Durbin & Schakowsky Introduce Legislation To Protect Patients, Improve The Medical Device Recall Process

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today introduced bicameral legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients.  The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format formedical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals.  It a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $15 Million For Health Care Research In Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $15,128,931 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical research grant funding for Illinois institutions. The funding will be put toward research programs across the state to support advancements in sectors ranging from diabetes to aging research. “Investing in medical research through the National Institutes of Health is a commitment to the idea that every America… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Senate Help Committee Markup Of Package To Bolster Health Workforce

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) passed a package of legislation to help bolster America’s health workforce, including reauthorizations of the mandatory funding forcommunity health centers (CHCs) and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), which are set to expire on September 30.  In order to help pay for this legi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s Meeting With U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with United States Senators: “For nearly 19 months, the Ukrainian people have put up a valiant fight against Russia’s renewed aggression—a fight that few thought they could win, but here they are, still standing.  This is, in part, due to President Zelenskyy’s tireless leadership and courageous determination for his … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Department Of Education’s Move To Approve Borrower Defense Claims For Former University Of Phoenix Students

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement applauding the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement that the Department has approved more than 1,200 borrower defense claims filed by students who attended the University of Phoenix (Phoenix) between September 21, 2012, and December 31, 2014.  The relief totals nearly $37 million in repayments to students.  Of the more than 1,200 claims discharged, 50 belonged to Illinois student borrowers, amountin… Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Biden Administration Decision to Grant TPS to Venezuelan Migrants Fleeing Maduro Regime

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement applauding the Biden Administration’s decision to redesignate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).  The Administration’s original designation covered Venezuelans who had arrived in the United States by March 2021.  Today’s announcement makes a similar designation for Venezuelan migrants who were residing in the United States on or before July 31, 2… Continue Reading

Durbin Votes For General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. As New Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, voted to confirm General Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Today’s confirmation vote was held after Senate Democrats were forced to maneuver around U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) irresponsible hold of General Brown’s nomination—but his hold on more than 300 military nominations and promotions remains.  Durbin has repeatedly condemne… Continue Reading

Durbin, Marshall, Welch Call For Passage Of Their Credit Card Competition Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Peter Welch (D-VT), along with the Merchants Payments Coalition and small business owners from across the country, held a press conference calling on Congress to pass their Credit Card Competition Act, bipartisan legislation that would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-Masterc… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly Introduce Care For Moms Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today introduced the CARE for Moms Act as maternal mortality and morbidity continues to rise across the United States, disproportionately impacting Black women.  The CARE for Moms Act builds upon key provisions from Durbin and Kelly’s MOMMA Act, parts of which were passed in bipartisan initiatives including the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, the Helping MOMS Act, and the Preventing M… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets With New CEO Of Advocate Health

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Gene Woods, the new CEO of Advocate Health, to discuss the care provided by the health system in Illinois, and efforts to support the health care workforce while delivering high-quality services to patients.  They discussed Durbin’s Chicago HEAL Initiative, which Advocate has been involved with since 2018 in a collaborative effort across hospitals to address the root causes of violence.  Advocate Health has participated in … Continue Reading

Senate Republican Blocks Durbin’s Attempt To Confirm U.S. Attorney Nominations On The Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today on the Senate floor requested unanimous consent (UC) to confirm the four U.S. Attorney nominations being held by U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH)—Todd Gee, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi; Tara K. McGrath, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of California; Rebecca C. Lutzko, nominated to be United States Attorney for … Continue Reading

Durbin: We Should Protect American Consumers From Outrageous Prices On Prescription Drugs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor emphasizing the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefit to patients following the Biden Administration’s recent announcement of the first 10 drugs that would be negotiated forlower prices, based upon new authority passed by Democrats in Congress and signed into law by President Biden. These 10 medications cost Medicare a total of more than $50 billion last year alone.  In 2022, seniors nationwide sp… Continue Reading

Durbin Talks Workforce Challenges With Illinois Manufacturers’ Association

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) to discuss workforce challenges facing manufacturers across the country.  Illinois manufacturers employ more than 600,000 workers, but face tremendous difficulties finding skilled workers due in part to a skills gap between worker supply and industry demand and an aging workforce, which was exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic. During the meeting, Durbin spoke a… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $375,000 To Address Disparities In Chicago Communities Caused By Menthol And Tobacco Usage

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $375,000 for the City of Chicago through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Building Capacity to Reduce the Burden of Menthol and Other Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products in Communities that Experience Health Disparities Program.” This funding will help advance health equity through strategic partnerships and community engagement to address disparities caused b… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls Out Johnson & Johnson’s Manipulation Of Bankruptcy During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Erik Haas, Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Worldwide Vice President of Litigation, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Evading Accountability: Corporate Manipulation of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.”  The hearing examined Chapter 11 bankruptcy law and the threat posed to consumers and others by legal maneuvers like the “Texas Two-Step.”  Durbin stated that Chapter 11 ban… Continue Reading

Durbin, Klobuchar, Welch, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Urging Court To Uphold Medicare’s Ability To Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), and colleagues in filing an amicus brief in Merck & Co. v. Becerra in the District Court for the District of Columbia urging the federal court to uphold the constitutionality of Congress allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices forconsumers.  “We’re finally making progress on lowering families’ prescription drug costs with… Continue Reading

Durbin, Klobuchar, Welch, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Urging Court to Uphold Medicare’s Ability to Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), and colleagues in filing an amicus brief in Merck & Co. v. Becerra in the District Court for the District of Columbia urging the federal court to uphold the constitutionality of Congress allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers.  “We’re finally making progress on lowering families’ prescription drug costs wit… Continue Reading

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Corporations Evading Accountability By Manipulating Bankruptcy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Evading Accountability: Corporate Manipulation of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.”  This hearing will examine Chapter 11 bankruptcy law and the threat posed to consumers and others by legal maneuvers like the “Texas Two-Step.” Key Quotes: “In October of 2021, Johnson & Johnson faced lawsuits from nearly 40,000 … Continue Reading

Durbin Applauds Bipartisan Appropriations Negotiations In The Senate, Calls On House Leadership To Take Up Serious Effort To Fund Government

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor on the historic undertaking of passing 12 appropriations bills through the Senate as Congress has relied on funding the government through omnibus spending bills for more than five years.    “What you’ve just witnessed here is, we hope, a new day in the United States Senate.  You see, we have the responsibility of appropriating the money for the fede… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Enforcement And Compliance Initiatives With EPA Assistant Administrator

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with David Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator forthe Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  During their meeting, Durbin and Assistant Administrator Uhlmann spoke on a range of issues impacting Illinoisans, including holding polluters accountable, regulation of harmful chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and tackling methane emissions and the… Continue Reading