Dick Durbin

Ben Cardin

U.S. SENATOR DICK DURBIN

(SENATE MAJORITY WHIP)

D-ILLINOIS

 

RACE SUMMARY:  

VOTING RECORD: Project Vote Smart, Govtrack US

 

BIOGRAPHY POLITICAL CAREER

Party: Democrat

Born: 11/21/1944

Education: Georgetown University (B.S.); Georgetown University Law School (J.D.)

Occupation: Lawyer

Family: Married; 3 children (one deceased)

Religion: Roman Catholic

Career:

  • U.S. House of Representatives (1983-1997)
  • U.S. Senator (1997-present)
  • Assistant Minority Leader/Minority Whip (2015-present)

Committees:

  • Committee on Appropriations
  • Committee on the Judiciary - Chair
  • Committee on Agriculture, Nutrion, & Forestry

Elected: 1996, 1982

 

ISRAEL


  • Durbin cosponsored a resolution expressing vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare of the state of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
  • Supported U.S. funding for Israel's Iron Dome defense program

CHOICE


  • Earned a 100 percent pro-choice rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America
  • Supports Roe v. Wade
  • Supports Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive insurance coverage policy
  • Voted against the Blunt Amendment, also known as the Birth Control Refusal Law, which would have allowed any employer to refuse to cover contraception or any health service required under the health reform law for virtually any reason
  • Supported increased funding for women’s health services, which includes Title X family planning programs
  • Co-sponsored Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act (Not My Bosses Business Act). This Act was aimed at countering the Supreme Court Hobby Lobby decision and would prohibit for-profit employers that maintain a group health plan for its employees from using religions beliefs to deny employees coverage of contraception or any other vital health service required by federal law.

 

In His Own Words


“My support for Israel is strong, as is my commitment to peace in the Middle East. Israel remains an important U.S. ally in the Middle East and the only stable multi-party democracy in the region. The strong and steady friendship between our two countries is built on a solid foundation of shared values, mutual support, and trust, and is in the fundamental interest of both nations.” 1

Throughout my 20 years as an elected official, I have strived to be a leader in the fight to protect womens rights. In addition to preserving womens reproductive rights, I have fought cuts in family planning funding and supported the coverage of contraceptives in health insurance programs.2

SOURCES: 1 www.durbin.senate.gov, 2 www.dickdurbin.com

Interesting Facts


Durbin is  the first Illinois Democrat to win four Senate terms, and the state’s second-longest serving Senator.

Durbin was an intern in the office of former Illinois Senator Paul Douglas during his senior year in college.

He also worked for former Senator Paul Simon when Simon was Illinois Lt. Governor.