Press Releases
Durbin: Report Confirms Illinois Families and Businesses Will Save Under Health Care Reform Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A new report by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirms that, under the new health care reform law, individual families will save on health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs - up to $14,900 annually - and tax credits could save small businesses up to $6 billion over two years. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cautioned that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would mean higher health care costs for Illinois consumers. "Today's rep… Continue Reading
01.27.11
Durbin Joins Senate Foreign Relations Committee
[WASHINGTION, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) will join the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the panel convenes for the start of the 112th Congress. "I'm pleased to be joining my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations committee," Durbin said. "America's engagement overseas is not only critical for our national security, but it is vital to Illinois' economy and status as a crossroads for global business and culture. I look forward to the opportunity … Continue Reading
01.26.11
Kirk and Durbin Co-Sponsor Legislation to Stop Dumping in Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a display of bi-partisanship, Illinois' two U.S. senators-Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Dick Durbin-introduced legislation in Congress late last night to protect the Great Lakes from sewage dumping into the lakes. The Great Lakes Water Protection Act would increase fines to up to $100,000 a day per violation by 2031, providing communities 20 years to upgrade their sewage treatment facilities. Currently, fines are capped at $37,500 a day. Money collected from f… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Durbin Announces more than $2 Million in FEMA Grants for Illinois Fire Departments
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded 15 grants totaling $2,009,827 to fire departments throughout Illinois. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best resources possible to do the… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Durbin Cosponsors Bill to End SUGAR Program and Save Consumers Billions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would phase out the U.S. sugar program which supports artificially high sugar prices, nearly twice the world market price and costs consumers $4 billion a year. The sugar program hurts American workers by driving good jobs overseas; it hurts American consumers by increasing the price of products made with sugar; and it hurts sugar producers by driving down long term demand for their product. "Illino… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Durbin Announces a Nearly $3.4 Million FEMA Grant for East St. Louis Firefighters
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $3,362,554 grant to the East St. Louis Fire Department in East St. Louis, Illinois, for hiring initiatives aimed at increasing the number of frontline firefighters. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in… Continue Reading
01.25.11
Durbin Reaction to President Obama's State of the Union Address 2011
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement in reaction to President Obama's State of the Union address. "This evening, President Obama continued the conversation with the American people that he began in the wake of the Tucson tragedy. It was a message about our future and our need to work together, with respect, to meet our challenges." "And I also hope that the good manners we saw in the Congressional audience tonight will continue when the … Continue Reading
01.25.11
The Bully of Belarus
Mr. President, during the recent 2-week recess, I was invited to speak to the Parliament of the nation of Lithuania in the capital of Vilnius. It was a great honor. This country holds a special place in my family. My mother was born in Lithuania. One hundred years ago this year, my grandmother brought her, her brother, and sister to America. My mother was 2 years old. They landed in Baltimore, and somehow our family found its way to meet up with my grandfather in East St. Louis, IL… Continue Reading
01.20.11
Durbin Announces More Than $1.2 Million in FEMA Grant Funding to Illinois Fire Departments
WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded grants totaling $1,210,088 to six Illinois fire departments. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best resources possible to do their jobs well, … Continue Reading
01.19.11
Durbin and Kirk Announce They Will Sit Together at State of the Union
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In the spirit of bipartisanship, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced that they will sit side-by-side at the President's State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 25. Traditionally, Members of Congress are split by party affiliation with Democrats and Republicans sitting on opposite sides of the center aisle in the U.S. House of Representatives chamber. "Traditions that divide us were made to be broken," said Durbin. "As we begin to … Continue Reading
01.18.11
Durbin: Repeal of Healthcare Reform Would Have Devastating Impact on Illinois
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] -Millions of Illinoisans are already reaping the benefits of the healthcare reform bill that put American consumers back in charge of their health coverage and medical care and would feel the effects should it be repealed, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Because of the law, young adults can now stay on their parents' health plans, small business owners are receiving tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable, and people who may have reached a lifetime… Continue Reading
01.18.11
Durbin to Illinois Bankers: Small Banks will Benefit from Interchange Reform
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to three Illinois banking associations today, highlighting a recent announcement that Visa would establish a two-tiered interchange fee system - one for large institutions and one for small institutions. Visa’s announcement means that small banks and credit unions – which were given an exemption from new interchange regulation – will benefit from changes to the interchange system. The letter, addressed to … Continue Reading
01.18.11
Durbin: $1.2 billion in Prescription Drug Savings for Illinois Seniors in Jeopardy
[WASHINGTON, D.C,] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released county by county numbers showing that the newly implemented Medicare "donut hole" fix will put over $1.2 billion back in the hands of Illinois seniors over the next ten years. Across the country, seniors who have high prescription drug spending will save as much as $12,300 over the next ten years and seniors with low drug costs will save an average of $2,400 over ten years. This week, a vote expected in the U.S. House of Representativ… Continue Reading
01.15.11
Durbin Visits Belarus
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) spent Friday in Minsk, Belarus, following two days of high-level meetings in Lithuania. Durbin, who was in Lithuania to address that nation's parliament, made a side trip to Belarus following a violent crackdown surrounding presidential elections last month. Last month, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka claimed a fourth term as president - an announcement that was followed by violent confrontations in the capita… Continue Reading
01.14.11
Durbin Announces More Than $770,000 in FEMA Grant Funding to Illinois Fire Departments
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded grants totaling $773,525 to nine Illinois fire departments. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best resources possible to do their jobs well, … Continue Reading
01.12.11
Durbin Travels to Lithuania
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) is in Vilnius, Lithuania where he will conduct three days of high-level meetings with Lithuanian officials and address the Lithuanian Parliament. Durbin arrived in Vilnius this morning and will return to the U.S. on Saturday. Durbin, the highest ranking Lithuanian-American in the U.S. government, will address the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) on Thursday, January 13. Durbin will mark the 20th anniversary of the Day of … Continue Reading
01.11.11
Durbin, Kirk Announce Release of New U.S. EPA Guidelines for Monitoring Chromium 6 in Drinking Water
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has issued guidance on how communities should test for and sample drinking water specifically for Chromium-6. Last month, the agency announced plans to issue this guidance following a meeting in Washington, DC between Administrator Lisa Jackson and ten U.S. Senators including Durbin and Kirk. Also today, Durbin and Kirk received a response from … Continue Reading
01.11.11
Durbin: Illinois Commerce Commission Will Post CN Agreements With Illinois Communities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that, in response to his request to bring more oversight and transparency to Canadian National (CN)'s acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has agreed to make public the voluntary mitigation agreements CN has with 26 of the 33 affected communities in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Currently, neither CN nor the Surface Board of Transportation has made any of thes… Continue Reading
01.07.11
Durbin Announces Bipartisan Screening Committee for Federal Judges in the Northern District
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced the formation of a bipartisan screening committee to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges for the Northern District of Illinois. There are currently three vacant judgeships in the Northern District, and the immediate task of the screening committee is to review applications and make recommendations to Durbin for filling current and future vacancies. The screening committee will be comprised of 10 distinguished Illino… Continue Reading
01.06.11
Durbin Statement on President Obama's Decision to Name Bill Daley as his Chief of Staff
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after President Obama named former U.S. Commerce Secretary and Chicago-native William M. Daley as his chief of staff. "President Obama has made a fine choice in naming Bill Daley as his chief of staff. I have known Bill Daley for over 35 years and have worked with him in many different capacities here in Washington and back home in Illinois. "Bill has been a successful businessman, public servant a… Continue Reading