Press Releases
Durbin Statement on Visa & Mastercard Settlement with U.S. Merchants to Address Excessive Swipe Fees
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the lead sponsor of the Credit Card Competition Act, today released the following statement regarding the news that Visa and Mastercard reached a settlement with U.S. merchants to lower credit interchange rates and cap those rates into 2030: “At a time when hard-working Americans and small business owners are struggling with higher costs of everyday essentials like gas and groceries, reducing the… Continue Reading
03.26.24
Durbin Statement on Visa & Mastercard to Settlement with U.S. Merchants to Address Excessive Swipe Fees
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the lead sponsor of the Credit Card Competition Act, today released the following statement regarding the news that Visa and Mastercard reached a settlement with U.S. merchants to lower credit interchange rates and cap those rates into 2030: “At a time when hard-working Americans and small business owners are struggling with higher costs of everyday essentials like gas and groceries, reducing the… Continue Reading
03.25.24
Durbin Joins Informational Picket to Voice Objections to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's "Delivering for America" Plan
DOWNERS GROVE – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in an informational picket during U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s visit to voice objections to DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” plan. USPS is conducting a Mail Processing Facility Review on facilities in Champaign, Peoria, the Quad Cities, and Springfield, as well as a number of other facilities across the country. These reviews are conducted before downsizing, expanding, or closing facilities. By dow… Continue Reading
03.25.24
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Illinois Priorities Secured in Second "Minibus" Government Funding Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the Illinois priorities they helped secure in the second “minibus” of government funding bills, which follows passage of the first “minibus” of six funding bills earlier this month. The package includes funding bills for Defense; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education… Continue Reading
03.25.24
Durbin Joins Normal Mayor Chris Koos to Highlight Recent Improvements on Amtrak's Lincoln Service
NORMAL – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Normal Mayor Chris Koos to highlight recent improvements on Amtrak’s Lincoln Service and discuss his recent confirmation to the Amtrak Board of Directors. Mayor Koos was first nominated to the Amtrak Board of Directors in 2020, but never confirmed. As a result of Durbin’s recommendation, President Biden nominated Mayor Koos to the Amtrak Board again in 2022. Mayor Koos has served the longest-running term of any mayor in Normal’s history. Dur… Continue Reading
03.23.24
Durbin Statement on Passage of Second "Minibus" of Six Government Funding Bills
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the Senate passed six funding bills—a second “minibus” following the passage of the initial “minibus” of six funding bills earlier this month. Today’s package includes funding bills forDefense; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; and State… Continue Reading
03.22.24
Ahead of ACA Anniversary, Durbin, Duckworth Highlight Record Enrollment and Slam Donald Trump and Republicans for Continuing to Push ACA Repeal
WASHINGTON – Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act(ACA) this Saturday, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined their Senate Democratic colleagues to tout record-breaking ACA enrollment, highlighting how Democrats have built on the successes of the ACA, and speaking out against Donald Trump threatening to repeal the ACA in a potential second term. Trump recently vowed that he would “never give up” on repealing theAffordable … Continue Reading
03.22.24
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $7 Million for Rockford's Whitman Street Interchange Project
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $7,148,000 for the City of Rockford’s Whitman Street Interchange Reconfiguration Project through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Grant Program to remove the urban interchange constructed in the early 1960's and re-establish the grid roadway system. “For too long, the Whitman Street interchange has stood as a bottleneck, inhibiting t… Continue Reading
03.22.24
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2 Million to Reconnect Chicago's West Side
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $2,000,000 for the City of Chicago through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program to improve community safety, cohesion, and quality of life through a plan for enhanced connectivity over and around I-290 that serves the needs of residents living and working in Chicago’s West Side. “Historically, Chicago’s West Side has been separat… Continue Reading
03.21.24
Durbin Meets with Illinois Superintendent of Education
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Tony Sanders, Illinois Superintendent of Education, to discuss the future of assessments for students in Illinois and the importance of preparing students for postsecondary education. Durbin and Dr. Sanders also spoke about securing resources to support schools that are taking on more students as migrants arrive in Illinois. Durbin has repeatedly urged congressional appropriators to steadily increase funding to suppor… Continue Reading
03.21.24
Durbin Meets with CDC Injury Center Director, Dr. Arwady
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Allison Arwady, the new Director for the Injury Center within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to discuss legislative efforts to better address trauma and violence, mental health, suicide, and drug overdose. During their meeting, Durbin and Dr. Arwady spoke about Durbin’s bipartisan RISE from Trauma Act, which would reauthorize CDC’s activities and dramatically increase funding for community-based … Continue Reading
03.21.24
In Speech on Senate Floor, Durbin Calls Out CEOs of Visa, Mastercard, United & American Airlines for Balking at Invitation to Testify Before Judiciary Committee on Credit Card Competition
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called out the CEOs of Visa, Mastercard, United Airlines, and American Airlines forbalking at his invitation to testify at a public hearing regarding competition in the credit card market and Durbin’s Credit Card Competition Act. During his speech, Durbin made clear that if the CEOs are willing to discuss the Credit Card Competition Act—legislation that woul… Continue Reading
03.21.24
Durbin Blasts Leader McConnell, Senate Republicans' Peddling of Baseless Islamophobic Accusations Against Historic Muslim American Nominee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, responded to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Republicans’ latest attacks against Mr. Adeel Mangi, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. The remarks by Leader McConnell on the Senate floor this morning are part of a series of baseless, Islamophobic attacks hurled against Mr. Mangi. “In recent weeks, we've heard an amazing number of attacks… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin Questions Witnesses During a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Continued Assault on Reproductive Freedoms in Post-Dobbs America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Continued Assault on Reproductive Freedoms in a Post-Dobbs America.” The hearing examined the continued and devastating fallout since the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in June 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Durbin first questioned Lourdes Rivera, the President of Pregnancy Justi… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Continued Assault on Reproductive Freedoms in Post-Dobbs America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Continued Assault on Reproductive Freedoms in a Post-Dobbs America.” The hearing will examine the continued and devastating fallout since the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in June 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Key Quotes: “In the years leading up to Dobbs, we were wa… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin Meets with CEO of Lurie Children's Hospital, Dr. Shanley
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago CEO, Dr. Tom Shanley, to discuss a variety of priorities including the Senator’s violence prevention work under the HEAL Initiative, strategies to address health care workforce shortages, and expanding access to pediatric dentistry care. They also discussed the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program, which provides federal funding for residenc… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin, Foster Introduce Bicameral American Innovation Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today reintroduced the bicameralAmerican Innovation Act, which would provide annual budget increases of five percent, plus inflation, for cutting edge research at five federal research agencies: the National Science Foundation; the Department of Energy Office of Science; the Department of Defense Science and Technology Programs; the National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientific and… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin Questions Nominees at Today's Judiciary Committee Hearing on Judicial Nominations
WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Judge Nancy Maldonado, nominated to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Georgia Alexakis, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; Krissa Lanham, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona; Angela Martinez, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District … Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Today's Judiciary Committee Hearing on Judicial Nominations
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Nancy Maldonado, nominated to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Georgia Alexakis, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; Krissa Lanham, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona; Angela Martinez, nominated to be U.S. District Ju… Continue Reading
03.20.24
Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Bicameral Bill to Stop Illegal Robocalls
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today reintroduced the Protecting American Consumers from Robocalls Act, a bill that would help end the plague of illegal robocalls in America. The legislation would give the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Do-Not-Call Registry teeth by providing all telephone subscribers, including small businesses, the ability to seek damages for all unconsented-to telemarketing calls im… Continue Reading