Durbin Reintroduces Legislation To Preserve American Leadership In Biomedical And Scientific Research

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced a pair of bills to preserve America's standing as a leader in scientific discovery and innovation. The American Innovation Act and The American Cures Act would steadily increase funding for biomedical and scientific research conducted at the nation's premier federal research agencies. "These bills will allow America's best scientists and researchers to spend less time worrying about their budgets and more time creating new technolog… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Warn Of Breakdown Of Bipartisan Selection Process For Federal Judicial & U.S. Attorney Nominees Under Shimkus

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called on U.S. Representative John Shimkus (R-IL) to honor the decades-long tradition of bipartisanship in the selection of U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals, and Federal District Court Judges in Illinois. Rep. Shimkus has delayed reestablishing this bipartisan process in order to consult with the Trump Administration-a process that is more urgently needed since last Friday when Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired all sitt… Continue Reading

Durbin: Republican Health Care Repeal Bill Means Tens Of Millions Lose Health Insurance

WASHINGTON - Following the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) blistering analysis of Republicans' plan to repeal health care, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) explained how the proposal would hurt millions in Illinois and across the country, especially seniors and low- and middle-income families. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican bill for providing tax breaks for the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations in America while increasing out-of-pocket… Continue Reading

Durbin, Rubio Reintroduce Legislation To Promote Education Abroad

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today reintroduced legislation to expand educational opportunities for the world's poorest children. The Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act addresses barriers to school attendance, retention, and completion in developing countries by leveraging U.S. contributions through collaboration with governments, civil society, and global education initiatives. Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Dave Reiche… Continue Reading

Durbin, Murray, Warren Lead Group Of Senators Calling On Education Department To Explain Delay Of Gainful Employment Rule

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to explain the Department's decision to delay the implementation of the Gainful Employment (GE) rule, which requires career training programs to provide students with reasonable return on their educational investment - good-paying jobs that allow them to repay their student debt. Last week, the Department of Education announced it would postpone the deadline f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Urge Rauner To Weigh In On Republican Health Care Repeal Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) once again called on Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to explain how Congressional Republicans' plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act will affect Illinois families, health care providers, and the state's economy. The senators expressed concern that a new Republican bill-which is currently being rammed through Congress without appropriate analysis or consideration-would take away health care from millions of Americans, increa… Continue Reading

Senators Call On Deputy Attorney General Nominee Rosenstein To Clarify Stance On Sessions Recusal, Respond To Intel Report On Russian Cyberattacks

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) today called on Rod Rosenstein, President Trump's nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, to clarify his views on Attorney General Jeff Sessions' partial recusal on Justice Department investigations into the Trump Administration's Russian connections, if he discussed Sessions' recusal with the White House prior to the announcement, and to res… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $3.5 Million In Federal Funding For Prevention Health Services Across Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded the Illinois Department of Public Health $3,622,508 through the Prevention and Public Health Fund. The Prevention Fund was established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to provide $16 billion over 10 years to states and localities to invest in effective and innovative prevention efforts - like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessa… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On CBO Analysis Of Trumpcare

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the House Republican health care repeal, which estimates that 14 million people would lose their health insurance by 2018, and cause 24 million people to lose coverage by 2026: The CBO score is in, and 24 million Americans are out. This is the Republicans' answer to health care in America-24 million people without health insurance.… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Work To Bring Fairness To Fema Disaster Declaration Process

WASHINGTON - Following last week's string of severe weather and tornadoes that caused extensive damage and three fatalities across Illinois, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the introduction of the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act. The bill would reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster declaration process to make it more transparent and equitable to small and rural communities in larger states like Illinois. Due t… Continue Reading

Durbin, Chicago Delegation Members Meet With Illinois Tollway In Support Of Elgin O’hare Western Access Project

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Danny Davis (IL-07) today met with Illinois Tollway Chairman Bob Schillerstrom to express their support for the Tollway's petition to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) regarding their ongoing dispute with Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) over the Elgin O'Hare Western Access (EOWA) project. The project creates new western road access … Continue Reading

Durbin, Wicker Introduce Legislation To Promote Study Abroad

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) today introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act, which creates a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities for American college students. Study abroad is an important component of a well-rounded post-secondary education, giving students the opportunity to engage with other cultures, enhance foreign language skills, and expand international k… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $4 Million Loan To Expand Broadband Service In Moultrie County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a $4,000,000 federal loan for the Moultrie Independent Telephone Company (MITCO) to expand broadband service in the Moultrie County area. MITCO will use the funds to make upgrades to fiber service in a portion of its service territory. Today's funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Telecommunications Programs of the Rural Utilities Service. "Without reliable access to broa… Continue Reading

Durbin: President Trump Trying To Deflect From Number One Issue: Russia

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about President Donald Trump's desperate attempts to distract the American public and media from the astonishing series of revelations about Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 election in support of the Trump campaign. Senator Durbin also renewed his call for an independent, transparent investigation of Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election. "It's important to step back from th… Continue Reading

Durbin To Trump: Generating Real Solutions To Chicago’s Violence Requires More Than 140 Characters

WASHINGTON - In anticipation of the release of President Donald Trump's first budget request to Congress, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today pressed the President to include increased investments in federal programs that will help Chicago reduce violence by expanding economic opportunities and addressing health and education disparities in the hardest-hit communities. In a letter to President Trump, Durbin broadly outlined the need for a more… Continue Reading

Durbin: Nothing Ordinary About Investigation Into Russian Connection

WASHINGTON - With newly-confirmed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions facing mounting scrutiny over previously undisclosed contact with Russian officials, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today grilled Deputy Attorney General nominee Rod Rosenstein regarding the Justice Department's investigation into Russia's cyber act of war against the 2016 U.S. presidential election. If confirmed, Rosenstein would oversee any Justice Department inves… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Republican Health Care Repeal Plan

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after House Republicans released their health care repeal legislation: "The Republican health care repeal plan would cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance. It increases costs for seniors and middle-class families and cuts benefits. It would end Medicaid as we know it-hurting seniors, children, people with disabilities, as well as shifting costs onto already-stretched state budg… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $4 Million In HUD Funding For Illinois Affordable Housing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the State of Illinois will receive $4,310,055 in grant funding through the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), a federal grant program administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HTF program seeks to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, including homeless families. HTF funds may be used for… Continue Reading

Durbin Reintroduces Bill To Give Students Defrauded By For-Profit Colleges Their Day In Court

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has reintroduced legislation designed to strengthen students' ability to hold for-profit colleges accountable in court for their misconduct. The Court Legal Access & Student Support (CLASS) Act prohibits any school receiving Title IV student aid funding from placing restrictions on students' ability to pursue legal claims, individually or with others, against higher education institutions in court. The CLASS Act aims to end the strategic use of ma… Continue Reading

Durbin, Casey Reintroduce Bill To Support Congenital Heart Defect Research

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bob Casey (D-PA) reintroduced legislation to promote federal research on congenital heart defects (CHD) and raise awareness of the impact these health problems have throughout patients' lives. The Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act also helps states collect data on the prevalence of CHD and understand trends and disparities among those living with CHD. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced its companion … Continue Reading