Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Health Care
Durbin Announces More Than $3.3 Million for Illinois Health Centers to Expand Healthcare Enrollment Assistance
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $3,358,809 in funding through the Affordable Care Act to hire 132 additional healthcare workers at community health centers throughout Illinois to help individuals and families enroll into affordable health insurance plans. This funding, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will help these centers expand outreach and enrollment assistance efforts as more Illinoisans are able to access … Continue Reading
December 06, 2013
Durbin Discusses New Law Protecting School Children with Allergies
[FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS] -Students with severe allergies will be safer at school following the enactment of legislation encouraging states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The drug is used if students have life threatening anaphylactic reactions, which have become increasingly common. The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, which Durbin introduced along with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), was approved by … Continue Reading
December 02, 2013
Durbin: Healthcare.gov Working Better for Illinois Families
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today the problems with Healthcare.gov, the national health insurance marketplace, have been dramatically improved and encouraged Illinois families looking for health care coverage to log-in, shop for plans and to see how they can benefit. "The launch of the national health insurance marketplace was a disaster and left Illinois families frustrated, angry and uncertain about how they'll be find affordable health coverage," … Continue Reading
November 21, 2013
Durbin Recognizes Importance of National Rural Health Day
[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a statement for the Senate record, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today recognized the importance of National Rural Health Day. In Illinois, 81 of the 83 rural counties are considered primary care shortage areas, impacting nearly 2 million Illinoisans. To address this problem, the Affordable Care Act includes more than $200 million in training services for primary care doctors, nurses, and physician assistants. It also expands the National Health Service Corps program by … Continue Reading
November 20, 2013
Durbin Calls For Commitment to National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a resolution which emphasizes the importance of fully implementing the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's and the need to increase investments in Alzheimer's disease research. Alzheimer's is one of the most expensive conditions to treat and care for. In 2013, the cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's disease will total an estimated $203 billion for Medicaid and Medicare. That number is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion … Continue Reading
November 14, 2013
Durbin: No Need for Legislation on Cancelled Plans; Administrative Fix Sensible and Addresses the Problem
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following the Obama Administration's announcement that they would allow insurers to offer consumers the option to renew their 2013 health plans in 2014. This would allow a small number of people who received notices that their plans were being cancelled the option to keep their plans for an additional year. The announcement would also require insurers to notify enrollees that they can … Continue Reading
November 14, 2013
Senators Question Energy Drink Manufacturer Over Toys Featuring Rockstar Energy Logo
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After evidence of several toys featuring the Rockstar Energy drink logo was brought to their attention by a concerned consumer, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John D. Rockefeller (D-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) again questioned the energy drink manufacturer about their marketing efforts directed toward children - a practice Rockstar Energy has repeatedly denied. "Despite statements from your company that Rockstar, Inc. does not market to … Continue Reading
November 13, 2013
Durbin-Kirk Bill to Protect Schoolchildren with Allergies Signed Into Law by President Obama
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) celebrated today as President Barack Obama signed into law their bipartisan legislation to encourage schools across the country to maintain access to critical life-saving medication for children with food and other allergies. The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act will encourage states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors to be used if students have life … Continue Reading
November 12, 2013
Senators Urge USTR to Safeguard Tobacco Control Measures and Protect Public Health in Trade Agreement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-SD), Edward Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Al Franken (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) wrote to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman to express their concerns regarding the USTR's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement Tobacco Proposal, which does not … Continue Reading
November 10, 2013
Durbin, Kirk Announce Passage of Their Bill to Protect School Children with Allergies
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) said today that students with severe allergies will be safer at school following Congress' passage of their legislation encouraging states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors. The devices are used if students have life threatening anaphylactic reactions. After moving through the House this summer, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act passed the Senate last week and now heads to the … Continue Reading
