Durbin, Blumenthal, Reed, Brown Introduce Legislation To Close Tobacco Tax Loopholes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was joined today by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Tobacco Tax Equity Act to close loopholes in the tax code that have been exploited by the tobacco industry to avoid regulation and paying taxes for their products. This legislation would establish tax parity across all tobacco products, including new products determined to be a tobacco product by the U.S. Food and Drug Administ… Continue Reading

Durbin: It's Only Right Pullman Be Preserved And Honored As Part Of Our National Park System

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate regarding news that President Obama will designate a portion of Chicago's Pullman Historic District as a National Monument, making it a unit of the National Park System. Durbin, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) have been working together to secure national park status for the architecturally unique neighborhood which played important roles in America's railroad, industri… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Leaders From Illinois Community Colleges To Discuss Higher Education Issues

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today with leaders from Illinois community colleges to discuss higher education issues including for-profit college oversight, the President's community college tuition proposal, and the overall state of Illinois' community colleges. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) also attended today's meeting. A photo is available HERE. "After high school, while a student is deciding what to do next, the local community college is often a great place to start,"… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $27.3 Million Investment In Chicagoland Health Care Programs, Community Health Centers

[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 total of $27,319,481 in grants to support the establishment or enhancement of several health care programs at health departments and community health centers in Chicago and Aurora, Illinois. "Community health centers are a valuable resource for families in both rural and urban medically underserved areas. Today's funding is an important investment in … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On The Death Of Alderman JoAnn Thompson

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after learning of the death of Alderman JoAnn Thompson. "Today, Chicago lost a dedicated public servant. Alderman Thompson was a charismatic fixture in Chicago politics and a determined advocate for the Englewood neighborhood. She saw potential in every corner of her community and worked to create opportunities and enrich the lives of others. I am thankful to have worked with JoAnn. Loretta and I send… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Kelly Celebrate News That Pullman Historical District Will Become Park Of The National Park System

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) today celebrated the news that President Obama will designate a portion of Chicago's Pullman Historic District as a National Monument, making it a unit of the National Park System. The Illinois members have been working together 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, Kirk, Foster, Lipinski: Argonne To Receive $2.9 Million Grant To Help Mass Transit Systems Prepare For & Respond To Emergency Events

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL) announced today that that the Department of Transportation has awarded Argonne National Laboratory a $2,890,600 grant to conduct research examining the capacity of mass transit systems to plan for and respond to emergency events. Argonne's proposal was developed in partnership with the Metra, Pace Suburban Bus Service, Illinois Department of Trans… Continue Reading

Durbin Shares Story Of DACA Recipient Attending Loyola University Chicago's Medical School

[WASHINGTON, DC] - With just 17 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 speech, Durbin shared the story of Johana Mejias, who is currently enrolled at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Me… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes To Confirm Michael Botticelli As Director Of The Office Of National Drug Control Policy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today voted to confirm Michael Botticelli to be the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The Senate voted 92-0 to confirm him. Botticelli previously served as the Acting Director of ONDCP and has more than two decades of experience supporting Americans who have been affected by substance abuse disorders. Durbin met with Botticelli in December and a photo of that meeting is available HERE. "I want to congratulate … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $2.4 Million In Transportation Funding For University of Illinois Transit Project

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), announced today that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has been awarded $2,396,981 in funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support research efforts at UIUC's Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC) to improve rail safety and infrastructure in Champaign, Illinois. "Illinois serves as a critical part of our national rail network," Durbin said. "The University of Illinois' transportation… Continue Reading

Durbin, Portman Launch Senate Ukraine Caucus

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH) announced the launch of the Senate Ukraine Caucus. The goal of the Caucus will be to strengthen the political, military, economic, and cultural relationship between the United States and Ukraine. The caucus will immediately focus on the need for a sustained U.S. commitment to Ukraine in the face of a Russian-backed separatist offensive. Durbin and Portman recently led a bipartisan group of 15 senators calling for the Uni… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Amtrak President And Board Chairman To Discuss Passenger Rail's Continued Growth

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With Congress preparing to consider a legislation to reauthorize Amtrak, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met yesterday with Amtrak President Joe Boardman and Chairman of the Board Anthony Coscia to discuss the continued growth of passenger rail service, and the importance of robust federal support for our national transportation network. A photo of today's meeting will be available here. "This year, Congress faces a deadline on the future of our national transportation and … Continue Reading

Durbin, Cummings Introduce Legislation To Put Coordinated Federal Oversight Of For-Profit College Industry Into Law

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Democratic Leader, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today introduced legislation that would put into law an interagency committee that is tasked with improving coordination in federal and state oversight of the for-profit college industry. In October, the Department of Education announced it would create an interagency oversight com… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Illinois Law Enforcement Issues With ATF Special Agent In Charge In Chicago Carl Vasilko

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent In Charge of the Chicago Field Division Carl Vasilko today to discuss crime gun tracing and the ongoing law enforcement efforts of the ATF Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Chicago. A photo of today's meeting is available HERE. "Solving violent gun crimes and targeting gun trafficking networks are among our highest law enforcement priorities. Today, I urged Special … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On FutureGen Announcement

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after learning that the Department of Energy has been forced to cancel federal funding for the FutureGen project due to the FutureGen Alliance's failure to find agreement with the private partners before the expiration of the $1 billion in funding that was secured for the public-private partnership as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "The Secretary of Energy informed me that because th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Portman Lead Bipartisan Senators Calling For Increased Military Assistance To Ukraine

[WASHINGTON] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John McCain (R-AZ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today urged President Obama and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to rapidly increase military assistance to Ukraine to defend its sovereign… Continue Reading

Senate Passes Bill To Improve Mental Health Care & Suicide Prevention Resources For Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Senate has passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act by a vote of 99 to 0. The bill improves and modernizes suicide prevention programs for veterans by increasing access to mental health care, improving the quality of care at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and developing a community support system for veterans. The bill was introduced by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Richard Blumentha… Continue Reading

Durbin: Will America Be A Stronger Country If We Deport Young Immigrants Attending Medical School To Countries They Barely Know?

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With three weeks 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) - including the medical students and DACA recipients who attend Chicago Loyola University of Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine. This… Continue Reading

Durbin: Obama Budget Maintains Funding For Discovery & Innovation At Illinois National Labs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget that President Obama delivered to Congress preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that support work at both Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. The President's budget request includes $5.3 billion for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the primary funding source for both Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. Together, Argonne and Fermilab employ roughly… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Commitment To Infrastructure Investments In Presidential Budget

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget that President Obama delivered to Congress today will spur job creation and help strengthen the middle class by making critical investments in our national transportation and infrastructure network. "The President's budget stresses the importance of infrastructure in supporting our nation's long-term economic well-being. This is a message important to Illinois, where federal support for our airports, highways, waterways, an… Continue Reading