Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin, Bustos Discuss Impact of Proposed Tariffs with Local Agricultural Leaders
PEORIA - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today met with local agricultural leaders to discuss how President Trump's threats of a trade war would impact Illinois farmers and rural communities. In response to President Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs announced last month, China has announced plans for tariffs on many U.S. commodities, including products that are critical to the Illinois economy, such as soybeans and pork. Illinois is consistently on… Continue Reading
04.04.18
Durbin Statement On China's Response To President Trump's Tariffs
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on China's decision to place duties on U.S. imports, including soybeans and pork, in retaliation to President Trump's plan to place tariffs on Chinese goods: "Illinois' farmers now join DACA recipients as the latest victims of President Trump's temper. Illinois is our nation's largest producer of soybeans, and a top producer of pork, and will feel China's retaliation to threats of a trade war more … Continue Reading
04.04.18
Durbin Questions Sinclair Broadcasting Dictating Content To Local News Stations
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Sinclair Broadcasting Group Executive Chairman David Smith to explain his company's policy regarding mandating content for local news stations, as well as whether employment consequences exist for local news anchors who do not deliver scripted content from the broadcasting giant. A recent report showing local news anchors reading the same script verbatim continues the troubling history of Sinclair dictating content to its… Continue Reading
04.03.18
Durbin Visits Boeing, Highlights New Funding for Manufacturing Lines
ST. LOUIS - New federal investments in Boeing's Super Hornet and Growler aircraft will provide critical support for thousands of employees in the Metro East, said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) following a tour of Boeing's St. Louis facility today. As Vice Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Durbin worked with Navy leaders to ensure the Fiscal Year 2019 budget includes the purchase of 110 new Super Hornets over the next five years - critical for employees in the region whose jo… Continue Reading
03.27.18
Durbin, Democratic Senators Warn CFPB Against Repeal Of Rule Cracking Down On Predatory Payday Lending Schemes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 42 of his Senate colleagues sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Leandra English and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney urging them to end any efforts to undermine and repeal the CFPB's payday lending rule, which represents an important step in reining in predatory business practices by payday lenders nationwide that are designed to exploit the financial … Continue Reading
03.08.18
Durbin Statement On Trump Tariffs On Steel And Aluminum
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on steel and aluminum: President Trump wants to put China on notice for their abusive trade practices that hurt American workers and industries. I support that. The sweeping tariffs announced today are like dropping a bomb on a flea. Launching an all-out trade war will alienate the allies we need to actually solve the problem of steel dumping, and coul… Continue Reading
03.07.18
Durbin Urges Wells Fargo To Halt Any Plans To Expand Presence On College Campuses
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan that urged the bank to halt any plans it may have to expand its financial footprint on college campuses until the Federal Reserve lifts its recently announced sanctions on the bank. In February, the Federal Reserve announced it would takes steps to stop the growth of Wells Fargo and hold the bank accountable for years of "pervasive and persistent misconduct" until it "sufficiently improves its … Continue Reading
02.22.18
Durbin Warns FCC Of Sinclair's Dubious Divestment Plan For Tribune Mega-Merger
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today warned Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai about the amended proposal filed yesterday by Sinclair Broadcast Group for its proposed $3.9 billion merger with Tribune Media Company. In their amended proposal, Sinclair disclosed its plan to divest from Tribune's WGN-TV Chicago, WPIX-TV New York, and KSWB-TV San Diego stations in order for the merger to comply with the FCC's 39 percent national media ownership cap. However, despi… Continue Reading
02.12.18
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Fiscal Year 2019 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 2019 budget request to Congress: "We knew this was coming. After blowing a massive hole in the budget with a colossal corporate tax giveaway, President Trump now wants seniors and working families to pay for it with huge cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. The wealthy get a massive tax cut and our e… Continue Reading
12.19.17
Durbin to DeVos: Where are gainful employment debt-to-earnings rates?
