justice system and safeguard American communities.\u201d\n\nFirst Step Implementation Act\n\nThe bipartisan First Step Implementation Act of 2025 aims to further implement the FSA and advance its goals. The First Step Implementation Act would further the goals of the FSA by:\n\nAllowing courts to apply the FSA sentencing reform provisions to reduce sentences imposed prior to the enactment of the FSA;\n\nBroadening the safety valve provision to allow courts to sentence below a mandatory minimum for nonviolent controlled substance offenses, if the court finds the defendant\u2019s criminal history over-represents the seriousness of the defendant\u2019s criminal record and the likelihood of recidivism;\n\nAllowing courts to reduce sentences imposed on juvenile offenders who have served more than 20 years;\n\nProviding for the sealing or expungement of records of nonviolent juvenile offenses; and,\n\nRequiring the Attorney General to establish procedures ensuring that only accurate criminal records are shared for employment-related purposes.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center, CPAC, Dream.org, Drug Policy Alliance, Due Process Institute, FAMM, Human Rights for Kids, Law Enforcement Leaders, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Tzedek Association, Prison Fellowship, Prison Fellowship Ministries, R Street Institute, and Right On Crime.\n\nBill text is available here.\n\nSafer Detention Act\n\nThe bipartisan Safer Detention Act of 2025 would reauthorize and reform the now-expired Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program, clarify applicability of compassionate release from federal prisons, and implement other reforms, including:\n\nClarifying that the percentage of time served required for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program should be calculated based on an inmate\u2019s sentence, including reductions for good conduct time credits;\n\nExpanding the eligibility criteria for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program to include nonviolent offenders who have served at least 50 percent of their terms of imprisonment;\n\nClarifying that elderly nonviolent D.C. Code offenders in BOP custody are eligible for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program and that federal prisoners sentenced before November 1, 1987 are eligible for compassionate release; and,\n\nSubjecting elderly home detention eligibility decisions to judicial review (based on the First Step Act\u2019s compassionate release provision).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center, CPAC, Dream.org, Drug Policy Alliance, Due Process Institute, FAMM, Law Enforcement Leaders, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Prison Fellowship, Prison Fellowship Ministries, Right on Crime, Sentencing Project, and Tzedek Association.\n\nBill text is available here.\n\nProhibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act\n\nThe bipartisan Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2025 would end the unjust practice of judges increasing sentences based on conduct for which a defendant has been acquitted by a jury. Our criminal justice system rests on the Fifth and Sixth Amendment guarantees of due process and the right to a jury trial for the criminally accused. These principles require the government to prove a defendant\u2019s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury. Under the Constitution, defendants may be convicted only for conduct proven beyond a reasonable doubt. However, at sentencing, courts may enhance sentences if they find, by the lower preponderance of the evidence standard, that a defendant committed other crimes. The difference in those standards of proof means that a sentencing court can effectively nullify a jury\u2019s verdict by considering acquitted conduct.\n\nThe Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act would end this practice by:\n\nAmending 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 3661 to preclude a court of the United States from considering, except for purposes of mitigating a sentence, acquitted conduct at sentencing, and\n\nDefining \u201cacquitted conduct\u201d to include acts for which a person was criminally charged and adjudicated not guilty after trial in a Federal, State, Tribal, or Juvenile court, or acts underlying a criminal charge or juvenile information dismissed upon a motion for acquittal.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center, CPAC, Dream.org, Drug Policy Alliance, Due Process Institute, FAMM, Human Rights for Kids, Innocence Project, Law Enforcement Leaders, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, R Street Institute, Right on Crime, Tzedek Association, and Sentencing Project.\n\nBill text is available here.\n\nFSA Reporting Extension Act\n\nThe bipartisan FSA Reporting Extension Act would extend the FSA\u2019s annual reporting requirement by five years. The FSA requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports to Congress on the FSA\u2019s implementation and impact for five consecutive years starting two years after implementation. This information is crucial for Congressional oversight of the continued implementation and operation of the FSA. This simple legislation extends this reporting for the next five years.\n\nBill text is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-speaks-at-spotlight-forum-raising-alarm-about-president-trumps-crusade-to-dismantle-the-department-of-education", "Durbin Speaks At Spotlight Forum Raising Alarm About President Trump\u2019s Crusade To Dismantle The Department Of Education", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a spotlight forum entitled \u201cDismantling Education: What the Trump Administration\u2019s Illegal Attacks on Federal Programs Mean for Students, Families, and Educators.\u201d The forum, convened by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), focused on the dangerous consequences of the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for the nation\u2019s students, families, and schools.\n\n\u201cThe creation of the Department of Education, in my mind, was an effort to take Brown v. Board of Education to a new level. Once we established equality of opportunity in the law, we looked around and said, \u2018This isn\u2019t even close to being equal. We\u2019re going to have to focus resources and expertise into improving schools to get rid of the disparities.\u2019 Now comes the Trump Administration, which says we don\u2019t need it [ED] anymore. They\u2019ll parcel out the functions of the Department of Education,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin then asked Ms. Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, about her thoughts on the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to dismantle ED.\n\n\u201cMs. Weingarten, I noticed that you\u2019re not only a professional teacher but also went to law school. So with that combination of education and law that I just made, would you like to comment on that?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Weingarten replied that the initial destruction of ED by the Trump Administration is a direct challenge to the constitutional standard that all children in the United States, regardless of race and immigration status and including students with disabilities, deserve equal opportunity.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks are available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-statement-on-trumps-plan-to-eliminate-more-than-35000-va-health-care-positions", "Duckworth Statement on Trump\u2019s Plan to Eliminate More Than 35,000 VA Health Care Positions", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement in reaction to the Trump Administration\u2019s reported plan to eliminate more than 35,000 VA health care positions this month\u2014on top of the almost 30,000 employees cut from the VA workforce earlier this year:\n\n\u201cTrump has already fired more Veterans than any other President in history. And now, by cruelly planning to eliminate tens of thousands of VA health care positions in addition to the indiscriminate cuts he made to the VA workforce earlier this year, Trump is proving once again that he couldn\u2019t care less about those actually brave enough to wear the uniform of this great nation. Not only is Trump guaranteeing that our VA won\u2019t have the number of staff needed to handle the influx of new claims, but he is also ensuring that our Veterans will wait even longer to get treated\u2014if they can get treatment at all.\n\n\u201cIn his first year in office, Trump\u2019s track record easily makes his Administration the most anti-Veteran Administration our country has ever seen. He continues to make it clear that once our troops have completed their service to our country and hang up their uniform, Trump will not keep his promise to ensure these heroes have the support, care and benefits they\u2019ve earned.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s downright insulting, un-American and the ultimate betrayal.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-condemns-antisemitic-attack-at-bondi-beach-as-hanukkah-begins-violent-shooting-at-brown-university", "Durbin Condemns Antisemitic Attack At Bondi Beach As Hanukkah Begins, Violent Shooting At Brown University", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin: \u201cAs we seek to address the scourge of antisemitism and gun violence, may we act in the path of these brave bystanders\u2014who in crisis chose humanity and love over violence and hate\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Australia as Hanukkah begins, as well as the shooting at Brown University.\n\n\u201cIn Skokie, Illinois, just a few miles north of Chicago, is America\u2019s second largest Holocaust Museum. Those who visit see thousands of artifacts from victims and survivors and their families. And there is one lesson that every visitor takes away: All who walk through its doors learn the importance of tolerance\u2014the need to choose love over hate. I have been reflecting on this lesson in the wake of two awful acts of violence that took place this past weekend,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cOn Sunday night in Australia, as hundreds of people gathered at Bondi Beach to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, two men opened fire on the crowd. The attendees at Bondi Beach were targeted simply for one reason: they were Jewish. They were out to celebrate their faith. At least 15 people were killed and dozens more were injured. I am offering my prayers for the victims and their families. I am thankful for the heroic actions of both first responders and civilians to end the gunmen\u2019s rampage. This act of horrific violence is a grim reminder that we cannot stop combatting antisemitism. This tragedy occurred just hours after Brown University here in the United States experienced its own mass shooting.\u201d continued Durbin.\n\nDurbin then offered acknowledgment and support to two men who exhibited tremendous bravery at these horrific events.\n\n\u201cIn the aftermath of these two tragedies, I am in awe of the bravery and sacrifice displayed by those caught up in these attacks. One of them, Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled one of the shooters at Bondi Beach, saving countless lives. He is now undergoing surgery, and I wish him a swift and full recovery. Another, Spencer Yang, after being shot in the leg, continued to help one of his fellow students at Brown hide from the gunman. To Spencer, too, I wish full and swift recovery. Ahmed, Spencer, and countless others should never be put in these unimaginable situations. And yet, their selfless acts in the face of such violence are the ultimate demonstrations of love\u2014a willingness to risk their own lives to save a stranger,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cAs we seek to address the scourge of antisemitism and gun violence, may we act in the path of these brave bystanders\u2014who in crisis chose humanity and love over violence and hate,\u201d Durbin concluded.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s speech on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s speech on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s speech on the Senate floor is available herefor TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-slams-trump-administration-for-cuts-to-nih-medical-research-in-speech-on-the-senate-floor", "Durbin Slams Trump Administration For Cuts To NIH, Medical Research In Speech On The Senate Floor", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke out against the Trump Administration\u2019s dangerous cuts to medical research. In his remarks, Durbin stressed that the President\u2019s decision to cut medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will set back medical advancement by decades by disrupting research into cancer, brain diseases, mental health, drug development, and more.\n\nDurbin began his speech by recalling his first time meeting Dr. Francis Collins, then-Director of NIH, who urged him to steadily increase NIH\u2019s budget year over year. Over the past decade, Durbin has pushed for annual, real five percent funding increases for NIH. Since Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15), because of Durbin\u2019s efforts, Congress has provided NIH with a 60 percent increase in annual funding, raising the appropriations level from $30 billion in FY15 to $48 billion today. However, President Trump continues to target NIH by cancelling hundreds of grant awards, firing or forcing out thousands of scientists, and freezing billions of dollars in research funding\u2014which jeopardizes new breakthroughs that provide hope for patients.\n\n\u201cTen years ago, I met with Dr. Francis Collins, then-Director of the National Institutes of Health, the world\u2019s premier biomedical research agency. I admired his work so much I asked what I could do to help. He said, \u2018if you could provide a five percent increase to NIH\u2019s medical research budget year after year, we\u2019ll light up the scoreboard,\u2019\u201d Durbin said. \u201cWith the help of colleagues on both sides of the aisle\u2014[including] Republican Senators Roy Blunt, Lamar Alexander, and Democratic Senator Patty Murray\u2014we increased NIH funding from $30 billion to $48 billion over those next ten years. [That was a] 60 percent increase in research; a 60 percent increase in cures, hope, and breakthroughs. But what took us 10 years to build, President Donald Trump has all but dismantled in less than 11 months.\u201d\n\nDurbin then emphasized the consequences of these dangerous cuts. This year, the President and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) instituted a new set of rules at NIH that have resulted in 3,500 fewer grants going to researchers.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting from the New York Times shed light on the dire consequences of President Trump\u2019s medical research cuts\u2026Funding for mental health was reduced by 31 percent, brain diseases by 26 percent, cancer research by 19 percent. All of these reductions are in real areas of opportunity, which we are walking away from under Trump. This is a fundamental blow to how America supports medical research, and it has real implications for the progress we\u2019ve made,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nWhile the Trump Administration has sought to formalize these funding cuts, the Senate Appropriations Committee has pushed back by including an increase in funding for NIH in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).\n\n\u201cI am pleased the Senate Appropriations Committee, on a bipartisan basis, rejected Trump\u2019s proposed cuts and actually provided an increase for next year [FY26]. But if the Administration ignores Congress\u2019 wish and continues to upend research funding, it could create irreparable harm,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nRelaying his own experience as a once-uninsured father of a newborn with a severe heart condition, Durbin spoke about the hope that medical research provides for families facing a serious diagnosis.\n\n\u201cAs the father of a child born with a severe medical condition, I know personally that families across this country depend on the hope and promise that research holds. Cures and treatments come from the National Institutes of Health, which funded the research behind 99 percent of the new drugs approved by FDA in the last decade,\u201d Durbin continued. \u201cSo, when Donald Trump handicaps NIH\u2019s work, he is telling patients: your cure can wait.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks by reminding his Senate colleagues that research institutions in both red and blue states will be harmed by the Trump Administration\u2019s crusade to cut funding for medical advancements.\n\n\u201cOur universities\u2014not just in blue states, but great research institutions in Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma\u2014will be unable to pursue more cures. Our hospitals\u2014already scaling back operations thanks to budget cuts in the President\u2019s so-called \u2018Big, Beautiful Bill\u2019\u2014will be forced to diminish services even more. The scientists and doctors of tomorrow may decide to forgo the profession entirely or bring their talents to other countries,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cAs we fight to protect health care for millions of Americans, let us also not forget to fight for the research that fuels that care. We cannot stand for this assault on medical research funding\u2026 It\u2019s a matter of finding cures and drugs that will help people all around the world. That has defined America for decades. We cannot let the Trump Administration kill off medical research,\u201d Durbin concluded his speech.\n\nThis year, Durbin has twice asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass a resolution he introduced with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), as well as 21 other Senators, that would pledge support for NIH. The resolution simply said that the work of NIH should not be subject to interruption, delay, or funding disruptions in violation of the law, and it reaffirmed that the NIH workforce is essential to sustaining medical progress. The first UC request was blocked by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and the second was blocked by U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).\n\nDurbin has long been a strong advocate for robust medical research. His legislation, the American Cures Act, would provide annual budget increases of five percent plus inflation at America\u2019s top four biomedical research agencies: NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense Health Program, and the Veterans Medical and Prosthetics Research Program.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-to-congressional-republicans-let-us-come-together-and-give-american-families-the-gift-of-health-coverage-for-christmas", "Durbin To Congressional Republicans: Let Us Come Together And Give American Families The Gift Of Health Coverage For Christmas", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On the Senate floor and following Senate Republicans rejecting the Democratic ACA proposal last week, Durbin continues to push his Republican colleagues to come to the table and negotiate with Democrats on a solution to address the looming health care crisis\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 As open enrollment for 2026 individual market health insurance plans is underway and Americans across the country are facing astronomic increases in their monthly premiums for next year, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor about the health care affordability crisis, caused by congressional Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. Last Thursday, Senate Republicans rejected Senate Democrats\u2019 proposal to extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits.\n\n\u201cIn 17 days, 22 million Americans will be asked to pay double or triple for their health insurance premiums. Rural hospitals will be facing closure. Small businesses won\u2019t be able to cover expenses. And more than four million Americans will lose their insurance if we fail to do anything in Congress,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nShortly before the Senate held its vote on extending the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits last week, Durbin spoke on the floor about protecting Americans\u2019 health care coverage.\n\n\u201cLast Thursday, Senate Democrats put forward a bill to prevent this catastrophe. Our bill would have provided a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits, which 22 million Americans rely on to help them pay their insurance premiums. These credits expire at the end of this year, but too many Senate Republicans voted against extending them. They instead rushed to vote on a partisan proposal that would upend the Affordable Care Act and the American health care system, less than a month before the insurance premiums spike. Their bill was introduced last week, [was] not debated in committee, and no member had a chance to amend it. I say this to my friends on the other side of the aisle: You are in the majority\u2026 You have the power to go through a serious process to reform health care,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nIn his remarks, Durbin underscored that Congress must swiftly address the rising cost of health care to ensure that Americans are not priced out of their insurance. He spoke about a constituent working at a diner in Chicago who relies on the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits to afford her insurance, but she is worried that she will not be able to afford her insurance come January.\n\n\u201cEach additional day we delay an extension of the enhanced premium tax credits, more Americans forgo their health insurance because it\u2019s too darn expensive. Time is running out,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cI recently spoke to a waitress at Lou Mitchell\u2019s restaurant in Chicago. She is personally worried that she will not be able to afford her health care next year without the enhanced premium tax credits\u2026 This waitress does not care about who is winning the political fight in Washington; she cares about whether her and her family can pay for their doctors\u2019 appointments and medications. I want to go back to that restaurant soon and tell my friend that the Senate did something to help her. We can help her, so long as we act on a bipartisan basis.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cIf you don\u2019t like our proposal for a clean, three-year extension, then counter with a reasonable offer. Show that there is a beating heart that cares to address the real problems Americans face. Let us come together and give American families the gift of health coverage they can afford for Christmas.\u201d\n\nThese tax credits lower health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Due to Republicans voting against extending these enhanced premium tax credits, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois. Tens of millions of others will see their monthly premiums double or even triple.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-blumenthal-release-gao-report-recommending-expansion-of-fdas-personnel-and-authority-to-oversee-medical-device-recalls", "Durbin, Blumenthal Release GAO Report Recommending Expansion Of FDA\u2019s Personnel And Authority To Oversee Medical Device Recalls", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin and Blumenthal requested the report in December 2023 after reporting uncovered Philips Respironics\u2019 failure to recall faulty machines despite the company\u2019s knowledge that patients could be harmed by the medical devices\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the Government Accountability Office\u2019s (GAO) newly-completed report on the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) oversight of medical device recalls. In December 2023, Durbin and Blumenthal requested the report from GAO following the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette\u2019s and ProPublica\u2019s reporting on Philips Respironics\u2019 failure to submit timely and comprehensive adverse event reports, or recall faulty CPAP machines for more than a decade, despite the company\u2019s knowledge that patients could be experiencing severe health consequences from using the medical devices.\n\nThe report, which is entitled \u201cMedical Device Recalls: HHS and FDA Should Address Limitations In Oversight of Recall Process,\u201d lays out how FDA\u2019s lack of legal authority jeopardizes patients\u2019 safety. GAO reports that \u201cFDA does not have the legal authority to require the manufacturer to implement FDA\u2019s recommendations.\u201d For example, there have been instances in which the agency wanted a medical device manufacturer to inform patients about a recall, but the manufacturer believed communicating with the providers about the recalled device was sufficient. This issue leaves some patients with medical devices\u2014including implanted ones\u2014uninformed and at risk of significant health consequences.\n\nFurther, the report underscored the damaging impact of insufficient FDA staffing. GAO reports that FDA has insufficient staff to oversee medical device recalls, forcing FDA to forgo critical recall activities like conducting in-person recall audit checks. Despite these shortages, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fired 3,500 FDA workers earlier this year, including personnel who worked to oversee medical devices.\n\n\u201cThis report sounds the alarm on the shortcomings of how our government handles medical device recalls, detailing the harms caused by drastic staffing cuts to HHS and how weak enforcement authority has made it even more difficult for FDA to carry out critical oversight activities,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cNow that we have a blueprint for improving medical device recall procedures, we must act. That begins with implementing GAO\u2019s recommendations and passing my legislation, the Medical Device Recall Improvement Act, to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, health care professionals, and patients about the medical devices that Americans rely on. HHS and FDA also must take GAO\u2019s recommendations to heart and implement them right away.\u201d\n\n\u201cGAO\u2019s report makes clear: FDA needs additional resources and staff to adequately protect Americans from unsafe medical devices. After FDA left patients vulnerable to defective Philips Respironics ventilators, I am glad GAO heeded our call for a thorough review into how these faulty devices reached consumers. Current and future staffing cuts at FDA will only further undermine the agency\u2019s ability to protect people from unnecessary harm. GAO\u2019s report must inform an effective response that protects the public and bolsters FDA\u2019s oversight,\u201d said Blumenthal.\n\nMain takeaways from GAO\u2019s report include:\n\nInsufficient Staffing at FDA. Even before HHS fired 3,500 FDA employees earlier this year, the agency did not have sufficient staff to conduct necessary medical device recall oversight activities. As a result, FDA will often forgo reviewing manufacturer Recall Status Reports or conducting in-person recall audit checks. FDA currently does not have sufficient resources or staffing to efficiently process the volume of medical device recalls, which is more than three times higher than the number of pharmaceutical recalls.\n\nIn the report, GAO recommends that HHS develop a new workforce strategy to support efforts to conduct oversight on medical device recalls.\n\nLack of Legal Authority. FDA does not have the legal authority to require manufacturers to implement FDA\u2019s recommendations during a medical device recall. For instance, some manufacturers believed that communicating about a recall with only health care providers, and not directly reaching out to patients, was sufficient. This lack of authority puts patients at risk because they may not have received the proper details about a recall of their medical device.\n\nIn the report, GAO recommends that HHS work with FDA to assess additional legislative authorities to oversee medical device recalls.\n\nA copy of the final report can be found here.\n\nAddressing some of the concerns laid out in GAO\u2019s report, Durbin reintroduced the Medical Device Recall Improvement Act earlier this week. The legislation would require FDA to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals. It also would require manufacturers to include in recall notices information about how the recall could affect patients with medical devices and further instructs hospitals and health care professionals to share that information with patients.\n\nFDA oversees the regulation of almost 200,000 medical devices in the U.S., from contact lenses and contraceptive devices to prosthetics and pacemakers. According to the American Medical Association, more than 32 million Americans have an implanted medical device, and countless others use them throughout their lives. These devices improve and save lives. However, medical devices that are recalled for safety issues or manufacturing defects can cause severe harm to patients.\n\nMedical device manufacturers communicate recall information to FDA and health care professionals through letter and email. This extends the amount of time it takes FDA to review recall information, determine a recall classification, and communicate the recall to the public. It also extends the amount of time it takes hospital coordinators to track and pull recalled medical devices from inventories. As a result, patients are often the last informed about a recall\u2014if ever. According to Consumer Reports, most Americans are not aware of recalls for their products, including medical devices.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-out-republican-vote-to-raise-health-insurance-premiums", "Durbin Calls Out Republican Vote To Raise Health Insurance Premiums", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation\u2019s (SIHF) Cahokia Heights Health Center following Senate Republicans\u2019 vote yesterday to raise health insurance premiums for tens of millions of Americans.\n\nSenate Republicans voted against the Democratic legislation to extend the expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, meaning Illinoisans who purchase marketplace health plans will see an average 78 percent increase in their monthly ACA premium expenses next year. Families in St. Clair and Madison Counties, which Cahokia Heights Health Center serves, will see an average $1,500 per year increase and a $1,700 per year increase, respectively.\n\n\u201cBecause congressional Republicans refused to extend the expiring tax credits, 160,000 Illinoisans are expected to lose health care coverage,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cOur health care providers, like the ones here at Cahokia Heights Health Center, know all too well how devastating this will be. If Republicans don\u2019t get serious about negotiating with Democrats to extend these tax credits, our nation\u2019s affordability crisis is going to get worse on January 1, and families will suffer.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe premium spikes to the ACA will impact the coverage of over 5,000 individuals we presently care for at SIHF Healthcare locations across southern Illinois. This in return will increase uncompensated care and place financial risk to our communities served,\u201d said Larry McCulley, CEO of SIHF Healthcare.\n\nShortly before the Senate held its vote on extending the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits, Durbin spoke on the floor about protecting Americans\u2019 health care coverage.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/12/15/2025/duckworth-slams-senate-republicans-after-they-pass-up-last-chance-to-save-the-aca-tax-credits-that-millions-depend-on", "Duckworth Slams Senate Republicans After They Pass Up Last Chance to Save the ACA Tax Credits That Millions Depend On", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to block an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit enhancements that millions of Americans depend on to afford health insurance:\n\n\u201cToday, my Republican colleagues had a simple choice: vote yes with Democrats to help us stop health care premiums from skyrocketing or vote no and abandon their own constituents, who could be priced out of health insurance altogether.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter forcing Americans through the longest shutdown in our nation's history to avoid dealing with this, Republicans now own the healthcare crisis to come. Millions of middle-class Americans will soon feel the pain caused by this vote in their own wallets\u2014with the highest insurance premium spikes set to hit people in red states the hardest.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote was Republicans' last chance to do right by families and help extend the ACA tax credits before they expire. We could\u2019ve stopped millions of families from the pain of paying thousands of dollars extra per month for health insurance\u2014or losing their health care completely, but Republicans chose to do nothing. This should\u2019ve been a no-brainer.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-secured-hearing-on-domestic-deployments-exposes-three-damning-revelations-from-top-trump-defense-officials", "Duckworth-Secured Hearing on Domestic Deployments Exposes Three Damning Revelations from Top Trump Defense Officials", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "In first Senate hearing on Trump\u2019s illegal deployments, Duckworth warned that Trump\u2019s continued misuse of the military in our communities risks making Americans fear, rather than respect, our troops\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 At this morning\u2019s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) exposed three damning revelations from top leaders at the Department of Defense (DoD) and she underscored the devastating toll Donald Trump\u2019s domestic military deployments are having on American servicemembers and citizens alike in Illinois and across the country. During her questioning of top Trump Defense officials, the Administration refused to rule out the possibility that the mission would expand beyond protecting federal property and personnel, the possibility that troops could be deployed for law enforcement functions or the possibility that the DoD would fail to provide legal protection for servicemembers who try to protect civilians from abusive federal agents. The Senator also slammed Trump for manufacturing circumstances where reasonable civilians could end up fearing the same troops they once counted on to protect them\u2014something that neither makes America safer nor more secure. Duckworth\u2019s full opening remarks, initial questioning and closing questioning can be found on the Senator\u2019s YouTube.\n\nIn her opening statement at the hearing, Duckworth said: \u201cMilitary service involves risks. And our servicemembers accept those risks knowingly... selflessly. So we better be damn sure that the mission is the right one...that it is clear and effective...and that it serves our national security. If we stand by while this Administration pursues another irresponsible, open-ended campaign with no defined mission, no clear authorities, no set timeline and no transparent end state, we fail our troops. We fail their families. And we fail the American people.\n\n\u201cThe power to deploy troops domestically must remain exceptional, accountable and rooted in law\u2014not in one man's judgment about what constitutes disorder.\u201d\n\nDuckworth explained that by forcing our troops to defend Trump\u2019s abusive federal law enforcement agents who repeatedly used excessive force against American civilians, he is forcing our heroes to make impossible decisions between upholding the Constitution by protecting peaceful protestors and executing the President\u2019s questionable orders.\n\n\u201cFor the past two months, Illinoisans have seen DHS federal agents abusing our communities\u2014and President Trump wanted to put our troops in the middle,\u201d continued Duckworth. \u201cIn the face of violent federal agents repeatedly using excessive force, Trump is forcing our servicemembers to make a horrible choice: uphold their loyalty to the Constitution and protect peaceful protesters\u2014or execute questionable orders from the President. I fear the day when Americans stop thanking our troops for their service because they\u2019re afraid of them.\u201d\n\nDuring her questioning, the Defense Department's Acting General Counsel, Charles Young, refused to commit to providing legal representation for servicemembers who intervene to stop a civilian from being wrongfully harmed by a federal agent. Duckworth underscored that law enforcement agents have a legal duty to intervene to prevent a fellow officer from using excessive force\u2014while uniformed servicemembers have no comparable obligations, nor accompanying legal protection if they decide to intervene against a federal agent to protect a civilian. They do so at their own risk.\n\nDuckworth continued: \u201cThe courts have stopped Trump so far\u2014finding again and again that there is no legal reason for what Trump is doing. But in his ideal world, Trump wants our professional military to defend unprofessional and abusive federal law enforcement agents. It is not ICE agents who are being attacked. It is ICE agents who were tear-gassing toddlers... Pointing loaded weapons at unarmed bystanders... Hauling preschool teachers from daycare in front of kids... And rappelling from helicopters onto apartment buildings in the dead of night to rip families from their beds and detain them for hours\u2014just to admit later that they have no basis to file any charges. That is the terror that is happening in Chicago.\u201d\n\nDuckworth also criticized Trump and his Administration for repeatedly trying to blur the lines between our highly trained troops and lawless federal agents, which is eroding public trust in our military. During her questioning, Duckworth pressed U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) Commander General Gregory M. Guillot, USAF, about whether the Department was ensuring differentiation between our troops and federal agents. He confirmed that he had not received any guidance or orders from the Administration on making this distinction. However, he assured that he has the authority to direct members under his command to distinguish themselves from ICE.\n\nIn this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act, a Duckworth-led provision was included that would require servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to deploy our nation\u2019s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly\u2014to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties.\n\nDuckworth successfully secured this hearing in early October\u2014weeks after she led all of her fellow SASC Democrats in calling on SASC Chairman Wicker to hold this hearing, and shortly after she blocked expedited passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in order to secure it.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-slams-senate-republicans-after-they-pass-up-last-chance-to-save-the-aca-tax-credits-that-millions-depend-on", "Duckworth Slams Senate Republicans After They Pass Up Last Chance to Save the ACA Tax Credits That Millions Depend On", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to block an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit enhancements that millions of Americans depend on to afford health insurance:\n\n\u201cToday, my Republican colleagues had a simple choice: vote yes with Democrats to help us stop health care premiums from skyrocketing or vote no and abandon their own constituents, who could be priced out of health insurance altogether.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter forcing Americans through the longest shutdown in our nation's history to avoid dealing with this, Republicans now own the healthcare crisis to come. Millions of middle-class Americans will soon feel the pain caused by this vote in their own wallets\u2014with the highest insurance premium spikes set to hit people in red states the hardest.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote was Republicans' last chance to do right by families and help extend the ACA tax credits before they expire. We could\u2019ve stopped millions of families from the pain of paying thousands of dollars extra per month for health insurance\u2014or losing their health care completely, but Republicans chose to do nothing. This should\u2019ve been a no-brainer.