Durbin, Grassley, Blunt, Baldwin, Bustos, Smith Lead Effort To Fund The Modernization Of Locks Along Upper Mississippi & Illinois Rivers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Jason Smith (R-MO-8) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Senate and House appropriators urging the inclusion of funding for the Navigation and Ecosystem Restoration Program (NESP) in the Fiscal Year 2020 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bills. NESP, which was authorized in Title VIII of the Water Resources Devel… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Bill That Supports Family Caregivers

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined local advocates and caregivers to highlight his new legislation to support family caregivers. Introduced in the Senate last week with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), the Supporting America's Caregivers and Families Act aims to increase funding, training, and support for more than 34 million family caregivers of older Americans. Each year caregivers provide more than $470 billion worth of unpaid care-more than the entire federal Medicaid budget. T… Continue Reading

Durbin & Senators To Juul: You Are More Interested In Profits Than Public Health

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 10 of his Senate Democratic colleagues, today launched an investigation into JUUL Labs, Inc. by sending a letter to CEO Kevin Burns slamming the company for its partnership with Big Tobacco giant Altria, and questioning its marketing tactics to hook children on nicotine with kid-appealing flavors. The Senators posed an extensive series of questions and made requests for documents pertaining to JUUL's secret business practices around youth… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Secretary Nielsen's Resignation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the resignation of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen: "Kirstjen Nielsen bears personal responsibility for the zero tolerance program which forcibly separated 2,800 infants and children from their parents under her watch. Her departure would be encouraging were we not warned that President Trump is looking for a success… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Highway Safety, Trooper Deaths With IDOT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Omer Osman and Paul Loete, Director of IDOT's Office of Highways, to get an update on what IDOT is doing to prevent roadside deaths in the wake of three Illinois state troopers who died this year after being struck by vehicles on the side of the highway. Durbin urged IDOT to spend resources to better educate the public about the state's Move Over law, and offered to assist at the f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Warn President Trump Against Cutting Funding To Northern Triangle Countries

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Tom Carper (D-DE), and a group of 34 Democratic senators in sending a letter to President Donald Trump opposing his plan to cut national security funding to Northern Triangle countries, which is specifically designed to promote American interests, enhance our collective security, and protect the safety of American citizens. In their letter, the Senators make clear the U.S. Congress alrea… Continue Reading

Durbin: 'Move Over' To Save Lives Of Police & First Responders

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to three Illinois State Troopers who have been killed after being struck by vehicles on the sides of roads and highways this year. Durbin honored Illinois State Troopers Brooke Jones-Story, Jerry Ellis, and Chris Lambert, and recognized the efforts of Lucy Kuelper, the daughter of an Illinois State Trooper who created a Facebook page to raise awareness about Scott's Law, which requires motorists to s… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Legislation To Address High Cost Of Child Care For Working Families

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a roundtable discussion with child care providers, parents, and local leaders to discuss the high cost of child care for working families. Durbin has co-sponsored several bills aimed at helping Illinois families manage the increasing costs associated with raising a child. "High-quality, affordable and reliable child care is a necessity for Illinois' working families," Durbin said. "That's why I'm proud to support legislation that provides … Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Illinois Members & CDC Director For Delegation Luncheon

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield at an Illinois Congressional Delegation Luncheon to discuss public health issues in Illinois. The group discussed ethylene oxide emissions from medical device sterilization facilities in DuPage and Lake Counties, and veterans' safety at Illinois Veterans Homes. Started by the late U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon, the I… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Jeffrey Rosen, President Trump's Deputy AG Nominee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with President Donald Trump's nominee to be Deputy U.S. Attorney General, Jeffrey Rosen. In today's meeting, Durbin pressed Rosen, who has no prior Department of Justice (DOJ) experience, about his views on immigration, criminal justice reform, and voting rights. "Mr. Rosen has been nominated to serve as the number two person in the Department of Justice. He has no experience with… Continue Reading

Durbin, King, Smith, Sinema, Neguse Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), today introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. This bill, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would authorize a competitive grant program to support the creation of and expand the use of open c… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Carson About Trump Administration's Cuts To Public Housing In East St. Louis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Services Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing, pressed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson about the Trump Administration's Fiscal Year 2020 budget, which calls for deep cuts in federal funding to HUD's affordable housing programs. Durbin specifically mentioned his concerns about the proposal to eliminate the Public Housing Capital Fund… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kaine Introduce Bill To Support Family Caregivers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Supporting America's Caregivers and Families Act, a bill that would increase funding, training, and support for the more than 34 million family caregivers in America. Each year caregivers provide more than $470 billion worth of unpaid care-more than the entire federal Medicaid budget. The average caregiver spends $7,000 of their own money every year to provide care to loved ones, with an average commitment … Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Carson About Trump Administration's Cuts To Public Housing In East St. Louis

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Services Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing, pressed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson about the Trump Administration's Fiscal Year 2020 budget, which calls for deep cuts in federal funding to HUD's affordable housing programs. Durbin specifically mentioned his concerns about the proposal to eliminate the Public Housing Capital Fund… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On NATO Secretary General's Address To Joint Meeting Of Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after attending an address to a Joint Meeting of Congress by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg: "Even before he took office, President Trump was never a supporter of NATO. Every NATO insult he tweets encourages nations, like Russia, that have long sought to destroy the alliance. "Today's Joint Meeting of Congress reaffirmed NATO's importance as the foundati… Continue Reading

Durbin, Menendez, Rubio Lead Bipartisan Group Introducing Comprehensive Bill To Help Restore Democracy In Venezuela

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced new comprehensive legislation to help restore democracy and address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The most comprehensive effort to date to confront the crisis in Venezuela, the Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance and Development (VERDAD) Act drastically increases humanitarian assistance, expands current tools to address kleptocracy, formally recognizes and supports th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Democratic Caucus to Save Health Care For Millions Of Americans & Those With Pre-Existing Conditions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined all 47 Senate Democrats to introduce a Senate resolution-led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)-that would reverse the Department of Justice's (DOJ) recent decision to side with U.S. District Court Judge Reed O'Connor's ruling that deems health care protections enjoyed by hundreds of millions unconstitutional. This latest act of health care sabotage from the Trump Administration could result in 133 million Ameri… Continue Reading

Durbin, Harris, Cortez Masto Introduce Bill To Lift Ban On Dreamers Working For Congress

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced the American Dream Employment Act, legislation to rescind the current prohibition on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients working or participating in paid internships in Congress. "Since I first introduced the Dream Act in 2001, I have met hundreds of Dreamers who are giving back to their communities as teachers, nurses, engineers, and soldiers. Many of them … Continue Reading

Durbin, Feinstein, Coons, Harris, Schatz Press GAO For Updated Study On Use Of Solitary Confinement In Federal Prisons

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) today requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a follow-up study on the use of restricted housing within the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). GAO issued a study on the topic in 2013 that provided important insights into BOP's policies on restricted housing. In 2015, BOP released an independent assessment that Durbin had requested, wh… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With CEO Of Corn Growers Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, today met with Jon Doggett, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, to discuss agriculture priorities in Illinois. "Today, I was pleased to meet with Mr. Doggett and hear how the National Corn Growers Association is supporting our farmers in Illinois, the importance of trade with Mexico and Canada, and their work on farmer-led soil health improvements," Durbin said. "We a… Continue Reading