Durbin, Duckworth Announce $6.2 Million to Help Close the Digital Divide in Schools and Libraries

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $6,279,820 for Illinois schools and libraries through the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund. “Education is the cornerstone of our nation’s progress and prosperity, but fortoo long, we’ve allowed the digital divide to cast a shadow over the promise of equal opportunity,” said Durbin. “All students, whether they live in rural communities, urban neighbo… Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates Lurie Children's Hospital's Mobile Health Unit Grand Opening

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in Lurie Children’s Hospital’s ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate their new Mobile Health Unit, which Durbin secured $600,000 for in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. This Mobile Health Unit will deliver physicals, immunizations, well-child visits, asthma care, and other services at community sites, health centers, and Chicago Public Schools. “Lurie Children’s is such a beacon forhope and healing, and a trusted … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $650,000 to Support EMS Agencies in Rural Communities

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $653,923 in federal funding through Durbin’s Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act to support EMS agencies in rural communities. The funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which was created through Durbin’s SIREN Act, goes toward supporting EMS agencies in training and recruiting staff, conducting certification courses, and pu… Continue Reading

Durbin, Pritzker, Congressional Leaders, Immigration Coalition Urge President biden to Expand Work Authorizations

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined a press conference hosted by American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Action to urge President Biden to use his existing legal authority to expand work authorizations and help address the labor shortage crisis. “I’m grateful to stand with felloww Members of Congress, business leaders, and immigrant community leaders to push for immigration reform today.  Like Illinois, many states are f… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Lead Illinois Delegation in Urging President Biden to Grant Federal Disaster Declaration for Central Illinois Following Severe Summer Weather

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor J.B. Pritzker’s request forfederal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Illinois, to help 27 Central Illinois counties recover from storm damage.  From late June to early July, severe… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth, Sorensen Statement on Permanent Conversion of Thomson Prison to Low-Security Facility

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today released the following statement regarding the decision by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to permanently convert United States Penitentiary (USP) Thomson into a low-security prison while ensuring that all current Thomson employees will be retained: “We welcome today’s announcement by BOP Director Peters t… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Rural Health Workforce Development at Southern Illinois Healthcare

CARBONDALE – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a roundtable discussion with leaders from Southern Illinois Healthcare, Shawnee Health, the nursing program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and the Egyptian Health Department to discuss his “Roadmap to Grow Illinois’ Rural Health Workforce”. This partnership organized by Durbin with hospitals, community health centers, medical and nursing schools, community colleges, dentists, physicians, and nurses will coordinate ef… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal Request Information on FDA's Proposed Changes to the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highlighting concerns about their proposed changes to the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs (ODSP) following the June 27, 2023, announcement that FDA plans to reorganize the Human Foods Program (HEP) and the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA).  In the letter, the Senators request FDA responds to their questions by September 8, 202… Continue Reading

ICYMI: "Phenomenal Women are Improving the Federal Bench. We're Pushing for More."

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights highlighted the remarkable progress by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, President Biden, and Senate Democrats to nominate and confirm highly qualified, diverse women to the federal bench. The piece was published leading up to Women’s Equality Day, which will be celebrated on Saturday, August 26 to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment … Continue Reading

Durbin Visits Museum of Science and Industry To Tour 'The Blue Paradox' Exhibit Focused on Plastic Pollution

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Museum of Science and Industry’s (MSI) ‘The Blue Paradox’ exhibit, an immersive experience focusing on the pervasiveness of plastics in the oceans and Great Lakes. “Reducing plastic production starts with educating the public, which is exactly what MSI’s ‘The Blue Paradox’ exhibit is doing,” said Durbin. “This exhibit opens our eyes to the realities of plastic use and its impact on the world around us, especially our waters. We must do… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2.1 Million in Federal Grant Funding for Fair Housing Efforts in Chicago-Area

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $2,125,000 in federal funding for Illinois housing non-profits from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The funding comes from the Fiscal Year (FY23) Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) Second- and Third-Year Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) grants.  Continuing the funding these organizations secured in FY21 and FY22 FHIP competitions, today’s… Continue Reading

Durbin, Garcia Visit Franklin Park to Announce $8 Million for Rail Safety

FRANKLIN PARK – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL-4) joined Village of Franklin Park Mayor Barrett Pedersen today to announce $8 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program to complete project development and final design for a grade separation of Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Southern tracks through the Village while closing one or more at-grade crossings… Continue Reading

Durbin Visit Brandon Road Project to Receive Updates

JOLIET – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, a critical pinch point with several technologies to prevent upstream movement of invasive carp and other aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes from the Illinois Waterway, to receive updates on the Project Partnership Agreement and the site’s construction. “There is a looming threat posed by invasive carp to the invaluable economic and environmental resources of our Great Lakes,” sa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Lead Letter to EPA Urging the Agency to Protect Communities from Coal Ash

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founder of the Environmental Justice Caucus, today led eight of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expand the protections in the agency’s newly-proposed rule to safeguard communities and the environment from the dangers of coal combustion residuals (CCR).  In their letter, the Senators express their support forEPA’s move to address the loopholes exempting … Continue Reading

Durbin Attends Illinois State University's Nursing School Campus Ribbon Cutting

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) todayparticipated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for Illinois State University’s (ISU) new Mennonite College of Nursing campus in Springfield, which was established in partnership with Memorial Health System. “Investing in institutions like ISU’s College of Nursing will address the shortage of nurses and help the well-being of our heartland,” said Durbin. “By bringing quality education opportunities downstate, we’re sowing the seeds of a robust heal… Continue Reading

Durbin, Menendez Urge HUD to Provide An Update on Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) along with nine of their Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) urging the agency to take further steps to address the problem of lead poisoning in federally assisted housing.  In the letter, the Senators request on update on HUD’s implementation of a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program lead-risk demonstration project, as was funded by the Cons… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks At Department of Justice National Conference on Supporting Victims of Crime

CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke at the Department of Justice’s annual Office forVictims of Crime (OVC) National Joint Training Conference. In 2021, President Biden signed Durbin’s VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act into law, which has resulted nearly $1 billion in additional deposits into the Crime Victims Fund established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The conference provides an opp… Continue Reading

Following Their Letter, Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Biden Administration for Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following Severe Summer Storms

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker’s request for Individual Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to support Cook County in recovering from severe storms in which localized rainfall totals reached eight inches, resulting in significant power outages and roadway interruptions from June 29 to July … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Federal Approval of Critical Access Hospital Status for Iroquois Memorial Hospital

WATSEKA – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined officials from Iroquois Memorial Hospital to announce that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved “Critical Access Hospital” (CAH) status for the Watseka health care facility. The designation pays certain rural hospitals a higher Medicare reimbursement rate, helping to stabilize and provide a critical financial boost for hospitals like Iroquois Memorial. “Today, we are gathering to announce… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Trump Indictment By Georgia Grand Jury in Election Interference Case

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the indictment of former President Donald Trump by a Georgia grand jury for his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election: “In America, every person indicted or accused of a crime is entitled to a presumption of innocence and the full spectrum of rights under due process.  Former President Donald J. Tru… Continue Reading