Durbin Statement On Exelon Decision To Close Byron & Dresden Generating Stations

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding Exelon's announcement to close its Byron Generating Station in Byron, Illinois, and Dresden Generating Station in Morris, Illinois, in fall 2021: "The closure of Byron and Dresden Generating Stations will have significant impacts on the local economy and Illinois workers. In the days and months ahead, I am committed to fighting for these jobs and helping to create additional good paying jobs in these… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Call On FCC To Bolster Lifeline Program To Keep Students Connected As The School Year Begins

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in leading a group of 22 other Senators in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to boost its Lifeline program to keep students connected as millions return to school both virtually and in person. Since 1985, the FCC's Lifeline program has made basic internet and telephone service more affordable for low-income Americans and has had bipartisan support. "As mil… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2.4 Million In FEMA Reimbursement Funding For Flooding Recovery

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois has been awarded a total of $2,414,009 in federal funding to offset costs related to the historic flooding that occurred from February 24 to July 3, 2019. The funding, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to supplement local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe … Continue Reading

Durbin, Garcia, Kelly Call On Trump Admin To Immediately Facilitate Access To Legal Orientation Program To All ICE Detainees In Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, along with U.S. Representatives Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-04) and Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today called on the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to work together to immediately facilitate access to the Legal Orientation Program (LOP), including meaningful remote access, to all ICE detainees in Illinois. LOP see… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge USPS To Prioritize Election Mail Ahead Of November General Election

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Illinois State Board of Elections (SBOE) leaders following their call last week to discuss constituent concerns about voting by mail. In the letter, Durbin and Duckworth urged officials to ensure that election mail is processed expeditiously and to immediately enact an official policy to ensure that all vote-by-mail applications and ballots are treated as First-Class Mail. … Continue Reading

Durbin Joins AIDS Foundation Of Chicago To Discuss Importance Of Protecting Access To Health Care

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago's virtual breakfast about the inequities in health care for the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS communities and about the Trump Administration's continued attempts to dismantle and invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In his remarks, Durbin also spoke about the need to improve the United States' COVID-19 pandemic response and the importance of protecting people's access to health care. "The ACA has provided mil… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With General Perna, COO Of Operation Warp Speed, About COVID-19 Vaccine Development

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with General Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer for Operation Warp Speed, about the research and approval process for COVID-19 vaccine candidates. On the call, Durbin pressed General Perna about maintaining the integrity of any vaccine candidate's safety and efficacy, and to not cut corners or permit political interference in the effort to quickly develop a vaccine. Durbin's call came on the same day as Food… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cardin, Rubio, Young Call For Justice & Accountability On Third Anniversary Of Rohingya Genocide

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Todd Young (R-IN) today issued the following statement commemorating the third anniversary of the Burmese military's genocide against the Rohingya minority in Burma's Rakhine State: "Today, August 25, marks three years since the Burmese military undertook a campaign of systemic violence against the Rohingya people in Burma's Rakhine State, forcing more than 740,000 people to flee their homes and cross into… Continue Reading

Durbin, Whitehouse, Hirono Lead Call For GAO Investigation Of Trump Politicization And Mismanagement Of Immigration Courts As COVID-19 Crisis Rages

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) to lead a request from all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats to the top congressional watchdog to investigate the practices of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) under President Trump, including its management of immigration courts during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Government Acc… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses His Provider Relief Fund With Lurie Children's Hospital CEO

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Lurie Children's Hospital CEO Dr. Tom Shanley about the inclusion of independent children's hospitals in COVID-19 relief funding as hospitals face significant revenue shortfalls as many procedures and patient visits have been scaled back and the cost of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing kits have risen. After hearing that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) funding allocations left out safety net… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Minority Business Owners To Discuss The Paycheck Protection Program

SPRINGIFELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, and the American Business Immigration Coalition at the organizations' webinar for minority business owners in Illinois to discuss the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which has allocated more than 225,000 loans worth nearly $23 billion to Illinois small businesses. During the webinar, Durbin spoke about his support for providing a second round of loans to the hardest hit business… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Health Care Protection During Pandemic With Union Leaders

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with union leaders from UNITE HERE Local 1 to discuss health care and his efforts to help workers who've lost jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic stay on their employers' health care plans. Durbin has urged for the inclusion of federal COBRA funding in the next coronavirus relief package and supports a provision in the House-passed HEROES Act that would provide premium assistance to cover 100 percent of COBRA premiums so … Continue Reading

Durbin Examines How USPS Changes Have Affected At-Risk Communities In Getting Medications Delivered By Mail

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to a group of Illinois organizations-representing hundreds of thousands of seniors, patients with disabilities and complex conditions, and health care providers-asking how the recent United States Postal Service (USPS) changes have affected or may affect at-risk communities in getting prescription medications delivered by mail. In a letter to the Illinois chapter of the AARP, Illinois State Medical Society, Illinois Health and Hosp… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Convene Call With USPS And Illinois State Board Of Elections Leaders To Discuss Constituent Concerns About Voting By Mail

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with staff from the Illinois State Board of Elections (SBOE) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) to discuss how constituents in Illinois can safely participate in the upcoming general election amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and USPS policies and practices that may impact mail-in ballot delivery. On the call, the Senators and SBOE and USPS leaders discussed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's de… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $950,000 In Federal Funding To Support Hazardous Materials Emergency Response

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) has been awarded a total of $958,207 in federal grant funding to enhance the state's emergency response capabilities when dealing with hazardous materials related to transportation incidents. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). "This federal funding will support cri… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With American Postal Workers Union About Recent USPS Changes

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President Mark Dimondstein about the significant operational changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) instituted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The changes, which include the elimination of overtime, centralizing authority around the Postmaster General, and the reduction of sorting and processing hours, have led to significant delays in the delivery of vital medications for … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Operation Changes, Mail Delays With National Rural Letter Carriers Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with National Rural Letter Carriers Association President Ronnie Stutts about Postmaster General DeJoy's recent changes to longstanding United States Postal Service (USPS) policies, including the elimination of overtime, a reduction in sorting and processing hours, and concerns over continuing staffing shortages. The changes have come at the expense of USPS' ability to offer service to rural communities that do not have access to private m… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief With Navy Pier Board Members

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with members of the Board of Directors for Chicago's Navy Pier to discuss the latest on negotiations to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill. Durbin said he would continue to fight for additional relief for Navy Pier, which employs hundreds of people. Navy Pier received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, but like many businesses facing economic uncertainty because of the pandemic, is in need of additional financial assi… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Fall Reopening With University Of Illinois System President

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Tim Killeen, the President of the University of Illinois System, to discuss fall reopening plans including the University's contact tracing and testing strategies. The two also discussed the need for additional federal relief for higher education. Durbin is a cosponsor of the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act, which provides an additional $132 billion in support for institutions of higher education and students. "The… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Dems In Urging USPS To Fix Delays And Avoid Cost Increases For Election Mail

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in sending a letter with the entire Senate Democratic caucus to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging him to provide answers regarding reports of recent changes to long-standing practices at USPS that would result in increased delivery times and costs for election mail, and urged him not take any further action that ma… Continue Reading