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-trump-is-forcing-our-servicemembers-to-make-a-horrible-choice", "Duckworth: Trump is Forcing Our Servicemembers to Make a Horrible Choice", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 At this morning\u2019s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) underscored the devastating toll Donald Trump\u2019s domestic military deployments are having on American servicemembers and citizens alike in Illinois and across the country. The Senator slammed Trump for manufacturing circumstances where reasonable civilians could end up fearing the same troops they once counted on to protect them\u2014something that neither makes America safer nor more secure. Video of the Senator\u2019s questioning can be found on her YouTube.\n\nKey Quotes:\n\n\u201cFor the past two months, Illinoisans have seen DHS federal agents abusing our communities, and President Trump wanted to put our troops in the middle. He wants our military to protect agents who were tear-gassing toddlers, pointing loaded weapons at unarmed bystanders, hauling preschool teachers from daycare in front of kids and propelling from helicopters onto apartment buildings in the dead of night to rip families from their beds and detain them for hours\u2014just to admit later that they have no basis to file any charges.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are our troops supposed to do if they witness an agent throw a child to the ground? Do they intervene and pull the agent off the kid? Do they stand by and do nothing? Trump is forcing them to make a horrible choice: uphold their loyalty to the Constitution and protect peaceful protesters, or execute orders from the President\u2026Our troops could be dragged into court and would be on their own to plead their case to a jury, all because their Commander in Chief put them in an unprecedented situation that they don\u2019t regularly train for. And if that servicemember decides not to intervene, what will Americans think when they see someone in uniform\u2014who they were taught serves to protect them\u2014standing by as a child is harmed by one of Trump\u2019s abusive DHS agents?\u201d\n\n\u201cI fear the day when Americans stop thanking our troops for their service because they\u2019re afraid of them. We know that this Administration is trying to borrow the respected image of the military. Across the country, we\u2019ve seen DHS agents dressing in camo and wielding military-style weapons. They are making it hard for Americans to tell the difference between abusive federal agents and professional troops. If we fail to draw a bright line between our highly trained troops and lawless federal agents, I fear our public\u2019s trust in our military may never recover.\u201d\n\n-30-\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-capito-introduce-bipartisan-rise-from-trauma-act-to-address-childhood-trauma", "Durbin, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Rise From Trauma Act To Address Childhood Trauma", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The legislation would expand support for children who have experienced trauma and address the cycle of violence and addiction\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase support for children who have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma, including witnessing community violence, parental addiction, or abuse. The Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) from Trauma Act dramatically increases funding for community-based efforts to prevent and mitigate the impact of trauma, and it expands training and workforce development efforts to support health care, education, social services, first responders, and community leaders to foster resilience and deliver services to heal the impact of trauma. U.S. Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07) and Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) plan to re-introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\nPortions of the Senators\u2019 legislation were recently signed into law by President Trump through the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act, which will extend and increase funding for: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data collection activities on ACEs; an interagency task force to establish best practices on addressing trauma; and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration\u2019s (SAMHSA) National Child Traumatic Stress Network to develop and deliver mental health services in communities.\n\nSince Durbin, Capito, Duckworth, and Murkowski began working on child trauma issues together, among other provisions, they have increased appropriations for SAMHSA\u2019s National Child Traumatic Stress Network from $47 million to $99 million today. In Illinois, this is supporting research and services at Lurie Children\u2019s Hospital, Sinai Health, University of Chicago, La Rabida Children\u2019s Hospital, Northwestern University, and University of Illinois at Chicago.\n\n\u201cWhile we work to effectively address the root causes of violence and addiction in our communities, we must also focus on the ripple effect that exposure to violence and traumatic experiences has on our children and their future,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cUnaddressed trauma can harm mental and physical health, life expectancy, school success, and employment. Our bipartisan RISE from Trauma Act invests in our communities and our workforce to support children and families facing trauma so they can heal their emotional scars and build a brighter future.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to once again address the impact of trauma on children by helping to introduce the RISE from Trauma Act. This legislation builds on the work we have done over the past several years and reflects the needs I continue to hear from West Virginians across the state,\u201d Capito said. \u201cBy aiming to increase resources for our communities and taking steps to educate and expand our workforce, this legislation will help to prevent future substance abuse and violence, provide assistance and hope to our most vulnerable, and empower our next generation.\u201d\n\nNationwide, nearly 35 million children have had at least one traumatic experience, and nearly two-thirds of children have been exposed to violence. A recent study found that nearly 60 percent of the youngest children in Chicago lived in neighborhoods that accounted for 91 percent of homicides.\n\nFar too many children carry the emotional weight of community violence and other traumatic experiences, such as the daily stress of abuse or neglect at home, a parent battling addiction, or an incarceration or a deportation of a loved one. Trauma can create stress on the developing brain and force children into constant \u201csurvival mode\u201d, impacting the way they process fear or form healthy relationships. Decades of research, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have established the link between a child\u2019s exposure to trauma, its effect on neurological and behavioral development, and long-term negative outcomes. In fact, studies show that individuals who have experienced six or more ACEs have a 20-year shorter average life expectancy, and those who have experienced four or more ACEs are ten times more likely to use illicit narcotics and 12 times more likely to attempt suicide. Yet only a small fraction of the children in need of support to address trauma receive such care.\n\nThe RISE from Trauma Act builds upon the conclusions published in a 2019 GAO report requested by Durbin and Rep. Davis and calls for increased resources and trauma-informed workforce for communities to support children who have experienced trauma.\n\nThe RISE from Trauma Act would expand the trauma-informed workforce in schools, health care settings, social services, first responders, and the justice system, and increase resources for communities to address the impact of trauma. Specifically, the bill:\n\nCreates a new, $600 million HHS grant program to fund community-based coalitions that coordinate stakeholders and deliver targeted local services to address trauma;\n\nCreates a new HHS grant program to support hospital-based trauma interventions, such as for patients that suffer violent injuries, to address mental health needs, prevent re-injury, and improve long-term outcomes;\n\nIncreases funding for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program, in order to recruit more mental health clinicians\u2014including from under-represented populations\u2014to serve in schools;\n\nEnhances federal training programs at HHS, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Education to provide more tools for early childhood clinicians, teachers, school leaders, first responders, and community leaders; and\n\nReauthorizes four critical federal programs that Durbin and Capito helped to pass in 2018: the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-Informed Care, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the CDC\u2019s ACEs Data Collection program, and SAMHSA\u2019s Trauma Support in Schools grant program.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, Futures Without Violence, Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice, American Psychological Association Services, National Association of School Psychologists, National Head Start Association, Big Brother Big Sisters of America, YWCA, Trust for America's Health, National PTA, American Psychological Association Services, and Zero to Three.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-condemns-president-trumps-racist-comments-towards-immigrants-in-senate-judiciary-committee-executive-meeting", "Durbin Condemns President Trump\u2019s Racist Comments Towards Immigrants In Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Meeting", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During his opening remarks, Durbin again called on DHS Secretary Noem to testify in front of the Committee, urged Chairman Grassley to consider a subpoena if she refuses to appear\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today\u2019s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting condemning the Trump Administration\u2019s failing immigration enforcement tactics and the diversion of necessary resources away from drug trafficking, gun violence, and other threats that put our nation\u2019s security at risk\u2014all while pardoning drug kingpins, including former Honduras President, Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez. Durbin also again called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to testify in front of the Committee.\n\nDurbin also spoke about President Donald Trump finally admitting that he used the slur \u201cshithole countries\u201d to denigrate Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting in the Oval Office that Durbin attended. Trump admitted to this comment during his rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.\n\nKey Quotes\n\n\u201cConsider President Trump\u2019s extrajudicial killings of alleged drug traffickers\u2026 Since September, the Administration has carried out at least 22 attacks, killing at least 87 people. The President and Secretary Hegseth allege they are killing \u2018narco-terrorists\u2019\u2014but the Administration refused to provide any evidence of an imminent threat justifying lethal force. If these are actually drug traffickers, law enforcement should stop the boats, confiscate and destroy the drugs, and prosecute the traffickers. The Justice Department\u2019s Office of Legal Counsel has tried to provide legal cover for these summary executions in a deeply flawed legal opinion, which it refuses to make public to the American people.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt the same time, President Trump has pardoned Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez, the former President of Honduras who was convicted of orchestrating a massive conspiracy to flood our country with illegal narcotics\u2026 This follows the President\u2019s pardon of another drug kingpin, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. He created the largest online black market for illegal drugs in our nation\u2019s history.\u201d\n\n\u201cMeanwhile, President Trump is targeting communities that didn\u2019t vote for him, like Chicago. Instead of arresting dangerous murderers, rapists, and terrorists, as promised, the Trump Administration is rounding up tens of thousands of immigrants with no criminal history. In Illinois, a mere two and a half percent of immigrants arrested by ICE between September 8 and October 15 had been convicted of a violent crime. Sixty-six percent of the people detained and deported had no criminal history whatsoever.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe President is making no secret about his true motivation. I will never forget my 2018 meeting in the Oval Office when the President rejected a bipartisan immigration deal because he didn\u2019t want any more immigrants from \u2018s***hole countries.\u2019 There were some questions [about whether] he actually said that for years. He not only said it, he bragged about it at a rally in Pennsylvania\u2026 Two Republican Senators claimed I was lying when I confirmed [the comments]. Now, President Trump isn\u2019t hiding his true feelings\u2026 This is racism, plain and simple.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Chairman Grassley for committing to bring Secretary Noem before the Committee before the end of the year. Unfortunately, Secretary Noem has stiff-armed the Committee, refusing to commit to a hearing date. Mr. Chairman, you have the power to issue a subpoena. It will be bipartisan. It is time for Secretary Noem to end her galivanting across this country and come before this Committee and be held accountable by the American people.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.\n\nDurbin then spoke against the nomination of Darin Smith, nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming. Mr. Smith has no criminal or federal court experience; nor has he ever tried a case to verdict, judgment, or final decision. Mr. Smith could not list one significant litigated matter on his Questionnaire submitted to the Committee.\n\n\u201cSeemingly, Mr. Smith\u2019s only qualification is his loyalty to right-wing MAGA orthodoxy. He was on the Capitol grounds on January 6. As my colleagues remember, a violent mob assaulted police officers, destroyed government property, and attempted to thwart our democratic process. Mr. Smith baselessly claimed that the hundreds of Capitol Police officers who risked their lives that day were guilty of \u2018massive incompetence.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cWithout evidence, he claimed that rioters who breached the Capitol were victims of entrapment. Mr. Smith has stood by his radical and dangerous claim that Vice President Pence should not have certified the results of the 2020 election because there were \u2018imperfections\u2019 in the process.\u2019 Mr. Smith also falsely claimed that the FBI agents who interviewed him regarding his presence at the Capitol were sent by former Representative Liz Cheney and \u2018her goons\u2019 after he demanded that she be censured by the Wyoming Republican Party.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am also troubled by Mr. Smith\u2019s stunning lack of judgment. He baselessly accused Vice President Harris of being a murderer and refused to retract this slanderous comment. He attacked Republican Senators for finding credible the sexual assault allegations made by multiple women against Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore and claimed\u2014again without evidence\u2014that the allegations were \u2018probably false.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cI urge my colleagues that there must be some standard of qualification. To give this kind of power to an individual that has no background, none whatsoever when it comes to criminal or federal court experience, there\u2019s no excuse\u2014please vote no.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the nomination of Mr. Smith is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the nomination of Mr. Smith is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the nomination of Mr. Smith is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-republicans-voting-to-raise-health-insurance-premiums-for-tens-of-millions-of-americans", "Durbin Statement On Republicans Voting To Raise Health Insurance Premiums For Tens Of Millions Of Americans", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans rejected Senate Democrats\u2019 proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits to ensure millions of Americans could continue to afford their health care plans in 2026:\n\n\u201cNeed I remind my Republicans colleagues that their votes have real consequences for the people of this country?\n\n\u201cShame on Republicans for, once again, voting to push millions of their own constituents off their health care. Senate Republicans\u2019 vote today was the latest action in their 15 year crusade to demolish the Affordable Care Act despite the law putting affordable, quality health care within reach for tens of millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cI want to work with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to make the Affordable Care Act better. But we need buy-in from congressional Republicans to move forward. I hope that my Republican colleagues, after today\u2019s failed vote to extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits, will finally understand the urgency of this health care crisis and make a real effort to protect Americans\u2019 health care.\u201d\n\nShortly before the Senate held its vote on extending the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits, Durbin spoke on the floor about protecting Americans\u2019 health care coverage. In his remarks, he underscored that Congress must swiftly address the rising cost of health care to ensure that Americans are not priced out of their insurance. He spoke about a constituent working at a diner in Chicago who relies on the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits to afford her insurance, but she is worried that she will not be able to afford her insurance come January 1.\n\n\u201cI met a waitress at a Chicago Loop restaurant during breakfast last Sunday. She\u2019s 63 years old, and she spent her life as a waitress. It\u2019s taken its toll on her physically. She was in tears as she described to me about what is going to happen to her if we fail to act the right way on this legislation. She\u2019s going to see her health care bill more than double - $300 or $400 more per month. She doesn\u2019t know how she can do it [pay for her insurance], and I don\u2019t either. That\u2019s what we have to address first,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cThe question today is whether the Senate will extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits... If we fail to extend these tax credits, that waitress and 22 million Americans will begin to pay double or triple for their insurance in three weeks, including 500,000 people living in Illinois. More than four million Americans will not be able to afford their insurance at these high rates and will be forced to forgo health coverage for next year,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cSenate Democrats have sounded the alarm bell about the need to prevent this catastrophe. We have told the stories of our constituents who called our offices crying because they are afraid that they will not be able to afford their health care next year. We have shared reports from the farmers, small businesses owners, and rural hospitals who rely on these tax credits,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cEvery Senate Democrat is united behind a plan just to extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits and ensure continued access to quality, affordable health coverage. Republicans are not united behind any plan. They haven\u2019t been for 15 years\u2026 You\u2019re [Senate Republicans] in the majority. We need 13 of you today to join us and show the bravery that Senator McCain did in that early morning hour [when he voted to save the ACA],\u201d Durbin concluded his remarks.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\nTo combat the rising cost of health care, congressional Democrats implemented ACA enhanced premium tax credits through the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extended them in the Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025. As a result of these enhanced premium tax credits, the number of Americans covered on the ACA\u2019s marketplace increased from 11 million in 2020 to 24 million this year.\n\nDespite millions of Americans relying on these tax credits, congressional Republicans have refused to act to extend them, consequently threatening health care coverage for Americans that cannot otherwise afford to pay for their premiums. This is in addition to the nearly $1 trillion in cuts congressional Republicans made to Medicaid in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was passed at the direction of President Trump in order to fund tax breaks for billionaires.\n\nCongressional Democrats have been pushing to make quality health care more accessible for millions of Americans for more than 15 years. The ACA, championed by Democrats, changed the landscape of health care in the U.S. by expanding and ensuring coverage. Prior to the passage of the legislation in 2010, insurance companies routinely denied patients coverage if they had pre-existing conditions, preventing millions of Americans from securing an affordable health care plan.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-cruz-cantwell-moran-criticize-widening-of-military-aircraft-safety-loophole-in-2026-ndaa", "Duckworth, Cruz, Cantwell, Moran Criticize Widening of Military Aircraft Safety Loophole in 2026 NDAA", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate\u2019s Aviation Subcommittee Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined fellow U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) leaders Ted Cruz (R-TX), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) in issuing a joint statement criticizing the inclusion of a provision in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) widening a loophole for military helicopters that threatens the safety of the flying public. Almost a year after the fatal crash near DCA, the Senators\u2014who are working to close that loophole completely with their bipartisan ROTOR Act\u2014join with the Families of Flight 5342 and the Lilley family in voicing serious concern that the NDAA, as written, would make American skies less safe.\n\n\u201cAlmost a year after 67 lives were lost when a military helicopter hit American Airlines flight 5342 over the Potomac River, the NDAA fails to make the skies safer. As drafted, the NDAA protects the status quo, allowng military aircraft to keep flying in DC airspace under different rules and with outdated transmission requirements,\u201d said the Senators.\n\n\u201cThis comes as Pentagon data shows a spike in military aircraft accidents since 2020. The families of the victims deserve accountability. The NDAA should be stripped of this new loophole and instead include the ROTOR Act -- a bipartisan bill that closes the dangerous exemption that allows military aircraft to operate in domestic skies without communicating their position. We must act decisively to prevent future tragedies,\u201d the Senators said.\n\nThe Families of Flight 5342 issued a statement in solidarity with the Senators:\n\n\"Over the past year the Families of Flight 5342 have united to push for meaningful aviation safety reforms so that no other families suffer the same devastating loss. While we appreciate congressional attention to rotary-wing operations in the National Defense Authorization Act, Section 373 does not resolve the visibility and coordination failures that contributed to the tragedy. As written, it leaves the status quo largely unchanged.\n\nSection 373 applies only to training missions \u2014 even though military helicopters in the National Capital Region fly a wide range of missions that routinely place them near commercial aircraft. It focuses narrowly on TCAS-compatible alerts rather than true visibility and broadcast requirements, and it preserves broad national-security exceptions similar to those in place at the time of the Flight 5342 collision. These gaps mean the provision does not meaningfully mitigate the risks that proved fatal for our loved ones.\n\nWe urge Congress to strengthen Section 373 by requiring real, enforceable visibility standards for all military aircraft operating near civilian traffic. And we continue to call for swift passage of the bipartisan ROTOR Act, which provides the comprehensive, nationwide reforms needed to ensure that a tragedy like Flight 5342 never happens again.\"\n\nTim and Sheri Lilley, whose son, Sam, was the First Officer of Flight 5342 also issued a statement:\n\n\u201cAs it is currently drafted, the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act has several unsatisfactory provisions related to aviation safety.\n\nAs such we call on members to reject this language. At a minimum language should become law as soon as possible to require ADS-B out.\n\nThe national security waivers allowed by this draft are also deeply concerning. As has been highlighted by public statements of several Members of Congress and Administration officials, the national security waivers that have been abused by operators in the DC area are problematic and subject to abuse. This bill addresses that with a \u201cwindow dressing\u201d fix that will continue to allow for the setting aside of requirements with nothing more than a cursory risk assessment.\n\nSafety that depends on exemptions cannot be the foundation of a secure airspace system.\n\nThe flying public and all those that utilize our airspace deserve better than what this bill provides.\n\nThe January 29 midair accident that took 67 souls, including our son AA5342 First Officer Sam Lilley, showed us exactly what is at stake. Congress now has a choice: strengthen this provision and protect the traveling public or leave in place the same vulnerabilities that have already cost too many people their lives.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-urges-senate-republicans-not-to-pass-up-last-chance-to-save-the-aca-tax-credits-that-millions-depend-on", "Duckworth Urges Senate Republicans Not to Pass Up Last Chance to Save the ACA Tax Credits That Millions Depend On", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement ahead of tomorrow\u2019s vote to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit enhancements that millions of Americans depend on to afford health insurance:\n\n\u201cTomorrow, my Republican colleagues will have a simple choice: vote yes with Democrats to help us stop health care premiums from skyrocketing or vote no and abandon their own constituents, who could be priced out of health insurance altogether.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter forcing Americans through the longest shutdown in our nation's history to avoid dealing with this, Republicans can\u2019t run away from the healthcare crisis they created any longer. If they vote no, millions of middle-class Americans will feel the pain in their own wallets\u2014with the highest insurance premium spikes set to hit people in red states the hardest.\u201d\n\n\u201cTomorrow\u2019s vote will be Republicans' last chance to do right by families and help extend the ACA tax credits before they expire. We can stop millions of families from the pain of paying thousands of dollars extra per month for health insurance\u2014or losing their health care completely, but only if Republicans finally get off the sidelines and vote to help us. This should be a no-brainer.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-the-senates-aca-tax-credit-vote-durbin-joins-spotlight-forum-highlighting-the-importance-of-the-aca", "Ahead Of The Senate\u2019s ACA Tax Credit Vote, Durbin Joins Spotlight Forum Highlighting The Importance Of The ACA", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During his remarks, Durbin highlighted how the ACA addressed addiction treatment and mental health services\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a spotlight forum hosted by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) focused on the need to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits ahead of the Senate\u2019s vote tomorrow on the Democratic proposal for a clean three-year extension of the ACA tax credits. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans.\n\nIf Republicans vote against extending these enhanced premium tax credits, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage next year, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois. Tens of millions of others will see their monthly premiums double or even triple.\n\nDurbin began his remarks by reflecting on his own family\u2019s experience of being uninsured when his newborn daughter was in need of critical care.\n\n\u201cMany members are motivated and inspired by their own personal experiences. This is one for me. I was a student at Georgetown Law School when I got married\u2026 and God sent us a baby. She was a beautiful little girl with a serious medical condition, and I had no health insurance\u2026 What was next was to go to the old Children\u2019s Hospital here in Washington and to sit in the charity ward for people who couldn\u2019t afford to pay and didn\u2019t have any insurance\u2026 I\u2019ll never forget that moment and that has inspired me to be part of this conversation [on health care] for a long time,\u201d said Durbin.\n\nDurbin then commented on the ACA including provisions to address mental health and addiction.\n\n\u201cIt made so much sense we included it and thank God we did. As we faced the opioid crisis, many lives [were] saved by the fact there was paid-for counseling available through the ACA,\u201d said Durbin.\n\nHe asked Susan Stearns, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Hampshire, about the importance of including addiction treatment and mental health treatment in the ACA.\n\n\u201cTell me a little about your experience with your family with this [in regard to the ACA including provisions to address addiction and mental health resources],\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Stearns replied that her father lived with an alcohol use disorder. She continued to say, \u201cwithout the ACA including Medicaid expansion and subsidies for the marketplace plan, we would not have turned the tide [on the opioid epidemic] as we seemingly have at this point. Lives are literally being saved.\u201d She continued to say that we will backslide if we allow these ACA tax credits to expire.\n\nDuring his remarks, Durbin emphasized that we can work in a bipartisan way to address the Republicans\u2019 concerns with the ACA, but we must immediately address the tax credits\u2014as millions of people will see their premiums skyrocket come January 1.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks is available here.\n\nTo combat the rising cost of health care, congressional Democrats implemented ACA enhanced premium tax credits through the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extended them in the Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025. As a result of these enhanced premium tax credits, the number of Americans covered on the ACA\u2019s marketplace increased from 11 million in 2020 to 24 million this year. Despite millions of Americans relying on these tax credits, congressional Republicans have refused to act to extend them, consequently threatening health care coverage for Americans that cannot otherwise afford to pay for their premiums. This is in addition to the nearly $1 trillion in cuts congressional Republicans made to Medicaid in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was passed at the direction of President Trump in order to fund tax breaks for billionaires\n\nCongressional Democrats have been pushing to make quality health care more accessible for millions of Americans for more than 15 years. The ACA, championed by Democrats, changed the landscape of health care in the U.S. by expanding coverage options. Prior to the passage of the legislation in 2010, insurance companies routinely denied patients coverage if they had pre-existing conditions, preventing millions of Americans from securing an affordable health care plan.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/amid-surge-in-ice-hiring-durbin-remarks-on-low-standards-of-ice-recruits-who-have-failed-drug-tests-have-pending-criminal-charges-and-more", "Amid Surge In ICE Hiring, Durbin Remarks On Low Standards Of ICE Recruits Who Have Failed Drug Tests, Have Pending Criminal Charges, And More", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin again denounced President Trump\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d and called on his Republican colleagues to stand up against the President\u2019s cruel mass deportation scheme\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today denounced the low hiring standards of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruits amid a surge in hiring. The Trump Administration announced their goal of onboarding 10,000 new agents by the end of the year\u2014which would double the number of deportation officers, from roughly 6,000 to 16,000. Durbin also spoke out on the Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d which has been used as a mechanism by the President to sow fear in Illinois communities as immigration officials have been tasked with carrying out the Trump Administration\u2019s cruel mass deportation scheme.\n\nDurbin began by denouncing the Trump Administration\u2019s false narrative that federal agents are only going after the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d during these aggressive immigration raids.\n\n\u201cOf more than 600 immigrants recently arrested, do you know how many of them had significant criminal history? Sixteen\u201416 out of more than 600. Nationwide, ICE arrested nearly 75,000 people with no criminal history between January 20 and October [15]. Federal immigration agents have arrested and detained: a mother on her way to visit her 15-day-old baby in the NICU; a teacher at a preschool in front of her young students; [and] day laborers, vendors, construction workers, and cooks simply trying to make a living and support their families. Immigration agents arrested and detained at least 40 U.S. citizens in Illinois alone between late August and early November. Does that sound like we\u2019re getting rid of \u2018the worst of the worst\u2019? People with no criminal history,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin continued his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to stand up against the Trump Administration\u2019s cruel campaign against immigrants.\n\n\u201cI have urged my Republican colleagues\u2026 to consider the possibility that these raids could come to a city they represent, and they would be faced with the same reality. Would they call out these abuses of power? Well, I regret to inform them that that time has come. After wreaking havoc in Illinois, Border Patrol official Greg Bovino and his traveling circus have hit the road and descended on more communities, including in red states. Last month, in Charlotte, North Carolina, a video posted to social media showed a U.S. citizen construction worker being swarmed by federal agents while in his vehicle,\u201d Durbin continued. \u201cThe man said the agents \u2018didn\u2019t believe I was an American citizen\u2019 and \u2018wanted to know where I was born.\u2019 He was released only after agents verified his citizenship.\u201d\n\nIn another incident in Marrero, Louisiana, a viral video showed a silver, unmarked SUV pulling up to a woman and two masked agents exiting to chase her. She repeatedly yelled that she was a U.S. citizen and to \u201cleave [her] alone\u201d before making it to her property. Other states, including Florida and Texas, have also witnessed increased federal immigration enforcement operations.\n\nDurbin then proceeded to talk about the Trump Administration\u2019s increase in hiring ICE recruits.\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cThe Trump Administration should be working to improve screening, hiring, and training of recruits before unleashing them onto the streets of America. Instead, they have lowered requirements\u2014including [by] loosening the age restrictions for prospective agents and shortening the training period from 13 weeks to a mere six weeks... Recent reporting suggests that these new, lowered hiring standards have resulted in ICE recruits who have: barely been able to read or write; failed drug tests; displayed tattoos associated with gangs and white supremacists; failed to meet basic physical fitness requirements; and even have pending criminal charges.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cThese are the people that President Trump is attempting to release onto our streets to restore \u2018law and order.\u2019 With these lower standards, these troubling incidents I described are definitely going to increase. Given all of this, I ask my Republican colleagues: if you think we need to keep an eye on the federal government, why don\u2019t we start here? Will any of you rebuke this lawlessness and cruelty? What will it take for you to finally do so? We ought to be united in calling out these abuses. Secretary Noem wants to play dress up in her camo wardrobe, demanding government jets to tour her battleground states\u2026 [and] arrest ordinary people who are working hard on tough jobs. I believe [this] is an attempt to change basic Constitutional principles. We have to stand up and speak out. Is this what America is really all about?\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-delauro-introduce-the-federal-food-administration-act", "Durbin, Delauro Introduce The Federal Food Administration Act", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) reintroduced the Federal Food Administration Act, legislation that would streamline our food safety system by consolidating the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) food oversight responsibilities into a single agency dedicated to keeping the foods Americans eat safe.\n\n\u201cThe sad reality is that FDA has failed to protect Americans from preventable foodborne illnesses and death. In recent years, FDA has failed to protect babies from bacterial infections in their infant formula and lead-tainted applesauce pouches,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cThis is why Congresswoman DeLauro and I are introducing legislation to create a Federal Food Administration. With the Federal Food Administration Act, we hope our nation will have greater success in protecting the foods in our kids\u2019 lunch boxes and on our dining room tables.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe need a single food safety agency to ensure the food Americans eat is safe,\u201d said DeLauro. \u201cCurrently, food safety oversight is scattered across multiple agencies with the bulk of the responsibility falling to the Food and Drug Administration \u2013 where food safety has often been treated like a second-class citizen. This legislation would put one agency clearly in charge with the singular mission of protecting our food supply with the resources, staff, and focus to achieve that goal. I am proud to partner with Senator Durbin in this effort, because Americans deserve peace of mind that the government is keeping companies accountable with clear, consistent safety standards.\u201d\n\nFDA regulates approximately 80 percent of our food supply. Consumers and companies depend on FDA to perform its regulatory role effectively. Yet, despite increased authorities included in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the creation of the Human Foods Program at FDA, the agency has failed to make significant inroads in reducing rates of foodborne illness and death in the U.S.\n\nAbout one in six Americans\u2014or 48 million people\u2014get sick from a foodborne illness each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 128,000 Americans also are hospitalized and 3,000 Americans die of foodborne diseases each year.\n\nThe Federal Food Administration Act would establish a Federal Food Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by incorporating the existing food programs within FDA into this separate agency: the Human Foods Program, Center for Veterinary Medicine, and the Office of Inspections and Investigations. This food safety agency, with a Senate-confirmed Commissioner, will strengthen oversight of the food supply, improve the health and well-being of Americans, and ensure companies that cut corners on food safety are properly held accountable.\n\nJoining Durbin and DeLauro as original cosponsors of this legislation are U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by Consumer Reports, Consumer Federation of America, Environmental Working Group, and STOP Foodborne Illness.