Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Legislation To Close Divide On Digital Equity, Inclusion, And Literacy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act, legislation to establish a nonprofit foundation that would channel public and private investments into making progress in closing the divide on digital equity, digital inclusion, and digital literacy. … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Meet With Bloomington-Normal One Voice Coalition

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with members of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, accompanied by the One Voice coalition comprised of members of local government, labor, education, health, and business sectors. During their meeting, the Senators and the group discussed how the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can support infrastructure projects in Central Illinois. The g… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Attorney General Garland During Hearing On Oversight Of The Department Of Justice

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Attorney General (AG) Merrick Garland at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Oversight of the Department of Justice." Durbin asked AG Garland about the Department's efforts to address gun violence, particularly after the July 4th Highland Park, Illinois, shooting. Specifically, Durbin asked how DOJ is using the authorities and resources provided by the Bipartisan S… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Clean Energy With Illinois Municipal Electric And Utilities Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IMEA/IMUA) to discuss clean energy tax incentives and grid security. During their conversation, Durbin discussed the impact of theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on the energy sector, highlighting how Illinois is primed to become a leader in clean energy and a trailblazer in electric vehicle production. Durbin and IMEA/IMUA also spoke about the… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Broadcasters Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) to discuss priorities for broadcasters, including the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), which passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote last Congress. Additionally, Durbin spoke with IBA about the important role local broadcasting plays in covering news in their community. "Illinois broadcasters are essential to keeping our c… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing On The Department Of Justice

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Oversight of the Department of Justice." In his opening statement, Durbin argued that the Department of Justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland has returned to its traditional and proper role-it is no longer the personal law firm of a sitting President, but rather the country's leading defender of the… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Secure $66.5 Million For Chicago O’Hare, Peoria, And St. Louis Airport Renovations

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth today announced a combined $66.5 million in federal funding for Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Peoria International Airport, and St. Louis Downtown Airport from theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Airport Terminal Program (ATP). Chicago O'Hare International Airport, awarded $50,000,000, will use these funds to rehabilitate and expand the 60-year-old Terminal 3. This is the largest grant amo… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Train Derailments And Union Agreements With CSC CEO

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Joe Hinrichs, CEO of CSX Transportation, to discuss the recent derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, and preventing future hazardous derailments. Durbin heard from Hinrichs about what additional safety measures could be implemented to alert conductors of potential malfunctions. The meeting concluded with Durbin and Hinrichs discussing the need to support improved working conditions for rail emplo… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With CDC Director Walensky

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to discuss the work being done at CDC to address the youth vaping epidemic, as well as efforts to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma at the root of community violence. Durbin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) from Trauma Act, a bipartisan bill to incr… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Chapters Of Boys And Girls Club Of America

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leaders of Illinois chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA) to discuss academic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mentoring, and student mental and physical well-being. During their meeting, Durbin learned more about BGCA's after-school programing that focuses on addressing students' academic needs as well as health and wellness. "The Boys and Girls Club of America serve nearly four million youth… Continue Reading

Durbin, Thune Urge Biden To Prioritize E15 Fuel, Utilize American Agriculture

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in 2023 in order to reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of energy and utilize American agriculture as an energy solution. The Senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable energ… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Equal Rights Amendment

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "The Equal Rights Amendment: How Congress Can Recognize Ratification and Enshrine Equality in Our Constitution." At today's hearing, the witnesses testified to the necessity of enshrining gender equality into law and Congress' role in ERA ratification. Durbin first asked Kathleen Sullivan, Senior Counsel at Quinn Eman… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Equal Rights Amendment

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "The Equal Rights Amendment: How Congress Can Recognize Ratification and Enshrine Equality in Our Constitution." The witnesses will testify to the necessity of enshrining gender equality into law and Congress' role in ERA ratification. Key quotes: "It was a long time ago, many years, I was a young lawyer on… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Recent CODEL To The Munich Security Conference, Georgia, And Romania

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor highlighting his recent trip to the Munich Security Conference, as well as the countries of Georgia and Romania. Durbin began his speech by reflecting on the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and President Biden's recent trip to Kyiv. "Last week the world saw a stark contrast in global leadership. First, Presidents Bi… Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Erie Family Health Centers To Highlight Efforts To Lower Prescription Drug Costs And Address Health Care Workforce Shortages

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Erie Family Health Centers to discuss efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs and address workforce shortages in the health care industry. "The hardships on patients and health care providers from the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate the importance of places like Erie Family Health," Durbin said. "From helping their patients access discounted medications to providing quality care, Erie continues to be a beacon of hope for… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the One-Year Anniversary of Russia's War on Ukraine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022: "One year ago today, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, an ill-fated throwback to the era when aggressor nations tried to seize their neighbor's territory by force-all in blind pursuit of some warped Soviet nostalgia trip. Pu… Continue Reading

Durbin, DeLauro Continue To Urge FDA Commissioner Califf To Implement Reforms At The Agency’s Human Foods Program

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) sent a follow-up letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf urging him to make critical reforms within FDA's Human Foods Program. Following the recent external evaluation and report by the Reagan-Udall Foundation, which outlined various flaws at FDA including their slow response to foodborne illness outbreaks, particularly with infant formula, and failure to… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2 Million For Illinois Institute Of Technology University Transportation Systems

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the Illinois Institute of Technology's Center for Assured and Resilient Navigation in Advanced Transportation Systems will receive $2 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Today's announcement comes through DOT's University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program, which supports colleges and universities' research efforts to advance safe, efficient, and climate-friendly… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committee, Application Process for Federal District Court in the Central District of Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator 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 Central 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 t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $375,000 For City Of Rockford Through Department Of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program

ROCKFORD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the city of Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded $375,031 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. This is the first round of funding from this program, making Rockford one of the first awardees in the nation. The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program is the first federal program dedicated to reconnecting communities … Continue Reading