Richard J. Durbin is a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois, currently serving as the Senate Majority Whip, the second-highest position in Senate Democratic leadership. First elected to the Senate in 1996 after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1997, he is the longest-serving senator in Illinois history. He serves on the Appropriations Committee and chairs the Judiciary Committee, while also holding positions on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and multiple appropriations subcommittees covering defense, energy, transportation, labor, health, education, and foreign operations.

Name

Richard J. Durbin

Party

Democratic

State

Illinois

Committees

Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, Department of Defense Subcommittee, Energy and Water Development Subcommittee

Key Fact 1

Richard Durbin has served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois since 1997.

Key Fact 2

He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1997.

Key Fact 3

He currently holds the position of Senate Majority Whip, the second-ranking Democrat in Senate leadership.

Key Fact 4

He chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and serves on the Appropriations Committee.

Key Fact 5

His committee assignments include the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and the Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism Subcommittee.

Key Fact 6

He serves on multiple appropriations subcommittees covering defense, energy and water development, transportation and housing, and labor, health, and education funding.

Key Fact 7

He is the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Illinois history.

Key Fact 8

His appropriations work includes oversight of the State Department, foreign operations, and financial services funding.

Data from Congress.gov