Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Justice For Victims Of Trafficking Act

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted unanimously to pass the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act: There are few crimes as insidious as human trafficking. This bill will help the victims reclaim and rebuild their lives. The overwhelming Senate vote is a strong statement to protect the human rights of the victims of this heinous crime. -30-… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A Nearly $838,000 Investment In Illinois first-Responder Capabilities

[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 $837,960 to six communities in Illinois. Today's funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "This federal funding will ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur in our communities, our nation's firefighters and first-re… Continue Reading

Senator Meets With Fermi Director To Discuss Support For National Lab And Funding For Science Research

[WASHINGTON, DC] - After addressing the steady decline in federal research investment during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense earlier today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with the Director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Dr. Nigel Lockyer to discuss the importance of continued federal funding for scientific research and development programs. "As one of our top national laboratories, Fermilab is home to some of America's best and brightest researcher… Continue Reading

Durbin, Graham, Kaine, McCain Urge President To Establish Humanitarian Safe Zones In Syria

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and John McCain (R-AZ) today sent a letter to President Obama calling on him to immediately establish and enforce humanitarian safe zones to protect civilian lives and supply lines for food, water, and medical supplies. "With the brutal Syrian conflict entering its fifth year, the Syrian people are facing a humanitarian nightmare of unspeakable proportions," the senators wrote. "More than 200,000 Syrians have … Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Emanuel, Illinois Members At Delegation Coffee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel at an Illinois Congressional Delegation Coffee. During the coffee, Emanuel and delegation members discussed various Illinois priorities including transportation, infrastructure, and education. Today's coffee was attended by five members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Repres… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Northwestern President To Discuss Funding For Biomedical, Scientific Breakthroughs

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro to discuss higher education issues and support for federally funded biomedical and science research. Durbin introduced two bills - the American Cures Act and the American Innovation Act - earlier this year to support the future of biomedical and basic science research. Major research universities like Northwestern - which has endorsed the legislation - have felt the impact of a decades-l… Continue Reading

Durbin, Murphy, Cartwright Introduce Legislation To Meet Demand For High-Quality Prosthetic Care For Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) will join U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright today to introduce two bills to improve orthotics and prosthetics care for the nation's service members and veterans. The legislation would enhance research in best practices and support colleges and universities seeking to establish degree programs to train specialists. "Illinois is in the lead when it comes to prosthetic and orthotic training and research," Durbin said… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $674,000 In Federal Funding To Assist Homeless Veterans In Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have awarded a total of $674,639 in grants and vouchers to communities across Illinois that will be used to expand supportive services and housing for veterans in Illinois. "Last night, in Illinois alone, more than 1,200 homeless veterans were on the street. This country can do better-and must do better-for the brave men… Continue Reading

Durbin Cautions That Fair Competition In Arline Travel May Be At Risk

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to the Secretaries of Transportation and State, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cautioned that fair and open competition in the airline industry may be at risk if the three largest airlines of the Gulf States of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are receiving substantial government subsidies. Recent reports have indicated that these subsidies are distorting the market for air travel and giving airlines an unfair advantage over U.S. carriers. In to… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Fire Chiefs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with the Illinois Fire Service Association today to discuss the importance of firefighter equipment grant programs, firefighter training, and crude-by-rail safety in communities where oil tank cars pass through. Photos of today's meeting are available here. "Firefighters and first-responders bravely protect Illinois' communities when emergencies happen," Durbin said. "It was great to see the men and women of the Illinois Fire Service Ass… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Director Of Air National Guard To Discuss The Future Of Springfield's 183rd Fighter Wing

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with Lieutenant General Stanley Clarke who, as Director of the Air National Guard, oversees National Guard units across the country, including the Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield. During the meeting, Lieutenant General Clarke and Durbin - who serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees discretionary spending for our nation's military - discussed the long-term future of… Continue Reading

With More Youth Using E-Cigarettes Than Ever Before, Durbin Demands FDA Action

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today in response to findings from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing for the first time that more U.S. teenagers are using e-cigarettes than traditional cigarettes. The data released today shows that e-cigarette use among middle and high school students has not only surpassed conventional tobacco use, but has also tripled in just one year - growing from approximately 660,000 to 2 million high schoo… Continue Reading

Durbin And Cicilline: Tobacco Farms Are No Place For Kids

[WASHINGTON, DC] - With the tobacco growing season beginning this month and as hundreds of children head to work on tobacco farms, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced legislation today to protect child workers from the dangers of exposure to tobacco plants, which can include acute nicotine poisoning and other long term health effects. The U.S. currently has no specific restrictions to protect children from nicotine poisoning or other health … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill To Strengthen Youth Sports Concussion Safety

Endorsed by the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, & NCAA WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act, legislation that would strengthen K-12 schools' procedures for preventing, detecting, and treating student-athletes who suffer concussions while competing. The National Federation of State High School Associations estimates that about 140,000 students playing high school sports suffer concussions every year though many g… Continue Reading

Members Of Congress Say 'Enough Is Enough' When It Comes To Corporate Tax Dodging

Bill would ban federal contracts for companies that move their headquarters overseas to avoid paying their fair share of U.S. taxes [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Al Franken (D-MN) joined U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Sander Levin (D-MI) and Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) today in introducing legislation would ban federal contracts for companies that move their headquarters overseas, but only on paper, in order to avoid p… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Importance Of New Transportation Bill To Illinois Communities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With Congress preparing to consider a legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to discuss Illinois transportation priorities and receive at update on the status of the Highway Trust Fund, which is likely to dip below the critical $4 billion funding level this summer. Funding from the Highway Trust Fund and other federal transportation programs is critically impo… Continue Reading

Durbin: Time For Department To Pull Plus On Corinthian Once And For All

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Department of Education fined Corinthian Colleges nearly $30 million for misrepresenting job placement rates and suspended enrollments at the company's Heald College locations. Durbin first asked the Department of Education to immediately prohibit Corinthian Colleges, Inc. from enrolling any new students in June 2014. "The Department's action against Corinthian's Heald brand campuses is a lon… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors President Abraham Lincoln On Senate Floor 150 Years After His Passing

[WASHINGTON. D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) honored the life and legacy of Illinois' own President Abraham Lincoln during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Yesterday marked the 150th anniversary of the Ford's Theatre assassination attempt and today marks his death thereafter. Durbin praised President Lincoln's leadership throughout the Civil War and courage to tackle the divisive issues of his time. "150 years ago today Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, wa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal 'Troubled' By FDA Inaction On Mislabeled Supplements

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate manufacturers of dietary supplements containing "acacia rigidula" which is often used on dietary supplement labels to mask the inclusion of BMPEA - a potentially dangerous synthetic stimulant - in their products. Today's letter follows the release of a study last week in which researchers found BMPEA, in 11 of 21 over-the-counter dietary supple… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Removal Of Cuba From List Of State Sponsors Of Terrorism

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after President Obama announced that the United States would remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism: "After careful review by the State Department, the removal of Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is a welcome move regarding the relations between the US and Cuba. That Cuba is no longer involved in such activities is a positive step forward in normalizing relations between our two nations … Continue Reading