Durbin Statment on the Confirmation of Robert McDonald to be VA Secretary

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted unanimously to confirm Robert McDonald to be Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): "Bob McDonald is a veteran, a West Point grad, and he is from Arlington Heights, Illinois," Durbin said. "I met with Bob soon after he was nominated for this position and there is no doubt he is eager to take on the task of seeing that the VA honors its promise to the men and women who ser… Continue Reading

Durbin & Leading Congressional Democrats Introduce the No Federal Contracts For Corporate Deserters Act

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Leading Democrats from both chambers of Congress - Senators Dick Durbin and Carl Levin and Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Lloyd Doggett - today introduced the No Federal Contracts for Corporate Deserters Act. The legislation would bar contracts from going to businesses that incorporate overseas, are majority-owned by shareholders of the old U.S. corporation, and do not have substantial business opportunities in the foreign country in which they are incorporating. "With… Continue Reading

Durbin: State of Illinois Takes Decisive Action to Protect Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the decisive action taken by the Illinois Board of Higher Education which ordered Corinthian Colleges - owner of six "Everest College" campuses in Illinois - to immediately stop all sales, advertising, marketing and enrollment activities in Illinois. Durbin has been warning Illinois students and calling for an end to enrollments since the Department of Education increased scrutiny of Corinthian Colleges, Inc. on June 20, 2014 … Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Chicago Crime Gun Intelligence Center with ATF Director

[CHICAGO] - After a spate of shootings and gun deaths in Chicago in recent weeks, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Director of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), B. Todd Jones, at Chicago's new Gun Crime Intelligence Center for a briefing on the center's role in combating gun violence."For far too long, Chicago has been plagued with unacceptable levels of gun violence," Durbin said. "I came here today to learn more about the innovative strategies being u… Continue Reading

Durbin To Defense Secretary: Failing For-Profit College Shouldn't Be Recruiting Servicemembers On-Base

WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the Department of Defense should protect servicemembers by prohibiting for-profit colleges run by Corinthian Colleges, Inc. - like WyoTech, Heald and Everest - from participating in on-base job training, education, and career events and fairs. Durbin sent a copy of today's letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Durbin's letter follows a Marine Times report from earlier this … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $1.6 Million Investment in Illinois First-Responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded $1,607,356 in grants to eight communities throughout Illinois. Today's funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "This federal funding will ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur in our communities, our nation's firefighters and… Continue Reading

Senate Confirms Illinois Native Andrew Schapiro As New U.S. Ambassador to Czech Republic

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Senate confirmed Andrew Schapiro of Chicago, Illinois, to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Czech Republic. The Senate approved his nomination by voice vote. "Andrew Schapiro, the son of a Czech immigrant to the United States, brings with him important experience to serve as our next Ambassador to the Czech Republic," said Durbin. "Given the Kremlin's recent actions in Central and Eastern Euro… Continue Reading

Durbin, Pallone Meet With MLB and MLB Player's Association To Discuss Spit Tobacco

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At the height of Major League Baseball's season, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) met today with representatives of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) to discuss efforts to cut back on smokeless tobacco use among players and fans. Today's meeting was also attended by Matt Myers, President of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. A photo of today's meeting is available here. "As the recent death of H… Continue Reading

Durbin: Inverters Are Deserters

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the U.S. Senate Floor to discuss a tactic called corporate inversions, a move many companies are considering. These companies move their headquarters overseas, but only on paper, to avoid U.S. taxes. In his speech, Durbin highlighted the fact that these companies are effectively renouncing their American corporate citizenship. "Corporate tax inversion is a strategy used by companies to dodge U.S. taxes, plain and simple. This clever tax strategy has be… Continue Reading

Durbin Lauds Committee Passage of Treaty on the Rights of the Disabled

DURBIN LAUDS COMMITTEE PASSAGE OF TREATY ON THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to pass a resolution ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a treaty to recognize fundamental values of non-discrimination and equal access for persons with disabilities around the world: "The United States has led the world in f… Continue Reading

