Durbin Discusses Illinois Priorities With National Guard Chief

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today discussed Illinois National Guard operations with Army General Dan Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. Durbin asked Hokanson about his priorities as National Guard Chief, including whether the Guard plans to implement a new flying mission for Springfield 183rd. Durbin also discussed active National Guard operations, which has included Guardsmen on duty in the United Stat… Continue Reading

Durbin Condemns President Trump's Reopening Comments Disparaging U.S. Service Members On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and members of the Senate Democratic Caucus on the Senate floor in speaking out against President Donald Trump's reported comments disparaging U.S. service members, calling those who were injured or killed in battle "losers" and "suckers." Durbin cosponsored a resolution introduced today by Senator Duckworth, a decorated combat veteran who herself has been the subject of attacks by President… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins CEO Climate Dialogue To Discuss Bill To Fund A Clean Climate Future Fund

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke to members of the CEO Climate Dialogue, a group of 21 companies and four environmental nonprofit organizations, to discuss Durbin's America's Clean Future Fund Act. The bill, introduced in August, would spur job creation by investing in a clean energy economy, achieve critical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, facilitate a fair transition for workers from declining energy sectors, and renew America's commitment to remain a world lea… Continue Reading

Durbin, Feinstein, Nadler, Lofgren Call On Trump Administration To Consult Congress About Refugee Resettlement, As Required By Law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee; U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; and U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, pressed the Trump Administration to restore our nation's long-standing bipartisan traditio… Continue Reading

Durbin, Lee, Coons Introduce Bipartisan Smarter Pretrial Detention For Drug Charges Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Chris Coons (D-DE), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the bipartisan Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act of 2020, a targeted bill that would eliminate the blanket presumption of pretrial detention for most federal drug charges. Pretrial detention rates in the federal system are at record high levels and on an upward trend across all demographic groups. This legislation would permit federal… Continue Reading

Durbin: After Four Months Of Delay, Republicans Plan Vote On Bill That Does Not Provide For The American People During This Crisis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans' newly proposed "emaciated" partisan coronavirus response legislation, which leaves out assistance for renters and home owners, hungry families, the census, safe elections, hospitals and health clinics, and state and local governments. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also called out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for wasting nearly four months since the House passed the HEROES Act… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill To Create Civilian Conservation Corps

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced the introduction of the RENEW Conservation Corps Act, a bill that would create a civilian conservation corps that provides valuable job training and work experience to Americans while also completing needed maintenance and restoration of parks, trails, and natural areas. Modeled after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps - which employed, educated, and trained three million young men during the Great Depre… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Risch, Cardin In Condemning In Violence In Anglophone Cameroon

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) to introduce a resolution calling on the Government of Cameroon and armed separatist groups from the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions to end all violence, respect the human rights of all Cameroonians, and pursue a genuinely inclusive dialogue toward resolving the ongoing civil conflict in Anglophone Cameroon. "Last year at Chicago's Kovler Center, I heard devastating stories first… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Central Illinois Young Farmers To Discuss Food Supply Protection During COVID-19 Pandemic

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a conference call with members of the National Young Farmers Coalition Central Illinois Chapter to discuss their experiences as young farmers working during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they've supported food access in their communities. Durbin is an original cosponsor of the Food Supply Protection Act, a bill that would help strengthen the food supply chain, protect workers, reduce food waste, and support both farmers and families in … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Broadband Access During COVID-19 Pandemic With Leadership Council Of Southwestern Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today virtually joined the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois for their monthly Board of Directors meeting to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the region and expanding access to broadband. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates that 21 million Americans lack high-speed internet access, but with the FCC relying on flawed broadband mapping data, the number of Americans without internet access is likely much higher. To … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Casten, Davis Lead Illinois Delegation In Urging HHS To Expand Use Of University Of Illinois' COVID-19 Saliva-Based Testing Initiative

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) today led the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a bipartisan letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging federal resources to support the expansion of SHIELD T3, an innovative system of COVID-19 testing and tracing, developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Aza… Continue Reading

Durbin To Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Companies: How Will You Ensure Scientific Integrity In Face Of Political Pressure From President Trump?

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to each pharmaceutical company with a vaccine candidate under Operation Warp Speed asking how they plan to maintain scientific and data-based standards in the face of White House political pressure regarding the COVID-19 vaccine approval process. In letters to Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, Novavax, and Janssen (part of Johnson & Johnson), Durbin highlighted how President Trump'… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Chicago Area Hong Kong Democracy Activists

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today had a virtual meeting with Chicago area Hong Kong democracy activists to discuss the undermining of democracy, media freedom, and rule of law in Hong Kong. Durbin is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent last year. Durbin is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, which grants refugee status to Hong Kong residents at risk of persecutio… Continue Reading

Durbin, Leading Senate Dems Demand Immediate U.S. Sanctions For Russian Interference In 2020 Elections

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined leading Senate Democrats today in calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to sanction Russian individuals and government actors for their interference in the 2020 election. Along with Durbin, today's letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was also signed by Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Intelligence Commi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $25.5 Million For Airport Improvements Around Illinois

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $25.5 million in federal funding for airport improvements around Illinois. The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grants and will be used for a variety of critical infrastructure and safety projects. "Investing in our airports is key to Illinois' economic success, esp… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Fiscal Relief For State And Local Government With Southern Illinois Mayors Association

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone with the Southern Illinois Mayors Association today about the estimated $7 billion loss in state and local revenue Illinois will see by next summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on municipal services and projects. While the Republicans' proposal for the next COVID-19 relief package includes no new state or local funding, Durbin has called for significantly increasing funding to state and local governments, regardless … Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators To Evanina: Election Security Demands Disclosure Of Russian Threat - To Congress & The American People

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) wrote National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina demanding substantive action to protect our elections from foreign interference. At the beginning of August, Evanina issued a vaguely cautionary public statement on foreign threats to American elections. Instead of expanding on that warning by more fully informing the A… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators To Evanina: Election Security Demands Disclosure Of Russian Threat - To Congress & The American People

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) wrote National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina demanding substantive action to protect our elections from foreign interference. At the beginning of August, Evanina issued a vaguely cautionary public statement on foreign threats to American elections. Instead of expanding on that warning by more fully informing the A… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association To Discuss The Importance Of Legal Aid Services During COVID-19 Pandemic

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association, the Federal Bar Association's Chicago chapter, and the Chicago Inn of Court for a virtual conversation about current legal topics including the importance of pro bono and legal aid services, civil rights, policing reform, and voting rights. "Today, we find ourselves in the midst of a season of uncertainty in America as we confront a pandemic and its accompanying recession, a reckoning with thi… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Illinois Stewardship Alliance To Discuss Relief For Local Farmers During COVID-19 Pandemic

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a conference call with members of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance to discuss issues faced by small and local farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin highlighted his support for increasing financial assistance that is tailored to local farmers who sell directly to consumers, schools, institutions, food hubs, regional distribution centers, retail markets, farmers markets, and restaurants. Congress provided $16 billion within the C… Continue Reading