Richard J. Durbin
Democrat · Senator for Illinois
139 sponsored · 507 cosponsored
In the Senate since 1997, in Congress since 1983
Age 82
Contact their office: (202) 224-2152 · 711 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 · Official website
In the 119th Congress (2025–2026)
- Sponsored 139 bills.The typical senator sponsored 61. Bills they wrote, not ones they signed on to.
- 2 bills they backed became law.They cosponsored them.
- 20 passed the Senate and wait on the House.The House has to pass the same text before it can become law.
- Missed 25 of 915 recorded votes (2.7%).The typical senator missed 2.2%. The record doesn’t say why.
- Works most on crime and law enforcement and education.84 and 62 of the 646 bills they wrote or backed.
What they got done
Most bills never get a vote. These are the ones they wrote or backed that got somewhere.
Became law (2)
- They cosponsoredA bill to provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes.Sep 25, 2026
This bill provides for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois.
Became law · 119-S-550
- Yes: Would Native Americans be better off under this?Directly benefits the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma by providing a path to settle land disputes. +6
This Act seeks to clarify and improve the existing 2016 Act. It aims to ensure that claims to recover Nazi-looted art are resolved on their actual merits rather than being dismissed due to various legal technicalities.
Became law · 119-S-1884
- Yes: Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?The bill enhances legal recourse for victims by precluding time-based and discretionary defenses. +7
Passed one chamber, waiting on the other (20)
Halfway: the other chamber has to pass the same text before it can go to the President.
This Act seeks to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993. The primary goal is to expand the scope of background checks for those working with vulnerable populations.
Passed the Senate with no one objecting, no names recorded · 119-S-1528
- Yes: Would children be better off under this?The bill enhances protections for vulnerable populations, including children, through expanded background check mandates. +5
This bill aims to improve rights to relief for people affected by non-consensual activities involving intimate digital forgeries.
Passed the Senate with no one objecting, no names recorded · 119-S-1837
- Yes: Does this protect people from AI fakes, scams and automated decisions about their lives?The bill creates a civil cause of action for victims of intimate digital forgeries, allowing for liquidated damages and injunctions. +7
Its main purpose is to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Specifically, the legislation updates the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Passed the Senate with no one objecting, no names recorded · 119-S-528
- Yes: Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?The bill provides $500,000,000 annually for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to protect water quality and ecosystems. +8
And 17 more on their Sponsored and Cosponsored pages.
Resolutions of theirs that were adopted (8)
A resolution is a chamber speaking for itself — a position, a rule or a tribute. Adopting it puts it into effect, but it is not a law.
- A resolution commending the Chicago Cubs baseball teams as it celebrates its 150th anniversary on August 29, 2026.
- A resolution expressing the condolences of the Senate and honoring the memory of the victims on the fourth anniversary of the mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on July 4, 2022.
- A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Ekpar Asat detained by the People's Republic of China during future engagements with Chinese President Xi Jingping.
- A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., and commending him for his significant leadership during the Civil Rights Movement and his decades of advocacy in pursuit of justice, equality, and human rights.
- A resolution celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA).
- A resolution designating February 2026 as "American Heart Month".
- A resolution honoring the service and memory of Army Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who died during a recovery mission in support of a regularly scheduled training exercise while serving in Lithuania.
- A resolution designating February 2025 as "American Heart Month".
Still waiting, of the 139 bills they wrote: 6 cleared committee and wait for a first vote, 123 are in committee. Committee is where most bills end, whoever writes them — silence there, not a vote, is the usual way a bill dies.
What their bills would do
Every bill is scored against plain yes-or-no questions. These count their bills — the ones they wrote and the ones they cosponsored — by how each question was answered: yes, or the opposite. Open one to see those bills, where each stands, and why it was scored that way. Scores are made by AI ().
Who their bills would affect
What else they would change
How they voted lately
Their latest votes that decided something, and what each measure would do.
This bill sets national rules for student athlete name, image, and likeness rights. It creates protections for academic progress, medical coverage, and health and safety standards.
The vote on whether to pass the bill — Bill Passed
- Yes: Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?Significantly expands earning potential through NIL rights and provides medical and academic protections for college athletes. +9
- No: Does this leave more decisions to the states?Prevents states from enforcing their own NIL compensation and transfer laws that conflict with the federal framework. -5
119-S-4668 · roll call 250
What the Amendment Does As folks looking out for the good of the people and holding our officials accountable, we need to know what our leaders are trying to change. This amendment, submitted by Mr. Booker and Mr.
A vote on a proposed change to the bill — Amendment Rejected
119-SAMDT-6835 · roll call 249
- YeaTo increase the limitation on funding for post-eligibility insurance and catastrophic injury for student athletes.Sep 29, 2026
What the Amendment Does Mr. Booker, along with Mr. Blumenthal, submitted this amendment to change how a specific fund or program is paid for in the bill.
A vote on a proposed change to the bill — Amendment Rejected
119-SAMDT-6805 · roll call 248
On the President’s nominees
The President chooses federal judges, cabinet secretaries, ambassadors and military officers, and the Senate decides whether each one gets the job. Most are confirmed by voice vote, which records no one’s position; in the 119th Congress (2025–2026) the Senate put 223 confirmations to a recorded vote, and confirmed every one.
They voted to confirm 29 and against 189, and did not vote on 5. Those votes covered 444 nominees, because the Senate sometimes confirms many in a single vote.
The 5 most recent they voted against
Angela Veronica Colmenero, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, vice Lee H. Rosenthal, retired.
Nomination Confirmed 50–47 · Sep 23, 2026
Kasdin Miller Mitchell, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, vice Barbara M. Lynn, retired.
Nomination Confirmed 49–45 · Sep 17, 2026
Matthew R. Byrne, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, vice Michael H. Watson, retired.
Nomination Confirmed 52–45 · Sep 15, 2026
Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be Attorney General, vice Pamela Bondi.
Nomination Confirmed 50–49 · Aug 8, 2026
Charlton Allen, of North Carolina, to be General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for a term of five years, vice Julia Akins Clark, term expired. — and 73 other nominees in the same vote
Nomination Confirmed 51–47 · Aug 7, 2026
How busy they have been
How many bills they have put their name to over time — volume, not results: most bills never get a vote.