Durbin, Duckworth Announce 188,000 In Federal Funding To Support Safety And Security In Peoria Public Housing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a total of $188,032 to the Peoria Housing Authority. This funding is provided through HUD's Capital Fund Emergency Safety and Security Program, which supports local housing authorities as they address safety and security emergencies including sudden increases in violent or property-related crimes within their public housing communit… Continue Reading

Durbin-Harris Amendment Would Keep Non-Citizen Military Personnel From Discharge Due To Immigration Status

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) today filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to retain military personnel in the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program until their background screenings are completed. Because of a backlog in the screening process, it is estimated that between 1,000 and 1,800 MAVNI recruits have lost their … Continue Reading

Durbin: Let's Show The American Dream Is Still Alive By Passing The Dream Act

WASHINGTON-Following the Trump Administration's announcement last week that it will rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) came to the Senate floor today to call on Republican leaders in Congress to bring the bipartisan Dream Act to the floor for a vote. During his speech, Durbin shared the story of one Dreamer - Cristina Velasquez, a student at Georgetown University. During her time at Georgetown, Cristina has interne… Continue Reading

Durbin, Franken, Cortez Masto To Equifax: End Use Of Consumer-Harming Forced Arbitration Clauses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) in pushing Equifax-the massive credit bureau that recently made public a data breach affecting 143 million Americans-to completely end its use of forced arbitration agreements, which limit the ability of consumers to pursue justice in a public court of law or challenge widespread corporate wrongdoing. Equifax, one of the three biggest credit bureaus in the Unite… Continue Reading

Durbin, Joined by DACA Medical Students, Calls on Congress to Bring Dream Act to Vote

MAYWOOD - Following the Trump Administration's cruel and misguided decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today called on the Republican leaders of the Senate and the House to bring the bipartisan Dream Act to the floor. The Dream Act, which was introduced by Durbin and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), would allow DACA recipients to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. Durbin was joined by DACA recipients … Continue Reading

Durbin, McCain Resolution Condemns Violence Against Burmese Rohingya, Calls On Aung San Suu Kyi To Act

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) today introduced a resolution condemning the horrific acts of violence being committed against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma, and calling on Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi to live up to her historic democratic and human rights ideals by taking action to stop this humanitarian tragedy. Co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the resolution: (1) condemns the vi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On DACA And The Dream Act

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, released the following statement: In my first conversation with President Trump on Inauguration Day, I thanked him for the positive things he had said about the Dreamers. He looked me in the eye and said: "Don't worry. We are going to take care of those kids." Despite many of the terrible immigration policies this Administration has put forward, I have always held out the hop… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $1.5 Million In Federal Funding For Roadway Improvements In Jefferson County

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $1,507,478 in federal funding through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the construction of roadway improvements for industrial expansion in Jefferson County, Illinois. The project will improve access to allow current industries to ship and receive goods more efficiently, which will result in new higher paying jobs and additional employment throughout the region. The project is expected t… Continue Reading

Following Announcement Of National Opioid Emergency, Durbin And Bipartisan Sponsors Of Medicaid Care Act Press Trump To Heed Own Commission's Recommendations And Expand Access To Substance Abuse Treatment Under Medicaid

WASHINGTON - U.S. Democratic Senators Dick Durbin (IL), Sherrod Brown (OH), Joe Manchin (WV), and Cory Booker (NJ), Independent Senator Angus King (ME), and Republican Senators Rob Portman (OH), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), and Susan Collins (ME) today urged President Trump to lift the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) Exclusion for residential substance use disorder treatment as part of his opioid emergency declaration. In May, the senators introduced the bipartisan Medicaid Coverage… Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Roberts Park Fire Protection District, Touts Importance Of Federal Funding For First Responders

