Press Releases
Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday met virtually with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who remains in hiding in Caracas. Ms. Machado was fairly chosen by voters in last year’s opposition primary to run against Nicolas Maduro in the July 2024 presidential election, but was crudely disqualified by the Maduro regime. Retired Venezuelan diplomat … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Pharmacy Benefit Managers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “PBM Power Play: Examining Competition Issues in the Prescription Drug Supply Chain.” This hearing will investigate the role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play in the drug supply chain and their impact on competition, patients, providers, and pharmacies. In his remarks, Durbin highlighted the … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
In Senate AG Committee Hearing, Durbin Speaks About Deadly Cost Of Dust Storms, Advocates For Programs To Incentive Farmers To Plant Cover Crops
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced Mrs. Megan Dwyer, an Illinoisan and the Director of Conservation and Nutrient Stewardship at the Illinois Corn Growers Association, at today’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. The hearing, entitled “Perspectives from the Field, Part 4: Conservation,” focused on farm conservation programs to promote soil health, water quality, air quality, and … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin, Delauro Introduce Bill To Ban Child Labor On Tobacco Farms
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today reintroduced legislation to protect child workers from the dangers of exposure to tobacco plants, including nicotine poisoning. The Children Don’t Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to prohibit children under the age of 18 from working in tobacco fields and coming into direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves by deeming this type of … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Pharmacy Benefit Managers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “PBM Power Play: Examining Competition Issues in the Prescription Drug Supply Chain.” The hearing investigated the role pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play in the drug supply chain and their impact on competition, patients, providers, and pharmacies. Durbin began by challenging his colleagues on both … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin Meets With Chief Of Air Force Reserve
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Lt. Gen. John Healy, Chief of the Air Force Reserve, to discuss military readiness and supporting the mission of the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base. Over the last four years, Durbin has protected the 932nd Airlift Wing from disinvestment, securing nearly $60 million for aircraft upgrades to help maintain C-40 aircraft flown by the Wing’s … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin Calls Out Republicans' Plan to Strip Health Care From Millions Of Americans In Largest Cut To Medicaid In American History
WASHINGTON - Following the release of a non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report revealing that Republicans’ plan would kick nearly 14 million Americans off their health insurance, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) criticized Republicans’ dangerous proposal to fund tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding—making it the largest Medicaid cut in history. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized that Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Colleagues File Amicus Brief Slamming President Trump's Lawless Attempts To Dismantle The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and 41 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit brought forth after President Trump illegally fired staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The amicus brief condemns mass firings at the CFPB, reiterates that Congress created the CFPB to … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Budzinski Announce Final Segment Of Springfield Rail Improvements Project Can Move Forward
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fully obligated $157,126,494 in federal funding for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP), allowing construction to move forward. The multi-phased project is a large-scale effort supported by local, state, and federal funding designed to alleviate … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15 Million In Federal Funding For O'Hare International Airport
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $15,743,737 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for taxiway extensions for increased aircraft operations at O’Hare International Airport. “O’Hare keeps millions of Americans connected with reliable air travel. By improving and modernizing its infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for increased connectivity and reliability,” said … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $4.8 Million In Federal Funding For Illinois Airports
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $4,820,837 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to airports throughout Illinois. “By improving and modernizing airport infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for increased connectivity and reliability,” said Durbin. “Today’s announced federal funding for upgrading our airports across Illinois will enhance the travel … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin Discusses Trump Cuts To AmeriCorps Programs With Program Alumni
CHICAGO ? U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined leaders from Public Allies Chicago and North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) , as well as AmeriCorps alumni, to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s elimination of federal funding for AmeriCorps programs. “From rebuilding homes and providing rural health care, to tutoring kids after school and cleaning up after natural disasters, AmeriCorps supports our most under-resourced communities,” said Durbin. … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Durbin, Blumenthal, Senators Pen Letter To HHS Secretary Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Makary Urging Them To Halt Efforts To Weaken Food Oversight
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and three of their Senate Democratic colleagues today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary raising concerns about recent changes to the FDA that will weaken the Human Foods Program, which spearheads all food safety and nutrition efforts at FDA. The Senators’ letter comes as Secretary … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Durbin, Smith, Schneider, Stevens Introduce Bill To Address Teaching Shortages In High-Need Schools
WASHINGTON - During Teacher Appreciation Week, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), along with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), today introduced bicameral legislation, the RETAIN Act, that would address the severe nationwide shortage of early childhood and K-12 teachers that disproportionately impacts students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, and students from rural … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Trump Withdrawing Ed Martin's Nomination To Be U.S. Attorney For D.C.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding President Trump’s announcement that he will withdraw Ed Martin’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia: “Ed Martin’s commentary and affiliations left no doubt that he was not qualified to serve as the top law enforcement official for our nation’s capital. Nearly every day, new disqualifying information … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Durbin, Luján Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Improve AI Testing, Safeguarding Americans Against Risks
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced the Testing and Evaluation Systems for Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TEST) AI Act of 2025, legislation to improve the federal government’s capacity to test and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to drive innovation, protect national security, and build trust and confidence for Americans utilizing AI … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Durbin Requests Probe Into Justice Department Use Of Aircraft For Personal Or Political Purposes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today requested a review of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) use of government-owned aircraft by senior executives, in light of concerns about compliance with federal regulations that restrict nonmission-related travel and require reimbursement for personal or political use. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Durbin began by asserting his request, writing: “I … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Klobuchar Raise Privacy Concerns About New DOGE Scrutiny of Farmer Finances With USDA Loans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for more information about reports that farm loans and loan guarantees must be inspected and cleared by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees. “We write to express concern about a reported memorandum … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Durbin, Shaheen, Wicker Meet With Belarusian Opposition Leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) yesterday met with Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to discuss efforts to bring democracy to her country. In 2020, Tsikhanouskaya likely won the disputed election against Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko after filling in for her … Continue Reading
May 06, 2025
Durbin Meets With Illinois Members Of Rail Labor Unions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members from Illinois’ rail labor unions and leaders from the Railroad Retirement Board to discuss ensuring adequate and timely retirement benefits for workers. During their meeting, Durbin and the rail leaders spoke about delays in processing benefits due to staffing shortages and the uncertainty caused by the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) move to shutter federal building across the country. Durbin … Continue Reading