Dick Durbin

Dick Durbin
United States Senator from Illinois
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1997 Serving with Mark Kirk
Preceded by	Paul Simon
Senate Majority Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2007
Leader	Harry Reid
Preceded by	Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Whip
In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
Leader	Harry Reid
Preceded by	Harry Reid
Succeeded by	Trent Lott
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 20th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Paul Findley
Succeeded by	John Shimkus
Personal details
Born	Richard Joseph Durbin November 21, 1944 (1944-11-21) (age 67) East St. Louis, Illinois, United States
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Loretta Schaefer
Children	Christine (Deceased) Jennifer Paul
Alma mater	Georgetown University
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Senator Dick Durbin

Richard Joseph "Dick" Durbin (born November 21, 1944) is the senior United States Senator from Illinois and the Senate Majority Whip, the second highest position in the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate.

Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, he graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Georgetown University Law Center. Working in state legal counsel throughout the 1970s, he made an unsuccessful run for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1978. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district. In 1996 he won election to the U.S. Senate by an unexpected 15-point margin. He has served as Senate Democratic Whip since 2005, and assumed his current title when the Democratic Party obtained a majority in 2007. As a member of the Democratic leadership, he has a record as one of the most liberal members of Congress.

Early life, education and career

Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois to an Irish-American father, William Durbin, and a Lithuanian-born mother, Ann Kutkin (Lithuanian: Ona Kutkaitė).^[1] He graduated from Assumption High School in East St. Louis in 1962. During his high school years he worked at a meatpacking plant. He earned a B.S. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1966. He was an intern in the office of Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois during his senior year in college. Durbin earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1969 and was admitted to the Illinois bar later that year.

After graduating from law school, Durbin started a law practice in Springfield. He was legal counsel to Lieutenant Governor Paul Simon from 1969 to 1972, and then legal counsel to the Illinois State Senate Judiciary Committee from 1972 to 1982. Durbin was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for a seat in the Illinois State Senate in 1976.^[2] He ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1978 as the running mate of State Superintendent of Schools Michael Bakalis. They were defeated by Republican incumbents Jim Thompson and Dave O'Neal. Durbin then worked as an adjunct professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine for five years while maintaining his law practice.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1982, Durbin won the Democratic nomination for the 20th congressional district, which includes most of Springfield. He scored a huge upset, defeating 22-year incumbent Paul Findley.

There are concerns that Durbin may not truly represent the citizens of Illinois when AIPAC President Robert Asher was quoted as saying, "I traveled around the country talking about how we had the opportunity to defeat someone unfriendy to Israel. And the gates opened. Durbin eventually received a total of $104,325 in campaign funds from thirty-one different pro-Israel PACs. By way of comparison, in the 1982 election, other Illinois congressional candidates received an average of about $3,700 from the same groups"^[3]

Durbin was reelected six times, rarely facing serious opposition, and winning more than 55% of the vote in each election except 1994.

U.S. Senate

Committees

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Subcommittee on African Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy and Global Women's Issues
  • Subcommittee on European Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on the Constitution
  • Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs
  • Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law (Chairman)
• Committee on Rules and Administration

Caucus memberships

• Bi-Cameral High- Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus
• Caucus on International Narcotics Control (Co-Chair)
• International Conservation Caucus
• Senate Diabetes Caucus
• Senate Hunger Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Senate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Sportsmen's Caucus
• Congressional COPD Caucus (Co-Chair)

Leadership

In November 1998, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle appointed Durbin to the role of Assistant Democratic Whip. Following the Election of 2004, Durbin became the Democratic Whip in the 109th Congress. He became the first senator from Illinois to serve as a Senate Whip since Everett Dirksen did so in the late 1950s, and the fifth to serve in Senate Leadership.^[4] Durbin served as Assistant Minority Leader from 2005 until 2007, when the Democrats became the Majority Party in the Senate. He then assumed the role of Assistant Majority Leader, or Majority Whip.

In addition to his caucus duties, Durbin is Chairman the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.^[5]

In 2000, Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore listed Durbin as his possible running mate and candidate for Vice President of the United States.^[6] Gore ultimately selected Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.^[7]

When Majority Leader Harry Reid faced a difficult reelection fight in 2010, some pundits predicted a possibly heated fight to succeed him between his Assistant Durbin and Senator Chuck Schumer, who is well-known for his fundraising prowess.^[8] Reid's reelection victory, however, rendered such speculation moot.

