Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.2 Million In FEMA Reimbursement For Flooding Recovery

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois has been awarded a total of $3,248,722 in federal funding to offset costs related to the historic flooding that occurred from February 24 to July 3, 2019. The funding, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will go to the Illinois Department of Transportation to help cover the costs of emergency response and flooding prevention efforts in Springfield. "I saw firsthand the i… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Cosponsor Legislation To Build Core Public Health Infrastructure Needed To Save Lives, Fight Threats Like COVID-19

WASHINGTON- This week, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 16 of their Democratic Senate colleagues to introduce the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (PHISLA). The legislation would establish a new core public health infrastructure program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with up to $4.5 billion in annual funding to bolster the nation's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and strengthen its abil… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Federal Funding For Gun Violence Prevention Research

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Northwestern University has been awarded more than $500,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study the effects of gun violence. This is the first time in more than 20 years that federal funding has been appropriated for research related to firearm violence prevention at the CDC after Congress passed the Dickey Amendment in 1996, which effectively banne… Continue Reading

Durbin Attempts To Pass House-Passed Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON - Following President Donald Trump's refusal to condemn white supremacists during the course of Tuesday night's Presidential debate, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately pass the House-passed Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020. Last week, on a unanimous vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the House companion to Durbin's Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020. The bill would enhance the federal … Continue Reading

Durbin, Feinstein Statement On Trump Admin Decision To Slash Refugee Resettlement Goal To Lowest Level In History

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that it will aim to admit just 15,000 refugees to the U.S. in the coming year, the lowest target in history: "In the midst of the worst refugee crisis in history, it is no surprise that the Trump Admin… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Passing Of Former Rockford Mayor John McNamara

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the passing of former Rockford, Illinois, Mayor John McNamara: "John was a dedicated public servant who fought for his country and worked tirelessly for his community. He was a class act who led by example, and he was my friend. Loretta and I stand with his family as they honor John's incredible life." -30-… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the federal government through December 11, 2020: "The CR that passed the Senate today is essential to keeping the government funded through the end of the year, as well as helping American families and small businesses continue to weather this pandemic. I'm pleased it also include… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams President Trump's Refusal To Condemn White Supremacists

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed President Donald Trump's refusal to condemn white supremacists during the course of last night's Presidential debate. Durbin also called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring Durbin's bill, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020, to the floor for a vote. Last week, on a unanimous vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the House companion to Durbin's Domestic T… Continue Reading

Durbin: Rush To Confirm Judge Barrett Is About Eliminating The Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Senate Republicans' reversal on filling a Supreme Court vacancy in a presidential election year and argued it is a thinly-veiled effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after numerous failed attempts to undo the law in Congress. With President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) actively working to dismantle the ACA, Durbin emphasized the dangerous r… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams Republicans For Ignoring Russian Threat In 2020 Election, Questions Comey On President's Vulnerability In Light Of Personal Debts

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of the Crossfire Hurricane Investigation: Day 3," which featured former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) warned about ongoing Russian attempts to interfere in the upcoming 2020 presidential election, and slammed Republicans on the Committee for ignoring the threat by re-litigating the 2016 investigation into Russian election interference. "… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On DHS IG Report Detailing CBP's Inadequate Controls & Oversight Of FY19 Humanitarian Funding

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that Durbin requested titled, "CBP Did Not Adequately Oversee FY 2019 Appropriated Humanitarian Funding." Today's report comes after Durbin led 24 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to DHS OIG last year requesting they inves… Continue Reading

Durbin: Confirmation Of Judge Barrett To The Supreme Court Is The Latest Republican Plan To Dismantle The Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed Senate Republicans' reversal on filling a Supreme Court vacancy in a presidential election year and argued it is a thinly-veiled effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after numerous failed attempts to demolish the law in Congress. With President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) actively working to dismantle the ACA, Durbin emphasized the dangero… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill To Give Unemployed Americans Tax Relief

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tax Relief Act, a bill that would provide additional financial relief to unemployed Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic by temporarily excluding the first $10,200 of unemployment compensation from federal income taxes for tax year 2020. This amount is equal to 17 weeks of the now-expired $600 per week federal enhanced benefits included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Ac… Continue Reading

Durbin To Introduce Bill To Expand Protections For Puppies

WASHINGTON - This week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) will introduce legislation to create stronger standards for veterinary care, housing, and breeding for dogs. The Puppy Protection Act will ensure that dogs within breeders' care have suitable and safe enclosures, access to outdoor areas, and regularly interact with other dogs and humans. "We must ensure that every breeder is raising dogs in decent, humane conditions and that these dogs receive the proper veterinary care," said Durbin. "I'm… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $8 Million For COVID-19 Vaccine Preparedness In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $6.2 million to the Illinois Department of Public Health and $1.9 million to the Chicago Department of Public Health to help prepare for an eventual distribution of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, upon regulatory review from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The funding, which is from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President Trump's Supreme Court Nomination Of Amy Coney Barrett

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court: "We are 38 days from Election Day. And we are 45 days from the Supreme Court taking up the case that will decide whether the Affordable Care Act will survive. President Trump and Majority Leader McConnell want to rush Judge Barrett's nomination through the Sen… Continue Reading

Durbin: Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Companies Do Not Back Up Certainty Of President Trump's October Timeline, Signal Likelihood Of Seeking More Controversial EUA Route

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after receiving written responses from each pharmaceutical company with a vaccine candidate under Operation Warp Speed to letters Durbin had sent earlier this month: "Americans seek a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine that can hopefully return a sense of normalcy to their lives. But the proximity of the election cannot dictate the science. The President's interference and political pressuring o… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Republicans' Reversal On Filling Supreme Court Vacancy During Presidential Election Year Is Thinly-Veiled Effort To Destroy Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee markup, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) argued that Senate Republicans' reversal on filling a Supreme Court vacancy in a presidential election year is a thinly-veiled effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after numerous failed attempts to abolish the health care law in Congress. With President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) actively working to dismantle the ACA's coverage and pre-existing co… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cortez Masto, Senate Dems Introduce Bill To Protected Unemployed Workers' Health Insurance During Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), together with 13 Senate Democrats, today introduced the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act, a bill that would protect millions of unemployed or furloughed workers from losing their health insurance by enabling them to access subsidized COBRA coverage and keep their insurance. The bill would provide a 100 percent subsidy of COBRA health insurance premiums owed by unemployed workers, in nearly all employment-based … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Troop Withdrawal From Germany, COVID-19 Testing With Secretary Of Defense

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, spoke by phone today with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to follow up on an August letter regarding the justification for the President's decision to remove nearly 12,000 American service members from Germany. Durbin again pressed Secretary Esper about the plan, its projected timeline, and about support for the Baltics and Poland. With no clear justification from the President or De… Continue Reading