Durbin, Duckworth Demand Additional Federal Resources at O'Hare From Trump Administration

WASHINGTON- After hundreds of passengers were forced to wait in close quarters for hours on end in order to clear medical screenings at customs at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Mark Morgan, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar demanding additio… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Senate To Pass Families First Coronavirus Response Act By Unanimous Consent Immediately

SPRINGFIELD-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement about the need for the Senate to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act by unanimous consent (UC) immediately: "In light of the President's emergency declaration, it is imperative that the Senate pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act by unanimous consent (UC) immediately. "The House passed this measure with a 90 percent bipartisan vote. We should do the same by UC immediately… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President Trump's Federal Emergency Declaration Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump issued a federal Emergency Declaration (ED) due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump's declaration invokes the Stafford Act so states can utilize $42.6 billion currently available in the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) in their efforts to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and protect public health. "I support President Trump's emergency declaration and strongly urge F… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce Landmark Legislation to Fund PFAS Cleanup

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in introducing legislation to help communities combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and exposure in drinking water and groundwater. The Providing Financial Assistance to States (PFAS) for Testing and Treatment Act would provide substantial federal funding for PFAS remediation in drinking water, and groundwater, includi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Urge Internet Service Providers to Suspend Service Terms Affecting Telepresence Service During Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and 16 Senate colleagues, sent a letter to the CEOs of eight major internet service providers (ISPs) calling on the companies to take steps to accommodate the unprecedented reliance we will likely see on telepresence services, including telework, online education, telehealth, and remote support services. In the letter, sent to the CEOS of AT&T, CenturyLink, Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.5 Million for Maternal and Child Health Services in Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $3,531,780 in federal funding awarded to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to support health care for low-income mothers, children, and families. This funding is provided through the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). "With this grant, the Illinois Depar… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Press Alden Global Capital on Alarming Staff Cuts at Tribune Publishing

CHICAGO-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to Alden Global Capital about its alarming strategy of staff cuts at Tribune Publishing. The company has a concerning history of dismantling local newspapers for personal gain. On January 13, two months after Alden obtained a 32 percent stake in Tribune Publishing, veteran employees of Tribune Publishing, including staff members at the Chicago Tribune, reported being offered buyouts in an effort to reduce expenses… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill Directing VA To 'Do Its Job' And Support Veterans Suffering From Diseases Linked To Agent Orange

WASHINGTON - After years of inaction from the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and more than 29 Senate colleagues, introduced the bicameral Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act of 2020, which would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide additional benefits for veterans suffering from four diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Currently, veterans with specific health conditions developed as a result of… Continue Reading

Durbin, Alexander, Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Address Medical Supply Vulnerability Due To Coronavirus

WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), along with a group of nine Senators, today introduced the Commission on America's Medical Security, bipartisan legislation to safeguard America's medical supply chain and address shortages due to the United States' dependence on foreign-made medical equipment. Approximately 40 percent of finished drugs and 80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients are manufactured overseas-primarily fr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Press CDC On Shortage Of Coronavirus Test Kit Supplies

WASHINGTON-Amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield for information on the potential shortage of enzymes needed for CDC coronavirus test kits. Health officials in Illinois have indicated they may not have enough testing supplies to cover their diagnostic needs over the next two weeks. Further, they have not received word from the CDC about whe… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With The Illinois Farm Bureau

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, met with the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss agriculture priorities in Illinois. During the meeting, farmers expressed concerns with the Trump Administration's uncertain trade approach with China and the Trump Administration's abuse of small oil refinery waivers that have hurt the biofuels market. "The decision by the Trump Administration to effectively shut down the biofuels industry has hurt farmers… Continue Reading

Illinois Congressional Democrats: Border Wall Reprogramming Will Result In Shortfalls Of Illinois National Guard Equipment

WASHINGTON - Today, Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper expressing concern over the shortfalls of equipment for the Illinois National Guard in the wake of the Department of Defense's (DOD) decision to transfer National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA) funds to be used to build part of President Donald Trump's ineffective wall on the southwest border. For Fiscal Year 2020, the Illinois Army National Guard identifi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Call On President Trump To Utilize FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund To Aid State & Local Response To Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON-Following Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's state of emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and 27 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to immediately consider any disaster declarations so states can utilize the $42.6 billion currently available in the Disaster Re… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Public Transportation Officials

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois public transportation officials from the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Metra, and PACE to discuss transportation priorities in Illinois. The group discussed Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation and the importance of providing federal funding to improve surface transportation. "Investing in Illinois' public transportation infrastructure helps create jobs and improves the safety and efficiency of travel… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Detection Of PFAS Near Scott Air Force Base With Secretary Of The Air Force

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today met with U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett to discuss the detection of the two main types of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - PFOS and PFOA - during site inspections at Scott Air Force Base (AFB), which may be impacting off-base water wells. The Air Force is now working to determine how many water wells might be impacted, whether people are consuming the water … Continue Reading

Durbin, Senate Dem Leaders Announce New Targeted Economic & Community Relief Proposal To Help States With Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with Senate Democratic Leaders today announced a new, targeted economic and community relief proposal to help communities and individuals deal with the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. The proposal is based on input from policy experts and state and local officials about what is needed to help workers, their families, and the communities they live in to manage the economic disruption and services crisis at the local level in both the near-t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schumer, Murray, Scott, Lee Statement On Senate Vote Overturning DeVos Borrower Defense Rule

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) and Susie Lee (D-NV-03), released the following statements after the Senate's 53-42 bipartisan vote to approve Congressional Review Act (CRA) H.J.Res. 76, to overturn the U.S. Department of Education's 2019 Borrower Defense rule that guts essential protections for student borrowers and taxpayers. The resolut… Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Push DeVos To Issue Clear Guidance On Coronavirus For Schools And Families Following Widespread School Closures

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in leading 31 other Democratic Senators in urging Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to provide clarity and guidance for school districts and institutions of higher education, as well as families and students, following widespread school closures across the country due to the spread of the coronavirus. In a letter to Secretary DeVos, the Senators stressed that it is crucial that the Department of Education provide d… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses CDC On Need For Additional Coronavirus Test Kit Supplies

WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the urgent need for additional coronavirus test kit supplies in Illinois and around the country in order to improve diagnosis and treatment efforts. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin urged the Trump Administration to respond to this issue quickly with clear, factual information and strategies to boost the supply… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Corn Growers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, met with the Illinois Corn Growers Association to discuss agriculture priorities in Illinois, including crop conditions, trade, lock and dam infrastructure, ethanol and biofuels, and refinery waivers. "Corn growers are an integral part of Illinois' agriculture economy, and we need to ensure they have certainty from the federal government as we head into the 2020 planting season. Additionally, the small… Continue Reading