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-schakowsky-introduce-legislation-to-improve-the-medical-device-recall-process", "Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Legislation To Improve The Medical Device Recall Process", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would bolster communication between medical device manufacturers, hospitals and health care professionals, and patients\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today reintroduced legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients. The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals. It also would require manufacturers to include in recall notices information about how the recall could affect patients with medical devices and instruct hospitals and health care professionals to provide that information to patients. The legislation was inspired by Illinois constituents who had shared their personal stories about medical harms and other concerns related to recalled devices.\n\n\u201cMillions of Americans rely on a medical device to stay healthy. But if their medical device is recalled, patients have the right to know as soon as possible so that they can understand the risks and consult with their health care provider,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThe Medical Device Recall Improvement Act is an obvious solution to ensure that medical device manufacturers, FDA, and health providers can quickly share up-to-date information with patients.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve to know that the medical devices they depend on for their health and wellbeing are safe and effective,\u201d said Schakowsky. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to work with Senator Dick Durbin on the Medical Device Recall Improvement Act. Our bill ensures that all medical device recall information is sent to the Food and Drug Administration electronically, rather than through physical mail, so providers and patients can receive critical updates faster. With more than 1,000 recalls issued each year affecting millions of devices, timely communication saves lives. This important legislation makes sure patients get the information they need when they need it.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would:\n\nRequire FDA to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications;\n\nRequire medical device manufacturers to use the electronic format to contact FDA and hospitals and health providers; and\n\nRequire medical device manufacturers to include information in recall notifications about the risks of the recalled device, and instruct hospitals and health providers to distribute the information to patients.\n\nFDA oversees the regulation of almost 200,000 medical devices in the U.S., from contact lenses and contraceptive devices to prosthetics and pacemakers. According to the American Medical Association, more than 32 million Americans have an implanted medical device, and countless others use them throughout their lives. These devices improve and save lives. However, medical devices that are recalled for safety issues or manufacturing defects can cause severe harm to patients.\n\nMedical device manufacturers communicate recall information to FDA and health care professionals through letter and email. This extends the amount of time it takes FDA to review recall information, determine a recall classification, and communicate the recall to the public. It also extends the amount of time it takes hospital coordinators to track and pull recalled medical devices from inventories. As a result, patients are often the last informed about a recall\u2014if ever. According to Consumer Reports, most Americans are not aware of recalls for their products, including medical devices.\n\nIn December 2023, Durbin sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) calling on the agency to update its 2011 report entitled \u201cMedical Devices: FDA Should Enhance Its Oversight of Recalls\u201d by conducting a review of FDA\u2019s oversight of medical device recalls. The letter followed the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette\u2019s and ProPublica\u2019s reporting on Philips Respironics\u2019 failure to submit timely and comprehensive adverse event reporters or recall faulty CPAP machines for more than a decade, despite the company\u2019s knowledge that patients could be experiencing severe health consequences form using the medical devices.\n\nThe Medical Device Recall Improvement Act has earned endorsements from Public Citizen; National Center for Health Research; Device Events; and UCSF Team for High Value Care.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-trumps-2018-racist-reference-to-s-hole-countries-was-an-embarrassment", "Durbin: Trump\u2019s 2018 Racist Reference To \u201cS-Hole\u201d Countries Was An Embarrassment", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "After nearly eight years, Trump admitted to using the slur \u201cshithole countries\u201d to denigrate Black immigrants during a meeting in the Oval Office, confirming Durbin\u2019s statement from that time\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke about President Donald Trump finally admitting that he used the slur \u201cshithole countries\u201d to denigrate Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting in the Oval Office that Durbin attended. Trump admitted to this comment during his rally in Pennsylvania last night. Following the 2018 meeting, Durbin was criticized by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and then-Senator David Perdue (R-GA), as well as President Trump himself, for corroborating media reports of Trump\u2019s \u201cshithole countries\u201d comment, with Trump claiming Durbin \u201ctotally misrepresented\u201d what he had said.\n\n\u201cThe meeting was historic\u2026 The President spoke at length about his views on immigration. The conversation declined at some point to a level I\u2019d never expected to witness in my life. The President started saying things about immigrants in ways I thought had never been said before in the White House,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cHe used terminology, which I will not repeat on the Senate floor, but he referred to a phrase of \u2018s-hole\u2019 nations. I was shocked to hear it. I heard him refer to several countries in this fashion. And I thought to myself, how have we reached a point where we discuss immigration in such crude and vulgar terms. After I left the White House, it leaked out what the President had said, and the White House denied it. They said it didn\u2019t happen. I said it did, they said I\u2019m lying to the point where two of my Republican Senate colleagues went on television several days later and said that I lied when the President made those statements. Well yesterday at his rally in Pennsylvania, President Trump admitted that he used the slur that I referred to earlier to disparage Haiti and African nations during that 2018 meeting with lawmakers, bragging about a comment that sparked global outrage during his first term.\u201d\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cFor [nearly eight] years, I have lived with the shadow of people saying that I misled the American people as to what the President said. Yesterday, he admitted what he said\u2026 We have to get beyond crudity and vulgarity and what we\u2019ve seen in the extreme in the last several months when it comes to immigration.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cWe are a nation of immigrants, and I\u2019m proud of that fact\u2026 The reference in 2018 was an embarrassment\u2014an embarrassment to the White House, to the Oval Office, and to the presidency. I\u2019m glad that the President has finally admitted what happened on that day.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-judiciary-democrats-push-back-against-fbi-doj-investigation-threats-into-six-members-of-congress", "Senate Judiciary Democrats Push Back Against FBI, DOJ Investigation Threats Into Six Members Of Congress", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "FBI political leadership is reportedly pressuring the Washington Field Office to open a seditious conspiracy investigation into Senators Kelly and Slotkin, Representatives Goodlander, Crow, Deluzio, and Houlahan\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in pushing back against the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s (FBI) attempt to use the threat of investigation to harass and intimidate U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as U.S. Representatives Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-01), Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06)\u2014after the Members of Congress reiterated current law when they released a video telling active members of the Armed Forces not to obey unlawful or illegal orders.\n\nIn a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, the Senators began by characterizing the threats of investigation as retributive, writing: \u201cWe write with grave concern that the Trump Administration is weaponizing the FBI against federal lawmakers who merely restated current law. This abuse of federal law enforcement authority as an instrument of retribution against the President\u2019s political opponents is a threat to the constitutional freedoms of all Americans.\u201d\n\nThe Senators then reiterated current law, which aligns with the Democratic Members of Congress\u2019s message to military members, writing: \u201cAs you know, the Uniform Code of Military Justice requires servicemembers to follow \u2018lawful government order[s] or regulation[s],\u2019 and the Manual for Courts-Martial explicitly states that the \u2018inference [of lawfulness] does not apply to a patently illegal order.\u2019 With regard to violations of the law of war, the Department of Defense\u2019s Law of War Manual also states that \u2018each member of the armed services has a duty to refuse to comply with clearly illegal orders to commit violations of the law of war.\u2019 Indeed, servicemembers may be prosecuted for carrying out a patently unlawful order to commit a war crime. Nothing these Members of Congress said in this video is unlawful\u2014they were simply restating existing law.\u201d\n\nThe Senators then expressed concern over conflicting reports of political retribution against these Members of Congress by Director Patel\u2019s FBI, writing: \u201cDespite no predicate whatsoever, the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s (FBI) political leadership is reportedly pressuring the Washington Field Office to open a seditious conspiracy investigation into the six federal lawmakers for these lawful statements. This contradicts Director Patel\u2019s public promise that the question of \u2018is there a lawful predicate to open up an inquiry and investigation or is there not\u2019 would be \u2018made by the career agents and analysts here at the FBI.\u2019 This is particularly alarming because President Trump himself has publicly claimed that the lawmakers\u2019 lawful statements are \u2018SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.\u2019 The President also shared a different post that read: \u2018HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD.\u2019\u201d\n\nThe Senators concluded with a condemnation of the Trump Administration\u2019s treatment of these Members of Congress and our nation\u2019s military members, before making a series of information requests, writing: \u201cIt is facially unconstitutional to prosecute protected speech, whether that speech is by the American people or their representatives in Congress, and it is absurd to contend that statements reiterating the law alone are a predicate for a seditious conspiracy investigation. President Trump has repeatedly weaponized the federal law enforcement against American citizens as part of his increasingly desperate attempts to distract from the lawlessness, corruption, and incompetence of his Administration. This country deserves federal law enforcement that uphold the law, not use the threat of prosecution to chill speech\u2014particularly speech urging government officials and members of the Armed Forces to comply with the law. The Department of Justice\u2019s resources would be better spent ensuring that the Department of Defense is following the law as it conducts military action.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).\n\nClick herefor a PDF copy of the letter to Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-on-congress-to-pass-his-bill-combatting-online-child-sexual-abuse-material", "Durbin Calls On Congress To Pass His Bill Combatting Online Child Sexual Abuse Material", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On the Senate floor, Durbin asked for unanimous consent to pass his bipartisan STOP CSAM Act alongside Sen. Hawley, before Sen. Wyden objected\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked for unanimous consent (UC) for the Senate to pass his bipartisan STOP CSAM Act alongside the bill\u2019s cosponsor U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO).\n\n\u201cI come to the floor today to ask the Senate to pass the STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would finally open the courthouse doors to survivors of child exploitation and their families. Too many parents feel a pit in their stomachs every time their child logs onto a phone, tablet, or video game console. They know that the internet has become a hunting ground for predators,\u201d began Durbin.\n\nEarlier today, the Senate Judiciary Committee learned more about the horrors facing our children online at a committee hearing featuring a victim impact family.\n\n\u201cThree years ago, 17-year-old James Woods, an honor student and accomplished track athlete from the state of Ohio, died by suicide after being targeted by predators on Instagram. We asked his mother today how long this relationship online lasted. Start to finish, which was the end of her son\u2019s life, was 19 hours. They tricked James into sending them sexually explicit photos and they threatened to ruin his life if he did not pay them. His tormentors sent him 200 messages in 19 hours, encouraging him to end his life, which he ultimately did,\u201d shared Durbin.\n\nIn 2014, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, or NCMEC, received 1.1 million CyberTips of child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM. By 2023\u2014less than 10 years later\u2014the number of CyberTips had exploded to 36 million.\n\n\u201cAs I have learned more about the horrors of online child sexual exploitation, I have made it my mission to try to put an end to it. That\u2019s why I have worked with survivors, prosecutors, law enforcement, victim advocates, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to write a bill that responds with the urgency that this situation demands. That bill is the STOP CSAM Act,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cI would like to thank Senator Hawley for being the lead sponsor on this bill, who voted unanimously with the Judiciary Committee who voted unanimously to advance this bill out of Committee earlier this year. And I want to recognize the extraordinary survivors and advocates who have fought to make this legislation possible. Unfortunately, due to Big Tech\u2019s deep pockets, it has not been easy to pass a law to finally hold the tech industry accountable for the harms they cause\u2026 So, when the STOP CSAM Act didn\u2019t pass the full Senate last year, Senator Hawley and I were determined to bring it up this year. Because Big Tech has failed to keep kids safe online, it is imperative that Congress do something,\u201d continued Durbin.\n\nHawley then spoke, and Durbin made the unanimous consent request. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) objected.\n\nThe STOP CSAM Act will crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims of child sexual exploitation to sue companies that promoted or facilitated the exploitation, or that host or store CSAM or make it available. It will also support victims and increase transparency for online platforms by, among other things:\n\nExpanding protections for child victims and witnesses in federal court;\n\nFacilitating restitution for victims of child exploitation, human trafficking, sexual assault, and crimes of violence;\n\nStrengthening CyberTipline reporting requirements; and\n\nRequiring large tech companies to submit annual reports describing their efforts to promote a culture of safety for children on their platform.\n\nThe Senators announced the legislation's reintroduction in February ahead of their joint hearing highlighting witnesses impacted by CSAM, including survivors, advocates, and law enforcement experts. They originally introduced the legislation last Congress and garnered the votes to unanimously advance it through the Senate Judiciary Committee.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\nDurbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. Earlier today, Durbin joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to hold violent criminals accountable and combat the disturbing rise in online child exploitation.\n\nOn January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.\n\nIn addition, Durbin\u2019s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024\u2014and was reintroduced in the Senate this year. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit \u201cdeepfake\u201d images and videos. The volume of \u201cdeepfake\u201d content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and produced without the consent of the person depicted.\n\nEarlier this year, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled \u201cChildren\u2019s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.\u201d Durbin\u2019s opening statement from that hearing is available here, and his questions for the witnesses are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-delivers-opening-statement-in-judiciary-committee-hearing-on-protecting-kids-online", "Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Judiciary Committee Hearing On Protecting Kids Online", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During his opening statement, Durbin commented on his STOP CSAM Act, legislation that would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material online\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today\u2019s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled \u201cProtecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.\u201d During his opening, Durbin highlighted his STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material, among other things. The Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced this legislation earlier this year.\n\nIn 2021, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a total of 139 CyberTips involving financially-motivated sextortion. In the first six months of 2025 alone, there have already been 23,593 financial-sextortion CyberTips. Another disturbing trend is a rise in offenders who do not just view or trade images of abuse, but direct real-time torture, encourage escalating violence, and groom children to produce CSAM and self-harm videos of themselves and others. NCMEC has identified this behavior as \u201csadistic online exploitation.\u201d In the first six months of 2025, NCMEC received 1,093 sadistic exploitation reports\u2014double the number from the same period in 2024.\n\nKey Quotes:\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s have a sense of urgency about what we are setting out to do. I have worked with Senator Hawley and many others\u2014survivors, law enforcement, [and] advocates\u2014to put together the STOP CSAM Act. The bill takes a comprehensive approach to stemming the tide of online child exploitation.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have repeatedly said that we must bring the same urgency to protecting kids in the virtual world that we do in the real world. But the landscape of online child exploitation has changed dramatically by the day. Two trends in particular demand our immediate attention: financially-motivated sextortion and sadistic online exploitation. What was once rare is now an epidemic.\u201d\n\n\u201cNCMEC has identified more than 36 young men in the United States who have died by suicide after being sextorted. We are joined today by one of those families. Mrs. [Tamia] Woods, thank you for being here. She lost her son James at 17-years-old after he was targeted. She is here in a courageous capacity\u2014transforming unbearable loss into a call for action.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is an unsuitable systemic failure, and what are we going to do about it? We are going to have a hearing, we are going to call witnesses, we are going to lament the situation. What are we going to do about it? Is there going to be a bill in the new session? To say that we are so overwhelmed with legislation on the floor [and] we don't have time [to address CSAM] is a joke\u2026 We have more than enough time to do it right. This Committee has a history of tackling tough issues. Mr. Chairman, it is up to you and me and Senators on both sides of the aisle to make it happen.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.\n\nDurbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.\n\nIn addition, Durbin\u2019s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit \u201cdeepfake\u201d images and videos. The volume of \u201cdeepfake\u201d content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and being produced without the consent of the person depicted.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-grassley-introduce-landmark-legislative-package-to-protect-kids-online", "Durbin, Grassley Introduce Landmark Legislative Package To Protect Kids Online", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The three bills target lax sentencing laws, violent online criminal networks, and child sextortion\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced three bipartisan bills to hold violent criminals accountable and combat the disturbing rise in online child exploitation. The Committee is convening a hearing on child safety online today.\n\nThe Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act), Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act (ECCHO Act) and Stop Sextortion Act would each address concerning developments in online child abuse by revamping federal sentencing laws, targeting online criminal networks and cracking down on offenders who use child sex abuse material (CSAM) to extort and coerce children.\n\n\u201cBecause of modern technology, child predators from anywhere in the world can target American kids online. As technology has evolved, so have online child exploiters. Today, offenders are engaging in sadistic online exploitation and coercing kids to take their own lives. Big Tech continues to fail our most vulnerable because they refuse to incorporate safety-by-design measures into their platforms or make meaningful efforts to detect the increasingly violent and depraved sexual exploitation of children on their services. I\u2019m proud to join Senator Grassley in introducing three bills aimed at curbing these horrific crimes online, in addition to continuing to work on advancing other critical reforms like my STOP CSAM Act. Congress has spent enough time investigating tech platforms\u2019 failures; it\u2019s now time that we deliver for the American people,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cChanges in technology have created new opportunities for criminals to harass, exploit, intimidate and harm American children. These horrific crimes \u2013 often committed by violent online groups who take advantage of our nation\u2019s outdated laws \u2013 have gone unchecked for far too long. Congress must stand up for American families and finally address the online rot that is hurting children nationwide. I\u2019m proud to introduce these bills to protect children from online abuse, hold dangerous criminals accountable and secure much needed justice for victims and their families,\u201d said Grassley.\n\nThe Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act):\n\nThe SAFE Act would repeal outdated sentencing laws and require the U.S. Sentencing Commission to develop a new CSAM sentencing guideline that accounts for modern indicators of especially dangerous conduct. Some of these indicators \u2013 or aggravating factors \u2013 include: (1) if the offender participated in an online group dedicated to CSAM, (2) the length of time an offender was involved in CSAM, (3) the offenders\u2019 use of software or technology to conceal their identity, (4) the offenders\u2019 use of multiple platforms to engage in CSAM and (5) the number of victims.\n\nThe current CSAM sentencing guideline doesn\u2019t consider modern aggravating factors, allowing some of the most nefarious child abusers to skate by with lesser sentences. However, because much of the current guideline was created through decades-old legislation, the Sentencing Commission is prohibited from updating the guideline without congressional action.\n\nRead bill text here.\n\nThe Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act (ECCHO Act):\n\nThe ECCHO Act would create a new crime that prohibits individuals from coercing children into physically harming themselves, others or animals. The bill creates a penalty of up to life in prison if the offense involves the actual or attempted suicide by the victim or the death of another person, as well as a 30-year maximum penalty for harmful conduct that does not involve a death.\n\nThe U.S. has seen a recent and disturbing rise in online criminal networks \u2013 like Network 764 \u2013 that use synchronized group chats to coerce emotionally vulnerable children into engaging in abusive and degrading conduct. This conduct may include self-mutilation, online or in-person sexual acts, animal cruelty, acts of random violence, suicide and murder. Existing laws do not adequately address this extreme behavior, as there is no law that explicitly prohibits the coercion of children to hurt themselves or others.\n\nRead bill text here.\n\nThe Stop Sextortion Act:\n\nThe Stop Sextortion Act would target offenders that threaten to distribute CSAM to intimidate, extort or coerce children. The bill would increase the maximum penalty for these types of offenses from five to 10 years.\n\nIn recent years, the U.S. has seen a significant increase in offenders who threaten to distribute CSAM to extort and coerce children \u2013 through both financially-motivated sextortion (FMS) and sadistic online exploitation (SOE). In the case of FMS, criminals trick children into sharing sexually explicit images and threaten to release those images if the victim doesn\u2019t pay a ransom. Criminals who engage in SOE also trick children into sharing CSAM but threaten to release the images to compel victims to hurt themselves or others.\n\nAccording to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), in 2024 the number of reports concerning FMS increased by over 33%, and the number of reports concerning SOE increased by more than 200%. As of May 2025, FMS schemes have driven 40 American children to take their own lives.\n\nRead bill text here.\n\nDurbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.\n\nDurbin and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined forces to re-introduce the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, which would combat online child sexual abuse material. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously and awaits action on the Senate floor.\n\nIn addition, Durbin\u2019s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024\u2014and was reintroduced in the Senate this year. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit \u201cdeepfake\u201d images and videos. The volume of \u201cdeepfake\u201d content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and produced without the consent of the person depicted.\n\nEarlier this year, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled \u201cChildren\u2019s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.\u201d Durbin\u2019s opening statement from that hearing is available here, and his questions for the witnesses are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-speaks-at-spotlight-forum-examining-the-trump-administrations-aggressive-tactics-in-pursuing-its-mass-deportation-scheme", "Durbin Speaks At Spotlight Forum Examining The Trump Administration\u2019s Aggressive Tactics In Pursuing Its Mass Deportation Scheme", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin introduced Chicagoan Dayanne Figueroa, a U.S. citizen who was brutally arrested and detained without due process, during the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today participated in a bicameral spotlight forum entitled \u201cOur Values at Stake: DHS Overreach and Violations of U.S. Citizen Rights.\u201d The forum, convened by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), provided a public platform for five U.S. citizens, including Dayanne Figueroa of Chicago, to share their story of being arbitrarily arrested and detained by federal immigration agents as part of the Trump Administration\u2019s mass deportation scheme. Today\u2019s forum was a powerful response to the Trump Administration\u2019s false narrative that federal agents are only going after the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d during these aggressive immigration raids. Detailed reporting across the country has shown that federal agents have arrested or detained more than 170 U.S. citizens, and during the first half of the so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d 70 percent of the nearly 1,900 people detained by immigration agents did not have serious criminal convictions or pending charges.\n\nAt the beginning of the forum, Durbin introduced Ms. Figueroa, detailing her brutal arrest and detention after agents sideswiped her car and then violently pulled her from her vehicle. She was aggressively forced to the ground by federal agents and detained for several hours without medical care or the ability to contact her family or legal representation. Ms. Figueroa, who had recently had kidney surgery, was injured and bleeding from the aggressive arrest, and after being released from immigration detention, her mother rushed her to a nearby hospital. Last month, Durbin shared Ms. Figueroa\u2019s story on the Senate floor.\n\n\u201cMs. Figueroa experienced one of the most egregious examples of federal immigration agents\u2019 unacceptable aggression and use of excessive force during \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 in Chicago. We all saw it on video, every single second of it. There is no question about what happened to you. You\u2019re [Ms. Figueroa] an American citizen, the mother of a five-year-old boy. You took him to school in the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee on the way to work. It sounds like the American dream, but it turned into a nightmare. You work in a law firm in Chicago, and you hope someday to go to law school yourself\u2026 You didn\u2019t make it to work that morning. In a video that made national news, and I reported on it on the floor of the Senate, Dayanne faced masked immigration enforcement agents. You can see them driving their car into her car, and then pointing their firearms at her, pulling her out of the car, and violently arresting her,\u201d Durbin said during his introduction of Ms. Figueroa.\n\n\u201cThank you for being here today and for helping us shine a spotlight on this terrible day in your life. What should have been lawful and targeted enforcement actions has become an enforcement agency sweeping up any person who happens to look Hispanic. I watched the videotape of your violent arrest, and I can\u2019t imagine what you experienced. Though you begged for information, the agents who arrested you refused to identify themselves and barred you from contacting your family or a lawyer. I understand that your family was frantically searching, trying to find you after they heard about what happened. The only way they found you is because they tracked your cellphone to a Broadview ICE facility\u2014not because any law enforcement agency contacted your family or gave any help to locate you,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cNo family should ever have to experience that kind of terror\u2026 Thanks for coming forward to tell your story. I\u2019m honored to be representing you in the Senate,\u201d Durbin concluded his introduction of Ms. Figueroa.\n\nVideo of Durbin introducing Ms. Figueroa is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin introducing Ms. Figueroa is available here.\n\nMs. Figueroa and other panelists then delivered opening remarks, sharing their experiences of federal agents disregarding evidence and statements that they were U.S. citizens. The panelists emphasized the cruel and arguably unlawful treatment they faced during their arrest and detainment.\n\n\u201cMy name is Dayanne Figueroa. I am a proud first-generation Mexican American, a Criminal Justice major, a single mother, and a future law student. What happened to me almost exactly two months ago, on October 10, 2025, was not law enforcement. It was violence, blatant racial profiling, and a shocking abuse of federal authority,\u201d Ms. Figueroa said.\n\n\u201cI was never arrested. I was never charged. I was never given an explanation or an apology. But the damage is done, and it continues. I suffered severe bruising, nerve damage, a broken tooth, and aggravated injuries to my leg and wrists. My surgically repaired kidney became swollen and inflamed. And emotionally, I developed PTSD, panic attacks, and severe anxiety. I swear I\u2019ve been kidnapped in my nightmares every single night since,\u201d she said. \u201cThis was not just an \u2018incident.\u2019 It was a violation of my physical being, my rights, my dignity, and my humanity.\u201d\n\nVideo of Ms. Figueroa\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nAudio of Ms. Figueroa\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nMs. Figueroa\u2019s testimony, as prepared for delivery, is available here.\n\nIn response to the Trump Administration\u2019s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump. Durbin\u2019s actions to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d can be found here.\n\nEarlier this month, Durbin also sent an oversight letter to DHS to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s false narrative that it does not arrest U.S. citizens. The letter, which requested a response by December 16, demanded answers about the total number of U.S. citizens arrested during immigration enforcement activity during the Trump Administration; the agencies responsible for the arrests; the length of detention following the arrests; audio or video footage of the arrests; agency directives governing encounters and arrests involving U.S. citizens; and policies regarding the maintenance of citizen arrest data.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing-durbin-questions-witnesses-on-addressing-csam-and-protecting-children-online", "In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Questions Witnesses On Addressing CSAM & Protecting Children Online", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin\u2019s STOP CSAM Act would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material online\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses in today\u2019s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled \u201cProtecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.\u201d Durbin first questioned Jessica Smolar, a former federal prosecutor who investigated and prosecuted child exploitation offenses, about the current child exploitation sentencing guidelines and whether those current guidelines are deficient in assessing the evolving child sexual offender.\n\n\u201cWhat you tell us [in Ms. Smolar\u2019s testimony] is [that] less than 30 percent of nonproduction child pornography defendants were sentenced within the recommended guidelines, reflecting broad judicial dissatisfaction at 70 percent, and inconsistent sentencing nationwide. You say, \u2018as federal prosecutors, my colleagues and I often considered plea offers to binding sentences to avoid the application of the insufficient sentencing guidelines and disparities.\u2019 Tell me a little more, what are you talking about here?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Smolar responded in cases when \u2018you are talking about possession of CSAM, where there is no mandatory minimum sentence\u2014often times, my colleagues and I, not just in the Western District of Pennsylvania but nationwide, would see sentences that we felt were insufficient.\u2019 She continued to state she believes that sentences for \u201cpeople who are collecting that type of material [CSAM] should be significant in order to protect victims and to deter others from collecting it. So, it's important that the sentencing guidelines are useful.\u201d\n\n\u201cI understand part of the problem was a numeric issue. Initially, so many instances of objects that a person had led to a certain sentencing guideline. Now that they are being collected in video form [or] different technology form\u2014that counting numbers doesn't really tell the story, is that your impression?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Smolar responded that it doesn\u2019t tell the story. She continued to say the sentencing guidelines follow numbers and \u201cmath;\u201d but it is not about \u201cmath,\u201d it is about \u201creal offenders.\u201d She continued to say the sentencing guidelines don\u2019t necessarily take into account whether there are multiple platforms used against children, how severe the images are, and how many victims there are. She stated, \u201cthat is not necessarily encompassed by the sentencing guidelines right now, so legislation is needed to address offender risk.\u201d\n\nDurbin then asked Lauren Coffren, Executive Director for the Exploited Children\u2019s Division at NCMEC, about the scope of this exploitation.\n\n\u201cI was interested in the Chairman\u2019s question that you responded to\u2014sometimes the scope of this exploitation is chaos, it\u2019s not financial. Tell me a little more about that. What is the value of this perpetrator wasting all of these hours, leading to the self-harm of a young person or worse?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Coffren responded that the groups going after children online are \u201care fueled and motivated by [having] clout and notoriety for the impact of their actions. This means it extends much more beyond CSAM. It is how can they use children to harm themselves or others, and then harm the community, as well... Child sexual exploitation has actually been hijacked as one methodology for a larger way of trying to be able to use children against the community.\u201d\n\nDurbin then questioned Tamia Woods, who lost her 17-year-old son James to suicide after being financially-sextorted online.\n\n\u201cMs. Woods, how long do you think your son was being exploited before he finally lost his life?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMs. Woods responded, \u201cIt was 19 and a half hours. He received 200 messages in 19 and a half hours with what we believe were four different people attacking him at one time.\u201d\n\nDurbin asked, \u201cDo you have any idea where the source of these attacks was?\u201d\n\nMs. Woods responded, \u201cHis murderers were in the Ivory Coast. Of course, we are told we are never going to receive justice for James.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.\n\nDurbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.\n\nDurbin and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined forces to re-introduce the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, which would combat online child sexual abuse material. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously and awaits action on the Senate floor.\n\nIn addition, Durbin\u2019s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024\u2014and was reintroduced in the Senate this year. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit \u201cdeepfake\u201d images and videos. The volume of \u201cdeepfake\u201d content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and produced without the consent of the person depicted.\n\nEarlier this year, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled \u201cChildren\u2019s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.\u201d Durbin\u2019s opening statement from that hearing is available here, and his questions for the witnesses are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-senate-floor-speech-durbin-calls-on-republicans-to-protect-health-care-coverage-for-their-constituents-ahead-of-this-weeks-vote-to-extend-aca-tax-credits", "In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Calls On Republicans To Protect Health Care Coverage For Their Constituents Ahead Of This Week\u2019s Vote To Extend ACA Tax Credits", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the Senate\u2019s anticipated vote to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits this week. