Durbin Writes China's Largest Search Engine About Web Censorship, Possible Facebook Deal

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) has written to Baidu, China's largest search engine, about its censorship of the internet. Durbin, who recently returned from a week-long trip to China, asked the company to take immediate steps to protect human rights, including freedom of expression and privacy."I appreciate that Baidu has given millions of Chinese citizens the ability to access information. At the same time, your company has a moral obligation to respec… Continue Reading

Durbin Holds Budget Hearing on SEC and CFTC

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today chaired a hearing which reviewed the funding requests of the nation's primary financial market regulators - the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro and CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler were witnesses before Durbin's Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee. "With our markets on the rebound, record high gas pri… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Southern Illinois Flood Control Efforts

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after being briefed by federal and state officials on the impact of yesterday's decision by Major General Michael Walsh of the Army Corps of Engineers to intentionally breach the levee at Birds Point in order relieve pressure to levees downstream and potentially save Cairo, Illinois - a town of roughly 3,000 people - from devastating floods. "While breaching the levee at Birds Point has relieved pressur… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Army Corps Decision to Intentionally Breach Levee in Order to Save Cairo, Illinois from Devastating Floods

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Major General Michael Walsh of the Army Corps of Engineers announced that they will intentionally breach a levee in order relieve pressure to levees downstream and potentially save Cairo, Illinois - a town of roughly 3,000 people - from devastating floods. "I talked with General Walsh several times over the weekend and made clear that I would stand by whatever decision he made. I know he is using… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Killing of Osama bin Laden

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight after President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden has been killed. "I was advised by Vice President Biden this Sunday evening that Osama bin Laden has been killed. Though this is not the end of the threat of terrorism, it is a clear warning to our enemies that when they threaten and kill Americans, they will be pursued and held accountable. Our nation owes a great debt of grat… Continue Reading

Opening Statement at For-Profit College Forum

Good morning. I am pleased to convene this forum to examine the role of the for-profit college industry in educating students in Illinois and to discuss the additional federal oversight needed to end abusive practices and improve student outcomes.I am pleased to be joined by my colleague from the House, Congressman Danny Davis. Thank you all for being here.As a beneficiary of federal investment in higher education, I have always voted to support Pell grants and federal student loans.We must give… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to American Bankers Association on Interchange... Again

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) has responded to yet another letter from the American Bankers Association reiterating their opposition to any and all reforms of the interchange system. Durbin's letter to the ABA today seeks to "cut to the chase" regarding the motivations behind the ABA's criticisms of the interchange reform law that Congress enacted last year. "You say in your letter that your members are concerned about the Federal Reserve's draft in… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Legislation to Level the Playing Field for Illinois Retailers

[SPRINGFIELD] - Main Street businesses in Springfield and across the country should no longer be at a disadvantage against companies that sell the same products online, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The Main Street Fairness Act, legislation which Durbin intends to introduce in the U.S. Senate following the April recess, aims to level the playing field between online and "bricks and mortar" merchants by allowing states to require sellers to collect sales taxes that are already owed … Continue Reading

Durbin Celebrates opening of New Terminal at Peoria International Airport

[PEORIA, IL] - The completion of construction on a new terminal at Peoria International Airport will create more capacity for commercial passenger airplanes, lower wait times for baggage, expand space for vendors, enhance security and provide the airport with the ability to handle one million passengers per year, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin joined Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and other federal and local elected officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating… Continue Reading

Durbin Expected to Visit Southern Illinois on Wednesday to Survey Flood Control Efforts

[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is planning to visit Southern Illinois on Wednesday to consult with federal, state, and local officials on their ongoing flood preparation and control efforts. Earlier today, Durbin was briefed by federal and state officials on the threat of severe flooding due to heavy rainfall over the last few weeks which has caused waters levels to rise dramatically along the Ohio, Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. "I commend Governor Quinn for quickly… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $65,000 FEMA Grant to East Moline Firefighters

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded $66,600 in a grant for operations and safety to the East Moline Fire Department. The East Moline Fire Department, lead by Chief Robert G. DeFrance, has three stations throughout East Moline. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Illinois Delegations: High Speed Rail Funding Will Have Greatest Impact in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in expressing support for Illinois' application for the federal funding for high speed rail projects that was rejected by the Governor of Florida. In their letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, the members stressed the importance of the Chicago to St. Louis route as the backbone of the Midwest passenger rail system. "We believe Illinois offers t… Continue Reading

Durbin Travels to China

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) has arrived in Hong Kong as part of a week-long, senior Senate Delegation visiting China. Durbin, the Senate's second-ranking Democrat, is part of a ten-member, bipartisan trip lead by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Other members of the Delegation include Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Bureau of Prisons Director to Discuss Thomson Funding

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, Harley Lappin, to urge him to identify funding for the acquisition of Thomson Correctional Center in Carroll County, Illinois, in order to open it as a federal maximum security prison. The FY2011 budget agreement that passed Congress late yesterday provided the Bureau with the funds necessary to operate for the remainder of the fiscal year. "Director Lappin assured me that the Bureau… Continue Reading

Durbin Autism Awareness Month, Durbin, Casey, Menendez, Lautenberg, Gillibrand Introduce Bill to Establish a National Autism Strategy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a month set aside to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced legislation that would create a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of families affected by autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Services and Workforce Acceleration Act authorizes federal funding for a wide range of service, tre… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces more than $200,000 in Public Broadcasting Grants to Illinois Stations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded three grants totaling in $206,861 to local Illinois public radio stations for digital conversion. "In my State of Illinois, 1 million people listen to our 14 public radio stations each week and 3 million people each month tune into our 8 public television stations," Durbin said. "With the momentous changes occurring in the world, and the major challenges facing … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Legislation to Reduce Medicare Fraud

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to crack down on Medicare fraud by increasing the access to information that will allow for better oversight and accountability of the program. The Medicare Spending Transparency Act would make summary level Medicare data publicly available and enhance the ability of qualified outside organizations to access more detailed data. "Every year, between $30 and $60 billion in Medicare spending is wasted on fraud an… Continue Reading

Durbin, Reid, 20 Senate Democrats Write Obama on Current Situation of DREAM Act Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and a group of 20 Democratic senators today sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to establish a rigorous, consistent and orderly process for handling requests for stays of deportation from young people who would qualify for the DREAM Act if it were to become law. The Obama administration, like the Bush administration before it, has granted "deferred action" to som… Continue Reading

Durbin: Congressional Budget Agreement Will Help Fermilab and Argonne Continue Research and Avoid Major Layoffs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the agreement reached on the FY2011 budget will help both Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory continue important research and avoid the major layoffs that the House Republican Budget (H.R.1) would have required. The agreement, expected to be voted on in the House and Senate later this week, funds the Office of Science at $4.884 billion which is $866 million above the level in H.R.1."This is good news for Fermilab, Arg… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $285,000 FEMA Grant to Pembroke Firefighters

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $286,380 grant to the Pembroke Fire Protection District, in Pembroke Township, Illinois, for recruitment initiatives aimed at increasing the number of frontline firefighters. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put … Continue Reading