Durbin, Senators Press AG Barr On Politicization Of Immigration Courts

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and a group of their colleagues, pressed Attorney General William Barr for information and documents related to the brazen politicization and maladministration of American immigration courts under President Donald Trump. Against the backdrop of President Trump's extreme and cruel anti-immigrant rhetoric, the Trump Justice Department has quietly undermined immigration courts' … Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Introduce Gun Safety Bill To Allow Preservation & Disclosure Of Federal Gun Data

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) to introduce bicameral legislation to greatly enhance the ability of law enforcement to investigate and solve gun crimes, crack down on gun trafficking and negligent gun dealers, and allow researchers to study gun violence and its impact on communities across the country. The Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act would enable the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Bipartisan Call For Federal Government To Reimburse States, Cities For Coronavirus Efforts

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and a bipartisan group of colleagues in a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish clear guidelines for how local and state governments-including Illinois-will be reimbursed for costs incurred while assisting the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak. "We write to ask that your department establish clear guidelines for state and local… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Iran War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last month, to prevent a war with Iran without congressional approval. In January, the House passed a similar war powers resolution 224 to 194. It will now go to the President's desk for his signature or veto. "Today, the Sena… Continue Reading

Appropriations Dems Raise Alarm On Trump Admin Decision To Divert Funding From National Guard & Other Security Programs To Border Wall

WASHINGTON - Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Democrats today loudly objected to the Department of Defense's short sighted and dangerous transfer of $3.8 billion from the Department of Defense to be used to build part of President Donald Trump's ineffective wall on the southwest border. The reprogramming targets the men and women of the National Guard and a variety of programs added by Congress to address shortfalls that were in many cases identified by military leaders in critical eq… Continue Reading

Three Months From E-Cigarette Review Deadline, Durbin & Bipartisan Senators Urge FDA To Protect Kids, Hold Industry Accountable

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 16 other bipartisan Senators, today urged Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Stephen Hahn to comply with the agency's requirements to reject e-cigarette applications that do not protect the public health, upon the FDA's May 12 deadline for e-cigarette product review. The Senators, in a letter to Commissioner Hahn, highlighted concerns with FDA's ongoing lax oversight of e-cigarettes and tobacco produc… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Slam Trump Administration For Stonewalling Veterans Suffering From Agent Orange

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), joined 39 other Democratic Senators in condemning the Trump Administration for stonewalling critical benefits to Veterans suffering from health conditions associated with their exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. In their letter, the Senators specifically called on the Administration to stop denying scientific evidence, and end the years-long dela… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schumer, Veterans Groups Urge Senate To Overturn DeVos Borrower Defense Rule

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and veterans organizations, held a press conference to urge Senate Republicans to support Durbin's Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution, (S.J.Res. 56) which would overturn the U.S. Department of Education's 2019 Borrower Defense rule that gutted essential protections for student borrowers and taxpayers. Durbin and Schumer were joined by Ohio Army veteran Tasha Berkhal… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Will Soon Have Chance To Stand Up For Defrauded Student Veterans

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, slammed Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' rewritten borrower defense rule that guts essential protections for student borrowers, taxpayers, and veterans. Durbin urged his Senate colleagues to support his Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution (S.J.Res. 56) of disapproval overturning the DeVos rule when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote. Durbin shared support from American … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate Colleagues To Support Iran War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today called on his Senate colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last month, to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent a war with Iran without congressional approval. In January, the House passed a similar war powers resolution 224 to 194, and the Senate will vote on the r… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms John Kness To Serve As U.S. District Judge For The Northern District Of Illinois

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed John Kness to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, based in Chicago. The Kness nomination accompanies the previous nominations of Mary Rowland, Martha Pacold, and Steven Seeger to serve on the Northern District of Illinois bench: "We are pleased that the Senate confirmed Mr. Kness to be a District Judge. Mr. Kne… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Rural Illinois Health Care Leaders

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) to discuss legislation to support rural hospitals and address rural health workforce shortages. Durbin also discussed his work to lower prescription drug pricing, the SIREN Act, and President Trump's Fiscal Year 2021 proposal to cut Medicaid by $900 billion. Before his meeting with ICAHN, Durbin spoke to the National Rural Health Association and accepted their 2020 Rural … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Trump Administration's Failure To Include Funding For Great Lakes Shoreline Programs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 work plan for not including funding for two important Great Lakes shoreline programs - the Great Lakes Resiliency Study and the Chicago Shoreline Project. "As the Great Lakes shoreline faces the most serious environmental threat in decades, the Army Corps' work plan fails to provide funding for its protection," Durbin said. "Ignoring the urgen… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Counter Safety Net Cuts Pushed By Trump Administration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Allowing Steady Savings by Eliminating Tests (ASSET) Act to eliminate asset limits for three vital public assistance programs and raise asset limits for a fourth program. The bill presents an alternative vision for vital public assistance programs. Rather than shredding the safety net by imposing new bureaucratic hurdles for families, as proposed by President Trump in his b… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Legislation To Achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions By No Later Than 2050

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) and 30 other Senators in introducing The Clean Economy Act, legislation that would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. The bill heeds the call for bold climate action and at the same time boosts American competitiveness, promotes healthier frontline communities, and fosters a growing economy that works for everyone. This … Continue Reading

Durbin, Democrat Colleagues Call For Action On Energy Tax Policy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 25 of his Democratic colleagues in requesting Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to take action on languishing energy tax policy priorities to address the growing threat of climate change. The senators wrote, "Despite numerous opportunities, including in the recent tax extenders package, the Finance Committee has failed to take action on the dozens of energy tax proposals pending before it. It i… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President Trump's FY21 Budget Request

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump submitted his fiscal year 2021 budget request to Congress: "After Congress has repeatedly rejected funding his 'big, beautiful' border wall, the fact that President Trump would request $2 billion for a campaign promise that Mexico was supposed to pay for - while cutting funding from programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Socia… Continue Reading

Durbin: If President Trump Wants To Help Those With Pre-Existing Conditions, Stop Trying To Eliminate The ACA

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on President Trump to end his attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and stand with patients with pre-existing conditions. In last week's State of the Union address, President Trump falsely claimed that he's trying to protect patients with pre-existing conditions - all while his Administration is actively fighting in court to strike down the entire ACA. "Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies can no longer deny cove… Continue Reading

Illinois Congressional Delegation Urges FEMA To Support State's Request For Extension Of Flood Damage Assessment In Cook And Lake Counties

WASHINGTON - Today, members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor supporting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for an extension from FEMA in the State conducting a Preliminary Damage Assessment of the flooding event that occurred from January 10-11, 2020. Last month, severe storms brought rain, snow, ice, and high winds in excess of 50 miles per hour to Cook and Lake Counties. This caused Lake Michi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On USDA Third Round Of Trade Aid Payments

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement of the final installment of 2019 Market Facilitation Program payments to help American farmers hurt by the Trump Administration's trade policies: "Illinois soybean farmers need this trade aid because of the financial losses they've incurred. But once again, USDA has overcompens… Continue Reading