Press Releases
Durbin Urges USDA To Increase Enforcement Of Illegal Puppy Mills
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act to prevent operation of illegal puppy mills throughout the country. In a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, Durbin cited a recent report where a breeder in Georgia was arrested after he amassed more than 700 dogs and had been keeping them in filthy and uninhabitable conditions. Durbin questioned why USDA has begun a pilot program that gives breede… Continue Reading
04.16.19
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce New Bill To Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a group of 13 Senators, to introduce the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019, new legislation that would overhaul the flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will qualify for … Continue Reading
04.15.19
Durbin, Foster, Underwood Reintroduce American Cures Act and American Innovation Act
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) today were joined by researchers from Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine to announce their bicameral legislation to restore the United States' commitment to breakthrough scientific and biomedical research. The American Cures Act and the American Innovation Act would create a mandatory fund to provide steady, predictable funding for breakthrough research at America's top… Continue Reading
04.12.19
During Visit to Southwest Border, Durbin Talks Border Security With Customs Officials, Border Community Leaders
EL PASO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, was in El Paso, Texas, today to get a firsthand look at the situation on the southwest border. Durbin spent time with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry, where he received an overview of port operations, including the processing of unaccompanied minors, vehicle processing, and Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) systems, which help det… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Durbin, Cassidy Introduce REMEDY Act To Lower Drug Prices By Curbing Patent Manipulation, Promoting Generic Competition
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced a bipartisan bill to tackle the pharmaceutical industry's practice of gaming the patent system to extend monopolies on lifesaving drugs. The Reforming Evergreening and Manipulation that Extends Drug Years (REMEDY) Act, would lower prescription drug prices and promote competition by removing barriers to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for lower-cost generic drugs. Many high-cost, brand-name d… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urging Amtrak To Continue Support For Routes That Connect Rural Communities In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined a bipartisan group of Senators today calling on Amtrak to continue service to rural communities in Illinois and across the U.S. by investing in long-distance and state-supported routes. In a letter to Amtrak, the Senators requested responses to questions about Amtrak's budgeting process and proposed changes to long-distance and state-supported routes that would have major implications for rural communities who rely on Amtrak service to connect … Continue Reading
04.11.19
Durbin, Wicker, Leahy Reintroduce Legislation To Promote Study Abroad
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which creates a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities for American college students. Study abroad is an important component of a well-rounded post-secondary education, giving students the opportunity to engage with other cultures, enhance foreign language skills, and… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Lipinski, Schneider, Underwood Ask FDA About Alternatives To Ethylene Oxide For Medical Equipment Sterilization
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), today asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about any actions it has taken, or plans to take, to examine and evaluate alternate, non-cancer causing medical equipment sterilization methods for use in the United States. In a letter to the FDA, the members highlighted the alarmingly high levels of ethylene oxide (… Continue Reading
04.11.19
Durbin Continues To Push For Increased Medical Research Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today thanked Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for his leadership in working with Congress to secure increased funding for medical research over the past four years. Durbin has worked with Dr. Collins-as well as Labor-HHS Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)-to help provide the NIH with at least five percent real growth each year, f… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin Opposes Bernhardt Nomination To Be Interior Secretary
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the nomination of David Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Interior: "President Trump's nominee to serve as Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt, has spent his career lobbying against conservation policies in order to enrich Big Oil companies. He favors fossil fuel interests over the environmental, health, and safety interests of the American people. Americans deserve an Interior Secretar… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Push For Repeal Of Muslim Travel Ban, Prevent Future Discriminatory Bans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) today to introduce bicameral legislation to repeal President Donald Trump's existing executive order blocking travel from majority Muslim countries and prevent another baseless, discriminatory travel ban from happening again. The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act repeals the three versions of President Trump's Muslim t… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin: If President Trump Truly Cares About Venezuela, He Should Grant TPS Status To Venezuelans In The U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today once again called on President Donald Trump to promptly designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to ensure that Venezuelan nationals currently present in the United States are not forced to return to Venezuela at this dangerous time. In a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing yesterday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could not tell Durbin whether or not the Trump Administration would offer TPS to approximatel… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin Questions Jefferey Rosen, President Trump's Deputy AG Nominee
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned President Donald Trump's nominee to be Deputy U.S. Attorney General, Jeffrey Rosen - who has no prior Department of Justice (DOJ) experience - about his views on the opioid epidemic and criminal justice reform. Mr. Rosen showed a limited understanding of the DOJ's responsibility when it comes to the production of 13 billion opioid doses a year in America - enough to give eve… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin: President Trump's Demand For Troops At The Southwest Border Is Hurting Military Readiness
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, today questioned General Joseph L. Lengyel, Chief of The National Guard Bureau, on how the National Guard's deployment to the Southwest border is impacting military readiness. In today's hearing, Durbin noted that the National Guard's current deployment to the Southwest border is estimated to cost $247 million and that President Trump's Fiscal Year 2020 budget includes n… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin, Duckworth Push For Greater Federal Investments In Public Safety & Community Policing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and a group of 42 Senators today in requesting a minimum of $400 million in federal funding, a 75 percent increase from the current funding level, for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program to help local law enforcement bolster their community policing efforts. The COPS program was designed to advance public safety by addressing the full-time officer nee… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin Presses USDA Official On Food Stamp Eligibility For Illinois' Seniors
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today pressed Brandon Lipps, the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), about whether he would commit to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at residential facilities for low-income elderly and disabled people, which USDA has sought to strip in recent years in Illinois. In Illinois, there are ne… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Democrats Unveil Legislation To Cut Taxes For Workers & Families
WASHINGTON - Ahead of tax day and the IRS Commissioner's annual appearance before the Senate and House today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to lead 44 Senators - including Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) - in introducing the Working Families Tax Relief Act. At a time when wages are stagnant and the cost of childcare has exploded, the Working Families Tax Relief Act would cut taxes for workers and families by expa… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Introduce Sweeping Legislation To Address Harassment In The Workplace
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congresswomen Katherine Clark (D-MA-05) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) to introduce the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (Be HEARD) in the Workplace Act. The legislation takes critical steps to ensure businesses have more resources to prevent harassment and workers have more support when they seek accountability and justice, an… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Durbin Opposes Bernhardt Nomination To Be Interior Secretary
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the nomination of David Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Interior: "President Trump's nominee to serve as Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt, has spent his career lobbying against conservation policies in order to enrich Big Oil companies. He favors fossil fuel interests over the environmental, health, and safety interests of the American people. Americans deserve an Interior Secretar… Continue Reading
04.09.19
Durbin Presses Pompeo On Venezuela, Middle East Policies
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today derided Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he stated that the Trump Administration had not decided whether or not they would offer Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to approximately 72,000 Venezuelan nationals currently present in the United States who face real danger and chaos if forced to return to Venezuela. Last month, Durbin led 24 Senators in a letter to President Trump requesting that his Administration promptly designate… Continue Reading