Richard J. Durbin headshot
At a Glance
Seat
U.S. Senator from Illinois
Born
November 21, 1944
Age 81
Phone
(202) 224-2152
Office
711 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510, Washington 20515
Congress Member Profile|U.S. Senator|Democrat|Illinois

Richard J. Durbin

Richard Joseph Durbin is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from the state of Illinois, a seat he has held since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, Durbin is in his fifth Senate term and has served since 2005 as the Senate Democratic Whip and since 2025 as the Senate minority whip. He is the longest-serving Democratic whip since the position was established in 1913. Durbin chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2021 to 2025, and led the Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court nomination hearings.

Source: WikipediaView full (CC BY-SA)
Voting Record — 851
Yes35%
No62%
Present0%
Not Voting3%
Party align93%
Cross-party6%
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District Map

Senate District (Statewide)

U.S. Census Bureau boundary data.
Richard J. Durbin headshot
Richard J. Durbin
U.S. SenatorDemocratIllinois
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Richard J.'s ATmosphere Activity
20 recent posts · 129 sponsored · 356 cosponsored
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Recent ATmosphere posts, sponsorships, and cosponsorships.

To all Republicans: Will you STAND UP for the rule of law and demand Mr. Abrego Garcia’s return to America? Or, will you BOW DOWN to Donald Trump and his chilling plans to illegally deport American citizens? The choice is yours, and the world is watching.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was *legally* living in the United States but was wrongfully deported. The Trump Administration is refusing to bring him home and fix their “administrative error.” I don’t say this lightly: This is a constitutional crisis.
Donald Trump wants to illegally send American citizens to this notoriously inhumane prison in El Salvador. “Home-growns are next. The home-growns. You gotta build about five more places.” The constitutional crisis is here.
As a trusted voice in their schools’ communities, I encourage educators to work closely with local community colleges, public universities, and private nonprofit institutions to ensure students have information on QUALITY, AFFORDABLE postsecondary education options.
For-profit colleges charge higher tuition than public universities, resulting in higher amounts of student debt. According to the Federal Reserve, students who attend for-profit institutions take on more student debt and are more likely to default on their student loans.
They falsely advertise a high-quality degree and well-paying job. But in reality, these predatory schools offer students a low-quality, high-cost education that too often leaves them with student debt but no degree.
For more than a decade, I’ve sounded the alarm about for-profit colleges’ long history of deceiving students. That warning is especially true for low-income students and students of color.
I am a strong advocate for postsecondary education. However, not all postsecondary institutions offer the same quality of education, job prospects, or potential to pay down student debt.
High school seniors are finalizing their plans after graduation. I’m reaching out to principals, counselors, and teachers with a simple message: Sound the alarm on for-profit colleges. Here’s why. 🧵
Scott Air Force Base is an incredible asset both to Illinois and our national security. I met with leaders and service members there to discuss how to best support their work that ensures our nation’s military readiness.
And the Trump Administration is LYING about why… claiming these programs are “wasteful” and “costly.”   SINCE ITS INCEPTION, nonpartisan studies have consistently shown legal education programs to be effective and efficient.
These programs are popular.   They’re bipartisan.   They’re longstanding.   And in some cases, they’re the only lifeline that those encountering our immigration system have.
The Trump Administration just canceled funding for know-your-rights trainings and legal education.   Every American should care about this.   An attack on ONE person’s due process rights is an attack on ALL of our due process rights.
NEWS: Medicaid Managed Care Organization funds helped 87 child care facilities in Cook County receive permanently mounted water filters, lead-free water fountains, or lead pipe replacements from Elevate. 

I'll continue to support bringing clean, lead-free drinking water to children in IL.
Today I visited the newly opened Wedge Innovation Center in Alton—a dynamic hub for digital innovation and community impact. Excited to join local leaders and @SIUE for a discussion on how this cutting-edge space will drive economic growth across the Metro East.
Antitrust enforcement helps keep grocery prices lower and tech companies accountable. The Trump Administration is trying to close these critical offices, including in Chicago. We need to bolster enforcement—not shutter it.
BREAKING: Sens. DURBIN, GRASSLEY, LEE urge the Justice Department to reverse course on plans to shut down vital antitrust field offices, in new bipartisan push.
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Voting History
851 total votes
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Recent roll calls with party-majority context so it is easier to scan how this member tends to vote.

DateBillQuestionPositionParty MajAlign?Result
2025-01-09S. 5 (119th)End filibuster to begin debateYESYESCloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to (84-9, 3/5 majority required)

Alignment stats consider only votes where a clear yes/no majority existed for the legislator's party. Cross-party marks divergence where the vote matched the opposite party majority. ↔ indicates cross-party divergence.

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