Durbin, Menendez Urge HUD to Provide An Update on Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) along with nine of their Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) urging the agency to take further steps to address the problem of lead poisoning in federally assisted housing.  In the letter, the Senators request on update on HUD’s implementation of a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program lead-risk demonstration project, as was funded by the Cons… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks At Department of Justice National Conference on Supporting Victims of Crime

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke at the Department of Justice’s annual Office forVictims of Crime (OVC) National Joint Training Conference. In 2021, President Biden signed Durbin’s VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act into law, which has resulted nearly $1 billion in additional deposits into the Crime Victims Fund established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The conference provides an opp… Continue Reading

Following Their Letter, Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Biden Administration for Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following Severe Summer Storms

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker’s request for Individual Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to support Cook County in recovering from severe storms in which localized rainfall totals reached eight inches, resulting in significant power outages and roadway interruptions from June 29 to July … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Federal Approval of Critical Access Hospital Status for Iroquois Memorial Hospital

WATSEKA – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined officials from Iroquois Memorial Hospital to announce that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved “Critical Access Hospital” (CAH) status for the Watseka health care facility. The designation pays certain rural hospitals a higher Medicare reimbursement rate, helping to stabilize and provide a critical financial boost for hospitals like Iroquois Memorial. “Today, we are gathering to announce… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Trump Indictment By Georgia Grand Jury in Election Interference Case

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the indictment of former President Donald Trump by a Georgia grand jury for his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election: “In America, every person indicted or accused of a crime is entitled to a presumption of innocence and the full spectrum of rights under due process.  Former President Donald J. Tru… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks at 40th Annual National Black Prosecutors Association Conference

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks at the National Black Prosecutors Association’s (NBPA) 40th Annual Conference in Chicago, the same city where 100 Black prosecutors met for the first time in 1983 and brought about the organization’s founding. NBPA describes itself as the “only professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of blacks as prosecutors” and “… Continue Reading

Durbin Secures $800,000 for Metropolitan Family Services to Train Professionals Responding to Gun Violence

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Metropolitan Family Services’ (MFS) Midway Center (the Fetzer Family Center) to discuss $800,000 in federal funding he secured through Congressionally Directed Spending—more commonly known as an earmark—in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) omnibus appropriations bill for MFS to expand training for professionals involved in addressing and responding to incidences of gun violence, as well as provide additional health and wel… Continue Reading

Chicago, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Chicago, Illinois, native Sam Gragert spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St. Louis, Il… Continue Reading

Naperville, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Naperville, Illinois, native Meher Sethi spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St. Louis,… Continue Reading

Mount Prospect, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Mount Prospect, Illinois, native Kiera Votzmeyer spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St… Continue Reading

Chicago, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Chicago, Illinois, native Cody Johnson spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St. Louis, I… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Summer 2023 Recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program, Nason Budkhunthong

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Nason Budkhunthong, a junior at the University of Illinois from South Elgin, Illinois, as the summer 2023 recipient of the Ed Greelegs Scholarship Program. This scholarship, open to students and recent graduates from Illinois or those studying in Illinois, is an opportunity for the students to receive financial assistance while interning in Senator Durbin’s office. The program was created in honor of DurbinR… Continue Reading

Chicago, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Chicago, Illinois, native Chloe Garton spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St. Louis, I… Continue Reading

Macomb, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Office

WASHINGTON – Macomb, Illinois, native Anabelle Clark spent this summer interning for U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office as an intern. “I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois,” Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office.  As a student from East St. Louis, … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Screening Committee, Application Process For Federal District Court in the Northern District of Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that they will begin accepting applications from those interested in serving as a Federal District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.  The Senators will be assisted by a screening committee whose task is to review and vet District Court candidates and advise the Senators regarding the candidates’ qualifications… Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Double Black Diamond Solar Farm

VIRDEN – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Double Black Diamond, one of the largest planned solar farms in the country, to receive updates on its construction and discuss the upcoming one-year anniversary of theInflation Reduction Act (IRA). “Swift Current Energy’s 600 megawatt bet on Illinois is a testament to our state’s potential as a leader in clean energy innovation,” said Durbin. “The Inflation Reduction Act triggered a tidal wave of change,… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Appointment of U.S. Attorney Weiss As Special Counsel to Investigate Hunter Biden Matters

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss as Special Counsel to continue investigating matters related to Hunter Biden: “Attorney General Garland has committed to avoiding even the appearance of politicization at the Justice Department, and his appointment of a Special Counsel in this matter demo… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Public Health Association to Highlight $500,000 for Community Health Workers

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) to discuss the $500,000 in federal funding he secured through Congressionally Directed Spending—more commonly known as an earmark—in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) omnibus appropriations bill for IPHA to conduct trainings and build the capacity of the Community Health Workers (CHW) workforce. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed our health system’s fractures, revealing… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $700,000 For Shedd Aquarium Sustainability Research

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Shedd Aquarium received $700,000 through the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grants for Museums Program to conduct supply chain research to ensure they are making sustainable choices when acquiring living collections. “By supporting Chicago’s esteemed museums and institutes like Shedd Aquarium, we not only promote environmental st… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on ProPublica Report Regarding Justice Clarence Thomas' Undisclosed, Lavish Network of Wealthy Patrons

BLOOMINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding ProPublica reporting providing the fullest public account yet of Justice Clarence Thomas’ undisclosed gifts and troubling ethical conduct, to the tune of at least 38 destination vacations, 26 private jet flights, and numerous other luxury gifts: “The latest ProPublica revelation of unreported lavish gifts to Justice Clarence Thomas mak… Continue Reading