Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Health Care
Durbin, Lautenberg, Harkin Call Tobacco CEO Comments: "Reckless and Scientifically Inaccurate"
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) today set the record straight on the addictive nature of cigarettes after hearing a statement by the CEO of Philip Morris International, Louis Camilleri, claiming that while smoking cigarettes is addictive, "it is not that hard to quit." In reality, a 2010 Surgeon General's report indicates that in recent years tobacco companies have altered cigarettes to make them more addictive. "As the … Continue Reading
May 04, 2011
Durbin Expansion of VA Caregiver Program Could Help Thousands More Family Members
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand the number of caregivers that are eligible for the Family Caregiver Program which provides technical, financial and practical support to family caregivers of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seriously injured in the line of duty. The decision significantly improves an earlier, more restrictive draft and expands the eligibility the pool of eligible veterans from … Continue Reading
April 15, 2011
Durbin Autism Awareness Month, Durbin, Casey, Menendez, Lautenberg, Gillibrand Introduce Bill to Establish a National Autism Strategy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a month set aside to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced legislation that would create a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of families affected by autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Services and Workforce Acceleration Act authorizes federal funding for a wide range of service, … Continue Reading
April 14, 2011
Durbin Introduces Legislation to Reduce Medicare Fraud
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to crack down on Medicare fraud by increasing the access to information that will allow for better oversight and accountability of the program. The Medicare Spending Transparency Act would make summary level Medicare data publicly available and enhance the ability of qualified outside organizations to access more detailed data. "Every year, between $30 and $60 billion in Medicare spending is wasted on fraud … Continue Reading
April 13, 2011
Durbin, Kirk, Costello, Shimkus: Restarting Surgeries at Marion VA is Good News for Southern Illinois Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined Representatives Jerry Costello (D-IL) and John Shimkus (R-IL) today in saying that the announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that inpatient surgeries at the Marion VA Medical Center in (VAMC) are restarting is good news for veterans in Southern Illinois. In a letter to the Illinois Members, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki expressed confidence that all necessary reviews to ensure safety and quality … Continue Reading
April 07, 2011
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators to Introduce Bill to Help Prevent Youth Suicide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In an effort to prevent youth suicide and reach out to young people who need mental health services, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tom Udall (D-NM) today introduced the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2011. Included in today's legislation are portions of Durbin's Mental Health on College Campuses Act which calls for the creation of a competitive grant program that would provide funding to colleges to focus … Continue Reading
March 18, 2011
Durbin and Corker Introduce Water for the World Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan group lead by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) introduced the Water for the World Act late yesterday, a bill that bill builds on the success of the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act by placing clean water in the forefront of America's development priorities, seeking to reach 100 million people around the world with sustainable first time access to clean water and sanitation within six years of enactment. The … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Durbin Announces a $2 Million CDC Grant for Research in Chicago That Aims to Reduce Infections
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a $2 million grant to a joint collaborative between the Cook County Health and Hospital System and the Rush University Medical Center to support efforts to develop and test innovative approaches to reducing infections in health care setting. This funding is part of the CDC's Prevention Epicenter grant program, which awarded $10 million nationwide today. … Continue Reading
March 11, 2011
Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Bill Requiring HHS to Negotiate Drug Pricing in Medicare Part D
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2011, H.R. 999 in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Ranking members of the House who have co-sponsored: Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA), George Miller (D-CA) and Pete Stark (D-CA). Senate co-sponsors include Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). The Medicare Prescription Drug … Continue Reading
March 02, 2011
Durbin, Kirk and Delegation Call on President to Provide Federal Relief for 74 Illinois Counties
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) were joined by the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation late last night in requesting that President Obama declare 74 Illinois counties - affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm that began on January 31, 2011, and continued through February 11, 2011 - federal disaster areas. A Presidential disaster declaration would allow cities and counties to apply for federal reimbursements to help pay for storm … Continue Reading
February 27, 2011
