Durbin, Madigan: In First 100 Days Trump, DeVos get "F" on Protecting Students

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today discussed how, since President Trump took office, the U.S. Department of Education has delayed or ignored several Obama-era rules to increase consumer protections in student loan servicing and protect students from unscrupulous for-profit colleges. In its first 100 days the Trump Administration has drastically slowed the processing of loan discharge applications from students defrauded by for-profit c… Continue Reading

Durbin: Latest GOP Health Care Repeal Attempt Makes a Bad Bill Even Worse

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called out congressional Republicans for their renewed efforts to repeal health care by introducing a new amendment that would make their original plan to repeal health care even worse. "The new version of the Affordable Care Act repeal that the Republicans are now considering in the House would significantly raise costs on Americans aged 50 and above and would gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions,"… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Call for Education Secretary DeVos to Reinstate Student Loan Protections

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined more than 130 Members of Congress calling for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to reverse a decision to rescind Obama-era memos on student loan servicing reforms. The reforms had included new consumer protections for borrowers and improvements to the quality of federal loan servicing. "Your decision to rescind these memos-including the guidance making servicers' past performance and record of compliance with the law the most important non-co… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Legislation to Address Youth Unemployment in High Poverty Areas

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced two pieces of legislation to expand and increase access to employment opportunities for at-risk youth. The Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity (HERO) for At-Risk Youth Act and the Creating Pathways for Youth Employment Act will increase federal resources for communities seeking to create or grow employment programs and provide tax incentives to businesses and employers to hire and retain youth from econo… Continue Reading

Durbin to Trump: Protect America's National Parks & Monuments

WASHINGTON - As President Trump signed a new Executive Order to strip America's National Parks and Monuments, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, legislation to protect 9.2 million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin explained how these landscapes are also the access point for many national parks and offer research, educational, and rec… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kaptur, Bipartisan Great Lakes Coalition Press EPA Chief to Keep Region 5 Office Open

WASHINGTON - Following reports that the Trump Administration plans to abolish Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - which serves Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio - as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) led a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers from the Great Lakes region in calling for the Region 5 office to remain intact and fully supported. In a bicameral letter to EPA Admini… Continue Reading

Durbin: Deputy AG Must be Independent Check on AG Sessions' Extreme Views

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that he will vote in favor of Rod Rosenstein's nomination to be U.S. Deputy Attorney General after the nominee pledged to be an independent voice in the Justice Department. Durbin stressed that, as Deputy Attorney General, Rosenstein must play a critical role in "reining in the Attorney General's worst instincts on immigration," including by mitigating Sessions' threat to withhold federal funding from law enforcement in cities across t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Deutch Introduce Bicameral Climate Change Adapt America Fund Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) today introduced the Climate Change Adapt America Fund Act, bicameral legislation that would create an "Adapt America Fund" administered by the Secretary of Commerce and used to finance climate change adaptation and infrastructure resiliency projects. The bill would also authorize the U.S. Department of Treasury to issue up to $200 million annually in "Climate Change Bonds" to be purchased by Americans concer… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $16 Million in Federal Funding to Combat Opioid Addiction Epidemic in Illinois

CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive $16,328,583 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help combat the prescription drug epidemic that has been ravaging the state. This funding, which is the first of two rounds provided for in the 21st Century Cures Act, will support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services. "The heroin and prescription drug ad… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $100,000 in Federal Funding for Firefighter Training and Resources in Adams County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $108,182 to Adams County Ambulance & EMS through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. This program is administered by the DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. Adams County Ambulance & EMS will use the funds for operations and safety including professional training, wellness a… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Reports DACA Recipient Deported to Mexico

CHICAGO-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, released the following statement after USA Today reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection deported a DACA-protected individual in February. "I'm disturbed about reports that a Dreamer with DACA protection has been deported. I've contacted DHS to demand an explanation. Just last month Secretary Kelly promised me that no one with DACA would lose this protection unless they violated the terms of… Continue Reading

Durbin on Trump Executive Order to Review H-1B Program: Too Little, Too Late

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing several government agencies to review the H-1B visa program. Durbin, who for a decade has sponsored bipartisan legislation to protect American workers from H-1B abuses, sent President Trump a letter more than a month ago urging him to keep his promise to reform the H-1B visa program before the April H-1… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Address Youth Unemployment in High Poverty Areas

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today unveiled two pieces of legislation they will introduce when Congress is back in session next week to expand and increase access to employment opportunities for at-risk youth. The Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity (HERO) for At-Risk Youth Act and the Creating Pathways for Youth Employment Act will increase federal resources for communities seeking to create or grow employment programs and provide tax… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Reports Trump Administration will Close Chicago EPA Office

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Trump Administration plans to close the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 5 Office located in Chicago. "I am deeply concerned by reports the Trump Administration plans to close the EPA's regional office in Chicago. Such an action would be irresponsible - especially in light of last week's chemical spill in Lake Michigan - and demonstrate clear disregard for the health … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $600,000 in Federal Funding for Firefighter Training and Resources

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $628,017 to Brown County Ambulance Service and the State Fire Training Academy at the University of Illinois through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. This program is administered by the DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day … Continue Reading

Durbin Enlists High School Principals, Counselors, Teachers to Sound the Alarm on For-Profit Colleges

CHICAGO - With high school seniors making decisions about their educational futures, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is enlisting the help of Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks of enrolling in a for-profit college. In a letter, Durbin calls on educators to give students "honest and accurate information" to counter the barrage of flashy, often deceptive marketing from for-profits. "Students who attend for-pr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Illinois Delegation Urge FEMA to Make Disaster Deductible Concept Fair to States and Localities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois congressional delegation in a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expressing concern over the impact FEMA's Public Assistance deductible concept will have on states' ability to receive federal assistance after a disaster occurs. FEMA's Public Assistance deductible would require states to meet a predetermined, annual expenditure of state emergency management funds or disaster recovery costs to qualify for FE… Continue Reading

Senators Call on Deputy Attorney General Nominee to Address Recent DOJ Criminal Justice and Police Reform Developments

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) called on Deputy Attorney General nominee Rod Rosenstein - who, if confirmed, would oversee the Department of Justice's criminal justice and police reform efforts - to explain how he would respond after Attorney General Jeff Sessions signaled a reversal of those efforts. In a letter to Rosenstein, the senators asked if he was consulted on… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schatz, Hassan, Schumer Press United Airlines for Answers Following the Forcible Removal of a Passenger

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are pressing United Airlines for answers following the forcible removal of a ticketed passenger on Flight 3411 from Chicago, Illinois to Louisville, Kentucky. "Consumer trust and confidence are critical to ensure this industry continues to thrive, and we hope United Airlines will work diligently to immediately address this incident and make necessary improvements to ensure it does … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Great Lakes Senators Urge Trump Administration to Release Army Corps Brandon Road Study to Stop Spread of Asian Carp

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in calling on the Trump Administration to release a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study that recommends specific measures to prevent Asian Carp from reaching beyond the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, a crucial chokepoint in the Chicago waterway system. The study, which is critical to stopping the flow of Asian Carp and other invasive species, was set to be released at the end of February but… Continue Reading