Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief And USPS Service With St. Louis Regional Chamber
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with members of the St. Louis Regional Chamber to discuss the latest on negotiations to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill, including unemployment insurance, small business assistance, and protecting the United States Postal Service (USPS). Durbin shared his support for maintaining the $600 per week federal enhanced unemployment benefits and his recent letter to the USPS Postmaster General DeJoy urging him to take corrective … Continue Reading
08.04.20
Durbin: Republicans' Priority In Coronavirus Legislation Is Clear - Corporations Over Struggling Families
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans’ and President Donald Trump’s proposed partisan coronavirus response legislation and their dithering and delay, which allowed the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit to expire last week. Republicans finally released their proposal last week – ten weeks after the House passed the Heroes Act. Nationwide, as many as 30 million Americans are relying on enhanced unemp… Continue Reading
07.30.20
Durbin: I Reject Notion That $600 A Week Keeps People From Going Back To Work
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed Senate Republicans' and President Donald Trump's proposed partisan coronavirus response legislation, and the lack of Senate action to save expanded federal unemployment benefits which are set to expire tomorrow. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called out Republicans' plan to cut the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit to $200 per week. "There are people prepared to go back to work. And I happen to believe th… Continue Reading
07.27.20
Durbin Statement On Republican's Outline For Fourth Coronavirus Stimulus Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on Congressional Republicans' and the Trump Administration's outlined proposal for a fourth coronavirus economic stimulus package: "Ten weeks after the House passed the Heroes Act, and four days before expanded unemployment benefits expire, Republicans and the Trump Administration have finally outlined their priority for the next coronavirus stimulus package: helping corporations over working fami… Continue Reading
07.27.20
Durbin And Welch To Fed: Excessive Debit Swipe Fees Are Hurting Merchants During Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell expressing concern over troubling debit card industry practices that are diminishing competition and costing American merchants potentially billions in excessive swipe fees. Under current law, enacted as part of the 2010 "Durbin Amendment," banks that issue debit cards must enable at least two unaffiliated debit networks to be available for each debit c… Continue Reading
07.17.20
Durbin Discusses Racial Disparities In Federal Investment, Health Care With Illinois Mayors
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with the mayors of communities of color across Illinois about the racial disparities in federal investment, health care access, and economic support. On the call, Durbin discussed state and local fiscal relief funding in the House-passed Heroes Act that would help Illinois recover from the estimated $10 billion in state and local revenues Illinois could lose by next summer. Durbin also spoke about the remaining $130 billion in Paycheck Pr… Continue Reading
07.15.20
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Response With Mayors Lightfoot And Rockingham
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin spoke with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr., who is President of the Illinois Municipal League, to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response and federal relief programs. Topics included assistance to state and local governments, testing, and relief for local small businesses. "I am thankful for the leadership of Mayors Lightfoot and Rockingham during this unprecedented crisis. I appreciated hearing about how t… Continue Reading
07.02.20
Durbin, Duckworth Join Schumer And Wyden To Introduce New Legislation To Extend Expanded Unemployment Insurance & Require Program Continue Providing Benefits Until Economic Conditions Improve
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to introduce the American Workforce Rescue Act, bold, new legislation that would establish "automatic stabilizers" to ensure unemployment benefits remain available for working families during periods of persistent unemployment, a priority for Senate Democrats in the next COVID-19 bill. The proposal would extend the $600 increase in weekly unemployment insurance (UI)… Continue Reading
06.22.20
Illinois Congressional Delegation Urges Small Business Administration To Approve State's Economic Injury Declaration
WASHINGTON - Today, members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza supporting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for a SBA Economic Injury Declaration for qualifying counties in Illinois amid occurrences of looting, arson, and rioting of small businesses across the State. Earlier this month, Governor Pritzker issued a State Disaster Proclamation for Cook and contiguous counties that experienced the highest … Continue Reading
06.16.20
Durbin To McConnell: Stop Holding Up COVID-19 Relief For Corporation Lawsuit Immunity
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about the importance of helping unemployed and uninsured Americans, hospitals, and state and local governments amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's delay in passing a bill to give critical assistance to people in need. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin criticized McConnell's refusal to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill unless corporations receive federal liability immu… Continue Reading
