Durbin, Duckworth Urge President Trump to Support State's Request for a Major Disaster Declaration in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to President Donald Trump supporting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois to help the State respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State has requested Individual Assistance (IA) for all 102 counties to support Illinoisans as the pandemic continues. "Governor Pritzker has indicated that this pandemic is of such severity and magnitude that effe… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.6 Million in Federal Funding to Help Illinois Health Centers Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois received $3.6 million in federal grants to support 45 Community Health Centers (CHCs) in their COVID-19 response efforts. This funding comes from the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law on March 6, 2020. Health centers will now be able to use the funding to help increase COVID-19 screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies a… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Senate Democrats' Priorities in Third Coronavirus Package

WASHINGTON - As negotiations continue on a third bipartisan coronavirus stimulus package, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, highlighted Senate Democrats work to include immediate, direct relief to working families and the health care sector amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) unveiled Senate Republicans' partisan plan for a third coronavirus economic stimulus package, which puts co… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce CMS Approval of Illinois' Request to Expand Health Services Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the State of Illinois' Section 1135 Medicaid waiver, enabling the state to expand access to health services and have the flexibility to deliver quality care amid this public health crisis. This news comes on the heels of the letter the Senators sent to CMS Administrator Seema Verma urging the agency to approve the … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Coronavirus Threat at Federal Prisons with Council of Prison Locals

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with Council of Prison Locals (CPL) President Shane Fausey to receive an update on the situation that Bureau of Prisons (BOP) staff and inmates are facing at facilities across the country as the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to reach federal prisons. Despite this threat, the Trump Administration has not yet requested any additional funding for BOP to prepare for and combat the pandemic. "Federal prisons will inevitably be a hotspot for the spread… Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley, Colleagues Press Trump Administration to Transfer Vulnerable Inmates to Home Confinement

WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the lead authors of the bipartisan First Step Act (FSA), led 12 of their colleagues in a bipartisan letter pressing the Trump Administration to take necessary steps to protect the health and wellbeing of federal prison staff and inmates in Federal custody, particularly by using their authority under the FSA. In a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Fed… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Discuss Coronavirus Impact with Illinois Municipal League & Mayors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic with the Illinois Municipal League Board of Directors and a group of Illinois mayors from across the State and heard how the pandemic is affecting local governments, small businesses, and essential services. Durbin and Duckworth discussed the lost tax revenue state and local governments will face as a result of the pandemic and promised they would continue to push for f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Bipartisan Call for FEMA to Waive State and Local Match on COVID-19 Assistance

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) in urging President Trump to exercise authorities used in the wake of natural disasters to waive local cost sharing provisions for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) assistance, under the President's emergency declaration, to streamline more federal resources into states and communities responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. "Now, as… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges FDA Commisioner to Increase Coronavirus Test kit Supplies for Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, on a call with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, discussed the FDA's efforts to increase coronavirus test kit materials and medical equipment to fight the pandemic in Illinois. Durbin pushed Dr. Hahn to do everything within FDA's power to increase access to safe and effective personal protective equipment, testing kit supplies, ventilators, treatments, and other medical resources health workers need now. "I'm glad t… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Democrats Fighting to Put Working Families First & Address Public Health Crisis in Third Coronavirus Stimulus Package

WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, continued to call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to include immediate, direct relief to working families and the health care sector in the third coronavirus economic stimulus package. Saturday morning, Senator McConnell unveiled Senate Republicans' plan for a third coronavirus economic stimulus package, which puts corporations first and does not do… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls on Senate to Allow Remote Voting During National Emergencies

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Senate to support his bipartisan resolution with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to amend the Standing Rules of the Senate to allow Senators to vote remotely during a national crisis. Durbin's call for action comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and the first report of a U.S. Senator testing positive, which has now lead to five Senators self-quarantining out of an abundance of caution. "W… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Third Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Package

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's partisan coronavirus economic stimulus package failed to garner enough votes to move forward in the Senate: "This partisan coronavirus stimulus package neglected hospitals, community health centers, health care workers, and first responders; it neglected state and local governments; it neglected our teachers, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers; it neg… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Press CMS to Approve Illinois' Request to Expand Health Services Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to swiftly approve the State of Illinois' Section 1135 Medicaid waiver, so the state can expand access to health services and have the flexibility to deliver quality care amid this public health crisis. "Our health care system is facing unprecedented strains and it is essential that we provide the resources and flexib… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join 165 Members of Congress in Calling for Billions in Community Health Center Funding to Tackle Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL), joined 165 lawmakers in calling on House and Senate leadership to dramatically increase long-term funding for community health centers (CHCs) in the third coronavirus legislative package being drafted by Congress to address the immediate economic and public-health emergency needs ca… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Colleagues Urge Congressional Negotiators to Cancel Student Loan Payments and Debt in COVID-19 Response Package

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), sent a letter to Congressional negotiators, urging them to cancel student loan payments and debt in the COVID-19 response package. "Students and families should not have to worry that they will go into default on their student loans during or immediately after this emergency--they should be worried about keeping themselves and their loved ones safe," th… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Coronavirus Response With Walgreens CEO

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with Walgreens CEO Alex Gourlay today to discuss the response to the coronavirus pandemic and operations at Walgreens locations in Illinois. In the midst of this pandemic, they discussed plans to help patients access adequate supplies of medications for the long-term-such as patients with diabetes needing insulin-and how pharmacies can assist with urgent community needs, such as providing drive-thru testing sites. "These are unprecedented time… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Midway Air Traffic Control Tower with FAA Administrator

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Stephen Dickson to discuss the continued closure of the air traffic control tower at Midway Airport after two FAA tower employees tested positive for COVID-19. Durbin asked Dickson for an update on the air traffic control tower and when FAA plans to reopen and resume normal operations. "I urged Administrator Dickson to quickly resolve the operations issues ongoing at Midway and ensure th… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Coronavirus Response with Army Secretary McCarthy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, spoke with U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to discuss the Army's coronavirus response efforts. Durbin discussed the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and medical support, and asked about continued support for the State of Illinois. "The U.S. Army will be a critical partner in this effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and Congress … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Impact of Coronavirus With Illinois Hospitals

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, on a call with more than 20 CEOs from Illinois hospitals and AJ Wilhelmi, President of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association, discussed the impact of coronavirus and what resources are needed to fight the pandemic at Illinois hospitals. Durbin thanked the hospital representatives for everything their hospitals and health workers have done so far to help Illinois patients and pledged to continue to push for a direct and immediate infusi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Discuss Coronavirus Impact on Workers with Illinois AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic with Tim Drea, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO, and the Illinois AFL-CIO executive committee. On a call with the Illinois AFL-CIO, Durbin and Duckworth asked how the pandemic will impact the labor community and discussed the proposals Congress is considering to help workers during the pandemic. Durbin and Duckworth have supported direct cash payments to Americans, in… Continue Reading