Durbin: Illinois Has The Chance To Become Leader In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to highlight the exciting progress in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in Illinois. On the Senate floor, Durbin spoke about his recent visit to the Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois, ahead of the manufacturing facility beginning production of its inaugural line of electric trucks, SUVs, and delivery vans. Durbin emphasized that Rivian's new plant, which was redeveloped from an idle Mitsubishi plant, is a … Continue Reading

Durbin: "Tsunami" Of COVID-19 Lawsuits Never Arrived

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today defended the American Rescue Plan and Democrats' decision to keep the bill focused on helping families and small businesses, rather than including Republican proposals for a massive handout to big businesses in the form of liability immunity. Durbin referenced a proposal pushed by Republicans last year that would have given corporations sweeping federal immunity from accountability-both in court and… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Remarks In Hearing On Ghost Guns

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution hearing entitled "Stop Gun Violence: Ghost Guns." Durbin expressed his support for taking action to rein in the proliferation of untraceable ghost guns, which are currently being sold without background checks and are increasingly being used in shootings and recovered at crime scenes. Last week, the Departme… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Treasury Department Guidance On State And Local Government Funding In American Rescue Plan

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Department of the Treasury announced guidance for state and local government funding included in the American Rescue Plan: "Democrats and President Biden provided these federal relief dollars to prevent layoffs and save essential services. State and local governments will finally be able to fill revenue gaps to keep our teachers, first responders, and state employees serving our communities … Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Pandemic's Impact On Women, Slams Republicans For Promise To Take Away Enhanced Unemployment Benefits

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted the disparate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women and mothers in Illinois and across the country. "Some economists have another name for the recession caused by the COVID pandemic. They call it a 'she-cession' because the economic hardships and jobs losses have fallen disproportionately on women, especially working mothers…2.5 million American women have dropped out or … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces America's Red Rock Wilderness Act To Protect National Parks & Monuments

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act today to protect 8.4 million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. These landscapes are also the access point for many national parks and offer unparalleled research, educational, and recreational opportunities for scientists, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and American families. "With the America's Red Rock Wild… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Discuss COVID-19 Prevention And Vaccination Measures With IDVA

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and former Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), today spoke with Acting IDVA Director Terry Prince and Acting IDVA Assistant Director Anthony Vaughn about addressing and preventing a fatal COVID-19 outbreaks at the Illinois Veterans Homes (IVH). The call came after a Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General's (OIG) report releas… Continue Reading

Durbin: Investment In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure In American Jobs Plan Key To Maintain U.S. Global Economic Edge

NORMAL - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Mayor Chris Koos to discuss the need to invest in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure as part of President Biden's American Jobs Plan (AJP). The AJP proposes a $174 billion investment in EVs, including new tax incentives to buy American-made EVs and a grant program for state and local governments and the private sector to build 500,000 charging stations by 2030. "Normal is stepping up to the plate to ensure the United States c… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Press DOJ To Strengthen First Step Act Rule On Earned Time Credits To Incentivize Rehabilitation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to direct the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to expeditiously revise the proposed rule published on November 25, 2020, regarding earned time credits authorized by the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA). In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Senators highlighted wh… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $9 Million To Support Vaccine Education & Availability In Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $7,325,365 to Illinois to support education efforts about the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination availability. The CDC also allocated an additional $1.977 million dollars for Chicago to boost current vaccination efforts. The funding was made available by the recently passed American Rescue Plan. "With this federal … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act To Address Pollution In Great Lakes

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined officials from the Shedd Aquarium and the Alliance for the Great Lakes to announce the introduction of the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, which would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic into waterways from facilities and sources that make, use, package, or transport pellets. The pellets are being consumed by fish and marine… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure With Macomb Area Chamber Of Commerce

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss the local impact of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and how President Biden's American Jobs Plan can help the region address its infrastructure priorities. The ARP included $13.7 billion in state and local funding for Illinois, which will be key to preventing further job losses and keep teachers, healthcare workers, and first responders on the payroll. The flexible fundi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Reed, Doggett Introduce Bill To Stop Tax-Dodging Corporate Inversion Schemes

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35) today announced the introduction of a bill to stop business practices known as inversions - corporate deals that allow U.S. companies to shift their corporate citizenship from the United States to a low-tax foreign jurisdiction, while keeping their executives and headquarters in the United States. This is accomplished by merging with a foreign company that can be as little … Continue Reading

Durbin, Hospital Leaders Release Chicago HEAL Initiative Two-Year Progress Report

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined hospital leaders and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association to unveil the two-year progress report of the Chicago HEAL Initiative (Hospital Engagement, Action, and Leadership), which outlines activities undertaken by hospitals to improve health and reduce violence in underserved communities across Chicago. Despite the unprecedented challenges and strain of the COVID- 19 pandemic, the hospitals were able to sustain and grow their commit… Continue Reading

Durbin To Senate Republicans: American Families Plan Is Not 'Radical Socialism'

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans' argument that President Joe Biden's American Families Plan is 'radical socialism.' Durbin argued that providing safe, affordable, quality child care is not 'radical socialism' and offering two years of free community college is not 'radical socialism,' like many Senate Republicans are suggesting. President Biden's American Families Plan would make education more affordab… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Biden Administration's Decision To Raise Refugee Admissions Target

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it would raise the Fiscal Year 2021 refugee admissions target to 62,500: "Facing the greatest refugee crisis in our time, the United States must return to our longstanding bipartisan tradition of providing safety to the world's most vulnerable refugees. Raising the cap on refugee admissions will give tens of thousand… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks FBI To Explain Failure To Detect January 6 Threat From Proud Boys Sources

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting answers to recent reports suggesting the FBI failed to use its sources in the Proud Boys to develop intelligence about the January 6, 2021 insurrection. In March, Director Wray appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, during which he testified that the January 6 insurrection was an act of "dom… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs To Assist State Veterans' Homes

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and former Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), today urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist the IDVA following a Illinois Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General's (OIG) report released last week, which documents a number of failures within IDVA leadership in addressing and preventing a fatal COVID-19 outbreak at … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Statement On State IG Report On LaSalle State Veterans' Home

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and former Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), today issued the following statement after a report by the Acting Inspector General of the Illinois Department of Human Services revealed a lack of preparation, poor communication and training, and a lapse in infectious-disease protocols at the LaSalle State Veterans' Home. The COVID-19 outbreak at LaSalle… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown Urge Departments Of Education And Veterans' Affairs To Protect Student Borrowers Harmed By CEHE

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today, in letters to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Veterans' Affiars Denis McDonough, called on the Department of Education and Department of Veterans' Affairs to take additional steps to protect students and taxpayers in light of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) vote to withdraw accreditation from the Center for Excellence in Higher Education's … Continue Reading