Senator Dick Durbin

The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.

Today, I attended a ribbon cutting to celebrate the reopening of the Reas Bridge in Decatur. I’m proud to have played a part in securing funding for this reconstruction project that will make traveling through Macon County safer and more efficient.

ICE is not doing enough to protect the immigrants in its custody. Its negligence is killing people and tearing families apart. This Administration must answer for its role in this travesty.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the South Side Community Art Center’s Beam Raising Celebration. Since 1940, the Art Center has been a beacon of creativity and community in Chicago that celebrates Black artists and their contributions, and this expansion will continue to honor its legacy.

I was pleased to host Maria Corina Machado, whose coalition soundly won the 2024 election, at the United States Capitol earlier this year. Her return to Venezuela is welcome news that should decidedly move the country toward a clear path to free & fair elections next year.

This baseless lawsuit is yet another attempt by the Trump Administration to sow fear and chaos in this upcoming election.

What has happened to Jose is a tragedy. He should be released immediately and allowed to return to his family in Paris. As the son of an immigrant myself, I have been profoundly disturbed by Republicans’ blind support of President Trump’s cruel mass deportation campaign.

I joined Sen. Grassley in urging Secretaries Hegseth and Rubio to immediately obligate Congressionally appropriated funding for the Baltic Security Initiative. In light of intensifying Russian aggression against the Baltics, accelerating the delivery of assistance under the BSI must be a priority.

MxD is consistently at the forefront of digital manufacturing, and I was honored to join their annual Member Summit today to speak about Illinois’ leadership in technologies of the future.

It was a pleasure to be part of Southland RISE’s Grantee Showcase and receive recognition for the Chicago HEAL Initiative. Thanks to this partnership, our city is more resilient, and we’re shaping a better future for our kids.

While I am pleased Russia finally released Stephen Hubbard, he never should have been jailed in the first place. Calling the war criminal Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian” is a disgrace to the tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians that Putin has killed as part of his brutal war.

The great Justice Stevens taught me that government has the duty to treat every person fairly, and I have carried that sentiment with me throughout my Senate career. It’s a privilege to receive the Chicago Bar Association's Justice John Paul Stevens Award in his honor.

People continue to die at the hands of ICE’s negligence. This agency is failing the people in its custody. We must hold this Administration accountable.

Pleased to join @duckworth.senate.gov today in announcing that IDOT will receive more than $12 million to support the Southern Illinois Truck Parking Expansion Project. Truck drivers keep our economy moving, and they deserve safe, reliable places to rest while on the road.

Any negotiations about the future of Ukraine after years defending against Russian assault must include Ukraine. Ukraine has earned its freedom and right to determine its future—which are not for President Trump to sell out to Putin and Xi because his half hearted efforts to end the war have failed.

I just returned from a CODEL to the Balkans, where I met with Balkan leaders and citizens to discuss how America has served as a force for peace in the region. As China and Russia attempt to obtain a foothold in the region, America must remain steadfast in our engagement with our Balkan friends.

Navy Pier is a Chicago icon and an incredible a source of entertainment for Illinoisans and visitors alike. It has been my pleasure to advocate for federal investments for Navy Pier while in Congress, and I was honored to be recognized at their annual gala last night.

America must stand with Ukraine, not the Russian war criminal, Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump’s decision to buy Russian gas and limit the sharing of critical intelligence with Ukraine is an abandonment of our ally and will cause more violence and bloodshed.

The disruption of Starshield systems will only prolong Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine and puts American personnel at risk. I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to demand the DOD Inspector General immediately investigate this restriction on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude to the men and women of the Mount Prospect and Palatine police departments who thwarted this horrific mass shooting plot. Hate has no home in Illinois, and this incident is a reminder that we must remain vigilant against prejudice and bigotry.

September’s inflation report confirms what we already know, that President Trump’s bungled war with Iran is behind the outrageous increase in the cost of living over the past few months. Americans need an end to these price hikes, not endless wars in the Middle East.

I joined my colleagues in urging President Trump to rescind his recent agreement allowing Russian-origin diesel fuel into global markets. This deal will offer little to no relief to Americans struggling with high energy costs, and instead help finance Putin’s horrific attacks on Ukraine.

Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day—a day where we reflect on the many contributions Native Americans have made to our nation as its first inhabitants. May we continue to celebrate and honor indigenous peoples’ cultures, histories, and legacies today and every day.

After Trump’s war with Iran caused oil prices to spike, the President is now considering bankrolling Russia’s slaughter of Ukrainian civilians. Lifting sanctions on Russia will only fuel Putin’s war machine and prolong the conflict in Ukraine.