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Durbin received a commitment from Republican Leader John Thune to put a bill on the Senate floor in December to address the ACA enhanced premium tax credits.\n\nIf Republicans vote against extending these enhanced premium tax credits, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage next year, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois. Tens of millions of others will see their monthly premiums double or even triple.\n\nDurbin began his speech with his own family\u2019s experience of being uninsured when his newborn daughter was in need of critical care.\n\n\u201cThe issue of quality, affordable health insurance is personal to me. I know what it feels like to be a new dad with a beautiful baby girl with a serious medical condition. I was a student in law school at Georgetown [University], here in Washington, D.C. God gave us this beautiful little girl, but I didn\u2019t have health insurance as a law student. We ended up in the charity ward of Children\u2019s National Hospital waiting for our name to be called to be introduced to the doctor who would do his best to help my daughter\u2026 I have never felt so helpless as I did in that moment,\u201d Durbin began.\n\n\u201cAs lawmakers, I believe that our job is to help make life a little bit better for the people we represent, and this week that means tackling the issue of quality, affordable health insurance,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin then shared the story of a Chicago waitress who relies on ACA tax credits to make her health care plan affordable.\n\n\u201cYesterday, when my wife and I went to Lou Mitchell\u2019s for breakfast before church, I had a conversation with another person there on their staff, a waitress. She\u2019s a manager as well. And she\u2019s been working at this job for years. She\u2019s 63 years old. Her husband just qualified for Medicare, and she felt relieved that that worry about his health insurance would be taken care of. She then found out that the Medicare Advantage program that she would be having him sign up for runs $200 a month. Her original premiums, she\u2019s paying for health insurance premiums for him and for her, is $279 a month. So right off the bat, she faced an increase over her base premium that she\u2019s been paying for some time. But she had the good fortune, at least up until now, to have a tax credit to help pay for those premiums. Then she got the notice from her health insurance company that the cost of her insurance, even with her husband not covered on the same policy [because he\u2019s on Medicare], is going to virtually double,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cHardworking woman, 63 years old, whose health insurance is going to more than double each month. She doesn\u2019t make a fortune as a waitress.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have a chance this week to change it. And that\u2019s what I told her. If we can get a bipartisan group to agree to just extend these credits, we\u2019re going to be able to bring your premiums down to be more affordable\u2026 it won\u2019t double or triple, which is likely to happen otherwise. I think about her as I stand on the floor of the Senate and think about the tears in her eyes as she talked to me about what her life is going to be like if we fail. We can\u2019t fail. We have an obligation to her,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin reminded his colleagues that congressional Democrats have been pushing to make quality health care more accessible for millions of Americans for more than 15 years. The ACA, championed by Democrats, changed the landscape of health care in the U.S. by expanding coverage options. Prior to the passage of the legislation in 2010, insurance companies routinely denied patients coverage if they had pre-existing conditions, preventing millions of Americans from securing an affordable health care plan.\n\n\u201cPrior to the ACA, we must remember that insurance companies could deny coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions\u2026 If someone had, for example, a history of diabetes, heart disease, or even a past pregnancy, insurance companies used to be able to exclude those services from your plan or charge you an amount that you couldn\u2019t afford. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are no longer allowed to discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cWe required, in that law, that health insurance plans cover comprehensive benefits, hospitalizations, prescription drugs, and even mental health and addiction treatment. And we allowed children to stay on parents\u2019 health insurance until young men and women reach the age of 26.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat was the result? It worked\u2026 We achieved the lowest number of uninsured Americans in our country\u2019s history. Millions more Americans suddenly had the peace of mind of quality health care,\u201d Durbin continued. \u201cWhy do they [congressional Republicans] want to reverse this?\u201d\n\nTo combat the rising cost of health care, congressional Democrats implemented ACA enhanced premium tax credits through the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extended them in the Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025. As a result of these enhanced premium tax credits, the number of Americans covered on the ACA\u2019s marketplace increased from 11 million in 2020 to 24 million this year. Despite millions of Americans relying on these tax credits, congressional Republicans have refused to act to extend them, consequently threatening health care coverage for Americans that cannot otherwise afford to pay for their premiums. This is in addition to the nearly $1 trillion in cuts congressional Republicans made to Medicaid in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was passed at the direction of President Trump in order to fund tax breaks for billionaires.\n\n\u201cThis summer, congressional Republicans eliminated $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid. This will take health care away from 11 million Americans and threaten rural and inner-city hospitals. In also refusing to extend the enhanced premium tax credits, 22 million Americans may see their health premiums double on average,\u201d Durbin continued.\n\nDurbin underscored that Illinoisans across the state will see a spike in monthly premiums costs.\n\n\u201cIn Jackson County, Southern Illinois \u2013 small towns, rural areas \u2013 residents there, on average, will see their monthly premiums go from $122 a month to $458. That\u2019s a difference of $330 a month, a 274 percent increase. Crawford County in downstate Illinois? Monthly premiums are expected to rise from $170 a month to $517 \u2013 a 204 percent increase,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin then spoke about Democrats\u2019 straight-forward proposal \u2013 a three-year extension for these tax credits \u2013 to prevent this looming health care crisis, instigated by Republicans\u2019 inaction.\n\n\u201cThis week, Senate Democrats are going to put forward a proposal to extend the health insurance premium tax credits for three years. Some Republicans say that\u2019s too long. Well, come back with an amendment for two years or one year or something! Show that there is a beating heart there that actually cares to solve a problem, a problem that affects a waitress in a restaurant in downtown Chicago,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cNow we\u2019ve come at a moment where on January 1, the world is going to change for millions of Americans if we do nothing. I want to work with Republicans on this bill. I want to make the Affordable Care Act better. We\u2019ve got to take care of the immediate crisis before January 1. If Republicans, 13 brave Republicans, will step up and say, \u2018we want to extend the tax credits,\u2019 there\u2019s going to be a an opportunity for us to sit down and say, \u2018what do we need to consider doing to make the Affordable Care Act better?\u2019\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks by expressing his hope that Congress can extend the ACA tax credits to ensure that his constituents, including the waitress at Lou Mitchell\u2019s, can afford their health care.\n\n\u201cI want to go back to that restaurant, maybe not next Sunday but after Christmas, and tell my friend that we heard her. We did something about it, and we\u2019re going to give her a helping hand at a time when she has nowhere else to turn. She\u2019s working hard every single day and has done that all of her life. All she\u2019s asked us to do is give her a fighting chance to have health insurance for her family. Isn\u2019t it really incumbent upon us to meet that responsibility?\u201d Durbin concluded his speech.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-calls-out-trump-and-speaker-johnson-for-ripping-ivf-coverage-for-military-families-away-after-bipartisan-majorities-passed-them", "Duckworth Calls Out Trump and Speaker Johnson for Ripping IVF Coverage for Military Families Away After Bipartisan Majorities Passed Them", "2025-12-07", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "This is the second year in a row Republicans worked behind closed doors to strip the Senator\u2019s IVF provision in the NDAA\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement calling out Donald Trump\u2014who promised to provide IVF coverage for all Americans\u2014for doing nothing to stop Speaker Mike Johnson from single-handedly killing her provision in this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act to provide our nation\u2019s brave servicemembers with the same access to IVF coverage that Members of Congress have, despite wide bipartisan majorities voting to include IVF coverage for troops in both the House and the Senate:\n\n\u201cRepublicans repeatedly make promises to the public that they support IVF, but their extreme actions tell a different story from their lip service during election years. Time and again when given the chance to make IVF available and affordable, they cave to far right extremists who see families and their doctors as murderers. And for the second year in a row, our servicemembers are paying the price of that extremism.\n\n\u201cTrump claimed on the campaign trail that he\u2019d make IVF free for all Americans, creepily declaring himself the \u2018father of IVF.\u2019 Well, he proved he\u2019s a deadbeat dad by not only failing to make IVF free for anyone but standing by as Speaker Johnson undermined one of his key campaign promises and stripped coverage from servicemembers behind closed doors that both the House and Senate approved. Shame on them.\n\n\u201cWorse yet, it is deeply hypocritical that Mike Johnson worked to deprive our heroes and their families of the same access to IVF coverage that Members of Congress enjoy. While Trump and Republicans routinely let down the American people and fail to deliver on their claims to truly support IVF, I will never stop fighting to protect IVF for all Americans who depend on it to start or grow their families. Our work continues.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/12/08/2025/duckworth-hosts-town-hall-in-carbondale", "Duckworth Hosts Town Hall in Carbondale", "2025-12-06", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[CARBONDALE, IL] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a town hall meeting in Carbondale to answer constituents\u2019 questions and hear their concerns directly. During today\u2019s town hall meeting, constituents asked her about the profound negative impacts Republicans\u2019 \u201cBig Beautiful Bill\u201d and will have on Southern Illinois, the impending health insurance cost increases facing middle-class Americans if Republicans continue refusing to act and how the Trump Administration has put our servicemembers at risk and left our Veterans behind. Today\u2019s town hall was moderated by Jackson County Board member Tamiko Mueller. Photos of the Senator\u2019s town hall are available on her website.\n\n\u201cFamilies are on the brink of a health care crisis caused by Republicans who keep voting to help their billionaire buddies instead of the American people,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cThanks to Republicans\u2019 so-called \u2018Big Beautiful Bill\u2019 that will force rural hospitals to shut down, nursing homes to close and thousands of Illinoisans to lose coverage\u2014and their refusal to extend ACA credits and keep health care costs down for millions of Americans\u2014Illinoisans are understandably upset, scared and angry. The most patriotic thing you can do is show up and speak truth to power\u2014that\u2019s democracy at work.\u201d\n\nDuckworth has hosted a series of town halls and telephone town halls this year to hear directly from her constituents how the Trump Administration is negatively impacting their lives and the lives of their families and communities, hearing from Illinoisans in McHenry County, Rockford and throughout Chicagoland.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-announces-senate-hearing-on-trumps-military-deployments-to-american-cities", "Duckworth Announces Senate Hearing on Trump\u2019s Military Deployments to American Cities", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) will hold a hearing next Thursday, December 11, to receive sworn testimony directly from the Trump Administration\u2019s Department of Defense (DoD) on Trump\u2019s unlawful and unconstitutional domestic deployments of American military troops to intimidate Americans in their own communities.\n\n\u201cAcross the United States, Donald Trump has illegally deployed our nation\u2019s servicemembers into American cities under unclear and false pretexts and despite the costs to our military and civil rights. The American people and our troops deserve answers.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have secured this hearing, which will finally provide the American people an opportunity to hear just how unjustifiable these domestic deployments have been\u2014along with the costs they\u2019ve had on our communities, our civil rights and our servicemembers who selflessly volunteered to protect Americans only to find themselves cruelly forced to turn against them.\n\n\u201cWhile we never should have had to wait this long, I appreciate Chairman Wicker and Leader Thune working with me to hold this hearing so the members of this committee can carry out our constitutional authority and conduct this important oversight over this Administration\u2019s egregious abuse of our military. I look forward to asking tough questions of the Trump Administration, holding them accountable and seeking the answers our country deserves.\u201d\n\nDuckworth successfully secured this hearing in early October\u2014weeks after she led all of her fellow SASC Democrats in calling on SASC Chairman Wicker to hold this hearing, and shortly after she blocked expedited passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) until said hearing was secured.\n\nThe details of this hearing are as follows:\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-discusses-impact-of-trumps-tariffs-on-agriculture-with-southern-illinois-farmers", "Duckworth Discusses Impact of Trump\u2019s Tariffs on Agriculture with Southern Illinois Farmers", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[DU QUOIN, IL] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Southern Illinois farmers and agriculture leaders to discuss how Trump\u2019s erratic trade wars have affected their livelihood and the agriculture industry across the region as well as her efforts to push back on Trump\u2019s lawlessness at the federal level while supporting our state\u2019s agriculture industry and our farmers. Photos from the roundtable can be found on the Senator\u2019s website.\n\n\u201cAmerica has always depended on our nation\u2019s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I\u2019m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cThe work of Illinois\u2019s farmers and agriculture industry is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, yet these farmers are taking hit after hit under this administration. I will continue to do everything I can to support our farmers and agricultural producers across the state at the federal level.\u201d\n\nIllinois\u2019 agriculture industry exports $13.7 billion in goods annually and is already feeling the damaging effects of the Trump Administration\u2019s tariffs\u2014from falling commodity prices to import plans that put the future of Illinois farms at risk. As the nation\u2019s top soybean producer, Illinois is seeing farmers face losses of $100\u2013$200 per acre as prices fall below break-even levels. Additionally, the Trump Administration\u2019s proposal to import tariff-free beef from Argentina threatens 10,713 beef farms across our state and approximately 333,000 head of cattle by lowering prices and jeopardizing the stability of Illinois beef producers.\n\nDuckworth met with Josh Maschhoff, President of IL Pork Association; Josh St. Peters, President of IL Beef Association; Gerald Kuberski, President of Washington County Farm Bureau; Patrick Scates, President of the Scates Group Intermodal River Terminal, LLC; Joe Heard, Location Manager of Southern FS in Macedonia; Donnie Sneed of Sneed Farms; Ed Wielbacher and Brent Donovan of Kaskaskia Regional Port District; Dr. Karla Gage, Professor of College of Agricultural, Life and Physical Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Dale Haudrich of the Illinois Corn Association.\n\nIn the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels. As a founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus, she has been a strong advocate for expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by utilizing the biofuels and agricultural sectors. To help increase the availability of E15 biofuels, Duckworth helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that\u2019s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Earlier this year she helped introduced the Farm to Fly Act to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.\n\nAs a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois pork, biofuels and agriculture industries across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth\u2019s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois\u2019s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois\u2019s corn and soybeans.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-celebrates-final-introduction-of-the-dream-act-with-local-immigration-advocates", "Durbin Celebrates Final Introduction Of The Dream Act With Local Immigration Advocates", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin has introduced the Dream Act every Congress since 2001; this week marks his final introduction of the legislation before the end of his congressional career\n\nCHICAGO \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined The Resurrection Project and other Chicago immigration advocacy groups to celebrate the introduction the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025, which would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as Dreamers, have lived in America since they were children, built their lives here, and are American in every way except for their immigration status. However, under current law there is often no chance for them to ever become citizens and fulfill their potential.\n\n\u201cFor more than three months, Chicago has endured President Trump\u2019s \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 \u2013 a cruel campaign that has swept up innocent citizens, legal residents, and immigrants who pose absolutely no threat to public safety,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cI am grateful for the community organizations that have stepped up in the face of violence, and I hope that today\u2019s celebration of the Dream Act provides a tiny bright spot in an otherwise dark year. I first introduced this bill 24 years ago, and over those years I\u2019ve met hundreds of amazing young men and women\u2014Dreamers\u2014who are American in every sense of the word except on paper. But because DACA hangs by a thread in the courts, and many are not covered by DACA, they live each day in fear of deportation. This is a matter of simple American fairness and justice. To the Dreamers here in Chicago and across our country who have been with me in this fight: I promise to do everything in my power to fight for you and your future every day.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor more than a century, Dominican University has served the children of immigrants, welcoming and supporting students whose families came to this country seeking opportunity. We continue to stand firm in this legacy today as we accompany Dreamers from across the nation in their pursuit of education and vocation. Their success not only enriches our community and strengthens our campus environment but also contributes to local economic growth and development, filling roles of critical need,\u201d said Glena Temple, Ph.D., President, Dominican University.\n\n\u201cDreamers are law-abiding, tax-paying contributors who are essential to the strength of our economy and communities. Their work generates billions in tax revenue and supports businesses across the country. Removing these essential workers would not only disrupt our workplaces and neighborhoods but also undermine America\u2019s global competitiveness. We urge Congress to seize this opportunity to deliver lasting solutions that secure our workforce and offer stability to our communities,\u201d said Rebecca Shi, CEO of American Business Immigration Coalition.\n\n\u201cThe Resurrection Project applauds the bipartisan reintroduction of the Dream Act of 2025. Dreamers enrich the social and economic fabric of this nation. For over two decades, champions like Senator Durbin have lifted our voices when others tried to silence them. Immigrants are under attack, and we can't afford to wait any longer. Congress must seize this moment and pass the Dream Act once and for all,\u201d said Ere Rendon, Vice President of Immigrant Justice at The Resurrection Project.\n\nThe Dream Act of 2025, introduced with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), would allow these young people to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship if they:\n\nCame to the U.S. as children and are without lawful status;\n\nGraduate from high school or obtain a GED;\n\nPursue higher education, work lawfully for at least three years, or serve in the military;\n\nPass security and law enforcement background checks and pay a reasonable application fee;\n\nDemonstrate proficiency in the English language and a knowledge of United States history; and\n\nHave not committed a felony or other serious crimes and do not pose a threat to our country.\n\nBeginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since. Over the years, Durbin has told the stories of 150 Dreamers on the Senate Floor. In 2012, Durbin worked with then-President Obama to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow these young people to gain temporary status. As of September 2024, roughly 530,000 people had active DACA status.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-casten-mcclellan-introduce-legislation-to-mitigate-negative-impacts-of-natural-gas-pipelines", "Duckworth, Durbin, Casten, McClellan Introduce Legislation to Mitigate Negative Impacts of Natural Gas Pipelines", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) introduced the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act of 2025, legislation to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to assess and mitigate the impacts that natural gas pipelines approved by FERC under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) will have on climate change and Environmental Justice communities.\n\n\u201cAs extreme weather events become more frequent, we can\u2019t afford to ignore the climate crisis and the harm it\u2019s inflicting on families across our country,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cEvery American deserves to breathe clean air, drink safe water and live, work and play on uncontaminated land, and we have a responsibility to confront the environmental injustices that far too often fall on low-income communities and communities of color. I\u2019m proud to help introduce this legislation that would curb the climate impact of natural gas pipelines and better protect the vulnerable families who live near them.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the country, we are seeing rising temperatures and more frequent natural disasters\u2014a clear sign that we are facing a serious climate crisis. If we hope to mitigate this crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities, we must evaluate the climate impacts of new natural gas pipelines before we build them,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cEnacting the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act will protect the communities most impacted by climate change and climate pollution while ensuring access to safe and affordable energy.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor too long, we have placed the interests of energy producers above all else in setting our energy policy, including when deciding whether to permit a new natural gas pipeline,\u201d said Casten. \u201cIt\u2019s past time we put the national interest first. I\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation that would require FERC to consider the potential impacts on climate change, Environmental Justice communities, energy affordability, and reliability before approving a new natural gas pipeline.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we work to meet our growing energy demands with new technologies, we must consider the long-term impacts of those projects on surrounding communities and our environment,\u201d said McClellan. \u201cToo often, natural gas pipelines jeopardize the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, especially low-income communities and communities of color. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act implements common-sense requirements to ensure FERC identifies and considers the wide-ranging potential impacts of these projects. This bill represents another important step in our efforts to improve energy affordability and advance environmental justice.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a critical step forward in ensuring that FERC fully accounts for and addresses greenhouse gas emissions and environmental justice impacts of energy projects under the Natural Gas Act,\u201d said Anastasia Gordan, Federal Policy Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. \u201cThe Biden Administration\u2019s LNG study gave us a clear picture of the harms these projects impose on public health, on our climate, and on family budgets, and the courts have repeatedly called on the Commission to do the same. For decades, fossil fuel infrastructure has disproportionately burdened frontline communities, and clarifying FERC\u2019s authority is essential to protecting all people, especially those who have borne the brunt of pollution and disinvestment. We applaud this effort to put equity, accountability, and climate responsibility at the center of energy decision-making.\u201d\n\nIn 2022, FERC, under then-Chairman Richard Glick, issued a draft Policy Statement to clarify how the Commission would take into account a natural gas pipeline\u2019s impacts on climate change and Environmental Justice communities. The draft statement was terminated earlier this year. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act is intended to codify the kind of analysis called for under the draft policy statement.\n\nIn particular, the legislation would amend the NGA to require FERC to determine, among other things, whether a proposed pipeline\u2019s impacts on climate change and environmental justice communities are significant, if the impacts can be mitigated, and whether the proposed pipeline would ensure energy reliability and affordability. The bill further establishes what FERC should consider when making these determinations.\n\nJoining Duckworth and Durbin in introducing the legislation in the Senate are U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Edward Markey (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).\n\nThe Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice endorse the legislation.\n\nText of the legislation can be found on Senator Duckworth's website.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-introduce-bill-to-rename-plainfield-post-office-in-honor-of-staff-sergeant-jose-duenez-jr", "Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Rename Plainfield Post Office in Honor of Staff Sergeant Jose Due\u00f1ez, Jr.", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office facility located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, in honor of Staff Sergeant Jose Due\u00f1ez, Jr. Due\u00f1ez was one of four U.S. soldiers were killed during an Army training exercise in Lithuania on March 31, 2025. U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cStaff Sergeant Jose Due\u00f1ez, Jr.\u2019s commitment to bravely serving his country was commendable, and I\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation to recognize his dedication to his community and his country,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cWe honor and salute his sacrifice to this nation, and I hope to see the Plainfield Post Office renamed to help ensure his memory is rightfully honored.\u201d\n\n\u201cSergeant Jose Due\u00f1ez Jr., a proud son of Illinois, made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and should be remembered for generations to come,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cRenaming the Plainfield Post Office after Sgt. Due\u00f1ez would honor his legacy of service and bravery.\u201d\n\n\u201cStaff Sergeant Jose Due\u00f1ez Jr. represents the best of our community. He was an extraordinary hero who served his country with strength and resilience,\u201d said Underwood. \u201cI\u2019m honored to introduce this legislation to permanently commemorate his sacrifice and service. The Plainfield Post Office will bear his name as reminder of his contributions not only to his country, but to his community and family as a father, husband, brother, and son.\u201d\n\nDue\u00f1ez was born on April 8, 1999, and was raised in Joliet along with his five sisters. Due\u00f1ez was promoted five times over the course of his service, ultimately reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant in November 2020. He served in three overseas deployments\u2014Poland in 2019, Germany in 2022 and Lithuania in 2025\u2014and was recognized with two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, one Certificate of Achievement, two Army Good Conduct Medals and a National Defense Service Medal.\n\nFull text of the bill is available on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-reacts-to-dod-igs-report-on-signalgate-reiterates-call-for-hegseth-to-resign", "Duckworth Reacts to DoD IG\u2019s Report on SignalGate, Reiterates Call for Hegseth to Resign", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2014 Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement in reaction to the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General\u2019s report which confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put American servicemembers at greater risk by sharing sensitive information about military operations that obviously should have remained classified in unclassified, unsecure Signal chains:\n\n\u201cThe report confirms what anyone who has served in uniform already knew about the information he sent on that Signal chain: Hegseth shared sensitive operational information that put our troops at greater risk.\n\n\u201cThis was a jaw-dropping breach of our national security. Hegseth needs to resign in disgrace immediately\u2014and every other official who was included in this group chat must be subject to an independent investigation. If my Republican colleagues won\u2019t join us in holding the Trump Administration accountable for failing to protect our nation\u2019s secrets, then they are complicit.\n\n\u201cEvery single day Hegseth remains our Secretary of Defense emboldens our adversaries, weakens our national security and makes Americans less safe.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-statement-on-the-trump-administrations-reckless-rollback-of-vehicle-efficiency-standards", "Duckworth Statement on the Trump Administration\u2019s Reckless Rollback of Vehicle Efficiency Standards", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "\"President Trump\u2019s decision to terminate our nation\u2019s vehicle efficiency standards is not about saving money for American families, it\u2019s about Trump giving yet another handout to the corporate class to offset the economic devastation caused by his own reckless tariff policies. Once again, Trump is proving he does not care about the health of average Americans or the sky-high cost of vehicle ownership. By abandoning these standards, he is forcing families to drive less efficient cars that burn more gas and cost more cash\u2014without doing anything to help Americans actually save money on their vehicles.\n\n\u201cTrump\u2019s administration has spent months suffocating American automakers with massive tariffs on countless parts critical to building cars, driving up production costs and costing American consumers billions. And now, instead of rolling back his costly tariffs or actually helping the middle class Americans they hurt, he\u2019s choosing to gut air pollution protections as a desperate kickback for mega-corporation so his billionaire friends won\u2019t complain too loudly about the harm his policies are causing. This move is designed for one purpose: to keep mega-companies happy and quiet, while forcing working families to pay the price at the pump and with their health.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-accepts-lifetime-achievement-award-for-decades-of-work-protecting-students-from-predatory-for-profit-colleges", "Durbin Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award For Decades Of Work Protecting Students From Predatory For-Profit Colleges", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Durbin accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for College Access and Success and the Protect Students and Taxpayers Coalition in honor of his work protecting students from predatory and deceptive practices of the for-profit college industry\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) and the Protect Students and Taxpayers Coalition at their annual meeting, which brings together more than 30 organizations representing veterans, consumers, civil rights organizations, and state attorneys general. Durbin was presented the award in recognition of his decades of work protecting students from the predatory and deceptive practices of the for-profit college industry.\n\n\u201cWhen students explore their prospective colleges, they think about what school will set them up for long-term success. These students are doing the responsible thing by investing in their education. But far too often, predatory for-profit colleges will take advantage of students\u2019 hope and optimism by enticing them to enroll with glossy brochures, just to offer a flimsy degree and mountains of student debt. I\u2019m grateful for the work the Institute for College Access and Success and the Protect Students and Taxpayers Coalition do to help protect students from these predatory practices,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cIt\u2019s been my honor to fight with you for more protections for students and to push back against the for-profit college industry, and I will continue to advocate for students as they pursue a higher education.\u201d\n\nDuring his Senate career, Durbin has been a leader in cracking down on for-profit colleges. Each spring, Durbin sends a letter to high school teachers, principals, and counselors urging them to warn their students of the risks associated with for-profit colleges. To curb the power of the for-profit college industry, he has introduced a number of bills, including the PROTECT Students Act; the Proprietary Education Oversight Task Force Act; and the POST Act. Durbin has also been instrumental in securing millions of dollars in borrower defense relief for students defrauded by for-profit colleges, including DeVry University, Westwood College, ITT Technical Institute\u2019s nursing program, and Minnesota School of Business/Globe University.\n\nThe for-profit college industry has a long record of precipitous closures and predatory practices, including misrepresenting costs, transferability of credits, and job opportunities. For-profit colleges also historically have targeted service members, veterans, students of color, low-income students, and immigrant students. For-profit colleges enroll only eight percent of all postsecondary students but account for 30 percent of all federal student loan defaults. Despite their poor track record, they received more than $16 billion in federal student aid in the 2023-2024 school year.\n\nPhotos of Durbin delivering his remarks can be found here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-casten-mcclellan-introduce-legislation-to-mitigate-negative-impacts-of-natural-gas-pipelines", "Durbin, Duckworth, Casten, McClellan Introduce Legislation To Mitigate Negative Impacts Of Natural Gas Pipelines", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) introduced the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act of 2025, legislation to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to assess and mitigate the impacts that natural gas pipelines approved by FERC under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) will have on climate change and Environmental Justice communities.\n\n\u201cAcross the country, we are seeing rising temperatures and more frequent natural disasters\u2014a clear sign that we are facing a serious climate crisis. If we hope to mitigate this crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities, we must evaluate the climate impacts of new natural gas pipelines before we build them,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cEnacting the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act will protect the communities most impacted by climate change and climate pollution while ensuring access to safe and affordable energy.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs extreme weather events become more frequent, we can\u2019t afford to ignore the climate crisis and the harm it\u2019s inflicting on families across our country,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cEvery American deserves to breathe clean air, drink safe water and live, work and play on uncontaminated land, and we have a responsibility to confront the environmental injustices that far too often fall on low-income communities and communities of color. I\u2019m proud to help introduce this legislation that would curb the climate impact of natural gas pipelines and better protect the vulnerable families who live near them.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor too long, we have placed the interests of energy producers above all else in setting our energy policy, including when deciding whether to permit a new natural gas pipeline,\u201d said Casten. \u201cIt\u2019s past time we put the national interest first. I\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation that would require FERC to consider the potential impacts on climate change, Environmental Justice communities, energy affordability, and reliability before approving a new natural gas pipeline.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we work to meet our growing energy demands with new technologies, we must consider the long-term impacts of those projects on surrounding communities and our environment,\u201d said McClellan. \u201cToo often, natural gas pipelines jeopardize the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, especially low-income communities and communities of color. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act implements common-sense requirements to ensure FERC identifies and considers the wide-ranging potential impacts of these projects. This bill represents another important step in our efforts to improve energy affordability and advance environmental justice.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a critical step forward in ensuring that FERC fully accounts for and addresses greenhouse gas emissions and environmental justice impacts of energy projects under the Natural Gas Act,\u201d said Anastasia Gordan, Federal Policy Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. \u201cThe Biden Administration\u2019s LNG study gave us a clear picture of the harms these projects impose on public health, on our climate, and on family budgets, and the courts have repeatedly called on the Commission to do the same. For decades, fossil fuel infrastructure has disproportionately burdened frontline communities, and clarifying FERC\u2019s authority is essential to protecting all people, especially those who have borne the brunt of pollution and disinvestment. We applaud this effort to put equity, accountability, and climate responsibility at the center of energy decision-making.