Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Consumer and Financial Protection
Durbin Introduces Legislation to Ensure All Foreign Medical Schools are Held to Same Standards
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation that would close a loophole that has given special treatment to a small number of medical schools in the Caribbean that, last year, took in more than $450 million in U.S. Department of Education Title IV funding. Durbin's Foreign Medical School Accountability Fairness Act would require five Caribbean medical schools - four of which are for-profit institutions - to meet the same minimum requirements that every othe… Continue Reading
12.11.13
Durbin, Warren, Boxer, Reed Introduce Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was joined by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Jack Reed (D-RI) today in introducing legislation to ensure struggling student loan borrowers are treated fairly and understand the full range of repayment options and resources available to them. "Student loan debt has tripled over the last decade," Durbin said. "With student loan debt far outpacing the rise in starting salaries, many borrowers find that despite … Continue Reading
12.03.13
Durbin Introduces Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that when the Senate reconvenes next week he and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) will introduce legislation to ensure struggling student loan borrowers understand the full range of repayment options and resources available to them and are treated fairly by the financial institutions servicing their loans. "Student loan debt has tripled over the last decade with more than 40 million borrowers owing abou… Continue Reading
12.03.13
Durbin Statement on the CFPB's Announcement It Will Begin Overseeing Nonbank Student Loan Servicers
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on today's announcement by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that it would begin supervising nonbank student loan servicers with more than one million accounts: "Today's announcement by the CFPB ensures that millions more student loan borrowers will enjoy the strong consumer protections that come with the scrutiny of this vital agency. Large loan servicers operating outside the banking system will now… Continue Reading
12.02.13
Durbin: Healthcare.gov Working Better for Illinois Families
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today the problems with Healthcare.gov, the national health insurance marketplace, have been dramatically improved and encouraged Illinois families looking for health care coverage to log-in, shop for plans and to see how they can benefit. "The launch of the national health insurance marketplace was a disaster and left Illinois families frustrated, angry and uncertain about how they'll be find affordable health coverage," D… Continue Reading
11.14.13
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
11.12.13
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
10.31.13
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
10.29.13
Durbin Calls on Dietary Supplement Manufacturer to Prove Compliance with Federal Law Regulating New Ingredients
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on USPLabs to provide information showing it has complied with federal law requiring dietary supplement manufacturers to report new dietary ingredients and evidence of their safety to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a letter to the CEO and Co-Owner of USPLabs, Durbin raised concerns about OxyElite Pro, a diet supplement that may be linked to 48 cases of liver injury including death. The product contains aegeline - a n… Continue Reading
09.26.13
Durbin, Harkin, Rockefeller, Waxman & Members of Congress Call on E-Cigarette Makers to Explain Marketing Tactics Targeting Kids
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing a dramatic increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and youth, twelve members of Congress today called on nine e-cigarette makers to provide additional information regarding the sale, distribution, labeling, and marketing of their products to children and teens. Currently, e-cigarettes are not subject to federal laws and regulations that apply to traditional cigarettes such … Continue Reading
09.25.13
Durbin: NFL, NHL, NBA, US Soccer, NCAA Endorse Concussion Safety Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After receiving endorsements from six national professional and collegiate sports organizations, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to strengthen K-12 schools' procedures for preventing, detecting, and treating student-athletes who suffer concussions while competing. The National Federation of State High School Associations estimates that about 140,000 students playing high school sports suffer concussions every year though many go unreported. … Continue Reading
09.25.13
Durbin, Markey, Rockefeller, Blumenthal Call on Energy Drink Companies to Stop Marketing to Children
[WASHINGTON, DC] In the latest step in their ongoing investigation into the energy drink industry, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), today called on 17 major energy drink companies to commit to voluntary steps in the marketing and promotion of energy drink products, including not marketing to children nor selling products in K-12 schools. The requests to the companies come after the July Senate Comm… Continue Reading
09.10.13
Durbin to Duncan: Time to Crack Down on For-Profit Medical Schools That Use Offshore Loophole
[WASHINGTON, DC] - In a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) raised the alarm about foreign medical schools that are not accredited by approved U.S. accrediting bodies, but are still eligible for federal Title IV funds due to a 1992 loophole that allowed a small number of these schools to qualify for federal funding under lower standards than other foreign medical schools. An investigative report that appeared today in Bloomberg Markets Magazine highligh… Continue Reading
09.05.13
Durbin, Blumenthal, Harkin, Carper, Brown, and Markey Warn Against Dangers of E-Cigs After CDC Release Data Showing an Increase in Use Among Youth
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Ed Markey (D-MA) warned against the dangers of electronic cigarettes after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new data showing that use of these products has more than doubled among middle and high school students since the 2011-2012 school year. Electronic cigarettes or "e-cigs" are marketed as substitutes for tobacco smoking. However, in addition to r… Continue Reading
08.01.13
Durbin, Blumenthal: With Adverse Event Reporting on the Rise, Legislation Needed to Protect Consumers of Dietary Supplements
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced legislation that would help consumers distinguish between dietary supplements that are safe and those that have potentially serious side-effects or drug interactions. Recent investigative reports by "USA Today" and "Rock Center" have exposed the lack of information about dietary supplement products while they are on store shelves. With no authority to require information about a dietary supp… Continue Reading
08.01.13
Durbin, Reed, Udall Call on Defense Department to Protect Servicemembers by Plugging Payday Loan Loophole
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In an effort to protect soldiers and their families from abusive financial practices, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-CT), Mark Udall (D-CO) joined with twenty of their colleagues today in calling on Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Chuck Hagel to close a loophole that allows lenders to restructure their traditional loans to avoid a DOD rule limiting the amount of interest on consumer credit products sold to servicemembers. The Military Lending Act -… Continue Reading
07.31.13
Durbin: Energy Drink Companies Should Not Market Their Products to Children Under 18
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered opening remarks at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee examining the potential health risks of energy drinks and the marketing of these products to youth. Senator Durbin's remarks as prepared are below. A live webcast of today's hearing is available on the Commerce Committee website: http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/ Durbin coauthored a report entitled "What's all the Buzz about?" that shows inconsistencies in the labe… Continue Reading
07.31.13
Durbin: Swipe Fee Ruling a Victory for Consumers, Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. threw out the Federal Reserve's regulations governing swipe fees, saying the Fed disregarded congressional intent and "inappropriately" inflated debit card transaction fees by billions of dollars. "Today's decision by the Federal District Court is a victory for consumers and small business around the country and will lead to lower interch… Continue Reading
07.31.13
Durbin to Raise Concerns Over Energy Drinks at Commerce Committee Hearing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) will deliver an opening statement today at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee examining the potential health risks of energy drinks and the marketing of these products to youth. The hearing will also present an opportunity for members to review an investigative report, released by Durbin and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) that revealed evidence of energy drink marketing practices that t… Continue Reading
07.30.13
Durbin Raises Concerns Regarding Safety of Dietary Supplements on Senate Floor
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding questions raised by an article published in USA Today that featured a dietary supplement that contained the chemical DNP - a hazardous pesticide that was used as a weight-loss drug before it was declared toxic for humans. Durbin spoke about the need to ensure that consumers are able to make informed decisions, and that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the information it needs to respond quick… Continue Reading