Durbin: Defense Appropriations Bill Protects Illinois Priorities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, which provides $575.9 billion in funding for the military and intelligence community, our national security requirements and the daily needs of over two million active duty and reserve servicemembers. "Illinois has long taken a leadershi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos Announce Nearly $6.7 Million in Federal Funding for Rockford Airport

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced $6,698,797 in federal funding that will go toward infrastructure improvements and upgrades at Chicago Rockford International Airport. The grant will be used to build a terminal building expansion that will help travelers move more efficiently through the gate holding area. This funding will go towards the first phase of construction on the project, including design and construction fo… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Legislation to Encourage Tracing of All Gun Crimes

[WASHINGTON, DC] - To help crack down on gun violence and gun trafficking, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation today that would encourage law enforcement agencies to take full advantage of federal crime gun tracing resources, one of the most powerful crime fighting tools available to target gun trafficking networks and solve violent crimes. Crime gun tracing can help generate leads in criminal investigations and reveal how guns are trafficked into criminals' hands. "One o… Continue Reading

Summary: Department of Defense FY2016 Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON-The Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Act, 2016 provides $575.9 billion in base and Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding, compared to $554.2 billion enacted in fiscal year 2015 and $577.9 billion in the President's budget request. The base budget appropriation is $489.1 billion with $86.9 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations of the Department of Defense, compared to $64 billion for DoD OCO enacted in fiscal year 2015. The Subcommittee's allocation confor… Continue Reading

Durbin: Monsanto's Corporate Inversion Would Cost U.S. Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions Each Year; Could Easily Be Stopped with Legislation

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Syngenta AG released documents showing that Monsanto intends to move its corporate headquarters overseas as part of its proposed acquisition of Syngenta, but only on paper, in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes - a process known as "inversion". Durbin's Stop Corporate Inversions Act of 2015 would lower the 80% continuity of ownership test under Section 7874 of the tax code to 50%, effectively prevent… Continue Reading

Durbin and Blumenthal Statement on Department of Education's Announcement on Federal Debt Relief for Former Corinthian Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the following statement after being briefed on the Department of Education's announcement related to federal student loan debt relief to former students of Corinthian Colleges, Inc. "Thousands of students who attended Heald Colleges and those whose Corinthian campuses closed will see relief under today's announcement. Secretary Duncan deserves great credit for today's good news. We look forw… Continue Reading

Durbin, Dart: Law Enforcement Agencies Should Trace All Crime Guns

[CHICAGO] - To help crack down on gun violence and gun trafficking, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart today called on law enforcement agencies to take full advantage of federal crime gun tracing resources, one of the most powerful crime fighting tools available to target gun trafficking networks and solve violent crimes. They discussed legislation that Durbin is introducing in the Senate and a first-of-its-kind training initiative to prepare police departments to p… Continue Reading

Durbin: Cal-Sag Trail's Western Section Now Open for Southland Residents to Enjoy

[PALOS HEIGHTS, IL] -- Residents of the Chicago Southland can now enjoy 13 miles of scenic trails and riverfront accessibility, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the western portion of the Cal-Sag Trail on National Trails Day. The completed, 26-mile trail will stretch from Lemont eastward near the Indiana border, turning an underutilized riverfront into an inviting recreational area. Durbin has supported the trail since its early stages, helping s… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins More Than 30 Senators to Urge Consumer Agency to Issue "Strongest Possible Rules" to Stop Predatory Payday Lending

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) considers new rules to rein in predatory practices in payday and similar types of lending, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and more than 30 other Senators expressed their support today for the initial steps the agency has taken and urged the agency to issue the strongest possible rules to combat the "cascade of devastating financial consequences" that these high-priced loans often have on consumers. In a letter to CFPB … Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to ITT Tech's Claims

