Durbin, Duckworth Ask Illinois Superintendents About E-Cigarette Use By Middle And High School Students

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) are reaching out to Superintendents across the state and requesting information regarding what Illinois middle and high schools are experiencing with respect to student use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vaping products, such as the JUUL vaping device. Nationwide, between 2011 and 2015, the use of these dangerous and addictive nicotine products among high school students increased more than ten-fold-from 1.5 percent to 16 … Continue Reading

Durbin Remarks At Oxford University On The State Of American Politics

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered the following remarks today at the Oxford Union at the University of Oxford on the state of American politics in the Trump era: I want to thank the Oxford Union for inviting me to join you this fine evening. You know, it can do funny things to one's ego to be invited to speak at the Oxford Union. When I received your invitation, I showed it to my wife, Loretta, and said, "Can you believe it? The oldest, most revered debating society in… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly Introduce Resolution Establishing "National Gun Violence Awareness Month"

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) led 14 other Senators and 25 other Representatives to introduce a resolution in the House and Senate establishing the weekend of June 1-3, 2018 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend" and designating June as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." Every day in America, an average of around 300 men, women, and children are shot, nearly one-third of them fatally. Establishing a month to b… Continue Reading

Durbin Blasts Maduro For Expelling U.S. Diplomats From Venezuela

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for expelling America's two highest ranking diplomats in the country, Todd Robinson and Brian Naranjo, on nonsense charges designed to distract from his own government's corruption. Maduro staged an election over the weekend that banned key candidates and parties and has been internationally discredited as a sham. Last month, Durbin traveled to Caracas to warn Maduro that the snap election called by … Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill To Address Flow Of Opioids In American

In the midst of a prescription opioid, heroin, and fentanyl crisis that is devastating communities of all sizes in every state, the Senate Judiciary Committee today passed narrow, bipartisan legislation that will enhance the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) existing opioid quota-setting authority by improving transparency and enabling DEA to adjust quotas to prevent opioid diversion and abuse. The Opioid Quota Reform Act of 2018 was introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Ke… Continue Reading

Durbin Again Asks Consent To Pass The Dream Act

Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked unanimous consent that the Senate pass the bipartisan Dream Act. Republican leaders and President Trump have rejected multiple bipartisan offers to address the DACA crisis created by the President on September 5th, 2017. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) objected. "On September 5, 2017, President Trump announced his repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. As a result of that, hundreds of thousands of immigran… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Trump Administration's Cruel Crackdown On Children Fleeing Persecution

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today grilled members of the Trump Administration from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on its treatment of unaccompanied children apprehended at the U.S. border who are fleeing horrific violence in Central America, and its cruel policy of family separation at the U.S. border, which will result in a dramatic i… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker, Harris, Lewis, Jackson Lee Statement On House Vote On "Prison Reform"

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kamala Harris (D-CA), and U.S. Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) released the following statement on the FIRST STEP Act, a so-called prison reform bill that will be voted on in the House of Representatives later today: "Make no mistake: the FIRST STEP Act is not meaningful criminal justice reform, and would be a step backward from our shared goal of ending America's mass incarceration crisis. The bill faces … Continue Reading

Durbin Sounds The Alarm On DeVos-Orchestrated Takeover Of The Department Of Education By The For-Profit College Industry

Following reports that the U.S. Department of Education is unwinding the unit tasked with investigating fraud at for-profit colleges and universities, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed President Trump and Secretary Betsy DeVos for their orchestrated takeover of the Department of Education by the predatory for-profit college industry. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin blasted Secretary DeVos for dismantling the Enforcement Unit that was set-up in 2016 to prevent future fraud by… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On President Trump & Republican Majority in Congress to Stand Up to the Gun Sales Lobby, Act to Help Prevent Gun Violence

Following last week's school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, which left eight students and two teachers dead and another 13 victims wounded, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress for still being unwilling to push for any gun reforms that the gun sales lobby opposes. "Congress is going to have to choose who to listen to - the students who are spending their class time thinking about whether their desks are in the line of… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Transparency From Pharmaceutical Companies in Advertising to Consumers

