WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: The debt ceiling will be reinstated on January 2, and default could lead to a recession Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 16 colleagues in introducing the End the Threat of Default Act, legislation that would permanently remove the threat of a default by repealing the national debt ceiling, an arbitrary limit restricting the amount that the Unite more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)--a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation--issued the following statement in reaction to FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker's decision to resign on January 20, 2025: "I am saddened to learn of FAA Administrator Whitaker's plan to res more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Illinois, issued the following news release: On Wednesday, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Commemorative Coin Act led by U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), and Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), was signed into law. Under this legislation, the Department of the Treasury will now mint coins in commemoration of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at no cost to taxpayers. All proceeds from this process will support soccer programs  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Rep. Sean Casten, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL06) and Nikema Williams (GA05) led 25 colleagues in a letter to House and Senate Appropriators urging them to include a disaster supplemental in the upcoming appropriations package that prioritizes updating the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) flood maps, expediting federallyfunded floodplain buyouts, and implementing the White House's proposal to creat more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)--a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and author of the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act--issued the following statement after the full committee voted to advance David Capozzi to serve on Amtrak's Board of Directors. Capozzi would serve in the designated disability advocate seat on the board, which was more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Illinois community members and gun violence prevention advocates and survivors to discuss their shared efforts to save American lives and pass common-sense gun safety reform like the federal assault weapons ban. The meeting included representatives from Highland Park, Moms Demand Action in Illinois and the Newtown Action Alliance. Photos from today's meeting  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)--Chair of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation--led a subcommittee hearing focused on the challenges facing our passenger aviation system amid the busy holiday travel season, where she underscored the urgent need to invest in updated air traffic control (ATC) systems and e more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced more than $7 million in grant funding for five youth organizations in Illinois participating in the U.S. Department of Labor's YouthBuild ProgramThis link opens in new window or tab., which is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for 16 to 24 year-olds who left school without more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: A diverse educator workforce has been shown to improve outcomes for all students CHICAGO U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Representative Matthew Cartwright (D-PA-8), today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to include additional data on the diversity of the educator workforce in the annual Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Maintaining a diverse more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to Vice President Kamala Harris for her service to our nation as the Biden-Harris administration comes to a close. "On January 20, 2021, little girls worldwide watched in awe as the daughter of a mother from India and a father from Jamaica placed her hand on the bible of the late civil rights icon and Supr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans who were placed on CARES Act home confinement and will pardon 39 additional individuals: "The President took an important step by commuting the sentences of these men and women. In far too many ca more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Illinois, issued the following news release: Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) released the following statement after President Biden commuted the 20-year sentence of former Dixon, IL Comptroller, Rita Crundwell: "President Biden's latest decision to issue sweeping commutations shows his continued disregard for our justice system and rule of law. Included in this reckless act, President Biden commuted the sentence of Rita Crundwell, the disgraced and  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced the Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act (H.R. 10394(link is external)) to include holistic demographic data of federal loans and grants recipients. Currently, data tracking of federal awards such as grants, loans, and contracts does not include the recipients' ethnicity, race, or sex. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) also intro more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Illinois, issued the following news release: Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) voted in favor of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which provides critical support for flood protection, locks, dams, and waterways in Illinois. Multiple provisions submitted by Congressman LaHood to strengthen Illinois' waterway infrastructure, boost economic opportunity, and mitigate flood risks were included in the final version of the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Rep. Bradley Schneider, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), Chair-Elect of the New Democrat Coalition and a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means Committees, introduced two bills that aim to support U.S. veterans, the GI Internship Program Act and the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund Act. Together, these initiatives reflect Schneider's commitment to addressing critical challenges faced by veterans as they tr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- Rep. Bradley Schneider, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), Chair-Elect of the New Democrat Coalition and a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means Committees, released the following statement regarding his vote against the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act: "Our troops deserve the pay raise, quality housing, better health care, and other provisions that are part of the FY25 NDAA, and I expected to vote in fav more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 13, 2024: Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two judicial nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee's work to bring balance to the federal judiciary and keep our communities safe. Under the leadership of Chair Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 373 nominees to the full Senate, including 242 judicial nomi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two judicial nominations to the full Senate, continuing the Committee's work to bring balance to the federal judiciary and keep our communities safe. Under the leadership of Chair Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 375 nominees to the full Senate, including 244 judicial nominees. The Senate has confirmed 233 judges to lifetime appoint more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on Dec. 11, 2024: * * * U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding FBI Director Christopher Wray announcing that he will resign at the end of the Biden administration: "The FBI is critical to our nation's security and our families' safety. It will soon embark on a peril more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on Dec. 12, 2024: * * * U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans who were placed on CARES Act home confinement and will pardon 39 additional individuals: "The President took an important step more PR