Durbin: When Will Senator McConnell Feel 'Urgency' To Act On COVID-19 Legislation?

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for failing to act on any COVID-19 related legislative matter on the Senate floor for the past three weeks. On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the Heroes Act, which increases aid for our health care system and state and local governments, extends unemployment insurance benefits, helps keep laid-off workers on their employer healt… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Impact On Ethanol Producers With Growth Energy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with members of Growth Energy to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on Illinois ethanol producers. On today's call, Durbin, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, heard about the severe harm to ethanol production caused by the steep decline in gasoline demand and how provisions included as part of the House-passed Heroes Act will help ethanol producers. Call participants included the Illinois companies Marquis Energy … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Global Food Security With Alliance To End Hunger

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a virtual conference led by the Alliance to End Hunger to discuss global food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin, who is Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus, discussed the importance of protecting and increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for Illinoisans and funding the World Food Program to ensure those facing hunger abroad can afford to put food on the table. Durbin called for these e… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks For Unanimous Consent To Consider Resolution To Reaffirm U.S. Commitment To Global Effort To Find COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, during a speech on the Senate floor, asked for unanimous consent to have the Senate consider a resolution that encourages U.S. engagement with the international community on the COVID-19 response given the Trump Administration's failure to participate in global summits on vaccines and therapeutics. The resolution, led by Durbin and supported by 39 of his Senate colleagues, noted the historic international effort to eradicate sma… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Bipartisan Letter Outlining Priorities To Support First Responders In The Next COVID-19 Relief Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), and nine of his colleagues on a bipartisan letter to Senate Leadership encouraging additional support for first responders in the next COVID-19 relief package. "During a time of crisis, communities rely on local first responders as the first line of defense for protection and emergency response," the Senators wrote. "As Congress considers further legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandem… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Nomination Of Normal Mayor Chris Koos To Serve On Amtrak Board Of Directors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump nominated Normal, Illinois, Mayor Chris Koos to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors: "I recommended Mayor Koos for this important position, and I'm glad the President nominated him today. Mayor Koos understands the importance of passenger rail to communities in Illinois and across the country. He will be an important voice for Illinois and the Midwest in support of growing and pr… Continue Reading

DOJ IG Commits To Public Reports In BOP COVID-19 Investigation Following Dubin, Grassley Request

WASHINGTON - In a letter to U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) said he will consider a broader set of concerns in his investigation into whether facilities housing Bureau of Prison (BOP) inmates are complying with available guidance and best practices regarding preventing, managing, and containing COVID-19 outbreaks to address several serious issues affecting the safety of federal correctional officers and inmates an… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues To Call For State Unemployment Agency Funding In Future Coronavirus-Related Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), and 10 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Leadership urging them to include additional funding for state unemployment agencies to upgrade their IT systems and increase hiring in future coronavirus-related legislation, with the goal of getting unemployment support to Americans faster. "We write to urge that forthcoming legislation in the Senate relating to the COVID-19 … Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With DACA Recipient & Emergency Room Resident To Highlight Immigrant Health Heroes

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, spoke with Dr. Manuel Bernal, a DACA recipient and emergency room resident at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago, one of the busiest trauma hospitals on Chicago's South Side. In a new Facebook video, Durbin thanked Dr. Bernal for his work on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as part of Durbin's #ImmigrantHealthHeroes initiative, and heard… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $473 Million To Increase COVID-19 Testing In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive $473 million and a distribution of 620,000 testing swabs this month to expand COVID-19 testing efforts. The federal funding, provided through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was approved by Congress as part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Congressional Democrats fought to ensure that this legislation included a total of $25 … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Response At State Veterans Homes With IDVA Director

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed ongoing efforts to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 at State Veterans Homes in Illinois with Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director Linda Chapa LaVia. Durbin discussed recent reports about a COVID-19 outbreak at the State Veteran Home in Manteno, Illinois, and also received an update on how IDVA is testing all residents in all homes and offering testing to all employees. "I spoke with Director LaVia today to hear how they… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues To Press Labor Department To Speed Up Unemployment Disbursements And Address System Shortfalls

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in urging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to speed up Unemployment Insurance (UI) disbursements and to work to address system shortfalls that have contributed to the delays in workers getting their benefits. In a letter sent to DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia, the Senators expressed serious concern regarding the significant delays in the processing of UI claims that are preventing workers from r… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Discuss COVID-19 Impact with Illinois Municipal League

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with the Illinois Municipal League about the financial strains the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on state and local governments. On the call, Durbin and Duckworth discussed provisions in the recently introduced Heroes Act that would offer fiscal relief to localities of all sizes to replace the over $10 billion drop in state and local revenues expected by next July. The bill also proposes changes to the Federal Re… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Discuss COVID-19 Impact with Illinois Municipal League

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with the Illinois Municipal League about the financial strains the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on state and local governments. On the call, Durbin and Duckworth discussed provisions in the recently introduced Heroes Act that would offer fiscal relief to localities of all sizes to replace the over $10 billion drop in state and local revenues expected by next July. The bill also proposes changes to the Federal Re… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Resolution To Reaffirm U.S. Commitment To Global Effort To Find COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led 39 of his colleagues in introducing a resolution that encourages U.S. engagement with the international community on the COVID-19 response given the Trump Administration's failure to participate in global summits on vaccines and therapeutics. The resolution focuses on the indisputable facts that only with concerted global collaboration and coordination can the COVID-19 pandemic be addressed, and that the U.S. has failed so fa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Telehealth Funding For Chicago Area Health Care Providers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that three Chicago-area health care providers have been awarded federal funding to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau, was appropriated by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. "This federal funding will allow more patients to b… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Congressional Call For Federal Civil Rights Investigation Into Death Of Ahmaud Arbery

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and more than 80 of their colleagues in the House and Senate in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch a criminal civil rights investigation into the death of Ahmaud Arbery and an independent investigation into local authorities' handling of the case. The lawmakers urged DOJ to investigate these matters swiftly and thoroughly so th… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Worker Protections With National Domestic Workers Alliance Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) discussed the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on domestic workers with the Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Ai-Jen Poo. During the call, Durbin spoke about the importance of enacting hazard pay for essential workers, including domestic workers, and ensuring that mixed-status households and undocumented workers receive Economic Impact Payments and have access to COVID-19 medical treatment. "In the midst of the coronavirus pande… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief With Illinois Public University Presidents

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with nine Illinois public university presidents to discuss federal support for higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the call, Durbin heard from university presidents about their concerns with unexpected revenue shortfalls and the pandemic's effect on enrollment. Durbin discussed provisions in the CARES Act that offered $137 million in assistance to Illinois public universities and their students, his support for the Supporting State… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Davis, LaHood Discuss COVID-19 Response With Illinois Hospitals

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) and Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) today, on a call with more than 30 CEOs of Illinois hospitals and leaders of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association and Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. The bipartisan members of Congress thanked the hospital repres… Continue Reading