Ahead Of Confirmation Vote, Durbin Slams Senate Republicans For Jamming Through Supreme Court Nomination Instead Of Focusing On COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the confirmation vote for President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through this nomination process instead of focusing on the urgent needs of the American people, including comprehensive bipartisan legislation to respond to the grave public he… Continue Reading

Durbin Receives Update From Illinois Director of Public Health on COVID-19 Case Surge

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across Illinois with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. On a call with Dr. Ezike, Durbin asked what Illinois will need as COVID-19 cases increase and how the federal government can support state efforts to keep people healthy and safe. Durbin also received a briefing about the state's testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) capacity, plans for the eventual di… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Recent Surge of COVID-19 Cases with Illinois Hospital Officials

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, on a call with more than 20 CEOs of Illinois hospitals and AJ Wilhelmi, President of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association, discussed the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. Illinois recorded its highest number of new cases (6,161) on Saturday, and on Sunday, Illinois also recorded its highest number of hospitalized patients (2,605) since June 5. Durbin thanked the hospi… Continue Reading

Durbin: Republicans Jamming Supreme Court Nomination Through at Breakneck Speed & Disregarding Pandemic and Risk to Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today once again slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court instead of focusing on the urgent needs of the American people, including comprehensive bipartisan legislation to respond to the grave public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin also called on Judge Amy C… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams Senate Republicans for Rushing Through Supreme Court Nomination Instead of Focusing on Bipartisan COVID-19 Pandemic Relief

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court instead of focusing on the urgent needs of the American people, including comprehensive bipartisan legislation to respond to the grave public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, the U.S. set a single-day record … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Springfield Rail Improvement Project with Federal Railroad Administrator

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Ron Batory, the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), to discuss the recent $10 million grant award to the City of Springfield, Illinois, for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. Durbin thanked Administrator Batory for his support of the project. "The Springfield Rail Improvement Project will improve rail speed and service reliability and keep passengers, drivers, and pedestrians safe. It also creates good… Continue Reading

Durbin: McConnell Ignoring Grave Threat Of COVID-19 In Order To Rush Through President Trump's Nominee To The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) single-minded focus on rushing through President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court instead of focusing on a comprehensive bipartisan response to the grave public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin urged Leader McConnell to start negotiating in good faith - as the Senate did in March when it passe… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Purdue Pharma DOJ Settlement

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announcing an $8.3 billion settlement with OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma: "For years, Purdue Pharma flooded America with painkillers and lies, profiting off the addiction epidemic they created. Too many families have suffered and too many lives have been lost for the Trump Justice Department to let the billionaire Sackler family off the hook with a meager fine and… Continue Reading

Durbin-Sullivan Due Process Protections Act Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today released the following statements after S. 1380, the Due Process Protections Act, was signed into law. Durbin and Sullivan introduced the bill to help ensure that federal prosecutors respect the constitutional right of defendants to access favorable and potentially exculpatory evidence. "The Due Process Clause is enshrined in our Constitution as a check against government overreach, but there are inadequate safeguards … Continue Reading

Durbin To Vote Against President Trump's Supreme Court Nomination Of Amy Coney Barrett

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he will vote against President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court and will not participate in this Thursday's Judiciary Committee markup due to Republicans' repeated violations of the Committee's rules in their haste to rush through this nomination: "President Trump and Republicans are violating every tradition in the Senate to… Continue Reading

Durbin On McConnell COVID-19 Bill: An Effort To Find Political Cover, Not Real Help

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) partisan COVID-19 relief proposal as "an effort that throws that five-foot rope to a man drowning 30 feet from shore," and spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals and health clinics, state and local governments, schools, and small businesses amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin also urged Leader McConnell to start negotiating… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses SSA To Explain COVID-19 Reopening Strategies In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide information on its plan to safely reopen facilities and resume operations nationwide and in Chicago, Illinois. In a letter to SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul, Durbin urged the agency work to ensure that any effort to reopen facilities be based on scientific data and incorporate a clear and comprehensive operations plan to protect employees and their families. "I have received concerning… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Democrats To Attorney General Barr: Drop Lawsuit To Gut The Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 17 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General William Barr, urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to rescind its support of the Supreme Court lawsuit brought by 18 Republican state Attorneys General that seeks to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In the letter, the Senators highlight how health insurance protections for millions of Americans are at stake in … Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Trump Administration On Dismal Refugee Resettlement Goal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today on a call with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli pressed the Trump Administration on its dismal refugee resettlement goal of merely 15,000 refugees to the U.S. in the coming year, the lowest target in history. Prior to any presidential determination o… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Republican's Partisan COVID-19 Relief Proposal Is Half-Hearted And Half-Inspired

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) partisan COVID-19 relief proposal as "half-hearted" and "half-inspired," and spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals and health clinics, state and local governments, and small businesses amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin also urged Leader McConnell to start negotiating in good faith - as the Senate did in March when it pas… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Illinoisans To Highlight What Is At Stake If The ACA Is Struck Down By The Supreme Court

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) held a news conference at the International Union of Operating Engineers to discuss the Supreme Court nomination and what is at stake if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were to be struck down. Durbin was joined by two Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions who shared their stories highlighting the importance of the protections provided by the ACA. "We are in the middle of a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 217,000 Americans and infected more th… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges FDA To Enhance E-Cigarette Transparency & Enforcement, Publish List Of Product Applications

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strongly enforce its own regulations to protect kids from addictive e-cigarettes by publishing a list of products that submitted premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), and remove products that did not submit PMTAs. After years of delayed regulatory oversight, which fueled the explosion in youth e-cigarette use, FDA finally required e-cigarette PMTAs to be submitted for review on September 9. … Continue Reading

Durbin: Affordable Care Act, Women's Right To Privacy & Choice, Election Integrity At Stake With This Supreme Court Nomination

WASHINGTON - On the fourth day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reiterated what is at stake with this Supreme Court nomination, including the Affordable Care Act, the right to privacy and choice, and the outcome of the election. "We know that this process is really stacked-the President told us so, repeatedly. Where we can't get a direct answer from the nominee,… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Montgomery, Illinois Family's Health Care Story As Fourth Day Of Supreme Court Nomination Hearing Begins

WASHINGTON - As the fourth day of the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett begins today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared the health care story of Nate Lau, 8, from Montgomery, Illinois, who has relied upon protections enshrined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to access critical health care treatments. At three months old, Nate was diagnosed with a condition known as biliary atresia that causes scarring a… Continue Reading

Durbin: Army Corps Gives Final Approval To Begin Quincy Bay Restoration Project

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after being informed by the Army Corps that the Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division has approved the Quincy Bay Restoration Project to receive federal funding through the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program: "I know how important this project is for Quincy and today's news is a major step forward in the effort to restore the Bay. This project will reverse the impact that sedimenta… Continue Reading