04.14.20

Durbin, Duckworth, Illinois Delegation Discuss COVID-19 Response with Chicago Mayor Lightfoot

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with several members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, spoke with Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot about Chicago’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response and how they can continue to assist her efforts to protect Illinoisans. The group discussed how the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act can provide Illinois families and businesses with relief during the pandemic, and what should be included in future legislative packages to respond to the health and economic consequences of the pandemic. The group also discussed efforts to increase testing capabilities, improve the unemployment insurance program,  increase funding for state and local governments, and combat health disparities by working with hospitals and a range of neighborhood stakeholders in underserved and highly infected areas, including their call to publish demographic data on COVID-19 cases and deaths on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

“I am thankful for Mayor Lightfoot’s leadership during this unprecedented crisis, and it was good to hear from her about how Chicago is responding to the challenges posed by this pandemic,” Durbin said.  “We understand that families and businesses across Chicago are in need of relief, and that we have to increase our ability to test people for the virus.  Senator Duckworth, the Illinois Delegation, and I remain committed to working with Mayor Lightfoot and advocating on behalf of all Illinoisans to ensure the federal government is doing everything it can to assist the state in responding to this national crisis.”

“Mayor Lightfoot, Senator Durbin and members of the Illinois delegation and I had a productive discussion about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the City of Chicago,” Duckworth said. “We know that this virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color, and we discussed how we can address that reality in our next relief package from Congress. I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin, Mayor Lightfoot, and Congressmen Rush, Garcia, Quigley and Davis to make sure Chicago and Illinois have access to the supplies, federal funding and testing it needs to help all communities address this public health crisis.”

Yesterday, Durbin spoke to a group of Illinois metropolitan mayors, including Mayor Lightfoot, about how their cities and towns are responding to the pandemic.  Durbin discussed his support for federal relief funding to states and localities and a letter he sent with Duckworth asking for inclusion of Community Disaster Loans in the next legislative package. Durbin also discussed the 2020 Census and his support for an extension of the completion deadline.

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