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Richard Durbin, commonly known as Dick Durbin, is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Illinois since 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he has held various leadership roles, including Senate Majority Whip. Durbin has been a prominent advocate for issues such as healthcare reform, immigration policy, and gun control. He has also played a significant role in negotiations on budget and appropriations matters in the Senate.
I rise today, as I did earlier this year, in opposition to the Senate-passed bankruptcy bill, Senate bill 420. It is likely this week we will appoint conferees and start the debate about this bankruptcy bill. Let me say at the outset, I…
If we are going to have real bankruptcy reform, then shouldn't we have some consistency? The poor person I mentioned earlier who goes into court suffering from a predatory lender and is about to lose her home, for which she saved for a…
The amendment clearly states if there is existing drilling, existing rights, it does not in any way infringe upon those. It is a question of new drilling, new leasing in these areas.
My amendment will simply prohibit new mineral leases from being issued in designated national monuments. It does not affect any existing, valid right, or prevent leasing in any area that was authorized for mineral activity when the…
America is a great nation. God has blessed us with resources that many nations around the world envy. Fortunately, leaders in this country with foresight decided long ago that there were certain treasures, national treasures in America…
I have heard him speak before about the Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument. He is a man of great control and moderation. I can tell it brings his blood pressure to a high level to recall the creation of this particular monument…
Frankly, if we are talking about energy needs in America and drilling in places we never would have considered drilling before, whether in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or national monuments, certainly someone has to make a…
The amendment I bring before us today is one that is very straightforward. It basically will prohibit any preleasing or other related activity within the boundaries of a national monument. What it boils down to is, there are certain lands…
I think we do have a genuine difference of opinion. I am aware, and I am sure my colleague is, too, that 95 percent of the Federal public lands under the management of the Bureau of Land Management are currently open for oil and gas…
It is 87 percent. Many Western States have similar percentages of Federal land within their boundaries. In the earliest days of our country, of course, there wasn't a great hue and cry to have private ownership in this land. The Federal…
I hope my colleagues who are following this debate in their offices will pause for a moment to consider what we are about. How many times have we come to this Senate Chamber and voted for resolutions, voted for ideas that say we are…
I was on the defense side. I was defending a railroad in a lawsuit brought by the survivors of an elderly man who was killed at a railroad crossing in November of 1970 near Springfield, IL. There was a row of cars, train cars, parked near…
earlier this month I introduced the Railroad Crossing Delay Reduction Act, S. 1015, with my colleagues, Senators Levin and Stabenow. This legislation would accelerate efforts at the U.S. Department of Transportation to address the issue of…
Today I rise with Senator Chafee to reintroduce legislation to include full-time public defense attorneys in the Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation Forgiveness Program for law enforcement officers. This bill would provide parity to public…
Let me ask you this. We will hear testimony later from the hospital association about paperwork burden that nurses face.
I think that when you consider nursing, it appears to be more difficult to attract students to nursing school.
The civil service problems that you have talked about caught my attention, and I called them to the attention of Senator Voinovich.
I have learned a lot this morning, and I hope everybody has derived as much or more from the hearing as I have.
I think Secretary Martin made a point that I want to close on. That is, we are not just dealing with the nursing shortage in the future, we are dealing with a family shortage.
The Federal Government has an important role in retaining nurses for the delivery of federally-funded health care services.
You have also testified, Ms. Weinstein, as to a study involving staffing ratios.
My understanding is, and I think the testimony shows, that over the last decade, nurses really have not seen any substantial increase in their wages--I think it is less than 1 percent--but there has been in the last year, I think, an…
Will you also be addressing the issue of medical errors in relation to ratios?
Politicians like Dick Durbin
