Press Releases
Durbin Discusses New Initiatives to Address High Rates of Lead Exposure Across the Nation
SPRINGFIELD, IL - As part of a larger effort by Senate Democrats to combat lead contamination, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted new initiatives to protect children in affordable housing from lead poisoning and update the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) lead and copper regulations to establish mandatory lead testing of pipes and water in cities-large and small-across the country. Earlier this week, Senate Democrats introduced the True LEADership Act, a comprehensive … Continue Reading
April 21, 2016
Durbin, Bustos: Senate Committee Passed Bill Fully Funds Thompson Prison Activation for 2017
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee - of which Durbin is a member - passed a bipartisan FY2017 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill that continues funding for the activation of the Thomson correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. The legislation must now be passed by the full Senate and then reconciled with the House version of the bill. "Once … Continue Reading
April 21, 2016
With Anti-Muslim Bigotry on the Rise, Durbin Seeks Information About Airlines’ Efforts to Prevent Discrimination on Flights
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a series of recent incidents on airlines involving alleged discrimination against American Muslims and Arab Americans - including a report of a student being removed from his flight after speaking Arabic on a phone call earlier this week - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote to Airlines for America President Nicholas Calio to share his concerns, and to seek additional information about what its member airlines are doing to prevent similar future incidents. … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Durbin Hosts Meeting with Bipartisan Southwestern Illinois Congressional Delegation & St. Clair County to Discuss NGA West
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a meeting with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL) to discuss the site selection process for the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) facility with St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern. The group was also joined by former U.S. Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL) and retired Air Force General Duncan McNabb, who served as Commander of Air Mobility Command and U.S. … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Durbin Urges Responsible Transition to American-Made Rocket Engines for National Security Satellite Launches
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today pressed the case for responsibly transitioning from Russian-made rocket engines to American-made engines for national defense satellite launches. Despite concerns from senior military and intelligence officials, a proposal is emerging in the Senate Armed Services Committee to cut off American military purchasing of the RD-180 engines used to launch satellites that directly support … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Durbin: Government Needs to be Part of the Solution to America's Lead Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined 10 of his colleagues at a press conference in Washington, DC to unveil a comprehensive plan that recommits the federal government to a critical role in water infrastructure investment, lead remediation and the strong drinking water protections provided by the Environmental Protection Agency. Today's True LEADership Act of 2016 includes two bills that Durbin introduced earlier this year: The Copper and Lead Evaluation, … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Durbin: $151 Million in Federal in Federal Funding Will Help Stabilize Illinois Communities Hit Hardest By Foreclosure Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the announcement by the U.S. Department of Treasury that the State of Illinois has been awarded $151,299,560 in funding to support efforts to revitalize neighborhoods that were hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. Today's funding was awarded through Phase 2 of the Hardest Hit Fund, for which Congress recently appropriated a total of $2 billion. Durbin is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and advocated for … Continue Reading
April 19, 2016
Durbin Applauds Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Security & Improve Air Travel
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Senate's passage of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The legislation which includes provisions to strengthen U.S. airport security and improve air travel now goes to the House of Representatives for approval. "The tragic attack in Brussels was a harrowing reminder that more can be done to enhance security for airport and transit systems across our country - … Continue Reading
April 18, 2016
Durbin: Supreme Court Must Act to Keep Families Together, Affirm President's Immigration Actions
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the floor of the Senate today after attending oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Texas, a legal challenge to the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program and the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "This lawsuit I believe has no legal merit. It is driven by political hostility toward President Obama and his immigration policy. The Supreme Court … Continue Reading
April 18, 2016
Durbin, Senators Call for Immediate Passage of President's Emergency Funding Request to Help Stem Spread of Zika Virus in United States and Abroad
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined a coalition of 41 senators in sending a new letter to Senate Republican leaders calling for immediate passage of President Obama's emergency supplemental funding request of $1.9 billion for prevention and treatment of the Zika virus outbreak. Specifically, the new letter calls for the Senate Appropriations committee to mark-up the President's emergency funding request as soon as possible to ensure swift passage by the full Senate … Continue Reading