Today, I called on the Inspector General at DOJ to investigate why the FBI modified its hiring standards to allow those who stole from an employer, paid for sex, and engaged in bestiality to work for the Bureau. If Kash Patel won’t give us answers on these hiring changes, we need someone who will.

Public executions have no place in a democracy. We as a nation cannot stoop to the level of the people we seek to punish.

The Srebrenica massacre was genocide and an atrocity that must never be allowed to take place again. Yesterday, I joined @shaheen.senate.gov to visit the Srebrenica Memorial Center to pay our respects and remember the victims of this tragedy.

Illinois families need federal assistance to recover from August’s storms, yet like a toddler throwing a tantrum, Donald Trump refuses to grant it. I support @govpritzker.illinois.gov's appeal of Trump’s decision and will do whatever I can to support Illinoisans in the aftermath of these storms.

Cassidy Hutchinson displayed true courage when she testified about how Trump incited a deadly mob to attack the Capitol. The President’s targeting of her shows yet again that he’s more concerned with imprisoning his opponents than the cost-of-living crisis impacting Americans across the country.

Jack Smith deserves an apology from my Republican colleagues who falsely accused him of perjury. This shameful episode demands an explanation. That starts by providing Senate Judiciary Democrats with documents that Republicans withheld before Smith’s hearing—in violation of Senate rules.

So much for Trump’s “Golden Age” of economic opportunity. Inflation is up more than 5% since he returned to the White House. Whether it’s the President’s tariffs, war with Iran, or cuts to health care and food assistance, his Administration is making it harder for you to afford the basics.

It has been three years since the horrific October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. I pray that out of the pain and ashes of this atrocity comes a renewed focus on the future and a world that allows Israeli and Palestinian children to once and for all live together in peace and dignity.

Children and teenagers, parents and teachers—these are the American citizens that ICE has detained under Trump. Their cruel mass deportation campaign makes all of us less safe and threatens the very freedoms our nation was founded on.

Honored to accept the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the FBA Chicago Chapter. I have taken the responsibility of recommending judicial nominees to the President very seriously, and I’m proud that the federal bench in Illinois today is more diverse and highly qualified than ever.

I joined @duckworth.senate.gov & @budzinski.house.gov to urge the Senate and House Armed Services Committees to add language in the FY27 NDAA that pauses any plans to deactivate the 183rd Wing’s CRF mission without a deployable replacement mission.

I’m honored to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Health and Hospital Association today. IHA and our hospital leaders are doing all they can to provide quality care to Illinoisans, and it’s been a privilege to be their partner in that effort.

Why would ICE hide the medical reports of people who died in its custody? Because they show that many of those who died were medically neglected by the agency responsible for their care. These damning reports display the extent of ICE’s callous cruelty.

The Trump grift continues. Could his corruption be any more obvious?

Under the Trump Administration, nearly three people are dying each month in ICE custody—demonstrating just how dangerous immigration detention has become under this Admin. There must be accountability.

The Administration that commits a Watergate-level scandal nearly every day is looking to further absolve President Nixon of his Watergate crimes.

Dreamers are our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers. It has been one of the great privileges of my life to fight for their protection under the Dream Act, and it was my honor to join @unitedwedream.org last night to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its introduction.

How many more failed executions must take place before this cruel practice is consigned to the dustbin of history? To paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun: we must no longer tinker with the machinery of death.

I joined @duckworth.senate.gov, @padilla.senate.gov, & @schiff.senate.gov to introduce the National Archives Protection Act, a new bill that would ensure archival records, and the history they preserve, remain an accessible resource.

After reassigning FBI personnel from cybercrime to focus on the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, the Bureau experienced a massive cybersecurity breach. Congress needs answers. What is the FBI doing to ensure a cyberattack like this never happens again?

AI data centers should pay for the upgrades to the electric grid they need. Not ratepayers. Senate Republicans’ Ratepayer Protection Act does nothing to establish this requirement. Senate Democrats just blocked this Big Tech distraction. Americans need real action, not Republican messaging.

Senate Republicans put forward a stock trading bill that does NOT adequately ban Congressional stock trading. AND it includes a sweeping voter suppression measure. Senate Democrats just blocked both. The American people need real action, not meaningless messaging.

Congratulations to U of I Professor Kaiyu Guan and UChicago Professor Vincenzo Vitelli, both of whom just received the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grant”!

Whether you’re a North or South Sider, there is something for everyone in Chicago to be excited for tonight as the Cubs and White Sox kick off the MLB postseason! Best of luck to both teams as they start their playoff runs and represent our great city.

Jack Smith deserves an apology for these baseless and FALSE accusations of perjury by my Republican colleague.