Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.2 Million In Funding To Support Low-Income Illinoisans With Disabilities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded nine Illinois communities a total of $3,291,834 to provide affordable housing to people with disabilities. The funding is awarded through HUD's Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, which helps individuals with disabilities live as independently as possible in the communities with access to supportive services. "Thi… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Fight Opioid Epidemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded Senate passage of a bipartisan opioid legislative package to help address both causes and effects of the nation's worst-ever drug overdose epidemic. The legislative package includes major provisions from Durbin's bipartisan bill to strengthen the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) ability to adjust quotas determining the number of opioid drugs allowed to be produced in the United States each year, and his bil… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Sexual Assault Allegation Against Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court Nominee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the allegation of sexual assault against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee: We cannot meet our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent without a fair and careful review of the serious and credible allegations made by Dr. Ford. The Thursday Judiciary Committee vote must be postponed and the FBI … Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Successes In Senate's Bipartisan Opioid Package

CHICAGO - As the Senate prepares to vote on a major legislative package aimed at addressing the opioid crisis, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today outlined several key initiatives he included in the bill to help address both causes and effects of the nation's worst-ever drug overdose epidemic. The legislative package, which is expected to pass the Senate on Monday, includes major provisions from Durbin's bipartisan bill to strengthen the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) ability to adju… Continue Reading

Durbin & Duckworth: Appropriations Bill Provides Critical Funding For Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced Illinois priorities included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Energy & Water; Military Construction & Veterans Affairs; and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills. The legislation passed the Senate yesterday and will now head to the House of Representatives for final passage. "This bill supports Illinois is a variety of ways, like funding c… Continue Reading

Durbin Highlights Bipartisan Amendment To Take On Big Pharma, Require Disclosure Of Drug Prices In TV Ads

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital to tout his bipartisan Senate-passed amendment requiring pharmaceutical companies to list prices of their prescription drugs in direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements. The amendment helps to empower patients, promote transparency, and lower prescription drug costs, and it was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Angus King (I-ME). The provision was included in the Senate's Labor-Health and H… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On FDA Announcement of New Enforcement Actions On Kid-Friendly E-Cigarette Flavors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to issue new enforcement actions on e-cigarette companies' use of kid-appealing flavors, in order to better protect children and teens from using addictive and dangerous e-cigarettes: "We have seen an increase in children using e-cigarettes and vaping of 75 percent this year - and 12 percent of kids are vaping in America today. Th… Continue Reading

Document Shows Judge Kavanaugh Misled Durbin Under Oath About His Work On Controversial Judicial Nomination

In sworn testimony in 2006, Judge Kavanaugh stated, "I've-I know Jim Haynes, but it was not one of the nominations that I handled;" so-called "Committee Confidential" document shows otherwise CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released a document that shows Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, gave misleading testimony in 2006 about his work on the judicial nomination of William (Jim) Hayn… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bustos, Kinzinger, and Mayor McNamra Announce $450,000 In Federal Funding To Help Victims Of Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault In Rockford

ROCKFORD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16) today joined Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara to announce that the City of Rockford has received $449,870 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women. The funding will allow Rockford to establish a Family Justice Center, which will provide comprehensive services to aid victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human tr… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh On His Views Of President Trump's Power

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today pressed President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to clarify his views on executive power given that, if confirmed, he will likely rule on President Trump's sweeping assertions of authority. "You have been nominated to be a Justice on the United States Supreme Court by President Donald Trump. We have to take your nomination in the context of this mo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join New Effort To Protect Seniors And Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 41 other Democratic Senators on legislation to overturn the Trump Administration's expansion of "junk health insurance plans." As of today, 44 Senators have cosponsored the resolution of disapproval of the Trump Administration's final "junk health insurance plan" rule, which only needs the support of 30 Senators to force a vote. These year-long "junk plans" can exclude basic health … Continue Reading

Durbin Grills Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh On Secret Documents & Misleading Prior Testimony

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today pressed President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to show the American people that he has nothing to hide by asking for his hearing to be suspended until his full White House record from 2001 to 2006 is made public, following the traditional, non-partisan National Archives process. "Judge Kavanaugh, this is your field - judicial nominations - this i… Continue Reading

Durbin To Judge Kavanaugh: Trust The American People & They Will Trust You; Show Us That Your Record Matches Your Word

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today raised concerns about the rushed confirmation process for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, including the 35-month black hole of missing documents from Kavanaugh's time as White House Staff Secretary during the first day of his confirmation hearings. In his remarks to the Committee, Durbin urged Judge Kavanaugh to call for the suspension of h… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Passing Of Longtime Naperville Mayor, George Pradel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the passing of George Pradel, Naperville's longest-serving mayor: I used to kid George and tell him he was my favorite Republican. He was my personal guest at a State of the Union Address by George W. Bush. The reason for George's popularity: he brought out the best in all of us. He loved Naperville and he loved life. He was more than "Officer Friendly." He was a friend to everyone he met. I was glad t… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Decision To Not Seek Re-Election

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding Mayor Rahm Emanuel's decision to not seek re-election: Rahm's record of public service spans Congress, the White House, and the fifth floor of City Hall in Chicago. I have worked closely with him at every level of his public career. I always knew a call from Rahm was an invitation to join him in a bold, ambitious effort to make life better for those he served. It has been my honor to join him in these gr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Senators Call On Trump Administration To Meet Current Refugee Resettlement Cap And Significantly Increase Numbers Of Refugees Allowed Into U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 21 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in a letter to President Trump demanding that the Administration honor the United States' legacy as a nation of immigrants and beacon of hope for families around the globe fleeing violence and persecution by increasing the cap on the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. and strengthening resources across the federal governmen… Continue Reading

Durbin, Warren, Blumenthal, Brown Seek Response To Allegations That Dept Of Education Official Advised Dream Center Education Holdings To Misrepresent Accreditation Status To Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos regarding reports that the Department of Education was behind Dream Center Education Holdings' (DCEH) alleged misrepresentation of its accreditation status. A report published by David Halperin of the Republic Report alleges that Diane Jones, Principal Deputy Under Secretary delegated to perform the duties of… Continue Reading

Durbin Honors Sen. John McCain's Life & Legacy On Senate Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) honored the life and legacy of Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Durbin recalled stories from the times he spent with Sen. McCain in Congress and on trips overseas. He also stated his support for renaming the Senate's Russell Office Building - where Sen. McCain's office was located during his Senate tenure - after the late-Senator. "There's an empty space in the Senate chamber without John McCain. Th… Continue Reading

Senate Passes Funding Bill That Includes Durbin Priority Of Increased Medical Research Funding

CHICAGO - The U.S. Senate passed the Defense-Labor-HHS-Education appropriations "minibus" package yesterday, which included a $2 billion, or 5.4 percent, increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. Over the past five years, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has worked to provide NIH with $10 billion in increased funding, a 34 percent increase. Within this amount, the bill provides an increase for every NIH Institute and Center, in… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Meeting With Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court Nominee

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after meeting with President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh: The Administration and Senate Republicans have refused to disclose any documents from the 35 months that Judge Kavanaugh spent as Staff Secretary in the White House, a time when many controversial issues of constitutional importance were debated and decided. Judge … Continue Reading