Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Call On DHS & HHS Inspectors General To Investigate COVID-19 Health Concerns At Pulaski County Detention Center
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called on the Inspectors General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately investigate the urgent public health concerns for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees and facility staff at the Pulaski County Detention Center in Ullin, Illinois. Information has indicated that this remote detention facility lacks the physical … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Durbin Statement On President Trump Ending United States' Relationship With World Health Organization
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced he would move to terminate the United States' relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) amid the COVID-19 global health pandemic and after the death toll in the United States surpassed 100,000 Americans: "Today's announcement by President Trump ignores the deadly reality of this pandemic. The U.S. leads the world in COVID-19 infections and … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Durbin Visits Eastern Illinois Food Bank, Discusses Legislation To Strengthen America's Food Supply Chain
URBANA - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, visited the Eastern Illinois Food Bank in Urbana, Illinois, today to learn more about local efforts to help feed those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, Durbin joined his colleagues to introduce legislation to strengthen the food supply chain after the COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on farmers, workers, food banks, and … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Durbin, Colleagues Press Pentagon For Answers On Lack Of CARES Act Funding Being Spent
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, led the Democratic members of the Subcommittee in a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper pressing for information as to why the Department has only placed on contract 23 percent of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds provided by Congress nearly nine weeks ago. The CARES Act provided $10.6 billion to the Department of Defense to … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Durbin Discusses Legislation To Aid Immigrant Communities During COVID-19 Pandemic With ICIRR
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today had a call with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) to discuss immigration provisions in the House-passed Heroes Act. Durbin has been fighting to include many of these provisions, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) work authorization extensions and expanded access to testing, treatment, and … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $11.8 Million For COVID-19 Testing In Rural Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive a total of $11,821,279 in federal funding to support COVID-19 testing in rural communities. The funding comes from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act signed into law on April 24th and will help support more than 200 Rural Health Clinics around Illinois. Each clinic will receive approximately $49,000 in federal funding. Congressional Democrats fought … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Durbin Discusses Paycheck Protection Program With Illinois Restaurant Association
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with members of the Illinois Restaurant Association. On a call with the members, Durbin shared the changes he supports to the program, including a bipartisan bill he cosponsored that would extend the deadline to apply for a PPP loan from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and allow borrowers 16 weeks to use their loan funds, instead of eight weeks. Durbin also discussed the future of the … Continue Reading
May 27, 2020
Durbin Joines Colleagues To Introduce Legislation To Protect America's Food Supply
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to introduce legislation to help protect the food supply after the COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on farmers, workers, food banks, and families. "For many Illinois families, this is the toughest time they've ever faced. We've seen a huge increase in demand for SNAP benefits, the use of food … Continue Reading
May 27, 2020
Durbin Discusses Contact Tracing With Founder Of Partners In Health, Dr. Paul Farmer
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Dr. Paul Farmer, founder of Partners in Health (PIH), about COVID-19 contact tracing. PIH worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop the country's first state-wide coronavirus contact tracing program, and has subsequently worked with the State of Illinois on its contact tracing plans. Durbin asked Dr. Farmer about what America will need to develop nationwide contact tracing capacity to identify individuals who may … Continue Reading
May 27, 2020
Durbin, Colleagues Urge Senate Leadership To Include Funding For Children's Hospitals And Health Providers In Future COVID-19 Relief
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) to press Senate leaders to include relief specifically for children's hospitals and pediatric health care providers in the next COVID-19 relief package. In their letter, the Senators raised concerns that hospitals serving children cannot continue to sustain the expected $10 billion in losses in the next several months. Starting in January, … Continue Reading
May 26, 2020
Durbin Speaks With Illinois Food Pantry Directors About Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic On Food Security
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today spoke with five Illinois food bank directors-who together serve food pantries, soup kitchens, and local organizations across more than half of Illinois-about rising food insecurity and the increased demand on food pantries during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the call, Durbin heard from the directors about the sharp increase in new clients, the … Continue Reading
May 26, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Release Plan To Expand Health Care Coverage & Affordability During COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Patty Murray (D-WA) to release a Senate Democratic plan to expand health care coverage and affordability during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a white paper, the Senators outline a series of common sense legislative priorities that the Senate should take up immediately, including Durbin's proposal to help laid-off workers remain on their employer … Continue Reading
May 26, 2020
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Bipartisan Bill Extending Paycheck Protection Program
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), to introduce a bipartisan bill that would extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to reflect the fact that economic shutdowns have lasted longer than originally anticipated. The bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act would extend the deadline to apply for a PPP from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and allow borrowers 16 … Continue Reading
May 22, 2020
In New Video, Durbin Speaks With UFCW President About Protecting Workers During The COVID-19 Pandemic
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, spoke with Marc Perrone, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, about protecting the health and safety of workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In the video, Durbin and Mr. Perrone discussed the need for clear, comprehensive, and enforceable federal standards, through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Join Senators To Call For National Moment Of Silence To Honor The Lives Lost
WASHINGTON - As more Americans tragically lose their fight to COVID-19, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to introduce bipartisan legislation to pay tribute to the 100,000 victims-including 4,607 Illinoisans-of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their families, with a moment of silence at 12 noon on Monday, June 1, 2020. "Sadly, the United States will soon have … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $15 Million To Support Community Service Projects In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive a total of $15,579,643 in federal funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the agency that administers AmeriCorps and other national service programs. The funding will be distributed to 14 Illinois-based organizations to help more than 750 AmeriCorps members serve local communities, pay back student loans, and cover the cost of college after their … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Impact With AARP Illinois State President
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with AARP Illinois State President Rosanna Marquez about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on older Americans. On the call, Durbin and Marquez discussed the necessity of protecting the Affordable Care Act and expanding Special Enrollment Periods to ensure that health care remains accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin also spoke about his support for provisions in the Heroes Act that would provide federal subsidies … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Durbin: We Must Protect The Immigrant Health Heroes On The Frontlines Of COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, thanked the health care heroes on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted one special group of health care workers - immigrants. Durbin also called on Senate Republicans to support the House-passed Heroes Act, which would extend work authorizations for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Durbin: Senate Republicans Are Continuing Their Assault On The ACA Admist A Public Health Crisis
WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Cory Wilson to the Fifth Circuit Court, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called out Senate Republicans for pushing forward judicial nominees with records of strident opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the midst of a public health pandemic. Two of the three hearings the Senate Judiciary Committee has held since the Senate reconvened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have been to … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Durbin Presses HHS On Transparency Of Remdesivir Distribution
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a briefing call with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Dr. Robert Kadlec, regarding the distribution process for the COVID-19 therapeutic remdesivir. Last week, Durbin led 12 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to HHS seeking transparency and information regarding the distribution process for remdesivir and called for the agency to brief them on the allocation … Continue Reading