JUSTICE - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Roberts Park Fire Protection District, which was awarded $569,674 in federal funding last month through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program. The SAFER grant will allow the fire protection district, which includes Justice, Hickory Hills, and parts of unincorporated Cook County, to hire additional firefighters. "Our nation's firefighters and first-re… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $6.5 Million In Federal Funding To Help At-Risk Youth In Illinois Find Jobs

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded six local community colleges and non-profits in Illinois a total of $6,501,644 million through YouthBuild, a job-training and educational program for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24. Through YouthBuild, at-risk youth learn construction skills while constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own communities. Program … Continue Reading

Lawmakers Call Out Sessions For Holding City Violence Prevention Funds Hostage To His Extreme Immigration Agenda

WASHINGTON-Fifty-three members of the United States House and Senate are calling out Attorney General Jeff Sessions for holding critical violence prevention funds used by American cities hostage to the Trump Administration's extreme immigration agenda. The Department of Justice has placed new and onerous conditions on local law enforcement's access to federal funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program, forcing cities to choose between redirecting alr… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Reports Of DACA Recipient Detained In Suburban Chicago

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, released the following statement on reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Riccy Enriquez Perdomo, a DACA-protected individual, in suburban Chicago: "I'm disturbed by reports that a Dreamer with DACA protection has been detained. My office is in touch with ICE for an explanation. When he was Secretary of DHS, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly assur… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos Tour Continued Activation Of Thomson Prison

THOMSON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today toured Thomson correctional facility and received an update on the continued activation of the facility by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). "Today, Congresswoman Bustos and I were assured that the activation of Thomson prison remains on schedule and that they are making good progress on critical infrastructure projects," Durbin said. "Congresswoman Bustos and I have been working to secure robust federal f… Continue Reading

Senators Press Justice, Homeland Security Departments On Investigation Of Trump Aide Sebastian Gorka

Durbin, Blumenthal, Cardin Called For Probe 5 Months Ago, After Reports Surfaced Of Gorka's Ties To Neo-Nazi Group Failure to disclose membership in Hungarian fascist organization could invalidate Gorka's U.S. immigration status WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) today pressed the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to confirm whether senior White House counterterrorism advisor Sebastian Gorka is under investigation for f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos: Federal Investment In Rockford Airport Is Creating Jobs And Growing Local Economy

ROCKFORD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today toured construction of the Chicago Rockford International Airport passenger terminal, which will provide an additional 30,000 square feet for passenger check-in and additional Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) inspection lanes. Since 2015, Sen. Durbin and Rep. Bustos have helped to secure $18.2 million in federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the terminal expansion … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Trump To Defend DACA Program

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Trump Administration to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows talented young immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to go to school and work without threat of deportation. The future of the program is uncertain after Texas and nine other states threatened to sue if President Trump does not start phasing out the program by September 5. Durbin was joined by John Rowe, Co-Chair of… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Impact Of Community Health Centers In Fight Against Opioid Epidemic During National Health Center Week

NORMAL - During National Health Center Week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Chestnut Health System and discussed the important role that community health centers and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) play in our communities, especially when it comes to the fight against the opioid addiction epidemic. Community health centers improve access to affordable, high-quality health care in underserved urban and rural communities by integrating primary health care with pharmacy, mental health … Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Importance Of Affordable Care Act During National Health Center Week

CHICAGO - During National Health Center Week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Mile Square Health Center and discussed the important role that community health centers and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) play in our communities. Community health centers improve access to affordable, high-quality health care in underserved urban and rural communities by integrating primary health care with pharmacy, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and oral health care services. "Not only … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth To Illinois Department Of Insurance: Protect Illinois Consumers From Trump Health Care Sabotage

CHICAGO-As the Trump Administration continues their sabotage of America's health care marketplace, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged the Illinois Department of Insurance to provide Illinoisans with more information about the concerning proposed Illinois health insurance premium increases for 2018 and to protect Illinoisans from higher costs that result from President Trump's sabotage of the health care marketplace. Health insurance companies participating i… Continue Reading