Durbin Statement On President's State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Trump's first State of the Union address: If the President chooses to follow through on his prepared remarks tonight, he will find Democrats ready to work with him on lowering prescription drug prices, making massive new investments in America's crumbling roads and bridges, passing meaningful paid family leave legislation, and protecting Dreamers. -30-… Continue Reading

Durbin: Higher Education Act Reauthorization Must Protect Students And Taxpayers From Predatory For-Profit Colleges

WASHINGTON - As the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) continues to hold hearings on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) to focus the Senate's debate on two very important topics - accountability and taxpayer risk, especially as it relates to for-profit colleges. While for-profit colleges enroll only nine percent of a… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Dreamer Medical Student, His Guest For President Trump's State Of The Union

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, today met with Illinois Dreamer Cesar Montelongo, who will be his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address. Cesar, who has temporary legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, is the first DACA student enrolled in the MD-PhD program at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "I've had the pleasure of meeting Cesar… Continue Reading

Durbin To Host Dreamer Medical Student For President Trump's State Of The Union Address

DURBIN TO HOST DREAMER MEDICAL STUDENT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, will host Illinois Dreamer Cesar Montelongo as his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address. Cesar, who has temporary legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, is the first DACA student enrolled in the MD-PhD program at Loyola Universit… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On White House Immigration Proposal

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the Trump Administration's immigration proposal, which was presented to the press this evening. The White House has scheduled a briefing on the plan for Senator Durbin and others this coming Monday afternoon. "Dreamers should not be held hostage to President Trump's crusade to tear families apart and waste billions of American tax dollars on an ineffective wall. After four and a half months, his Admi… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nominees for Service Academies

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the names of young men and women whom he has nominated to attend four of the nation's service academies. "I am again honored to nominate some of the best and brightest young men and women from all across Illinois to attend our nation's service academies," Durbin said. "These individuals are the leaders of tomorrow, and I have no doubt that they will make their families and their country proud." The academies include U.S. Milita… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Music Modernization Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bob Corker (R-TN), Doug Jones (D-AL), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced legislation they said would be the "most significant change in music licensing laws in decades" to help songwriters get paid fair value for their songs. The Music Modernization Act would create a new, simplified licensing entity to make it easier for digital mus… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senator Duckworth

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: From the moment she came into my office 13 years ago, I knew that Tammy Duckworth was one of the most extraordinary people I would ever meet. Her determination as a veteran with disabilities to overcome grievous combat injuries and lead a full life demonstrated a level of courage which inspires us all. When she told me several weeks ago that she and Bryan were expecting a new baby to join their little A… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Path Forward For Bipartisan Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) agreed to a path forward for the Dream Act and bipartisan immigration measures, and the Senate voted to advance a funding bill to re-open the federal government: "We have gathered the largest bipartisan group of Senators to ever commit to moving forward on the Dream Act and immigration. We have a process. I believe that that sets the stage for us… Continue Reading

Durbin To McConnell: There Is A Bipartisan Agreement On Immigration, Bring It To The Floor Now

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor today to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan agreement on immigration that was reached by himself and Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). It has been more than four months since the Trump Administration terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called for Congress … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Dems Slam Trump Administration For Unprecedented, Harmful Medicaid Changes

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and 29 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Acting Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Eric Hargan expressing serious concern with recent administrative actions and calling into question the Trump Administration's decision to approve state Medicaid waivers that would eliminate health coverage for tens of thousands of Americans. Last week, Governor Bruce Rauner expressed support for these new federal rules that would make … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth To Rauner: Where's Your Plan For IVH Quincy

WASHINGTON - Following Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner's press conference on January 10, 2018, where he stated that his new goal for the Illinois Veterans' Home (IVH) Quincy was to reach "zero instances of Legionella infection," U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Gov. Rauner for a copy of his Administration's plan of action to reach his stated goal. "This goal, and the need for a detailed plan of action, is critical and long overdue given the multiple outb… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses DHS Secretary On Bipartisan Immigration Deal, President's Remarks, At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on the future of the Dream Act and her recollection of the January 11th meeting on immigration at the White House at an oversight hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee. "Madame Secretary, I hope you remember me. We were together at two meetings last week. I'd like to ask you about one of those meetings. It occurred about noon on January the 11th. So… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committee Application Process For Federal District Court In The Northern District Of Illinois

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that they will begin accepting applications from those interested in serving as a Federal District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois. The Senators will be assisted by a screening committee whose task is to review and vet District Court candidates and advise the Senators regarding the candidates' qualifications and fitness for the position. The Senators' screening committee in the Northern Dis… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Trump Remarks, Bipartisan Immigration Deal

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on his Thursday meeting at the White House to discuss the bipartisan immigration deal with President Trump: In the course of his comments, President Trump said things that were hate-filled, vile, and racist. He used those words, and he used them repeatedly. I cannot believe that in the history of the White House, in that Oval Office, any president has ever spoken the words that I personally heard our preside… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Gov. Rauner's Comments At Illinois Veterans' Home Quincy, Illinois General Assembly Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Governor Bruce Rauner concluded his stay at the Illinois Veterans' Home (IVH) Quincy and the Illinois General Assembly held a joint legislative hearing to examine the ongoing legionellosis outbreaks at IVH Quincy and the State's response: "While IVH Quincy is owned, operated, and managed by the State of Illinois, I've supported IVH Quincy through my role in the federal government and will continue to do so… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Press Education Department's FSA Chief For Details On Student Loan Disbursement Prepaid Card Pilot Program

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) pressed Dr. Wayne Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), for additional information on a proposed pilot program that would disburse student financial aid through a prepaid card product. In a letter to Dr. Johnson, the lawmakers expressed that if FSA proceeds with a pilot program, it will n… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Bipartisan Immigration Meeting At White House

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: The President and every member of Congress in that room agreed on the urgent need to fix this DACA crisis now. Republicans laid out their four priorities, and Democrats laid out ours: the Dream Act. The next step is for bipartisan negotiators, who have already been working for months, to immediately reach an agreement that can pass both chambers and be signed into law by January 19th. -30-… Continue Reading

Lawmakers File Amicus Brief Against Sessions' Efforts To Block Byrne-JAG Funds From American Cities

WASHINGTON-Twelve members of the United States Senate and 33 members of the United States House filed a Congressional amicus brief in the appeal of the case City of Chicago v. Sessions, which is the lawsuit that the City of Chicago brought in August seeking a preliminary injunction to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from blocking critical violence prevention funds from American cities in order to boost the Trump Administration's extreme immigration ag… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On New White House Immigration Proposal

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the Trump Administration's immigration policy demands presented to Senate negotiators this afternoon. The White House released the same list of demands in October of 2017. Today, they demanded an additional $18 billion in funding for the construction of a border wall. "President Trump has said he may need a good government shutdown to get his wall. With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direc… Continue Reading