Political positions

Durbin is one of the most liberal members of Congress. Mother Jones has called him a "top Senate liberal."^[9] His voting record is very similar to the Democratic caucus position, consistent with his leadership position as Whip, which has the duty of persuading senators to follow the party line in their votes. As a trial lawyer, Durbin has excellent debating abilities, so much so that majority leader Harry Reid called him "the best debater" in the U.S. senate.

Abortion

As a congressman, Durbin voted consistently to uphold pre-existing restrictions on abortion or impose new limitations – including supporting a Constitutional amendment that would have nullifed Roe v. Wade.^[10] He reversed his position in 1989 and has since voted to maintain access to abortion, including support for Medicaid funding of the procedure, and opposition to any limitation that he considers a practical or potential encroachment upon Roe.^[11] Durbin has maintained that this reversal came about as a result of personal reflection and his growing awareness of potentially harmful implications of his previous policy with respect to women facing dangerous pregnancies.^[12] While visiting a home for abused children in Quincy, Illinois, the director, a friend, asked him to speak with two girls who were about to turn 18 and be turned out of state care. Talking with the girls, victims of gang rape and incest, made him reconsider his position on the subject. He says, "I still oppose abortion and would try my best to convince any woman in my family to carry the baby to term. But I believe that ultimately the decision must be made by the woman, her doctor, her family, and her conscience."^[13]

NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood both give him a 100% rating while the National Right to Life Committee gives him a 0% rating.

Darfur

On March 2, 2005, then Senator Jon Corzine presented the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (S. 495) to the Senate. Durbin was one of 40 senators who co-sponsored the bill. The Darfur Accountability Act is noted as the premier legislative attempt to instill peace in Darfur. The bill asks that all people involved in or deemed in some way responsible for the genocide in Darfur be denied visas and entrance to the U.S.

In 2006, Durbin co-sponsored the Durbin-Leahy Amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations bill for emergency funding to instill peace in Darfur. In 2006, he also co-sponsored the Lieberman Resolution, and the Clinton Amendment.

On June 7, 2007, Durbin introduced the Sudan Disclosure Enforcement Act, "Aimed at enhancing the U.S. Government's ability to impose penalties on violators of U.S. sanctions against Sudan." The bill called for the United Nations Security Council to vote on sanctions against the Sudanese Government for the genocide in Darfur.

Durbin has voted in favor of all Darfur-related legislation. In addition to the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, he also supported the Civilian Protection No-Fly Zone Act, the Hybrid Force Resolution, and the Sudan Divestment Authorization Act.

HIV/AIDS

In March 2007, Durbin introduced the African Health Capacity Investment Act of 2007 to the Senate. The bill was designed so that over a three year period, the U.S. would supply over $600 million to help create safer medical facilities and working conditions, and the recruitment and training of doctors from all over the continent.

In December 2007, Durbin and two other senators co-sponsored Senator Kerry's Nondiscrimination in Travel and Immigration Act. Also, in March 2007, Durbin joined thirty-two other senators to co-sponsor the Early Treatment for HIV Act of 2007.

American Public Health Association gives him a rating of 100%.

Iraq War

On September 9, 2002, Durbin was the first of four Democratic senators (the others being Sens. Bob Graham, Feinstein, and Levin) on the Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), responding to the Bush administration's request for a joint resolution authorizing a preemptive war on Iraq without having prepared a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), to ask George Tenet, the Director of Central Intelligence, to prepare a NIE on the status of Iraq's WMD programs.^[14] Durbin was one of the few senators who read the resulting prepared October 1, 2002 NIE, Iraq's Continuing Programs for Weapons of Mass Destruction.^[15]

On September 29, 2002, Durbin held a news conference in Chicago to announce that "absent dramatic changes" in the resolution, he would vote against the resolution authorizing war on Iraq.^[16] On October 2, 2002, at the first high-profile Chicago anti-Iraq War rally in Federal Plaza, Durbin repeated his promise to oppose the resolution in a letter read during the rally.^[17]

On October 10, 2002, the U.S. Senate failed to pass Durbin's amendment to the resolution to strike "the continuing threat posed by Iraq" and insert "an imminent threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction", by a vote of 30 to 70, with the majority of Democratic senators voting for the amendment, but with 21 Democratic senators joining all 49 Republican senators voting against it.^[18] On October 11, 2002, Durbin was one of 23 senators to vote against the joint resolution authorizing the Iraq War.^[19]

