Press Releases
Durbin Highlights Successful Democratic Effort To Lower Cost Of Insulin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about Eli Lilly's decision to cap the out-of-pocket cost for insulin at $35 a month, which can provide major relief for more than seven million patients, including more than 200,000 Illinoisans who rely upon insulin. While Durbin applauds this news, he slammed Eli Lilly for continuously raising the price of insulin for their own profits. Thanks to the leadership of Congressional Democrats, the … Continue Reading
March 06, 2023
Durbin Leads Colleagues In Calling For Update From Inter-American Commission On Human Rights On Investigation Into Death Of Cuban Political Reformer Oswaldo Payá
WASHINGTON - With this summer marking the eleventh year since Cuban political reformer Oswaldo Payá's suspicious death, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Mark Warner (D-VA), urged the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to provide an update on this case without further delay. In 2013, Durbin sent his first letter to previous … Continue Reading
March 04, 2023
Durbin Statement On Walgreens’ Decision To Not Offer Medication Abortion Pill
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today issued the following statement regarding Walgreens' decision not to offer the medication abortion pill mifepristone-which the Food and Drug Administration approved more than 20 years ago as safe and effective-in 21 states whose attorneys general threatened Walgreens and other pharmacies with legal action if they dispensed the medication in those states: "It is unacceptable that … Continue Reading
March 03, 2023
Durbin Statement On Fallen Chicago Police Department Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement regarding Chicago Police Department Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso who was killed in the line of duty on Wednesday, March 1: "The loss of fallen CPD Officer Vasquez-Lasso is heartbreaking. My prayers are with Officer Vasquez-Lasso's family, friends, and colleagues who are grieving. "Our heroic officers deserve to return home after every shift. Gun violence is tearing our communities apart, and I am … Continue Reading
March 03, 2023
Durbin Leads Colleagues In Letter To HHS, DOL Requesting Information On Protecting Children From Exploitation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led 16 Senate colleagues in a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Marty Walsh requesting information on children's placement with sponsors and investigations into child labor. The letter follows a New York Times article that raised serious concerns about the vetting of sponsors of unaccompanied non-citizen … Continue Reading
March 02, 2023
Durbin Calls On His Colleagues To Support The Equal Rights Amendment
WASHINGTON - On the first day of Women's History Month, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a speech on the Senate floor discussed this week's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would enshrine gender equality into the Constitution. "The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced in 1923-one hundred years ago-and proposed by a leader named Dr. Alice Paul. At the time, she had just won an … Continue Reading
March 02, 2023
Durbin Continues To Call For Closure Of Guantanamo Bay
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke about the importance of closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called on the Biden Administration to do more to accelerate the closure of the facility once and for all. Durbin began his speech by highlighting Leila Murphy, a young law student who lost her father on September 11th, 2001, when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World … Continue Reading
March 02, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Senate Confirmation Of Colleen Lawless To Serve As District Court Judge For The Central District Of Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Colleen Lawless to serve as a District Court Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the Senate has confirmed the nomination of Judge Colleen Lawless to fill a judicial vacancy in the Central District of Illinois. Her … Continue Reading
March 02, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Additional $51.8 Million In Federal Funding To Help Illinois Families Save On Home Energy Bills
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced an additional $51,817,305 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help Illinoisans pay the rising cost of home heating bills this winter. This additional funding brings the total amount of LIHEAP funds released to Illinois in Fiscal Year 2023 to $259,987,786. For more than 40 years, … Continue Reading
March 02, 2023
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Legislation To Close Divide On Digital Equity, Inclusion, And Literacy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act, legislation to establish a nonprofit foundation that would channel public and private investments into making progress in closing the divide on digital equity, digital inclusion, and digital literacy. … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Meet With Bloomington-Normal One Voice Coalition
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with members of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, accompanied by the One Voice coalition comprised of members of local government, labor, education, health, and business sectors. During their meeting, the Senators and the group discussed how the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can support infrastructure projects in Central Illinois. The … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin Questions Attorney General Garland During Hearing On Oversight Of The Department Of Justice
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Attorney General (AG) Merrick Garland at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Oversight of the Department of Justice." Durbin asked AG Garland about the Department's efforts to address gun violence, particularly after the July 4th Highland Park, Illinois, shooting. Specifically, Durbin asked how DOJ is using the authorities and resources provided by the Bipartisan … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin Talks Clean Energy With Illinois Municipal Electric And Utilities Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IMEA/IMUA) to discuss clean energy tax incentives and grid security. During their conversation, Durbin discussed the impact of theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on the energy sector, highlighting how Illinois is primed to become a leader in clean energy and a trailblazer in electric vehicle production. Durbin and IMEA/IMUA also spoke about … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin Meets With Illinois Broadcasters Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) to discuss priorities for broadcasters, including the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), which passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote last Congress. Additionally, Durbin spoke with IBA about the important role local broadcasting plays in covering news in their community. "Illinois broadcasters are essential to keeping our … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing On The Department Of Justice
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, "Oversight of the Department of Justice." In his opening statement, Durbin argued that the Department of Justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland has returned to its traditional and proper role-it is no longer the personal law firm of a sitting President, but rather the country's leading defender of … Continue Reading
March 01, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Secure $66.5 Million For Chicago O’Hare, Peoria, And St. Louis Airport Renovations
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth today announced a combined $66.5 million in federal funding for Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Peoria International Airport, and St. Louis Downtown Airport from theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Airport Terminal Program (ATP). Chicago O'Hare International Airport, awarded $50,000,000, will use these funds to rehabilitate and expand the 60-year-old Terminal 3. This is the largest grant … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Durbin Discusses Train Derailments And Union Agreements With CSC CEO
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Joe Hinrichs, CEO of CSX Transportation, to discuss the recent derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, and preventing future hazardous derailments. Durbin heard from Hinrichs about what additional safety measures could be implemented to alert conductors of potential malfunctions. The meeting concluded with Durbin and Hinrichs discussing the need to support improved working conditions for rail … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Durbin Meets With CDC Director Walensky
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to discuss the work being done at CDC to address the youth vaping epidemic, as well as efforts to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma at the root of community violence. Durbin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) from Trauma Act, a bipartisan bill to … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Durbin Meets With Illinois Chapters Of Boys And Girls Club Of America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leaders of Illinois chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA) to discuss academic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mentoring, and student mental and physical well-being. During their meeting, Durbin learned more about BGCA's after-school programing that focuses on addressing students' academic needs as well as health and wellness. "The Boys and Girls Club of America serve nearly four million … Continue Reading
February 28, 2023
Durbin, Thune Urge Biden To Prioritize E15 Fuel, Utilize American Agriculture
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in 2023 in order to reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of energy and utilize American agriculture as an energy solution. The Senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable … Continue Reading