Durbin Statement On Republican Refusal To Request Critical Kavanaugh Documents

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dismissed the need for the Committee to review records from Judge Brett Kavanaugh's three-year tenure as White House Staff Secretary. Judge Kavanaugh served as Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2006. The American people expect the Senate Judiciary Com… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues In Calling On State Department To Reconsider Dangerous 3D Gun Settlement

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined his colleagues in calling on the State Department to prevent the publication of online blueprints for untraceable, three-dimensional (3D) printable firearms. In a stunning reversal of course last month, the State Department and the Justice Department agreed to a settlement with Defense Distributed that would allow anyone, including criminals and even terrorists, to download blueprints for the 3D printing of firearms like the … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Press HUD To Implement IG Reccomendations To Improve Oversight & Administration Of Public Housing Authorities

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to quickly implement the HUD Inspector General's (IG) recommendations to improve HUD's oversight and administration of public housing authorities as outlined in the report that was released yesterday exposing HUD's inadequate oversight of Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA). The report makes a number of recommendations to improve and clarify its procedu… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Republican Refusal To Request Critical Kavanaugh Documents

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dismissed the need for the Committee to review records from Judge Brett Kavanaugh's three-year tenure as White House Staff Secretary. Judge Kavanaugh served as Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2006. The American people expect the Senate Judiciary Com… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Senate To Support Bipartisan Amendments Requiring Drug Companies To Disclose Prices In Direct-To-Consumer Advertising

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced two bipartisan amendments to the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill - part of the "minibus" appropriations package being considered this week by the Senate - to clarify current law and provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with $1 million to implement rules requiring pharmaceutical companies to list prices of thei… Continue Reading

On Deadline Day To Reunite Separated Families, Durbin & Senators Call For DOJ Investigation of "Zero Tolerance" Immigration Policy

WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 30 other senators, sent a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz calling for an investigation into DOJ's role in the creation and implementation of the Trump Administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General are conducting reviews of the zero-to… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Trump-DeVos Rewrite Of Borrower Defense Rule

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced a proposed rule rewriting the 2016 Obama Borrower Defense Rule. Under the Borrower Defense to Repayment provision of the Higher Education Act, the Department of Education has the legal authority to provide cheated and defrauded students with complete, immediate, and automatic relief from their federal student loans. 'Stu… Continue Reading

Durbin: Now Is The Time For The Senate To Help Families Buried In Student Loan Debt

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced an amendment to the Financial Services and General Government bill - part of the "minibus" appropriations package being considered this week by the Senate - to make it easier for some struggling student loan borrowers to receive discharge of their student loans in bankruptcy under the "undue hardship" exception. "It is time for the Senate to get serious about the student loan crisis in America," Dur… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On Senate Republicans To Support Election Security Funding For States

WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged his Republican colleagues to support an amendment that would offer an additional $250 million in election security grants for states to protect their election systems. The amendment, which was prepared by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), is being offered to the appropriations legislation the Senate is considering this week. "Every member of this chamber will have … Continue Reading

Durbin Releases Shocking New Data On Department Of Education's Borrower Defense Application Backlog

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out the Trump Administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for findings revealed in a response to Durbin's Questions for the Record (QFR) from June 12, 2018, that show the Department's blatant actions to avoid providing student loan relief to borrowers who were defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges. Under the Borrower Defense to Repayment provision of the Higher Education Act, the Department of Education has the… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On President Trump's Tariff Aid For Farmers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on President Donald Trump's reported plan to provide emergency aid to farmers who are hurting from the Administration's escalating trade war: Bailouts, tweets, and bragging won't save the lost crop value for our farmers and won't protect their reputations around the world as reliable sellers. The president's scorched earth trade war has put a lot at stake for Illinois and our rural economy. So… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Action on Skyrocketing Prescription Drug Costs

CHICAGO - As the costs of prescription drugs continue to soar under the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called for action on several pieces of legislation that would hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable, curb price hikes, and bring much-needed transparency to price setting for prescription drugs in the U.S. "Health care is too expensive for too many working families, and the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs is only exacerbating the problem, causin… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown, Warren, Blumenthal Blast Sec For Weak Settlement With Former For-Profit College Executive

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today slammed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) "incredible" settlement with ITT Educational Services, Inc. (ITT) Chief Executive Officer Kevin Modany. The SEC recently settled its fraud case against Mr. Modany, barring him from serving as a public company executive in the future but agreeing to a fine of just $200,000. Mr. Modany made $36 million at ITT… Continue Reading

Durbin Demands Trump Administration Reunite Families Torn Apart Under "Zero Tolerance" Policy By Deadline Next Week

WASHINGTON-In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Trump Administration to reunite families torn apart by President Trump's cruel "zero tolerance" policy by the court-ordered deadline of July 26, 2018. Durbin's speech comes one week before the deadline. "The 'zero tolerance' [policy] of the Trump Administration resulted in the Department of Homeland Security forcibly separating up to 3,000 children from their parents. I saw some of those… Continue Reading

Durbin To FCC Chairman Pai: Sinclair's Troubling Conduct Deserves Utmost Scrutiny In Sinclair-Tribune Mega-Merger

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai regarding his recent decision to halt its review of the proposed merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Company and refer it to heightened legal scrutiny. Durbin has sent multiple letters to the FCC about troubling aspects of Sinclair's conduct and has called into question the legality of the details in the proposed merger. "Sinclair's… Continue Reading

Durbin, National Security Democratic Senate Leaders Press President Trump For Details On Putin Summit

WASHINGTON - Following President Donald Trump's meeting and press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, where President Trump accepted Putin's election meddling denial, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined top Senate Democrats last night in a letter to President Trump listing a series of questions to clarify if and what commitments he made to Putin during their secretive and lengthy meeting. "American citizens and the whole world watched the leader of the free world alig… Continue Reading

Durbin Presses Heartland Alliance To Look Into Allegations Of Physical & Emotional Abuse At Chicago Facility

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged Heartland Alliance, an Illinois-based social services agency, to look into the disturbing allegations of physical and emotional abuse made by children who were recently cared for at Casa Guadalupe, a Chicago shelter run by Heartland, and take immediate steps to determine what happened, who was responsible, and to ensure that nothing like this happens to any child in the care of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services … Continue Reading

Durbin: My Colleagues Are Failing To Live Up To Their Oath, Refuse To Speak Up And Denounce President Trump's Actions In Helsinki

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Senate Republican colleagues to speak up and put country before party following President Donald Trump's remarks at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Yesterday, we watched in disbelief as the president not only refused to even acknowledge the act of cyber war against the United States, but incredibly blamed America first for our poor relationship with Russia. We watched our American … Continue Reading

Durbin: Trump Joins Putin In "Blaming America First"

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's remarks at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin: President Trump's performance in Helsinki was appalling. By ignoring the evidence of Russian interference in our 2016 election, President Trump joined Vladimir Putin in blaming America for the charges and throwing our intelligence and justice officials under the bus. The President's no… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senior Dem Senators: President Trump Must Cancel Meeting With Putin Unless He Makes Attack On U.S. Election Number One Issue

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee; Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Ho… Continue Reading