October 31, 2013
Durbin to Farm Bill Negotiators: Now Is Not the Time to Further Cut Food Assistance for Hard-Working Illinoisans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said the claims that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as 'food stamps', is growing out of control are false and that now is not the time to cut this important assistance for hard-working Illinoisans and their families. "The recent economic downturn caused hard-working people to lose their jobs. SNAP is an important safety net that caught those families while they … Continue Reading
October 31, 2013
Durbin, Kirk Bill to Protect School Children with Allergies Passes United States Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) celebrated Senate passage today of their bipartisan legislation to encourage schools across the country to maintain access to critical life-saving medication for children with food and other allergies. The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act will encourage states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors to be used if students have life threatening systemic allergic … Continue Reading
October 29, 2013
Durbin Meets with CEO of Greater Chicago Food Depository to Discuss Importance of Protecting Food Assistance for Millions of Working Families
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Kate Maehr, to discuss the importance of protecting funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as congressional negotiators begin to work on a compromise between two different versions of the Farm Bill as part of a House-Senate Conference Committee. He is scheduled to speak with the Illinois Hunger Coalition about the same issue later this week. This … Continue Reading
October 29, 2013
Durbin Calls on Dietary Supplement Manufacturer to Prove Compliance with Federal Law Regulating New Ingredients
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on USPLabs to provide information showing it has complied with federal law requiring dietary supplement manufacturers to report new dietary ingredients and evidence of their safety to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a letter to the CEO and Co-Owner of USPLabs, Durbin raised concerns about OxyElite Pro, a diet supplement that may be linked to 48 cases of liver injury including death. The product contains aegeline - a … Continue Reading
October 21, 2013
Durbin Urges Schools Across the Nation to Develop Concussion Safety Plans for Student-Athletes
[COLLINSVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Collinsville High School to discuss legislation he recently introduced to strengthen K-12 schools' procedures for preventing, detecting, and treating student-athletes who suffer concussions while competing. "Injuries are a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long-term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we need to do more to confront this health risk, especially among … Continue Reading
September 26, 2013
Durbin, Harkin, Rockefeller, Waxman & Members of Congress Call on E-Cigarette Makers to Explain Marketing Tactics Targeting Kids
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing a dramatic increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and youth, twelve members of Congress today called on nine e-cigarette makers to provide additional information regarding the sale, distribution, labeling, and marketing of their products to children and teens. Currently, e-cigarettes are not subject to federal laws and regulations that apply to traditional cigarettes … Continue Reading
September 25, 2013
Durbin, Markey, Rockefeller, Blumenthal Call on Energy Drink Companies to Stop Marketing to Children
[WASHINGTON, DC] In the latest step in their ongoing investigation into the energy drink industry, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), today called on 17 major energy drink companies to commit to voluntary steps in the marketing and promotion of energy drink products, including not marketing to children nor selling products in K-12 schools. The requests to the companies come after the July Senate … Continue Reading
September 24, 2013
Durbin Statement on Illinois Health Plan Rates
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the State of Illinois announced that the rates for health care plans in Illinois' new Health Insurance Marketplace will be more than 25 percent lower than initial estimates. The marketplace, created as part of the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare," will open on October 1st. "Today's announcement by the State of Illinois confirms what many have been saying for years: Obamacare will lower health … Continue Reading
September 05, 2013
Durbin, Blumenthal, Harkin, Carper, Brown, and Markey Warn Against Dangers of E-Cigs After CDC Release Data Showing an Increase in Use Among Youth
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Ed Markey (D-MA) warned against the dangers of electronic cigarettes after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new data showing that use of these products has more than doubled among middle and high school students since the 2011-2012 school year. Electronic cigarettes or "e-cigs" are marketed as substitutes for tobacco smoking. However, in addition to … Continue Reading
August 29, 2013
Durbin Introducing Bill to Strengthen Concussion Safety in High School Sports
[CHICAGO] - On the eve of the high school football season's kick-off, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced he will introduce legislation when the Senate reconvenes to strengthen K-12 schools' procedures for preventing, detecting, and treating student-athletes who suffer concussions while competing. "Injuries are a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long-term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we need to do more to confront … Continue Reading