Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin Discusses Retirement Security With Illinois State Treasurer
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs about the state of retirement and financial security in Illinois. During their meeting, Durbin received an update from Frerichs about Illinois Secure Choice, a state-facilitated retirement program that helps Illinois employers provide their workers with access to a retirement savings vehicle. Durbin and Frerichs also discussed the ABLE Age Adjustment Act as a possible avenue to offer … Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Congress Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill. "Congress came together on a bipartisan basis to pass a comprehensive budget, which will benefit families across Illinois. This bill makes critical investments in public health, housing, infrastructure, public safety and violence prevention, election security, … Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Senate Passes Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
Senate Passes Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Washington-The Senate passed the omnibus government funding bill that includes the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, authored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). The bill, which would reauthorize VAWA through 2027, preserves advancements made in previous reauthorizations and includes a number … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Senate Passes Bipartisan Spending Bill With Key Priorities Secured By Durbin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus appropriations bill. "The omnibus spending package is a testament to the incredible progress we have made in the last year and makes significant investments for Illinois. It provides more than $13 billion to the people of Ukraine fighting tooth and nail to defend their freedom. It also … Continue Reading
March 10, 2022
Durbin: This Spending Package Is A Testament To The Progress We've Made During The Past Year Of The Democratic Majority
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Omnibus. The funding will reduce the cost of living for working families, create good-paying jobs, ensure families and children can access critical supplies, provide more than $13 billion to Ukrainians, make critical investments in our future, and much more. "Ukraine needs humanitarian, military, and … Continue Reading
February 15, 2022
Durbin, Yarmuth, Boyle Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Transfer Debt Ceiling Authority To Treasury Secretary
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), House Budget Committee Chair Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), and House Budget Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) introduced the Debt Ceiling Reform Act, legislation that would repeal the debt ceiling and give the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to issue new debt as long as the president notifies Congress that new debt is needed. Republicans previously used stonewalling tactics led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch … Continue Reading
December 14, 2021
Durbin Statement On Vote To Raise The Debt Ceiling
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after voting to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a catastrophic default on our nation's debt: "Today, Senate Democrats acted to prevent a catastrophic default on our nation's debt, preserving the full faith and credit of the United States. I am grateful to our Republican colleagues who voted last week to fast-track a solution, allowing today's vote to only require a simple majority-ending the … Continue Reading
October 19, 2021
Durbin Talks Trade With National Confectioners Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Illinois members of the National Confectioners Association to discuss the current sugar program that sets price supports, domestic marketing allotments, and tariff-quotas to influence the amount of sugar available to the U.S. market. During their conversation, Durbin spoke in support of the Sugar Reform Act, which would eliminate the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) mandate to set the import quota at the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2021
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the federal government through December 3, 2021: "Why is keeping America's government open and functioning a political issue? "I'm glad we passed a bill to fund the government through December 3, but cannot understand the Republican default wish that keeps us lurching from one … Continue Reading
September 30, 2021
Durbin: Republicans Are Deliberately Manufacturing Economic Uncertainty
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today once again slammed Senate Republicans-led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)-for their continued refusal to join Senate Democrats in voting to suspend the debt ceiling. During his speech, Durbin also urged his colleagues to support Congressional Democrats' Continuing Resolution (CR), which keeps the government funded and open through … Continue Reading
September 24, 2021
Durbin, Padilla Visit Little Village, Discuss Federal COVID-19 Relief Efforts With Small Business Owners
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, today met with the Little Village Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders to discuss several federal programs that helped workers and small businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators also visited area businesses including La Chiquita Grocery … Continue Reading
September 21, 2021
Durbin: Instead Of Paying Their Tab, Senate Republicans Are Trying To Dine And Dash
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans-led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)-for their refusal to join Senate Democrats in voting to deal with the debt limit. During his speech, Durbin noted that raising or suspending the debt limit has nothing to do with approving new spending-it's about paying off the spending the government has already incurred. Much of the debt that Republicans are … Continue Reading
September 02, 2021
Durbin Meets Virtually With New AFL-CIO President
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the new President of AFL-CIO, Liz Shuler, to discuss her vision for the labor movement and congressional efforts to expand collective bargaining rights through the PRO Act. During their conversation, Durbin and Shuler spoke about labor priorities being considered in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill, including high-quality clean energy jobs. "Richard Trumka was a giant who led the labor movement in … Continue Reading
July 20, 2021
Durbin Praises Expanded Child Tax Credit On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today took to the Senate floor to emphasize the impact of the historic Child Tax Credit expansion included in the American Rescue Plan, which was made possible by the efforts of Democrats and President Biden. In his remarks, Durbin highlighted the importance of the automatic monthly payments and estimates that the expanded credit could cut child poverty by half this year. "Last week was an important day for literally millions of … Continue Reading
July 15, 2021
Durbin Highlights American Rescue Plan's Impact, Blasts Republican Opposition
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for referring to President Biden's American Rescue Plan as a 'grand socialist experiment.' In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin walked through the key components of the American Rescue Plan-which passed Congress in March without a single Republican vote-including funding for COVID-19 vaccines and distribution, small businesses, and working families. "So what was in this … Continue Reading
June 15, 2021
Durbin, Cicilline Announce Introduction Of Bill To Ban Child Labor On Tobacco Farms
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI-01) today announced the introduction of legislation to protect child workers from the dangers of exposure to tobacco plants, including nicotine poisoning. The Children Don't Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to prohibit children under the age of 18 from working in tobacco fields and coming into direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves by deeming … Continue Reading
June 08, 2021
Durbin Statement On Republican Filibuster Of Paycheck Fairness Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans filibustered the Paycheck Fairness Act: "The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes that allow for pay discrimination and empower women to hold employers accountable when they're being underpaid. Senate Republicans blocked this common sense measure from consideration. The women who helped carry America's families through this pandemic should not have to wait any … Continue Reading
June 07, 2021
Durbin Urges Senate To Pass Bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today urged the Senate to pass the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would provide a path to lawful permanent residency for undocumented farmworkers and their family members. During the speech, Durbin thanked the countless farmworkers who have kept American families fed … Continue Reading
May 28, 2021
Durbin Statement On President Biden's FY2022 Budget
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden unveiled his Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget proposal: "If America wants to lead in the 21st century, we can't be afraid of investments in our people. With this budget, President Biden prepares workers for the jobs of the future, rebuilds our infrastructure, gives families and children a foundation for success, and protects … Continue Reading
May 24, 2021
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud DOT's Expansion Of Local Hire And Workforce Development Pilot Programs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) decision to expand construction hiring and workforce development pilot programs. The programs, which will be managed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), will give contracting agencies expanded flexibility to use hiring preferences to enhance workforce development opportunities for those in economically or … Continue Reading