Durbin Announces New Cybersucirty Team to be Headquartered in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, announced today that the Illinois National Guard will be leading a new cyber protection team. The 39-person unit will be a joint mission with the Wisconsin National Guard and headquartered in Illinois. "This new squadron gives the Illinois National Guard a leading role in supporting our national cybersecurity operations, which are critically important to our homeland securit… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Passage of Bill that Promotes Student Success & Replaces No Child Left Behind

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act Conference Report - a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replace No Child Left Behind. The legislation passed the House of Representatives last week and will now go to President Obama for his signature. "This bill is more directly tied to the future prosperity of the United States than virtually any other issue we face here in Co… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Amtrak Board Member Tom Carper to Discuss Passenger Rail in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following Congressional passage of a four-year reauthorization of Amtrak, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with former Mayor of Macomb, Illinois and current member of the Amtrak Board of Directors, Tom Carper, to discuss the importance of Illinois' passenger rail network. A photo of today's meeting is available here. "As a longtime Amtrak Board Member and the former Mayor of Macomb, which sits along Amtrak's Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg lines, Tom Carper … Continue Reading

ICYMI: Durbin Challenges For-Profit Colleges to Explain Why They Account for 40% of Student Loan Defaults by Only Educate 10% of Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) challenged the for-profit college industry to explain how they can account for 40% of student loan defaults but only educate 10% of students and only 20% of federal student aid. "The Department of Education has developed responsible criteria for determining whether career education programs adequately prepare their students for "gainful employment" as is required by law. The Gainful Employment Rul… Continue Reading

Durbin: Inflammatory, Hateful Rhetoric Does Not Reflect Who We Are as Americans

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Amid statements and inflammatory rhetoric that unfairly vilify billions of Muslims, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate Floor today to call for thoughtfulness and tolerance that reflect the "fundamental values of this country." Today, Durbin was also joined by Bishop Sally Dyck of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church at a press conference to speak out against inflammatory rhetoric directed at refugees and Muslims. "I've met some… Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Must Close Dangerous Loopholes to Reduce Horrific Gun Violence

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In the wake of both recent mass shooting tragedies and the daily toll of gun violence across the America, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate Floor today to call for commonsense reforms to close loopholes in gun laws. During his remarks, Durbin discussed the proliferation of crime guns trafficked into Chicago from outside the city, where less stringent gun regulations make it easier to purchase firearms. "Can't we agree - even among those people who own g… Continue Reading

Citing Recent Outrageous Examples, Durbin Calls on FTC to Review Sharp Spikes in Drug Pricing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a meeting today with the Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the agency to make a timely review of any reported sharp spike in drug pricing - such as a 100% or more manufacturer price increase within a short time period - to determine if any anticompetitive actions have taken place. Citing FTC's authority to review and block pharmaceutical mergers if there is risk of diminished competition, Durbin also urged Chairwo… Continue Reading

Durbin on DOJ Investigation: This is an Opportunity, Not a Penalty

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced a Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigation of the Chicago Police Department (CPD)'s policies and practices. Durbin asked for the investigation Thursday in a letter that can be found HERE. The overwhelming majority of our law enforcement officers do the right thing every day, and many risk their lives doing it. This investigation shouldn't be viewed as … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on President Obama's Address to the Nation

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Obama's address to the nation from the Oval Office: The world has witnessed acts of evil in the past several weeks, from Beirut and Paris to Colorado Springs and San Bernardino. As the President said tonight, in our darkest moments, when innocent civilians are gunned down in horrific massacres, it is how we respond, how we band together to fight terror itself that defines who we are as Americans. The t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schakowsky, Quigley Urge Illinoisans to Get Covered Before ACA Enrollment Deadline

CHICAGO - With an important Affordable Care Act deadline less than two weeks away, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) and Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region V Director Kathleen Falk today urged the remaining uninsured and those wishing to re-enroll to take action before the December 15th deadline in order to get health care coverage that starts in January. Open enrollment for 2016 coverage runs from Novem… Continue Reading

Durbin, Lake County Community Leaders Discuss Initiatives to Combat Heroin Epidemic

[LIBERTYVILLE, IL] - As heroin overdose deaths rise in Illinois and across the country, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Lake County Opioid Initiative to discuss overdose-prevention and treatment strategies. Durbin also discussed recently co-sponsored bills to expand treatment for heroin addiction and expand access to naloxone - a drug that counters the effects of an opioid overdose - and other drug prevention programs that have been proven to save lives. "Communiti… Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Sends Long-Term Transportation Bill to President

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) hailed Congressional passage of legislation that will authorize and fund transportation programs for the next 5 years and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Durbin - who was a member of the Conference Committee tasked with finding a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill - said that the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act will provide the certainty that businesses and state governments, lik… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal Statement on ED Decision to Grant Relief to Over 1,300 Students Following Collapse of Corinthian Colleges

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today called the Department of Education's approval of more than $28 million in federal student loan debt relief of 1,312 students of former Heald College - which was part of the collapsed Corinthian Colleges, Inc. system -evidence of progress for students. To accompany today's relief, the Department of Treasury issued guidance that ensures federal debt relief for Corinthian students will not be considered taxab… Continue Reading

Durbin Requests DOJ Investigation of Chicago Police Department Policies & Practices

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a meeting at the White House on criminal justice reform, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with Attorney General Loretta Lynch to request a Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigation of the Chicago Police Department (CPD)'s policies and practices. Durbin asked for the investigation in a letter that can be found HERE. "The shooting death of Laquan McDonald is just one of a number of troubling incidents that have frayed the relationship betw… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Mass Shooting in San Bernardino

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor this evening about the horrific mass shooting today in San Bernardino, California: Earlier today, there was a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. News reports are saying that up to three heavily armed gunmen attacked a social services center that helps developmentally disabled people and their families in the community. Preliminary reports say that there have been 14 people killed, and 14 wounded, although we don… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Dismissal of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that he had dismissed Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy: "Now is the time to move forward and build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect between the Police Department and the community it serves. "Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect us. Those who fail to live up to the high standards they have sworn … Continue Reading

Durbin: House-Senate Transportation Bill Compromise Protects Important Illinois Infrastructure Priorities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to authorize and fund transportation programs for the next 5 years. Durbin - who was a member of the Conference Committee tasked with finding a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill - said that the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act will provide the certainty that businesses and state governments, like Illinois, need to plan critical infra… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the EPA's Final Rule on the Renewable Fuel Standard

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to establish the renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Durbin was briefed on the announcement by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy earlier today. The Renewable Fuels Standard was created by Congress more than ten years ago to drive growth in the biofuels industry. "I am disappointed that the biofuels volum… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Confirmation of Gayle Smith to Head USAID

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted 79-7 to confirm Gayle Smith, who was nominated to head the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on April 30th: USAID is charged with coordinating America's response to humanitarian crises around the world, and the catastrophic civil war in Syria is the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time. While this tragedy unfolded throughout the year, giving rise to a massive refug… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following Release of Laquan McDonald Shooting Video

SPRINGFIELD-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Chicago Police Department released footage from a dashcam video showing the shooting of 17 year-old Laquan McDonald. Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder for the shooting. "The violence in this video is shocking and upsetting. Our law enforcement officers protect and serve their communities with honor and courage, but those who fail to follow the high standards they ha… Continue Reading