American Lung Association Heralds Senator Dick Durbin “a True Lung Health Champion”

In response to the announcement by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin that he will not seek re-election in 2026 and will retire after more than four decades in Congress, Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, issued the following statement:  

“From the moment he set foot on Capitol Hill, Senator Durbin has been a tireless and fierce advocate for lung health in the U.S. and his work has saved countless lives. He has been a powerful voice for investments in public health and biomedical research and has stood in strong opposition to the tobacco industry.  

“In 1989, it was our honor to stand next to Senator Durbin after he championed legislation to make nearly all domestic airline flights smokefree and today, we still stand with him to continue to protect kids from becoming addicted to tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. After losing his own father to lung cancer, he has shaken the hands of countless lung cancer survivors and caregivers, listened to and shared their inspiring and heartbreaking stories, and been instrumental in dramatically increasing lung cancer research. His commitment to improving the nation’s health has helped children with asthma and helped more families get vaccinations to protect them from preventable diseases. 

“We thank and congratulate Senator Durbin and call on more members of Congress to join him in championing public health, fighting for what’s right and standing against industries that promote death and disease.”