Durbin to Walgreens: Renouncing Your American Corporate Citizenship Hard to Defend

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to the CEO of Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today expressed his strong opposition to the speculation that Walgreens will buy Swiss-based retailer and wholesaler Alliance Boots and use a strategy called "inversion," to move the company's headquarters overseas, but only on paper, in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes. "Customers have many choices about where to shop and where to have their prescriptions filled. I believe yo… Continue Reading

Durbin Legislation Would Help Curb Predatory Marketing of Armed Forces By For-Profit Colleges

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that he included language in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY2015 to help put an end to the for-profit industry's predatory marketing campaigns and aggressive recruiting of servicemembers and their families. The bill was passed last week on a bipartisan basis by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now awaiting action by the full Senate. Durbin's a… Continue Reading

Durbin 'Appalled' by Taxpayer Subsidized AbbVie's Decision to Renounce It's American Citizenship

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to the CEO of the North Chicago-based company AbbVie, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today expressed his strong opposition to the company's decision to acquire Dublin-based Shire and use a strategy called "inversion," to move the company's headquarters overseas, but only on paper, in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes. "For decades AbbVie (formerly Abbott Labs) used taxpayer-supported medical research, infrastructure and rule of law to become one of our natio… Continue Reading

Durbin, McCaskill, Eenyart PraiseFunding For Extension Of Growler Production Line In Senate Defense Spending Bill

[ST. LOUIS, MO] - The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the funding needed for Boeing Co.'s Growler aircraft production line to remain open for another year and 3,000 jobs that were going to be eliminated once the line shut down to be saved, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and U.S. Representative Bill Enyart (D-IL-12), said today at Boeing Defense, Space & Security in St. Louis. As Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Durbin i… Continue Reading

Durbin: Protecting Students Should Be Fitzgerald's Number One Priority In Corinthian Oversight

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the Department of Education announced that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, under the leadership of former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, has been selected to take on the role of independent monitor overseeing Corinthian Colleges' actions under the operating agreement the company reach with the Department earlier this month. "Patrick Fitzgerald's record as a federal… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on MH17, Situation in Ukraine

[WASHINGTON] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the situation in Ukraine: "The shooting down of this civilian plane is a horrible tragedy and an outrage-my thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost loved ones. There is increasing evidence that Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists may have been involved in this terrible act. It is critical that the crash site be secured and the crash thoroughly investigated by the international community. Russian-ba… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Administration Response To GOP Obstruction of Not My Boss's Business Act, Introduces Bill Requiring Employer Notification of Contraception Coverage For Current, Prospective Employees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Administration's announcement that the Department of Labor will require certain employers to notify current employees if they plan to eliminate coverage for contraception in their health insurance plans based on the Supreme Court's recent Hobby Lobby decision. Durbin also announced the introduction of legislation, the Preventive Care Coverage Notification Act, that will ensure that job applicants at for-profit corporation… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Use Of Human Shields By Hamas in Gaza

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding reports that Hamas routinely launches rockets from dense civilian areas in Gaza and instructs Palestinian residents to ignore Israeli warnings to leave areas facing likely military action: "I am deeply troubled by Hamas' continued rocket fire against Israeli civilians and its refusal to accept an Egyptian cease fire proposal. I am further shocked by Hamas' barbaric use of its own civilians as huma… Continue Reading

Durbin: Defense Appropriations Bill Makes Critical Investments in Illinois Priorities

[Washington, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the FY15 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, which provides $549.3 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. This legislation fully funds the one percent pay raise for mili… Continue Reading

Durbin's FY15 Defense Bill Passed By Senate Appropriations Committee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate's Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, applauded the committee's bipartisan approval of the $549.3 billion spending bill for the Department of Defense, intelligence community, and Overseas Contingency Operations, including the war in Afghanistan and other military operations worldwide. The bill prioritizes the support of our Armed Forces, veterans and their families, invests in innovation to main… Continue Reading