Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Education
Durbin Statement On Closed School Discharges For Former ITT Tech Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced automatic closed school discharges for more than 7,000 former ITT Tech (ITT) student borrowers-amounting to nearly $95 million in relief. The 2016 Obama-era borrower defense rule requires the Department to automatically grant closed school discharges, without any application, for borrowers who attended a school-such as ITT-that closed on or after November 1, … Continue Reading
September 04, 2019
Durbin, Dem Senators Press Devos To Provide Automatic Closed School Discharges To Former ITT Tech Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos calling for automatic closed school discharges for former ITT Tech (ITT) student borrowers. The 2016 borrower defense rule-which is still in effect despite DeVos' recently released revised rule eliminating protections for students-provides automatic closed school discharges for borrowers who … Continue Reading
August 30, 2019
Durbin Statement On Devos Rule Gutting Student Loan Borrower Defense
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos eliminated the Obama-era Borrower Defense Rule that protects student borrowers and taxpayers from predatory for-profit schools. The rewritten rule issued by DeVos today also eliminates the restrictions on class action bans and mandatory arbitration clauses that were included in the Obama Rule and pushed for by Durbin. "This rule is another Trump-DeVos giveaway … Continue Reading
August 12, 2019
Durbin, Markey, Blumenthal Request Information On Student Data Collection Practices
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent letters to numerous education technology (EdTech) companies inquiring about data collection practices on American students. The Senators raised concerns that the learning tools used by these companies could pose a serious risk to students, parents, and educational institutions as a result of the potential for massive amounts of personal information to be stolen, collected, or sold without … Continue Reading
July 29, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth, Bustos Push Devos, Illinois Community Colleges To Help Midstate College Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today urged the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to take immediate steps to assist the estimated 183 students affected by the planned August 14, 2019, closing of for-profit Midstate College in Peoria, Illinois. The members, in a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, pressed ED to provide students information about eligibility and applying for closed school … Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
Durbin & Senators Introduce Bill To Prevent Unnecessary Private Student Loan Debt And Improve Transparency
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today introduced the Know Before You Owe Private Education Loan Act of 2019 to prevent unnecessary private student loan debt and improve transparency. According to the Federal Reserve, total student loan debt in America is now $1.5 trillion. While federal student debt often gets the most attention, the growth of private student loan debt is also … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Durbin Testifies At House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Student Loan Bankruptcy Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today testified at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing entitled "Oversight of Bankruptcy Law and Legislative Proposals." Durbin testified about the Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019, a bicameral bill he introduced with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-01), and U.S. Representative John Katko (R-NY-24) that would give … Continue Reading
June 18, 2019
Durbin, Murray, Dem Senators Seek Status Of Group Discharge Applications Submitted By State AG's
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with 20 of their Democratic colleagues, today requested the U.S. Department of Education provide an update on group discharge applications filed by 21 State attorneys general on behalf of thousands of defrauded students who are eligible for federal loan discharge under the borrower defense provision of the Higher Education Act. The applications cover students who attended American Career Institute, Anthem University, … Continue Reading
June 17, 2019
Durbin Releases Questions For The Record Responses From Department Of Education
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following responses from the U.S. Department of Education to his Questions for the Record (QFR) following a March 28, 2019, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing on the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request from the U.S. Department of Education. A spread sheet for answer "a" is available here. Question from Durbin: Question. It is my understanding that on … Continue Reading
June 10, 2019
Durbin, Cohen: Congress Must Close Loophole That Encourages For-Profit Colleges To Target Veterans & Service Members
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) today introduced bicameral legislation that would help put an end to the for-profit college industry's aggressive recruiting of veterans, service members, and their families. The Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act would prohibit for-profit colleges and universities from receiving more than 85 percent of their revenue from the federal government and change the calculation of federal revenue … Continue Reading
June 03, 2019
Durbin Highlights Measure To Allow Student Loan Debt To Be Discharged In Bankruptcy
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin held a news conference highlighting new bicameral legislation that would give Americans overwhelmed by student loan debt the option of obtaining meaningful bankruptcy relief. The Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019 - introduced last month with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-01) and John Katko (R-NY-24) - would eliminate the section of the bankruptcy code that makes private and federal student loans … Continue Reading
May 16, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi Ask Illinois Colleges And Universities About Efforts To Comply With Student Voter Registration Provision In Federal Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), have asked Illinois colleges and universities about their efforts to comply with the student voter registration provision in the Higher Education Act (HEA), which mandates that institutions of higher education make a "good-faith effort" to distribute voter registration forms to students. In letters to Illinois institutions, the members addressed the unique … Continue Reading
May 09, 2019
Durbin, Warren, Nadler, Katko Introduce Bill Making Bankruptcy Relief Available For Student Loan Borrowers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-01), and John Katko (R-NY-24) today introduced a bicameral bill that would give Americans overwhelmed by student loan debt the option of obtaining meaningful bankruptcy relief. The Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019 would eliminate the section of the bankruptcy code that makes private and federal student loans nondischargeable, allowing these loans to be treated … Continue Reading
May 07, 2019
Durbin, Warren, Reed Reintroduce Bill Creating Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Jack Reed (D-RI) today reintroduced legislation to ensure struggling student loan borrowers are treated fairly and understand the full range of repayment options and resources available to them. The Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Act of 2019 creates consistent servicing and disclosure standards across private and federal student loans by amending the Truth In Lending Act. More than 40 million Americans hold … Continue Reading
April 30, 2019
Durbin Enlists Illinois Education Professionals To Sound The Alarm On For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON - With high school seniors making decisions about their educational futures, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is enlisting the help of Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks associated with attending for-profit colleges. For-profit colleges enroll only nine percent of post-secondary students, but they account for 34 percent of all federal student loan defaults. In today's letter, Durbin said … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce New Bill To Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a group of 13 Senators, to introduce the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019, new legislation that would overhaul the flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will qualify … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Durbin, Wicker, Leahy Reintroduce Legislation To Promote Study Abroad
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which creates a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities for American college students. Study abroad is an important component of a well-rounded post-secondary education, giving students the opportunity to engage with other cultures, enhance foreign language skills, … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
Durbin: End Forced Arbitration & Give Students Defrauded by For-Profit Colleges Their Day In Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, discussed the need to end the use of forced arbitration clauses, a legal strategy used by many industries, including the for-profit college industry, to restrict people's ability to pursue legal claims in court. Durbin, along with U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), has introduced the Court Legal Access & Student Support (CLASS) Act, a bicameral bill designed to strengthen students' … Continue Reading
April 01, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill To Make Child Care More Affordable
WASHINGTON - In order to help reduce the burden placed on working families from high child care costs, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with 19 Senate colleagues, introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act, legislation to make child care accessible and more affordable for working families. In Illinois, the average annual cost of child care for a toddler is $11,982 and $13,474 for infants. This amount exceeds what many families pay … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Durbin Slams Devos For Cut To Special Olympics, Delayed Relief For Defrauded For-Profit College Students, And Public Service Loan Forgiveness Elimination
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Services Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing, pressed U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos about her proposed $18 million cut in annual federal funding to the Special Olympics, slammed her delay of borrower defense relief to tens of thousands of student borrowers defrauded by for-profit colleges, and questioned the effect that the proposed … Continue Reading