Press Releases
Durbin Host Bipartisan Senators, NATO & Non-NATO Partner Ambassadors, Reaffirms America's Support In Face Of Russian Aggression
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a group of bipartisan senators and Ambassadors from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and non-NATO partner nations to discuss U.S.-NATO relations and ongoing Russian aggression, as well as reaffirm America's commitment to our allies and to transatlantic cooperation. U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jack Reed (D-RI) co-hosted the meeting with Durbin, and Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan … Continue Reading
July 31, 2018
Durbin Statement On Completion Of Internal Investigation Of Heartland Alliance Into Allegations Of Physical & Emotional Abuse At Chicago Facility
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Heartland Alliance, an Illinois-based social services agency, announced that their internal investigation found no evidence to support reported allegations of physical and emotional abuse made by children who were recently cared for at Casa Guadalupe, a Chicago shelter run by Heartland: I'm pleased that Heartland Alliance took my call for a timely internal investigation seriously. The … Continue Reading
July 31, 2018
Durbin Calls On DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen To Step Down In Wake Of Failure To Reunite "Deleted" Families
WASHINGTON-During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Trump Administration's incompetent family reunification efforts, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, the architect of this humanitarian disaster, to resign. "Incredibly, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen claimed, 'We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period.' But it was on her watch and under her … Continue Reading
July 30, 2018
Durbin To E-Cigarette Industry: Gummy Bear-Flavored Liquid Nicotine Helps Adults Quit Smoking? Prove It
CHICAGO - As the use of e-cigarettes among youth continues to rise dramatically, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today unveiled bipartisan legislation to crack down on kid-friendly flavorings in highly-addictive e-cigarettes and cigars. Durbin's Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids (SAFE Kids) Act will place strong restrictions on e-cigarette flavorings and ban cigar flavorings altogether. "We have made great progress in convincing kids not to start smoking cigarettes. They … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Durbin Statement On Republican Refusal To Request Critical Kavanaugh Documents
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dismissed the need for the Committee to review records from Judge Brett Kavanaugh's three-year tenure as White House Staff Secretary. Judge Kavanaugh served as Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2006. The American people expect the Senate Judiciary … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Durbin Joins Colleagues In Calling On State Department To Reconsider Dangerous 3D Gun Settlement
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined his colleagues in calling on the State Department to prevent the publication of online blueprints for untraceable, three-dimensional (3D) printable firearms. In a stunning reversal of course last month, the State Department and the Justice Department agreed to a settlement with Defense Distributed that would allow anyone, including criminals and even terrorists, to download blueprints for the 3D printing of firearms like … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Press HUD To Implement IG Reccomendations To Improve Oversight & Administration Of Public Housing Authorities
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to quickly implement the HUD Inspector General's (IG) recommendations to improve HUD's oversight and administration of public housing authorities as outlined in the report that was released yesterday exposing HUD's inadequate oversight of Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA). The report makes a number of recommendations to improve and clarify its … Continue Reading
July 27, 2018
Durbin Statement On Republican Refusal To Request Critical Kavanaugh Documents
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dismissed the need for the Committee to review records from Judge Brett Kavanaugh's three-year tenure as White House Staff Secretary. Judge Kavanaugh served as Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2006. The American people expect the Senate Judiciary … Continue Reading
July 26, 2018
Durbin Presses Senate To Support Bipartisan Amendments Requiring Drug Companies To Disclose Prices In Direct-To-Consumer Advertising
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced two bipartisan amendments to the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill - part of the "minibus" appropriations package being considered this week by the Senate - to clarify current law and provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with $1 million to implement rules requiring pharmaceutical companies to list prices of … Continue Reading
July 26, 2018
On Deadline Day To Reunite Separated Families, Durbin & Senators Call For DOJ Investigation of "Zero Tolerance" Immigration Policy
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 30 other senators, sent a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz calling for an investigation into DOJ's role in the creation and implementation of the Trump Administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General are conducting reviews of the … Continue Reading
July 25, 2018