On April 25, 2007, Durbin said that as an intelligence committee member he knew in 2002 from classified information that the American people were being misled by the Bush Administration into a war on Iraq, but he could not reveal this because, as an intelligence committee member, he was sworn to secrecy.^[20] This revelation prompted an online attack ad against Durbin by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.^[21]

Fair Sentencing Act

Durbin authored the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, legislation that has corrected some of the imbalance in cocaine sentencing.^[22]

Dream Act

He is the chief proponent for The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (The "DREAM Act"), a piece of proposed federal legislation. This bill would provide certain undocumented students with the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they arrived in the US as children, graduated from a US high school, have been in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment, submit biometric data, pass a criminal background check, and complete two years toward a four-year degree from an accredited university or complete at least two years in the military within a five-year period.

Tobacco regulation

In 1987, Durbin introduced major tobacco regulation legislation in the House to ban cigarette smoking on airline flights of two hours or less. He was joined by Rep. C. W. Bill Young, a Republican from Florida, in saying that the rights of smokers to smoke end where their smoking affects the health and safety of others, such as on airplanes. The bill went on to pass as part of the 1988 transportation spending bill. In 1989, Congress banned cigarette smoking on all domestic airline flights.^[23]

In March 1994, Durbin proposed an amendment to the Improving America's Schools Act that required schools that receive Federal drug prevention money to teach elementary and secondary students about the dangers of tobacco in addition to those of drugs and alcohol. The amendment also required that schools warn students against tobacco and teach them how to resist peer pressure to smoke.^[24]

In February 2008, Durbin called on Congress to support a measure that would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to oversee the tobacco industry. This measure would require companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, restrict advertising and promotions, and mandate the removal of harmful ingredients in tobacco products. The measure would also prohibit tobacco companies from using terms such as "low risk," "light," and "mild" on packaging.

Durbin attributes his stance against tobacco smoking to his father, who smoked two packs of Camel cigarettes a day and died of lung cancer.

Freedom of Speech

In 2007, speaking as Senate Majority Whip, Durbin went on record as stating that "It’s time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine."^[25]

In 2010, Durbin cosponsored and passed from committee the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, a bill that aims to combat media piracy by blacklisting websites though many opposed to the bill argue that it violates First Amendment rights and promotes censorship.^[26][27] The announcement of the bill was followed by a wave of protest from digital rights activists, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation calling it censorship and stating that action may be taken against all users of sites in which only some users are uploading infringing material.^[28]

Financial crisis of 2007–2010

On April 27, 2009, in an interview with WJJG talk radio host Ray Hanania, Durbin accused banks of creating the financial crisis of 2007–2010. Durbin expressed a belief that many of the banks responsible for creating the crisis "own the place," referring to the power wielded by the banking lobby on Capitol Hill.^[29]

On September 18, 2008, Durbin attended a closed meeting with congressional leaders, then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, and was urged to craft legislation to help financially troubled banks. That same day (trade effective the next day), Durbin sold mutual-fund shares worth $42,696, and reinvested it all with Warren Buffett.^[30]

Durbin is currently sponsoring a bill (Senate Bill 500) that calls for a maximum annual interest rate cap of 36%, including all interest and fees.^[31] This bill will purportedly put an end to predatory lending activities. However, if passed, it will have a far-reaching impact on many industries - including pawn shop lending, auto title lending, and payday lending - and the customers who rely on their short-term, small-dollar loans.^[32]

Rod Blagojevich

Shortly after Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges on December 9, 2008, Durbin called for the Illinois legislature to quickly pass legislation for a special election to fill then President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.^[33] He stated that no United States Senate appointment of Blagojevich's could produce a credible replacement under the circumstances.^[34]

Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid led all 50 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in writing Illinois Governor Blagojevich to urge him to resign and not name a successor to Obama following Blagojevich's arrest.^[35] Despite this, the governor appointed Roland Burris to the seat on December 30. Burris is a former state official and donated thousands to Blagojevich's re-election fund.^{[citation needed]}

Trade

In January 2005, Durbin changed his longstanding position on sugar tariffs and price supports. After several years of voting to keep sugar quotas and price supports, Durbin now favors abolishing the program. "The sugar program depended on congressmen like me from states that grew corn," Durbin said, referring to the fact that, though they were formerly a single entity, the sugar market and the corn syrup market are now largely separate.^[36]

