Senate Confirms Nominations Of Four Illinois District Judges

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed the nominations of Franklin Valderrama and Iain Johnston to serve as Judges on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Valderrama and Johnston were part of a package of four Illinois nominees selected pursuant to Illinois' longstanding bipartisan judicial selection process, along with David Dugan and Stephen McG… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Illinois Pork Producers Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke by phone with Illinois Pork Producers Executive Director Jennifer Tirey and President Dale Weitekamp about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pork producers and federal support for farmers during this crisis, including the USDA Coronavirus Assistance Program. In May, Durbin joined a bipartisan letter calling for additional USDA funding in the next COVID-19 relief pac… Continue Reading

Ninety Days Since Landmark Supreme Court DACA Decisions And Following Critical TPS Decision, Durbin Calls On Senate To Pass Dream And Promise Act

WASHINGTON - Ninety days since the Supreme Court's decision rejecting President Donald Trump's repeal of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee and author of the Dream Act, once again called on the Senate to pass the bipartisan, House-passed American Dream and Promise Act. The legislation will establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants with Temporar… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Illinois Water Infrastructure Projects With Rock Island Army Corp District Commander

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) received an update today from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander Colonel Steven Sattinger about several Illinois water infrastructure projects including the Quincy Bay Restoration Project, the Brandon Road Project, and the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). On the call, Durbin spoke with Colonel Sattinger about securing an additional $20 million in funding for the Quincy Bay project through the U.S. Army … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Mississippi Valley Army Corps Commander To Urge Funding For Quincy Bay

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division Commander Major General Diana Holland to push the Corps to select the Quincy Bay Restoration Project for funding through the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program. Durbin has repeatedly pushed the Army Corps for funding to restore Quincy Bay, one of the largest natural bays of the Upper Mississippi River. "The environmental need for the Quincy Bay project is clear… Continue Reading

Senate Republicans Continue To Block Bipartisan, House-Passed Venezuela TPS Legislation

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans today again blocked bipartisan, House-passed legislation that would designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and protect approximately 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from deportation. U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) was joined by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on the Senate floor to make a unanimous consent (UC) request to im… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Illinois Budget Issues Resulting From COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker sent a letter to the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation about the State's budget issues and revenue shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked for federal support for state and local governments in the next COVID-19 relief package: "The State of Illinois is not alone facing a serious revenue loss resulting from this pandemic. State and local governments a… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With Growth Energy

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke with members of Growth Energy about the harmful impact Trump Administration policies and the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the ethanol industry, which is projected to cause more than $3 billion in economic damage for biofuel producers. During the call, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration's approval of 85 small refinery waivers during the past several years th… Continue Reading

Durbin Slams President Trump's Comments On Vaccine Approval Timeline, ACA Repeal Efforts, And State Of Testing In America During Senate Hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, at a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hearing about the Trump Administration's coronavirus response efforts, questioned witnesses about President Trump's claim that a COVID-19 vaccine would be ready "within weeks". Durbin also slammed the President's inaccurate suggestion that the United States has a high number of COVID-19 cases because of the number of tests conducted, and… Continue Reading

Ahead Of Upcoming National Assembly Elections, Durbin Shares Support For Venezuelan President Juan Guaido

WASHINGTON - Ahead of the approaching Venezuelan National Assembly elections on December 6, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke via phone to interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó about the ongoing violent repression and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela caused by the discredited regime of Nicolás Maduro. During today's call, Durbin reiterated his support for Guaidó and his constitutional role to help Venezuela return to the community of democracies,… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With National Children's Alliance About COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact On Child Abuse

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone today with National Children's Alliance members about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the 40 Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Illinois and the families they serve. On the call, Durbin heard from child protection professionals about their concerns that, despite a lower number of reported cases, child abuse may have increased during the pandemic due to unemployment, economic stress, and isolation with abusive parents or siblings. W… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With Illinois Farmers Union

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today spoke by phone with members of the Illinois Farmers Union about COVID-19 relief for farmers, support for ethanol producers, broadband, and strengthening trade markets. "Today I heard from members of the Illinois Farmers Union who shared their concerns about financial difficulties they continue to face from the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the decisions by the Trump Ad… Continue Reading

Durbin: COVID-19 Numbers Are Sobering, Senate Must Act Now

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals and health clinics, state and local governments, and small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's partisan COVID-19 relief proposal that failed to pass the Senate last week. Durbin urged Leader McConnell to start negotiating in good faith - as the Senate did in March when it passed the CARES Act… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With FDA Commissioner About COVID-19 Vaccine Approval Process & Youth E-Cigarettes

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone with Food and Dru Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn today about how he would ensure integrity in the COVID-19 vaccine approval process, citing concerns that political pressure on the vaccine timeline is undermining the FDA's scientific integrity and public trust. Durbin also discussed last Wednesday's long-awaited e-cigarette product application deadline, and pressed for FDA to strongly enforce its own regulations to p… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On EPA Decision To Deny Small Refinery Exemptions Under Renewable Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to deny small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): "For years, President Trump has crippled American biofuels by allowing a record number of waivers for oil companies. His decisions have dragged Illinois farm income down, damaged an important corn market, and c… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On GAO Report Confirming USDA Mishandled Payments To Illinois Farmers For Trade Damages

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), both members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, to announce a new report from the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found the Trump Administration's payments to farmers harmed by the President's trade policies ultimately favored southern cotton growers who were less harmed compared to Illinois farmers and crops. The report is the result … Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Bipartisan Resolution In Support Of Belarusian People

WASHINGTON - Following the disputed presidential elections in Belarus on September 9, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today to introduce a bipartisan resolution condemning the crackdown on peaceful protestors in Belarus and calling for the imposition of sanctions on responsible officials. "I will never forget traveling to Minsk in January 2011 to meet with the families of opposition candidates jai… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge Federal Reserve And Treasury To Increase Access To Main Street Lending Program

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) urged Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin to establish more favorable terms for businesses and nonprofits participating in the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP). In a letter to Chair Powell and Secretary Mnuchin, Durbin and Duckworth highlighted that many businesses and nonprofit organizations across Illinois - especially in Black and Brown communities that have been hit dis… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On HHS To Stop Diverting COVID-19 Tests From Illinois Schools And Fix The Shortfall In Testing Supplies

MAYWOOD - At a press conference today with Loyola University Chicago officials, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted ongoing testing challenges at schools and universities, and announced he was sending a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking how the Trump Administration plans to rectify the shortfall in testing supplies it has created at our universities and schools after Durbin learned HHS diverted shipments of COVID-19 tests bound for t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $20 Million For Metro East Port Improvements

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $20.8 million in federal funding for the St. Louis Bi-State Regional Ports Improvements Project, which will upgrade ports in the Metro East and St. Louis region. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) BUILD grant program. "This federal funding will help improve ports that are integral to the Metro East's economy and the nation's freight transportation network," Durbin said. "Se… Continue Reading