Press Releases

August 27, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $30 Million For Cancer Research In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that three Illinois-based organizations have been awarded nearly $30 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support cancer clinical trials and cancer care delivery studies in their communities. "This federal funding will support the important work being done at some of Illinois' best research institutions," Durbin said. "Strong investments in … Continue Reading


August 27, 2019

Durbin Presses FDA To Regulate E-Cigarettes In Aftermath Of Vaping Death And Illnesses

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless and Center for Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller to get off the sidelines and address the public health epidemic of e-cigarettes, especially among children and young people. In a letter to Sharpless and Zeller, Durbin cited the death of an Illinoisan who had recently vaped, and was hospitalized with severe respiratory illness. According to the … Continue Reading


August 26, 2019

Durbin Calls For An End To Small Refinery Waivers And Restoring Integrity To The Renewable Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, along with Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), today urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end the harmful abuse of small refinery hardship waivers under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a letter sent to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Durbin and his … Continue Reading


August 20, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $17 Million For Metra Improvements

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Metra will receive $17,840,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for rail improvements. The funding will support the construction of a new grade-separated double-tracked rail bridge over Milwaukee Avenue immediately north of the Grayland Metra Station in Chicago. "For many Illinoisans, Metra is the only affordable and accessible transportation option they have," Durbin said. "The … Continue Reading


August 20, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $2 Million To Protect Southern Illinois Families From Lead Hazards

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that two housing authorities in Southern Illinois will receive a total of $1,943,027 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Capital Fund Program. Under this announcement, the East St. Louis Housing Authority (East St. Louis, IL) will receive $943,027 and the Union County Housing Authority (Anna, IL) will receive $1,000,000 to identify and … Continue Reading


August 16, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $113.9 Million In HUD Funding To Support Chicago Housing And Community Development

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Chicago will receive $113,932,060 in federal grant funding through four programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Chicago was awarded $78,262,773 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, $6,695,179 through the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program, $18,935,452 through the HOME Investment Partnerships program, and $10,038,656 … Continue Reading


August 14, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Slam Trump Administration Proposal To Weaken Protections Against Discrimination In Health Care

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 32 of their fellow Democratic senators, have submitted a comment letter for the record to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar criticizing the Trump Administration's proposed rule to weaken critical protections that help address discrimination in health care. The senators outlined several issues with the proposed rule, including how it could harm … Continue Reading


August 14, 2019

Durbin Calls For Investigation Of Trump Admin's Efforts To Use Eminent Domain To Seize Privately Held Land To Build Border Wall

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), have sent a letter to U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro requesting that the U.S. Government Accountability Office investigate the Trump Administration's efforts to exercise the power of eminent domain to seize privately held land to build a border wall at the southern border of the United States. The Senators, who are all opposed to the president's border … Continue Reading


August 13, 2019

Durbin Statement On Prison Understaffing Crisis Following Epstein Death

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the understaffing crisis at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), which is receiving heightened attention following the apparent suicide of Jeffrey Epstein. The Bureau of Prisons has not had a permanent director since May 2018, a leadership vacuum that Attorney General William Barr has not addressed in his six months on the job. "Attorney … Continue Reading


August 13, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $1.5 Million In Opioid, Behavioral Health Services For Southern Illinois Community Health Centers

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 community health centers in Southern Illinois a total of $1,560,000 through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Program and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. Community health centers are community-based organizations that improve access to affordable, … Continue Reading


August 13, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $1.5 Million In Opioid, Behavorial Health Services For Western Illinois Community Health Centers

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 community health centers in Western Illinois a total of $1,501,000 through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Program and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. Community health centers are community-based organizations that improve access to affordable, … Continue Reading


August 13, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2.1 Million In Opioid, Behavioral Health Services For Central Illinois Community Health Centers

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 community health centers across Central Illinois a total of $2,169,000 through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Program and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. Community health centers are community-based organizations that improve access to affordable, … Continue Reading


August 13, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $4.5 Million In Opioid, Behavioral Health Services For Chicago Community Health Centers

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 community health centers in Chicago, Illinois, a total of $4,503,836 through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Program. Community health centers are community-based organizations that improve access to affordable, high-quality health care in underserved urban and rural … Continue Reading


August 12, 2019

Durbin, Senators Call Out Partisan 'Project' To Tip Supreme Court In Favor Of NRA-Backed Plaintiffs

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case bringing the first major challenge to gun safety laws since 2010. Against the backdrop of shocking gun violence in America, the Senators detail how the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Federalist Society, and other dark money-funded partisan groups have announced … Continue Reading


August 12, 2019

Durbin, Markey, Blumenthal Request Information On Student Data Collection Practices

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent letters to numerous education technology (EdTech) companies inquiring about data collection practices on American students. The Senators raised concerns that the learning tools used by these companies could pose a serious risk to students, parents, and educational institutions as a result of the potential for massive amounts of personal information to be stolen, collected, or sold without … Continue Reading


August 12, 2019

Illinois Congressional Democrats Urge Census Bureau To Ensure Full And Fair Count For 2020 Census

WASHINGTON - The Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today sent a letter to U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham urging him to ensure a full and fair count of the State of Illinois with the upcoming 2020 Decennial Census. The members expressed concern with administrative and technological changes being made to the upcoming Census, and urged the Bureau to provide Illinois with the necessary resources to count all Illinois residents, especially vulnerable and … Continue Reading


August 09, 2019

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos, Loebsack Announce $1.2 Million In DOT Funding for Quad Cities Ferryboat Dock

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Dave Loebsack (D-IA-02), announced today that Quad Cities MetroLINK will receive $1,200,000 in federal grant funding to replace an old Channel Cat dock in Davenport. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Passenger Ferry Grant program. Today's grant will be used to rebuild Davenport's Lindsay Park dock. "I'm pleased that … Continue Reading


August 09, 2019

Durbin Statement On Passing Of U.S. Representative Paul Findley

DECATUR - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on the passing of former U.S. Representative Paul Findley, who represented Illinois' 20th Congressional District from January 3, 1961 - January 3, 1983: "Paul Findley was my political opponent, but he was also my friend. In 1982, I prevailed in the election over twenty-two year incumbent Congressman Paul Findley. Over the years, our infrequent conversations increased in number and a friendship emerged. I was … Continue Reading


August 09, 2019

Durbin Holds Roundtable To Discuss How Trump's Tariffs Are Impacting Farmers

NIANTIC-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today held a roundtable discussion with local agricultural leaders to discuss issues impacting farmers, including the President's recent trade war with China that places tariffs on Chinese goods. China is Illinois' number one agriculture export market. "This has been a tough planting season - and when you combine it with the President's mystifying decisions like a reckless trade … Continue Reading


August 09, 2019

Durbin, Baldwin, Sanders, Warren, Blumenthal To FDA: Hold Avexis Accountable

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today blasted AveXis, a subdivision of pharmaceutical giant Novartis, for falsifying data in order to obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new gene therapy, Zolgensma, which was developed through taxpayer funding and is now sold for $2.1 million. In a letter to FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless, the Senators … Continue Reading

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