\u201d\n\nIn 2022, FERC, under then-Chairman Richard Glick, issued a draft Policy Statement to clarify how the Commission would take into account a natural gas pipeline\u2019s impacts on climate change and Environmental Justice communities. The draft statement was terminated earlier this year. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act is intended to codify the kind of analysis called for under the draft policy statement.\n\nIn particular, the legislation would amend the NGA to require FERC to determine, among other things, whether a proposed pipeline\u2019s impacts on climate change and environmental justice communities are significant, if the impacts can be mitigated, and whether the proposed pipeline would ensure energy reliability and affordability. The bill further establishes what FERC should consider when making these determinations.\n\nJoining Durbin in introducing the legislation in the Senate are U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice.\n\nFor a full summary of the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act, click HERE.\n\nText of the legislation can be found HERE.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-meets-with-priests-for-justice-for-immigrants-amid-the-trump-administrations-cruel-immigration-tactics", "Durbin Meets With Priests For Justice For Immigrants Amid The Trump Administration\u2019s Cruel Immigration Tactics", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Priests for Justice for Immigrants from the Chicago-area and members of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL). During the meeting, they discussed the importance of supporting immigrants in the face of the Trump Administration\u2019s cruel mass deportation scheme, including the so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d which has been used as a mechanism by the President to sow fear in Illinois communities as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) increased their aggressive immigration enforcement operations in the state. Durbin was joined by Father Gary Graf, Father Larry Dowling, and Father Brendan Curran.\n\n\u201cFor more than three months, Chicago has endured President Trump\u2019s \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 \u2013 a cruel campaign that has swept up innocent citizens, legal residents, and immigrants who pose absolutely no threat to public safety,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cThese faith leaders have extended spiritual support to our communities, including by walking 800 miles to spread a message of humanity for immigrants and showing up to the ICE Broadview Processing Facility every day to offer their prayers. Today\u2019s discussion with the Fathers reminded me that during these horrific times, we must come together and stand up for our immigrant communities.\u201d\n\nPhotos of the meeting can be found here.\n\nIn response to the Trump Administration\u2019s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump.\n\nDurbin has taken the following actions to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d:\n\nMeeting with state, local, and community leaders. Durbin has been in regular contact with both Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson as the Trump Administration carries out \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d without the consent or request of Illinois leaders. Durbin has also met with numerous local leaders and organizations, including: Little Village leaders; the American Immigration Lawyers Association; Brighton Park community leaders; the Resurrection Project; Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain; Centro de Informaci\u00f3n; Alderman Mike Rodriguez of Chicago\u2019s 22nd Ward; Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson; student organizers of the walkout at a Little Village school; and Latino state and local officials in Waukegan and Chicago.\n\nSecuring a commitment from Chairman Grassley for Secretary Noem to testify under oath. After Durbin repeatedly called for Secretary Noem to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley heeded Durbin\u2019s call and agreed to schedule an oversight hearing with Noem.\n\nWriting directly to the President to urge him to immediately call off his plans to deploy troops to Illinois. Shortly after the President made clear his intentions to deploy both the Illinois and Texas National Guard to the Chicago region, Durbin led all Democratic members of the Illinois delegation in sending a letter to President Trump to demand that he immediately reverse his decision.\n\nDemanding DHS Secretary Noem end both \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d and \u201cOperation At Large\u201d. Durbin led all Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation in reprimanding DHS for violating due process, indiscriminately arresting immigrants with no criminal convictions, and escalating tensions at Broadview protests. In their letter, the lawmakers called out DHS leadership for its failure to communicate with Illinois\u2019 elected leaders while carrying out excessive, brutal raids. The lawmakers submitted questions about reports that DHS has brought in social media influencers to promote immigration raids; reports about the use of military weaponry, including drones, during raids; and the training that federal officials have received on responding to and de-escalating protests. Secretary Noem has yet to respond.\n\nFiled an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of Illinois\u2019s legal challenge to the Administration. Durbin spearheaded a group of 155 Senate and House Democrats in support of Illinois\u2019s legal challenge to President Trump\u2019s unwarranted National Guard deployment in Illinois.\n\nDemanding answers from DHS, DOD, and FBI leaders about the President\u2019s actions in Chicago. As President Trump began publicly considering deploying troops to Chicago despite explicit opposition from Illinois leaders, Durbin demanded answers from Secretary Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel about the potential deployment. Noem, Hegseth, and Patel have yet to respond.\n\nCombatting the DHS misinformation campaign. Durbin led all Illinois Congressional Democrats in releasing comprehensive fact check refuting the Trump Administration\u2019s false accounts of dangerous immigration enforcement actions in Illinois.\n\nIntroducing seven amendments to the NDAA to push back on the domestic deployment of troops. These amendments, which Durbin introduced alongside Duckworth, aimed to enhance congressional oversight over President Trump\u2019s expansive use of the military for law enforcement in American cities, including without the consent or request of a state\u2019s elected officials. A full list, as well as full text, of the amendments can be found here.\n\nJoining Duckworth in calling on DOD and DHS to immediately stop misusing the Chicago Harbor Lock. Durbin and Duckworth sent a letter to DOD Secretary Hegseth and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to immediately stop using the Chicago Harbor Lock and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer facilities to support \u201cOperation Midway Blitz.\u201d The Senators questioned Secretary Noem and Secretary Hegseth on why DOD and DHS had deployed vehicles associated with ICE and CBP into the Chicago River.\n\nJoining Duckworth in demanding ICE and CBP enforce body camera requirements. In their letter, the Senators demanded that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) act immediately to ensure all CPB law enforcement officers assisting ICE wear and activate body-worn cameras when carrying out civil immigration enforcement operations in Illinois, in compliance with agency policy and a lawful order from a federal judge.\n\nJoining Duckworth and Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to ensure access to legal counsel for detainees. Durbin and Duckworth joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03) in introducing the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, a bill to ensure the Department of Homeland Security allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families.\n\nAttempting to conduct oversight at Broadview ICE Facility. On October 10, Durbin and Duckworth attempted to visit Broadview ICE Facility to conduct oversight, which is a core responsibility of their role as elected officials. Despite their constitutional and statutory authority to conduct oversight, they were barred from entering the facility. This was the fourth time that Durbin had attempted to visit the facility in recent months, but DHS officials turned him away each time. Durbin has pressed the Administration on its denials of Members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention facilities.\n\nVisiting Naval Station Great Lakes, which has provided limited logistical support to federal officers. Following reports that Naval Station Great Lakes would be used as a staging area for DHS agents, Durbin, Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) visited the Navy base for a briefing with base leadership on the support requested by DHS. While at Naval Station Great Lakes, the lawmakers also attempted to meet directly with DHS officials, but they were denied a meeting and were locked out of the office space used by DHS.\n\nLeading 26 Senators in calling on the U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General (DOD IG) to inquire into the Trump Administration\u2019s domestic deployment of troops. In the Durbin-led letter, the Senators made clear that pulling National Guard troops away from their assigned duties to assist in law enforcement operations erodes public trust; diverts critical resources from communities in need, including those impacted by natural disasters; and costs American taxpayers millions of dollars. The Senators concluded their letter by calling for an inquiry into the legality of domestic troop deployments carried out by the Trump Administration.\n\nPressing DHS Secretary Noem on lax ICE hiring standards, inflammatory recruitment messaging. In the letter, Durbin pressed Noem on the recent changes to hiring practices at ICE and asked whether ICE has hired any rioters who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Following a massive funding increase by Congress, ICE is recruiting new staff by employing polarizing and inflammatory recruitment messaging while also lowering age and training requirements with signing bonuses. Secretary Noem has yet to respond.\n\nHolding a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to ensure that military resources are not allocated to Operation Midway Blitz beyond providing office space to DHS. At their request, Durbin, Duckworth, and Schnieder met directly with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to discuss the limited logistical support provided by Naval Station Great Lakes to DHS and to ensure DHS would not conduct any operations on base. Naval Station Great Lakes has provided office space, parking, and storage space for nonlethal munitions. No Navy personnel or resources have been or will be involved in immigration raids directed by DHS in the Chicago area.\n\nJoining U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) to call for a meeting with Chicago\u2019s ICE Field Director. Durbin joined Congresswoman Ramirez in leading all Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation in demanding a meeting with ICE Field Director Russell Hott to discuss the so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d as ICE agents escalated tensions through their inflammatory response to protests outside of Broadview ICE Facility. Director Hott did not respond to the request before he was removed from his position this month.\n\nQuestioning Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi on the deployment of troops to Chicago during a Senate Judiciary Committee DOJ oversight hearing. During the oversight hearing, Durbin grilled AG Bondi about the White House\u2019s rationale for deploying troops to American cities, and he further pressed for answers on whether she was involved in any discussions with the President about the potential deployment of the military to Chicago. Rather than provide any clear answer, AG Bondi deflected the questions with personal attacks.\n\nCalling out his Republican colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee for failing to join him in upholding their constitutional oversight obligations. At executive business meetings, Durbin has called out his Republican colleagues for failing to condemn the Trump Administration\u2019s unprovoked escalation in immigration enforcement in Chicago, as well as failing to uphold their constitutional oversight obligations.\n\nLeading a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on crime in cities. Durbin initially requested this hearing with the intent that the Committee would focus on the President\u2019s dangerous threats to deploy the military to American cities. The Republican majority reframed the hearing, choosing instead to focus on crime only in Democratic areas, despite statistics showing that Republican-leaning states consistently have higher rates of violent crime. In the hearing, Durbin exposed the Trump Administration\u2019s hypocrisy, underscoring that President Trump is slashing millions in funding for crime prevention efforts.\n\nDelivering remarks on the Senate floor about the excessive tactics used by DHS agents and speaking out about the President\u2019s attempted deployment of troops. Durbin has taken to the Senate floor more than 10 times to speak out against the excessive force used by DHS agents during raids. Durbin also shared the story of 16-year-old Ofelia Torres, a cancer patient who receives treatment at Lurie Children\u2019s Hospital, while her father was detained by ICE. Videos of Durbin\u2019s floor remarks can be found here.\n\nHolding a spotlight forum entitled, \u201cCruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order.\u201d The forum examined the Trump Administration\u2019s ongoing abuse of immigrants to attack the fundamental rights of all Americans. Witnesses discussed how this Administration has used immigration to spearhead its efforts to undermine our constitutional order and the rule of law, including unprecedented attacks on due process; deploying the National Guard over the objections of local authorities; sending masked agents to arrest noncitizens for speech and expression protected by the First Amendment; disappearing noncitizens to El Salvador, South Sudan, and Guantanamo; and dismantling congressionally-authorized oversight.\n\nHosting a meeting with Senators and NORTHCOM leadership. Durbin, along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), convened a virtual meeting with NORTHCOM leadership to request additional information about the troop deployments in Illinois, California, and Oregon. In the meeting, the Senators stressed that the nation\u2019s military must comply with the Posse Comitatus Act.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-murkowski-introduce-the-dream-act", "Durbin, Murkowski Introduce The Dream Act", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin has introduced the Dream Act every Congress since 2001; today marks his final introduction of the legislation before the end of his congressional career\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced the Dream Act of 2025, which would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as Dreamers, have lived in America since they were children, built their lives here, and are American in every way except for their immigration status. However, under current law there is often no chance for them to ever become citizens and fulfill their potential.\n\n\u201cI first introduced the Dream Act 24 years ago, and over those years I\u2019ve met hundreds of amazing young men and women\u2014Dreamers\u2014who are American in every sense of the word except on paper. They are teachers, nurses, doctors, and small business owners throughout our communities and in all 50 states. But because DACA hangs by a thread in the courts, and many are not covered by DACA, they live each day in fear of deportation. It is clear that only Congress can give them the stability they crave and deserve,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThis is a matter of simple American fairness and justice. To the Dreamers who have been with me in this fight: I promise to do everything in my power to fight for you and your future every day. And to Senator Murkowski, I want to thank you for your longtime support of Dreamers and your partnership in this important bipartisan effort.\u201d\n\nThe Dream Act of 2025 would allow these young people to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship if they:\n\nCame to the U.S. as children and are without lawful status;\n\nGraduate from high school or obtain a GED;\n\nPursue higher education, work lawfully for at least three years, or serve in the military;\n\nPass security and law enforcement background checks and pay a reasonable application fee;\n\nDemonstrate proficiency in the English language and a knowledge of United States history; and\n\nHave not committed a felony or other serious crimes and do not pose a threat to our country.\n\nBeginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since. Over the years, Durbin has told the stories of 150 Dreamers on the Senate Floor. In 2012, Durbin worked with then-President Obama to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow these young people to gain temporary status. As of September 2024, roughly 530,000 people had active DACA status.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-dod-igs-report-on-signalgate-determination-that-secretary-hegseth-endangered-us-service-members", "Durbin Statement On DOD IG\u2019s Report On \u2018Signalgate,\u2019 Determination That Secretary\r\nHegseth Endangered U.S. Service Members", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) report which concluded that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth endangered the lives of American service members by discussing military operations via unsecured text chains:\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s DOD Inspector General report reinforces what we already knew to be true: Secretary Hegseth does not have the good judgement required of the person tasked with leading the U.S. Department of Defense. By recklessly shooting off about classified war plans in two separate group chats \u2013 one of which included his wife and brother \u2014 on a commercial messaging app, Secretary Hegseth risked the lives of American service members.\n\n\u201cSecretary Hegseth has proved, yet again, that my vote against his confirmation was the right choice.\u201d\n\nIn March, Durbin joined U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and top Senate Democrats on national security committees in sending a letter to President Trump for answers after The Atlantic revealed that an unsecured text chain with at least 18 senior-level Trump administration officials was used to coordinate and share classified information about sensitive military planning and operations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-demands-all-air-traffic-controllers-who-worked-without-pay-during-republican-shutdown-not-only-trumps-favorites-receive-10000-bonuses", "Duckworth Demands All Air Traffic Controllers Who Worked Without Pay During Republican Shutdown, Not Only Trump\u2019s Favorites, Receive $10,000 Bonuses", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 After the Trump Administration cruelly provided only four percent of the air traffic controller (ATC) and technician workforce with $10,000 bonuses, despite all of them working without pay during the Republican-led government shutdown, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)\u2014Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation\u2014demanded U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy award those bonuses to every single ATC and technician. In her letter to Secretary Duffy, Duckworth lambasted the Administration for punishing the other 96% of the men and women who bravely keep our skies safe without considering whether they had medical procedures, family obligations or any other life events beyond their control.\n\n\u201cExcluding 96 percent of the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) Air Traffic Controller and Technician workforce from this bonus is unfair, divisive and disrespectful to the over 20,000 dedicated Federal employees who worked under extremely stressful conditions to ensure our Nation Airspace System (NAS) was safe during the 2025 shutdown,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cWhether an Air Traffic Controller had a medical emergency or important medical procedure scheduled long before the lapse in appropriations; or had to organize and attend funeral services for a loved one; or had to care for a sick child; or simply had to find time to make ends meet to put food on the table; it is wrong to financially penalize these Federal employees for responsibly managing life events beyond their control while working without pay.\u201d\n\nDuckworth also slammed Duffy\u2019s decision for setting a dangerous precedent for ATCs and technicians to avoid using authorized leave during future shutdowns, even while suffering from illnesses that could degrade their performance, which could make our skies less safe.\n\n\u201cAir Traffic Organization jobs are extremely stressful for good reason: one mistake may be deadly,\u201d Duckworth continued. \u201cThese dedicated professionals must be at their best when on the job, but your policy encourages Air Traffic Controllers and Technicians to show up regardless of their health. That is incredibly dangerous. Sick leave exists for a reason. Claiming safety is a top priority is mere lip service if Air Traffic Controllers and Technicians fear using authorized leave, even when doing so best serves the safety of the NAS and health of their fellow FAA employees.\u201d\n\nShe also scrutinized Duffy\u2019s decision for putting even further strain on the ATC workforce, when the Administration\u2019s top priority should be working to retain and recruit as many of these brave men and women as possible to address the ongoing ATC shortage.\n\n\u201cAt a time when FAA is operating 3,800 fully certified controllers short of the agency\u2019s staffing target, and Air Traffic Controller morale is rapidly plummeting to new lows, the absolute last thing the Trump administration should be doing is excluding thousands of dedicated patriots who worked without pay during the most recent shutdown from the $10,000 award,\u201d continued Duckworth.\n\nFull text of the letter is available below and on the Senator\u2019s website.\n\nDear Secretary Duffy:\n\nI write to request that the Trump administration provide every excepted Air Traffic Controller and Technician who worked without on-time pay a $10,000 award, since these civil servants also performed patriotic work to ensure the safety of the skies during most recent government shutdown.\n\nExcluding 96 percent of the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) Air Traffic Controller and Technician workforce from this bonus is unfair, divisive and disrespectful to the over 20,000 dedicated Federal employees who worked under extremely stressful conditions to ensure our Nation Airspace System (NAS) was safe during the 2025 shutdown.\n\nWhether an Air Traffic Controller had a medical emergency or important medical procedure scheduled long before the lapse in appropriations; or had to organize and attend funeral services for a loved one; or had to care for a sick child; or simply had to find time to make ends meet to put food on the table; it is wrong to financially penalize these Federal employees for responsibly managing life events beyond their control while working without pay.\n\nWorst of all, the Trump administration\u2019s stinginess in reserving the $10,000 award to approximately 2.4 percent of the Air Traffic Controller workforce and roughly 6 percent of the FAA Technician workforce creates a perverse and dangerous incentive that threatens to weaken NAS safety during future shutdowns.\n\nIf there is another lapse in appropriations during the Trump administration, Air Traffic Controllers will have a financial incentive to avoid using authorized leave\u2014even while suffering from illnesses that degrade controller performance and risk infecting an entire cadre of employees working a shift in a tower, center or Terminal Radar Approach Control facility.\n\nAir Traffic Organization jobs are extremely stressful for good reason: one mistake may be deadly. These dedicated professionals must be at their best when on the job, but your policy encourages Air Traffic Controllers and Technicians to show up regardless of their health. That is incredibly dangerous.\n\nSick leave exists for a reason. Claiming safety is a top priority is mere lip service if Air Traffic Controllers and Technicians fear using authorized leave, even when doing so best serves the safety of the NAS and health of their fellow FAA employees.\n\nAir Traffic Controllers and Technicians may also resent being financially punished for authorized absences, since perfect attendance may not be possible for a wide range of good reasons, including patriotic FAA employees who are members of the U.S. Armed Forces and must fulfill Guard and Reserve commitments.\n\nUsing the term President Donald Trump spewed when insulting members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including servicemembers wounded in combat or tortured as prisoners of war, these Air Traffic Controllers and Technicians may fear being \u201csuckers\u201d if they cannot avoid an absence and then fail to use ten thousand dollars\u2019 worth of authorized leave.\n\nWhile such behavior is unlikely from this dedicated and honorable workforce, the fact remains that such perverse financial incentives should not exist, and will cease to exist, if the Trump administration simply does the right thing by awarding every Air Traffic Controller and Technician who worked without pay during the 2025 shutdown a $10,000 award. The total cost of this pro-Air Traffic Controller and Technician policy would amount to less than one percent of the FAA\u2019s annual budget\u2014and likely deliver a strong return on investment in the form of improved morale among a beleaguered Air Traffic Organization workforce that has been overworked and understaffed for far too long.\n\nOur Nation cannot build an effective \u201cBrand New Air Traffic Control System\u201d without a robustly staffed and compensated Air Traffic Control workforce. At a time when FAA is operating 3,800 fully certified controllers short of the agency\u2019s staffing target, and Air Traffic Controller morale is rapidly plummeting to new lows, the absolute last thing the Trump administration should be doing is excluding thousands of dedicated patriots who worked without pay during the most recent shutdown from the $10,000 award.\n\nI do not require a response to this request. I simply want you to act swiftly in issuing $10,000 awards to the entire dedicated Air Traffic Controller and Technician workforce that patriotically worked without pay during the 2025 government shutdown to ensure the safety of the skies.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-announces-his-final-introduction-of-the-dream-act-and-shares-150th-dreamer-story-on-the-senate-floor", "Durbin Announces His Final Introduction Of The Dream Act & Shares 150th Dreamer Story On The Senate Floor", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin has introduced the Dream Act every Congress since 2001; this introduction marks his final introduction of the legislation before the end of his congressional career\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will introduce the Dream Act of 2025 tomorrow. The bipartisan legislation would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as Dreamers, have lived in America since they were children, built their lives here, and are American in every way except for their immigration status. However, under current law there is often no chance for them to ever become citizens and fulfill their potential.\n\nBeginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since.\n\n\u201cIt was 24 years ago that I introduced a measure called the Dream Act\u2026 These young immigrants [were] brought to the United States as children. Like millions of American children\u2026 [they] grew up dreaming of getting their first job, passing their driver\u2019s license test, and applying to college. But they had a problem. Under the current law, they were not legal to do those things. So the Dream Act gives them a chance, if brought to the United States as children, [to] have a path to citizenship after earning their way in a rather long and rigorous process,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cIt was 2001 when I first introduced bipartisan legislation to provide Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship. My cosponsor was Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, who was then the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee\u2026 I\u2019m sad to say that more than two decades later, Dreamers are still waiting for that bill to pass.\u201d\n\nIn 2010, Durbin sent a letter, joined by the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers. Thirteen years ago, President Obama responded by announcing the DACA program. More than 830,000 Dreamers have since come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to their country as teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and small business owners.\n\n\u201cSadly, since President Obama established the program, many Republicans have waged a relentless campaign to overturn DACA and deport these Dreamers back to countries they left as infants, toddlers, and children\u2014countries they may not even remember. Now this program is hanging by a thread in the courts, due to legal challenges from Republican state attorneys general. And many Dreamers, even those who have protections under DACA, have been caught up in deportation raids by the Trump Administration,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin then shared the story of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a college student with a merit scholarship who was deported without due process two weeks ago. Her story is the 150th story of a Dreamer that Durbin has highlighted on the Senate floor.\n\nAny was brought to the United States from Honduras when she was only eight years old. Any worked hard in high school and was an honors student. In her free time, she volunteered as an algebra tutor. Her hard work ultimately paid off, and this year, she received a merit scholarship to study at Babson College in Massachusetts.\n\nLike a lot of college students, she planned to visit her family during the Thanksgiving holiday. Her dad\u2019s employer paid for her travel home to Texas, hoping that she could surprise her dad at work. But when Ms. Lopez Belloza arrived at Boston Logan Airport, she was told there was a problem with her ticket. When she went to customer service, she was surrounded by federal agents and shackled. The next day, a Federal District Court Judge issued an order blocking her transfer or deportation for 72 hours. Despite this court order, the Trump Administration quickly deported her to Honduras, a country she had not been to since she was a little girl. She had nothing but the few belongings she had brought with her for the Thanksgiving holiday at home in Texas with her family.\n\n\u201cYou remember the President\u2019s campaign and rallies and how often he stood before cheering crowds and said it\u2019s time to stop the rapists, murderers, terrorists, and criminally insane from flowing into this nation? The \u2018worst of the worst,\u2019 he repeated over and over again. Does this young lady look like the \u2018worst of the worst\u2019? The answer is clearly no,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cMs. Lopez Belloza is one of countless Dreamers who have great potential to make this a better country. They\u2019re not asking for a free ride. They are hardworking and determined\u2026 It\u2019s that kind of determination, talent, and skill that should be part of this country\u2019s future. She\u2019s going to be someday, I\u2019m sure, a leader in America, a small business owner, a teacher, [or] a doctor.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cThe time to pass the Dream Act is now. That is why I\u2019m proud to announce I\u2019ll be reintroducing the Dream Act this week on a bipartisan basis, with my good friend and colleague Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska. While I\u2019ve introduced the Dream Act in every Congress since 2001, this one is different. This is my last year in the Senate. This is my last opportunity as a Senator to make it the law. Over the years, I\u2019ve met hundreds of amazing Dreamers who are American in every sense of the world, except on paper. To those Dreamers, I promise to do everything in my power to fight for you and your future every day I\u2019m here. As I said to you many times, I\u2019m not giving up on you. Don\u2019t give up on me. To Senator Murkowski, thank you. It took courage to cosponsor this bill, and I will never forget it. Can we get to work on a bipartisan basis and agree that if we\u2019re going to keep safe borders, we also want to make sure the right immigrants are here for our future? Any is one of those people. Without due process, she was sent back to Honduras. Her fate is still uncertain, despite a court order. But there are hundreds of thousands like her that, with enough determination, hard work, and opportunity, can make America a greater nation. She is my 150th Dreamer. I hope she\u2019s part of America for years to come.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-condemns-pardon-of-former-president-of-honduras", "Durbin Condemns Pardon Of Former President Of Honduras", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin: \u201cDonald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon to [more than 1,500] people who stormed the Capitol. It comes as no surprise [that] when it comes to major drug traffickers like the former Honduran president, Donald Trump got out his pardon pen.\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned President Trump\u2019s pardon of the former Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez.\n\nDurbin began by outlining the horrendous conduct of Mr. Hern\u00e1ndez, a convicted drug trafficker.\n\n\u201cThe former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez, was prosecuted by the federal government of the United States for his involvements in the trade in narcotics. He was found guilty of having been involved and sentenced to some 45 years in prison. He once boasted that he \u2018would stuff the drugs up the gringos\u2019 noses.\u2019 He accepted a million-dollar bribe from El Chapo to allow cocaine shipments to pass through Honduras destined to the United States. This former president, [President] Hern\u00e1ndez, had a man killed in prison to protect him. Honduras has become a bastion of the global drug trade. This former president, [President] Hern\u00e1ndez, orchestrated a vast trafficking conspiracy that prosecutors said raked in millions of dollars for cartels while making Honduras one of Central America\u2019s poorest, most violent, most corrupt countries. So, they prosecute him, find him guilty of selling narcotics through these cartels into the United States. Can you think of anyone more reprehensible than that? Selling drugs to this country, finding more victims by the day\u2026 Of course, it\u2019s terrible\u2026 so terrible that he was found guilty and sentenced to 45 years in prison,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cThen what happened? Well, you won't believe it. Donald Trump pulls out his pardon pen,\u201d continued Durbin.\n\nDurbin then highlighted the hypocrisy of this pardon, which forgives the crimes prosecuted by then-Assistant U.S. Attorney and now Trump-appointed U.S. Circuit Court Judge Emil Bove.\n\n\u201cWhen this man who was president of Honduras was facilitating the sale of narcotics in America, we thought so much of the effort to prosecute him that we assigned an assistant U.S. Attorney by the name of Emil Bove. Ring a bell? Emil Bove was chosen by President Trump to serve on [a] Circuit Court of the United States. He was approved by this chamber. I was at the hearing where he was considered. He was proud of the fact that he was \u2018tough on crime\u2019... so \u2018tough\u2019 that he helped to prosecute Hern\u00e1ndez and ended up seeing him sent to jail for so many years,\u201d continued Durbin.\n\n\u201cThen along comes President Trump with his pardon pen and releases Hern\u00e1ndez from jail. Releases him\u2026 after years and years of prosecution, evidence, and hard work, stopping this man who is facilitating the sale of narcotics in the United States\u2026 Hard to imagine, isn\u2019t it?\u201d continued Durbin.\n\nDurbin then extrapolated this instance to a repeated misuse of the presidential pardon power by President Trump to extend political favors to personal allies.\n\n\u201cIt isn\u2019t hard to imagine if you were here on January 6th and saw the insurrectionists come roaring through this Capitol, storm this chamber, and drive the Senate into recess, as we went to an adjoining building so that law enforcement could take over the situation. [More than 140] law enforcement officers were seriously injured, and several died as a result of their experience. It was a terrible day in the history of the United States,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cWhat did Donald Trump do as soon as he was re-elected president? He issued a full and unconditional pardon to [more than 1,500] people who stormed the Capitol. It comes as no surprise that when it comes to major drug traffickers like the former Honduran president, he got out his pardon pen and decided, because he had \u2018heard from so many friends,\u2019 President [Trump] said, he decided to pardon this man and release him. This is not an action by a President trying to keep America safe from narcotics. It is a strange understanding of his power that he would use this and not penalize those responsible for the narcotics coming into the United States,\u201d concluded Durbin.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available herefor TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-if-republicans-reject-the-democratic-proposal-to-address-aca-subsidies-the-american-public-will-know-which-party-abandoned-them", "Durbin: If Republicans Reject The Democratic Proposal To Address ACA Subsidies, The American Public Will Know Which Party Abandoned Them", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On the Senate floor, Durbin continues to push his Republican colleagues to come to the table and negotiate with Democrats on a solution to address the looming health care crisis\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 As open enrollment for 2026 individual market health insurance plans has begun and Americans across the country are facing astronomic increases in their monthly premiums for next year, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor about the health care affordability crisis, caused by congressional Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. These tax credits lower health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Durbin received a commitment from Republican Leader John Thune to put a bill on the Senate floor in December to address the ACA enhanced premium tax credits.\n\nIf Republicans vote against extending these enhanced premium tax credits, more than four million Americans are expected to lose their health care coverage, including more than 160,000 people in Illinois. Tens of millions of others will see their monthly premiums double or even triple.\n\nDurbin began his speech by recounting his experience as a young father when he couldn\u2019t provide health insurance for his child.\n\n\u201cMy wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. I was going to law school here in Washington, D.C. Turns out our little girl had a serious, serious medical problem. The difficulty I faced was the fact that I had no health insurance. I was a law student, and I ended up going to Children\u2019s [National] Hospital here in Washington, D.C., with my wife and our little baby girl, and sat in the charity ward [that] was there for people who could not pay their medical bills and had no health insurance. We waited for the door to open and for our family name to be called out to meet for the first time the doctor who was going to treat my little girl. I never felt more helpless in my life, as a father, to have that baby with that medical problem and to have no health insurance. I'm sure that colored my judgment for the rest of my life and my service for over 40 years in Congress. I have always voted to give families a better chance of having health insurance,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin helped craft the ACA 15 years ago, voted for its passage, and he has defended it from more than 70 Republican attempts to repeal or undermine the law, with congressional Republicans never once offering a comprehensive alternative health care plan.