Durbin, Senate Colleagues Press U.S. Army & Sanofi For Affordable Zika Vaccine

WASHINGTON - Amid reports that Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company, is refusing to commit to a licensing agreement that would ensure a reasonable and affordable price for a Zika vaccine that is being developed largely with taxpayer funding, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Angus King (I-ME) today pressed the U.S. Army to convene a public hearing regarding its Zika vaccine candidate licensing plans.… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Discovery Of Asian Carp Near Lake Michigan

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the discovery of an adult Silver Carp near the T.J. O'Brien Lock and Dam in the Calumet River: "I'm deeply concerned by today's announcement that an adult Silver Carp was discovered a mere nine miles from Lake Michigan. If this invasive species reaches the Great Lakes, it could cause significant economic losses and irreversible damage to the ecosystem, and threaten the drinking water of 30 million Americans. Now … Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Call For Review By Accreditors Of EDMC's Sale Of For-Profit Colleges

WASHINGTON - In a letter to the heads of several regional college accreditors, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) called for close scrutiny of the proposed sale of the Education Management Corporation's (EDMC) for-profit college chains to The Dream Center Foundation. The proposed sale would allow EDMC's schools, including Argosy University, South University, and the Art Institutes - institutio… Continue Reading

Durbin: NIH At The Heart Of Research That Improves American Lives

WASHINGTON - At a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted the critical role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in conducting the important medical research that leads to new cures and treatments for disease and conditions impacting families worldwide. In response to the drastic cuts to medical research, as proposed in President Trump's FY2018 budget, Durbin announce… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Acting Director Of Bureau Of Prisons To Discuss Thomson Prison Activation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Acting Director Tom Kane to discuss the activation of the Thomson, Illinois federal prison and federal prison policies under the Trump Administration. "Thomson prison is an important component of the Department of Justice's plan to tackle major challenges faced by our prison system and to promote economic growth in the region," said Durbin. "Today, Acting Director Kane as… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues to Trump: Act On Russian Cyber Intrusions to U.S. Energy Infrastructure

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth, along with U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senate colleagues today sent a letter to President Trump urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct an analysis of Russian capabilities with respect to cyber-attacks on U.S. energy infrastructure. In the letter, the members request that President Trump, "direct the Department of Energy, in consultation with other relevant agencies, to within 60 days conduct a thorough … Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Health Care Repeal Bill Is Still A Mean Dog

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans for repackaging the health care repeal bill passed by House Republicans, which kicks millions of Americans off their insurance to give huge tax cuts to big corporations and the wealthiest individuals, and keeping the legislation hidden from the American public in an effort to rush it to a vote. "[T]here's not much of a change between the House of Representatives effort and the Senate effort. You know, … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senate Trumpcare

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Senate Republicans finally released their secret health care repeal bill: Now we know why Senate Republicans kept this bill a secret for so long-it will take health insurance away from millions of Americans, and increase costs for Illinois seniors and families. The deep cuts to Medicaid are a disaster for downstate and Chicagoland areas as well. We need to stop this Republican health care repeal … Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Bill To Increase Voter Participation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), introduced legislation to modernize the nation's voter registration systems and make it easier for all Americans to vote and participate in our democracy. The Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2017 would streamline the voter registration process, allow citizens to register online, and require states to automatically register eligible voters when they apply for a driver's licen… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Board of Elections Director to Discuss Election Security

WASHINGTON - Amid House and Senate Intelligence Committee public hearings on Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Steve Sandvoss, the executive director of the Illinois Board of Elections to discuss preventive measures that should be taken to address election security. Mr. Sandvoss testified at the public Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today. "Russia has been refining its tactics of cyber warfare against de… Continue Reading

Durbin: All It Takes Is Three Republican Senators to Step Up and Stop Secret Health Care Repeal Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed Senate Republicans to stand up for the American people and call on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to draft health care legislation in a bipartisan and transparent manner. Durbin noted that if just three out of the 52 Republican Senators refuse to vote for the secret health care repeal bill, it would force Leader McConnell to go back to the drawing board. "Why are we in this position when ten days before changing the hea… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Warn of Illinois Transportation Shut Down if State Budget Agreement Isn't Reached

WASHINGTON - As Illinois rapidly approaches the end of the state's fiscal year, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Governor Bruce Rauner and Illinois state legislative leaders to reach a budget agreement in order to avoid an unnecessary transportation shut down that could cost tens of thousands of jobs across the state. In a letter to Governor Bruce Rauner, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, Illinoi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Lawsuit Against Trump for Foreign Conflicts of Interest

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined 194 Members of Congress in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump alleging that he has violated the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause, one of its most important anti-corruption provisions. The suit, filed in federal district court in the District of Columbia, alleges that the President has received numerous benefits from foreign states without first seeking or obtaining con… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Families of Wounded Warriors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) today introduced bipartisan legislation to help make certain wounded warriors and their families are fully aware of the services available to them through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) caregiver program. The Caregiver Program Information Improvement Act of 2017 would require the caregiver program to be added to the list of statutorily-mandated counseling items for service members pending separation from the Depar… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, LaHood & Bustos Urge President Trump to Scrap Plans to Close Peoria Ag Lab

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today pressed President Trump to scrap plans to close the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, Illinois. The Trump Administration's fiscal year 2018 budget proposed closing 17 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) laboratories, including the NCAUR in Peoria. "For nearly eighty… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2 Million in Federal Funding to Provide Maternal & Child Health Services in Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Illinois Department of Public Health with $2,135,940 in federal funding to improve access to and the quality of health care for mothers, children, and their families, especially for those with low-incomes or limited availability of care, throughout Illinois. This funding is provided through the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Servic… Continue Reading

Durbin, Hastings Work to Strengthen Illinois' Election Systems From Future Acts of Cyberwarfare

WASHINGTON - Amid reports that Russia's cyberattack on the U.S. electoral system leading up to the 2016 election was far more widespread than had been publicly revealed, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-IL-19) are working with 110 local Illinois election authorities to assess the current state of Illinois' election system's cybersecurity and to see how the federal and state governments might best assist their efforts to strengthen the cybersecurit… Continue Reading

HHS Secretary Price to Durbin: I Have Not Seen Senate Republicans' Plan to Repeal Health Care

WASHINGTON - In a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price admitted to U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) that he has not seen the Senate Republicans' secret plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health care from millions of Americans. For the past few weeks, a group of 13 male Republican senators have been crafting… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on This Morning's Shooting

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: Our hearts go out to the victims of a tragic shooting this morning. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the United States Capitol Police who put their lives on the line this morning and each and every day to keep members, staff, and visitors safe.… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Sessions Testimony in Intel Committee

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the Senate Intelligence Committee: In his first few weeks as the nation's highest ranking legal authority, Attorney General Sessions has recused himself from the investigation of Russian interference in our election, recommended the dismissal of the Director of the FBI, reportedly offered his resignation to the President, and refused to answer ques… Continue Reading