In May 2006, Durbin campaigned to maintain a $0.54 per gallon tariff on imported ethanol. Durbin justified the tariff by joining Barack Obama in stating that "ethanol imports are neither necessary nor a practical response to current gasoline prices," arguing instead that domestic ethanol production is sufficient and expanding.^[37] American Coalition for Ethanol gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Environmentalism

Among Durbin's legislative causes are environmental protection, particularly the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. League of Conservation Voters gives him a rating of 89%. Sierra Club gives him a 90% rating.

Other positions

Durbin has also been a major proponent of expanded Amtrak funding and support. In October 2007, he opposed a bill in the Illinois General Assembly that would allow three casinos to be built, saying, "I really, really think we ought to stop and catch our breath and say, 'Is this the future of Illinois? That every time we want to do something we'll just build more casinos?'"^[38]

He has campaigned against asbestos.^{[citation needed]}

Agriculture National Farmers Union gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Animal rights and wildlife Humane Society of the United States gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Budget, spending, and taxes Americans for Tax Reform gives him a rating of 5%. Citizens for Tax Justice gives him a rating of 100%. National Taxpayers Union gives him a rating of 14%. U.S. Chamber of Commerce gives him a rating of 45%.^{[citation needed]}

Civil liberties and civil rights American Civil Liberties Union gives him a rating of 71%. NAACP gives him a rating of 100%. Americans United for Separation of Church and State gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Conservative The John Birch Society gives him a rating of 10%.^{[citation needed]}

Education National Education Association of America gives him an A rating.^{[citation needed]}

Family and children Children's Defense Fund gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Government reform Citizens Against Government Waste gives him a 4% rating. U.S. Public Interest Research Group gives him a rating of 95%.^{[citation needed]}

Guns Gun Owners of America gives him an F- rating. National Rifle Association gives him an F rating.^{[citation needed]}

Immigration American Immigration Lawyers Association gives him a rating of 88%.^{[citation needed]}

Labor AFL-CIO gives him a rating of 100%.^{[citation needed]}

Seniors and Social Security Alliance for Retired Americans gives him a rating of 100%. American Association of Retired Persons gives him a rating of 90%.^{[citation needed]}

Veterans American Legion gives him a rating of 50%. Disabled Veterans of America gives him a rating of 80%. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gives him an A- rating.^{[citation needed]}

Welfare and poverty Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law gives him an A+ rating.^{[citation needed]}

Women National Organization for Women gives him a rating of 96%.^{[citation needed]}

Other The Cato Institute gives him a rating of 17%. Christian Coalition gives him a rating of 0%.^{[citation needed]}

Guantanamo interrogation criticism

Durbin received a lot of media attention on June 14, 2005, when in the U.S. Senate chambers he compared interrogation techniques used at Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with those utilized by such regimes as Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Khmer Rouge:

"When you read some of the graphic descriptions of what has occurred here – I almost hesitate to put them in the record, and yet they have to be added to this debate. Let me read to you what one FBI agent saw. And I quote from his report:

"On a couple of occasions, I entered interview rooms to find a detainee chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor, with no chair, food or water. Most times they urinated or defecated on themselves, and had been left there for 18–24 hours or more. On one occasion, the air conditioning had been turned down so far and the temperature was so cold in the room, that the barefooted detainee was shaking with cold.... On another occasion, the [air conditioner] had been turned off, making the temperature in the unventilated room well over 100 degrees. The detainee was almost unconscious on the floor, with a pile of hair next to him. He had apparently been literally pulling his hair out throughout the night. On another occasion, not only was the temperature unbearably hot, but extremely loud rap music was being played in the room, and had been since the day before, with the detainee chained hand and foot in the fetal position on the tile floor.

