Dick Durbin

Richard Durbin was born in 1944 and is currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Illinois. Senator Durbin’s seat is up for election in 2026.

Senator Dick Durbin is the convener of Illinois’ bipartisan congressional delegation. Durbin also serves as the Democratic Whip, the second highest ranking position among the Senate Democrats. Senator Durbin has been elected to this leadership post by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, and 2014. Prior to that, he represented Illinois’ 20th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 until 1997.

Senator Durbin is currently serving on the Judiciary Committee; the Appropriations Committee; the Rules and Administration Committee; and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.

Below is Senator Durbin’s voting record and public positions on issues important to the Jewish Community

Senator Durbin supported the Iran nuclear deal. In 2019, he voted for the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act which, among other things, strengthened Israel’s security and allowed a state or local government to adopt measures to divest its assets from entities that boycott Israel.

Senator Durbin cosponsored a resolution that opposes the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and the delegitimization of Israel.

Senator Durbin is an original cosponsor of Senate Resolution 234 – introduced in Congress on June 5th, 2019 – which reaffirms the commitment of the U.S. to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and argues that Israeli annexation of territory in the West Bank would undermine peace and Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state.