With Illinois Poised to Become the 15th State Legalizing Gay Marriage, Durbin Heralds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to End LGBT Discrimination in the Workplace

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Prior to Senate passage of the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke at a press conference in support of the measure, which is the most important gay-rights legislation to come before the Senate since the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In his remarks, Durbin praised his colleague U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), who has supported ENDA since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2001. The legislation … Continue Reading

Durbin: White House Nominates Rosenstengel to Fill Federal Judicial Vacancy in Southern District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has nominated Nancy J. Rosenstengel to fill an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois. "Nancy Rosenstengel is an excellent candidate for a federal judgeship in Illinois," said Durbin. "Throughout her legal career, she has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge which, once approved, will serve her well as the first female district court judge to serve in … Continue Reading

Durbin, Harkin, Cohen: Congress Should End Loophole That Encourages For-Profit Colleges To Target Veterans & Servicemembers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP), today introduced legislation in the Senate that would help put an end to the for-profit industry's predatory marketing campaigns and aggressive recruiting of veterans, servicemembers and their families. The Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act, which U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) will introduce in the Hou… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Thomson Prison at Senate Oversight Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee examining the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the important job creation that Thomson prison will bring to both Illinois and Iowa. "The opening of Thomson prison is going to create good paying jobs for people living in Iowa and my home state of Illinois," said Durbin. "It is going to lessen the overcrowding in the prison system and provide critical beds that are necessary for the … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Kirk & Duckworth at Senate Committee Hearing on Disability Rights Treaty

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced two members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation - U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) - prior to their testimony before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Today, both Kirk - who suffered a life-threatening ischemic stroke last year - and Duckworth - who was injured while serving in the Illinois Army … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $25 Million Grant to University of Illinois to Increase Food Supply in Africa

[CHAMPAIGN, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is receiving a $25 million federal grant to lead a consortium of universities and non-governmental organizations working to increase the food supply in Africa by improving soybean yields in five countries on the continent. The five-year grant is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). "Over the years, it has been my privilege to support the resear… Continue Reading

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 worked… Continue Reading

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 reacti… Continue Reading

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Advances Durbin-Sponsored Legislation to Expan Student Loan and Housing Assistance for Servicemembers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A hearing today of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee made legislative advances on three bills to provide additional assistance to servicemembers and military families sponsored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, the Servicemember Housing Protection Act, and the Benefits Fairness for Filipino Veterans Act. The bills must receive a vote by the full Committee before proceeding to a vote on the Senate floor. "Our nation'… Continue Reading

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 week, … Continue Reading

Durbin: It Is Time for Stand Your Ground Laws To Be Carefully Reconsidered

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, called for state "stand your ground" laws to be carefully reconsidered following recent and high profile shootings of unarmed young people. These laws, one of which played a key role in the trial surrounding the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, give individuals legal permission to use lethal force to prot… Continue Reading

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 n… Continue Reading

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 student… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Zachary Fardon as New U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) released the following statements today after the Senate confirmed Zachary Fardon to be the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The Senate unanimously approved his nomination. "Zachary Fardon will be an exceptional U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois," Durbin said. "His range of experience will serve him well in a city and region as diverse and challenging as the Northern District. … Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Approves Federal Judicial Nominees in Northern & Central Districts of Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate has unanimously approved Sara Ellis for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Colin Bruce for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. "Both Sara Ellis and Colin Bruce have the experience, qualifications, and integrity to be excellent federal judges," said Durbin. "I was proud to recommend them both to President … Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Illinois Members at Bipartisan Delegation Luncheon

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation at the fifth bipartisan Illinois Congressional Delegation Luncheon of the 113th Congress. The members discussed the impact the federal government shutdown is having on Illinoisans. The luncheon today was attended by thirteen members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Representative… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Government Shutdown

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the House failed to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government. "Early this morning, the federal government shut down because the House of Representatives was unwilling to pass a short-term government funding measure," Durbin said. "So today, nearly a million federal workers were sent home without pay and government offices around the country were shuttered. This is no … Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos Announce Nearly $1.4 Million in Funding for Peoria and Rockford Law Enforcement

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program has awarded the City of Rockford $625,000 in funding to hire or rehire five police officers and the City of Peoria $750,000 in funding to recruit or rehire six police officers. Today's funding is part of a nationwide announcement of $125 million in COPS grants that will be given to 263 different… Continue Reading

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 such … Continue Reading

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 Comm… Continue Reading