Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Join Merkley In Introducing Legislation to Protect Consumers From Predatory Payday Lending Practices
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), in introducing the Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act. The SAFE Lending Act will protect consumers from deceptive and predatory practices that strip wealth from working families by cracking down on some of the worst abuses stemming from the … Continue Reading
November 15, 2022
Durbin Talks Renewable Energy for Rural Communities in Agriculture Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing entitled "Farm Bill 2023: Rural Development and Energy Programs." During the hearing, Durbin spoke about benefits of expanding renewable energy into rural communities, including solar panels. "We just got our utility bill at our home in Springfield, Illinois, for the month of October. I'm pleased to report to you that we are not being charged for any … Continue Reading
November 15, 2022
Durbin Questions Colleen R. Lawless, Nominated to the Central District of Illinois, In Judiciary Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Colleen R. Lawless, nominated to be United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois. During the hearing, Durbin questioned Judge Lawless about her approach to maintaining an evenhanded and impartial courtroom if confirmed to the Central District of Illinois. Durbin previously worked as an attorney in the … Continue Reading
November 15, 2022
Durbin, Wicker Reintroduce Legislation to Promote Study Abroad
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and John Katko (R-NY-24) who recently introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, today introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which renames a competitive grant program run by the Department of State to the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program. This grant helps institutions of higher … Continue Reading
November 15, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Hearing on Latest Circuit And District Court Nominations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Robert Stewart Ballou, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia; Todd E. Edelman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia; Kymberly Kathryn Evanson, to be … Continue Reading
November 14, 2022
Durbin: Young Voters Turned Out in Record Numbers to Keep Our Democracy Alive
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reflected on the recent 2022 midterm election results from across the country, which kept Senate Democrats in the majority. A record number of young voters turned out and voted to protect reproductive rights, address climate change, preserve our democracy, and much more. Durbin began his speech by highlighting President Lincoln's speech in 1862 in which he … Continue Reading
November 04, 2022
Durbin Statement on New Report on Sexual Misconduct By Bureau of Prisons Staff
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement in response to a new Department of Justice (DOJ) report assessing DOJ's response to sexual misconduct by Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees: "This week's DOJ report on pervasive sexual abuse in our nation's federal prisons is evidence of the desperate need for reform. The new Director, Colette Peters, needs to show resolve and Congress needs to … Continue Reading
November 03, 2022
Durbin Visits FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in East St. Louis, Urges Residents Affected By Flooding to Apply for Federal Assistance by December 16th
EAST ST. LOUIS - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to discuss relief efforts after historic storms caused widespread damage across the region in July. More than $5 million in federal assistance has already been approved for St. Clair County residents across several FEMA programs. Affected residents should submit an application to FEMA as soon as possible at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling … Continue Reading
November 03, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $208 Million in Federal Funding to Help Illinoisans Heat Their Homes This Winter
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $208,170,481 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help Illinoisans pay the rising cost of home heating bills this winter. For more than 40 years, LIHEAP has provided assistance to help low-income individuals and families maintain healthy indoor temperatures during the coldest months … Continue Reading
November 01, 2022
Durbin Discusses $16.84 Million in Federal Funding for Decatur Public Transit System Electric Fleet Efforts
DECATUR - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Decatur Public Transit System (DPTS) to discuss the $16.84 million in federal funding he secured through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Low-No Emissions and Bus Facilities Program for the City of Decatur's electric fleet efforts. DPTS will use this funding to replace four diesel buses with hybrid buses (with the goal to eventually transition to fully electric), make electrical upgrades to convert a new facility to a bus … Continue Reading
October 28, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $36 Million in Federal Funding to Bring High-Speed Internet Access to Communities Across Rural Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $36,103,607 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to bring high-speed internet access to people living and working across 13 counties in Illinois. Today's investments include funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which provided a historic $65 billion to expand reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to all communities … Continue Reading
October 27, 2022
Durbin Receives Update From YMCA of Rock River Valley on Plans for Youth Center Following $750,000 Earmark
ROCKFORD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the YMCA of Rock River Valley to discuss the $750,000 in federal funding he and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) secured through Congressionally Directed Spending-commonly known as an earmark-in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill to renovate the old Lutheran Church of Good Shepherd to house a Youth Center. This funding will allow the YMCA to refurbish and expand the space, including a recreational space and a … Continue Reading
October 27, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $8 Million in Federal Funding for Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project will receive $8,000,000 in federal funding through the Department of Transportation's Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which is administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration. With this funding, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project will install new rail tracks to create yard near an existing port terminal … Continue Reading
October 26, 2022
Durbin Announces $450,000 For Chicago State University Health Sciences Simulation Lab
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Chicago State University (CSU) to discuss the $450,000 in federal funding he secured through Congressionally Directed Spending-more commonly known as an earmark-in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Omnibus appropriations bill to purchase science laboratory equipment for their Health Sciences Simulation Lab. This funding will be used to help students learn best practices in pediatric and home health care, as well as support a workforce pipeline … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Durbin, Schiff Demand Google And Youtube Crack Down on Dangerous Incel Content
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) urged the CEOs of Alphabet and YouTube to take new, aggressive actions to limit the spread of extreme and harmful incel content on their platforms. Incels, or "involuntary celibates," are individuals - typically young men - who express extreme hatred of women and women's equality, and believe women should be subjugated by men. According to a … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $1.48 Million for Nursing Education Programs in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $1,483,510 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants for Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and Loyola University in Chicago. The HHS funding was awarded through the Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program and the Registered Nurse Training Program. The Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program supports partnerships between … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth Lead Colleagues in Call to EPA to Strengthen the Lead and Copper Rule to Replace Harmful Lead Pipes
WASHINGTON - During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, along with 13 of their Senate colleagues, wrote to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of steps they have taken to develop and implement the Biden Administration's historic Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan. In light of EPA's decision to draft Lead and Copper … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Durbin Announces $8.25 Million in Federal Funding For Electric Bus Infrastructure In Illinois
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced distribution details for the $8.25 million in federal funding that he secured in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Omnibus appropriations bill for electric buses. The funding, which was earmarked by Durbin for his Statewide Electric Bus and Charging Infrastructure Program, will go toward building up the state's fleet of electric buses and constructing electric vehicle charging … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley, Casten, Schakowsky Call on USPS Board of Governors to Protect Postal Workers After Inaction From Postmaster General Dejoy
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), Sean Casten (D-IL-6), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors to express their concern over the inadequate response to the rise in violent crime against mail carriers. The letter comes after the lawmakers received an apathetic response to a Durbin-led letter in July that called on Postmaster General Louis … Continue Reading
October 20, 2022
Durbin, Blumenthal, Scanlon Urge Justice Department to Publicly Disclose Data on Prosecution of Corporate Crime
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expand its Department-wide corporate crime data collection. "Comprehensive Department-wide data collection and a searchable public database of the resolutions of Department actions against corporations and … Continue Reading