Durbin: No Need for Legislation on Cancelled Plans; Administrative Fix Sensible and Addresses the Problem

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following the Obama Administration's announcement that they would allow insurers to offer consumers the option to renew their 2013 health plans in 2014. This would allow a small number of people who received notices that their plans were being cancelled the option to keep their plans for an additional year. The announcement would also require insurers to notify enrollees that they can purcha… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $20 Million in HUD Funding for Chicagoland Housing and Community Development

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that communities and housing agencies in the Chicagoland area will receive a total of $19,906,321 in grant funding through three programs administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help develop urban communities in the area. Under today's announcement, Cook County will receive $14,532,234 in funding. "This funding will give local development agencies in the Chicagoland area the ability to expand an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Gillibrand Introduce Legislation to Promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation Through 'Fab Lab' Network

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation to invest in the next generation of American entrepreneurs and innovators by establishing a national network of fabrication laboratories, known as "fab labs." Fab labs are small, community-based workshops that give members of the public - from students to small businesses - access to educational resources and high-tech equipment that can design, develop, and create new pro… Continue Reading

Durbin, Franken Introduce Legislation to Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Al Franken (D-MN) today introduced legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors and the public for free. This bill, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would create a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education, working with professors and other organizations, to create and expand the use of textbooks that can be made available onl… Continue Reading

Senators Question Energy Drink Manufacturer Over Toys Featuring Rockstar Energy Logo

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After evidence of several toys featuring the Rockstar Energy drink logo was brought to their attention by a concerned consumer, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John D. Rockefeller (D-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) again questioned the energy drink manufacturer about their marketing efforts directed toward children - a practice Rockstar Energy has repeatedly denied. "Despite statements from your company that Rockstar, Inc. does not market to childr… Continue Reading

Durbin-Kirk Bill to Protect Schoolchildren with Allergies Signed Into Law by President Obama

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) celebrated today as President Barack Obama signed into law their bipartisan legislation to encourage schools across the country to maintain access to critical life-saving medication for children with food and other allergies. The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act will encourage states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors to be used if students have life threatening … Continue Reading

Senators Urge USTR to Safeguard Tobacco Control Measures and Protect Public Health in Trade Agreement

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-SD), Edward Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Al Franken (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) wrote to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman to express their concerns regarding the USTR's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement Tobacco Proposal, which does not curre… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk Announce Passage of Their Bill to Protect School Children with Allergies

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) said today that students with severe allergies will be safer at school following Congress' passage of their legislation encouraging states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors. The devices are used if students have life threatening anaphylactic reactions. After moving through the House this summer, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act passed the Senate last week and now heads to the P… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Super Typhoon Haiyan

CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today regarding the situation in the Philippines in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan: "The images of the damage caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines are harrowing. The loss of life is devastating and the humanitarian crisis resulting from the storm will bring challenging days ahead. Secretary of State John Kerry has directed our embassies in the region to be in contact with the Philippine governmen… Continue Reading

Durbin: White House Nominates Rosenstengel to Fill Federal Judicial Vacancy in Southern District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has nominated Nancy J. Rosenstengel to fill an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois. "Nancy Rosenstengel is an excellent candidate for a federal judgeship in Illinois," said Durbin. "Throughout her legal career, she has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge which, once approved, will serve her well as the first female district court judge to serve in … Continue Reading

With Illinois Poised to Become the 15th State Legalizing Gay Marriage, Durbin Heralds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to End LGBT Discrimination in the Workplace

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Prior to Senate passage of the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke at a press conference in support of the measure, which is the most important gay-rights legislation to come before the Senate since the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In his remarks, Durbin praised his colleague U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), who has supported ENDA since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2001. The legislation … Continue Reading

Durbin, Harkin, Cohen: Congress Should End Loophole That Encourages For-Profit Colleges To Target Veterans & Servicemembers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP), today introduced legislation in the Senate that would help put an end to the for-profit industry's predatory marketing campaigns and aggressive recruiting of veterans, servicemembers and their families. The Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act, which U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) will introduce in the Hou… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Thomson Prison at Senate Oversight Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee examining the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the important job creation that Thomson prison will bring to both Illinois and Iowa. "The opening of Thomson prison is going to create good paying jobs for people living in Iowa and my home state of Illinois," said Durbin. "It is going to lessen the overcrowding in the prison system and provide critical beds that are necessary for the … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Kirk & Duckworth at Senate Committee Hearing on Disability Rights Treaty

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced two members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation - U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) - prior to their testimony before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Today, both Kirk - who suffered a life-threatening ischemic stroke last year - and Duckworth - who was injured while serving in the Illinois Army … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $25 Million Grant to University of Illinois to Increase Food Supply in Africa

[CHAMPAIGN, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is receiving a $25 million federal grant to lead a consortium of universities and non-governmental organizations working to increase the food supply in Africa by improving soybean yields in five countries on the continent. The five-year grant is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). "Over the years, it has been my privilege to support the resear… Continue Reading

Durbin to Farm Bill Negotiators: Now Is Not the Time to Further Cut Food Assistance for Hard-Working Illinoisans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said the claims that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as 'food stamps', is growing out of control are false and that now is not the time to cut this important assistance for hard-working Illinoisans and their families. "The recent economic downturn caused hard-working people to lose their jobs. SNAP is an important safety net that caught those families while they worked… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk Bill to Protect School Children with Allergies Passes United States Senate

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) celebrated Senate passage today of their bipartisan legislation to encourage schools across the country to maintain access to critical life-saving medication for children with food and other allergies. The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act will encourage states across the nation to improve school access to epinephrine auto-injectors to be used if students have life threatening systemic allergic reacti… Continue Reading

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Advances Durbin-Sponsored Legislation to Expan Student Loan and Housing Assistance for Servicemembers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A hearing today of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee made legislative advances on three bills to provide additional assistance to servicemembers and military families sponsored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, the Servicemember Housing Protection Act, and the Benefits Fairness for Filipino Veterans Act. The bills must receive a vote by the full Committee before proceeding to a vote on the Senate floor. "Our nation'… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with CEO of Greater Chicago Food Depository to Discuss Importance of Protecting Food Assistance for Millions of Working Families

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Kate Maehr, to discuss the importance of protecting funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as congressional negotiators begin to work on a compromise between two different versions of the Farm Bill as part of a House-Senate Conference Committee. He is scheduled to speak with the Illinois Hunger Coalition about the same issue later this week. This week, … Continue Reading

Durbin: It Is Time for Stand Your Ground Laws To Be Carefully Reconsidered

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, called for state "stand your ground" laws to be carefully reconsidered following recent and high profile shootings of unarmed young people. These laws, one of which played a key role in the trial surrounding the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, give individuals legal permission to use lethal force to prot… Continue Reading