Durbin Slams Senate Republicans' Inadequate Coronavirus Response Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans' and President Donald Trump's proposed partisan coronavirus response legislation, which was finally released last night - ten weeks after the House passed the Heroes Act and four days before expanded federal unemployment benefits are set to expire. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called out Republicans' plan to cut the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit to $200 per week. Nationwide, as ma… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Republican's Outline For Fourth Coronavirus Stimulus Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on Congressional Republicans' and the Trump Administration's outlined proposal for a fourth coronavirus economic stimulus package: "Ten weeks after the House passed the Heroes Act, and four days before expanded unemployment benefits expire, Republicans and the Trump Administration have finally outlined their priority for the next coronavirus stimulus package: helping corporations over working fami… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rubio, Cardin Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Calling For Free, Fair, & Transparent Election In Belarus

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for a free, fair, and transparent presidential election in Belarus taking place on August 9, 2020, including the unimpeded participation of all presidential candidates. Long-term strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus as an undemocratic dictatorship amid a series of flawed elections going back to 1994. In the most recent 2010 and 2015 presidential… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses EPA To Explain COVID-19 Facility Reopening Strategies

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide information on its plan to safely reopen facilities and resume operations. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Durbin urged the agency work to ensure that any effort to reopen facilities be done so at an appropriate time, based on scientific data, and incorporate a clear and comprehensive operations plan to protect employees and their families. "As the EPA continues to … Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal, Brown Call For Delay Of Naciqi Review Of Higher

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH today called on the U.S. Department of Education to delay the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity's (NACIQI) review of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) currently scheduled for July 29-30. The Senators highlighted media reports that NACIQI will be reviewing a report by the Office of Postsecondary Education that alleges HLC was out of compliance with accreditation crit… Continue Reading

Durbin And Welch To Fed: Excessive Debit Swipe Fees Are Hurting Merchants During Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell expressing concern over troubling debit card industry practices that are diminishing competition and costing American merchants potentially billions in excessive swipe fees. Under current law, enacted as part of the 2010 "Durbin Amendment," banks that issue debit cards must enable at least two unaffiliated debit networks to be available for each debit c… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $700,000 For Housing Programs In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that three housing authorities across Illinois will receive a total of $696,023 in federal funding to support public housing needs in the community. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Emergency Safety and Security Grant (ESSG) program. "This federal investment will give local housing agencies in Cairo, Danville, and Belleville the ability to improve publi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Perdue Lead Bipartisan Group Of Members Urging Congress To Address Shortage Of Doctors, Nurses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) led a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to include their bipartisan, bicameral Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act in the next coronavirus relief package. This legislation was introduced earlier this year to quickly strengthen the health care workforce and improve health care access for Americans during the COVID-19 crisis. It has received strong support from our nation's medical community. The members' proposa… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Priorities For Next Coronavirus Supplemental Legislation, Including Investments In Education And Child Care

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a news conference at Little Village Elementary School to discuss his priorities for the next coronavirus federal relief package, including federal assistance for education and child care through the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act. The legislation addresses the national child care and education crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and provides relief to students, families, schools, and educators across the country. The le… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Illinois Delegation Discuss COVID-19 With Chicago Mayor Lightfoot

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with several members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, spoke with Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot about Chicago's ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response and how they can continue to assist her efforts to protect Illinoisans as the state re-opens. The group discussed how federal support can provide Illinois families and businesses with relief from the health and economic consequences of the pandemic, and what shou… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $10 Million For Head Start Programs In The City Of Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $10,050,044 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the City of Chicago. Head Start and Early Head Start provide comprehensive child development programs for low-income children from birth to age five. "Head Start and Early Head start programs help ensure that children in Ch… Continue Reading

Durbin To DOJ: We Will Not Allow What Happened In Portland To Happen In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) on the Senate floor to discuss the events unfolding in Portland, Oregon, in which heavily armed, unmarked federal forces in unmarked vehicles were filmed grabbing protesters off the street. Durbin also discussed the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) announcement of an expansion of Operation Legend to Chicago, Illinois, and committed to hold DOJ accountable to the stated goal of the operation, w… Continue Reading

Durbin, Baldwin, Smith, Bustos Introduce Bill To Address Teacher Shortages In Low-Income And Communities of Color

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today introduced a bicameral bill that would address severe nationwide shortages of early childhood and K-12 teachers that disproportionately impacts students from low-income backgrounds and students of color. Exacerbated by low pay, school leadership instability, and poor teaching conditions, schools in low-income communities struggle to retain expe… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage of NDAA

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes authorization for $44 million for vaccine and biotechnology research related to COVID-19: "The Senate's passage of the NDAA shows that members on both sides of the aisle are committed to a strong national defense and to the protectio… Continue Reading

Durbin Attempts To Pass Legislation To Protect Children Of Immigrant Workers In The Green Card Backlog

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, made a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately pass the Protect Children of Immigrant Workers Act, a simple provision to allow children to keep their place in line for a green card and be protected from deportation until they can get their own green card. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) objected. Lee also objected to this unanimous consent… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Colleagues To Introduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and 45 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the bipartisan John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act, end the scourge of minority voter suppression, and help preserve the legacy of John Lewis - one of America's greatest civil rights heroes. In 2013, the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision gutted critical voter protections… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Expansion Of DOJ Operation Legend To Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) announcing an expansion of Operation Legend to Chicago, Illinois. Operation Legend is DOJ's violent crime reduction initiative with the stated goal to provide support and assistance to state and local law enforcement partners as they work to combat violent crime, and gun violence in particular. Durbin and Duckworth are set to speak with U.S.… Continue Reading

Durbin To Trump And Senate Republicans: Don't Rip Away Health Care For Millions During Public Health Crisis

WASHINGTON - As the Trump Administration and Senate Republicans continue to push the Supreme Court to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, which provides health care coverage for millions of Americans, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) condemned the Administration's reckless effort in the middle of a public health emergency. Durbin highlighted how the abolition of the ACA would be devastating to women nationwide by eliminating protections for pre-existing conditions, allowing insurance companies to … Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With FDA Commissioner About COVID-19 Vaccine Development

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn about the research and approval process for COVID-19 vaccine candidates under Operation Warp Speed. On the call, Durbin pressed Hahn about maintaining the integrity of the FDA's safety and efficacy standard, and not cutting corners or permitting political interference in the effort to quickly develop a vaccine-especially given the controversy surrounding President Tru… Continue Reading

Durbin Attempts To Pass Legislation To Protect Immigrant Workers & Children In The Green Card Backlog

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today made two unanimous consent (UC) requests to protect immigrant workers and their children who are stuck in the green card backlog. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) objected to both requests. First, Durbin asked for unanimous consent to pass the Lee-Durbin bipartisan agreement, which amends Lee's Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. The… Continue Reading