"If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime – Pol Pot or others – that had no concern for human beings. Sadly, that is not the case. This was the action of Americans in the treatment of their prisoners."^[39]

Durbin's comments drew widespread criticism that comparing U.S. actions to such regimes insulted the United States and victims of genocide. Radio host Rush Limbaugh and White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove accused Durbin of treason,^[40] while former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich called on the Senate to censure Durbin.^[41] Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, whose son Patrick was serving in U.S. Army, also called on Durbin to apologize for his remarks, saying that he thought it was a "disgrace to say that any man or woman in the military would act like that."^[42] John Wertheim, Democratic state party chairman of New Mexico, and Jim Pederson, Arizona Democratic party chairman, also criticized Durbin's remarks.^[43] The leader of the Veterans of Foreign Wars also demanded an apology,^[44] as did the Anti-Defamation League^[42]

Durbin initially did not apologize, but on June 21, 2005, he went before the Senate, saying, "More than most people, a senator lives by his words ... occasionally words fail us, occasionally we will fail words."^[45]

Andrew Sullivan, former editor of The New Republic, praised Durbin for raising serious moral issues about U.S. policy.^[46] Other commentators, including liberal commentator Markos Moulitsas Zúniga of Daily Kos, condemned Durbin for apologizing to his critics, arguing Durbin made a mistake in making himself, rather than detention and torture concerns at Guantanamo Bay, the focus of media coverage.^[47][48]

Political campaigns

Durbin speaks during the final night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, introducing his party's nominee, fellow Illinoisan Barack Obama.

In 1996, Durbin defeated Pat Quinn to become the Democratic Party's nominee to replace the retiring Democratic incumbent, Senator Paul Simon, a long-time friend. He faced Republican State Representative Al Salvi in the November general election. Although the election was initially expected to be competitive, Durbin won by a surprising 15-point margin, undoubtedly helped by Bill Clinton's 18-point win in Illinois that year.

Electoral history

Illinois's 20th congressional district: Results 1982–1994^[49]

Year		Democrat	Votes	Pct		Republican	Votes	Pct
1982		Richard J. Durbin	100,758	50.4%		Paul Findley (inc.)	99,348	49.6%
1984		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	145,092	61.3%		Richard Austin	91,728	38.7%
1986		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	126,556	68.1%		Kevin McCarthey	59,291	31.9%
1988		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	153,341	68.9%		Paul Jurgens	69,303	31.1%
1990		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	130,114	66.2%		Paul Jurgens	66,433	33.8%
1992		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	154,869	56.5%		John M. Shimkus	119,219	43.5%
1994		Richard J. Durbin (inc.)	108,034	54.8%		Bill Owens	88,964	45.2%

United States Senator (Class II): Results 1996–2008^[49]

Year		Democrat	Votes	Pct		Republican	Votes	Pct
1996		Richard J. Durbin	2,384,028	56%		Al Salvi	1,728,824	41%
2002		Richard J. Durbin	2,103,766	60%		Jim Durkin	1,325,703	38%
2008		Richard J. Durbin	3,516,846	68%		Steve Sauerberg[50]	1,479,984	29%

Personal life

Durbin and his wife Loretta had three children, Christine, Jennifer and Paul. After several weeks in the hospital with complications due to a congenital heart condition, Christine died on November 1, 2008.^[51]

