Durbin, Duckworth Announce $912 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding For CTA

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $912.1 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help the agency continue to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Reliable and affordable public transportation is critically important for Chicago residents and essential for our region's economic recovery. This American Rescue Plan funding builds… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Final Passage Of Bipartisan U.S. Innovation And Competition Act On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged his colleagues to negotiate the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 (USICA) and House-passed America COMPETES Act and bring the conferenced bill to President Biden's desk to be signed into law. The House bill passed on Friday. In June, Durbin voted to pass USICA, legislation that represents the largest investment in U.S. science and technology leadership since the Apollo era. … Continue Reading

Durbin: So Many COVID-19 Death Could Have Been Prevented

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor to mark the staggering milestone of losing 900,000 Americans to COVID-19, including more than 31,000 Illinoisans. In his remarks, Durbin urged Americans to get vaccinated and boosted to protect themselves and their community against the virus. "COVID-19 is now the third-leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer. At the rate we are going, experts say it i… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill To Rename Will County Post Office In Honor Of Larry Walsh, Sr.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office facility located at 303 E. Mississippi Ave. in Elwood, Illinois, after former Will County Executive Lawrence M. "Larry" Walsh, Sr. U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives A longtime farmer, Walsh began his political career in 1970, at the age of 21, when he was elected to the Elwoo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Urge IDOT And IAIS To Finalize Agreement To Begin Construction On Quad Cities Passenger Rail Project

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) urging them to finalize an agreement on the scope and costs of infrastructure upgrades needed so that construction can begin on the long awaited Quad Cities to Chicago passenger rail route. Without an agreement between IDOT and IAIS, construct… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Bipartisan Letter To President Biden Urging Funding For PFAS Research And Remediation In FY2023 Budget Request

WASHINGTON -This week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to send a bipartisan letter urging President Biden to prioritize robust funding to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress. The letter asks for funding to support agencies and programs that will help close gaps in PFAS research, protect public health and the environment from PFAS contamination, an… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams Republican Obstruction Of Critical Law Enforcement Positions

WASHINGTON - In today's executive business meeting, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, attempted to advance the nominations of two U.S. Marshal (USM) and two U.S. Attorney (USA) nominees. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) blocked their advancement. In response, Durbin called out the dangerous obstruction of these and other chief law enforcement officers by the Republican Senator. "If anyone-Republican or Democrat-truly cares about preventing crime, … Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Meet With Lithuanian Delegation To Discuss Russian Aggression Toward Baltic States

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Co-Chairs of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, yesterday met with members of the Lithuanian Parliament and Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S. Audra Plepyte to discuss President Biden's newly announced decision to move 3,000 troops to Germany, Poland, and Romania to deter Russian aggression aimed at Ukraine and the region. The Senators heard from the Lithuanian Parliament members about recent Russian … Continue Reading

Durbin: The U.S. Reaffirms Support For Ukraine's Freedom To Chart Its Own Future

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reiterated that the United States stands with Ukraine and the surrounding countries against increasing Russian aggression. During his speech, Durbin reflected on the contributions of Ukrainian-Americans such as Sgt. Michael Strank, a Marine who fought in WWII and one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers. Durbin also condemned Russian leader Vladimir Putin's actions, including ongoing belligerence against NAT… Continue Reading

Durbin, Shaheen Lead Virtual Bipartisan Meeting With Ambassadors From Eastern European NATO Countries To Discuss Ukraine-Russia Crisis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip and Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus Co-Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and Co-Chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, hosted a virtual conversation on the current military threat posed by Russia in Eastern Europe with Ambassadors from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the Deputy Chief of Mission from Poland's embassy and bipartisan members … Continue Reading

Durbin: One Way To Help The NATO Alliance Is To Pass An Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on Senate Republicans to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget to strengthen our alliance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As Russian aggression toward Ukraine and others in the region continues to escalate, Durbin reiterated that it is essential to support NATO and surrounding Baltic democracies. "There is one guiding principle tha… Continue Reading

Durbin: One Way To Help The NATO Alliance Is To Pass An Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on Senate Republicans to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget to strengthen our alliance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As Russian aggression toward Ukraine and others in the region continues to escalate, Durbin reiterated that it is essential to support NATO and surrounding Baltic democracies. "There is one guiding principle tha… Continue Reading

On Senate Floor, Durbin Announces Support For Biden FDA Commissioner Nominee, But Urges Immediate Action On Vaping Epidemic

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced his support for President Biden's pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Robert Califf. In offering his endorsement, Durbin emphasized that, if confirmed, Dr. Califf must rectify mistakes of past leaders and ensure that FDA takes immediate action to crack down on e-cigarette companies-and their Big Tobacco partners-in order to protect the public health, especially our nati… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $513 Million In American Rescue Plan Funds For Metra

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $513.6 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to Metra by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help the transit agency continue to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Public transit agencies were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we worked to include this funding in the American Rescue Plan last year," Durbin said. "This federal support will he… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $513 Million In American Rescue Plan Funds For Metra

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $513.6 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to Metra by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help the transit agency continue to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Public transit agencies were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we worked to include this funding in the American Rescue Plan last year," Durbin said. "This federal support will he… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge DOJ To Share Update On Civil Rights Investigation Into Murder Of Laquan McDonald

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 sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to provide a status update on the federal investigation into the 2014 murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by former police officer Jason Van Dyke. The joint federal and state investigation into the shooting was announced in April 2015, but DOJ has declined to pro… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Latest District Court Nominations Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Kenly Kiya Kato, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Jennifer Louise Rochon, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York; and Sunshine Suzanne Sykes, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California. Durin… Continue Reading

King, Klobuchar, Durbin Share Discussion Draft To Modernize Electoral Count Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released a discussion draft of their legislation, the Electoral Count Modernization Act, which would update the Electoral Count Act of 1887. In response to the threats to our democracy since the 2020 Presidential election, this legislation seeks to establish clear, consistent, and fair procedures for th… Continue Reading

King, Klobuchar, Durbin Share Discussion Draft To Modernize Electoral Count Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) released a discussion draft of their legislation, the Electoral Count Modernization Act, which would update the Electoral Count Act of 1887. In response to the threats to our democracy since the 2020 Presidential election, this legislation seeks to establish clear, consistent, and fair procedures for th… Continue Reading

Durbin To Biden Administration: Push Every Possible Lever To Secure The Safe And Urgent Release Of Mark Frerichs

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reiterated that the United States must do whatever it can to bring home Mark Frerichs, originally from Illinois and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, who was abducted in Afghanistan two years ago. At the time, Mr. Frerichs was working as a civil engineer and for a decade, he had been leading construction projects to benefit the Afghan people. "Two years ago Mark Frerichs, a veteran of the United States… Continue Reading