Dick Durbin

That I think is an indication, at least a few years ago, a snapshot of the scarcity of medical professionals at the highest level, doctors and such.

We've learned the hard way that these countries with very few medical resources, when they face this kind of epidemic challenge, are only a 10-hour plane ride away from the United States.

I hope and expect that in the next day or two the Senate will vote in favor of the $88 million that Senator Moran and I worked to secure in the continuing resolution (CR) to do just that.

I have been working and we included in the immigration bill which passed the U.S. Senate a provision which provided in one respect if you are medically trained in Africa and have promised to serve in Africa for a certain period of time…

today we remember 9/11. The President, First Lady and Vice President led a moment of silence at the White House this morning. The anniversary was observed at the Pentagon, at Ground Zero in New York, and in a field in Shanksville, PA…

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 2794 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of…

I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is recognized. America's National Security

most Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the American people are awaiting the President's speech this evening. It is a critically important speech about America's national security from our Commander in Chief. It is…

I wish to ask the Senator this question: If amnesty means the person has a right to citizenship or legal status on a permanent basis, is the Senator from Texas suggesting the deferral of deportation under DACA--is that a kind of amnesty?

Will the Senator yield for a question? Most people believe amnesty means a free pass. Whatever you have done, you stay in the United States and you stay in the United States and you become a citizen. Let me say to the Senator from Texas…

And go through an orderly process returning to their countries. But what the Senator from Texas is asking us to do is to disqualify up to 2 million young people who are here in the United States and can qualify for DACA as DREAMers--people…

No. I would say, if I might, through the Chair, it is not the argument that anyone is making that these children should receive amnesty. What we are saying is they should be treated humanely----

I am going to give a brief statement about corporate inversion, but before I do I wish to respond to the Senator from Texas, who is my friend, and we have served together for many years. He has taken the floor for a period of time and…

when a company moves its corporate headquarters overseas, but only on paper so it can avoid paying its fair share of U.S. taxes, these companies , are called corporate inverters. But let's call them what they really are: corporate…

I have no choice. He went to jail for something he had not done.

From the beginning of this nation, the drafting of the Constitution, we have grappled with one fundamental issue, many, but this one recurs. The issue of race and justice in America--a Constitution which acknowledged slavery, a nation…

It is important to do that and to assess each case on an individual basis and have a fresh look and an individual assessment.

It is a challenge to us on this side as it is to those on your side of the table to restore that sense of justice and feeling of fairness in our courts across America.

I think it is important to have discretion and to trust the judge to exercise that discretion within certain limits.

One of the things that inspired me to move in this direction was the judiciary, judges who came back after applying our laws to their case and saying, 'Senator, this is not fair. It is not just.'

I think it is important to make sure that judge's hands are not handcuffed and that the judge does have discretion in those situations to give the appropriate sentence.

It is one of those eye-opening moments when you say I wonder if there is a good bill out there somewhere.

Thanks, Senator Cornyn.

I have had a chance, having served here for a few years, to interview a lot of people aspiring to the Federal bench.

If I am an impoverished criminal defendant, minority, standing before you as my judge, do I have a chance?