Press Releases
Judiciary Committee Advances Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act
WASHINGTON-The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted 16-5 to advance comprehensive legislation aimed at reducing mandatory minimums for certain non-violent offenders to help law enforcement devote their resources to targeting drug kingpins, manufacturers and violent criminals. Under this bill, judges would be better able to take individual circumstances into account at sentencing so that they can make sure that the appropriate punishment fits the crime. But it also preserves mandatory minimum … Continue Reading
February 14, 2018
Durbin Meets With VA Secretary, Offers VA Expert Assistance To Help Mitigate Legionnaires' From Illinois Veterans' Home Quincy
WASHINGTON - One day after two new cases of Legionnaires' disease were confirmed at the Illinois Veterans' Home (IVH) Quincy, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin to discuss the ongoing legionellosis outbreaks at IVH Quincy. Secretary Shulkin offered VA expert assistance - those who have a history of addressing Legionnaires' outbreaks across the country - to help mitigate legionellosis outbreaks at IVH Quincy. Durbin … Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On new Legionnaires' Disease Cases Confirmed At illinois Veterans' Home Quincy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after two new cases of Legionnaires' disease were confirmed at the Illinois Veterans' Home (IVH) Quincy: "Last month, the Governor stated that his goal was 'zero instances of Legionella infection' at IVH Quincy. However in the month that has passed, we have seen nothing from the Governor's office - no final plan of action, no formal funding request, just more publicity stunts and … Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of Illinois Congressional Delegation Urge Army Corps To Include Funding For McCook
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Peter Roskam (R-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Bobby Rush (D-IL-01) today requested $34.7 million in construction funds for the McCook Reservoir Project be included in the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Work Plan. They also requested that the … Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Durbin: President Trump Created A Dreamer Crisis, Now Congress Must Act
WASHINGTON-Five months since the Trump Administration terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called for Congress to come up with a legislative solution, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Senate colleagues to come together and pass the bipartisan Dream Act. This week on the Senate floor, the Senate began debating immigration for the first time in five years. "We are in the midst of a debate on the floor in the United States … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Durbin: It's Time For The Senate To Do It's Job And Pass The Bipartisan Dream Act
WASHINGTON-Five months since the Trump Administration terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called for Congress to come up with a legislative solution, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Senate colleagues to come together and pass the bipartisan Dream Act. This week on the Senate floor, the Senate will debate immigration for the first time in five years. "After a lot of negotiating back and forth, Senator McConnell agreed that … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump submitted his fiscal year 2019 budget request to Congress: "We knew this was coming. After blowing a massive hole in the budget with a colossal corporate tax giveaway, President Trump now wants seniors and working families to pay for it with huge cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. The wealthy get a massive tax cut and our … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Nomination Of Michael Scudder & Amy St. Eve For The 7th Circuit Court Of Appeals
CHICAGO-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the White House announced the nomination of Michael Y. Scudder, Jr. and U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve to serve as Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, based in Chicago: "We are pleased that the President has nominated Judge St. Eve and Mr. Scudder. They both have the experience, integrity, and judgment that we look for in federal judges, and we expect … Continue Reading
February 08, 2018
Durbin & Duckworth Demand Answers On Reports Of CFPB'S Stalled Investigation Into Equifax Breach
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Brian Schatz (D-HI) and a group of 28 senators in demanding answers on reports that, under the Trump administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has halted its investigation into how credit reporting agency Equifax failed to protect the personal data of over 145 million Americans. More than 5.45 million Illinois residents were affected by the breach. "We are deeply troubled by recent … Continue Reading
February 08, 2018
Durbin Announces Spring 2018 Recipient Of The Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Angie Hines, a college senior from the Southside of Chicago, as the second recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program. This scholarship, open to students from Illinois or those studying in Illinois, is an opportunity for the students to receive financial assistance while obtaining a first-hand experience in Senator Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. The program was created in honor of Durbin's former Chief of Staff who passed … Continue Reading
February 08, 2018
Durbin: Budget Deal Delivers For America, Provides Path Forward For Dream Act
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the agreement reached between Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): I applaud the leaders for coming together to reach a budget agreement that secures critical investments in children's and community health, our national security, and a host of America's other priorities. It's the first glimmer of bipartisanship that I hope will end the destructive cycle … Continue Reading
February 06, 2018
Durbin: With President Trump Failing To Lead, Congress Must Pass The Bipartisan Dream Act Now
WASHINGTON-Five months since the Trump Administration terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called for Congress to come up with a legislative solution, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today once again came to the Senate floor to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act now. In his speech, Durbin noted that just four weeks ago-in a nationally televised White House meeting-President Trump himself acknowledged … Continue Reading
February 06, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Join Bipartisan Effort To Immediately Fund Community Health Centers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and 63 other members to call on Senate leadership to immediately reauthorize funding for our nation's community health centers. In a bipartisan letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Durbin, Duckworth, and 65 of their Senate colleagues expressed their strong support for community health centers, … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Durbin Statement On President's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Trump's first State of the Union address: If the President chooses to follow through on his prepared remarks tonight, he will find Democrats ready to work with him on lowering prescription drug prices, making massive new investments in America's crumbling roads and bridges, passing meaningful paid family leave legislation, and protecting … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Durbin: Higher Education Act Reauthorization Must Protect Students And Taxpayers From Predatory For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON - As the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) continues to hold hearings on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) to focus the Senate's debate on two very important topics - accountability and taxpayer risk, especially as it relates to for-profit colleges. While for-profit colleges enroll only nine percent of … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Durbin Meets With Dreamer Medical Student, His Guest For President Trump's State Of The Union
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, today met with Illinois Dreamer Cesar Montelongo, who will be his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address. Cesar, who has temporary legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, is the first DACA student enrolled in the MD-PhD program at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "I've had the pleasure of meeting … Continue Reading
January 29, 2018
Durbin To Host Dreamer Medical Student For President Trump's State Of The Union Address
DURBIN TO HOST DREAMER MEDICAL STUDENT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, will host Illinois Dreamer Cesar Montelongo as his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address. Cesar, who has temporary legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, is the first DACA student enrolled in the MD-PhD program at Loyola … Continue Reading
January 26, 2018
Durbin Statement On White House Immigration Proposal
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the Trump Administration's immigration proposal, which was presented to the press this evening. The White House has scheduled a briefing on the plan for Senator Durbin and others this coming Monday afternoon. "Dreamers should not be held hostage to President Trump's crusade to tear families apart and waste billions of American tax dollars on an ineffective wall. After four and a half months, his … Continue Reading
January 25, 2018
Durbin Announces Nominees for Service Academies
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the names of young men and women whom he has nominated to attend four of the nation's service academies. "I am again honored to nominate some of the best and brightest young men and women from all across Illinois to attend our nation's service academies," Durbin said. "These individuals are the leaders of tomorrow, and I have no doubt that they will make their families and their country proud." The academies include U.S. … Continue Reading
January 24, 2018
Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Music Modernization Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bob Corker (R-TN), Doug Jones (D-AL), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced legislation they said would be the "most significant change in music licensing laws in decades" to help songwriters get paid fair value for their songs. The Music Modernization Act would create a new, simplified licensing entity to make it easier for digital … Continue Reading