\n\n\u201cI worked hard to pass that bill [the ACA]. It took us a long time and a lot of effort. I was Whip of the Senate Democrats at that point, and I used to go to [Leader] Harry Reid\u2019s office several times a day to talk about the next step in passing the Affordable Care Act. The day finally came, and I won't dwell on the details about how we reached it, but we did. Unfortunately, throughout that process, we never, never had one Republican vote of support. We were fortunate enough to have 60 Democrats at the right moment politically to pass the bill in the United States Senate,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cWe passed that major legislation roughly 15 years ago, at a time when not a single Republican would support it. Now we're back into a period\u2026 when Republicans had a chance, with their own majority, to address the Affordable Care Act, and they started eliminating that health insurance credit. As a consequence, many families, 24 million we believe nationwide, face the prospect that their health insurance premiums are going to be too high and increase dramatically beyond their reach and family income,\u201d Durbin continued.\n\nDuring his speech, Durbin highlighted specific provisions that certain Senate Republicans want to address in regard to extending the ACA subsidies. Durbin reiterated that he is ready to come to the table with his Republican colleagues to address these concerns and put together a proposal to extend the ACA subsidies. Durbin stated he hopes to have the ACA subsidies addressed by the December 12th deadline.\n\n\u201cIf we're concerned about the cost of living and family budgets, for goodness sakes, it starts with health care,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin spoke about an Illinois constituent\u2014Jess\u2014a hairstylist in Chicago who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Jess said that if the tax credits go away, she will be forced to pay more for health care and will have to make a \u201clifestyle change to pay the difference,\u201d potentially picking up more shifts. Jess also worries about a lapse in coverage if the price increase forces her to switch plans. Any gap in coverage could jeopardize her life-saving cancer treatment.\n\n\u201cNo American family should face that [decision]. Here\u2019s the good news: we as Senators can work together to stop Americans, like Jess, from falling off this looming health care cliff. As part of the bipartisan agreement to end the longest government shutdown in American history, Leader Thune gave me his word he would hold a vote in this chamber on extending these subsidies to Jess and others who desperately need help,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cLast week, reports emerged from the White House about plans to release a proposal that would extend these subsidies for two years. Imagine my surprise. After trying to cut or repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times, he [Trump] promised on the campaign trail he had \u2018concepts of a plan,\u2019 finally, we were to see the details of the Republican health care agenda for America. But congressional Republicans threw cold water on the idea of the President cooperating with Democrats to solve this problem,\u201d Durbin continued.\n\nDurbin continued his speech by urging his Republican colleagues to negotiate with Democrats on a deal. If they fail to, Democrats will put their own proposal on the floor.\n\n\u201cThe American people will see where each party stands when it comes to families that need a helping hand. If our offer on the Democratic side is rejected, the American public will know\u2014with every paycheck, with every prescription pickup, with every hospital bill\u2014which party stood on their side and which side didn\u2019t. The time to make a [deal] is now. Just 13 days from now is the deadline to enroll or change plans,\u201d said Durbin.\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cWhen I voted to end the government shutdown, I said I could not wage a political strategy at the expense of my neighbor\u2019s paycheck or food for his family. I meant it. But I, too, cannot sit by while 20 million Americans go without gas or groceries in order to pay their health care premiums. This is a question of fundamentals\u2014will you be able to afford the health care you and your family need? Let\u2019s get this done on behalf of every American, in red and blue communities alike.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-investigates-arrests-of-us-citizens-by-president-trumps-out-of-control-immigration-forces", "Durbin Investigates Arrests Of U.S. Citizens By President Trump\u2019s Out-Of-Control Immigration Forces", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin in oversight request to Secretary Noem: \u201cThe disturbing reality is that many American citizens have been caught in the Trump Administration\u2019s indiscriminate and violent immigration enforcement dragnet across the country.\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today launched an investigation into the reported arrests of U.S. citizens under the Trump Administration\u2019s violent immigration enforcement agenda. In a letter to Secretary Noem, Durbin called out the dangerous and reckless enforcement actions, including arrests and detentions of U.S. citizens and targeting of minorities in cities like Chicago.\n\nDurbin began by citing Secretary Noem\u2019s blatant falsehood at a recent press conference, writing: \u201cYou recently stated in a news conference: \u2018There\u2019s no American citizens that have been arrested or detained. We focus on those that are here illegally. And anything that you would hear or report that would be different than that is simply not true.\u2019 This statement is patently false. The disturbing reality is that many American citizens have been caught in the Trump Administration\u2019s indiscriminate and violent immigration enforcement dragnet across the country.\u201d\n\nDurbin then highlighted the known wrongful detentions of the Trump Administration\u2019s immigration crackdown, writing: \u201cIn the first nine months of President Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown, at least 170 citizens were wrongfully detained. As of mid-October, approximately two dozen U.S. citizens had been held for more than a day without being able to contact anyone, including their lawyers. The numbers continue to grow. My staff has documented the reported detention of at least 40 U.S. citizens in Illinois alone between late August and early November 2025. Since the President ramped up his militarized immigration raids in the Chicagoland area, arrests of U.S. citizens have occurred with increasing frequency.\u201d\n\nDurbin then connected the aggression against U.S. citizens with a recent Supreme Court ruling, writing: \u201cThe Supreme Court recently stayed a district court order that had prohibited federal immigration enforcement agents from stopping individuals based on factors such as their race or ethnicity and the type of job they appeared to work. The Court\u2019s decision, coupled with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol\u2019s indiscriminate enforcement tactics, have left Black and Brown Americans justifiably afraid that they will be targeted for immigration stops\u2014now frequently referred to as \u2018Kavanaugh stops.\u2019\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded by admonishing the Trump Administration\u2019s gutting of offices ensuring accountability for these matters that necessitates Congressional oversight before making a series of information requests, writing: \u201cTo worsen matters, DHS has gutted offices responsible for overseeing ICE officers\u2019 conduct and ensuring accountability for unlawful arrests and detention. Congressional oversight is thus critical to evaluate the impact of this Administration\u2019s immigration enforcement tactics on U.S. citizens and whether ICE and CBP have taken steps to address longstanding problems regarding the collection of data about U.S. citizens.\u201d\n\nFor a PDF of the letter to Secretary Noem, click here.\n\nIn response to the Trump Administration\u2019s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump.\n\nDurbin has taken the following actions to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d:\n\nMeeting with state, local, and community leaders. Durbin has been in regular contact with both Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson as the Trump Administration carries out \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d without the consent or request of Illinois leaders. Durbin has also met with numerous local leaders and organizations, including: Little Village leaders; the American Immigration Lawyers Association; Brighton Park community leaders; the Resurrection Project; Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain; Centro de Informaci\u00f3n; Alderman Mike Rodriguez of Chicago\u2019s 22nd Ward; Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson; student organizers of the walkout at a Little Village school; and Latino state and local officials in Waukegan and Chicago.\n\nSecuring a commitment from Chairman Grassley for Secretary Noem to testify under oath. After Durbin repeatedly called for Secretary Noem to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley heeded Durbin\u2019s call and agreed to schedule an oversight hearing with Noem.\n\nWriting directly to the President to urge him to immediately call off his plans to deploy troops to Illinois. Shortly after the President made clear his intentions to deploy both the Illinois and Texas National Guard to the Chicago region, Durbin led all Democratic members of the Illinois delegation in sending a letter to President Trump to demand that he immediately reverse his decision.\n\nDemanding DHS Secretary Noem end both \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d and \u201cOperation At Large\u201d. Durbin led all Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation in reprimanding DHS for violating due process, indiscriminately arresting immigrants with no criminal convictions, and escalating tensions at Broadview protests. In their letter, the lawmakers called out DHS leadership for its failure to communicate with Illinois\u2019 elected leaders while carrying out excessive, brutal raids. The lawmakers submitted questions about reports that DHS has brought in social media influencers to promote immigration raids; reports about the use of military weaponry, including drones, during raids; and the training that federal officials have received on responding to and de-escalating protests. Secretary Noem has yet to respond.\n\nFiled an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of Illinois\u2019s legal challenge to the Administration. Durbin spearheaded a group of 155 Senate and House Democrats in support of Illinois\u2019s legal challenge to President Trump\u2019s unwarranted National Guard deployment in Illinois.\n\nDemanding answers from DHS, DOD, and FBI leaders about the President\u2019s actions in Chicago. As President Trump began publicly considering deploying troops to Chicago despite explicit opposition from Illinois leaders, Durbin demanded answers from Secretary Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and FBI Director Kash Patel about the potential deployment. Noem, Hegseth, and Patel have yet to respond.\n\nCombatting the DHS misinformation campaign. Durbin led all Illinois Congressional Democrats in releasing comprehensive fact check refuting the Trump Administration\u2019s false accounts of dangerous immigration enforcement actions in Illinois.\n\nIntroducing seven amendments to the NDAA to push back on the domestic deployment of troops. These amendments, which Durbin introduced alongside Duckworth, aimed to enhance congressional oversight over President Trump\u2019s expansive use of the military for law enforcement in American cities, including without the consent or request of a state\u2019s elected officials. A full list, as well as full text, of the amendments can be found here.\n\nJoining Duckworth in calling on DOD and DHS to immediately stop misusing the Chicago Harbor Lock. Durbin and Duckworth sent a letter to DOD Secretary Hegseth and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to immediately stop using the Chicago Harbor Lock and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer facilities to support \u201cOperation Midway Blitz.\u201d The Senators questioned Secretary Noem and Secretary Hegseth on why DOD and DHS had deployed vehicles associated with ICE and CBP into the Chicago River.\n\nJoining Duckworth in demanding ICE and CBP enforce body camera requirements. In their letter, the Senators demanded that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) act immediately to ensure all CPB law enforcement officers assisting ICE wear and activate body-worn cameras when carrying out civil immigration enforcement operations in Illinois, in compliance with agency policy and a lawful order from a federal judge.\n\nJoining Duckworth and Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to ensure access to legal counsel for detainees. Durbin and Duckworth joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03) in introducing the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, a bill to ensure the Department of Homeland Security allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families.\n\nAttempting to conduct oversight at Broadview ICE Facility. On October 10, Durbin and Duckworth attempted to visit Broadview ICE Facility to conduct oversight, which is a core responsibility of their role as elected officials. Despite their constitutional and statutory authority to conduct oversight, they were barred from entering the facility. This was the fourth time that Durbin had attempted to visit the facility in recent months, but DHS officials turned him away each time. Durbin has pressed the Administration on its denials of Members of Congress to conduct oversight visits of ICE detention facilities.\n\nVisiting Naval Station Great Lakes, which has provided limited logistical support to federal officers. Following reports that Naval Station Great Lakes would be used as a staging area for DHS agents, Durbin, Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) visited the Navy base for a briefing with base leadership on the support requested by DHS. While at Naval Station Great Lakes, the lawmakers also attempted to meet directly with DHS officials, but they were denied a meeting and were locked out of the office space used by DHS.\n\nLeading 26 Senators in calling on the U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General (DOD IG) to inquire into the Trump Administration\u2019s domestic deployment of troops. In the Durbin-led letter, the Senators made clear that pulling National Guard troops away from their assigned duties to assist in law enforcement operations erodes public trust; diverts critical resources from communities in need, including those impacted by natural disasters; and costs American taxpayers millions of dollars. The Senators concluded their letter by calling for an inquiry into the legality of domestic troop deployments carried out by the Trump Administration.\n\nPressing DHS Secretary Noem on lax ICE hiring standards, inflammatory recruitment messaging. In the letter, Durbin pressed Noem on the recent changes to hiring practices at ICE and asked whether ICE has hired any rioters who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Following a massive funding increase by Congress, ICE is recruiting new staff by employing polarizing and inflammatory recruitment messaging while also lowering age and training requirements with signing bonuses. Secretary Noem has yet to respond.\n\nHolding a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to ensure that military resources are not allocated to Operation Midway Blitz beyond providing office space to DHS. At their request, Durbin, Duckworth, and Schnieder met directly with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to discuss the limited logistical support provided by Naval Station Great Lakes to DHS and to ensure DHS would not conduct any operations on base. Naval Station Great Lakes has provided office space, parking, and storage space for nonlethal munitions. No Navy personnel or resources have been or will be involved in immigration raids directed by DHS in the Chicago area.\n\nJoining U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) to call for a meeting with Chicago\u2019s ICE Field Director. Durbin joined Congresswoman Ramirez in leading all Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation in demanding a meeting with ICE Field Director Russell Hott to discuss the so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d as ICE agents escalated tensions through their inflammatory response to protests outside of Broadview ICE Facility. Director Hott did not respond to the request before he was removed from his position this month.\n\nQuestioning Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi on the deployment of troops to Chicago during a Senate Judiciary Committee DOJ oversight hearing. During the oversight hearing, Durbin grilled AG Bondi about the White House\u2019s rationale for deploying troops to American cities, and he further pressed for answers on whether she was involved in any discussions with the President about the potential deployment of the military to Chicago. Rather than provide any clear answer, AG Bondi deflected the questions with personal attacks.\n\nCalling out his Republican colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee for failing to join him in upholding their constitutional oversight obligations. At executive business meetings, Durbin has called out his Republican colleagues for failing to condemn the Trump Administration\u2019s unprovoked escalation in immigration enforcement in Chicago, as well as failing to uphold their constitutional oversight obligations.\n\nLeading a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on crime in cities. Durbin initially requested this hearing with the intent that the Committee would focus on the President\u2019s dangerous threats to deploy the military to American cities. The Republican majority reframed the hearing, choosing instead to focus on crime only in Democratic areas, despite statistics showing that Republican-leaning states consistently have higher rates of violent crime. In the hearing, Durbin exposed the Trump Administration\u2019s hypocrisy, underscoring that President Trump is slashing millions in funding for crime prevention efforts.\n\nDelivering remarks on the Senate floor about the excessive tactics used by DHS agents and speaking out about the President\u2019s attempted deployment of troops. Durbin has taken to the Senate floor more than 10 times to speak out against the excessive force used by DHS agents during raids. Durbin also shared the story of 16-year-old Ofelia Torres, a cancer patient who receives treatment at Lurie Children\u2019s Hospital, while her father was detained by ICE. Videos of Durbin\u2019s floor remarks can be found here.\n\nHolding a spotlight forum entitled, \u201cCruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order.\u201d The forum examined the Trump Administration\u2019s ongoing abuse of immigrants to attack the fundamental rights of all Americans. Witnesses discussed how this Administration has used immigration to spearhead its efforts to undermine our constitutional order and the rule of law, including unprecedented attacks on due process; deploying the National Guard over the objections of local authorities; sending masked agents to arrest noncitizens for speech and expression protected by the First Amendment; disappearing noncitizens to El Salvador, South Sudan, and Guantanamo; and dismantling congressionally-authorized oversight.\n\nHosting a meeting with Senators and NORTHCOM leadership. Durbin, along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), convened a virtual meeting with NORTHCOM leadership to request additional information about the troop deployments in Illinois, California, and Oregon. In the meeting, the Senators stressed that the nation\u2019s military must comply with the Posse Comitatus Act.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-lee-lead-reintroduction-of-bipartisan-legislation-bolstering-accountability-for-alleged-justice-department-attorney-misconduct", "Durbin, Lee Lead Reintroduction Of Bipartisan Legislation Bolstering Accountability For Alleged Justice Department Attorney Misconduct", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Inspector General Access Act would expand the jurisdiction of the Justice Department\u2019s Office of the Inspector General to include alleged DOJ attorney misconduct\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General to include alleged DOJ attorney misconduct.\n\nCurrently, the DOJ Inspector General (IG) has no authority to investigate professional misconduct by DOJ lawyers. DOJ is the only agency whose IG has such a jurisdictional carve-out. The Inspector General Access Act would simply strike this loophole, which leads to an unfair double standard where every DOJ employee\u2014including FBI and DEA agents, U.S. Marshals, and federal prison guards\u2014can be investigated by the DOJ IG except DOJ lawyers.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve top-notch attorneys representing them at the Justice Department, and Justice Department prosecutors should be subject to independent oversight regardless of the Attorney General. Allegations of professional misconduct should be investigated by the Inspector General, or else we could end up with another instance like the Jeffrey Epstein sweetheart deal struck by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta. This is a simple, bipartisan fix for a clear loophole in federal law, and I thank Senator Lee for joining me in this effort,\u201d said Durbin.\n\n\u201cThe current IG oversight exemption for attorneys is a nonsensical carve out. Our simple bill changes that, ensuring DOJ attorneys are held to the same standard as other federal agencies. I'm proud to partner again with Senator Durbin on this common-sense bipartisan effort,\u201d said Lee.\n\nThe Inspector General Access Act solves the problem that has long prevented independent oversight of DOJ prosecutors by simply striking the jurisdictional carve out in Section 413 of Title 5, United States Code. As a result, DOJ\u2019s Inspector General would be fully empowered to investigate allegations of misconduct against Department lawyers. In addition to enhancing oversight and public accountability at DOJ, this simple, common sense reform will bring DOJ in line with the practices in other federal agencies where allegations of attorney professional misconduct are already subject to investigation by Inspectors General.\n\nAlong with Durbin and Lee, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by American Governance Institute, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Due Process Institute, Fix the Court, Government Accountability Project, National Security Counselors, National Taxpayers Union, Project On Government Oversight, Protect Democracy, Public Citizen, Right on Crime, and. Workers Circle.\n\n\u201cNonpartisan inspectors general play a key role in combating corruption, waste, and abuse across the federal government, and help ensure Americans' tax dollars are used efficiently for the public's benefit. The bipartisan Inspector General Access Act (IGAA) would further this goal by allowing the Justice Department Inspector General to investigate alleged misconduct involving department attorneys in order to ensure integrity and prevent corruption among these federal employees who exercise immense power in the provision of legal advice and the enforcement of federal law. CREW is proud to endorse the IGAA and urges the Senate to pass this legislation without delay,\u201d said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).\n\nFor a PDF of the legislation, click here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-on-the-affordability-crisis-costs-are-through-the-roof-because-of-president-trump-and-his-maga-policies", "Durbin On The Affordability Crisis: Costs Are Through The Roof Because Of President Trump And His MAGA Policies", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In his speech on the Senate floor, Durbin denounced President Trump\u2019s economic policies, ranging from cuts to SNAP to instituting damaging tariffs, that are costing Americans more\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor about the nation\u2019s affordability crisis, which has been spurred by the Trump Administration\u2019s short-sighted economic policies, including tariffs, billions of dollars in cuts to SNAP, and attacks on immigrant workers. Despite claims made by President Trump, Americans are seeing a sharp spike in the cost of groceries and household goods.\n\n\u201cLast week, families gathered around the table to give thanks and enjoy a plate or two of turkey, mashed potatoes, casserole, cranberry sauce, and more. Except this year, the Thanksgiving feast cost more than last year because President Trump\u2019s economic policies are driving up the prices of groceries,\u201d Durbin began. \u201cThe President claims the opposite, but that\u2019s not a fact. In a social media post, President Trump said \u2018Prices for a Thanksgiving Dinner is now down 25%...since 2024\u2026AFFORDABILITY is a Republican Stronghold.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cDoes the President of the United States actually have any conversation with families who are shopping for groceries? Here\u2019s the truth: costs are through the roof because of President Trump and his MAGA policies. The American people know too. Recent polling from none other than Fox News shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans blame President Trump for higher prices,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin underscored the impact these rising prices have on Illinoisans by sharing stories of constituents, Tria and Esther, from Chicago.\n\n\u201cAfter experiencing the sticker shock at a South Loop grocery store, she [Tria] said, \u2018No matter if it\u2019s organic or if it\u2019s regular, it\u2019s still going to be an arm and a leg for it. It\u2019s like you\u2019re spending your soul on groceries,\u2019\u201d Durbin said. \u201cEster said, \u2018A loaf of bread costs us $4, and it looks like it\u2019s getting smaller.\u201d\n\nThe Trump Administration\u2019s disastrous economic policies, from slashing the SNAP program, attacking immigrant workers, and erratically implementing tariffs on critical U.S. trading partners, has only fueled the affordability crisis. Americans are seeing the effects of these policies at the grocery store as the cost of orange juice is up 29 percent; ground beef is up nearly 14 percent; and coffee is 26 percent more compared to last year.\n\n\u201cThe struggle has been exacerbated for several reasons\u2026 One of them being the President\u2019s massive cuts to the SNAP program in his \u2018Big, Beautiful Bill\u2019 that will reduce or eliminate food assistance for more than 22 million families. This President gives 20 billion bucks to Argentina but can\u2019t find the money for an American citizen,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cAnother is the Administration\u2019s attacks on immigrant workers, which is fueling a labor shortage, hurting farmers in Illinois and across the nation who are already struggling and driving up prices on the products that they grow. Even President Trump\u2019s own Labor Department agrees, saying his war on immigrant workers is \u2018threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices,\u2019\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin also emphasized that these tariffs are pushing China to purchase soybeans from South America.\n\n\u201cFarmers in my state are great men and women\u2026 They\u2019re scared to death. They see China stopping purchases of soybeans. Why is that important? Illinois is the number one soybean-producing state in the United States, and it\u2019s a major cash crop for farms all across the country. When China stops buying, what do we do? Unfortunately, our buyers, like China, turn to other countries, and they use those countries as sources when they used to rely on us. That worries these farmers,\u201d Durbin continued.\n\nIn a feeble attempt to address the affordability crisis, President Trump released a lackluster economic plan that dialed back the tariffs that he trumpeted as a core tenant of his \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d agenda.\n\n\u201cWe are paying for Donald Trump\u2019s failed economic agenda. And the President recognizes this too. That\u2019s why, a few weeks ago, he watered down his own economic proposal when he suspended certain tariffs on bananas, coffee, beef, and clothing\u2026 Why backtrack? Because he knows that the voters and consumers are fed with up rising costs and place the blame, by a factor of 2 to 1, at his feet\u2026 The President sees the writing on the wall. He\u2019s scrambling to undo the damage he\u2019s caused,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin then pointed toward the rising costs of utility bills, explaining that despite his promises while running for office, President Trump has slashed critical tax credits implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act that helped Americans manage their utility costs.\n\n\u201cThe damage goes beyond food prices. Thanks to this President, Americans are now confronting higher utility bills,\u201d Durbin continued. \u201cOn average, Illinois households are paying more than $1,500 annually for lights and heat in their home\u2014up more than 15 percent from last year.\u201d\n\n\u201c[It\u2019s] cause and effect. Under President Biden and with the support of a Democratic Congress, we signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act. This historic law provided tax credits to help households and businesses install energy efficient windows, insulation, HVAC, and solar panels to lower their bills\u2026Earlier this year, President Trump and congressional Republicans scrapped these credits for solar energy with their so-called \u2018Big, Beautiful Bill,\u2019\u201d Durbin said. \u201cAnd they went even further, eliminating incentives for wind and solar projects, meaning fewer jobs and less power to the grid.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust like SNAP cuts, Trump\u2019s energy policies harm those already struggling the most. One example? His budget proposal calls to eliminate LIHEAP \u2013 a program that helps millions of low-income Americans pay their energy bills on time,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks by calling on President Trump to abandon his disastrous policies that are costing American families thousands of dollars.\n\n\u201cThe American people see right through Donald Trump\u2019s scheme. And they know that the sole reason they are facing higher prices is because of his policies. While Republicans ignore high costs at their own peril, Democrats are still going to keep fighting to lower costs for the American people,\u201d Durbin concluded his remarks.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-new-report-regarding-kash-patels-leadership-of-the-fbi", "Durbin Statement On New Report Regarding Kash Patel\u2019s Leadership Of The FBI", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding reports of a 115-page assessment compiled by a national alliance of retired and active-duty Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents and analysts that describes the FBI under Director Kash Patel\u2019s leadership as a \u201crudderless ship.\u201d Detailed in the assessment is how Patel stopped the work of several agents because he refused to leave the FBI jet without a raid jacket when he arrived in Provo, Utah, following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.\n\n\u201cThis stark assessment of the damage Kash Patel has done to the nation\u2019s leading law enforcement agency cries out for one\u2014just one\u2014Republican Senator to break the ranks of silence and demand that Kash Patel be held accountable for his mismanagement of the FBI. America deserves better than this self-absorbed FBI Director fussing over his wardrobe in the midst of a national crisis.\n\n\u201cThe men and women of the FBI who risk their lives to keep America safe are entitled to a leader who is more concerned with fighting crime than attending a wrestling match.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-to-his-republican-colleagues-what-if-operation-midway-blitz-comes-to-your-state-or-hometown", "Durbin To His Republican Colleagues: What If \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019 Comes To Your State Or Hometown?", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin again denounced President Trump\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d and called on his Republican colleagues to stand up against the President\u2019s cruel mass deportation scheme\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke out on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d which has been used as a mechanism by the President to sow fear in Illinois communities as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been tasked with carrying out the Trump Administration\u2019s cruel mass deportation scheme.\n\nRather than going after the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d as the President promised, DHS, ICE, and CBP agents have gone after U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legally in the United States, racially profiling people on the street and detaining them. During \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d federal agents have used extreme tactics, including ripping a U.S. citizen from her car after federal agents hit her vehicle, causing her to experience internal bleeding; detaining a green card holder while he was walking in Chicago and then releasing him without contacting his family, resulting in him going missing for two weeks; deploying pepper spray and disrupting a children\u2019s Halloween parade in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago; pulling a teacher, who had work authorization in the U.S., from her school in front of students and parents; and deploying pepper spray into the car of a U.S. citizen, causing him and his one-year-old daughter to be hospitalized.\n\n\u201cFor more than three months, Chicago has endured President Trump\u2019s \u2018Operation Midway Blitz.\u2019 It is a cruel campaign. It has swept up innocent citizens, legal residents, and immigrants who pose absolutely no threat to public safety. Remember why the President wanted to send troops and more resources and the Department of Homeland Security into the city of Chicago? Because he was going after the \u2018worst of the worst.\u2019 He [said he] was going after terrorists, murderers, rapists, the criminally insane who somehow got into this country, and he [said he] was going to make it safer by going after them\u2026The Trump Administration justified their actions by saying that they were going after the \u2018worst of the worst,\u2019 but what happened was just the opposite,\u201d Durbin began.\n\nDespite claims from the Trump Administration that DHS is only targeting \u201cthe worst of the worst,\u201d data has showed that less than three percent of the more than 600 individuals arrested during \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d have any criminal record that DHS determined threatens public safety. Further, the tactics deployed by federal agents have been challenged in court, resulting in a federal judge issuing a preliminary injunction restricting agents\u2019 use of chemical agents against protesters. While the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused that injunction while it considers the government\u2019s appeal, the Court noted that the injunction was founded on \u201cvoluminous and robust factual findings\u201d about federal agents\u2019 use of force.\n\n\u201cIn a hearing challenging the treatment of press and protestors by federal immigration agents, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said that their \u2018use of force shocks the conscience\u2019 and \u2018this conduct shows no sign of stopping.\u2019 In contrast to this Judge\u2019s observation, Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino boasted in his deposition, almost mockingly, that \u2018all uses of force have been more than exemplary,\u2019\u201d Durbin said. \u201cTo rein in the lawlessness, Judge Ellis issued a preliminary injunction restricting agents\u2019 use of chemical agents against protesters.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd though some courts have acted as a critical guard against the President\u2019s lawlessness, those rulings don\u2019t change the fact that the Trump Administration\u2019s militarized raids are dangerous political theater meant to spread fear and advance an anti-immigrant agenda,\u201d Durbin continued.\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to stand up against the Trump Administration\u2019s cruel campaign against immigrants.\n\n\u201cAfter wreaking havoc in Illinois and now Charlotte, reports indicate that the city of New Orleans is Greg Bovino\u2019s next target. So, I ask my Republican colleagues: what if this \u2018Midway Blitz\u2019 comes to your state, your hometown? What is stopping the President from sowing fear there and conducting lawless raids in your cities? It\u2019s up to all of us to denounce this kind of conduct,\u201d Durbin concluded his speech.\n\nIn response to the Trump Administration\u2019s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump. Durbin\u2019s actions to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d can be found here.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/bipartisan-duckworth-daines-cruz-hirono-bill-to-better-protect-parents-traveling-with-breast-milk-signed-into-law", "Bipartisan Duckworth-Daines-Cruz-Hirono Bill to Better Protect Parents Traveling with Breast Milk Signed into Law", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 After unanimously passing the Senate in May and passing the House in November, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies is now law. Senator Duckworth\u2019s Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act\u2014co-led by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)\u2014requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on handling breast milk, baby formula and other related nutrition products, including ice packs, in consultation with leading maternal health groups.\n\n\u201cThis is a hard-won victory for so many moms who have been mistreated by TSA while traveling with breastmilk and the breastfeeding equipment they need to pump and feed their babies,\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cI\u2019m thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and champions like Emily Calandrelli who spoke out on this issue for families everywhere. Our bipartisan law will make it easier for new moms to travel by ensuring the TSA keeps its employees up to speed on their own policies and updates those policies as necessary. It marks important progress to ensure parents can travel through airports with the dignity and respect they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to see our bipartisan BABES Enhancement Act officially signed into law,\u201d said Senator Daines. \u201cBeing a mom is already a tough job, and this new law will make it easier for mothers to safely transport breastmilk and formula while traveling. This is a big win for families, and I\u2019m proud to see it signed into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cFar too often, families traveling with infants and young children are subjected to inconsistencies when going through TSA\u2019s screening, causing inconveniences that can make traveling together even more difficult. This simple legislation to update the TSA\u2019s compliance guidance for the 3-1-1 liquids will help families travel without added hassles,\u201d said Senator Cruz.\n\n\u201cParents and families deserve to be able to travel with peace of mind that they will not be harassed, humiliated, or put in danger, simply for traveling with milk and supplies to feed their babies,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cI\u2019m proud to see the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act signed into law, as it will help to ensure that these families can travel safely, while keeping their children healthy.