Durbin Meets with Illinois Farm Groups to Discuss Agriculture Priorities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Corn Growers and the Illinois Soybean Association to discuss agricultural priorities including improving the infrastructure along the Mississippi River which is the backbone of Illinois' waterway transportation system - transporting $12 billion worth of products each year, including over 1 billion bushels of grain to ports around the world. After today's meeting, Durbin, a… Continue Reading

Swipe Fee Reform

This week, we are considering legislation on the Senate floor that affects small businesses. I want to talk about another issue very important to small businesses; that is, the topic of interchange fees, also known as swipe fees. Last week, nearly 200 small businesses came to Washington, DC, from Illinois and from all across America. They came to stand up in support of the reform of interchange fees, swipe fees, that Congress passed last year. They came to stand up to the major credit car… Continue Reading

Durbin: Decision on CN Appeal Strengthens Role of Surface Transportation Board

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after a federal appeals court upheld a decision by the Surface Transportation Board that requiring the Canadian National (CN) to pay seventy-eight and a half percent of the cost of specific mitigation efforts in Lynwood, Illinois and sixty-seven percent of specific mitigation efforts in Aurora, Illinois - estimated at $68 million total. "This decision finally cements Canadian National's commitments to pa… Continue Reading

Durbin Launches New Website, Joins Facebook and Twitter

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that he has officially launched a modern and easy-to-use website to improve communications with his constituents. The completely redesigned website, https://www.durbin.senate.gov, will provide Illinoisans with quick access to an enlarged library of videos, photos, information, and legislation as well as offer the ability to easily share content with friends and family. "People across Illinois, the… Continue Reading

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

Durbin Statement on Efforts to Delay Implementation of New Interchange Fee Law

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today on legislative efforts to delay implementation of common sense reforms to the interchange fee system: "Every month we delay limiting the amount banks and credit card companies charge merchants means another $1.3 billion bailout for Visa, MasterCard and their big bank allies. The $13 trillion banking industry doesn't need another handout - especially one paid for by small business and… Continue Reading

Durbin Writes Letter in Support of Dr. Muhammad Yunus

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote a letter to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, voicing strong concern over the recent dismissal of Professor Muhammad Yunus as Managing Director of Grameen Bank. Yunus, winner of the Noble Peace Prize, founded Grameen Bank in 1983 as a microfinance and community development bank focused on making small loans to Bangladesh's poor population. The circumstances surrounding Dr. Yunus' dismissal are suspect and have… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Bicameral Delegation to Announce Formation of High-Speed and Intercity Rail Caucus

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the founding members of the Bi-Cameral High- Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus to announce the formation of a coalition that will serve as the leading advocates to advance high-speed and intercity rail programs across the country. The caucus - which also includes as Co-Chairs, Representatives Louise Slaughter (NY-28) Corrine Brown (FL-3), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), David Price (NC-4), Tim Walz (MN-1) and John Olver (MA-1)… Continue Reading

For-profit Colleges

I have come to the Senate floor a number of times over the past year to speak about my concerns about the rapid growth of for-profit colleges. I believe some for-profit colleges are quality institutions, but I also believe many are taking advantage of Federal taxpayer dollars and doing more harm than good for unsuspecting students. In no area is this issue more important than when it comes to our veterans. A few years ago, I proudly joined Senator James Webb of Virginia, who said to me wh… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks 60 Accrediting Agencies for Explanation of Standards They Use to Ensure Quality at Colleges and Universities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today wrote to 60 accrediting agencies around the country asking for an explanation of the accreditation standards to better understand the role they play in holding colleges and universities to high academic standards. Durbin's request comes after recent Congressional hearings and media reports that have highlighted serious problems with for-profit colleges and universities. "Accreditation agencies such as yours serve as the gateway to fed… Continue Reading

Agreement Reached to Expand Capacity at O’Hare and Foster Economic Growth Nationwide

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, executives from United Airlines and American Airlines and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk announced today a $1.17 billion agreement that will allow the O'Hare Modernization Program to move forward, add runway capacity, and prevent flight delays from growing to unacceptable levels. With this agreement between the City of Chicago and American and United Airlines in place, work can begin on an additio… Continue Reading

Public Broadcaster Funding

I have been around Congress a few years. When I served in the House of Representatives 16 years ago, the Republicans won control of Congress for the first time in 40 years. They promised to change how business was done in Washington and they elected Newt Gingrich of Georgia as Speaker of the House. On his first day on the job, Speaker Gingrich addressed a black tie dinner of happy supporters and took aim at an enemy he said was undermining America's values, and that enemy was Big Bird. Ne… Continue Reading

Durbin: $4 Gas Prices are a Wake-Up Call for Nation

[Chicago, IL] "Our addiction to oil is costing American families millions at the gas pump while enslaving us to political dictators in the Middle East and North Africa," U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. "These rapidly rising prices are a wake-up call for our nation." Gas prices are nearing a two-year high and continue to rise. Here in Chicago, prices are pushing $4 per gallon in many spots and have risen by 11 percent-36 cents-in just the last month. "Working families just sta… Continue Reading

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 Sa… Continue Reading

Statement on Durbin-Lee Roving Wiretap Amendment to the PATRIOT Act

The Durbin-Lee amendment is simple, but important. It would require the government to describe the target of a roving wiretap "with particularity." The amendment would add just two words to the FISA roving wiretap statute - but these words would ensure that roving wiretaps are conducted in compliance with the 4th Amendment of the Constitution. And it's my understanding that our amendment would simply codify the Justice Department's current practice and interpretation of the law. So, it… Continue Reading

FEMA Administrator Agress to Senators’ Request to End “Without Levees" Policy in Modernizing Flood Maps

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Mark Pryor (D-AK) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s decision to end its current policy of disregarding some levees and flood control structures in its process of update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate today informed the Senators that his agency has been directed to discontinue the practice of using "without levee… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to OCC Chief on Interchange, Meets with Small Business About Benefits of Reform

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the Acting Comptroller of the Currency, John Walsh, yesterday, in response to his recent comments about interchange reform. Durbin's letter corrected the record about what the new interchange law will and won't do, and urged the Acting Comptroller to study up on the new law and its benefits to consumers and small businesses. "I write regarding the comments that you submitted on March 4 to the Federal Re… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on HELP Committee Hearing Investigating For-Profit Colleges

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today submitted a statement for the record at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing chaired by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) on Bridgepoint Education, Inc, a for-profit college company. In his statement, Durbin focused on accreditation agencies which, he says, serve as the gateway to federal funding. "As Congress works to reduce the federal deficit, we are appropriately scrutinizing federal spending," Durbin said. "W… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Quad Cities Chamber and Labor Leaders to Discuss Regional Priorities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leaders from the Quad Cities region who were in Washington, D.C. for their annual fly-in to discuss their priorities including Rock Island Arsenal, Amtrak service to the Quad Cities and economic recovery. Durbin asked for the group's help in opposing H.R.1 funding cuts that eliminate all unobligated funding for current and future high speed rail projects. "The Quad Cities region does a great job of coming together across party… Continue Reading

Swipe Fee Reform

Last year, Congress enacted landmark reform of the swipe fees that Visa and MasterCard impose on the debit card system. An amendment I offered to Wall Street reform passed the Senate with 64 votes--47 Democrats, 17 Republicans--and was later signed into law. It was the first amendment out of the first 26 on that bill that was held to a 60-vote standard. Every other amendment before was held to a simple majority. But I was lucky enough, when I offered the amendment, that there was an insistence t… Continue Reading