Durbin: House Cuts to Medical Research Funding Put Illinois Jobs at Risk and Jeopardize America's Leading Role in Bio-Medical Research
[CHICAGO, IL] - Thousands of medical research jobs and millions of dollars in economic activity are at risk as the result of drastic federal spending cuts proposed by the House of Representatives to the National Institute of Health's budget, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. The federal spending bill for the current fiscal year (FY11), which was approved by the House early Saturday morning, included a $1.6 … Continue Reading
February 09, 2011
Durbin Announces $360,000 in Funding to Accelerate Implementation of Electronic Health Records
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $360,000 in funding to the Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center, located at Northern Illinois University, to provide support and assistance to hospitals so they can quickly implement electronic health records systems. The funding will be distributed to 60 Illinois hospitals and rural health centers around the state - each … Continue Reading
February 04, 2011
Durbin and Kirk Express Support for Chicago Area Resident to be ATF Director
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to President Barack Obama, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today expressed their support for Andrew Traver to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). President Obama first nominated Traver to be ATF Director in November 2010 and re-nominated him to the post earlier this year. "ATF has been without a Senate-confirmed Director since 2006, and this lack of leadership has hampered our … Continue Reading
February 02, 2011
Durbin Chairs Hearing on the Constitutionality of the Health Care Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired the first-ever Congressional hearing examining the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act today, two days after a Florida court ruled the health care law was unconstitutional and hours before the Senate was scheduled to vote on a Republican amendment repealing the landmark reforms. Durbin, one of the law's biggest proponents, argued that the law was constitutional and that legal challenges to the legislation … Continue Reading
January 28, 2011
Durbin: Report Confirms Illinois Families and Businesses Will Save Under Health Care Reform Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A new report by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirms that, under the new health care reform law, individual families will save on health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs - up to $14,900 annually - and tax credits could save small businesses up to $6 billion over two years. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cautioned that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would mean higher health care costs for Illinois consumers. … Continue Reading
January 18, 2011
Durbin: Repeal of Healthcare Reform Would Have Devastating Impact on Illinois
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] -Millions of Illinoisans are already reaping the benefits of the healthcare reform bill that put American consumers back in charge of their health coverage and medical care and would feel the effects should it be repealed, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Because of the law, young adults can now stay on their parents' health plans, small business owners are receiving tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable, and people who may have reached a … Continue Reading
January 18, 2011
Durbin: $1.2 billion in Prescription Drug Savings for Illinois Seniors in Jeopardy
[WASHINGTON, D.C,] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released county by county numbers showing that the newly implemented Medicare "donut hole" fix will put over $1.2 billion back in the hands of Illinois seniors over the next ten years. Across the country, seniors who have high prescription drug spending will save as much as $12,300 over the next ten years and seniors with low drug costs will save an average of $2,400 over ten years. This week, a vote expected in the U.S. House of … Continue Reading
January 11, 2011
Durbin, Kirk Announce Release of New U.S. EPA Guidelines for Monitoring Chromium 6 in Drinking Water
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has issued guidance on how communities should test for and sample drinking water specifically for Chromium-6. Last month, the agency announced plans to issue this guidance following a meeting in Washington, DC between Administrator Lisa Jackson and ten U.S. Senators including Durbin and Kirk. Also today, Durbin and Kirk received a response … Continue Reading
January 04, 2011
Durbin's Food Safety Bill Signed Into Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act was signed into law by President Obama today, marking most comprehensive reform of the nation's food safety system in over decades. The bipartisan bill, authored by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), will grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new authorities and resources to ensure the safety of our food supply. "With the signing of this bill into law, the FDA finally has the tools it needs to ensure … Continue Reading
January 04, 2011
Durbin's Food Safety Legislation To Be Signed Into Law by the President Today
[CHICAGO, IL] - The ability of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protect the safety of the nation's food supply will dramatically improve now that Congress has passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin was joined at a news conference-held the same day the President is expected to sign the bill into law-by Nancy Donley, Board President of Safe Tables Our Priority (STOP) and mother of Alex, who died in 1993 at age six after eating a … Continue Reading