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent the following letter in response to Chief Executive Officer at ITT Educational Services, Inc., Kevin Modany's claims about the for-profit college's operations in a letter he sent to Durbin last week. Modany's letter was in response to a May 28, 2015 letter Durbin sent calling out ITT Tech for complaining that its "day in court [is] long overdue" while in its enrollment documents, the company prohibits students from filing suit… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Additional Safety Measures to Strengthen Tank Cars and Prevent Derailment

COLLINSVILLE - In response to safety concerns raised by the rapid increase of trains carrying volatile crude oil and ethanol across the country, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today stood with local mayors and first responders to call for stronger safety measures to strengthen tank cars and prevent derailment. He discussed two bills he's cosponsoring in the Senate that impose safety measures that expand on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)'s final tank car rules released earlier this … Continue Reading

Durbin to ITT Tech: Stop the Hypocrisy & Give Student Their "Day in Court"

WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out the for-profit college chain ITT Technical Institute for complaining that its "day in court [is] long overdue" while in its enrollment documents, the company prohibits students from filing suit in a court of law against the company either as an individual or as part of a class action - essentially denying students their own "day in court". "Students are forced into arbitration proceedings that deny them the precedents and… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Trade Vote in Senate

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted 62-38 to advance Trade Promotion Authority legislation: The debate over free trade agreements is an important one with compelling arguments on both sides. My first priority as a senator from Illinois, however, is keeping and growing jobs in our state, and too often these trade deals end up luring American jobs overseas. The truth is, we can and should expand trade, but we must als… Continue Reading

Senators Urge President to Allow More Syrian Refugees to Resettle in U.S.

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today led a group of fourteen senators in calling on President Barack Obama to significantly increase the number of Syrian refugees allowed to resettle in the United States. The Syrian conflict has led to the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crisis and the worst refugee crisis since World War II. "Our nation's founders came to our shores to escape religious persecution and the United States has a long tradition of provi… Continue Reading

As EPA Finalizes Renewable Fuel Standard, Durbin Meets with EPA Administrator McCarthy to Call for Quick Action & a Strong Rule

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works toward finalizing its proposed rule on biofuels volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined seven of his Senate colleagues today to meet with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Today the Senators - who represent a diverse group of states and stakeholders - reiterated their concerns regarding the uncertainty and delays of the RFS rule, and urged McCarthy to set strong ren… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls on Illinois Board of Higher Education to Take Action Against ITT Tech to Protect Students from Any Wrongdoing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) lawsuit against ITT Tech and two of its executives for fraud, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Illinois Board of Higher Education to take appropriate action against ITT Tech to protect current students and ensure that additional students are not harmed. ITT Tech - under investigation by at least 18 state Attorneys General - currently operates at least four campuses in Illinois including Arlington He… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill to Support Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation today that would give veteran-owned small businesses access to surplus federal property, reducing overhead costs and helping these small businesses grow. The Veterans Small Business Enhancement Act would expand the Government Service Administration's excess federal property program, which makes available items that federal agencies no longer need - from computers and office furniture to tools and construction equipment. … Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Must Support Efforts to Eliminate Rape Kit Backlog

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Experts have estimated that hundreds of thousands of rape kits remain backlogged across the country, stuffed into police department evidence lockers or awaiting testing at crime labs. At a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Congress must continue to support state and local efforts to combat sexual assault. Footage from the hearing will be made available later today. He also pointed to the need for crimina… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Department of Education to Hold Three For-Profit Companies Accountable for Wrongdoing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) lawsuit against ITT Tech and two of its executives for fraud, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Department of Education to investigate the for-profit college's practices along with the practices of Career Education Corporation and Education Management Corporation both of which have also been found by state and federal agencies to have engaged in wrongdoing. In addition, Durbin is seeking an assurance … Continue Reading

Durbin, Graham Launch Senate NIH Caucus

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) were joined at a briefing by Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dr. Francis S. Collins today to announce the launch of the bipartisan Senate NIH Caucus. The goal of the NIH Caucus is to preserve our nation's global competitiveness by highlighting the need for investments in cutting-edge research being performed by the agency - the foremost biomedical research institute in the world. NIH directly supp… Continue Reading