Dick Durbin is the senior United States Senator from Illinois, having served in the Senate since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, he was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, in 1944 and earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Before his election to the Senate, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives for ten years representing the Springfield area. He was elected Senate Democratic Whip in 2004 and held that position for nearly two decades, making him one of the longest-serving members of the Senate Democratic leadership in history.
Durbin chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and has been a central figure in Senate deliberations on immigration, criminal justice, and judicial nominations. He is the author of the DREAM Act and has been one of Congress's most persistent advocates for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. His long tenure and leadership experience have made him one of the most influential Democratic senators, known for his skills as a floor manager and dealmaker across a wide range of legislation.