April 18, 2016
After Two Years, Senators Call for Finalization of Long Overdue Tobacco Regulations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Almost two years ago to the day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule expanding its authority to include previously unregulated tobacco products like e-cigarettes and cigars. Today, as Big Tobacco continues to develop, market, and sell those products without federal oversight, fifteen Senators called on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan to issue a final rule bringing all tobacco products under the FDA's jurisdiction as soon as … Continue Reading
April 18, 2016
Durbin Calls on Chicago-Based Life Insurance Company to Disavow Practice of Withholding Funds to Rightful Beneficiaries
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to a 60 Minutes investigation that identified Chicago-based Kemper Corporation as the "main" insurance company fighting reform efforts, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the company to disavow the practice of withholding life insurance payouts to beneficiaries that do not directly file claims with the insurance company. Beneficiaries do not always know that they have been named under a life insurance policy and accordingly do not always … Continue Reading
April 15, 2016
Durbin Urges Sec. Carter to Protect Key Pentagon Spending Oversight
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter urging him to resist defense industry efforts to undermine critical Pentagon oversight that protects U.S. taxpayers from hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful spending. "An April 8 article in Politico alleges that some defense companies under the guise of this reform are attempting to curtail the Director of Defense Pricing … Continue Reading
April 15, 2016
Durbin Presses Abbott Labs on Outsourcing 150 American Jobs to Indian Company
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories has forced approximately 150 laid-off employees to sign a gag order preventing them from discussing the layoffs with federal agencies, as they are legally entitled to do. The employees were required to sign sweeping non-disparagement agreements in order to receive any severance pay. Last month, Durbin wrote to Miles White, the CEO of Abbott Labs, urging him to reconsider their plan to outsource … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016
Durbin & Duckworth: Pharmaceutical Industry has a Responsibility in Curtailing Opioid Overdose Epidemic
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called on the President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) to take financial responsibility for the industry's role in curtailing the opioid overdose epidemic as other major companies have done. Early this year, Illinois-based Walgreens announced that it will install safe medication disposal kiosks in more than 500 of their drugstores to help in … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016
Durbin and Quad Cities Leaders Discuss Economic Development & the Rock Island Arsenal at Annual Meeting
[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a meeting with mayors and local leaders from the Quad Cities region who were in Washington, D.C. for their annual fly-in, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed his continued commitment to working in Congress to support and promote the Rock Island Arsenal. The group also discussed transportation investments, manufacturing, local economic development and job creation. "This annual meeting of leaders from the Quad Cities brings together local officials and … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016
Durbin: New Program from Housing Finance Agency Could Benefit Struggling Illinois Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that an announcement by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) could benefit up to 33,000 families that have been struggling to avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes in states - including Illinois - that have been hardest hit by the financial crisis. The new program will offer a one-time principal reduction to borrowers whose loans are owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and who meet specific eligibility … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016
With E-Cigarette Use on the Rise, Durbin & Blumenthal Demand FDA Action
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the following statements in response to findings from the 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing that a record 3 million U.S. teenagers used e-cigarettes over the last year. The data released today shows that e-cigarette use among middle and high school students, which surpassed cigarettes last year as the most commonly used tobacco product, continues to grow: between 2011 and 2015, … Continue Reading
April 14, 2016
Durbin, Kirk: SBA Makes Federal Relief Available for Illinois Small Businesses Impacted by Severe Winter Storms
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) announced today that President Obama has issued a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Declaration for Christian and Iroquois Counties, which will allow residents and businesses in the region severely impacted by severe storms and flooding this winter to receive SBA loans. The President's action will ensure that eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses have access to loans to help repair or replace … Continue Reading
April 13, 2016
Durbin Pays Tribute to Ray LaHood
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate Floor today to recognize former Illinois Congressman and United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who was honored yesterday by a dedication ceremony for the Ray LaHood International Terminal at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. "I want to recognize my friend and former colleague in the House, Congressman Ray LaHood. He was then named Secretary of Transportation by President Obama. … Continue Reading