CHICAGO - As the costs of prescription drugs continue to rise under the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to top pharmaceutical companies urging them voluntarily list the price of their drugs in their advertisments to consumers. At the same time they are dramatically increasing prices on patients and the federal government, the pharmaceutical industry spends more than $6 billion on advertising drugs to consumers and more than $20 billion in aggressive marke… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Nomination Of Gina Haspel To Head CIA

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on Gina Haspel, President Trump's nominee to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: America cannot close this sad chapter in our history of rendition, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques until we have accountability. Those who were part of the decision-making in those years must acknowledge that 'following orders' and trusting legal interpretations' are not sufficient to justify… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On New Videos Of Josh Holt, A U.S. Citizen Imprisoned In Venezuela

ASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Josh Holt, a U.S. citizen imprisoned on false charges, was seen begging for his life in two videos from inside a Caracas prison: I recently visited Venezuela and met with, among many others, President Maduro. I appealed to him directly to release Josh Holt and his Venezuelan wife, who are being held on plainly political charges. Maduro told me he was seriously considering it. Now, as reports of dang… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Republicans In Congress To Support Free & Open Internet

WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged his Republican colleagues to vote to undo President Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai's repeal of net neutrality rules. Shortly after Durbin spoke, the Senate voted 52-47 to restore net neutrality. Three Republican senators joined with the entire Senate Democratic caucus in favor of the measure. Today's vote follows Senate Democrats' successful filing of a discharge petiti… Continue Reading

Durbin Y Menendez Exigen Elecciones Libres Y Justas En Venezuela

WASHINGTON-El Asistente Líder de la Minoría del Senado, Dick Durbin (D-IL), y el Senador Bob Menéndez (D-NJ), miembro de más alto rango del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado, advirtieron hoy al régimen de Maduro en Venezuela que las elecciones que se aproximan serían consideradas ilegítimas si se niega a cumplir con estándares básicos en las urnas, y exigieron elecciones libres y justas para el pueblo venezolano. "El… Continue Reading

Durbin, Menendez Call For Free And Fair Election In Venezuela

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, today warned the Maduro regime in Venezuela that its upcoming snap election would be considered illegitimate if it failed to meet basic established standards, and called for free and fair election for the Venezuelan people. "The Venezuelan government under President Maduro has taken a series of repressive and undemocratic actions that threatens its … Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Michael Scudder & Amy St. Eve For The 7th Circuit Court Of Appeals

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nominations of Michael Y. Scudder, Jr. and U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve to serve as Circuit Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, based in Chicago: "Amy St. Eve and Michael Scudder have the experience, integrity, and judgment that we look for in federal judges, and we look forward to seeing them serve with distinction on the … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly Question EPA On Declared Monitoring & Testing Of Air Emissions

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today raised concerns at the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) failure to consistently require companies to monitor and test their air emissions for manganese air pollution-a known neurotoxin-on the Southeast Side of Chicago. The members pressed EPA to use its full authority under the Clean Air Act to protect human health and the environment. Today's letter to EPA Administrator … Continue Reading

Durbin Reintroduces Legislation to Combat Opioid Over-Production and Over-Prescribing

CHICAGO - As the prescription opioid, heroin, and fentanyl overdose epidemic continues to impact communites around Illinois and the country, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced his legislation to improve opioid prescribing practices and responsibly limit the volume and type of addictive painkillers on the market. The Addiction Prevention and Responsible Opioid Practices Act (A-PROP Act) would strengthen oversight of the pharmaceutical industry, and help prevent opioid over-prescri… Continue Reading

Durbin, Roberts Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Support Rural EMS Agencies

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) today introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize a federal grant program that directly supports rural emergency medical services (EMS) agencies in training and recruiting staff, conducting courses to satisfy certification requirements, and purchasing equipment-for everything from naloxone and first aid kits, to power stretchers or new ambulances. The Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act would reauthorize … Continue Reading