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Secretary Betsy DeVos on its development and future public release of the second round of debt-to-earnings rates under the Gainful Employment (GE) Rule. The Gainful Employment Rule, which has been in effect since July 1, 2015, uses debt-to-earnings rates to determine which career education programs meet the statutory requirement that they prepare their students for "gainful employ… Continue Reading
12.13.17
Durbin, Duckworth to Roskam, Shimkus: Put Middle-Income Illinoisans Ahead of Large Corporations as Tax Bill Conferees
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged U.S. Representatives Peter Roskam (R-IL-06) and John Shimkus (R-IL-15) - the two members representing Illinois selected to serve on the conference committee tasked with resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - to reconsider their support for the harmful policies contained in the House version of the Republican Tax Plan and to use their roles as conferee to advocate… Continue Reading
12.05.17
Durbin, Duckworth Call On President Trump To Swiftly Nominate Head Of Consumer Watchdog Who Will Put Main Street Ahead Of Wall Street
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) ) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to President Donald Trump calling on him to follow the law and swiftly nominate a permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) who will put working families ahead of Wall Street. In their letter, the Senators cited the CFPB's "aggressive enforcement and supervision," which has resulted in $12 billion in relief to 29 million American consumers who were cheated by financial companies. … Continue Reading
11.30.17
Durbin: Republican Tax Plan Looks Out For Special Interests & Corporations, Not Working Families
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Senate Republicans for ramming through a partisan tax plan this week, which will raise taxes on millions of middle-income families in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin explained how the Republican Tax Plan would also cause 13 million Americans to lose their health insurance - and increase individual market premiums by at least ten percent every… Continue Reading
11.28.17
Durbin: Republican Tax Plan Helps Corporations & Wealthiest Individuals On The Backs Of Working Families
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Senate Republicans for ramming through a partisan tax plan this week, which will raise taxes on millions of middle-income families in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin explained how the Republican Tax Plan would also cause 13 million Americans to lose their health insurance - and increase individual market premiums by at least ten percent every… Continue Reading
11.21.17
Durbin, Leahy Statement On FY18 Defense Appropriations Chairman's Mark
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the release of the Fiscal Year 2018 Defense Appropriations Act. The bill exceeds President Trump's request by $15.3 billion, and exceeds the sequestration caps by $70 billion. This is a step forward, though we remain deeply concerned about the process. So befo… Continue Reading
11.21.17
In New Letters, Durbin, Duckworth Urge Illinois Congressional Republicans To Reconsider Support For GOP Tax Bill
CHICAGO-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed the Republican members of the Illinois congressional delegation to reconsider their support for the House Republican tax plan and the harmful policies within the bill should the House of Representatives be given an opportunity to weigh-in on tax legislation in the future. The House Republican tax plan funds massive tax cuts for the largest corporations and wealthiest Americans by raising taxes on millions of mid… Continue Reading
11.16.17
Durbin Statement On House Passage Of GOP Tax Plan
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Republican tax bill that will finance massive tax cuts for the largest corporations and wealthiest Americans by raising taxes on millions of middle-income families and eliminating vital tax breaks for people in Illinois. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the bill will, on average, increase taxes on every individual making less than $75,000. This H… Continue Reading
11.16.17
Durbin, Duckworth Press Rauner To Weigh In On GOP Tax Plans
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to publically weigh-in on the Republican tax plans in the House and Senate and how these plans would impact Illinois families. Both the House and Senate bills would finance massive tax cuts for the largest corporations and wealthiest Americans by raising taxes on millions of middle-income families and eliminating vital tax breaks for people in Illinois. "Given how quickly Republica… Continue Reading
11.15.17
Durbin, Duckworth Call For Impartial Investigation Into Potential Quid Pro Quo Between Chairman Ajit Pai, Trump Administration, And Sinclair Broadcasting
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined 12 of their Senate colleagues to request the inspector general of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) open and investigation into the objectivity and impartiality of the FCC's review of the proposed merger of Sinclair Broadcasting and Tribune Media. "We have strong concerns that the FCC's ongoing review of the proposed merger of Sinclair Broadcasting and Tribune Media may be gained by a series of actio… Continue Reading
11.15.17
Durbin Urges Trump's Task Force On Apprenticeship Expansion To Prioritize Opportunities For At-Risk Youth
WASHINGTON - During National Apprenticeship Week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed President Trump's Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion to identify programs and policies that will help ensure our nation's most at-risk youth have access to pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship opportunities. In a letter to Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, Chair of the President's Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, Durbin urged him to prioritize identifying strategies to incre… Continue Reading