Durbin, Duckworth Press Metra, Amtrak, Freight Rail for Update on Positive Train Control Safety Technology

WASHINGTON-Following the tragic Amtrak derailment in Washington this week that left at least three people dead and about 100 others injured, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Metra, Amtrak, and the American Association of Railroads (AAR) to provide the Illinois Delegation with an update on their ongoing efforts to implement positive train control (PTC) safety technology in Illinois by the December 31, 2018 statutory deadline. PTC is a federally mandated c… Continue Reading

Illinois Congressional Delegation Urges CMS To Approve Illinois's 1115 Medicaid Waiver

WASHINGTON - The Illinois Congressional Delegation today pressed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma to promptly approve Illinois's Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver. Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waivers provide states an avenue to test new approaches in Medicaid, and Illinois's waiver would help provide more tools to address mental illness and combat the opioid epidemic. Illinois's waiver application has been stuck at CMS review for m… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on DeVos Decision to Slash Student Loan Relief For Defrauded Students

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos announced a new discharge process for borrower defense to repayment (BDR) claims that will lead to only partial debt relief for students who have been defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities. Under the Obama Administration, complete student loan forgiveness was granted. "So let me get this straight: Secretary DeVos pro… Continue Reading

Durbin: Is This The Last Chrismas In America For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Young Dreamers?

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor today to call on Congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan Dream Act now. More than 12,000 Dreamers have already lost their DACA status at a rate of roughly 1,000 each week. Beginning early next year, 1,000 additional young people will lose their protection from deportation each day. "Yesterday, one of my Republican colleagues looked me in the eye and said 'we're talking about amnesty. These are peo… Continue Reading

Durbin Continues to press Republican Congress to pass the Dream Act Now

WASHINGTON-More than three months after the Trump Administration ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act now. More than 12,000 Dreamers have already lost their DACA status at a rate of roughly 1,000 each week. Beginning early next year, 1,000 additional young people will lose their protection from deportation each day.… Continue Reading

Durbin to DeVos: Where are gainful employment debt-to-earnings rates?

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Secretary Betsy DeVos on its development and future public release of the second round of debt-to-earnings rates under the Gainful Employment (GE) Rule. The Gainful Employment Rule, which has been in effect since July 1, 2015, uses debt-to-earnings rates to determine which career education programs meet the statutory requirement that they prepare their students for "gainful employ… Continue Reading

Durbin Blasts Trump Administration for Reported List of Seven Forbidden Words

WASHINGTON-Following a Washington Post report that the Trump Administration is prohibiting officials and staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from using a list of seven commonly accepted words and phrases, U.S. Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald to provide immediate clarification and a commitment that the agency's critical activities are not being compromised by extreme political ideology. "Imposing a gag order on our nation… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Resolution to Restore FCC's Net Neutrality Rules

WASHINGTON-Following the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) vote to dismantle net neutrality protections, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and 14 other Senators to announce their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo yesterday's action by the FCC and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules. "Yesterday, the FCC walked away from its statutory duties and effectively eliminated its oversight over high-speed internet access.… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth to Roskam, Shimkus: Put Middle-Income Illinoisans Ahead of Large Corporations as Tax Bill Conferees

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged U.S. Representatives Peter Roskam (R-IL-06) and John Shimkus (R-IL-15) - the two members representing Illinois selected to serve on the conference committee tasked with resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - to reconsider their support for the harmful policies contained in the House version of the Republican Tax Plan and to use their roles as conferee to advocate… Continue Reading

Durbin, Reed Press DoD to Release Contracts between For-Profit Colleges & Military Installations

WASHINGTON-Following a Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) investigation published in September 2017 revealing a contract between the University of Phoenix and Fort Campbell, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jack Reed (D-RI) requested copies of all currently effective and expired contracts between Department of Defense (DoD) military installations and for-profit colleges going back to Calendar Year 2012. In their report, CIR found that the University of Phoenix paid Fort Campbell $250,… Continue Reading

Following Completion of EPA Evaluation, Durbin Urges Army Corps to Move Forward with Bubbly Creek Restoration

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) to move forward with the restoration of the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River - known as "Bubbly Creek" - in the most expedited manner possible now that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed its evaluation of the Creek and removed the site from its Superfund program. "The Army Corps restoration project will provide much-needed revitalization to an area with a his… Continue Reading

Durbin-Harris Legislation to Prevent Discharge of Non-Citizen Military Personnel Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON-Legislation by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) to retain military personnel in the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program until their background screenings are completed was signed into law today by the President as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "When the military can't find American citizens with the skills it needs to help… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Call on FCC to Abandon Plan to Repeal Net Neutrality Rules

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to abandon his plan to repeal the agency's net neutrality rules, which would give internet providers the ability to freely block or slow down consumers' access to the internet. The senators' letter comes ahead of a Thursday vote by the FCC to dismantle the net neutrality protections. "Your plan gives a broadband provider the ability to sig… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Residents to Get Covered Before ACA Enrollment Deadline on Friday

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged those who are uninsured to take action before the December 15th deadline in order to get health care coverage that begins in January. Despite uncertainty in Congress and efforts from President Trump to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions have signed up so far this year. About 350,000 people in Illinois purchase their health insurance in the individual market and nearly 300,000 of them are eligible for tax credits that help k… Continue Reading

Durbin Continues To Press Republican Congress To Pass The Dream Act By The End Of The Year

WASHINGTON-Three months after the Trump Administration's September 5th announcement that it will rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act before the end of the year. More than 11,000 Dreamers have already lost their DACA status, and beginning early next year, 1,000 additional young people will lose their protection fro… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Support Leading Rehab Facilities

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to support rehabilitation facilities that lead the nation in research, serve the highest need patients, and provide the most medical training to students. U.S. Representatives Pete Olson (R-TX-22) and Gene Green (D-TX-29) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives today. "Facilities like the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago are leading the nation in bringing doct… Continue Reading

Durbin: Passing The Dream Act By The End Of The Year Is a Matter Of Justice And Fairness

WASHINGTON-Three months after the Trump Administration's September 5th announcement that it will rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act before the end of the year. More than 10,000 Dreamers have already lost their DACA status, and beginning early next year, 1,000 additional young people will lose this protection each… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Cornyn-Grassley Immigration Proposal

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on legislation announced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA): "Neither Senator Cornyn nor Senator Grassley has ever voted for the Dream Act. This proposal, as I have told them personally, cannot be considered a good faith effort to provide protection for the Dreamers, including those who were enrolled in DACA. The laundry list of unrelated immigration bills which they have offe… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Call On President Trump To Swiftly Nominate Head Of Consumer Watchdog Who Will Put Main Street Ahead Of Wall Street

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) ) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to President Donald Trump calling on him to follow the law and swiftly nominate a permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) who will put working families ahead of Wall Street. In their letter, the Senators cited the CFPB's "aggressive enforcement and supervision," which has resulted in $12 billion in relief to 29 million American consumers who were cheated by financial companies. … Continue Reading

Durbin, Schumer, Pelosi, Hoyer Statement On President Trump's Decision To Shrink Utah's National Monuments

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) today released the following statement on President Trump's decision to dramatically shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. President Trump's decision is an unprecedented attempt to use presidential power to shrink national monument designations made by two of his p… Continue Reading