Durbin Statement On Trump-DeVos Rewrite Of Borrower Defense Rule
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced a proposed rule rewriting the 2016 Obama Borrower Defense Rule. Under the Borrower Defense to Repayment provision of the Higher Education Act, the Department of Education has the legal authority to provide cheated and defrauded students with complete, immediate, and automatic relief from their federal student … Continue Reading
July 25, 2018
Durbin: Now Is The Time For The Senate To Help Families Buried In Student Loan Debt
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced an amendment to the Financial Services and General Government bill - part of the "minibus" appropriations package being considered this week by the Senate - to make it easier for some struggling student loan borrowers to receive discharge of their student loans in bankruptcy under the "undue hardship" exception. "It is time for the Senate to get serious about the student loan crisis in America," … Continue Reading
July 24, 2018
Durbin Calls On Senate Republicans To Support Election Security Funding For States
WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged his Republican colleagues to support an amendment that would offer an additional $250 million in election security grants for states to protect their election systems. The amendment, which was prepared by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), is being offered to the appropriations legislation the Senate is considering this week. "Every member of this chamber will … Continue Reading
July 24, 2018
Durbin Releases Shocking New Data On Department Of Education's Borrower Defense Application Backlog
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out the Trump Administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for findings revealed in a response to Durbin's Questions for the Record (QFR) from June 12, 2018, that show the Department's blatant actions to avoid providing student loan relief to borrowers who were defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges. Under the Borrower Defense to Repayment provision of the Higher Education Act, the Department of Education has … Continue Reading
July 24, 2018
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Tariff Aid For Farmers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on President Donald Trump's reported plan to provide emergency aid to farmers who are hurting from the Administration's escalating trade war: Bailouts, tweets, and bragging won't save the lost crop value for our farmers and won't protect their reputations around the world as reliable sellers. The president's scorched earth trade war has put a lot at stake for Illinois and our rural economy. … Continue Reading
July 23, 2018
Durbin Calls for Action on Skyrocketing Prescription Drug Costs
CHICAGO - As the costs of prescription drugs continue to soar under the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called for action on several pieces of legislation that would hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable, curb price hikes, and bring much-needed transparency to price setting for prescription drugs in the U.S. "Health care is too expensive for too many working families, and the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs is only exacerbating the problem, … Continue Reading
July 20, 2018
Durbin, Brown, Warren, Blumenthal Blast Sec For Weak Settlement With Former For-Profit College Executive
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today slammed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) "incredible" settlement with ITT Educational Services, Inc. (ITT) Chief Executive Officer Kevin Modany. The SEC recently settled its fraud case against Mr. Modany, barring him from serving as a public company executive in the future but agreeing to a fine of just $200,000. Mr. Modany made $36 million at … Continue Reading
July 19, 2018
Durbin Demands Trump Administration Reunite Families Torn Apart Under "Zero Tolerance" Policy By Deadline Next Week
WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Trump Administration to reunite families torn apart by President Trump's cruel "zero tolerance" policy by the court-ordered deadline of July 26, 2018. Durbin's speech comes one week before the deadline. "The 'zero tolerance' [policy] of the Trump Administration resulted in the Department of Homeland Security forcibly separating up to 3,000 children from their parents. I saw some of … Continue Reading
July 19, 2018
Durbin To FCC Chairman Pai: Sinclair's Troubling Conduct Deserves Utmost Scrutiny In Sinclair-Tribune Mega-Merger
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai regarding his recent decision to halt its review of the proposed merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Company and refer it to heightened legal scrutiny. Durbin has sent multiple letters to the FCC about troubling aspects of Sinclair's conduct and has called into question the legality of the details in the proposed merger. … Continue Reading
July 18, 2018
Durbin, National Security Democratic Senate Leaders Press President Trump For Details On Putin Summit
WASHINGTON - Following President Donald Trump's meeting and press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, where President Trump accepted Putin's election meddling denial, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined top Senate Democrats last night in a letter to President Trump listing a series of questions to clarify if and what commitments he made to Putin during their secretive and lengthy meeting. "American citizens and the whole world watched the leader of the free world … Continue Reading