Durbin, Kirk Statement on BP Whiting Refinery Oil Spill into Lake Michigan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) today released the following statement after learning that an unknown amount of oil from BP's Whiting refinery in Indiana spilled into Lake Michigan. Earlier today, Durbin spoke with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy and EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman about the spill. "We cannot be too careful when it comes to protecting the health and safety of Lake Michigan which … Continue Reading

Senators: FDA Must Regulate E-Cigarettes and Other Nicotine Delivery Products

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In light of mounting evidence that the emerging market of new nicotine delivery products poses serious public health and consumer protection issues, six U.S. Senators today called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to move quickly to regulate the rapidly evolving market of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products saying: "It's time for the FDA to stop the sale of these candy-flavored poisons to our children." U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ba… Continue Reading

Gen. Mark Welsh Visits Scott Air Force Base

[SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE] - U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh today visited Scott Air Force Base with members of Illinois' Congressional Delegation to discuss Scott's importance to our nation's military and meet with leaders of the surrounding community to hear about the strong local support for the base. Gen. Welsh agreed to visit Scott at the invitation of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), who chairs the Senate appropriations subcommittee that oversees discretionary spending for our n… Continue Reading

Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for International Monitors in Ukraine

Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of Senators, led by Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), today sent a letter to the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urging the international body to immediately deploy civilian monitors to eastern and southern Ukraine as the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jeff Flake (R… Continue Reading

Durbin, Foster Applaud Opening of Argonne Energy Sciences Building

[ARGONNE] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today attended the dedication ceremony for Argonne National Laboratory's new Energy Sciences Building. Construction on the $95 million building was funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's Science Laboratories Infrastructure Program. The facility is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold building. "With its caliber of work, quality of people and boldness of mission, Argonne … Continue Reading

Durbin to CIA: Respect Separation of Powers and Declassify Torture Report

Washington, D.C. - In a strongly worded letter to CIA Director John Brennan, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the CIA to support declassifying a report on its controversial detention and interrogation program. Durbin's letter follows the highly questionable and possibly unconstitutional search of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence computers by the CIA which was revealed this week. "I write to express my grave concerns about the CIA's actions with respect to t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn, Emanuel Announce More Than $128 Million in HUD Disaster Recovery Funding for Chicago Area

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) has awarded a total of $128,300,000 in funding through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program to communities in the Chicago area for recovery efforts following severe storms and flooding that began on April 18, 2013. This funding was made available through the FY2013 Sandy Supplementa… Continue Reading

Durbin Travels to Ukraine

[Washington, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) is on two-day trip to Ukraine where he will hold high-level meetings on regional political dynamics and security issues. The delegation, led by Senator Durbin and Senator John McCain (R-AZ), will also include Senators Murphy (D-CT), Flake (R-AZ), Whitehouse (D-RI), Barrasso (R-WY), Hoeven (R-ND) and Johnson (R-WI). Durbin will travel to Kiev, for meetings with the interim Ukrainian government, including Acting President Turchyn… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Chicagoan Bruce Heyman As New U.S. Ambassador to Canada

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statements today after the Senate confirmed Bruce Heyman of Chicago, Illinois to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Canada. The Senate unanimously approved his nomination. "I was proud to support Bruce Heyman's confirmation to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Canada, and I am pleased that my colleagues in the Senate unanimously agree." "Bruce's broad experience in international business and global affairs will prepare h… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Springfield and Sangamon County Officials to Discuss Regional Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Springfield and Sangamon County Community Partnership to discuss local priorities including economic development and transportation improvements. A photo of today's meeting is available here. "I want to thank the Springfield and Sangamon County Community Partnership for their work to improve the community around them and spur local job creation," Durbin said. "I will continue to look for opportunities in Washingt… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces the American Cures Act

[WASHINGTON, DC] With a decline in federal biomedical research threatening our standing as a leader in discovery and innovation and our global competitiveness, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the American Cures Act, to support the future of research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense Health Program (DHP), and the Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program. "In the last two centuri… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces The America Cures Act

[WASHINGTON, DC] With a decline in federal biomedical research threatening our standing as a leader in discovery and innovation and our global competitiveness, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the American Cures Act, to support the future of research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense Health Program (DHP), and the Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program. "In the last two centuries,… Continue Reading

In Letter to President Obama, Durbin, Five Other Senators, Urge Administration to Finalize Regulations for Tobacco Products

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a letter to President Obama, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) - joined by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) - urged the Administration to review and finalize regulations for tobacco products, which may include e-cigarettes and e-hookahs, without further delay. By Executive Order, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has 90 days to complete review of regu… Continue Reading

Inspector General Report on Campus Debit Card Use Confirms Need to Better Protect Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA) today said that a Department of Education Inspector General (IG) report they requested in 2012 recommends that the Department of Education should take action to better ensure that student interests are protected when colleges and universities use third-party servicers - such as Higher One and Sallie Mae - to deliver Title IV student financial aid dollars to students. "The Inspector General has e… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Springfield's Tom Lamont Named to Commission on Military Monuments

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today congratulated Springfield native Tom Lamont, the former Assistant Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs within the Department of the Army, on his appointment to the American Battle Monuments Commission. The Commission is responsible for honoring American armed forces where they have served and for controlling the construction of military monuments and markers on foreign soil by others. "I had no doubt that when Tom Lamont retired as Assistant Secre… Continue Reading

Illinois Congressional Delegation Announces $3.4 Million In FY2014 Funding to Fix Metro East Levee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today announced that the Army Corps of Engineers will allocate $3.4 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 funding to fix the portions of the Wood River Levee that have been negatively impacted by a design deficiency in the construction of the Melvin Price Dam. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 that was signed into law by President Obama in January. As part of his FY 2015 Budget which was deliv… Continue Reading

Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Resolution Condemning Russian Aggression in Ukraine

A bipartisan group of Senators, led by Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), introduced a resolution today condemning the Russian military siege of Crimea, calling for a withdrawal of those troops, and a negotiated settlement to any concerns regarding the Crimea. It also urges the administration and European Union to use a range of economic and diplomatic leverage against Russia should it fail to abide by these basic economic norms. "Russia must immediately … Continue Reading

Durbin: As National Transportation Hub, Illinois Infrastructure Will Benefit From Historic Investments in Presidential Budget

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget that President Obama delivered to Congress today will create jobs and give our economy a shot in the arm by making critical investments in our national transportation and infrastructure network. "Illinois' airports, highways, waterways, and rail lines are at the center of our national transportation network. Maintaining and modernizing this quickly aging network is vital to our future economic well-being, and must be one of our national priorit… Continue Reading

Durbin: Obama Budget Preserves Funding for Innovation & Research at Argonne National Lab & Fermilab

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget that President Obama delivered to Congress today preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that support work at both Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. The President's budget request includes $5.1 billion for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the primary funding source for both Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. Together, Argonne and Fermilab employ roughly 4,600 Illinois… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Farm Bill, Renewable Fuel Standards and Agricultural Priorities with the Illinois Farm Bureau

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with representatives of the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss the importance of continuing to support and invest in Illinois' agricultural communities. The group discussed the Farm Bill, renewable fuel standards and waterway infrastructure. A photo of Durbin's meeting is available here. "I was pleased to meet with the Illinois Farm Bureau today to discuss the new Farm Bill which gives farmers across Illinois the certainty they need to plan ahead. It s… Continue Reading