Durbin, Schakowsky, Krishnamoorthi Introduce Legislation To Expand Access To Health Care By Creating Public Option

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-08-IL) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-NM-03) to introduce the State Public Option Act to create a Medicaid-based public health care option to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and provide Americans with a new high-quality, low-cost health care choice that will move our system toward universal coverage. "In the last nine years, … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President Trump's Emergency Declaration

WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in order to circumvent Congress and access funds to build a wall on the southern border: President Trump's national emergency declaration serves one purpose and one purpose only: to fulfill his campaign promise to build a big, beautiful wall. While the President claims he wants … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Bipartisan Agreement To Fund The Government

WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the bipartisan, bicameral conference committee on Homeland Security, today released the following statement after voting for the bipartisan agreement negotiators reached to fund the nine remaining federal departments and their agencies. The bipartisan package rejects President Trump's demand for $5.7 billion for a border wall and makes responsible investments in border security long supported by Democrats. For 35 days, we said t… Continue Reading

Durbin Opposes William Barr For Attorney General

WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after voting against President Trump's nominee to be U.S. Attorney General, William Barr. He was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 54-45. I respect Mr. Barr and his family, many of whom also have chosen public service careers. But I carefully reviewed Mr. Barr's record and I concluded that I could not support his nomination. When it comes to Special Cou… Continue Reading

Following FDA Warning, Durbin, Whitehouse, Blumenthal, Brown, & Reed Once Again Urge Pharmacies To Stop Selling Tobacco Products

WASHINGTON - On the heels of an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that some of our nation's largest health pharmacies have been illegally selling tobacco products to minors, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Jack Reed (D-RI), today sent letters to Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Dollar General urging them to stop selling tobacco products. Last week, the FDA announced that Walgreens was the to… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges EPA To Complete Rule Allowing E15 Gasoline To Be Sold Year-Round

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize a rule allowing the sale of E15 - gasoline containing as much as 15 percent ethanol-to be sold year-round. In a letter to the agency, Durbin urged for a more expeditious effort to complete the new rule by this summer, as President Trump's government shutdown created a month-long delay with the EPA rulemaking… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Medicare At 50 Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to introduce the Medicare at 50 Act to give people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old the option of buying into Medicare. Millions of Americans who are approaching retirement or are being forced to retire early due to layoffs or mandatory retirement face increasing health care needs and rising costs. This legislation would ensure that more Americans have the option of parti… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $101 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 $101,532,628 in grants have been awarded to renew support to more than 400 local homeless assistance programs 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, particularly those li… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider, Foster, Lipinkski, Casten Introduce Bills To Hold EPA Accountable For Poor Oversight Of Ethylene Oxide Emissions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06), today introduced a pair of bicameral bills that would hold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accountable for its poor oversight of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions, which have been the source of harmful emissions in Illinois. Durbin and Schneider led the introduction of a bill that… Continue Reading

Durbin: EPA Must Treat Sterigenics Emissions As The Public Health Crisis It Is

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its lack of action and oversight of Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc., a medical sterilization company that uses a carcinogenic chemical - ethylene oxide (EtO) - to sterilize medical equipment. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin urged the EPA to use its existing authority to develop new rules around the use of EtO, including when it is used for commercial sterilization a… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces New Bill to Prevent Large Drug Price Hikes

CHICAGO - As the costs of prescription drugs continue to rise for Americans, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined doctors and advocates at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital to highlight his new legislation to help prevent sudden, outrageous price hikes for prescription pharmaceuticals. The Forcing Limits on Abusive and Tumultuous (FLAT) Prices Act of 2019, which Durbin introduced in the Senate last week, will reduce the government-granted monopoly period for medications if t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce ANTIQUITIES Act To Protect America's National Monuments

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) to introduce the America's Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States (ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2019. This legislation will protect America's national monuments against the Trump administration's relentless attacks on public lands and reinforces Congress' clear intent in the Antiquities Act of 1906: only Congress has the authority to mod… Continue Reading

Durbin Named Top Democrat On Senate Immigration Subcommittee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after being re-appointed as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee: More than 20 years ago, when I first came to the Senate, Senator Ted Kennedy called to ask me, the son of an immigrant, to serve on the Immigration Subcommittee. I have never felt a greater need to ensure that our immigration laws are worthy of our heritage as a nation of immigrants than I have these past two years. Thou… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Lipinski, Schneider, Casten Press Sterigenics For Answers About Claims From Ex-Employees

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today pressed Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc. for answers about a CBS Chicago report where ex-employees of Sterigenics alleged rampant wrong-doing by facility supervisors, such as releasing ethylene oxide (EtO) directly into the atmosphere without proper pollution control equipment, dumping… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For EPA To Send Officials To Address Sterigenics Situation

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after a conversation with Acting U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler regarding ethylene oxide emissions at Sterigenics: Today I spoke to Acting U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to again express my grave concern about the reports of high emissions of ethylene oxide at Sterigenics and misconduct at the facility. I do not feel there is a sense of urgency at the U.S. EPA. We are dealing with a clear public safety and… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $5 Million in Federal Funding to Help At-Risk Youth in Illinois Find Employment

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded five non-profit organizations in Illinois a total of $5,370,255 through YouthBuild, a job-training and educational program for at-risk youth ages 16-24. YouthBuild helps young people complete high school, earn industry-recognized credentials for in-demand occupations, and undergo training to build housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families in … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Agriculture Subcommittee Assignments For The 116th Congress

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that he will be a member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade; the Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy; and the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources. As a member of these three subcommittees, Durbin will focus on a variety of issues that directly impact Illinois' agriculture, the rural economy, and farmers. "I am honored to be a member of the Senate Committee… Continue Reading

Durbin Opposes William Barr For Attorney General

WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he will oppose President Trump's nominee to be U.S. Attorney General, William Barr. In today's Senate Judiciary Committee markup, Durbin reiterated his concerns about Mr. Barr's views regarding transparency for Special Counsel Mueller's findings and executive power before voting no on his nomination. "I can't understand why Mr. Barr volunteered a 19-page memo to the Trump Admi… Continue Reading

Durbin Host Illinois Members At The First Illinois Delegation Luncheon Of 116th Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation at the first Illinois Congressional Delegation Luncheon of the 116th Congress. Started by the late U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon, the Illinois Delegation Luncheon has been held regularly in Washington, D.C. at no expense to the federal taxpayer for more than 27 years. "It was great to see friends from the House of Representatives today to hear what they've been working on and their goals for … Continue Reading

Durbin Opposes Kraninger Plan To Gut CFPB Payday Lending Rule

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, released the following statement today opposing the proposal by Director Kathleen Kraninger of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to eliminate key protections of the CFPB's payday lending rule. Director Kraninger's plan would eliminate the requirement that lenders first ensure that consumers can afford to pay back loans and st… Continue Reading