Press Releases
Kankakee, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
WASHINGTON, DC] - Kankakee native Lakeisha Steele spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Judiciary Interns help committee staff and Senator Durbin prepare for hearings while also assisting with other legislative duties. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the … Continue Reading
June 30, 2014
Evanston, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington DC, Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Evanston native Leslie Paluch spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill Judiciary Committee office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Judiciary Interns help committee staff and Senator Durbin prepare for hearings while also assisting with other legislative duties. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn … Continue Reading
June 30, 2014
Durbin: Women And Families Have A Right To Know If Employers Plan To Restrict Health Coverage
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Tenth Circuit's expansion of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allow for-profit, secular corporations to deny their employees contraceptives to which the employees are entitled by federal law based on the religious objections of the corporations' owners: "Allowing corporate employers to dictate limits on their employees' health insurance coverage … Continue Reading
June 26, 2014
Twelve Senators Urge Education Department To Protect Students While Continuing Oversight Of Corinthian, Other For-Profit Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, twelve U.S. Senators called on Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to protect students while continuing to hold Corinthian Colleges, Inc. accountable, including immediately prohibiting them from enrolling any new students. After failing to provide required data to the Department of Education about its practices, including falsifying job placement data used in marketing claims to prospective students and allegations of altered grades and attendance, Corinthian has … Continue Reading
June 26, 2014
Durbin, Shaheen, Toomey, Sessions Introduce Bill To Reauthorize Program To Curb Prescription Drug Addiction
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) introduced legislation today to reauthorize the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) program which provides grants to states to maintain, improve, and expand their prescription drug monitoring programs. Prescription narcotic drugs are the number one cause of overdoses in the United States with more than 22,000 reported deaths due to prescription … Continue Reading
June 26, 2014
Durbin Announces A Nearly $827,000 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 $826,401 in grants to fire departments 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
June 26, 2014
Durbin, Brown, Warren, Baldwin, Sanders: Tax Credits Should Go To Companies That Invest In American Workers, Not Ship Jobs Overseas
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) introduced the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act, a bill that would provide a tax credit to companies that provide fair wages and good benefits to workers while closing a tax loophole that incentivizes corporations to send jobs overseas. The loophole costs the U.S. Treasury approximately $50 billion each year at a time when … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Stewardson-Strasburg, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Stewardson-Strasburg native Jessica Schneider spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Durbin Meets With Illinois Principals Association, Discusses Conduct Of For-Profit Colleges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In light of federal investigations and the impending closure of Corinthian Colleges Inc. - a for-profit college that has 6 campuses in Illinois under the name "Everest College"- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Principals Association. Durbin urged them to ensure that Illinois' high school students are receiving honest and accurate information about the risks associated with the for-profit college industry. On average, for-profit … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Glenview, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Glenview native Irina Bajic spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the … Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
Durbin and Enyart Announce Two New Squadrons Coming To Scott Air Force Base
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and U.S. Representative Bill Enyart (D-IL-12) announced today the addition of two new cyber protection squadrons at Scott Air Force Base. "Today's announcement is great news for Scott Air Force Base and for Southern Illinois," Durbin said. "These new squadrons give Scott Air Force Base a leading role in supporting the Air Force's cybersecurity operations, which are critically … Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
Durbin: When Will Congress Address Outrageous Conduct By For-Profit Colleges?
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a speech on the Senate Floor today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on Corinthian Colleges Inc., which operates in Illinois under the name "Everest College", to immediately stop enrolling students and urged stronger federal oversight of the for-profit college industry. On Friday, the Department of Education reported that Corinthian failed to provide required data about its practices, including falsifying job placement data used in marketing claims to … Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
Durbin Announces More Than $642,000 In Federal Funding In Job Training For Women In High-Skill Positions Occupations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded a $642,686 grant through Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Program to the Chicago Women in Trades organization, which will use the federal funds to recruit, train and retain women in high-skill occupations such as manufacturing, transportation, energy, construction, and information technology. "When women succeed, their families succeed, and America … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
Durbin Announces More Than $3.4 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Development Projects in Central and Southern Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development division has awarded loans totaling $2,405,000 and grants totaling $1,068,500 to communities across Central and Southern Illinois. The funding used in this announcement will support water and waste infrastructure construction projects, small business initiatives and local economic development. "This federal investment will create local, good-paying jobs in … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
Durbin: The Fight Against Big Tobacco Isn't Over Yet
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the fifth anniversary of the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) responded to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that it will further delaying the release of regulations that would expand the agency's regulatory authority over tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Today, Durbin called for a renewed dedication to the fight against tobacco, smoking, and nicotine addiction: "Five years … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
Durbin Announces Nearly $170,000 Investment To Create Jobs And Boost Development in the Quad-Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC) Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $169,884 in Economic Development District Planning funding to the Bi-State Regional Commission in the Quad Cities to create jobs and boost economic development in the region. "Today's funding will help the Quad Cities region create and implement a plan for continued economic growth - one that leverages new investment to … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
Durbin: Tax Credits Shuold go to Companies that Invest in American Workers, Not Ship Jobs Overseas
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation that would provide a tax credit to companies that provide fair wages and good benefits to workers while closing a tax loophole that incentivizes corporations to send jobs overseas. The loophole costs the U.S. Treasury approximately $50 billion each year at a time when outsourced jobs and stagnant wages force more American families to turn to safety net programs to make ends meet. "Instead of rewarding businesses that … Continue Reading
June 20, 2014
Durbin Joins Peoria Area Veterans to Discuss Ongoing Work to Bring Accountability to the VA
[PEORIA] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with local veteran service organization leaders to discuss the ongoing efforts in Washington to remedy the serious problems facing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Durbin discussed legislation which the Senate passed last week to remedy some of those issues and improve veterans' access to health care and heard from the attendees about their experiences with the VA system. "We owe every one of our veterans a great deal, and that … Continue Reading
June 20, 2014
Durbin, Madigan Call On Corinthian Colleges To Formerly Notify All Illinois Students Of Pending Federal And State Investigations And To Immediately Stop Enrolling Students
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today noted that Corinthian Colleges Inc. is under investigation by 20 states and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Corinthian operates in Illinois under the name "Everest College" and has six campuses in Burr Ridge, Bedford Park, Melrose Park, Merrionette Park, North Aurora, and Skokie, enrolling a total of 3,300 … Continue Reading
June 19, 2014
Durbin Announces More Than $7.3 Million in Federal Funding To Support Workforce Training Efforts
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded $7,368,126 in grants to organizations in Chicago, Illinois that provide employment, training and support services to successfully re-integrate formerly incarcerated adults and youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system into their communities. The funding is made available through DOL's Face Forward program, which targets youth involved in the juvenile … Continue Reading