Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Consumer and Financial Protection
Durbin Announces Oak Forest and Metra to Receive DOT Funding for Station Project
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Illinois Department of Transportation a $1,304,400 grant for the modernization of the Oak Forest Metra Rail Station. "Today's funding for the Oak Forest Metra Station will increase the appeal of public transit as an affordable, reliable, environmentally friendly alternative to car travel," said Durbin. "Bringing these changes to the station will spur economic development… Continue Reading
08.12.11
Durbin: Mayor's Decision to Enforce 1 A.M. Cutoff for Liquor Sales is Step In Right Direction, but More Still Needs to be Done
[EAST ST. LOUIS, IL] - The East St. Louis Mayor's decision to enforce the 1 a.m. cutoff for liquor store sales is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to reduce the violence that is plaguing the area, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), an East St. Louis native, said today. On Wednesday, Durbin talked to Mayor Alvin Parks by phone following a meeting with residents of the John DeShields Housing Development and the Working Against Violent Elements (WAVE) Task Force, a collab… Continue Reading
08.12.11
Durbin Visits Food Bank, Says Programs Keeping Families Above Water Must be Protected in Deficit Reduction Negotiations
[URBANA, IL] - With the economic recovery lagging and more than half of American families living paycheck to paycheck, preserving social safety net programs - like food assistance, unemployment benefits and job re-training programs - is more critical than ever, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank. "The struggling economy has put a strain on family budgets throughout Illinois, and more and more people are turning to their local food pantry to put meals … Continue Reading
08.11.11
Senator Durbin and Senator Murray Call on VA to Provide Answers About Privacy, Safety, and Security of Homeless Female Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a joint letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki expressing their concern about the placement of homeless female veterans in unsecure housing in Chicago, which jeopardized their safety. The Senators' letter asks the VA for assurances that homeless female veterans across the country who are being cared for by the Department are h… Continue Reading
08.10.11
At Durbin's Urging, Federal Agencies Devote Additional Resources to Combat Violent Crime in East St. Louis
[EAST ST. LOUIS, IL] - Federal law enforcement agencies have begun committing greater attention and resources to the violent crime problem in East St. Louis, which is among the worst in the nation, but more needs to be done to reduce the violence, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today after meeting with the Working Against Violent Elements (WAVE) Task Force. The task force is a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies which works to combat violent crime in the East St. Louis area… Continue Reading
08.10.11
Durbin Visits Workforce Center, Discusses Need for Critical Support Services
[ELGIN, IL] - With the economic recovery lagging and unemployment still high, access for displaced workers to job retraining and career counseling is more critical than ever, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at the Elgin workNet Center. Although the national unemployment rate dipped slightly during the month of July - down to 9.1 percent - there are still five job-seekers for every job in America. In addition, 6.5 million American workers have been unemployed for six months or long… Continue Reading
08.09.11
Durbin Asks How System That Falsely Reports Deaths of Living Illinoisans Can Be Improved
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Prompted by an August 7 Chicago Sun-Times report, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Michael Astrue, to urge improvement of the Administration's Death Master File which has erroneously reported thousands of Illinoisans dead. Nationwide, 14,000 of these errors - which can cause problems with credit agencies, with lenders and with potential employers - are made each year. "I understand that out of the 2… Continue Reading
08.09.11
Durbin Announces Nearly $2.3 Million in DOJ Funding to Protect Illinois Youth
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded a total of $2,299,205 to government agencies in Illinois for programs focused on protecting juveniles and promoting child Internet safety. "Today's funding will help combat juvenile delinquency in Illinois and strengthen and improve safeguards for our children against Internet predators," said Durbin. The following Illinois government offices and programs will receiv… Continue Reading
08.05.11
Durbin Statement on Agreement to Extend FAA Authorization
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after an agreement to extend FAA authorization was announced by Senator Reid earlier today: "Extending FAA authorization will put an estimated 74,000 Americans back to work and help keep airports and air operations in Illinois and around the country safe. I support this extension. "Congress' failure to reach a deal to extend FAA authorization before going home this week is no way to run a government. W… Continue Reading
08.03.11
Durbin: Senate Confirms Rock Island Resident To Fill Federal Judgeship In The Central District
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that late last night the Senate unanimously approved Rock Island resident Sara Darrow for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. "For too long the Central District of Illinois was operating with only one active status judge in the district - Chief Judge Mike McCuskey - and three judgeships vacant. Now, with Sara Darrow's confirmation, we finally have a full complement of federal jud… Continue Reading
08.02.11