\u201d\n\nThe bipartisan BABES Enhancement Act will now help keep breastfeeding parents and their kids safe and healthy while traveling by air. Mishandled breast milk can become contaminated, which puts children at risk. Moreover, parents who lactate typically need to breastfeed or pump once every few hours. Failure to do so can result in a clogged milk duct or a painful infection called mastitis. The new law better protects families by requiring TSA to:\n\nIssue guidance promoting the hygienic handling of any breast milk, baby formula and other infant nutrition products, as well as accessories required to preserve these products;\n\nConsult with nationally recognized maternal health organizations in establishing and communicating this guidance; and\n\nUpdate guidance every five years to respond to emerging needs of parents and to account for developments in technology.\n\n\u201cWhen I raised the alarm about the barriers traveling moms face, I hoped it might spark change,\u201d said Emily Calandrelli. \u201cSenator Duckworth turned that spark into something real. Her unwavering commitment brought the BABES Enhancement Act from an idea born of my own experience to a law that will protect and empower parents nationwide. This is what progress looks like!\u201d\n\nThis law also directs an independent government watchdog to conduct an audit of compliance with TSA screening policies for passengers traveling with breast milk and other infant nutrition products, providing lawmakers with information related to violations of policies. U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14) is the lead sponsor of bipartisan companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to say that the BABES Act is officially the law of the land,\u201d said Congressman Eric Swalwell. \u201cAs a husband and father, I know how challenging it can be to fly with a newborn. That\u2019s why this is such an important victory for traveling mothers and families everywhere. With this law now in place, TSA officers will receive the proper training and follow strong, hygienic standards so parents can travel with confidence and babies get the nutrition they need without stress or uncertainty. This is about dignity, peace of mind, and protecting families at one of the most vulnerable moments of parenthood. I\u2019m proud to see this bipartisan bill not only pass Congress but be signed into law for millions of families who deserve better when they travel.\u201d\n\nA copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\nDuckworth has been a strong advocate in ensuring moms receive the dignity and respect they deserve while traveling. In 2022, Duckworth pressed TSA Administrator David Pekoske for improved treatment of new mothers and Americans with disabilities from employees of the TSA. That same year, Duckworth also called on TSA to address inconsistent implementation of the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule Exemption travel policy for breast milk and formula at airport security checkpoints as well as ensure new moms and their infants can travel safely without fear of harassment.\n\nHer bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Improvement Act, which was signed into law in 2020, is helping ensure our small airports across the country support new moms and promote breastfeeding-friendly environments. The legislation builds on Duckworth\u2019s success in enacting a law that ensures all large and medium airports provide a clean, private space where moms can breastfeed or pump. As a result of her legislation, O\u2019Hare and Midway Airports both installed free-standing lactation pods.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-a-speech-on-the-senate-floor-durbin-honors-the-two-national-guard-members-who-were-shot-in-dc-before-thanksgiving", "In A Speech On The Senate Floor, Durbin Honors The Two National Guard Members Who Were Shot In DC Before Thanksgiving", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On the Senate floor, Durbin offered condolences to Specialist Sarah Beckstrom\u2019s family who tragically passed away, and prayed for Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe\u2019s recovery\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor to honor the two National Guard members who were shot in Washington, DC, last week. During his speech, Durbin remembered 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom who tragically passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He also prayed for 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe\u2019s recovery. Staff Sergeant Wolfe remains in critical condition.\n\n\u201cWe pray for his [Staff Sergeant Wolfe\u2019s] recovery and\u2014as one nation\u2014send our deepest condolences to the Beckstrom family,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cNow whether or not you agree with [sending] National Guard troops to Chicago or Washington, D.C., or any other place, that is really beside the point. We should make a note today that this is really an acknowledgement of the importance of the National Guard to America's defense at home and abroad many times.\u201d\n\nDurbin continued, \u201cThere must be a full investigation into the attack on [Specialist] Sarah Beckstrom and [Staff] Sergeant Andrew Wolfe.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded, \u201cI implore the President to lower the temperature on political rhetoric and try not to exploit this [tragedy] to demonize immigrants, including many who have been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Instead, the President should work with Congress on common-sense and evidence-proven strategies to reduce crime and reform our broken immigration system. My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the Beckstrom family, and we pray Staff Sergeant Wolfe makes a full, speedy recovery.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-joins-senate-democrats-in-pressing-buy-now-pay-later-companies-for-data-on-rapidly-growing-industry-as-trumps-attack-on-cfpb-leaves-consumers-vulnerable", "Duckworth Joins Senate Democrats in Pressing \u201cBuy Now, Pay Later\u201d Companies for Data on Rapidly Growing Industry as Trump's Attack on CFPB Leaves Consumers Vulnerable", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[Washington, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in pushing seven major companies offering \u201cBuy Now, Pay Later\u201d (BNPL) services to provide critical data needed to understand the risks and economic impact of BNPL products, as consumers\u2019 use of these opaque products rapidly grows. The Senators\u2019 letter comes as the Trump Administration undermines the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau\u2019s (CFPB) ability to monitor the BNPL industry.\n\n\u201cBNPL loans are becoming increasingly common with consumers, with up to half of Americans having used a BNPL loan,\u201d wrote the Senators in letters to each of the companies. \u201cA consumer with a BNPL loan had, on average, $871 more in credit card debt in the month of origination than a consumer of the same age and credit score category who did not originate a BNPL loan that month. This could suggest that consumers are turning to BNPL when their other sources of credit are less available\u2014and may be taking on debt they cannot afford.\u201d\n\nThey then raised concerns about the lack of regulation of BNPL products under the Trump Administration: \u201cNotably, BNPL providers had previously been regulated by the CFPB pursuant to an interpretative rule that classified them as \u2018credit card issuers\u2019 and \u2018creditors\u2019 and classified BNPL loans largely as \u2018credit cards\u2026.\u2019 However, under the Trump Administration, the CFPB announced it would no longer prioritize enforcement actions against BNPL providers and withdrew the interpretative rule authorizing CFPB regulation under the Truth in Lending Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are also aware of recent reporting that FICO is releasing two new versions of its credit score that will encompass BNPL data. The new scores will purportedly \u2018aggregat(e) separate BNPL loans together when calculating certain in-model variables.\u2019 However, multiple major BNPL players are not providing their customers\u2019 data due to concerns about FICO\u2019s current methodology and the effects on their customers\u2019 credit scores,\u201d continued the Senators.\n\nThe Senators concluded by calling for the companies to provide data on their BNPL products, their users and their role in the broader economy no later than December 9, 2025.\n\nFull text of the letters to Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna, Paypal, Sezzle, Zip, and Splitit is available on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/after-recall-duckworth-calls-on-ftc-to-investigate-formula-manufacturer-byhearts-refund-policy", "After Recall, Duckworth Calls on FTC to Investigate Formula Manufacturer ByHeart\u2019s Refund Policy", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an investigation into whether the refund policy of infant formula manufacturer ByHeart is unfair and deceptive, advocating for families to get the full refund they deserve. Earlier this month, all ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products were recalled due to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)\u2019s ongoing outbreak investigation of infant botulism\u2014a serious medical condition that can be fatal. In a letter to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Duckworth highlights that despite this sweeping recall, ByHeart\u2019s policy fails to fully reimburse families, only refunding up to two units of ByHeart products purchased on or after October 1.\n\n\u201cCustomers who purchased far more than two units could face significant financial loss under ByHeart\u2019s restrictive refund policy,\u201d Duckworth wrote. \u201cLimiting refunds to only \u2018up to two units of ByHeart product\u2019 substantially injures the typical infant formula consumer, who often purchase expensive, essential infant nutrition products in bulk to save money.\u201d\n\nDuckworth continued, \u201cByHeart\u2019s own promotional and marketing claims, which have included phrases like \u2018satisfaction guaranteed,\u2019 \u2018full refunds\u2019 and a commitment to a \u2018no-compromise\u2019 infant nutrition experience, appear to be an effort to deceive prospective customers into believing the company is not the type of corporation that would only provide restrictive, discriminatory and limited refunds in the event a major recall triggered by a multistate infant botulism outbreak.\u201d\n\nByHeart is only offering full refunds for first-time customers, harming longtime, loyal customers the most. This outbreak to date has resulted in more than 30 babies across 15 states, including Illinois, being hospitalized and treated for infant botulism.\n\n\u201cParents who trusted ByHeart to produce safe and nutritious infant formula are experiencing anxiety and fear over the spreading outbreak of infant botulism that, to date, has resulted in at least 31 babies in 15 States being hospitalized and treated,\u201d Duckworth concluded. \u201cThese consumers should not have their fears compounded by an irresponsible manufacturer that refuses to implement a full and fair refund policy that makes consumers whole in the most efficient manner possible.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter is available below and on the Senator\u2019s website.\n\nDear Chair Ferguson:\n\nI write to request that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) open an investigation into whether the refund policy of the infant formula manufacturer, ByHeart, is unfair and deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act.\n\nAccording to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products have been recalled due to FDA\u2019s ongoing outbreak investigation of infant botulism\u2014a serious medical condition that can be fatal\u2014which appears to have originated with ByHeart formula products contaminated with Clostridium botulinum (third-party testing has confirmed presence of Clostridium botulinum in opened and unopened ByHeart products).\n\nDespite the FDA urging consumers to cease using all ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products, and directing retailers to stop selling or storing such products, ByHeart adopted a limited refund policy that appears to fail the FTC\u2019s fairness test and may constitute an unfair and deceptive practice under the FTC Act:\n\nOrders placed on ByHeart.com on or after October 1, 2025 will be eligible to receive a refund. Please call us at 866-201-9069 and our team will assist you. We\u2019re available 24/7.\n\nCustomers will receive a refund of up to two units of ByHeart product\u2014cans or Anywhere Packs.\n\nFirst-time customers will receive a full refund on their first order, staying true to our ByHeart Promise.\n\nIf you purchased ByHeart through one of our retail partners or Amazon, please contact the retailer directly and they will assist you with your refund options.\n\nByHeart\u2019s refund policy fails to fully remunerate all purchasers of contaminated formula; limits compensation in a disparate manner\u2014despite all ByHeart formula product being recalled nationwide\u2014and abdicates its responsibility to consumers who purchased contaminated products through brick and mortar or online retailers. A comprehensive manufacturing failure that results in a complete recall demands the offender institute a comprehensive and complete safety-related refund policy. Yet, ByHeart has done the opposite: adopting a refund policy that imposes arbitrary limits, shifts the burden to customers and contradicts company marketing promises.\n\nCustomers who purchased far more than two units could face significant financial loss under ByHeart\u2019s restrictive refund policy. Limiting refunds to only \u201cup to two units of ByHeart product\u201d substantially injures the typical infant formula consumer, who often purchase expensive, essential infant nutrition products in bulk to save money.\n\nForcing consumers who purchased ByHeart products at retailers that carry their formula also imposes substantial costs on harmed customers, forcing each individual to waste valuable time and resources navigating a patchwork of third-party refund policies without any guarantee of being made whole\u2014given the nature of this safety-related nationwide recall that was the fault of the manufacturer, ByHeart, rather than any retailer that stocks ByHeart products.\n\nParents who purchased ByHeart products to feed vulnerable infants cannot reasonably be expected to have taken action to avoid harm, since these consumers had no way of knowing or determining that ByHeart powdered formula was contaminated with Clostridium botulinum\u2014and were in fact assured by the company that there was no positive test from sealed products, until that assertion became false\u2014and the nature of this essential nutrition product makes switching infant formula a complex, costly and disruptive consumer action.\n\nGiven ByHeart\u2019s demonstrated lack of knowledge of which types of products were contaminated, along with its history of disputing third-party laboratory tests, ByHeart\u2019s decision to limit eligibility to orders placed after October 1, 2025\u2014even though possibly contaminated product may have been purchased prior to that date\u2014represents an arbitrary and deceptive limitation that threatens to leave some harmed consumers without any compensation.\n\nByHeart\u2019s own promotional and marketing claims, which have included phrases like \u201csatisfaction guaranteed,\u201d \u201cfull refunds\u201d and a commitment to a \u201cno-compromise\u201d infant nutrition experience, appear to be an effort to deceive prospective customers into believing the company is not the type of corporation that would only provide restrictive, discriminatory and limited refunds in the event a major recall triggered by a multistate infant botulism outbreak.\n\nParents who trusted ByHeart to produce safe and nutritious infant formula are experiencing anxiety and fear over the spreading outbreak of infant botulism that, to date, has resulted in at least 31 babies in 15 States being hospitalized and treated. These consumers should not have their fears compounded by an irresponsible manufacturer that refuses to implement a full and fair refund policy that makes consumers whole in the most efficient manner possible.\n\nThat is why I am requesting the FTC swiftly launch an investigation into whether ByHeart\u2019s refund policies and practices violate Section 5 of the FTC Act, and if that is confirmed, to hold ByHeart accountable to do right by its customers, willingly or unwillingly.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-fischers-protecting-children-with-food-allergies-bill-passes-senate", "Durbin, Fischer\u2019s Protecting Children With Food Allergies Bill Passes Senate", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The legislation, which was added as an amendment to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, would train school food service staff to prevent and respond to food-related allergic reactions\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, applauded the Senate passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which included their bipartisan Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act as an amendment. Durbin and Fischer\u2019s legislation would ensure school food service staff receive essential training about food allergies, so that they are better equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to food allergic reactions, which can save lives. The Senate bill heads to the House one final time before being presented to the President for signature.\n\n\u201cWhen parents drop their kids off at school, they should have peace of mind knowing that their children are safe with personnel who are trained to handle their children\u2019s food allergies,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cPeanuts, eggs, soy, and milk are nutritious, but for some kids, they are allergens that can be deadly. I\u2019m encouraged to see the Senate pass our Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act to ensure that kids will be safe in the event of an allergic reaction.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s parents have enough on their plate without worrying about whether their kids\u2019 schools can respond to serious allergic reactions. While Nebraska has already led the way as the first state to require schools to stock epinephrine, we need more national solutions to protect our children. I\u2019m grateful for the bipartisan support of our Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act here in the Senate, and I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to send this bill to the President\u2019s desk,\u201d Fischer said.\n\nFood allergies are a growing public health concern. Over the past two decades, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has more than doubled. Approximately six million children are estimated to have food allergies, about two students per classroom. Further, 20 percent of all epinephrine shots administered in schools are given to children who have undiagnosed food allergies\u2014which makes it even more important for school food personnel to understand how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction.\n\nUSDA requires annual trainings to school food personnel who work under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Required trainings include modules in nutrition, health, and food safety standards. USDA also makes available trainings that address food allergies, but those are not required as part of these annual trainings. The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act would add \u201cfood allergies\u201d to the existing list of trainings to ensure that school food personnel receive essential information about food allergies.\n\nThe Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act has endorsements from: Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), and School Nutrition Association (SNA).\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ranking-members-raskin-jayapal-durbin-and-padilla-secretaries-noem-rubio-and-kennedy-too-cowardly-to-defend-shocking-decision-to-abandon-refugees-unlawfully-dispatch-deputies-instead", "Ranking Members Raskin, Jayapal, Durbin, and Padilla: Secretaries Noem, Rubio, and Kennedy Too Cowardly to Defend Shocking Decision to Abandon Refugees, Unlawfully Dispatch Deputies Instead", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (November 20, 2025)\u2014Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Sen. Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, issued the following statement after Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. refused to meet their legal obligation to consult with Congress on the Administration\u2019s refugee admissions plan\u2014sending deputies to stage a charade consultation instead:\n\n\u201cFifty-one days after the legal deadline, the Trump Administration today came to Capitol Hill in response to our monthslong bipartisan demands that they follow the law and consult with Congress on their refugee admissions plan.\n\n\u201cIt is outrageous that Secretaries Noem, Rubio, and Kennedy were too cowardly to come before us and explain their shocking decision to abandon nearly 130,000 vetted, approved refugees facing persecution and violence abroad. Instead they sent their deputies, in brazen violation of the lawwhich explicitly requires a consultation by \u2018Cabinet-level representatives of the President.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe Trump Secretaries ignored their legal obligations to face us because their policy is indefensible. It is impossible to defend leaving desperate families\u2014men, women, and children who were promised a lifeline\u2014twisting in the winds of global violence. It is impossible to justify a policy that abandons America\u2019s historic commitment to offering safe harbor to the persecuted. Trump\u2019s team has slashed refugee admissions to the lowest level in our nation\u2019s history and reserved the bulk of the few remaining slots for white South African Afrikaners. They didn\u2019t show up because their betrayal is unspeakable.\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Refugee Resettlement program has always been a bipartisan matter of pride for our country, and a critically important tool in our toolbox for achieving multiple goals that are critically important to American interests. The destruction of the program will hurt our humanitarian and diplomatic efforts for decades to come.\n\n\u201cAfter months of evasion, diversion, and invoking the Republican shutdown as an alibi, the Administration thought they\u2019d pacify us with more disrespect for the law. They were sorely mistaken.\n\n\u201cThe Secretaries couldn\u2019t be bothered to come to Congress today, but they should at least learn the route: they\u2019ll be spending plenty of time here when Democrats retake the gavel.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-hoeven-introduce-two-bipartisan-bills-to-strengthen-aviation-safety-and-support-commercial-pilots-and-air-traffic-controllers", "Duckworth, Hoeven Introduce Two Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen Aviation Safety and Support Commercial Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)\u2014a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee\u2014and U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) introduced two bipartisan bills aimed to help strengthen aviation safety and support our aviation workforce by fostering transparency surrounding medication guidelines, improving access to mental health care and protecting job security for our nation\u2019s commercial pilots and air traffic controllers (ATC). Senator Duckworth\u2019s Aviation Medication Transparency Act, co-led by Senator Hoeven, would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue accessible, user-friendly guidance on medications that are safe for individuals holding, applying for or training for a position that requires an FAA medical certificate\u2014helping ensure these individuals don\u2019t unknowingly take medications that could jeopardize their careers. Senator Hoeven\u2019s Mental Health in Aviation Act, co-led by Senator Duckworth, would require the FAA to modernize and strengthen access to mental health care\u2014removing barriers to timely treatment, promoting early intervention and supporting the well-being of our pilots and ATCs that lead to safer skies.\n\n\u201cOur aviation system depends on the well-being of our pilots and air traffic controllers, who operate under an immense amount of stress\u2014and their careers should never be threatened because they weren\u2019t properly informed about which medications they\u2019re allowed to take or dared to seek the mental health care they need,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cThese two bipartisan, commonsense bills would help make it easier for those in our aviation workforce to take care of themselves without fearing for their job security\u2014while also sending this important message to future recruits. Congress must continue to show our pilots and air traffic controllers that we are invested in them by passing our bills to reform bureaucratic shortcomings within the FAA, dismantle the dangerous culture of silence surrounding mental health in the aviation industry and ultimately make our skies safer.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s imperative that our pilots, air traffic controllers and aviation professionals have access to the resources they need to maintain their mental health,\u201d said Hoeven. \u201cBoth the Mental Health in Aviation Act and Aviation Medication Transparency Act seek to address mental health issues throughout the aviation industry, promote early intervention, increase transparency, provide additional resources to the FAA\u2019s Office of Aerospace Medicine, and support the well-being of aviation professionals and the overall safety of our skies.\u201d\n\nThe FAA currently provides Aviation Medical Examiners with specific guidance on medications that are safe for individuals holding an FAA medical certificate to take\u2014but confoundingly, this crucial information is not easily accessible to pilots, ATCs and other aviation professionals. As a result, pilots and ATCs with medical certifications may unknowingly take medications that could potentially jeopardize their careers. To help make this information more accessible, the Aviation Medication Transparency Act would require the FAA to:\n\nPublish within one year of enactment\u2014and update annually\u2014a comprehensive, user-friendly and accessible list of medications that are safe for pilots, air traffic control specialists and trainees, developed in consultation with various stakeholders.\n\nIndicate what, if any, period of time individuals holding an FAA medical certificate must have limited or no duties while taking this medication.\n\nIndicate a list of medications the FAA has designated as \u201cDo Not Issue.\u201d\n\nProvide information for doctors to contact the FAA should they have any questions.\n\nIn addition to Duckworth and Hoeven, the Aviation Medication Transparency Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Katie Britt (R-AL).\n\nThis legislation is also endorsed by the Pilot Mental Health Campaign, Airlines for America, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, National Business Aviation Association, National Flight Training Alliance, United Aerial Firefighters Association and Southwest Airlines Pilots Association.\n\nAdditionally, under current FAA regulations, pilots and ATCs must acquire and maintain an FAA medical certificate, which requires the disclosure of any medical treatments\u2014including for mental health. Once disclosed, they can face extended bureaucratic delays during the lengthy process they must undergo to receive their medical certification and be deemed safe to perform their jobs. As a result, there is a stigma against seeking mental health care which discourages pilots and ATCs from getting the care they need and deserve for their uniquely demanding professions. To encourage pilots and ATCs to seek care early and improve aviation safety, the Mental Health in Aviation Act would require the FAA to:\n\nModernize mental health guidance regulations for pilots and air traffic controllers to encourage the early disclosure and treatment of mental health conditions and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in aviation.\n\nAnnually review the FAA\u2019s Special Issuance Medical Certification process, appropriate mental health treatments and medication use and overall mental health training for Aviation Medical Examiners.\n\nAllocate $15 million annually (FY2026\u2013FY2029) to the FAA\u2019s Office of Aerospace Medicine to expand and train additional medical examiners, including specialists, to improve the efficiency of the FAA\u2019s Special Issuance Medical Certification process.\n\nAllocate $1.5 million annually (FY2026\u2013FY2029) for a public information campaign to help reduce the stigma around mental health care in aviation and encourage pilots and air traffic controllers to seek treatment.\n\nIn addition to Hoeven and Duckworth, the Mental Health in Aviation Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Curtis (R-UT) and Jack Reed (D-RI).\n\nThis legislation is also endorsed by Airlines for America, Regional Airline Association, the Air Line Pilots Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, National Business Aviation Association, Association of Air Medical Services, National Flight Training Alliance, NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, Allied Pilots Association, Coalition of Airline Pilots and Pilots Mental Health Campaign.\n\nBill text copies of the Aviation Medication Transparency Act and the Mental Health in Aviation Act are available on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\nDuckworth has long been a leading voice in the push to make our skies safer. For years, she has been sounding the alarm that we must make critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings\u2014one last December and the other a year prior\u2014to address our aviation industry\u2019s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.\n\nLast year, Duckworth helped author the landmark bipartisan FAA reauthorization that was signed into law to extend the FAA\u2019s funding and authorities through Fiscal Year 2028. The reauthorization included several of her provisions to safeguard the 1,500-hour rule, improve consumer safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-statement-on-progress-toward-achieving-goals-of-her-bipartisan-she-drives-act-with-new-advanced-female-crash-test-dummy", "Duckworth Statement on Progress Toward Achieving Goals of Her Bipartisan She DRIVES Act with New Advanced Female Crash Test Dummy", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled designs for a female crash test dummy\u2014a safety reform Duckworth has been pushing for through her bipartisan She DRIVES Act, which she co-leads alongside U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE). The She DRIVES Act would help modernize vehicle safety tests by requiring the use of the most advanced testing devices available, including a female crash test dummy.\n\n\u201cAny progress here is good because there\u2019s simply no good reason why women are more likely to be injured or die in car crashes. For years, I\u2019ve pushed for the bipartisan SHE Drives Act alongside Senator Fischer to help modernize vehicle safety tests by requiring the use of the most advanced testing devices available, including a female crash test dummy, so we can have the data we need to reduce this disparity. It\u2019s a simple, commonsense fix, and I urge Republican leadership to bring our legislation to the floor for a vote so we can continue making progress to keep women safe and save lives.\u201d\n\nThe She DRIVES Act is estimated to help save more than 1,300 lives, prevent and mitigate tens of thousands of serious injuries and save billions of dollars in economic impact from preventing and mitigating injuries and deaths.\n\nLast December, Duckworth announced more than $2 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve crash reporting in Illinois to help make our roads as safe as possible and reduce the number of lives lost to car crashes.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-again-condemns-trump-administrations-extreme-operation-midway-blitz-after-ice-agents-pepper-spray-us-citizen-and-his-one-year-old-daughter", "Durbin Again Condemns Trump Administration\u2019s Extreme \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d After ICE Agents Pepper Spray U.S. Citizen And His One-Year-Old Daughter", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cPresident Trump is turning federal immigration officers into his own secret, masked police force. I see it every day in the city of Chicago,\u201d Durbin said in his speech on the Senate floor\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to call out the Trump Administration\u2019s extreme and unlawful actions during the so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d in which hundreds of residents of Illinois and immigrants without a criminal record have been detained. Today, Durbin shared the story of Rafael Veraza and his one-year-old daughter Arianna, who are both U.S. citizens, being pepper sprayed at close range by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while they were on a shopping trip to a local Sam\u2019s Club.\n\nDurbin began his remarks by reiterating that \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d is a mechanism used by the Trump Administration to sow fear in Illinois communities. Rather than going after the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d as the President promised, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have gone after U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legally in the United States, racially profiling people on the street and detaining them.\n\n\u201cFor almost three months, Chicago and my home state of Illinois have been under attack by President Trump since he launched what he calls \u2018Operation Midway Blitz.\u2019 During that time, chaos and terror have reigned supreme. This operation isn\u2019t just targeting the \u2018worst of the worst\u2019\u2026American citizens, legal residents of the United States, and immigrants who have built their lives and raised their families here and pose no threat to public safety have been the actual targets,\u201d Durbin began.\n\n\u201cA court forced the Administration to come clean on this. Just how many of these dangerous \u2018worst of the worst\u2019 criminals are you arresting and [detaining] in the process of \u2018Operation Midway Blitz?\u2019 The Administration finally released their numbers\u2014[of] 600 people . . . arrested [and currently detained] under \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019\u2026 sixteen people out of the 600 actually had a criminal history that poses a high risk to public safety. [That\u2019s less than] three percent,\u201d Durbin said. DHS provided the list of 600 arrestees as a part of litigation challenging potentially thousands of unlawful arrests.\n\nDurbin denounced the extreme tactics used by federal agents, including ripping a U.S. citizen from her car after federal agents hit her vehicle, causing her to experience internal bleeding; detaining a green card holder while he was walking in Chicago and then releasing him without contacting his family, resulting in him going missing for two weeks; deploying pepper spray and disrupting a children\u2019s Halloween parade in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago; and pulling a teacher, who had work authorization in the U.S., from her school in front of students and parents. Earlier this month, ICE agents deployed pepper spray into the car of Mr. Veraza, hitting him and his young daughter.\n\n\u201cRafael Veraza and his one-year-old daughter Arianna, both citizens of the United States, were enjoying a shopping day at Sam\u2019s Club. Who would have thought that a simple father-daughter trip to Sam\u2019s Club would turn into a trauma that these two people will never, ever forget? But the Verazas became a target for ICE for obvious reasons. He was shopping while being Hispanic,\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cMr. Veraza and his family said they were in their car when they heard a helicopter and cars honking. With the uptick in raids in the Chicago area, Mr. Veraza knew those sounds signaled that ICE agents were nearby. To keep his family safe, he decided to leave,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cBefore this American citizen and his one-year-old daughter could drive away, a masked agent pointed a pepper spray gun through the family\u2019s open car window and fired the weapon at close range.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe pepper spray hit Mr. Veraza in the face, and his daughter also breathed it in. Because of this violent, unprovoked action from ICE agents, both Arianna and Rafael were briefly hospitalized. He told reporters after the incident happened, \u2018My daughter was trying to open her eyes\u2026She was struggling to breathe,\u2019\u201d Durbin said.\n\n\u201cDoes this incident seem like a federal immigration agent setting out to make America safer?\u201d Durbin continued. \u201cWhat was his crime? Shopping at a local Sam\u2019s Club?...Pepper spraying a little girl and her father during a shopping trip is shameful and outrageous.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks by emphasizing that President Trump has weaponized DHS against the people he was elected to serve.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump is turning federal immigration officers into his own secret, masked police force. I see it every day in the city of Chicago. He is violating the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution to all of us, including the right to due process and the rule of law,\u201d Durbin said.\n\nDurbin concluded his remarks: \u201cThe President and his Administration\u2019s actions are about politics, nor about public safety. It\u2019s time for all of us in Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put politics aside, speak up, and condemn this growing threat to our democracy.\u201d\n\nIn response to the Trump Administration\u2019s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump. Durbin\u2019s actions to push back on the Trump Administration\u2019s so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d can be found here.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-condemns-president-trumps-january-6-pardons-as-more-rioters-continue-to-commit-heinous-crimes", "Durbin Condemns President Trump\u2019s January 6 Pardons As More Rioters Continue To Commit Heinous Crimes", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During a Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting, Durbin condemned Trump\u2019s January 6 pardons, and Senate Republicans\u2019 refusal to defend the Constitution\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today\u2019s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting. He began by commenting on the Trump Administration\u2019s judicial nominees who received a \u201cNot Qualified\u201d rating from the American Bar Association (ABA). Durbin then condemned President Trump\u2019s blanket pardon of the January 6 rioters, some of whom have gone on to commit additional heinous crimes.\n\nDurbin first commented on the tradition of ABA ratings, noting that Committee Republicans no longer require one for a judicial nominee to receive consideration. He said, \u201cFor the first time in decades\u2026 we decided we do not care what the American Bar Association finds out when they interviewed other judges and lawyers in the community for these nominees\u2026There have been [Trump] nominees found [\u2018Not Qualified\u2019]\u2026 So, to have any bragging and boasting about nominees, why did you eliminate the ABA rating? That has been there for a long time and now you do not want Trump nominees to face that scrutiny [and] that tells us a lot.\u201d\n\nDurbin then commented on President Trump\u2019s blanket pardon of more than 1,500 January 6 rioters. He said, \u201cLast week, he [President Trump] pardoned Dan Wilson\u2026 a member of the Oath Keepers militia. Mr. Wilson had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to impede [or] injure a law-enforcement officer and was sentenced to five years in prison. He remained incarcerated due to a felony conviction for illegally possessing firearms. But President Trump decided that Mr. Wilson should receive a pardon for this offense as well. The President also pardoned Suzanne Kaye, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison after threatening to shoot FBI agents. Ms. Kaye had posted a video online saying she would exercise \u2018my Second Amendment right to shoot your f---ing ass\u2019 if FBI agents interviewed her about her participation in the January 6 riot. So much for protecting law enforcement and being tough on crime.