Durbin Discusses COVID-19, Health Disparities, Medical Research with Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nominee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the COVID-19 pandemic with Xavier Becerra, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Becerra presently serves as California's Attorney General and previously served in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017 representing downtown Los Angeles. If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino HHS Secretary. Durbin and Becerra spoke about shared priorities for sup… Continue Reading

Durbin Receives Briefing from Operation Warp Speed About COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today was briefed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and officials from Operation Warp Speed and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort. Durbin received an update from health officials on how they plan to improve transparency, predictability, and accountability on the allocations and shipments of vaccine doses to Illinois, following inconsistent reports … Continue Reading

Durbin: We Must Pass a Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Bill Before the Holidays

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Congress to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief package before leaving for the holidays. Congressional leadership is currently negotiating a package based off the $748 billion, bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation that Durbin helped negotiate. The package includes funding for unemployment insurance, small businesses, vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, health … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with General Lloyd Austin, President-Elect Biden's Nominee for Defense Secretary

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after a call with General Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Defense. On the call, Durbin asked General Austin how he would approach leading the Pentagon as a civilian; how the U.S. can compete with adversaries like China; and about necessary reforms to address a variety of issues like procurement d… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Senate Action to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today participated in a hearing on the United States' Hong Kong refugee policy. During the hearing, Durbin urged the Senate to immediately pass the bipartisan House-passed Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act, which would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Hong Kong residents currently in the U.S. and provide refugee protections to Hong Kong residents facin… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $15 Million for Illinois Community Health Centers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $14.9 million in federal funding awarded to three Community Health Centers (CHC) throughout Illinois. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health center cluster grant program. Every year, Illinois CHCs serve more than 1.4 million Illinoisans, regardless of their ability to pay. "Community Health Centers are a vital resource for so many Illinoisans an… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses DACA and Immigration Reform with FWD.us

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today spoke with leaders at FWD.us, a bipartisan political organization focused on immigration and criminal justice reform. Durbin discussed his hopes for comprehensive immigration reform under the Biden-Harris Administration next year. Durbin expressed his gratitude towards millions of immigrants who are essential workers - many working in hospitals and other health care settings acros… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19, Health Disparities with Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General Nominee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Vivek Murthy, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the next U.S. Surgeon General. Murthy previously held the position of Surgeon General during President Barack Obama's second term, and he is expected to take a leading role in Biden's COVID-19 response. Durbin and Murthy spoke about shared priorities for increasing uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, addressing health disparities, including D… Continue Reading

Durbin to McConnell: Bring the Bipartisan Emergency COVID Relief Legislation to the Floor for a Vote this Week

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring the $748 billion, bipartisan COVID-19 emergency relief legislation to the floor for a vote this week. Durbin was part of the bipartisan group that unveiled the emergency relief package yesterday, which includes funding for unemployment insurance, small businesses, vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, health care providers, hous… Continue Reading

Durbin: Time to Move Past Election and Help President-Elect Biden Lead

WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on Republican elected officials to honor their oaths of office and uphold our democracy by recognizing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President-elect and Vice President-elect. Durbin slammed the last-ditch effort by 17 Republican attorneys general and more than half of the House Republican Caucus joining in a lawsuit and accompanying amicus brief before the Supreme Court, which incredibly ar… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on FDA Authorization of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: "I trust our medical and public health leaders who were committed to prioritizing the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine. We should be ready to roll up our sleeves, help is now on the way. We can finally see a path out of pandemic hell. Special thanks to the scientists and researchers w… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senate Passage of NDAA Conference Report

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the NDAA over a provision to rename military bases named for Confederate generals and for not including a repeal of Section 230 liability protection for tech companies. "The Senate's … Continue Reading

Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Bill to Require COVID-19 Data Collection in Immigration Detention Facilities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to introduce the bicameral COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act, which would require immigration-detention facilities to collect and publicly report data about COVID-19 cases and the preventative measures in place in these facilities. "In the midst of this pandemic, we are reminded every day that America would be lost without immigrants. At the same time, thousands of immigrants are languishing in an… Continue Reading

Durbin Receives Update on Ft. Hood and Illinois Army Reserve Investigations From Army Secretary

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke to U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to receive an update on the concluded Fort Hood review following the death of Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, who was determined to be a sexual harassment victim. The findings of the independent civilian review board were released Tuesday, and cited widespread problems and a "toxic culture," where leaders fail to investigate crimes and lack of confidence in punishing offenders created a "permissive environment f… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Virtual Caregiving Town Hall to Discuss Support for Caregivers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined an Unpaid Caregiver Virtual Town Hall - hosted by United Way of Illinois, Illinois PIRG, and Economic Security for Illinois - to discuss the importance of unpaid caregiving and listen to personal caregiving experiences. During the event, Durbin also discussed his support for expanding and modernizing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Older Americans Act, which was reauthorized in March and included a Durbin bill to increase fund… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief Bill with SEIU President

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the status of a COVID-19 relief bill with the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Mary Kay Henry. During the call, Durbin discussed his efforts in drafting a bipartisan $908 billion relief package that includes funding for state and local governments, unemployment insurance, small businesses, health care providers, testing and vaccine distribution, housing and education assistance, and more. "We are in the m… Continue Reading

Durbin: Stop Moving Trump Nominees Through the Judiciary Committee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called out the Republican majority's handling of nominations in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Since 1984, the Committee has only twice ever held a nomination hearing during a lame duck session of a presidential election year and both of those hearings followed the re-election of a sitting president. "Over the past four years, the Republican side has moved at break-neck speed to c… Continue Reading

Durbin, Booker Call for President Trump to Issue a Commutation Reducing the Sentence of Brandon Bernard, Who is Scheduled to be Executed Tomorrow, December 10

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on President Donald Trump to issue a commutation reducing the sentence of Brandon Bernard, who is scheduled to be executed tomorrow, December 10. Mr. Bernard was sentenced to death in June 2000 as an accomplice to a crime committed when he was just 18 years old. Five of the jurors who condemned him to death twenty years ago now oppose the imposition of the death p… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Nursing Homes with AARP Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo and State Chapter President Rosanna Marquez about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on older Americans, especially at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. On the call, Durbin discussed the importance of passing a new COVID-19 emergency relief bill that includes dedicated testing and personal protection equipment (PPE) funding to ensure the safety of seniors in long-term care faci… Continue Reading

Durbin, Warren, Nadler Introduce the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), today introduced the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020, bicameral legislation to simplify and modernize the consumer bankruptcy system to make it easier for individuals and families forced into bankruptcy to get back on their feet. "As we grapple with the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, American families will … Continue Reading