03.17.22

Durbin Talks Financial Security With Illinois Comptroller

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza about the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund to ensure residents continue to have access to the program as Illinois recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. During their meeting, Durbin and Mendoza discussed his legislation, the Continued Waiver of Interest on State Unemployment Loans during the Pandemic Act, which would retroactively extend the waiver of interest payments on federal unemployment loans from September 6, 2021, through September 30, 2022.

Durbin and Mendoza also spoke about Medicaid match rates for federal reimbursement of health care services in Illinois, and how the enhanced federal Medicaid funding through the 2020 Families First Coronavirus Relief Act has helped to provide increased support for front-line health care providers and eased the state’s financial strain.

“Balancing the state’s checkbook is no easy task, especially during a pandemic that deeply impacted our health care systems and economy,” said Durbin. “Today, Comptroller Mendoza and I discussed her success in improving the state’s financial solvency and how the federal government can better support our state’s government and Illinoisans as we begin to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

A photo of the meeting is available here.

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