\u201d\n\nDurbin condemned the January 6 rioters who have gone on to commit heinous crimes since their pardons. Durbin said, \u201cJust yesterday, we learned about another horrific crime committed by a January 6 rioter who[m] President Trump pardoned. Andrew Paul Johnson was arrested first in Tennessee and then in Florida for multiple child sexual abuse offenses. Mr. Johnson, who referred to himself as an \u2018American terrorist\u2019 and \u2018proud J6\u2019er,\u2019 faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of an 11-year-old child and [another] child between the age of 12 and 16.\u201d\n\nDurbin then spoke about FBI Director Kash Patel\u2019s unprecedented purge of FBI officials because they worked on cases related to January 6 or President Trump. Durbin said, \u201cThe FBI Agents Association said Director Patel has \u2018disregarded the law and launched a campaign of erratic and arbitrary retribution \u2026 An Agent simply being assigned to an investigation and conducting it appropriately within the law should never be grounds for termination.\u2019 And at DOJ, prosecutors who simply mentioned the reality of what happened and what we witnessed on January 6 in a sentencing memo were placed on administrative leave.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded by speaking about \u201cOperation Midway Blitz\u201d in Illinois and Republicans\u2019 failure to condemn President Trump\u2019s abuses. He said, \u201cAccording to the Administration\u2019s own data, of the more than 600 people [currently detained] in Illinois during \u2018Operation Midway Blitz\u2019, just 16 out of 600 have a criminal history that poses a [high] risk to public safety\u2014that\u2019s less than three percent. As the Trump Administration tramples on the Constitution, my Republican colleagues are silent\u2026 Silent as he imposes higher prices on the American people with [his] tariff policies. Silent as he guts the federal workforce. And above all, silent because they fear political retribution. We\u2019ve never faced anything like this before in our modern history. Our democracy is struggling to survive. Will someone speak up on the other side?\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available herefor TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-join-heinrich-kelly-to-introduce-anti-cash-grab-act-to-repeal-arctic-frost-provision", "Durbin, Duckworth Join Heinrich, Kelly To Introduce Anti-Cash Grab Act To Repeal \u2018Arctic Frost\u2019 Provision", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Anti-Cash Grab Act repeals last-minute provision allowing Republican senators to collect $500,000 per lawfully subpoenaed phone record\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in leading 24 Senate colleagues to introduce the Anti-Cash Grab Act, legislation that will repeal a provision \u2014 quietly added into the Senate government funding bill by U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the last minute \u2014 that allows Senators to collect $500,000 for every phone record lawfully obtained.\n\n\u201cAfter shutting down the government, Senate Republicans took further advantage of the chaos they created to sneak in a $500,000 taxpayer-funded payout for Senators into the government funding deal. While working families were worrying about how to put food on the table, Senate Republicans were scheming about how to personally enrich themselves,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThe Anti-Cash Grab Act would nullify this provision in the government funding deal and prevent lawmakers from attempting to line their own pockets with taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile Republicans refused to lift a finger to stop health care premiums from skyrocketing, provide SNAP benefits to hungry children or do anything that actually improves people\u2019s lives, they had no problem sneaking themselves a bonus on the taxpayers\u2019 dime,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cRepublicans\u2019 shameless decision to line their own pockets while Illinois families struggle to make ends meet is despicable and un-American. Not shaking down the American taxpayer shouldn\u2019t be a partisan issue, which is why I\u2019m proud to join Senator Durbin and our colleagues in urging the Senate to pass the Anti-Cash Grab Act to protect our tax dollars from political games.\u201d\n\nThe introduction of the Anti-Cash Grab Act comes after Durbin has repeatedly called for former Special Counsel Jack Smith to testify publicly before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the \u201cArctic Frost\u201d investigation, in which the phone records of eight Republican Senators were subpoenaed as part of an inquiry into President Trump\u2019s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. On October 30, Durbin led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in sending a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) calling on him to allow Smith to testify and urged Chairman Grassley to request that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) release Volume II of the unredacted \u201cFinal Report of the Special Counsel\u2019s Investigations and Prosecutions,\u201d which was submitted to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2025.\n\nIn addition to Durbin, Heinrich, and Kelly, the Anti-Cash Grab Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brain Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\nA one-page summary of the bill is here.\n\nThe full text of the bill is here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-duckworth-ramirez-introduce-bill-to-expand-student-loan-refinancing-for-service-members", "Durbin, Duckworth, Ramirez Introduce Bill to Expand Student Loan Refinancing For Service Members", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act would allow service members to consolidate or refinance pre-service private or federal student loan debt, and retain six percent rate cap\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) today introduced the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, bicameral legislation that would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow service members to consolidate or refinance student loan debt they had when they entered the military and continue to benefit from the six percent interest rate cap to which they are entitled through the SCRA.\n\nA provision in the SCRA protects service members from high student loan interest rates by capping interest rates at six percent on loans that they took out before entering active-duty military service. However, if a service member consolidates or refinances their student loans, which is required for Federal Family Education Loans or Perkins student loan borrowers to benefit from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, that new loan is no longer eligible for this interest rate protection.\n\n\u201cWhen someone volunteers to serve in our military, they shouldn\u2019t be met with bureaucratic roadblocks that make it harder for them to pay back their student loans,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThe Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act would make a commonsense fix to the SCRA to ensure that service members are not penalized for participating in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs higher education slips further out of reach for so many Americans, we should be doing everything we can to make it more affordable\u2014especially for those who choose to serve in the military,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to continue working with Senator Durbin on this commonsense legislation that would protect our Servicemembers from high interest rates when they consolidate or refinance their student loans.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur veterans deserve every benefit our nation has promised, including a quality education that helps them transition back into their civilian life. But, like so many students in our nation, student veterans endure predatory student loan interest rates that leave them in debt and struggling to make ends meet. Our bill protects our servicemembers from high interest rates when they are consolidating or refinancing their loans,\u201d said Ramirez. \u201cAs we support our veterans, I will continue to advocate for the cancellation of all student loans and free, quality education for all those who wish to pursue it.\u201d\n\nAccording to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, as of 2020, nearly 200,000 active-duty service members held federal student loan debt, and nearly half of those active-duty service members had balances more than $13,000.\n\nWith an outstanding balance of more than $1.6 trillion, student loan debt has surpassed credit cards as the largest cumulative consumer debt in America, second only to mortgages. Student loan debt falls particularly hard on service members, who too often, find it difficult to work with student loan servicers and receive the benefits to which they are entitled. The Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act would ensure federal law does not interfere with service members obtaining the benefits they have earned by serving our country.\n\nJoining Durbin and Duckworth in introducing the legislation in the Senate is U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Joining Ramirez in introducing the legislation in the House are U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Mike Levin (D-CA-49).\n\nThe Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act has earned the endorsement of Institute for College Access and Success, National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, Military Officers Association of America, Wounded Warrior Project, National Guard Association of the U.S, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Student Veterans of America.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-introduces-new-bill-to-support-fdas-efforts-to-prevent-foodborne-illness", "Durbin Introduces New Bill To Support FDA\u2019s Efforts To Prevent Foodborne Illness", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Durbin\u2019s FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act would help FDA to collect already-authorized fees from food companies for food safety inspections\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation, the FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act, to make it easier for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct food safety inspections and recalls by collecting fees from food manufacturers and importers in order to better support the agency\u2019s efforts to prevent foodborne illnesses.\n\nIn 2010, Durbin led Congress in passing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) to expand FDA\u2019s mission to prevent foodborne illnesses rather than solely responding to crises after they had occurred. FSMA provided FDA with new authorities and resources to accomplish its newly expanded mission, including the authority to collect fees from food manufacturers and importers for reinspection and recall order-related costs.\n\nHowever, since FSMA\u2019s enactment in 2011, FDA has not once collected these fees because of the complexity of the structure created to collect the fees and because \u201creinspection\u201d is not well defined in the statute. Durbin\u2019s FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act would make technical corrections to FSMA and redefine \u201creinspection\u201d to allow FDA to collect these fees from food manufacturers and importers who fail to meet federal food safety standards.\n\nSpecifically, the FSMA Technical Corrections Act would allow FDA to collect:\n\n$15,000 per reinspection, up to a total of $30 million per year; and\n\n$15,000 per recall order, up to a total of $25 million per year.\n\nFDA requested these authorities in its Fiscal Year 2025 budget request.\n\n\u201cAmericans want to think about what to make for dinner when at the grocery store, not if the food they buy will make them sick. FDA is tasked with protecting Americans from foodborne illnesses and addressing an outbreak as quickly as possible, but for years, FDA has been unable to use a critical funding source that would provide the agency with additional resources,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cI\u2019m introducing the FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act to simplify the way in which FDA collects fees from food manufacturers and importers for food reinspection and recall order-related costs. With this legislation, FDA would be provided the funds to prevent foodborne illnesses and respond to outbreaks.\u201d\n\nFoodborne illness is a significant and preventable public health challenge in the United States. Each year, 48 million Americans are sickened due to a pathogen in their food, such as Salmonella or Listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Further, more than 120,000 Americans are hospitalized due to these illnesses and 3,000 die from them each year.\n\nJoining Durbin in introducing the FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act are U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA).\n\nThe FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act has earned the endorsement of the Environmental Working Group (EWG); Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI); Consumer Federation of America (CFA); and STOP Foodborne Illness.\n\nFull text of the FSMA Fee Technical Corrections Act is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-calls-out-republicans-for-refusing-to-help-stop-health-insurance-bills-from-skyrocketing-for-millions-of-families-including-their-own-constituents", "Duckworth Calls Out Republicans for Refusing to Help Stop Health Insurance Bills from Skyrocketing for Millions of Families, Including Their Own Constituents", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "At today\u2019s Commerce subcommittee hearing, Duckworth invited Kansas resident Eileen Spickler as a witness to share how her family depends on the ACA tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 At today\u2019s Republican-led Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out her Republican colleagues for holding this highly partisan hearing in attempt to distract the American people from the pain Republicans continue to cause for millions of families by refusing to help stop ACA premiums from skyrocketing at the end of the year. To underscore the urgency of the looming health care crisis Republicans are trying to evade, Duckworth invited Kansas resident Eileen Spickler to appear as a witness and share her powerful story about how ACA tax credits have allowed her family to afford health insurance for her husband, Barry, whose health depends on it. Full video of Senator Duckworth\u2019s opening remarks and Eileen Spickler\u2019s testimony can be found on the Senator\u2019s YouTube.\n\n\u201cRepublicans control the House, the Senate and the White House\u2014if they want someone to blame for the consequences of the shutdown, they should look in the mirror,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cDemocrats have always known that shutdowns are bad, but unlike Republicans, we also want to stop millions from losing their health care coverage or being forced to pay thousands more each month\u2014a looming crisis Republicans still have no plan to address.\u201d\n\nDuckworth continued: \u201cJust as Trump could have paid air traffic controllers or prevented Americans from going hungry if he had wanted to, Republicans could also join Democrats to at the table at any time to help find a bipartisan solution to avert this health care crisis for people like Eileen and her husband, Barry. But shamefully, they\u2019d rather spend their time trying to distract the American people and point fingers at anyone but themselves.\u201d\n\nSpickler\u2019s husband will be forced to forgo insurance because they simply can\u2019t afford to lose the $1,100 in tax relief that enables them to afford monthly premiums.\n\n\u201cIn 2025, we paid $109 a month and we received almost $1,200 per month in subsidies. If it weren\u2019t for the premium tax credits, we would not have been able to afford insurance for Barry at all, and honestly, I don\u2019t know where we\u2019d be, or if we\u2019d even be sitting here before you. Access to affordable health insurance is life and death for us,\u201d wrote Eileen Spickler in her prepared statement to the committee.\n\nA full transcript of Spickler\u2019s testimony can be found on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\nAccording to the Kansas Hospital Association, refusal to extend current tax law for enhanced premium tax credits would result in:\n\nA massive 77% increase, on average, on out-of-pocket premiums for Kansans who currently receive enhanced premium tax credits;\n\nA premium hike of over $2,500 per year for a Kansas family of four making $64,000 a year; and\n\nA premium hike of more than $18,000 annually for a 60-year-old couple making $82,800 a year.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-calls-out-recent-uptick-in-threats-against-federal-judges", "Durbin Calls Out Recent Uptick In Threats Against Federal Judges", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "During Durbin\u2019s opening statement in a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, he condemned the recent uptick in threats against federal judges as President Trump continues his harmful rhetoric targeted at the Judiciary\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the judicial nominations of David Clay Wilkerson Fowlkes, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas; Nicholas Jon Ganjei, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas; and Aaron Christian Peterson, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.\n\nDuring his opening, Durbin highlighted President Trump\u2019s attacks on the judiciary.\n\nKey Quotes:\n\n\u201cThe dockets are busy. The questions of law are complicated. But more recently\u2014and especially this year\u2014the work has become even more difficult as jurists across the country face increasing personal attacks and even threats of violence.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe uptick in threats is not random. The attacks against individual judges by this Administration and their passionate followers have been recorded. In March, the President demanded the impeachment of a federal judge, simply for ruling against the Administration. The President called the judge \u2018a Radical Left Lunatic, a troublemaker and agitator.\u2019 The President added, \u2018this judge, like many of the Crooked Judges\u2019 [sic] I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!\u2019 The President is not the only member of his Administration to use this kind of inflammatory language.\u201d\n\n\u201cMAGA loyalists in Congress have eagerly piled on. So far this year, Republican congressmen have filed impeachment resolutions against at least eight district court judges for [a] high crime and misdemeanor. And the crime they\u2019re accused of? Disagreeing with the President.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a result of the surge in threats, many judges now require additional security\u2014including judges in my home state of Illinois. The Administration\u2019s unlawful immigration raids in Chicago have led to numerous lawsuits\u2026 This litigation, in turn, has led to a rise in threats against several judges who actually handle these cases. As I have said many times before and will repeat each time given [the] opportunity\u2014violence or threats of violence, whether from the right or the left of the political spectrum, are never\u2014ever\u2014acceptable.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to quote from a recent statement by the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association\u2014a nonpartisan organization. The statement reads, \u2018Expressions of public sentiment\u2014whether criticism or praise\u2014are not threats to judicial independence. Recent threats of violence directed at Chicago federal judges for simply doing their job, however, are unacceptable and have no place in our discourse.\u2019 I couldn\u2019t agree more.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore than six months ago, I asked the Justice Department for a briefing on the Marshals Service\u2019s efforts to protect our judges. I\u2019m still waiting for that to take place\u2014it should be a priority of the Committee.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe threats, risks, and challenges our federal judges face grow worse every day. Let\u2019s do something about it on the Judiciary Committee.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s opening statement is available herefor TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-questions-judicial-nominees-during-a-senate-judiciary-committee-nominations-hearing", "Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees During A Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned three judicial nominees at a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing. Durbin first questioned Nicholas Jon Ganjei, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, about whether his statements condemning those who assault law enforcement apply to the January 6 offenders who attacked law enforcement during the January 6 insurrection. Mr. Ganjei has stated on multiple occasions that he employs a \u201czero tolerance policy\u201d against those who assault law enforcement officials, and he has argued that individuals who attack law enforcement are \u201cattacking the American system of justice.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo you stand by your comments criticizing individuals who violently assault law enforcement?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMr. Ganjei responded that he does.\n\n\u201cDo you believe that January 6 offenders who were convicted of assaults on law enforcement [had] attacked the American system of justice?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMr. Ganjei deflected, claiming he could not answer as a judicial nominee.\n\nDurbin then questioned David Clay Wilkerson Fowlkes, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, about the First Step Act. The bill, led by Durbin and U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Cory Booker (D-NJ), is bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to re-enter society successfully.\n\n\u201cWhat are your thoughts on the First Step Act as a federal prosecutor, and what steps will you take as a judge, if you are confirmed, to ensure that you encourage rehabilitation whenever possible?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMr. Fowlkes responded that the First Step Act is an \u201cimportant piece of legislation.\u201d He continued to say that bill is an \u201cimportant part of\u2026 [the] rehabilitation of some of the criminals in our justice system.\u201d\n\nDurbin concluded his questions by asking about the Trump Administration and court orders.\n\n\u201cThere seems to be some doubt\u2026 as to whether the Trump Administration follows the orders of the court in a prompt [and] complete fashion. What will you consider to be the status of a court order if you issue a final order?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMr. Fowlkes responded that although he is constrained by the judicial canons, he continued to say, \u201cthe rulings of the court are inherently important to our justice system.\u201d\n\nDurbin directed the same question to Mr. Ganjei and Mr. Aaron Christian Peterson, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.\n\nMr. Ganjei responded that if confirmed, he would expect the parties, regardless of who they are, to follow [court orders].\n\nMr. Peterson responded, \u201cif I\u2019m fortunate enough to be confirmed, I would expect that any order that I enter would be followed by the parties.\u201d\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-statement-on-senate-passing-bill-to-release-the-epstein-files", "Durbin Statement On Senate Passing Bill To Release The Epstein Files", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed the House of Representatives in a 427-1 vote and now heads to the President\u2019s desk:\n\n\u201cFirst and foremost, this vote is in tribute to and honor of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell\u2019s horrific crimes\u2014and any victim or survivor of sexual abuse. Never in America can we tolerate such atrocious crimes.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump and his MAGA allies spent years peddling lies on the campaign trail about the \u2018Epstein files\u2019\u2014only to conduct a massive cover-up once they got into office.\n\n\u201cNo more. No more lies, no more secrets. It\u2019s time to provide true transparency to the American people about one of our country\u2019s most extreme sex traffickers and the extent of his horrifying crimes\u2014so we can work to prevent it from ever happening again.\n\n\u201cNow, it\u2019s time for President Trump to sign this bill into law, support transparency, and stand with victims.\u201d\n\nEarlier today, Durbin joined his Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on Leader John Thune (R-SD) to immediately bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the Senate floor for a vote, without delay or unnecessary process distractions.\n\nThe legislation requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to \u201cto publish \u2026 all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ\u2019s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein,\u201d including materials that relate to Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs and travel records, and individuals named or referenced (including government officials) in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.\n\nThe bill includes protections for victims, stating that \u201cDOJ is permitted to withhold certain information such as the personal information of victims and materials that would jeopardize an active federal investigation.\u201d\n\nIn July, Durbin revealed that FBI whistleblowers had disclosed that personnel were instructed to \u201cflag\u201d any Epstein records in which President Trump was mentioned. When pressed on this during her oversight hearing, Attorney General Bondi stonewalled, saying, \u201cI\u2019m not going to discuss anything about that with you.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-illinois-democrats-release-fact-sheet-debunking-the-dhs-misinformation-campaign", "Duckworth, Durbin, Illinois Democrats Release Fact Sheet Debunking the DHS Misinformation Campaign", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and their Illinois House Democratic colleagues in releasing a comprehensive fact check of the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) misinformation campaign regarding its dangerous immigration enforcement actions.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration has continued to spin lies\u2014about our city, the people they\u2019re targeting and their excessive use of force against Illinoisans,\u201d said Duckworth. Trump\u2019s agents have deployed tear gas outside elementary schools, shot a priest in the head with pepper balls, violently attacked peaceful protestors and brandished weapons at innocent bystanders. They\u2019ve detained a preschool teacher at a daycare, hardworking people with work permits and even scores of American citizens\u2014and then put out misleading or outright false public statements to try and justify their unlawful actions. We will continue to push back against this misinformation, and I encourage Illinoisans to continue recording everything they see to shed light on the truth and help us hold this Administration accountable.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration continues to peddle outright lies since its unprovoked, unnecessary, and unhelpful enforcement activity in Illinois. The photos and videos out of Illinois are horrific, showing unspeakable acts committed by the United States government against its own civilians including teargassing, pepper spraying, racial profiling, excessive force, and physical violence. Neighbors are looking out for neighbors\u2014but it shouldn\u2019t have to be this way. We will continue to document and share the reality of what\u2019s actually happening in Chicago and communities impacted by this anti-immigrant agenda\u2014and hold the Trump Administration accountable for these atrocities,\u201d said Durbin.\n\nIn addition to Duckworth and Durbin, the fact check below is issued by U.S. Representatives Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17).\n\nA copy of the fact sheet is available below and on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\nFACT CHECK: DEBUNKING THE DHS MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN\n\nThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has repeatedly spread misinformation about events in Illinois and its so-called \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d only to be contradicted by eyewitness accounts, video evidence, and local law enforcement. Despite the evidence debunking these claims, DHS misinformation is being used by President Trump to support an unlawful and unconstitutional troop deployment to Illinois and to mislabel peaceful protestors, journalists, and elected officials as \u201cAntifa.\u201d This misinformation and the reckless, dangerous, and cruel actions of federal agents in Illinois should not be used to support the Trump Administration\u2019s unlawful attacks on our democracy and constitutional rights.\n\nClaim: Violent riotersare assaulting federal law enforcement.\n\nReality: Federal agents have engaged in excessive force against overwhelmingly peaceful protestors, regularly deployingtear gas, flash bang grenades, and other weapons against protesters and journalists\u2014and even members of the clergy\u2014who are engaged in peaceful and lawful activity.\n\nIn Illinois alone, federal officials have:\n\nArrested an elected official merely for asking if agents had a warrant.\n\nThreatened, physically assaulted, injured and subjected to arrest several members of the press, including by firing a pepper ball at the car of a journalist driving by the Broadview facility, causing chemical agents to enter her car.\n\nThreatened local police, telling them that there will be \u201ca s*** show\u201d during protests in Broadview, Illinois, in retaliation for local officials calling on ICE officials to \u201cstop making war on our community.\u201d\n\nDetained and pushed to the ground a 70-year-old Air Force veteran for handing his cell phone to a protestor.\n\nResponded to a pastor\u2019s prayer by firing pepper balls directly into his face.\n\nRegularly deployed tear gas on peaceful protestors in neighborhoods around Chicago.\n\nClaim: DHS is trying its best to coordinatewith local officials in Illinois, and local police refuseto cooperate.\n\nReality: DHS officials refuse to share information with local officials, and federal government actions have endangered first responders.\n\nIn early October, DHS Secretary Noem arrived in Broadview with an entourage of cameras and a production crew for a photo op\u2014and failed to coordinate a meeting with the Broadview mayor, instead appearing unannounced at the Village Hall when the mayor was unable to meet. Meanwhile, snipers, an armored vehicle, and militarized federal agents with assault rifles responded to protests outside the Broadview ICE facility.\n\nDemonstrating the lack of coordination, federal officials have even exposed local police to tear gas.\n\nAccording to the sworn declaration of the Broadview police chief who witnessed this conduct daily: \u201cThe use of chemical agents by federal agents at the ICE facility in Broadview has often been arbitrary and indiscriminate. At times it is used when the crowd is as small as ten people. The deployment of chemical agents is dangerous to the health of both demonstrators and first responders on the scene. In addition, when ICE agents deploy chemical agents, it causes the crowd of protesters to disperse, sometimes running into the road, which is dangerous both for them and for motorists. Broadview police officers have had to attempt to position themselves in a way that directs the crowd to disperse in a safe manner. Over the course of my career in law enforcement, the way in which federal agents have indiscriminately used chemical agents in Broadview is unlike anything I have seen before.\u201d\n\nClaim: DHS law enforcement officers are not engagedin racial profiling.\n\nReality: DHS officials are arresting individuals on the basis of race or ethnicity. In fact, when asked, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino admittedthat race and ethnicity play a significant role in arrests, stating that when considering arrest factors, an agent examines \u201cobviously, the particular characteristics of an individual, how they look.\u201d\n\nIn Illinois, a judge found that ICE illegally arrested nearly two dozen people, conducting warrantless arrests without probable cause to believe someone is in the United States unlawfully and is a flight risk.\n\nAs the judge noted, probable cause is particularly critical given that \u201c[c]itizens and non-citizens with legal status who share commonalities (such as race/ethnicity, a preference for speaking Spanish, or employment in certain occupations or locations) with\u2014or mere physical proximity to\u2014Latino foreign nationals may now find themselves more likely to be subjected to ICE questioning for sometimes lengthy periods of detention, and, potentially, warrantless arrests during immigration enforcement operations.\u201d\n\nThe decision followed the Supreme Court granting a stay in a 9th Circuit case in September that essentially allows the federal government to, as Justice Sotomayor noted in dissent, \u201cseize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job.\u201d\n\nIn one incident in Chicago, masked, armed agents dressed in camouflage, arrested a family of four, including two young children aged three and eight, in Millenium Park in Chicago. The mother noted that \u201c[t]here were a lot more people there, but the agents came directly to us because of how we look,\u201d going on to say \u201c[i]t\u2019s not fair.\u201d\n\nClaim: DHS law enforcement officers are not targetingU.S. citizens.\n\nReality: Immigrants and U.S. citizens alike have been targeted by masked, unidentified agents conducting violent raids, arrests, and arbitrary detentions.\n\nFederal immigration agents in Waukegan detained a U.S. citizen, but the local mayor intervened on her behalf. Federal agents claimed that she was impeding a federal law enforcement operation, but she believes she was targeted due to having a Mexican flag on her car.\n\nFederal agents detained a U.S. citizen of Latino descent working in the service industry and held her for an hour, even after she presented her passport. The agents stated that she didn\u2019t \u201clook like\u201d a person with her last name and accused her of lying.\n\nFederal agents detained several U.S. citizens, including Jacqueline Lopez and Elianne Bahena, staffers for Alderman Michael Rodriguez, during a militarized raid in the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago. In addition to serving as Alderman Rodriguez\u2019s chief of staff, Bahena serves as an elected 10th District Police Commissioner.\n\nClaim: DHS is arresting the \u201cworst of the worst.\u201d\n\nReality: Federal agents are mostly detaining people who have committed no crimes in order to meet an arbitrary 3,000-person daily arrest quota.\n\nICE and other federal agents conducting immigration enforcement actions are sweeping up hardworking, longstanding members of our communities in disorganized, dangerous, and, raids and arrests\u2014including an arrest that turned deadly.\n\nIn fact, this Administration is undermining investigations into the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d to arrest immigrants with no criminal convictions. The Trump Administration has pulled federal law enforcement officials away from investigating serious threats to our communities, including child sex exploitation, counterterrorism, and national security threats, to focus on its disastrous mass deportation campaign.\n\nClaim: Illinois is like a war zone.\n\nReality: Illinois is a welcoming, vibrant state that has long thrived thanks to the contributions of immigrants to our communities and our economy.\n\nIllinois does not need National Guard troops or militarized federal agents targeting our friends and neighbors. One analysis found that one video that the White House posted supposedly showing Chicago in \u201cchaos\u201d was littered with outdated footage of drug busts, arrests, and deportation raids in other states, including Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska.\n\n-30-\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-joins-peters-senate-democrats-in-calling-on-senate-majority-leader-to-quickly-bring-the-epstein-files-transparency-act-to-floor-for-vote", "Duckworth Joins Peters, Senate Democrats in Calling on Senate Majority Leader to Quickly Bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to Floor for Vote", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and their Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to immediately bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the Senate floor for a vote, without delay or unnecessary process distractions. The letter follows the U.S. House of Representatives\u2019 overwhelming bipartisan approval of the measure by a vote of 427-1. For two decades, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have sought justice and accountability for his alleged sexual crimes involving underage girls. The bipartisan legislation would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all documents and records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, ensuring transparency and providing the American people with access to critical information.\n\n\u201cThe victims of Jeffrey Epstein \u2013 and the American people \u2013 deserve answers, accountability and the truth,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cSo far, they have only seen empty promises from President Trump and his Administration. Now that a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives has acted to provide transparency on this matter \u2013 we call on you to quickly hold a vote in the U.S. Senate to help deliver the accountability that was promised and that so many Americans are demanding.\u201d\n\n\u201cDespite multiple Senate oversight requests and House subpoenas for release of the full and complete Epstein files, the DOJ and FBI have refused to produce any information to the Senate and have failed to provide the complete set of files to the House,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\nIn a social media post over the weekend, President Donald J. Trump abruptly changed course and encouraged House Republicans to vote for the bill, despite having tried for months to prevent the complete release of the files. Given longstanding efforts by President Trump and his Administration to slow walk or discourage the release of these files, the Senate must take action to provide transparency and help restore the public\u2019s trust.\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Senate has the chance to show strong leadership and swiftly pass this legislation,\u201d concluded the Senators. \u201cWe urge you to promptly proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4405 on the Senate floor pursuant to Senate Rule XIV, so that the legislation can be immediately placed on the Senate Calendar.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth\u2019s website.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1248, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "IL", "p2": "2025"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 1248, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 1248, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IL&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "IL", "label": "IL", "count": 1248, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 1248, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2025-11-18,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Educkworth~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fpress-releases~2Fduckworth-joins-peters-senate-democrats-in-calling-on-senate-majority-leader-to-quickly-bring-the-epstein-files-transparency-act-to-floor-for-vote", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=IL&year=2025&_next=2025-11-18%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Educkworth~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fpress-releases~2Fduckworth-joins-peters-senate-democrats-in-calling-on-senate-majority-leader-to-quickly-bring-the-epstein-files-transparency-act-to-floor-for-vote&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 443.19766107946634, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}