References

1. ^ durbin
2. ^ http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=26847
3. ^ The Israel Lobby, pg 157, by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt
4. ^ Dick Durbin: Bush Fighter - January 27, 2005
5. ^ Project Vote Smart - Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin - Biography
6. ^ Gore considers naming VP immediately after GOP convention - June 13, 2000 CNN
7. ^ Joseph Lieberman Accepts Al Gore's Offer to Join the Democratic Ticket CNN
8. ^ [1] New York Times
9. ^ Khimm, Suzy (2010-12-08) Top Senate Liberal Defends Obama on Tax Cuts, Mother Jones
10. ^ The Durbin Abortion Papers
11. ^ Richard Durbin on Abortion
12. ^ Excerpt from NBC News' Meet the Press
13. ^ Parsons, Christi (2007-12-02). "Dick Durbin's Challenge". Chicago Tribune: pp. 15–19, 26–27 
14. ^ Select Committee on Intelligence (July 9, 2004). "Report on the U.S. Intelligence Community's Prewar Intelligence Assessments on Iraq" (PDF). http://intelligence.senate.gov/108301.pdf. 
    Durbin, Richard (September 10, 2002). "Assessing Iraq's military capabilities". Congressional Record--Senate. pp. S8427–S8429. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=S8427&dbname=2002_record. 
    Sweet, Lynn (September 11, 2002). "U.S. lacks Iraq analysis: Durbin" (paid archive). Chicago Sun-Times: p. 5. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(U.S.%20lacks%20Iraq%20analysis:%20Durbin)%20AND%20date(9/11/2002%20to%209/11/2002)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=9/11/2002%20to%209/11/2002)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(U.S.%20lacks%20Iraq%20analysis:%20Durbin)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no. 
15. ^ Windrem, Bob; Murray, Mark (May 25, 2007). "Hillary and the 2002 NIE". msnbc.com. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/25/204032.aspx. 
    CNN (May 29, 2007). "Records: Senators who OK'd war didn't read key report". cnn.com. http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/28/clinton.iraq/index.html. 
    Raju, Manu; Schor, Elana; Wurman, Ilan (June 19, 2007). "Few senators read Iraq NIE report". The Hill. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/few-senators-read-iraq-nie-report-2007-06-19.html. 
16. ^ Dorning, Mike; Chase, John (September 30, 2002). "Durbin opposes Bush war resolution" (paid archive). Chicago Tribune: p. 1 (Metro). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/199166861.html?dids=199166861:199166861&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT. 
17. ^ Glauber, Bill (October 3, 2002). "War protesters gentler, but passion still burns" (paid archive). Chicago Tribune: p. 1. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569621.html?dids=203569621:203569621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT. 
    Strausberg, Chinta (October 3, 2002). "War with Iraq undermines U.N." (paid archive). Chicago Defender: p. 1. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220379051.html. 
    Bryant, Greg (October 2, 2002). "300 protesters rally to oppose war with Iraq". Medill News Service. http://mesh.medill.northwestern.edu/mnschicago/archives/2002/10/300_protesters.html. 
    Katz, Marilyn (October 2, 2007). "Five Years Since Our First Action". Chicagoans Against War & Injustice. http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127. 
18. ^ U.S. Senate (October 10, 2002). "Roll call vote No. 236 on the Durbin Amendment No. 4865". http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00236. 
    Sweet, Lynn (October 11, 2002). "Durbin loses bid to limit authority" (paid archive). Chicago Sun-Times: p. 7. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Durbin%20loses%20bid%20to%20limit%20authority)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Durbin%20loses%20bid%20to%20limit%20authority)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no. 
19. ^ U.S. Senate (October 11, 2002). "Roll call vote No. 237 on H.J.Res. 114". http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237. 
    Goldberg, Michelle (November 11, 2002). "Wellstone was right". Salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/story/politics/feature/2002/11/02/war/index.html. 
20. ^ Durbin, Richard (April 25, 2007). "Iraq Supplemental Appropriations Bill". Congressional Record--Senate. pp. S5026–S5028. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=S5026&dbname=2007_record. 
    Lengell, Sean (April 27, 2007). "Durbin kept silent on prewar knowledge" (paid archive). The Washington Times: p. A1. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Durbin%20AND%20kept%20AND%20silent%20AND%20on%20AND%20prewar%20AND%20knowledge&s_dispstring=Durbin%20kept%20silent%20on%20prewar%20knowledge%20AND%20date(04/27/2007%20to%2004/27/2007)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=04/27/2007%20to%2004/27/2007)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no. 
    Oberman, Keith (April 27, 2007). "5. Changing Tenets". Countdown with Keith Olbermann. msnbc.com. http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/27/173043.aspx. 
    SilentPatriot (April 28, 2007). "Sen. Durbin drops bombshells on the Senate floor". Crooks and Liars. http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/04/28/sen-durbin-drops-bombshells-on-the-senate-floor. 
21. ^ Krol, Eric (May 3, 2007). "GOP goes after Durbin with online ad" (paid archive). Daily Herald: p. 10. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=GOP%20AND%20goes%20AND%20after%20AND%20Durbin%20AND%20online%20AND%20ad&s_dispstring=GOP%20goes%20after%20Durbin%20with%20online%20ad%20AND%20date(5/3/2007%20to%205/3/2007)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=5/3/2007%20to%205/3/2007)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no. 
    Byrne, Dennis (May 7, 2007). "Oath upheld, but at what cost?" (paid archive). Chicago Tribune: p. 21. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1266336361.html?dids=1266336361:1266336361&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT. 
22. ^ "Fair Sentencing Act of 2010", Families Against Mandatory Minimums, famm.org, accessed September 30, 2010.
23. ^ "House Passes Ban on Smoking on Flights of 2 Hours or Less". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 15, 1987. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEED6123DF936A25754C0A961948260&scp=5&sq=durbin+tobacco+airplanes&st=nyt. 
24. ^ Katharine Seelye (March 23, 1994). "Congress Considers Smoking Ban in Schools". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02E3D8123CF930A15750C0A962958260&scp=1&sq=Improving%20America's%20Schools%20Act%20tobacco&st=cse. 
25. ^ TheHill.com - GOP preps for talk radio confrontation
26. ^ GovTrack.us - S. 3804: Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act
27. ^ TechDirt - The 19 Senators Who Voted To Censor The Internet
28. ^ "Censorship of the Internet Takes Center Stage in "Online Infringement" Bill". eff.org. September 21, 2010. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/09/censorship-internet-takes-center-stage-online. Retrieved October 16, 2010. 
29. ^ "Dick Durbin: Banks "Frankly Own The Place"". www.HuffingtonPost.com. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/dick-durbin-banks-frankly_n_193010.html. Retrieved 2009-06-06. 
30. ^ “Durbin Invests With Buffett After Funds Sale Amid Market Plunge” June 13, 2008, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aQyYKbwMItyc. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
31. ^ "S. 500: Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act of 2009". Govtrack.us. 2009-02-26. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-500. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
32. ^ Meyers, Lawrence (2009-03-26). "Sen. Durbin's Scheme to Rip Off Consumers". Blogger News Network. http://www.bloggernews.net/120232. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
33. ^ Some Illinois lawmakers call for Blagojevich to resign
34. ^ Durbin urges special election to succeed Obama
35. ^ Barack Obama, U.S. senators, state officials urge Rod Blagojevich to resign
36. ^ Congressman Mark Steven Kirk - 10th District of Illinois
37. ^ [2]^{[dead link]}
38. ^ "Durbin Cautions State on Casino Plan". WBEZ. 2007-10-08. http://www.wbez.org/Cityroom_Read.aspx?storyID=13874. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
39. ^ [3]^{[dead link]}
40. ^ Harper's Magazine, Stabbed in the Back!: The past and future of a right-wing myth
41. ^ [4]^{[dead link]}
42. ^ ^{a b} Durbin Apologizes for Remarks on Abuse
43. ^ Durbin's Gitmo remarks draw fire back in Illinois
44. ^ Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) :: News
45. ^ DURBIN STATEMENT OF REGRET (6-21-2005)
46. ^ The Daily Dish
47. ^ CT article ]
48. ^ Daily Kos: Durbin fucked up
49. ^ ^{a b} "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html. Retrieved 2007-08-08. 
50. ^ "Durbin breezes to third term in U.S. Senate - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-senate-illinois-05nov05,0,1912301.story. 
51. ^ "Daughter of Illinois Sen. Durbin dies at 40 -- chicagotribune.com". www.chicagotribune.com. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-obit-christinedur,0,991349.story. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 

