Affordable Health Care
Dick Durbin has been a leader in the fight to defend and build on the Affordable Care Act, including preserving protections for people with pre-existing conditions and working to curb junk insurance plans. Durbin has taken on pharmaceutical companies to bring down the cost of prescription drug prices by cracking down on abusive practices and price gouging. He’s working to address the shortage of rural health care providers to ensure all Illinoisans can get the care they need. He’s also fighting to increase medical and scientific research funding to help find a cure for diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Delivering for Illinois
Creating jobs and supporting economic growth in every corner of Illinois has been a top priority for Dick Durbin. He has advocated for and won billions of dollars in federal investments for our state. These funds have improved our roads, bridges, and airports. And he’s supported job creation by bringing the production of military Humvees and fighter jets to factories in Rock Island and in downstate Illinois. Durbin has secured federal funding that supports cutting-edge research at Illinois' universities and facilities, such as Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories. Dick Durbin won’t stop delivering for working families across the state.
Criminal Justice Reform
In 2018, the Senate passed Dick Durbin’s bipartisan First Step Act, the most significant criminal justice reform legislation in decades. The law reduces sentences for certain nonviolent drug crimes, invests in programs that help prevent recidivism, and saves taxpayers money. The law is a continuation of Durbin’s longtime work to combat mass incarceration and create fairer sentencing guidelines.
Fighting for Commonsense Gun Reforms, Tackling the Root Causes of Gun Violence
Dick Durbin has fought for commonsense gun reform measures, including requiring background checks for gun sales, banning assault weapons, and expanding access to health care and economic opportunities in areas hardest hit by gun violence.
Last year, Durbin led the charge to pass new federal legislation to address childhood trauma. He is now working on bipartisan legislation to support children who witness violence and experience other trauma by increasing federal funding for supportive programs and building a trained workforce.
Compassionate and Fair Immigration Policy
Dick Durbin first introduced the Dream Act in the Senate in 2001. He’s been a tireless advocate ever since for ensuring that Dreamers can remain in the country they call home and continue to contribute to our communities. He’s been a leader in the fight for bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform, and a fierce critic of the Trump Administration’s discriminatory Muslim ban and inhumane child separation policies.