Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), introduced 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. "Illinois … Continue Reading
March 10, 2020
Durbin: The Time Has Come To Stand Up For Defrauded Veterans And Student Borrowers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, urged his Senate colleagues to support the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval overturning Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' rewritten borrower defense rule when it comes for a vote this week. "With her new borrower defense rule, Secretary DeVos, at the Department of Education, will make it virtually impossible for these future defrauded borrowers to receive … Continue Reading
March 10, 2020
Durbin to HHS And NIH: Taxpayer-Funded Coronavirus Vaccines Must Be Affordable For Patients
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar and Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis Collins to ensure any coronavirus vaccines or therapeutics are affordable for American patients. Durbin, in a letter to Secretary Azar and Director Collins, asked how the agencies will implement the provisions in the coronavirus emergency supplemental appropriations act to promote affordability. Last … Continue Reading
March 10, 2020
Durbin Calls On Trump Administration To Prioritize Health & Safety Working Families In Coronavirus Response
WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), during a speech on the Senate floor, called on the Trump Administration to prioritize the health and safety of working families during the coronavirus outbreak, including paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, transportation, food security, educational plans, affordable treatment, and widespread and free coronavirus testing. Last week, Durbin, along with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), helped … Continue Reading
March 09, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Illinois State Of Emergency Declaration In Response To Coronavirus
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker declared a state of emergency in response to new cases of coronavirus: "This is a commonsense, proactive measure to ensure the health and safety of Illinoisans. We commend Governor Pritzker, Mayor Lightfoot, and health care workers throughout Illinois who are on the front lines of this public health challenge. We will continue to keep in close … Continue Reading
March 09, 2020
Durbin, Grassley Introdcue Bipartisan Resolution To Celebrate 30th Anniversary Of Restoration Of Independence Of Baltic States
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), co-chairs of the Senate Baltic Caucus, today led 23 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the restoration of independence of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid Russian aggression. The House Baltic Caucus is introducing a … Continue Reading
March 09, 2020
Durbin, Takano, Levin Statement On Department Of Veterans Affairs Action To Protect Student Veterans At For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-41), Chairman of the House Committee On Veterans' Affairs, and U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it would halt new G.I. Bill enrollments at for-profit University of Phoenix and former Career Education Corporation (CEC) … Continue Reading
March 09, 2020
Durbin Meets With Association Of Illinois Firefighters
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Association of Illinois Firefighters to discuss legislation to support fire departments, firefighters, and paramedics in Illinois. Durbin discussed his support for the Assistance for Firefighters grant program and SAFER grant program that provide critical resources, training, and equipment to fire departments across Illinois. Before his meeting with members of the Illinois Association of Firefighters, Durbin spoke to … Continue Reading
March 06, 2020
Durbin Convenes CDC, State, And Local Public Health Officials To Discuss Coronavirus Response Plans
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a roundtable discussion with officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), and Illinois Medical District (IMD) on the coordinated response to the coronavirus outbreak. Officials provided the latest information on how the federal, state, and local governments are working to … Continue Reading
March 06, 2020
Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Restore Amtrak Riders' Legal Rights & Protections
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Conor Lamb (D-PA-17) and Denny Heck (D-WA-10), introduced legislation to restore legal rights and protections to Amtrak riders who are currently prevented from seeking justice in the courts and joining together to seek accountability for their claims. Amtrak implemented its forced arbitration and class action ban policy last January, specifically writing it to be "as broad as … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Host Chicago Infrastructure Meeting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Chuy Garcia (D-IL04), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), and Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), today met with Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Jamie Rhee, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner Gia Biagi, and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval Carter to discuss infrastructure priorities in Chicago. The group discussed funding to help … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin, Colleagues To Azar: Trump Administration's Health Care Sabotage Undermines Coronavirus Response
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in leading 36 other Democratic Senators in calling on Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar to take immediate action to reverse the Trump Administration's health care sabotage, which has undermined our preparedness for and ability to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. Specifically, the Senators asked Secretary Azar to commit to making any potential coronavirus vaccine … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin Calls For Judiciary Committee Hearing On Bombshell Report On President Trump's Child Separation Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today called for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a stunning new report on the Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program and the Trump Administration's cruel and inhumane zero-tolerance policy. The Senate … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin Votes For Coronavirus Supplemental Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after he voted for the bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill. The bill provides $7.8 billion to respond to and prevent coronavirus, including funding for patient monitoring, lab testing, acquisition of test kits and protective equipment, and research into vaccines and therapeutics. The Illinois Department of Public … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin Meets With Bloomington-Normal One Voice
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of Bloomington-Normal One Voice, who represent local government, labor, education, and business. Durbin discussed transportation priorities, including the recently announced $13 million federal BUILD grant for a new underpass in Normal. Durbin also discussed rural broadband and the new Rivian vehicle manufacturing plant in Normal. Amazon plans to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian by 2030. "It was great to … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin Meets With Chicago Army Corps Commander To Discuss Shoreline Protection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Colonel Aaron Reisinger, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District, to discuss funding to help address the impacts of climate change on the Chicago lakeshore. The Trump Administration did not fund the Great Lakes Resiliency Study or a reevaluation of the Chicago Shoreline Project in their Fiscal Year 2020 Corps Work Plan and Fiscal Year 2021 Budget request. In the meeting, Durbin urged the Corps to push the Trump … Continue Reading
March 05, 2020
Durbin: What Are We Doing To Prevent Election Interference From China?
WASHINGTON - During a Senate Judiciary Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee hearing titled "Dangerous Partners: Big Tech and Beijing," U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) raised the issue of potential election interference in the 2020 campaign by China. There is no evidence that China has engaged in cyber warfare targeting our election system yet, in contrast to Russia. However, China has waged influence campaigns online in a local Taiwanese election and in response to the protests in … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Durbin, Murray, Senators Call on HHS & DHS IGs to Investigate Reported "Weaponizing" of Confidential Therapy Sessions to Deport Children
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) led 20 of their Senate colleagues in pressing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to review the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) reported disclosure of confidential information from children's therapy sessions to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for use in efforts to deport these children, as well … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Durbin Meets With ArcelorMittal USA CEO About Pollution Violations At Burns Harbor Facility
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged ArcelorMittal USA CEO John Brett to take responsibility for its Burns Harbor facility's leaking of toxic chemicals into the Little Calumet River and Lake Michigan, and pressed them on a reported attempt to cover it up. In a meeting with Mr. Brett, Durbin asked whether ArcelorMittal is planning to install new pollution control technologies and procedures to mitigate any further harm to the environment and if they are cooperating with the … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Durbin Statement On Coronavirus Supplemental Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on the bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill. The bill provides $7.8 billion to respond to and prevent coronavirus, including funding for patient monitoring, lab testing, acquisition of test kits and protective equipment, and research into vaccines and therapeutics. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is … Continue Reading