Durbin Tours Gifford Tornado Damage

[GIFFORD, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Gifford to take a firsthand look at the damage from last month's tornado and get an update on the recovery efforts from IEMA. "The tornado damage that I saw firsthand here in Gifford and last month in Washington is some of the worst I have ever seen," Durbin said. "The rebuilding process will be a lengthy one, but I wanted to come to Gifford today to see that recovery in action and learn what more I can do to help. President Oba… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the CFPB's Announcement It Will Begin Overseeing Nonbank Student Loan Servicers

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on today's announcement by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that it would begin supervising nonbank student loan servicers with more than one million accounts: "Today's announcement by the CFPB ensures that millions more student loan borrowers will enjoy the strong consumer protections that come with the scrutiny of this vital agency. Large loan servicers operating outside the banking system will now… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that when the Senate reconvenes next week he and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) will introduce legislation to ensure struggling student loan borrowers understand the full range of repayment options and resources available to them and are treated fairly by the financial institutions servicing their loans. "Student loan debt has tripled over the last decade with more than 40 million borrowers owing abou… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Supreme Court Decision Not to Consider Online Sales Tax Collection Case

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after learning the Supreme Court has decided not to consider a case involving whether states can require the collection of sales and use taxes already owed under state law by out-of-state businesses under the Commerce Clause. Specifically, the case involved a New York law requiring retailers with affiliate advertisers in New York but no physical presence such as a warehouse or distribution center to collect … Continue Reading

Durbin: Healthcare.gov Working Better for Illinois Families

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today the problems with Healthcare.gov, the national health insurance marketplace, have been dramatically improved and encouraged Illinois families looking for health care coverage to log-in, shop for plans and to see how they can benefit. "The launch of the national health insurance marketplace was a disaster and left Illinois families frustrated, angry and uncertain about how they'll be find affordable health coverage," D… Continue Reading

Durbin: President Issues Major Disaster Declaration for State of Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has made a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois triggering the release of federal funds to help communities recover from November 17, 2013 severe storms, high winds and tornadoes that ravaged areas in Central and Southern Illinois leaving local governments, charitable organizations, voluntary agencies and evacuees taking on the initial costs of the damage. The President's action makes federal … Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Briefing for Filipino Community in the Wake of Typhoon Haiyan

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a briefing for members of Chicago's Filipino community on the U.S. relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Durbin was joined by Nancy Lindborg, USAID's Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance-who recently returned from the Philippines-and Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Consulate General of the Philippines. "The United States has played a key role in the relief efforts as the Philippines re… Continue Reading

Durbin Recognizes Importance of National Rural Health Day

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a statement for the Senate record, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today recognized the importance of National Rural Health Day. In Illinois, 81 of the 83 rural counties are considered primary care shortage areas, impacting nearly 2 million Illinoisans. To address this problem, the Affordable Care Act includes more than $200 million in training services for primary care doctors, nurses, and physician assistants. It also expands the National Health Service Corps program by $… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors 2013 CNN Hero Award Winner From East Moline, Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a statement for the Senate record, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today honored Illinoisan Chad Pregracke, who was named a 2013 CNN Hero earlier this week. Pregracke founded the non-profit Living Lands & Waters, based in East Moline, Illinois, which organizes clean-ups of the Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio River regions. The full text of Senator Durbin's statement for the record is below: Senator Dick Durbin Honoring 2013 CNN Hero Chad Pegracke November 21, … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Commitment to National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a resolution which emphasizes the importance of fully implementing the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's and the need to increase investments in Alzheimer's disease research. Alzheimer's is one of the most expensive conditions to treat and care for. In 2013, the cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's disease will total an estimated $203 billion for Medicaid and Medicare. That number is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion by … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Temporary Protected Status for Filipino Nationals in the Wake of Typhoon Haiyan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to request Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible Filipino nationals in the United States whose visas are set to expire. The U.S. has granted TPS for other nations following similar natural disasters. "Providing TPS is critical to humanitarian relief efforts as it both protects individuals who would be enda… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With University of Illinois Chancellor Phyllis Wise to Discuss Funding and Higher Education Issues

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Phyllis Wise to discuss the importance of funding student research and innovation. Chancellor Wise was in Washington, DC with a group of national research university leaders, which included Association of Public and Land-grant Universities President Peter McPherson and Association of American Universities President Hunter Rawlings. A photo of today's meeting is available here. … Continue Reading

Durbin: Protecting Investments in Agriculture, Biofuels Is Key to Rural Economy, Jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a conference call with members of Illinois' agriculture community and biofuels industry to discuss the potential impact of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to reduce the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Earlier today, Durbin also met with representatives of the Illinois Soybean Association to discuss the RFS and other agricultural policy priorities, including a full fiv… Continue Reading

Senate Passes Durbin Co-Sponsored Resolution in Support of Victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Senate passage of a resolution he introduced with U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) that expresses support for the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the surrounding region. "The humanitarian crisis caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan has left hundreds of thousands of people in need of the basics that we often take for granted: food, water, shelter," Durbin said. "The U.S. will con… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on New EPA Renewable Standard Proposal

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to reduce the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). "The Renewable Fuel Standard has long been a successful driver of investment in the biofuels industry - a key tool in domestic energy independence - which supports more than 5,400 direct jobs in Illinois alone. Reducing the standard as the EPA prop… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $3.9 Million in HUD Funding for St. Clair County Housing and Community Development

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that St. Clair County communities and housing agencies will receive $3,866,426 in grant funding through two programs administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help develop urban communities in the area. "This federal funding will give local development agencies in St. Clair County the ability to offer affordable housing to the people in their community who need it the most," Durbin said. Communi… Continue Reading

Durbin: No Need for Legislation on Cancelled Plans; Administrative Fix Sensible and Addresses the Problem

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following the Obama Administration's announcement that they would allow insurers to offer consumers the option to renew their 2013 health plans in 2014. This would allow a small number of people who received notices that their plans were being cancelled the option to keep their plans for an additional year. The announcement would also require insurers to notify enrollees that they can purcha… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $20 Million in HUD Funding for Chicagoland Housing and Community Development

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that communities and housing agencies in the Chicagoland area will receive a total of $19,906,321 in grant funding through three programs administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help develop urban communities in the area. Under today's announcement, Cook County will receive $14,532,234 in funding. "This funding will give local development agencies in the Chicagoland area the ability to expand an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation Through 'Fab Lab' Network

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation to invest in the next generation of American entrepreneurs and innovators by establishing a national network of fabrication laboratories, known as "fab labs." Fab labs are small, community-based workshops that give members of the public - from students to small businesses - access to educational resources and high-tech equipment that can design, develop, and create new pro… Continue Reading

Durbin, Franken Introduce Legislation to Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Al Franken (D-MN) today introduced legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors and the public for free. This bill, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would create a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education, working with professors and other organizations, to create and expand the use of textbooks that can be made available onl… Continue Reading