Durbin, Public Health Organizations Mark 25th Anniversary of Smoke-Free Commercial Flights

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a news conference highlighting the 25th anniversary of his landmark legislation to ban smoking on commercial airline flights. The law gave airline crews the freedom to do their jobs without compromising their health and airline passengers the chance to travel for business or pleasure without inhaling secondhand smoke with every breath. Durbin authored and secured the enactment of the 1987 legislation banning smoking on short-distance commerc… Continue Reading

Bipartisan Senators Call For Tightened Sanctions On Russia, Increased Military Aid To Ukraine

BIPARTISAN SENATORS CALL FOR TIGHTENED SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA, INCREASED MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John McCain (R-AZ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today urged Secretary of State John Kerry to immediately tighten international sanctions against Russia and provide defensive weapons to Ukraine so it can defend its t… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $13.4 Million Investment In Illinois Early Childhood Care

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $13,415,508 grant to the Illinois Department of Human Services to expand home visiting services to women during pregnancy and to parents with young children. The funds will support HHS's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Home Visiting Program). In 2013, the Illinois Maternal and Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant program… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Kelly Applaud President Obama's Announcement That Pullman Historical District Will Become Part Of The National Park System

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) today applauded President Obama's announcement that a portion of Chicago's Pullman Historic District will be designated as a National Monument, making it a unit of the National Park System. Durbin, Kirk, and Kelly have worked to secure national park status for the architecturally unique neighborhood which played important roles in America's railroad, industrial and labor history. "… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Texas Immigration Ruling

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the decision of a U.S. District Judge in Texas in the case of the State of Texas v. United States of America: The Republicans in Congress who are hell-bent on deporting millions of children and their families should not be celebrating this ruling by one outspoken anti-immigration judge in Texas. The Supreme Court has been clear that Presidents have the authority to set federal immigration enforcement priorit… Continue Reading

Durbin Warns Funding For Illinois First Responders At Risk While Republicans Play Politics With Spending Bill

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today warned that if Republicans in the House and Senate continue to play politics with a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), firefighters and other first responders across Illinois could lose out on funding they depend on for operations, equipment and staffing. The bill extending funding for the DHS has stalled as a result of an effort by Republicans to use the bill as a bargaining chip to push for immigration policy changes. The H… Continue Reading

Senators Durbin And Schatz Introduce Sequestration Relief Act of 2015

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Sequestration Relief Act of 2015, which would restore funding for critical domestic and defense programs. Senator Durbin serves as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Defense subcommittee. Senator Schatz serves as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch subcommittee. "As a result of the forced budget savings put in place by the sequester, we have f… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes To Confirm Ashton Carter To Be Secretary Of Defense

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate prior to a vote confirming Dr. Ashton Carter as our nation's 25th Secretary of Defense. The Senate confirmed Dr. Carter on a vote of 93 to 5. During his speech, Durbin spoke about Dr. Carter's appreciation for the men and women who work at the Rock Island Arsenal during their meeting last month. A photo from that meeting is available HERE. "In our discussions I was pleased to hear his appreciation for t… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Murray, DeLauro, To Introduce Healthy Families Act

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today reintroduced the Healthy Families Act, legislation that would allow workers to earn paid sick leave to use when they are sick, to care for a sick family member, to obtain preventive care, or to address the impacts of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault. "Current law allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off, but many Americans simply can't affor… Continue Reading

Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act Of 2015

WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) were joined by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to announce legislation to modernize federal drug sentencing polices by giving federal judges more discretion in sentencing those convicted of non-violent drug offenses. With prison populations skyrocketing and about half of the nation's federal inmates serving sentences for drug offenses, the proposed changes could save American tax… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Bill To Lift Cuban Embargo

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced bipartisan legislation to lift the Cuban trade embargo. Cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the bill will eliminate the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba. The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act will pave the way for new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports and allow Cubans greater acc… Continue Reading

Durbin Cosponsors Bill To Reform The Sugar Program And Save Consumers Billions

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would reform the U.S. sugar program which supports artificially high sugar prices and cost consumers and businesses an estimated $14 billion since 2008. The sugar program hurts American workers by driving good jobs overseas; it hurts American consumers by increasing the price of products made with sugar; and it hurts sugar producers by driving down long term demand for their product. It is estimated th… Continue Reading

Durbin Hosts Illinois Members At Delegation Luncheon

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation at the first bipartisan Illinois Congressional Delegation Luncheon of the 114th Congress. Started by the late U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon, the Delegation Luncheon has been held regularly in Washington, DC at no expense to the federal taxpayer for over 25 years. A photo of today's luncheon is available here. The luncheon today was attended by seven members of the Illinois Cong… Continue Reading

Durbin: GOP Wants To Deport 600,000 Dreamers As The Price For Funding DHS

[WASHINGTON, DC] - With just 15 days until the short-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security expires, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) came to the Senate Floor today to urge Senate Republicans to abandon efforts to play politics with the lives of young people impacted by immigration policies like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). During his speech, Durbin shared the story of Herta Llusho, who received DACA and is now working as an engineer at an energy company in Mi… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Peoria, Illinois Mayor Jim Ardis to discuss 2015 priorities and local economic development plans. A photo from today's meeting is available HERE. "I was pleased to sit down with Mayor Ardis today and discuss the goals he has for Peoria," Durbin said. "Peoria has always been a strong, vibrant city in Illinois. I remain committed to finding initiatives the federal government can take to improve Peoria going forward."… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks At Community College Forum, Discusses Student Loan Debt, For-Profit Colleges, And Affordable Textbooks

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to leaders from community colleges around the country who were in Washington, D.C. for the Association of Community College Trustees annual national legislative summit. Durbin discussed higher education issues including student loan debt, for-profit college oversight, and affordable textbooks. A photo from the meeting is available HERE. "If we expect our economy to grow, a generation of students cannot be saddled with crushing debt,… Continue Reading

Durbin Launches New And Improved Website

[WASHINGTON, D.C] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that he has launched a new, upgraded website which will be more user-friendly and expand services to Illinois constituents. In addition to many new features, the new site was built with dynamic page re-sizing software which will improve viewing experiences for people using a mobile device. The web address for the new site is durbin.senate.gov. "Our new and improved website will make it even easier for Illinoisans to connect… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls On EPA To Move Quickly On Renewable Fuel Standard Proposal

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a meeting with leading biofuels coalition Fuels America, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to move expeditiously in setting production levels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014, and to move ahead on these levels for 2015 and 2016. A photo of today's meeting will be available shortly here. Earlier this week, Durbin joined a bipartisan group of 32 Senators in pressing the EPA to live up to its l… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal, Reed, Brown Introduce Legislation To Close Tobacco Tax Loopholes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was joined today by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Tobacco Tax Equity Act to close loopholes in the tax code that have been exploited by the tobacco industry to avoid regulation and paying taxes for their products. This legislation would establish tax parity across all tobacco products, including new products determined to be a tobacco product by the U.S. Food and Drug Administ… Continue Reading

Durbin: It's Only Right Pullman Be Preserved And Honored As Part Of Our National Park System

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate regarding news that President Obama will designate a portion of Chicago's Pullman Historic District as a National Monument, making it a unit of the National Park System. Durbin, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) have been working together to secure national park status for the architecturally unique neighborhood which played important roles in America's railroad, industri… Continue Reading