Press Releases
Durbin, Kirk, Delegation Support Illinois Appeal for Federal Public Assistance for Southern and Central Illinois Counties
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) were joined by the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation today sending a letter to President Obama asking him to reconsider the denial of the State of Illinois' request for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance to the counties that were hardest-hit following the storms and severe flooding that began on December 23, 2015 and continued through January 13, 2016. "On March 10, the State was … Continue Reading
April 06, 2016
Durbin Meets with Supreme Court Nominee Judge Merrick Garland
[WASHINGTON]-Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met today with Supreme Court Nominee Chief Judge Merrick Garland. "It's great to have this son of Illinois come visit me today," Durbin said before the meeting. Afterwards, Durbin held a media availably during which he discussed Judge Garland's experience, qualifications, and Illinois connections. "I've just met personally and directly with Merrick Garland, President Obama's … Continue Reading
April 06, 2016
Durbin Takes Concerns About Wait Times at Hines to VA Secretary During Meeting in Washington
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald, to explain the Department's progress in implementing corrective actions at Hines VA Hospital to address concerns over wait times and the handling of whistleblower allegations. Durbin also spoke with McDonald about the need for strong leadership at Hines which has not had a permanent Director since 2014. "I told Secretary McDonald today that measures … Continue Reading
April 04, 2016
Durbin Applauds Treasury Action to Curb Corporate Inversions, Earnings Stripping
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced new actions to curb corporate inversions and address earnings stripping: "When corporations choose to invert and don't pay their fair share of taxes, they leave the rest of us to pick up the tab. Families and small businesses in Illinois and across the country don't have teams of tax lawyers to shift their tax domiciles overseas, or shift their profits and debts on or … Continue Reading
April 01, 2016
Durbin, Kirk Lead Illinois Delegation Call for Federal Relief for Small Businesses Impacted by Winter Floods
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) were joined by the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation today sending a letter to President Obama asking him to issue a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Declaration for Christian and Iroquois Counties, which were severely impacted by severe storms and flooding this winter. This designation will allow residents and businesses in the region to receive SBA loans. These loans provide assistance to … Continue Reading
April 01, 2016
Durbin, Davis, Bost Respond to NGA Decision
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL) released the following statement today after the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced a decision regarding the location of its new facility - known as NGA West. "We are disappointed that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has not decided to build its new facility here in Illinois. Scott Air Force Base remains one of our … Continue Reading
March 29, 2016
Durbin Applauds Administration Action to Address the Prescription Opioid Abuse and Heroin Epidemic
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded a new effort by federal, state, local and private sector partners to address the ongoing problem of prescription drug and heroin addiction and abuse. Durbin especially welcomed the commitment of more than sixty medical schools across the country - including Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University - to require their students take some form of … Continue Reading
March 24, 2016
Durbin Discusses Bill to Expand Access to Substance Abuse Treatment Under Medicaid
[CASEYVILLE, IL] - In the midst of the continuing heroin and prescription opioid abuse epidemic, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed legislation he has introduced to expand access to treatment for people who are not receiving the addiction care they need. The Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion (Medicaid CARE) Act would modify the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) Exclusion policy-a decades-old Medicaid policy that has had the unintended consequence of … Continue Reading
March 17, 2016
Durbin Questions Whether Credit / Debit Card Chip Technology Rollout is Adequately Protecting Competition & Consumers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today questioned the Chairman of EMVCo - an organization that controls the specifications governing credit and debit card chip technology - seeking information on whether the deployment of this technology in the United States is adequately preserving competition and protecting consumers. "Magnetic stripe debit and credit cards have long been a key vulnerability that has put consumers' sensitive financial information at risk," said … Continue Reading
March 16, 2016
Durbin Initiatives to Improve Mental Health Services & Combat Prescription Opioid Abuse Included in Committee Passed Legislation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that his legislation to improve mental health services on college campuses - Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act - and his initiative to require better FDA oversight of opioids that he originally introduced as an amendment to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) were included in the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 that was passed by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions earlier … Continue Reading
