Durbin To Host Westinghouse College Prep Student For President Trump's State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) will host De'Andre Wilborn as his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address. De'Andre, a native of the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is a senior at George Westinghouse College Prep Academy. In October, Durbin held a roundtable event at Westinghouse College Prep to discuss strategies to support economic opportunity and improve health, where he heard directly from students, including De'Andre, about their experience … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Expansion Of President Trump's Travel Ban

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that citizens from Nigeria, Eritrea, Burma, and Kyrgyzstan will not be allowed to apply for visas to immigrate to the United States, and citizens of Sudan and Tanzania will be prohibited from seeking diversity visas. These countries join a list of seven other nations, most of them Muslim-majo… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Failed Vote To Allow Witnesses And Documents In President Trump's Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the vote on the question of whether or not to allow witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump failed by a vote of 49-51: "Senate Republicans are afraid of a trial and afraid of the truth. Turning the lights off in this impeachment proceeding is an admission by the White House that the President's phone conversation with the President of Ukraine was far from pe… Continue Reading

Durbin: Why Did President Trump Continue Holding Ukraine Military Aid Amid Warnings About Legality?

WASHINGTON-During the question and answer portion of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today asked both the House managers and the President's counsel why the President continued withholding $250 million in military aid to Ukraine when Department of Defense (DoD) officials were sounding the alarm that the hold would violate the law and short-change our ally of much-need… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Confirmation Of Second Case Of Coronavirus In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the second case of novel coronavirus in Illinois, the sixth confirmed case in the United States: "Despite the risk to Americans remaining low, the CDC expected that the novel coronavirus could spread from one person to another in this country, as it has in other countries. Federal and state officials have been close… Continue Reading

Durbin Raises Question of Executive Privilege In Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON-During the question and answer portion of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the House managers a question regarding the President's threats to invoke executive privilege during the impeachment proceedings. The President has not yet actually invoked executive privilege during the impeachment inquiry or trial, instead claiming that the Administration's blanket refusal to comply with House subpoenas was justified … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Call On ArcelorMittal To Clean Up Its Act Following Pollution Violations

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged ArcelorMittal to take responsibility for its Burns Harbor facility's attempt to cover up the leaking of toxic chemicals into the Little Calumet River and Lake Michigan. In a letter to ArcelorMittal President and CEO John Brett, Durbin and Duckworth slammed the company for "a recurring, objectionable pattern of environmental and public health violations." "By misleading regulators about the results, ArcelorMitt… Continue Reading

Durbin Honored By Head Start Association As Champion For Children And Families

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was recognized today by the National Head Start Association for his continued support of Head Start and children who have experienced trauma with the PROMISE (Protecting Our Most Important Students Early) Award. This year, Durbin, along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and U.S. Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL-07) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08), introduced the Resilience Investment, Support, and… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Receive Update On Coronavirus From The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today received an update on the novel coronavirus outbreak from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Principal Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat. On a call with Dr. Schuchat, the Senators asked about the agency's response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, and asked for information on the steps being taken to keep Illinois families safe. This week, the CDC recommended that tra… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bicameral Congressional Leaders Call On Ninth Circuit To Uphold Protections For Migrant Children In Flores Amicus Brief

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12); U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); and U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), and Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), today led 113 of their colleagues in submitting an Amicus Brief… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Confirmation Of Coronavirus In Chicago

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the second case of coronavirus in the United States is in Chicago: "We are monitoring the second confirmed U.S. case of novel coronavirus being treated at a Chicago hospital. First, we commend the Chicago hospital personnel for identifying this quickly. And we commend Mayor Lightfoot and others who chose to monitor… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Trump Administration To Fund Quincy Bay Restoration And Modernization Of Illinois Locks

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) for Civil Works R.D. James, who oversees the Army Corps, to push for funding to restore Quincy Bay, one of the largest natural bays of the Upper Mississippi River, as well as for funding for the much needed modernization of seven locks along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. "We know Quincy Bay is silted up and needs attention and that our Illinois locks are in desperate need of expansio… Continue Reading

Durbin Pushes Trump Administration To Address Climate Change Impacts On Lake Michigan

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) for Civil Works R.D. James, who oversees the Army Corps, to urge the Corps to provide federal funding for two projects that will protect the Chicago Shoreline from the impacts of climate change. The Trump Administration has yet to fully fund the Great Lakes Resiliency Study authorized by Congress and or provide increased funding to reevaluate and expand the Chicago Shoreline project. "We face perh… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Meet With Chicago Mayor Lightfoot

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot to discuss Chicago priorities and how they can assist her in the Senate. Durbin, Duckworth, and Lightfoot talked about reducing gun violence, the Chicago HEAL Initiative, the 2020 Census, public housing, transportation infrastructure funding, and cannabis. Durbin and Duckworth hosted Mayor Lightfoot, along with nine other mayors from across Illinois who are in Washington, D.… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Meet With Illinois Mayors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with a group of Illinois mayors who are in Washington, D.C. for the United States Conference of Mayors' 88th Winter Meeting. Durbin, Duckworth, and the mayors discussed Illinois priorities, including transportation infrastructure, rural broadband, affordable housing, improving Amtrak service throughout Illinois, and marijuana. "Senator Duckworth and I will continue to support our Illinois mayors in any way we c… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Hold E-Cigarette Companies Accountable for the Youth Vaping Crisis

WASHINGTON - This week, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced bipartisan legislation to protect children from the dangers of e-cigarettes. The Resources to Prevent Youth Vaping Act would require that e-cigarette manufacturers pay user fees to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help to fund more activity at FDA to conduct stronger oversight of the e-cigaret… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senator McConnell's Impeachment Trial Resolution

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today gave the following remarks at a press conference with Senate Democratic leadership in response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) Senate impeachment trial resolution proposal: "From the very first day of this impeachment trial, we learned that for Senator McConnell political loyalty to this President is more important than respect for the Constitution, the integrity of the Senate, and common decency. "With this res… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $144 Million In Continued Funding For Local Homeless Assistance Programs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that a total of $114,704,242 in grants have been awarded to renew support to more than 300 local homeless assistance programs and nonprofits across Illinois. The funding, which is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Continuum of Care Program (CoC), will support a broad array of interventions designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, partic… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Applaud New DOT Initiatives To Protect Roadside First Responders

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today applauded new U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) initiatives designed to help avoid traffic accidents and save the lives of first responders rushing to aid in emergencies. The new initiatives closely mirror legislation Durbin, Duckworth, and Bustos introduced last year that would establish a new national safety priority within an existing federal grant progr… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On House Passage Of Resolution Overturning DeVos Borrower Defense Rule

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted 231-180 to pass H.J.Res. 76, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval overturning Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' rewritten borrower defense rule that guts essential protections for student borrowers and taxpayers. Six Republicans joined House Democrats to pass the measure. The resolution was introduced by U.S. Representative … Continue Reading