Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin Meets With Illinois Air Traffic Controllers As They Continue To Work Without Pay During Shutdown
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with Toby Hauck, the President of Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and Illinois members from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) as they work to keep the aviation system travel is disrupted during the shutdown. During the shutdown, more than 10,000 air traffic controllers across the country are working without pay. The shutdown already has exacerbated dire air traffic controller … Continue Reading
October 09, 2025
As Republican Shutdown Continues, Durbin Speaks With American Federation Of Government Employees President
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley to discuss the government shutdown as President Trump threatens to withhold back pay for furloughed federal workers. During the phone call, Durbin and Mr. Kelley spoke about the Trump Administration’s gutting of federal agencies and the impacts of the Trump shutdown on federal employees, who are forced to work without … Continue Reading
September 29, 2025
Durbin, Hawley Introduce Bill Allowing Victims To Sue AI Companies
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced a new bipartisan bill today to hold artificial intelligence (AI) companies accountable for harm caused by their systems while allowing companies to continue innovating and developing beneficial AI systems. “Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on much these days, but we’ve struck a remarkable bipartisan note in protecting children … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Durbin Slams President Trump's Failing Tariffs, Harm To The U.S. Economy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor highlighting President Trump’s disastrous economic plan - including both the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) and the chaotic Trump Tariffs. Not only could 17 million people lose their health care under the OBBA but working families making less than $35,000 a year will only see a minor tax break of only $3 a week—compared with billionaires who could see a tax break of more than $310,000—or … Continue Reading
April 09, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Tariff Pause
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump announced he was temporarily dropping tariffs to 10 percent for 90 days. The President’s chaos has caused the markets to plummet in the last few days. In the week after President Trump’s tariff announcement, the S&P 500 dropped by nearly 19 percent from its last high on February 19—creeping eerily close to bear market territory. “The chaos, uncertainty, and real damage … Continue Reading
April 02, 2025
Durbin Slams President Trump's Newly Announced Tariffs That Will Raise Prices For Americans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump unveiled his latest round of tariffs, which will raise prices for Americans, unleash a global trade war, and harm our economy: “The President is risking a recession with this national sales tax he calls tariffs—while needlessly alienating our closest allies. When American families see what this does to the price of goods, such as cars, groceries, and gas, it is going to create a … Continue Reading
April 02, 2025
Durbin Speaks Out Against Trump's Anticipated Tariffs That Will Harm Americans
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s anticipated tariffs he is scheduled to unveil later today. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as he promised during his campaign, but instead spike prices for Americans. Durbin also announced he will be supporting Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) resolution to block the President’s abuse of emergency powers. “Since … Continue Reading
April 01, 2025
Durbin, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Retain International Graduates With Advanced STEM Degrees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would streamline the path for advanced Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) international graduates who studied at our nation’s universities to remain in the United States. Last year, nearly half of U.S. graduate students in key fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025
Durbin Slams Trump Administration's Cuts To Social Security Administration As Trump, Musk Call Beneficiaries "Parasites"
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor admonishing the Trump Administration for its assault on Social Security, a program that millions of Americans rely on. During his remarks, Durbin pushed back against President Trump and Elon Musk’s claims that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is riddled with frauded. “He [President Trump] delivered this address to the Joint Session of Congress and the American people, the one time … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Durbin Joins Warner, Crapo, Colleagues In Letter Reaffirming Bipartisan Support For Community Development Financial Institutions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), Co-Chairs of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus, in a letter to the Trump administration signed by 23 Senators emphasizing the bipartisan support for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), and highlighting the fund’s critical role in providing capital to underserved communities. The CDFI Fund boosts economic growth in largely … Continue Reading
March 19, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Lead Members Of The Illinois Congressional Delegation In Letter Requesting Answers Regarding SBA Administration's Decision To Relocate Chicago Office
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, sent a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler requesting additional information over the Administration’s announcement to relocate six of its regional offices that do not “comply” with the Administration’s immigration policies, including Chicago. … Continue Reading
March 06, 2025
Durbin Shares Story Of Illinois Researcher At USDA Fired During DOGE's Short-Sighted Purge Of Critical Government Employees
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today shared the story of an Illinoisan, Jeannie Klein-Gordon, who was fired from her position as a researcher at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of President Trump and Elon Musk’s mission to gut the federal workforce. In his speech, Durbin emphasized that laying off researchers and agricultural experts will have long-term consequences for Illinois’ economy and agricultural … Continue Reading
February 10, 2025
Durbin Discusses Harmful Impact of Trump's Tariffs On Local Small Businesses
CHICAGO—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined local small business owners at Hop Butcher For The World to discuss the potential impact of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on imports and exports from Mexico and Canada. In 2023, Illinois, which ranks first among the 50 states in imports from Canada, exported a total of $20.55 billion in products to Canada. Additionally, Illinois exports to Mexico in 2023 totaled $12.93 billion. “The tariffs proposed by President Trump … Continue Reading
January 14, 2025
Durbin Urges OPM To Approve Special Pay Rate For BOP Employees To Address Critical Staffing Shortages At BOP Facilities Nationwide
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Rob Shriver, Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to request that OPM approve the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) recently-transmitted special pay rate request for critical employees nationwide. “I write to request that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) act swiftly to approve the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) recently … Continue Reading
December 05, 2024
Durbin, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Protect Employees When Businesses File For Bankruptcy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act. The bipartisan legislation would correct abuses of the bankruptcy process that deprive employees and retirees of their hard-earned wages, benefits, and retirement savings. As businesses’ bankruptcy filings have increased, jobs, … Continue Reading
October 11, 2024
Durbin Calls On Stellantis To Uphold Its End Of The Deal To Reopen Belvidere Plant
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement ahead of United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain’s visit to Belvidere, Illinois, and as UAW calls on Stellantis to uphold its end of the deal to restart the Belvidere Assembly Plant and add on an electric vehicle battery plant to the facility: “Last year, the Belvidere Assembly Plant was idled and more than 1,000 people were out of work. But thanks to direct investment from the … Continue Reading
August 01, 2024
Durbin Statement On Senate Republicans Voting Against The Tax Relief For American Families And Workers Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. The bill expands the Child Tax Credit (CTC), restores certain business tax breaks that help small businesses, and increases subsidies for affordable housing and disaster assistance. Earlier this year, this legislation passed the House of Representatives on a large bipartisan basis, 357-70. “As … Continue Reading
July 11, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Sorensen Announce $334.7 Million In Federal Funding For Retooling Of Stellantis Plant In Belvidere
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding Stellantis $334,763,050 in Domestic Auto Manufacturing Conversion Grant program funds to assist in the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant and in the construction of the plant’s new electric vehicle battery production facility. Stellantis has pledged … Continue Reading
September 14, 2022
Durbin Meets with Illinois Manufacturers Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Illinois Manufacturers Association (IMA) to discuss opportunities for electric vehicle production in Illinois, the CHIPS and Science Act, which will help relieve supply chain issues, and the economy. Durbin also secured key priorities in the Inflation Reduction Act that will benefit the more than 550,000 manufacturing workers in Illinois. "I appreciate the opportunity to hear firsthand about the concerns and … Continue Reading
September 08, 2022
Durbin: Democrats Are Rebuilding America And Rewarding American Workers
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted how the legislative accomplishments of Congressional Democrats and President Biden are improving the lives of Americans and boosting our economy. Durbin began his speech by highlighting the CHIPS and Science Act, critical legislation for our economy and national security that provides billions to expand our domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research capabilities. He … Continue Reading