Durbin Celebrates Committee Approval Of Nomination Of Loretta Lynch To Be Attorney General

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, praised the qualifications of historic Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch today before voting in favor of her nomination at a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Lynch currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, a position she has held since 2010. Her nomination will now proceed to a vote by the full Senate. A photo of Senator Du… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senate Ukraine Caucus Meet With Members Of Ukranian Parliament To Discuss Increased Military Aid To Ukraine

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and the Senate Ukraine Caucus met today with members from the Ukrainian Parliament to discuss increased military aid to Ukraine. Durbin is co-chairman of the Ukraine Caucus along with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), James Inhofe (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) also attended today's meeting. A photo from today's meeting is available HERE. "Ukraine is at a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Speier Introduce Bill To Address Rising Number Of Poisonings In Children Due To Laundry Detergent Packets

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) today introduced legislation to address the rising number of poisonings in children due to laundry detergent packets. The Detergent Poisoning and Child Safety Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). "Of course parents should do all that they can to keep laundry detergent packets out of the reach of children, bu… Continue Reading

Durbin Commemorates 25 Years Of Smokefree Skies On The Senate Floor

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Twenty-five years after the implementation of landmark legislation to ban smoking on commercial airline flights, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take immediate action to protect young people from predatory e-cigarette marketing and distribution tactics that are straight out of Big Tobacco's old playbook. Durbin authored the law giving airline crews the freedom to do their jobs without compromising their health and airline p… Continue Reading

Durbin: GOP Bill Would Deport 600,000 Dreamers And Shut Down DACA Program

***FTP, VIDEO, AUDIO***FTP, VIDEO, AUDIO*** DURBIN: GOP BILL WOULD DEPORT 600,000 DREAMERS AND SHUT DOWN DACA PROGRAM [WASHINGTON, DC] - With just 3 days until the short-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security expires, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) came to the Senate Floor today to urge Senate Republicans to abandon efforts to play politics with the lives of young people impacted by immigration policies like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). During his speec… Continue Reading

Feinstein, Durbin, Gillibrand Urge USDA To Update Pathogen Standards For Beef, Pork

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today urged the Department of Agriculture to establish strong pathogen standards for pork and beef products. In a joint letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the senators wrote: "There are currently no Salmonella performance standards for ground pork or pork parts, and the standards for pork carcasses have not been updated in nearly 20 years. Ground beef Salmonella performance … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Secretary Kerry to Send Increased Military Aid To Ukraine

Durbin Meets With Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James To Discuss Illinois Defense Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. During the meeting, Secretary James and Durbin - who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees discretionary spending for our nation's military, including bases - discussed the long-term future of Illinois' Air Force installations, including Scott Air Force Base. Wednesday morning, Secretary James will testify before Durbin and other members … Continue Reading

Durbin, Public Health Organizations Mark 25th Anniversary of Smoke-Free Commercial Flights

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a news conference highlighting the 25th anniversary of his landmark legislation to ban smoking on commercial airline flights. The law gave airline crews the freedom to do their jobs without compromising their health and airline passengers the chance to travel for business or pleasure without inhaling secondhand smoke with every breath. Durbin authored and secured the enactment of the 1987 legislation banning smoking on short-distance commerc… Continue Reading

Bipartisan Senators Call For Tightened Sanctions On Russia, Increased Military Aid To Ukraine

BIPARTISAN SENATORS CALL FOR TIGHTENED SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA, INCREASED MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John McCain (R-AZ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today urged Secretary of State John Kerry to immediately tighten international sanctions against Russia and provide defensive weapons to Ukraine so it can defend its t… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $13.4 Million Investment In Illinois Early Childhood Care

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $13,415,508 grant to the Illinois Department of Human Services to expand home visiting services to women during pregnancy and to parents with young children. The funds will support HHS's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Home Visiting Program). In 2013, the Illinois Maternal and Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant program… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Kelly Applaud President Obama's Announcement That Pullman Historical District Will Become Part Of The National Park System

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) today applauded President Obama's announcement that a portion of Chicago's Pullman Historic District will be designated as a National Monument, making it a unit of the National Park System. Durbin, Kirk, and Kelly have worked to secure national park status for the architecturally unique neighborhood which played important roles in America's railroad, industrial and labor history. "… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Texas Immigration Ruling

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the decision of a U.S. District Judge in Texas in the case of the State of Texas v. United States of America: The Republicans in Congress who are hell-bent on deporting millions of children and their families should not be celebrating this ruling by one outspoken anti-immigration judge in Texas. The Supreme Court has been clear that Presidents have the authority to set federal immigration enforcement priorit… Continue Reading

Durbin Warns Funding For Illinois First Responders At Risk While Republicans Play Politics With Spending Bill

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today warned that if Republicans in the House and Senate continue to play politics with a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), firefighters and other first responders across Illinois could lose out on funding they depend on for operations, equipment and staffing. The bill extending funding for the DHS has stalled as a result of an effort by Republicans to use the bill as a bargaining chip to push for immigration policy changes. The H… Continue Reading

Senators Durbin And Schatz Introduce Sequestration Relief Act of 2015

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Sequestration Relief Act of 2015, which would restore funding for critical domestic and defense programs. Senator Durbin serves as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Defense subcommittee. Senator Schatz serves as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch subcommittee. "As a result of the forced budget savings put in place by the sequester, we have f… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes To Confirm Ashton Carter To Be Secretary Of Defense

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate prior to a vote confirming Dr. Ashton Carter as our nation's 25th Secretary of Defense. The Senate confirmed Dr. Carter on a vote of 93 to 5. During his speech, Durbin spoke about Dr. Carter's appreciation for the men and women who work at the Rock Island Arsenal during their meeting last month. A photo from that meeting is available HERE. "In our discussions I was pleased to hear his appreciation for t… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Murray, DeLauro, To Introduce Healthy Families Act

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today reintroduced the Healthy Families Act, legislation that would allow workers to earn paid sick leave to use when they are sick, to care for a sick family member, to obtain preventive care, or to address the impacts of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault. "Current law allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off, but many Americans simply can't affor… Continue Reading

Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act Of 2015

WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) were joined by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to announce legislation to modernize federal drug sentencing polices by giving federal judges more discretion in sentencing those convicted of non-violent drug offenses. With prison populations skyrocketing and about half of the nation's federal inmates serving sentences for drug offenses, the proposed changes could save American tax… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Bill To Lift Cuban Embargo

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced bipartisan legislation to lift the Cuban trade embargo. Cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill will eliminate the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba. The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act will pave the way for new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports and allow Cubans greater acc… Continue Reading

Durbin Cosponsors Bill To Reform The Sugar Program And Save Consumers Billions

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would reform the U.S. sugar program which supports artificially high sugar prices and cost consumers and businesses an estimated $14 billion since 2008. The sugar program hurts American workers by driving good jobs overseas; it hurts American consumers by increasing the price of products made with sugar; and it hurts sugar producers by driving down long term demand for their product. It is estimated th… Continue Reading