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Durbin, Bean: While Canadian National Continues to Ignore Safety Rules Surface Transportation Board Should Respond Decisively
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Melissa Bean (D-IL) today urged the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to consider exercise its statutory authority on Canadian National (CN) after hearing of the company's dangerous underreporting of more than 1,400 blocked crossings. "CN should not be allowed to under report the true impact of its operations at roadway crossings," the Illinois members wrote. "Community officials and fi… Continue Reading
03.19.10
Latinos and Healthcare Reform
Senator Dick Durbin March 19, 2010 Latinos and Healthcare Reform Prepared Remarks In March of 1927-over 80 years ago-one of the greatest civil rights leaders was born. Cesar Chavez had the rarest kind of courage-moral courage-and he had great faith in the promise of America. During times like this, it is good to ask ourselves: "What would Cesar Chavez say if he were here today?" I think he would be encouraged to see how far we have come in bridging some of the old racial divi… Continue Reading
04.23.09
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Legislation to Reform H-1B Visa Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act - narrowly-tailored bipartisan legislation that would reform the H-1B and L-1 guest-worker programs to prevent abuse and fraud and to protect American workers. "The H-1B visa program should complement the U.S. workforce, not replace it," Durbin said. "Congress created the H-1B visa program so an employer could hire a foreign guest-worker… Continue Reading
10.23.07
Durbin, Along with Military & Education Leaders, Urges Congress to Support Bright, Accomplished Kids with Bipartisan DREAM Act
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged Senate colleagues to come together and support the DREAM Act, a narrowly tailored, bipartisan measure which would permit a select group of undocumented students to become permanent residents if they came here as children, are long-term U.S. residents, have good moral character, and attend college or enlist in the military for at least two years. "When I hear some describe this bill as amnesty, I wonder, if someone is willing to r… Continue Reading
07.13.07
DREAM Act as an Amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill
Mr. President, last month we had a controversial and spirited debate over immigration. It went on for several weeks on the floor of the Senate, and many Members of the Senate thought about it and voted one way or the other. The net result is that nothing happened. That is unfortunate. Everybody concedes our immigration laws have broken down. About 600,000 illegal people come into the United States each year and stay. Over 20 years, we now have 12 million people. The number continues to gro… Continue Reading
05.25.06
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation Approved By Senate
[WASHINGTON, DC] - The United States Senate today approved a comprehensive immigration reform bill. The bill balances enforcement - stronger border security, tougher sanctions on employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants - with provisions allowing undocumented immigrants who work hard and play by the rules to earn their way to legal status. The Senate approved the legislation by a vote of 62 to 36. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said that while the bill was not perfect, it was a com… Continue Reading
11.21.05
Durbin, Hagel, Lugar: Congress Should Act Now to Help Students Gain Access to Higher Education
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) said today that Congress should act to help undocumented students by providing them with a pathway to legalize their immigration status and attend college. The senators have introduced S. 2075, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, legislation which would allow states to provide in-state college tuition to undocumented students who grew up in the United States, and would a… Continue Reading