06.10.20
Durbin, Duckworth To Senate Leaders: Protect Health, Safety, And Financial Security Of Illinois' Essential Workers In Next COVID-19 Relief Bil
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to include additional support for the essential workers in Illinois and across the country to effectively protect the health, safety, and financial security of workers in the short term, and ensure that they are in the strongest position possible as the economy recovers. In a letter to the Senate leaders, Durbin and D… Continue Reading
06.04.20
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Bill Extending Paycheck Protection Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill extending the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act allows borrowers 24 weeks instead of eight weeks to use their loan funds, and provides small business owners with greater flexibility in the use of loan funds. "Extending the PPP reflects the reality of this pandemic. Many small businesses in Illinois are struggl… Continue Reading
05.28.20
Durbin Discusses Paycheck Protection Program With Illinois Restaurant Association
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with members of the Illinois Restaurant Association. On a call with the members, Durbin shared the changes he supports to the program, including a bipartisan bill he cosponsored that would extend the deadline to apply for a PPP loan from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and allow borrowers 16 weeks to use their loan funds, instead of eight weeks. Durbin also discussed the future of the restau… Continue Reading
05.26.20
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Bipartisan Bill Extending Paycheck Protection Program
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), to introduce a bipartisan bill that would extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to reflect the fact that economic shutdowns have lasted longer than originally anticipated. The bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act would extend the deadline to apply for a PPP from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and allow borrowers 16 week… Continue Reading
05.22.20
In New Video, Durbin Speaks With UFCW President About Protecting Workers During The COVID-19 Pandemic
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, spoke with Marc Perrone, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, about protecting the health and safety of workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In the video, Durbin and Mr. Perrone discussed the need for clear, comprehensive, and enforceable federal standards, through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for … Continue Reading
05.18.20
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Call For State Unemployment Agency Funding In Future Coronavirus-Related Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), and 10 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Leadership urging them to include additional funding for state unemployment agencies to upgrade their IT systems and increase hiring in future coronavirus-related legislation, with the goal of getting unemployment support to Americans faster. "We write to urge that forthcoming legislation in the Senate relating to the COVID-19 … Continue Reading
02.25.20
Durbin Meets With Illinois Chapter Of The Postmasters And Managers Of America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the national and Illinois chapters of the United Postmasters and Managers of America, which represents current postmasters, managers, and supervisors, to discuss postal reforms and policies affecting federal employees. Durbin discussed critical postal issues including the Trump Administration's threat to privatize USPS service, and protecting 6-day delivery service. "USPS privatization would disproportionately hurt rural communities t… Continue Reading
02.11.20
Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Counter Safety Net Cuts Pushed By Trump Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in introducing the Allowing Steady Savings by Eliminating Tests (ASSET) Act to eliminate asset limits for three vital public assistance programs and raise asset limits for a fourth program. The bill presents an alternative vision for vital public assistance programs. Rather than shredding the safety net by imposing new bureaucratic hurdles for families, as proposed by President Trump in his b… Continue Reading
02.10.20
Durbin Statement On President Trump's FY21 Budget Request
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump submitted his fiscal year 2021 budget request to Congress: "After Congress has repeatedly rejected funding his 'big, beautiful' border wall, the fact that President Trump would request $2 billion for a campaign promise that Mexico was supposed to pay for - while cutting funding from programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Socia… Continue Reading
01.08.20
Durbin Announces Support For USMCA Trade Deal
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a speech on the Senate floor, announced that he will support the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), which updates the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Durbin applauded important labor and pharmaceutical changes secured by Democrats that made the USMCA better for American workers, farmers, manufacturers, and families. He also said the USMCA will support the economy in Illinois. "A new NAFTA, the USMCA, … Continue Reading