Durbin Marks 2-Year Anniversary of Veteran Caregiver Program by Meeting with Participating Families

[HINES, IL] - In recognition of the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Family Caregiver Program, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited the Hines VA Hospital today to meet with veterans and their family caregivers and hear how their lives have changed as a result of the program. The Family Caregiver Program provides technical, financial and practical support to family caregivers of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seriously injured in the line of duty. It was create… Continue Reading

Springfield to Receive $14.4 Million in Federal TIGER Grant Funds for Carpenter Street Underpass

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers today announced that the City of Springfield, Illinois has been awarded $14.4 million for the construction of a railroad underpass at Carpenter Street - an important component of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project and the entire Chicago-to-St. Louis passenger rail corridor. In June, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined U.S. Representatives Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) united in sup… Continue Reading

Durbin Awards Four Medals to Highland Park World War II Veteran

[HIGHLAND PARK] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today presented Dr. Irving Distelheim, a veteran and retired physician, with four medals he earned during his service in France during World War II. Staff in the Senator's Chicago office worked with Dr. Distelheim and the Army to obtain the medals earlier this year. "Dr. Irving Distelheim is a true American hero, and it gives me great honor to recognize him with these decorations," Durbin said. "Today I presented him with four medals recogn… Continue Reading

Durbin Introducing Bill to Strengthen Concussion Safety in High School Sports

[CHICAGO] - On the eve of the high school football season's kick-off, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced he will introduce legislation when the Senate reconvenes to strengthen K-12 schools' procedures for preventing, detecting, and treating student-athletes who suffer concussions while competing. "Injuries are a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long-term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we need to do more to confront this … Continue Reading

Durbin, Schneider Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

[VERNON HILLS, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today visited College of Lake County to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. A complete list of attendees is attached. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue wh… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $115,000 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 $115,552 in grants to two fire departments and municipalities in Illinois. Today's funding will help support and improve the capability of the departments to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "When fires or other emergencies occur in our communities, our nation's firefighters and first-responders sta… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $58,000 Investment in Quincy Area Communities to Create Jobs and Boost Development

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC) Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $58,165 in Economic Development District Planning funding to the Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials in Quincy, Illinois to create jobs and boost economic development in the region. "Today's funding will help Western Illinois create and implement a plan for continued economic growth - one that leverages new investm… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Law Enforcement to Take Advantage of Federal Gun Tracing Resources

[EAST ST. LOUIS] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on law enforcement agencies to take advantage of the federal gun tracing resources available to help them crack down on gun violence. Crime gun tracing, which allows law enforcement to track guns used in violent crimes from their manufacturer to their first retail purchaser, can help generate leads in criminal investigations and reveal how guns are trafficked into criminals' hands. Last month, Durbin introduced legislation incenti… Continue Reading

Durbin: FRA Taking Proactive Steps to Ensure Continued Safety of Metra Riders

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to a letter from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) committed to increase safety oversight of Metra operations by taking additional steps to ensure that safety rules and regulations are being followed and the lines of communication are open between employees and management on all safety issues. According to a letter sent to Durbin by FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo, the FRA will further exercise its oversight authority by i… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Drug Sentencing Reform Speech by AG Holder

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after Attorney General Eric Holder announced reforms related to federal sentencing policy. Under Holder's new policies, some non-violent and lower-level offenders would receive greater flexibility in sentencing. Durbin and Holder discussed the need for reform in federal sentencing last week. "Mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenses have played a huge role in the explosion o… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with DuPage County Leaders Regarding Immigration Reform

[WHEATON, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Wheaton College to hold a roundtable discussion with a cross section of DuPage County leaders, briefing them on his effort to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hearing from them regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. A list of participants in the forum is attached. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decad… Continue Reading

Durbin, Oberhelman Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

[PEORIA, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman in Peoria today to discuss the need to reform the country's immigration system. Durbin is a member of the Senate Gang of Eight, which introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill after months of negotiations earlier this year and worked successfully to pass the bill on a bipartisan basis in June. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle … Continue Reading

Durbin, Foster Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

[JOLIET, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today visited St. Patrick's Catholic Church to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decades," Durbin … Continue Reading

Durbin, Foster Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

[AURORA, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today visited Ginger Creek Community Church to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decades," Durbin … Continue Reading

Durbin, Schakowsky: SNAP Benefits Provide Critical Safety New for Country's Most Vulnerable

[CHICAGO] - As the House of Representatives threatens to slash funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) met today with SNAP beneficiaries and program advocates to discuss SNAP's vital importance to the most vulnerable Americans. "At a time when one out of every seven households struggles to keep food on the table, SNAP has responded by providing over 47 million Americans with essential h… Continue Reading

Durbin and Kirk: Defense Appropriations Bill Will Help Ensure Rock Island Arsenal's Long-Term Strength

[ROCK ISLAND, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) said today that the Department of Defense appropriations bill which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday will give the Rock Island Arsenal the support it needs to remain strong while transitioning into peacetime operations. The legislation, the first which Durbin has passed through the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee since being named chairman earlier this year, contains several provisions to ensure th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos Meet with Federal Bureau of Prisons Director to Discuss Activation of Thomson Prison

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today met with the Director of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Prisons, Charles Samuels, to discuss the activation of Thomson Correctional Center. On July 18, Durbin and Bustos announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, had approved funding for the activation of Thomson at the level that was requested by President Obama in his fiscal year 2014 budget propo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Reed, Udall Call on Defense Department to Protect Servicemembers by Plugging Payday Loan Loophole

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In an effort to protect soldiers and their families from abusive financial practices, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-CT), Mark Udall (D-CO) joined with twenty of their colleagues today in calling on Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Chuck Hagel to close a loophole that allows lenders to restructure their traditional loans to avoid a DOD rule limiting the amount of interest on consumer credit products sold to servicemembers. The Military Lending Act -… Continue Reading

Durbin: THUD Bill Is the Latest Casualty of the Failed GOP Budget

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke at a press conference today following a failed vote on the spending bill to fund the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the 2014 fiscal year. Despite being passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 22-8, the measure failed to reach the necessary 60-vote threshold by a vote of 54-43. "Standing behind us are some men and women in the buildi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal: With Adverse Event Reporting on the Rise, Legislation Needed to Protect Consumers of Dietary Supplements

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced legislation that would help consumers distinguish between dietary supplements that are safe and those that have potentially serious side-effects or drug interactions. Recent investigative reports by "USA Today" and "Rock Center" have exposed the lack of information about dietary supplement products while they are on store shelves. With no authority to require information about a dietary supp… Continue Reading