After Durbin Raises Concerns About Melatonin in Baked Goods, FDA Declares "Lazy Cakes" Unsafe
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) praised the decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to declare "Lazy Larry" brownies - formerly known as "Lazy Cakes" - unsafe because although the product is marketed as a dietary supplement, it is clearly a conventional food containing the unapproved food additive melatonin. The manufacturer has 15 days to send FDA a response indicating what steps they have taken to correct the violation. Today's announcement comes after Durbi… Continue Reading
07.29.11
Durbin, Conyers, Welch and Others Introduce Bill to Level the Playing Field for Main Street Retailers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After receiving support from the largest online retailer in the United States - Amazon.com Inc - and Illinois-based Sears Roebuck and Co., U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives, John Conyers (D-MI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced a bill to allow local Main Street retailers to compete more effectively against out-of-state internet sellers. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Jack Reed (D- RI) in the Senate and Represen… Continue Reading
07.29.11
Durbin, Cochran Introduce Legislation to Help Organ Transplant Patients
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thad Cochran (R-MS), and Scott Brown (R-MA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the quality of life for people with kidney disease. The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act would assist thousands of Americans under the age of 65 who are being cut off from Medicare after 36 months by extending coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients. Also cosponsoring today… Continue Reading
07.29.11
Durbin, Kirk Ask Airlines to Put Consumers First
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to rising airline ticket rates following a partial Federal Aviation Administration shutdown, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) have sent a letter to Nicholas Calio, President and CEO of the Air Transport Association, calling into question the fare hikes instituted by many airlines. Congressional authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expired on July 22nd, resulting in the shutdown of certain FAA responsibilities and pause i… Continue Reading
07.28.11
Durbin Asks Senate Committee to Delay Flood Insurance Purchase Requirement for Metro East Residents
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the Senate Banking Committee to include in its bill to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a provision that would require that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to delay flood insurance purchase requirements for communities - like Metro East, Illinois - already spending significant resources to improve their flood control infrastructure. Recently, the House of Representatives passed its version of … Continue Reading
07.28.11
Durbin: Federal Government Unprepared for Growing Number of Extreme Weather Events
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today chaired a hearing of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee to examine the federal government's preparedness for the economic impact of weather events which are growing in frequency and severity. Traditionally, disaster relief funding has been largely unplanned for - being provided only on an as-need basis rather than through the regular annual funding cycle. After hearing testimony from the Presid… Continue Reading
07.27.11
Durbin, Kirk, Costello, Shimkus: Army Corps to Report Back in One Week on Possibility of Expediting Permit Process
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Congressmen Jerry Costello (D-IL) and John Shimkus (R-IL) announced that the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to look into how the approval process for upgrades to the Metro East levees system can be expedited to avoid delays that could drive up project costs. In a meeting earlier today, Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy assured the Illinois members that she would report back within one week with her findings. A … Continue Reading
07.26.11
Durbin Announces Funding for Public-Private Partnership Aimed at Protecting the Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL) program has awarded a total of $706,350 in grants to three organizations in Illinois. The Sustain Our Great Lakes program works to protect, maintain, and restore the integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem by supporting habitat restoration, protection and enhancement projects, invasive species control, water quality improvements, and watershed planning and management. "We must ensure t… Continue Reading
07.21.11
Durbin Meets with Nominee to be First-ever Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the one year anniversary of President Obama signing legislation that created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) into law, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, the President's nominee to be the Bureau's first-ever Director. Attorney General Cordray was one of the first senior executives recruited at the CFPB, and currently serves as the head of its enforcement division, where he is tasked wi… Continue Reading
07.19.11
Durbin Seeks Explanation of Ventilation Issues at Union Station
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today asked the President and CEO of Amtrak, Joseph Boardman, for an update on their efforts to improve air quality in and around Union Station and an explanation of how the responsibility to ensure the air ventilation systems are operating properly is shared with private land owners near the station. "Amtrak, as the owner of Union Station, has a responsibility to ensure the air ventilation systems under their control are operating properly and … Continue Reading