Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Announcement of Mass Community Vaccination Center in Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today applauded an announcement that the Biden Administration will dramatically increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations in Illinois by launching a community vaccination center (CVC) Federal Pilot Site in Chicago on March 10. The site, which will be located at the United Center, will have the capacity for 6,000 COVID-19 vaccinations a day. "Getting vaccine shots into the arms of Americans will h… Continue Reading
02.25.21
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Extend CARES Act Bankruptcy Relief Provisions
WASHINGTON - Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the COVID-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act, bipartisan legislation to temporarily extend COVID-19 bankruptcy relief provisions enacted as part of the March 2020 CARES Act and December 2020 omnibus appropriations bill. "Extending these temporary bankru… Continue Reading
02.25.21
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Response with Illinois Public Health Officials
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) discussed the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic with Illinois members of the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO). Durbin heard about efforts in Henderson, Lake, and Cook Counties to expand vaccinations, address health disparities, and support the health workforce. Durbin highlighted the federal government's efforts to improve COVID-19 vaccine distribution and testing across Illinois, and shared how… Continue Reading
02.24.21
Durbin: COVID Continues To Be A National Crisis; We Must Respond By Passing the American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Senate colleagues to support President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan, which would deliver economic relief to American families and small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden's American Rescue Plan is a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and businesses a bridge to an economic recov… Continue Reading
02.24.21
Durbin Discusses Mental Health, Opioid Overdose Epidemic Amid COIVD-19 & Need to Pass Biden's American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke about how the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the drastic increase in opioid overdose deaths and suicides in 2020. Durbin highlighted that there were more suicides by Black residents of Cook County, Illinois, in 2020 than over the past ten years, with a total of 437 residents taking their lives. At the same time, more than 700 Cook County residents die… Continue Reading
02.19.21
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief With Illinois AFL-CIO
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with representatives of the Illinois AFL-CIO executive committee. Durbin discussed the importance of passing President Biden's American Rescue Plan and his support for federal assistance for COBRA health coverage, strengthening unemployment insurance, and providing state and local governments financial assistance for lost revenue. "We are in a dire economic situation, with millions of wor… Continue Reading
02.18.21
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nine Illinois Community Health Centers Included in Federal Vaccination Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that nine Illinois Community Health Centers (CHCs) will be eligible to directly receive vaccines through the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Federally Qualified Health Center Program for COVID-19 Vaccination. After Illinois CHCs missed out on the first phase of this program, Durbin and Duckworth wrote the Biden Administration urging that Illinois CHCs be prioritized immediately, in order to ge… Continue Reading
02.17.21
Durbin Discusses Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution with Illinois Vaccine Corps Partnership
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with representatives from multiple community-based organizations that make up the Illinois Vaccine Corps Partnership. The group is dedicated to ensuring equitable distribution and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, and briefed Durbin on their efforts to utilize trusted community leaders to expand access and promotion of COVID-19 vaccines across Illinois communities. In the meeting, Durbin discussed his efforts to improve the dis… Continue Reading
02.16.21
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 and Opioid Addiction Treatment with Illinois Advocates
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed opioid addiction treatment and the COVID-19 pandemic with Illinois advocates of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), Illinois Society of Addiction Medicine, and Live4Lali. During the call, Durbin and the group discussed the spike in overdose deaths during the pandemic, how to better help provide services for patients with substance use disorders amid the pandemic, and strategies for training and expanding … Continue Reading
02.16.21
Durbin, Duckworth Urge HHS to Provide COVID-19 Vaccines to Illinois Community Health Centers
WASHINGTON - Following an announcement by the Biden Administration about the launch of the Federally Qualified Health Center program to provide additional COVID-19 vaccines to certain Community Health Centers (CHCs) nationwide, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prioritize Illinois CHCs in the next round of vaccine allotments. Illinois CHCs will be left out of the first round of this pr… Continue Reading
02.12.21
Durbin Urges CDC Director to Ramp Up Vaccine Distribution in Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky about the importance of increasing vaccine distribution in Illinois, including to Community Health Centers (CHCs). Durbin also asked Dr. Walensky how the State should prepare to combat the spread of new variations of the coronavirus. "On my call with CDC Director Walensky, I urged her to do everything in her power to assist Illinois in dist… Continue Reading
02.10.21
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief with Federation of Illinois Independent Colleges and Universities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with the Federation of Illinois Independent Colleges and Universities (FIICU) about the importance of providing additional COVID-19 relief that supports private, not-for-profit colleges and universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin supports additional funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), created by the CARES Act, which provided assistance to institutions and emergency financial aid for stu… Continue Reading
02.10.21
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reform Elderly Home Detention and Compassionate Release Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - Amid the COVID-19 public health pandemic, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, authors of the bipartisan First Step Act, landmark criminal justice reform legislation, introduced bipartisan legislation to reform the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program and compassionate release from federal prisons. Sadly, more than 200 federal prisoners with … Continue Reading
02.10.21
Durbin, Cassidy Introduce Bill to Address PPE Shortages, Boost Production in America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced new, bipartisan legislation to address shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies. The Protecting Providers Everywhere (PPE) in America Actwould boost domestic PPE and testing supply production and promote a more sustainable supply chain by ensuring more predictable, dedicated funding from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to American manufacturers of applicable medical su… Continue Reading
02.09.21
Durbin, Schneider Introduce Bill to Help State and Local Governments Provide Paid Leave to Employees During Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), along with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced a key measure to help state and local governments provide paid leave to public employees who can't work due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, enacted last year, provided tax credits to private-sector employers to cover the costs of paid leave during the pandemic. Congress also extended those tax cre… Continue Reading
02.05.21
Durbin: We Must Provide Quick Relief for Unemployed Americans
SPRINGFIELD - As millions of Americans continue to struggle with unemployment as a result of the pandemic, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the critical need to provide additional assistance to unemployed workers before federal unemployment programs expire in March. Joined virtually by several Illinoisans relying on unemployment insurance, Durbin called on Congress to pass President Biden's American Rescue Plan COVID relief package, which would extend federal unemployment programs… Continue Reading
02.05.21
Durbin Statement on Senate Passage of Budget Resolution Paving Way for COVID-19 Relief
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate passed a budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2021 that paves the way for Congress to begin crafting urgently needed COVID-19 relief legislation: "In the early hours of this morning, the Senate took a critical step towards providing our health care heroes, unemployed workers, small businesses, schools, state and local governments, and American families who are trying to make ends mee… Continue Reading
02.04.21
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More than $22 Million to Support Vaccine Distribution in Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $22.8 million in federal funding to support vaccine distribution in Illinois. The funding is being awarded to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "This funding will provide critical support to our state's public health infrastructure as we undertake the monumental task of vaccinating our populati… Continue Reading
02.04.21
Durbin, Cortez Masto, Senate Dems Introduce Bill to Protect Unemployed Workers' Health Insurance During Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), together with 11 Senate Democrats, today re-introduced the Worker Health Coverage Protection Act, a bill that would protect millions of unemployed or furloughed workers from losing their health insurance in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would allow laid off workers to remain on their employer health plans, through the COBRA program, at no cost. "Recent estimates have shown that millions of wor… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Durbin: We Can't Waste Time to Pass President Biden's American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Senate to support President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan, which would deliver economic relief to American families and small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden's American Rescue Plan is a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and businesses a bridge to an economic recovery, and in… Continue Reading