Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill Expanding Student Loan Refinancing For Servicemembers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, legislation that would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow servicemembers to consolidate or refinance student loan debt they had when they entered the military and continue to benefit from the six percent interest rate cap to which they are entitled through the SCRA. A provision in the SCRA protects servicemembers from high interest rates … Continue Reading
June 19, 2020
Durbin Commemorates Juneteenth
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following video statement commemorating Juneteenth, recognizing June 19, 1865, the date on which news of the end of chattel slavery reached slaves in Galveston, Texas. Durbin is a longtime sponsor and cosponsor of Juneteenth resolutions, dating back to 2007-2008 when he introduced resolutions with then Senator Barack Obama. "It was June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and his regiment arrived in Galveston, … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Durbin, Schumer, Colleagues Call For GAO Investigation Into Use Of Federal Law Enforcement During Washington, D.C. Protests Following Killing Of George Floyd
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 12 of their Senate colleagues, today requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) open an investigation into the use of Federal law enforcement, National Guard, and military personnel in response to protests in Washington, D.C., following the killing of George Floyd. "The use of force against Americans on June 1 at Lafayette Square was abhorrent and … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Durbin Votes Against Nomination Of Justin Walker To D.C. Circuit Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after voting against the nomination of Justin Walker to the D.C. Circuit Court: "Senate Republicans gave Justin Walker a lifetime appointment to the second highest court in the land for two main reasons: because Walker is a protégé of the Senate Majority Leader, and because he's an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act. It is shameful that even in the middle of a public … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Durbin Speaks On Senate Floor Following Landmark Supreme Court DACA Ruling
WASHINGTON-Following today's historic Supreme Court ruling rejecting President Trump's repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, spoke on the Senate floor to applaud the ruling and urge President Trump to finally end his cruel attempts to deport DACA recipients, who are commonly known as Dreamers. Durbin also urged the Senate to immediately take up and … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly, Foster Discuss COVID-19 Response With Illinois Hospitals
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (R-IL-02) and Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today, on a call with more than 20 CEOs of Illinois hospitals and leaders of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association, discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. The group discussed how to increase federal support to hospitals through CARES Act funding formulas and … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Discuss Support For Nonprofits With Cardinal Cupich And Catholic Charities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with Cardinal Blase Cupich and Sally Blount, the incoming CEO of Catholic Charities Chicago, about meeting the needs of vulnerable populations amid the public health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofits like Catholic Charities are experiencing a huge loss in revenue and resources being stretched more than ever. Durbin and Duckworth discussed their support for additional federal … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act, landmark legislation to preserve and protect our country's public lands. The bipartisan legislation provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks and other land management agencies. Durbin and Duckworth are cosponsors … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin To McConnell: Let's Negotiate In Good-Faith To Reach Bipartisan Agreement On Police Reform
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow real debate on policing reform in order to find common ground and warned against a potential partisan vote on the floor of the Senate. Durbin is a cosponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a comprehensive approach to hold police accountable for misconduct, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin, Grassley Statement On Appeals Court Ruling Striking Down HHS Policy To Require Disclosure Of Prescription Drug Prices In TV Ads
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today released the following statement regarding the ruling in the federal Court of Appeals for D.C. that struck down a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule that required direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements to include the list price of the drug: "Even in the midst of a pandemic that threatens all of us, Big Pharma fought for months in court to prevent patients from knowing the price of … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Durbin, Grassley Statement On Appeals Court Ruling Striking Down HHS Policy To Require Disclosure Of Prescription Drug Prices In TV Ads
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today released the following statement regarding the ruling in the federal Court of Appeals for D.C. that struck down a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule that required direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements to include the list price of the drug: "Even in the midst of a pandemic that threatens all of us, Big Pharma fought for months in court to prevent patients from knowing the price of … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Durbin: Systemic Racism Plagues Our Nation & Criminal Justice System
WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Police Use of Force and Community Relations," U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) pushed back against Senator John Cornyn's (R-TX) argument that systemic racism does not exist in our nation's justice system. "If you take a look at our system of justice and start with the premise that when it comes to drug users there is an equal percentage of White and Black drug users. Now you look at the number arrested for … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Policing Reform Executive Order
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's policing reform executive order: "When America cries out for meaningful, historic police reform, President Trump's executive order is modest at best. Congressional Democrats have introduced bold, comprehensive legislation to hold police accountable for misconduct and change the culture of law enforcement. We need … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Durbin Joins Booker To Press For Vote On Justice In Policing Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) on the Senate floor to press Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the floor for a vote. The legislation proposes a comprehensive approach to hold police accountable for misconduct, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities. "In my home state, I've been to several rallies in the … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Durbin To McConnell: Stop Holding Up COVID-19 Relief For Corporation Lawsuit Immunity
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals, and state and local governments amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's delay in passing a bill to give critical assistance to people in need. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin criticized McConnell's refusal to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill unless corporations receive federal liability … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2 Million In Telehealth Funding For Illinois Health Care Providers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that seven Illinois health care providers have been awarded a total of $2,077,152 in federal funding to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program, was appropriated by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. "This federal funding will … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Durbin Calls On Illinois Community Colleges To Partner With State & Local Health Departments To Recruit And Train COVID-19 Contact Tracers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Illinois community college presidents urging them to partner with the State of Illinois and local health departments to recruit and organize training courses for COVID-19 contact tracers. In the letter, Durbin encourages college presidents to help meet the need to ensure that training courses are offered by reputable institutions rather than by predatory for-profit colleges that could exploit Illinois students with over-priced … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Ruling On LGBTQ Workplace Discrimination Cases
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that the sex discrimination prohibition in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits firing an individual merely on the basis of that individual's sexual orientation or gender identity: "Today's Supreme Court ruling affirms what we know to be right: that an employer cannot fire someone for simply being gay or transgender in America. … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
In New Video, Durbin Speaks With Georgetown Law Professor & Longtime DOJ Civil Rights Attorney On Systemic Racism & Justice In Policing Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke with Professor Christy Lopez of Georgetown Law about the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, changing the culture of law enforcement, and building trust between law enforcement and our communities. Professor Lopez was a longtime U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division career attorney who led the Ferguson policing investigation and was also involved in the Chicago Police … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues In Pressing For Expanded Access To Affordable Health Care In Any Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Bill
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in leading 33 of their Senate colleagues in urging House and Senate leaders to ensure that any upcoming COVID-19 relief bill includes strong provisions to expand access to quality and affordable health care coverage in the wake of this public health crisis. In their letter, the Senators called for a bipartisan effort to ensure that people … Continue Reading