“We must institute reasonable, common-sense limits, such as barring those with a history of mental instability, those with a history of violent crime or adjudged dangerous and subject to restraining orders, and those whose names have been placed on a terrorist watch list from owning weapons.”

American politician and attorney

Dick Durbin is an American politician and attorney, serving as the senior United States senator from Illinois since 1997. A Democrat, he is known for his long Senate career and his leadership role in the chamber. Durbin is in his fifth Senate term and has served as Senate Democratic Whip since 2005, and as Senate minority whip since 2025. He is the longest-serving Democratic whip since the post was created in 1913.