Durbin Meets with Illinois Board of Elections Director to Discuss Election Security

WASHINGTON - Amid House and Senate Intelligence Committee public hearings on Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Steve Sandvoss, the executive director of the Illinois Board of Elections to discuss preventive measures that should be taken to address election security. Mr. Sandvoss testified at the public Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today. "Russia has been refining its tactics of cyber warfare against de… Continue Reading

Durbin: All It Takes Is Three Republican Senators to Step Up and Stop Secret Health Care Repeal Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed Senate Republicans to stand up for the American people and call on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to draft health care legislation in a bipartisan and transparent manner. Durbin noted that if just three out of the 52 Republican Senators refuse to vote for the secret health care repeal bill, it would force Leader McConnell to go back to the drawing board. "Why are we in this position when ten days before changing the hea… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Warn of Illinois Transportation Shut Down if State Budget Agreement Isn't Reached

WASHINGTON - As Illinois rapidly approaches the end of the state's fiscal year, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Governor Bruce Rauner and Illinois state legislative leaders to reach a budget agreement in order to avoid an unnecessary transportation shut down that could cost tens of thousands of jobs across the state. In a letter to Governor Bruce Rauner, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, Illinoi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Lawsuit Against Trump for Foreign Conflicts of Interest

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined 194 Members of Congress in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump alleging that he has violated the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause, one of its most important anti-corruption provisions. The suit, filed in federal district court in the District of Columbia, alleges that the President has received numerous benefits from foreign states without first seeking or obtaining con… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Families of Wounded Warriors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) today introduced bipartisan legislation to help make certain wounded warriors and their families are fully aware of the services available to them through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) caregiver program. The Caregiver Program Information Improvement Act of 2017 would require the caregiver program to be added to the list of statutorily-mandated counseling items for service members pending separation from the Depar… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, LaHood & Bustos Urge President Trump to Scrap Plans to Close Peoria Ag Lab

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today pressed President Trump to scrap plans to close the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, Illinois. The Trump Administration's fiscal year 2018 budget proposed closing 17 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) laboratories, including the NCAUR in Peoria. "For nearly eighty… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $2 Million in Federal Funding to Provide Maternal & Child Health Services in Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the Illinois Department of Public Health with $2,135,940 in federal funding to improve access to and the quality of health care for mothers, children, and their families, especially for those with low-incomes or limited availability of care, throughout Illinois. This funding is provided through the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Servic… Continue Reading

Durbin, Hastings Work to Strengthen Illinois' Election Systems From Future Acts of Cyberwarfare

WASHINGTON - Amid reports that Russia's cyberattack on the U.S. electoral system leading up to the 2016 election was far more widespread than had been publicly revealed, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-IL-19) are working with 110 local Illinois election authorities to assess the current state of Illinois' election system's cybersecurity and to see how the federal and state governments might best assist their efforts to strengthen the cybersecurit… Continue Reading

HHS Secretary Price to Durbin: I Have Not Seen Senate Republicans' Plan to Repeal Health Care

WASHINGTON - In a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price admitted to U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) that he has not seen the Senate Republicans' secret plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip away health care from millions of Americans. For the past few weeks, a group of 13 male Republican senators have been crafting… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on This Morning's Shooting

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: Our hearts go out to the victims of a tragic shooting this morning. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the United States Capitol Police who put their lives on the line this morning and each and every day to keep members, staff, and visitors safe.… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Sessions Testimony in Intel Committee

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the Senate Intelligence Committee: In his first few weeks as the nation's highest ranking legal authority, Attorney General Sessions has recused himself from the investigation of Russian interference in our election, recommended the dismissal of the Director of the FBI, reportedly offered his resignation to the President, and refused to answer ques… Continue Reading

Durbin to Senate Republicans: Keep Your Word and Draft Health Care Repeal Bill in the Light of Day

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today denounced Senate Republicans for drafting their partisan health care repeal bill in secret, and for refusing any meaningful bipartisan input on the bill or to hold any hearings on their legislation before it comes to the floor for a vote. Durbin's speech comes before President Trump's meeting with the 13 Republican Senators who have been drafting the repeal bill behind closed doors. "What is the proposal of the… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $324,000 in Federal Funding for Cook County Drug Court Program

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $324,811 grant to the Circuit Court of Cook County to enhance services provided by the Cook County Drug Court Treatment Program. The Cook County Drug Court Treatment Program addresses the negative effect of the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol on the criminal justice system in the State of Illi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Comey Testimony in Intel Committee

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey before the Senate Intelligence Committee: The question for the American people is: who do you trust? Director Comey kept extensive records of what the President asked of him, and agreed to testify publicly under oath. That speaks volumes. No person-not even the President-should try to influence or stop a criminal investigation. Special Counsel Mueller is… Continue Reading

Durbin Pushes HUD Secretary Carson for His Support for the Families Impacted by Cairo Housing Crisis

WASHINGTON-During a hearing of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson to commit to ensuring that the 183 affected households living at Elmwood and McBride housing complexes in Cairo, Illinois, will have the full support of HUD as they transition to new housing. "Cairo is Exhibit A in mismanagement in Wa… Continue Reading

Durbin: Trumpcare Threatens Rural Hospitals and The People Who Depend on Them

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Congressional Republicans for continuing to push their health care repeal bill even though it would jeopardize rural communities across the country. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicaid expansion, the rate of uninsured adults in rural Illinois communities dropped from 17 percent to 8 percent. Today, 97 percent of all kids in Illinois have health insurance. And in rural Illinois comm… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Schakowsky & Illinois Democrats Urge Rauner to Weigh In On Republican Health Care Repeal Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), along with every Democratic member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, once again called on Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to explain how Republicans' plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act will affect Illinois families, schools and students, health care providers, and the state's economy. The members expressed concern that the Republican health care repeal bill-which p… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth to Mondelez: Invest in the U.S. by Reversing Course on Corporate Offshoring

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) are pressing Mondelez International - a confectionery, food, and beverage company based in Deerfield, Illinois - to end its ongoing corporate practice of shifting production from the company's U.S. bakeries to its bakeries in Mexico. Their letter to Mondelez's CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, follows Mondelez's move to close the Oreo cookie production line and cut 600 jobs from its iconic Chicago bakery, which has been a major economic … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Trump Pulling U.S. from Historic Paris Climate Agreement

CHICAGO-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump announced that the U.S. will pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, an historic deal negotiated by former-President Obama to combat climate change: "Pulling out of the international agreement to protect this Earth from the threat of climate change is a fateful message to our children and grandchildren. The President and his party have chosen politics over science and greed over responsibility. With t… Continue Reading

Durbin Visits South Korea to Discuss Regional Threats

CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has returned from South Korea, where he met with newly-elected President Moon Jae-in, his National Security Advisor, Defense Minister, and other key officials. Durbin also met with U.S. diplomatic and military personnel deployed on the Korean peninsula. "The Trump Administration has taken an aggressive stance with North Korea and made contradictory statements that have rattled the international community-I wanted to get a sense for how that is bei… Continue Reading