Dick Durbin

Dick Durbin is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Illinois, a seat he has held since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the Senate Majority Whip since 2021, having previously served as the Senate Minority Whip from 2005 to 2021. Durbin is the dean of Illinois's congressional delegation and currently chairs the influential Senate Judiciary Committee.

Early life and education

Richard Joseph Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, to an Irish-American family. His father, William Durbin, worked for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and his mother, Ann (née O'Brien), was a homemaker. He attended Assumption High School in East St. Louis before enrolling at Georgetown University. At Georgetown University, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in 1966 and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1969.

Early political career

After law school, Durbin served as a legal advisor to Illinois's Lieutenant Governor, Paul Simon. He later worked as a professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. His first foray into elected office came in 1982 when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, defeating 11-term Republican incumbent Paul Findley in the 20th congressional district. He served seven terms in the House, where he served on the House Appropriations Committee and became known for his work on agricultural and public health issues, including authoring the law banning smoking on domestic airline flights.

U.S. Senate career

Durbin was elected to the United States Senate in 1996, succeeding the retiring Paul Simon. He was re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. In 2005, he was elected by his colleagues as the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Senate Democratic leadership. He has served on several powerful committees, including the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Rules Committee. In 2021, he became the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, presiding over high-profile Supreme Court nomination hearings for justices like Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Political positions

Durbin is considered a mainstream liberal Democrat. He is a strong advocate for gun control, having introduced legislation like the Assault Weapons Ban. He has been a leading voice on immigration reform, co-sponsoring the DREAM Act to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. On foreign policy, he was a prominent opponent of the Iraq War and has advocated for robust diplomacy with nations like Iran. He supports healthcare reform, environmental protection policies to combat climate change, and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.

Personal life

Durbin married Loretta Schaefer in 1967, and they have three children together. He is a practicing Roman Catholic and resides in Springfield, Illinois. An avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, he is known for his interest in American history and biography. He has authored a book on the Senate titled *The Senate of the Roman Republic*.

Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from Illinois Category:Democratic Party United States senators