March 16, 2016
Durbin Applauds Chicago City Council Action to Reduce Youth Tobacco Use
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the Chicago City Council's action today to prevent and reduce youth tobacco use. "Thanks to tobacco control measures like banning smoking in public places and placing warning labels on cigarette cartons, far fewer people smoke now than did fifty years ago. But we still have a long way to go. The Chicago City Council took action today to move us closer to our goal of a generation of kids who grow up tobacco-free. I commend Alderman … Continue Reading
March 16, 2016
Durbin Statement on Nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the President's nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court: I applaud President Obama's decision to nominate Chief Judge Merrick Garland. Judge Garland is an outstanding attorney and jurist with an admirable list of accomplishments. Born in Chicago and raised in Lincolnwood, Illinois, he received undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard and … Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
Durbin Joins Senate Democrats to Introduce Major College Affordability Reform Legislation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and members of the Senate Democratic caucus to introduce the In the Red Act - a major reform to address college affordability and put America on a path toward debt-free college education. The In the Red Act will allow student loan borrowers to refinance outstanding debt at lower rates, increase Pell Grants to keep pace with rising costs and make a new investment in community college. … Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Mental Health Services on College Campuses
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Responding to the pressing need for enhanced mental health services on college campuses across the country, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) today to introduce bipartisan legislation to improve mental health services on college campuses. The Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act - which was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky - would provide funding to … Continue Reading
March 15, 2016
Durbin, Schakowsky, Bustos to Travel to Cuba with President Obama
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) will travel to Cuba on Sunday with President Obama. Obama will be only the second sitting U.S. President to visit Cuba after Calvin Coolidge's visit in 1928. "I'm excited to join President Obama in Cuba-the changes he has made to America's Cuba policy mark a new and long overdue diplomatic chapter in our hemisphere," said Durbin. "Reestablishing travel and trade … Continue Reading
March 14, 2016
Durbin Statement on VA Action Against For-Profit DeVry University
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has suspended DeVry University's status as a "Principles of Excellence" school. DeVry University is a for-profit college whose students cumulatively hold $8.3 billion in student debt - the fourth highest debt volume of any higher education institution in America - and have a 2009 five-year cohort student loan default rate of 43%. "I'm … Continue Reading
March 11, 2016
Durbin Statement on Department of Education's Proposed Mandatory Arbitration Ban
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the Department of Education released its latest proposal for new federal regulations on federal student loan relief for students who attended colleges or universities that engaged in unlawful, unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices. The proposal includes a provision that, if adopted in the rulemaking process, would effectively end the use of mandatory arbitration agreements by institutions of higher … Continue Reading
March 10, 2016
Senators Ask for Investigation Into Large One-Size-Fits-All Cancers Medication That Costs Patients & Taxpayers Billions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Eleven U.S. Senators today called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to investigate the impact that selling medicine in large one-size-fits-all vials - that exceed the amount needed by most patients - has on the federal health care system and public health - including access to medicine. Further, the letter requests recommendations regarding how Congress and the Administration can work together to combat this … Continue Reading
March 10, 2016
Durbin: Senate Passes Legislation Authorizing Programs to Combat Heroin Epidemic, But Falls Short on Funding
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act which outlines an integrated approach to fighting heroin and opioid abuse. At the same time, Durbin cautioned that the bill falls short of providing the required funding to implement many of the important programs in the bill. Prior to final passage of the legislation, the Senate defeated an amendment - supported by Durbin - that would have provided $600 million in … Continue Reading
March 09, 2016
In Letter to Education Department, Durbin Raises Concerns About Apollo Sale
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to Under Secretary Ted Mitchell at the Department of Education, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today questioned how the sale of Apollo Education Group to a group of private investors will impact students and taxpayers at a time when the University of Phoenix - owned by Apollo - has come under increased scrutiny from state and federal regulators. "While it is still unclear what the transaction and new ownership will mean for academic quality and student … Continue Reading