Durbin, Duckworth To Senate Leaders: Protect Health, Safety, And Financial Security Of Illinois' Essential Workers In Next COVID-19 Relief Bil

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to include additional support for the essential workers in Illinois and across the country to effectively protect the health, safety, and financial security of workers in the short term, and ensure that they are in the strongest position possible as the economy recovers. In a letter to the Senate leaders, Durbin and D… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with members of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ILCADV) about resources for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the call, Durbin also discussed his support for provisions in the House-passed Heroes Act, including funding for Violence Against Women Act grant programs and financial assistance for emergency shelters and services for survivors and their children through … Continue Reading

With Supreme Court Set To Rule On DACA Any Day, Durbin Calls On Senate To Protect Dreamers

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today thanked the health care heroes on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted one special group of health care workers - immigrants. Durbin also called on Senate Republicans to support the bipartisan House-passed American Dream and Promise Act, which will establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers a… Continue Reading

Durbin: Health Heroes Act Can Address Health Care Workforce Shortages To Meet Nationwide Challenges Highlighted By COVID-19

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about his Health Heroes 2020 Act (S.3634), bicameral legislation to provide a historic investment in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps programs to cover graduate education costs for more than 300,000 clinicians in order to help address existing health workforce shortages throughout our health care system. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed existing health workforce shortages, while simultaneously … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senator McConnell To Bring Justice In Policing Act To Floor For A Vote

WASHINGTON - On the day of George Floyd's burial service, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the floor for a vote. The legislation proposes a comprehensive approach to hold police accountable for misconduct, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also noted that justice in America… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Threat At Federal Prisons With Federal Public And Community Defenders

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with members of the Federal Public and Community Defenders, including Thomas Patton, Federal Public Defender for the Central District of Illinois, and John Murphy, Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Illinois, about the failure of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to maintain a safe environment for inmates and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin heard how BOP has failed to reduce the prison populati… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses DOJ To Ensure Online Retail Marketplaces Are Combating Fraud And Price Gouging During COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on fraudulent activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the Department of Justice (DOJ) is responding to those exploiting the pandemic for financial gain. Durbin asked about efforts to combat COVID-19-related price-gouging and fraud and what the DOJ's COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force (Task Force) is doing to address it. Durbin pressed DOJ's Task Force leader… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $13 Million For Chicago Area Head Start Programs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced more than $13 million in federal funding to help children in the Chicago-area access Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, and helps build strategic partnerships in order to promote the social and economi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Booker, Harris, Colleagues To Introduce Justice In Policing Act Of 2020

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) to introduce the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, the first-ever bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities. "We cannot call ourselves a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Harris, Colleagues In Letter Demanding Answers On ICE & CBP Involvement In Policing Ongoing Protests

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) and Juan Vargas (D-CA) on Friday in a letter to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew Albence demanding answers on the agencies' involvement with the ongoing protests against police brutality in light of reports of law enforcement using force a… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Bipartisan Push For Community Health Center Funding To Help American Families

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and 38 other bipartisan Senate colleagues in urging Congress to immediately support community health centers that provide Americans with critical health care, including testing and treatment of COVID-19. Underlying public health gaps have resulted in alarming health disparities among communities of color with respect to COVID-19 infections and mortality. Community health centers play a vital ro… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks DOJ For Update On Price Gouging Activity During COVID-19 Pandemic

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today requested updated information about the current prevalence of COVID-19-related price-gouging activity and the steps that are being taken to address it from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In a letter to DOJ's Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force (Task Force) leader Craig Carpenito, Durbin requested more information on how the DOJ Task Force is working to investigate and prevent price-gouging involving personal protective equipment, medical s… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Congress To Protect Immigrant Doctors & Nurses On Frontlines Of COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, thanked the health care heroes on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted one special group of health care workers - immigrants. Durbin also called on his colleagues to support the bipartisan Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, legislation to quickly address the plight of immigrant doctors and nurses w… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes Against Nomination Of Justin Walker To D.C. Circuit Court In Senate Judiciary Committee

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee markup, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) voted against the nomination of Justin Walker to the D.C. Circuit Court. Durbin argued that Walker was nominated for this lifetime appointment to the second highest court in the land for two main reasons: because he's a family friend of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and because he's an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Durbin also called out Senate Rep… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Bill Extending Paycheck Protection Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill extending the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act allows borrowers 24 weeks instead of eight weeks to use their loan funds, and provides small business owners with greater flexibility in the use of loan funds. "Extending the PPP reflects the reality of this pandemic. Many small businesses in Illinois are struggl… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Response With Cook County Board President Preckwinkle

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on a call with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Board members discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. Durbin discussed the CARES Act and provisions he fought to include that provide vital federal funding to our nation's hospitals, including John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County. President Preckwinkle and Board members outlined how that fe… Continue Reading

Durbin Continues To Push To Pass Resolution To Reaffirm U.S. Commitment To Global Effort To Find COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, during a speech on the Senate floor, asked for unanimous consent to pass a resolution that encourages U.S. engagement with the international community on the COVID-19 response given the Trump Administration's failure to participate in global summits on plans to research, develop, and distribute vaccines and therapeutics. The resolution, led by Durbin and supported by 39 of his Senate colleagues, noted the historic international … Continue Reading

Durbin: Instead Of Addressing Challenges Facing Our Nation Today, Senate Judiciary Committee Criticizing The Mueller Investigation

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of Crossfire Hurricane Investigation: Day 1," U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called out Senate Republicans for using today's hearing as a distraction from the important work Congress should be doing to address the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, and the other challenges facing our nation today. Durbin noted that the Senate Judiciary Committee could and should be focused on the COVID-19 pandemi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Democrats Introduce Resolution Supporting Constitutional Right To Peacefully Protest & Condemning President Trump's Order To Tear Gas Peaceful Protestors Last Night

WASHINGTON - Today, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and fellow Senate Democrats attempted to pass a new resolution that affirms the constitutional rights of Americans to peaceably assemble, exercise freedom of speech, and petition the government for redress of grievances. The resolution also condemns the President of the United States for ordering federal officers to use gas and rubber bu… Continue Reading

Durbin: We Cannot Ignore The Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic On Incarcerated Individuals

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Examining Best Practices for Incarceration and Detention During COVID-19," U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on incarcerated individuals and to take advantage of smart, safe alternatives to incarceration that are readily available in order to protect inmates, detainees, staff, and the surrounding communities. Durbin noted t… Continue Reading