Durbin: The Fight Against Big Tobacco Isn't Over Yet

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the fifth anniversary of the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) responded to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that it will further delaying the release of regulations that would expand the agency's regulatory authority over tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Today, Durbin called for a renewed dedication to the fight against tobacco, smoking, and nicotine addiction: "Five years a… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $3.4 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Development Projects in Central and Southern Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development division has awarded loans totaling $2,405,000 and grants totaling $1,068,500 to communities across Central and Southern Illinois. The funding used in this announcement will support water and waste infrastructure construction projects, small business initiatives and local economic development. "This federal investment will create local, good-paying jobs in c… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $170,000 Investment To Create Jobs And Boost Development in the Quad-Cities

[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 $169,884 in Economic Development District Planning funding to the Bi-State Regional Commission in the Quad Cities to create jobs and boost economic development in the region. "Today's funding will help the Quad Cities region create and implement a plan for continued economic growth - one that leverages new investment to promot… Continue Reading

Durbin: Tax Credits Shuold go to Companies that Invest in American Workers, Not Ship Jobs Overseas

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation that would provide a tax credit to companies that provide fair wages and good benefits to workers while closing a tax loophole that incentivizes corporations to send jobs overseas. The loophole costs the U.S. Treasury approximately $50 billion each year at a time when outsourced jobs and stagnant wages force more American families to turn to safety net programs to make ends meet. "Instead of rewarding businesses that ship … Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Peoria Area Veterans to Discuss Ongoing Work to Bring Accountability to the VA

[PEORIA] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with local veteran service organization leaders to discuss the ongoing efforts in Washington to remedy the serious problems facing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Durbin discussed legislation which the Senate passed last week to remedy some of those issues and improve veterans' access to health care and heard from the attendees about their experiences with the VA system. "We owe every one of our veterans a great deal, and that i… Continue Reading

Durbin, Madigan Call On Corinthian Colleges To Formerly Notify All Illinois Students Of Pending Federal And State Investigations And To Immediately Stop Enrolling Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today noted that Corinthian Colleges Inc. is under investigation by 20 states and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Corinthian operates in Illinois under the name "Everest College" and has six campuses in Burr Ridge, Bedford Park, Melrose Park, Merrionette Park, North Aurora, and Skokie, enrolling a total of 3,300 Ill… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $7.3 Million in Federal Funding To Support Workforce Training Efforts

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded $7,368,126 in grants to organizations in Chicago, Illinois that provide employment, training and support services to successfully re-integrate formerly incarcerated adults and youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system into their communities. The funding is made available through DOL's Face Forward program, which targets youth involved in the juvenile justice … Continue Reading

Senator Durbin Joins Representative Guitierrez and others to discuss Humanitarian and Refugee Children Crisis At The Border

[Washington, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) at a press conference today with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) to address the hemispheric refugee crisis on the Southern border and in Central America. The Members discussed a series of actions and policy changes, on both the domestic and foreign affairs … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Passing of Lisa Radogno

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after learning about the death of Lisa Marie Radogno, a member of Senator Mark Kirk's staff and the daughter of Illinois Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno and her husband, Nunzio. "I was deeply saddened to learn that the Illinois Delegation has lost such a beloved and dedicated member of the team," said Durbin. "It is with a heavy heart that Loretta and I express our deepest sympathy to her paren… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Juneteenth Independence Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement in recognition of Juneteenth, commonly known as "Juneteenth Independence Day." The day commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended. African Americans who had been slaves in the Southwest celebrated June 19 as the anniversary of their emancipation. "Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and an opportunity to commemorate the end of slavery in Ameri… Continue Reading

Durbin: Hard to Believe that Cartoons and Candy Don't Increase E-Cigarettes' Appeal to Kids

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke today at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee reviewing e-cigarette advertising and promotional practices that appeal to kids. During his remarks, Durbin called attention to the growing popularity of e-cigarettes, the potential health risks posed by their use, and the aggressive marketing of those products to children and adolescents. Photos of Senator Durbin at the hearing will be available shortly here. "We… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Subcommittee Advances Constiutional Amendment

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, which he chairs, advanced a Constitutional Amendment giving Congress and states express authority to regulate and limit the raising and spending of money for political campaigns. The amendment is a response to the tidal wave of secret spending from corporations and Super PACs unleashed by recent decisions of the Supreme Court's conservati… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $41,000 Investment In Burbank 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 made a $41,130 investment in the Burbank Fire Department in Burbank, Illinois for operations and safety. Today's funding will support and improve the capability of the department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durb… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Illinois Manufacturing With Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Mayor of Rockford Larry Morrissey to discuss manufacturing initiatives and economic development in Rockford. Mayor Morrissey is in Washington, DC to attend the White House "Maker Faire," where he presented information about the Rockford region's aerospace cluster and manufacturing partnerships. The White House is hosting the first "Makers Faire" to meet with students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools a… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing On DOD Budget Issues

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Fiscal Year 2015 funding requests for the Department of Defense (DOD). Durbin also questioned both Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, on how growing expenditures for the Tuition Assistance program and MyCAA, for military spouses, have impacted DOD's budget. Durbin suggested that the DOD should be taking a more proactive … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Veteran Service Organizations As Progress Continues On Legislation To Bring Accountability To The VA

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with representatives from the Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, Wounded Warrior Project, and Veterans of Foreign Wars to discuss the ongoing federal and criminal investigations into reports that facilities operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs used secret lists to conceal the amount of time veterans waited for healthcare. Earlier this month, Durbin met with veteran… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Other Senators To Introduce Legislation Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors From Gun Violence

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Edward Markey (D-MA) to introduce the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, a bill that would protect domestic violence survivors from gun violence by preventing an individual subject to a temporary restraining order from purchasing or possessing a firearm for the duration of the order. The bill was named after Lori Jackson, a Connecticut res… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Approves Yandle For Southern District Judgeship

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate has confirmed Staci Yandle for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois. She will serve in the Benton Federal Courthouse. The Senate approved Yandle by a vote of 52-44. "Staci Yandle's confirmation today marks another important milestone in the journey toward equality of opportunity for all Americans. Her confirmation is not only historic, it is well deserved," said Du… Continue Reading

Durbin: Judiciary Subcommittee to Vote on Constiutional Amendment Tomorrow

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - An amendment giving Congress and states express authority to regulate and limit the raising and spending of money for political campaigns will be voted on tomorrow, Wednesday, June 18, by members of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, chaired by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). The amendment is a response to the tidal wave of secret spending from corporations and Super PACs unleashed by recent decisions of the Supreme Court'… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn, UI Labs Announce $10 Million Federal Funding For Digital Manufacturing Lab

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and UI LABS today announced that the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) has received $10 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to transition Adaptive Vehicle Make (AVM) manufacturing technology to U.S. industry. In January, Durbin, Quinn and other elected officials announced a $70 million federal grant awarded to UI Labs to bring the future of American manu… Continue Reading