External links

• United States Senator Dick Durbin official U.S. Senate site
• Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Appearances on Charlie Rose
• Appearances at the Internet Movie Database
• Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Works by or about Dick Durbin in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Profile at NNDB
• Nichols, John Dick Durbin: Bush Fighter, The Nation, January 27, 2005

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Paul Findley	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 20th congressional district January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997	Succeeded by John Shimkus
United States Senate
Preceded by Paul M. Simon	United States Senator (Class 2) from Illinois January 7, 1997 – present Served alongside: Carol Moseley Braun, Peter Fitzgerald, Barack Obama, Roland Burris, Mark Kirk	Succeeded by Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Harry Reid D-Nevada	United States Senate Minority Whip January 3, 2005–January 3, 2007	Succeeded by Trent Lott R-Mississippi
Preceded by Mitch McConnell R-Kentucky	United States Senate Majority Whip January 4, 2007–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Jeff Sessions R-Alabama	Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts January 4, 2007–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Paul M. Simon	Democratic Party nominee for United States Senator from Illinois (Class 2) 1996, 2002, 2008	Succeeded by Current nominee
Preceded by Harry Reid Nevada	Senate Democratic Whip January 3, 2005 - present	Succeeded by Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by Pat Roberts R-Kansas	United States Senators by seniority 31st	Succeeded by Tim Johnson D-South Dakota

Persondata
Name	Durbin, Richard
Alternative names
Short description	American lawyer, politician
Date of birth	November 21, 1944
Place of birth	East St. Louis, Illinois, United States
Date of death
Place of death