Durbin, Manzullo Secure $800,000 to Help Create Jobs, Improve Higher Education in Rockford

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Don Manzullo (R-IL) and announced today they have secured $800,000 in federal funds for two important initiatives to help create jobs and improve higher education in Rockford. The funding is included in the 2010 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which the House and Senate are expected to approve in the next few weeks before sending to the President for his signature. Durbin and Manzullo each requested fu… Continue Reading

Durbin: Committee Recommends More Than $126 Million in Funding for Illinois Projects

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the final Omnibus Appropriations Act which includes $126,432,544 in funding for several Illinois projects was approved by a joint House and Senate Conference Committee of which Durbin is a member. The House and Senate are expected to take up and pass the legislation before the end of the year. The bill will then go to the President for his signature. SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: CHICAGO TRANSIT ($9,30… Continue Reading

Durbin, Hoyer Announce Plan to Resolve Disputes with Terminated Auto Dealers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) today announced new legislative language to address the ongoing dispute between GM, Chrysler and dealerships that were closed during the companies' restructuring. The Durbin-Hoyer language expands the binding arbitration offer GM and Chrysler presented to dealers last week by requiring the arbitrator to balance the economic interests of the terminated dealership, the company … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Over $21 Million for Community Health Centers in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that four community health centers in Illinois will receive $21,847,551 in grant funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Facility Investment Program grants, allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are one-time grants to help support major construction and renovation projects at 85 community health centers across the country and assist networks at the cent… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Slazinik Retained as U.S. Marshal in Illinois' Southern District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that President Obama has chosen Don Slazinik to be officially retained as U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois. Because he is currently the U.S. Marshal for that district - having been nominated and confirmed in 2002 - there is no need for him to be re-nominated and re-confirmed. Based on recommendations made by a bipartisan screening committee in the state, Durbin submitted Slazinik and two other … Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Illinois Residents to Apply Now for Spring Census Taker Jobs

[WASHINGTON] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the U.S. Census Bureau in Chicago is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. As many as 1000,000 people throughout Illinois will be needed to work as census takers for the 2010 Census between January and June of next year. Durbin said these short-term jobs pay between $10 and $18 dollars an hour, allow for flexible hours, paid training and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses, such as mile… Continue Reading

Durbin: Chicago Small Business Owner is Testament to the Credit Crunch We Must Solve

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced Ivan Matsunaga, a small business owner from Chicago, Illinois, to the Democratic Policy Committee during a hearing to examine barriers to job creation for small businesses. "Ivan Matsunaga owns two Connie's Pizzas in Chicago that are in two of the highest areas of foot traffic in the city - Navy Pier and McCormick Place," said Durbin. "Ivan graduated from Cornell and is the former chairman of the Illin… Continue Reading

Durbin to Host Delegation Briefing on Thomson Correctional Center

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that TODAY, December 2, he will host a briefing for members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to discuss the Thomson Correctional Center in Carroll County, Illinois as a possible site for a new federal maximum security prison. If the Thomson Correctional Center is purchased by the federal government, the seven-county area surrounding the facility is expected to experience an estimated increase in employme… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Agreement Between GM and Groups Representing Closed Dealerships

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today applauding an agreement between GM, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) regarding the restructuring of GM's dealer network. Their announcement outlines a comprehensive and transparent review of termination decisions and formal reinstatement process should individual dealerships meet or exceed GM's dealer… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following Illinois Delegation Briefing on Thomson Correctional Center

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a briefing for members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to discuss the Thomson Correctional Center in Carroll County, Illinois as a possible site for a new federal maximum security prison. Earlier today, top Illinois law enforcement officials - including Illinois State Police Director, Jonathan Monken, who attended today's meeting - wrote a letter to the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Following President's Address Outlining Strategy in Afghanistan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Barack Obama outlined his strategy for the war in Afghanistan in an address earlier this evening. "President Obama asked for time to make his decision on a new policy in Afghanistan. I am going to take some time to think through the proposal he presented tonight."… Continue Reading

Durbin: Historic Debate Begins on Health Care Reform

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the United States Senate, by a vote of 60 - 39, agreed to begin debate on The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: "Tonight the Senate voted to open one of the most important debates in its history. For the first time we will squarely face the health care crises American families face every day. We need to bring down costs; give families a fighting chance against insurance … Continue Reading

Durbins Statement on Senator Roland Burris

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today following the Senate Ethics Committee's finding regarding Senator Roland Burris: "When we met with Roland Burris in January, we made it clear that in order for him to be seated in the U.S. Senate he needed to appear before the Illinois General Assembly to testify openly, honestly and completely about the nature of his relationship with the former governor, his associates and the circumstances surrounding… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Senator Lincoln

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today following press reports that imply that Sen. Blanche Lincoln has disclosed to Senate Leadership how she intends to vote on the motion to proceed to invoke cloture on the Senate health reform bill: "In a conversation with reporters earlier today, some of my remarks regarding Senator Lincoln were unclear and have been incorrectly interpreted. Let me be clear: Senator Lincoln has had a number of conver… Continue Reading

Durbin: Participation in National Logbook Initiative Will Help Combat Meth in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the State of Illinois for working to implement a multi-state electronic tracking system to monitor sales of meth precursor chemicals and identify individuals who are illegally stockpiling those chemicals. The National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) will provide law enforcement agencies across the country with free access to an electronic log of cold and allergy medicine purchases. This state effort builds u… Continue Reading

Durbin Legislation Designed to Attract Medical Professionals to Rural VA Hospitals Approved by Senate

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that his legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recruit and retain high-quality healthcare administrators and providers in rural areas was approved by the United States Senate late last night. Durbin's legislation was added as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill which will now go to a Conference Committee. "Last week, I… Continue Reading

Durbin Food Safety Bill Clears Senate Committee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that his FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510) was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Durbin's bill will give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new authorities, tools and resources to comprehensively reform the nation's food safety systems. "Every year, 76 million Americans suffer from a p… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Approves More Than $82 Million for Military Construction Projects in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the United States Senate has approved $82,257,000 in federal funding for military construction projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations Bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs includes funding for the following Illinois projects: • Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Facility, Scott Air Force Base. $7,400,000 in funding for a new aeromedical evacuation … Continue Reading

Durbin Legislation to Officially Name Lovell Federal Health Care Center Approved by Senate

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that his language to officially name the Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago after Captain James A. Lovell was approved by the United States Senate earlier today. Durbin's legislation was added late last night as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill which will now go to a Conference Committee. "While the intent to name the facility after Cap… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Thomson Correctional Facility

[SPRINGFIELD, IL] ­ Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) made the following statement regarding the potential acquisition and activation of the state correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. "I am pleased the federal government is considering the possible acquisition of the Thomson Correctional Facility from the State of Illinois." "According to the proposal now under consideration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons would operate the facility as a maximum-security priso… Continue Reading