Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Health Care
Durbin Discusses Impacts Of Medicaid Cuts On Rural Hospitals
TAYLORVILLE— U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined health care administrators at Taylorville Memorial Hospital, Carlinville Area Hospital & Clinics, and the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network to discuss the impact of potential Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals and their patients. Republicans in Congress have proposed funding tax breaks for billionaires by cutting $880 billion to the Medicaid program. Statewide, 3.4 million Illinoisans rely on Medicaid for … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Durbin Discusses Impacts Of Medicaid Cuts On Rural Hospitals, Clinics
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined health care administrators from Touchette Regional Hospital, Jersey Community Hospital, Sparta Community Hospital, Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation, and the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network to discuss the impact of potential Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals and their patients. Republicans in Congress have proposed funding tax breaks for billionaires by cutting $880 billion to the Medicaid … Continue Reading
March 12, 2025
Republicans AGAIN Reject Durbin's Unanimous Consent Request To Pass Resolution In Support Of Medical Research At NIH As Elon Musk, President Trump Continue To Slash Funding
WASHINGTON - Today, in a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass a resolution he introduced with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), as well as 21 other Senators, that would support the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as President Trump and Elon Musk continue to illegally cut funding and resources for researchers discovering cures at NIH. The resolution simply states that the … Continue Reading
March 12, 2025
Durbin Meets With Illinois Health Director As Trump Administration Threatens Public Health Programs
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), to discuss protecting public health resources in Illinois as the Trump Administration continues to dismantle support for public health. In their meeting, Durbin and Dr. Vohra spoke about the potential $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid proposed by congressional Republicans in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires, which could endanger health … Continue Reading
March 05, 2025
Durbin Hosts Call With Rural Illinois Hospitals On Harms From Republicans' Proposed Cuts To Medicaid
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today convened a call with the leadership of nine rural hospitals based in central and southern Illinois to discuss the impact of the potential $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid proposed by congressional Republicans in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires. During the call, the rural hospital leaders underscored that critical role that Medicaid plays in providing coverage for their patients and sustaining hospital budgets. Without … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Durbin Visits UW Health Women And Children's Hospital To Highlight $1 Million Earmark For NICU
ROCKFORD — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited UW Health Women and Children’s Hospital to tour their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). As part of the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus bill, Durbin secured a $1 million earmark to expand the NICU and increase available maternal and infant health services in Rockford. The NICU operated by UW Health is the only NICU in Winnebago County that provides services to all Medicaid patients. With the earmark secured by Durbin, the … Continue Reading
February 21, 2025
Republicans Block Durbin-Murray Amendment To Reverse Devastating And Illegal Cuts To NIH Medical Research
SPRINGFIELD - Last night during the Senate’s vote-a-rama, Senate Republicans blocked U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) amendment that would reverse massive, arbitrary cuts to lifesaving medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk tried to make earlier this year by freezing federal grant funding and setting the maximum reimbursement rate … Continue Reading
February 20, 2025
Durbin, Marshall Introduce Protecting Patients From Deceptive Drug Ads Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today introduced the Protecting Patients from Deceptive Drug Ads Act, bipartisan legislation that would protect public health and close regulatory loopholes by having the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) address false and misleading prescription drug promotions by social media influencers and telehealth companies. The prevalence of online promotions and direct-to-consumer advertisements … Continue Reading
February 07, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Demand Answers About Trump's Efforts To Restrict & Undermine NSF-Funded Scientific Research
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), along with 22 of their colleagues, in sounding the alarm over the Trump Administration injecting partisanship into scientific studies, obstructing critical research, potentially derailing the careers of promising American researchers, and attempting to undermine the U.S. scientific research ecosystem. With several major sources of federal research … Continue Reading
January 31, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Urge PhRMA To Embrace Their Bill To End Price Secrecy In Prescription Drug Advertisements
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today sent a letter to the President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) urging them to embrace their bipartisan legislation, the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, to empower patients and providers and commit to voluntarily disclosing list prices in DTC advertisements. The … Continue Reading
January 27, 2025
Durbin: RFK Jr. Is Dangerously Unqualified To Serve As HHS Secretary
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke out against the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), citing the nominee’s false and irresponsible views on vaccines. In his remarks, Durbin pointed to specific examples of Kennedy spreading lies about vaccines, fluoride, and other measures with proven scientific history of safety and improving health. “Every day HHS makes … Continue Reading
October 30, 2024
ICYMI: Durbin Holds Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs
CHICAGO - In case you missed it, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, held a Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices: How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” During the hearing, Durbin examined the pharmaceutical industry’s anti-competitive tactics and highlighted the success of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in addressing high prescription drug prices for Medicare … Continue Reading
October 29, 2024
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during the Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices: How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing included two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to address … Continue Reading
October 29, 2024
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs
CHICAGO - 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 field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices: How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing includes two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to … Continue Reading
October 23, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Join Congressional Democrats In Filing Amicus Brief Urging Ninth Circuit Court To Affirm That EMTALA Requires Hospitals To Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care, Including Abortion Care, Preempting Idaho's Draconian Abortion Ban
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined more than 250 Members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. EMTALA is a federal law that … Continue Reading
October 16, 2024
Durbin Announces New Resources To Address Child Lead Poisoning Risks In Chicago
CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined officials from CountyCare, Cook County Health, and the Cook County Department of Public Health to unveil new proactive measures taken by all five Medicaid managed care insurance companies (MCOs) in Illinois in response to a request by Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to address lead poisoning risks to children in Chicagoland. In March, Durbin and Duckworth had urged MCOs to step up to address lead poisoning … Continue Reading
October 03, 2024
Durbin Visits Gibson City Hospital To Highlight Federal Funding For Rural EMS Services
GIBSON CITY - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leadership staff at Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services (GAHHS) to discuss the recent enactment of Durbin’s Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Reauthorization Act. Thanks to Durbin’s legislation, GAHHS has received nearly $500,000 in SIREN grant funding for their ambulance service. The SIREN Reauthorization Act extends funding for five additional years for SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS … Continue Reading
September 27, 2024
Durbin, Collins Praise President Biden For Signing Their Bipartisan SIREN Reauthorization Act Into Law
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today praised President Biden for signing their bipartisan SIREN Reauthorization Act into law yesterday. The legislation will extend funding for five additional years for SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS agencies nationwide. The funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration … Continue Reading
September 24, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $11 Million In Federal Funding For Health Care Research In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $10,906,668 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical research grants for Illinois institutions. The federal funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be put toward research programs across the state to support medical advancement in various fields, ranging from lung diseases to mental health research. “Federal investments in medical … Continue Reading
September 16, 2024
Durbin: Republican Will Have Another Chance To Show The American People Where They Stand On IVF With Right to IVF Act Vote Tomorrow
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on Senate Republicans to show the American people where they stand on in vitro fertilization (IVF) when the Senate votes on the Right to IVF Act tomorrow. The legislation, which Durbin is a cosponsor of, establishes a clear and enforceable nationwide right to receive, provide, or cover IVF services and other assisted reproductive technologies. It also … Continue Reading