Durbin Announces $7.4 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Environmental Cleanup

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the state of Illinois will receive $7,402,000 in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to assess and clean up underground storage tank petroleum leaks. Today's funding is part of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement of $197 million nationwide for environmental cleanup which the EPA estimates will create or retain a significant number of jobs and contribute to at least … Continue Reading

81st Annual Spring Dinner of the Economic Club of Chicago

Remarks Prepared for Delivery by Senator Richard J. Durbin Economic Club and "practical economics" Grace Barry sent me a copy of the Club's 75th anniversary book. I enjoyed reading the remarks of Mr. Melvin Traylor, president of the First National Bank of Chicago, who spoke at the very first meeting of this distinguished group, back in 1927. The topic of Mr. Traylor's remarks was, "[W]hy the hell another club in Chicago?" This is how he answered his own question: He said th… Continue Reading

Addressing the Global Food Crisis

Remarks Prepared for Delivery by Senator Richard J. Durbin I want to thank my friend Dan Glickman for that generous introduction - and for his and Cathy Bertini's tireless leadership in the fight against global poverty and hunger. I want to thank them, in particular, for their leadership on The Chicago Initiative on Global Agricultural Development. I also want to acknowledge and thank Marshall Bouton for his leadership of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The sympo… Continue Reading

Durbin and Midwest Senators Urge President to Consider Recovery Act Funding for Midwest Rail

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a group of Senators from Midwestern states in urging President Barack Obama to consider investing funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in rail corridors in the Midwest. The Recovery Act designates $8 billion to high speed passenger rail - a significant investment which is 17 times more funding than the federal government has invested over the last 10 years combined. "We believe the Midwest r… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Over $4 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Illinois Airports

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded $4,238,655 in grants to Illinois airports. Today's funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will create jobs in Illinois and strengthen the region's infrastructure to serve passengers safely and efficiently. • Springfield Airport Authority: $2,448,855 in funding to reconstruct a ramp at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. This project wil… Continue Reading

On World Autism Day, Durbin, Casey, Menendez Introduce Bill to Establish a National Comprehensive Autism Strategy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On a day designated by the United Nations to highlight the growing global health crisis of autism, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Robert Menendez (D- NJ) today introduced legislation that would create a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of families affected by autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Treatment Acceleration Act requires health insurers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of auti… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Resolution in Support of Chicago 2016 Urban Sport Initiative

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a resolution supporting the establishment of an Urban Youth Sports Initiative as a legacy of the City of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The City of Chicago and Chicago 2016, in partnership with the United States Olympic Committee, propose an Urban Youth Sports Initiative to expand access for young people to quality urban youth sports programs. Today's introduction coincides with the In… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Passage of the Democratic Budget Resolution

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate passed the FY10 budget resolution: "We need to face the facts - we have inherited the worst economic crisis in generations." "Last month we took an important first step toward getting our economy back on track by passing the economic recovery package. Tonight we've taken the next step by passing a smart, fair, and responsible budget that makes our economy work again.… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown Introduce Legislation to Reward "Patriot Employers"

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today introduced legislation to reward companies that invest in American jobs, pay decent wages, provide good benefits, and support their employees when they are called to active duty. The Patriot Employers Act would provide a tax credit to companies that make a commitment to American workers. "When companies make headlines today it is often for all the wrong reasons: outrageous bonuses,… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Indictment of Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) made the following statement regarding the indictment of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on federal corruption charges: "We can only hope the former governor will not view this indictment as a green light for another publicity tour. Rod Blagojevich deserves his day in court, but the people of Illinois deserve a break."… Continue Reading

Durbin and Hinchey Introduce a Bill to Protect America's Red Rock Wilderness

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -- In an effort to preserve 9.4 million acres of Utah's spectacular red rock country as wilderness, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation in the House and Senate that would ensure the public land remains in its natural, undeveloped state. Hinchey and Durbin's bipartisan America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, which was introduced with 105 cosponsors in the House and 15 in the Senate, would protect the land from commercia… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kennedy, DeGette & Platts Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Smoking Prevention Efforts

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) joined U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO-1) and Todd Platts (R-PA-19) today in introducing companion pieces of legislation in the Senate and the House that provide Medicare and Medicaid coverage to tobacco cessation treatments for senior citizens, people with disabilities and low-income adults. Each year, tobacco use kills an estimated 438,000 Americans-about 1 in 5 of all deaths in the United States. Toba… Continue Reading

Durbin: Secretary LaHood Says Illinois Ahead in Obligating Highway Funding

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a meeting with Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that Illinois is well ahead of most other states when it comes to putting highway dollars to work. So far under President Obama's Recovery Plan, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has approved the state's plan to spend $629 million on 243 projects. In all, Illinois has $935 million availabl… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Duckworth at VA Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced President Obama's choice to be Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Tammy Duckworth, to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "Tammy's entire life has been in service to our country. She is a proven leader and public servant uniquely qualified for this position," said Durbin. "Tammy's advocacy for veterans is recognized by the veterans' com… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Over $1.8 Billion in Recovery Act Funding Now Available for Illinois Schools

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that $1,871,685,355 in Recovery Act funding is now available for states and schools to lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of teaching jobs around Illinois. "Investing in our children's future is an investment in our nation's future," said Durbin. "At a time when states face difficult choices about filling increasing budget gaps, today's funding will increase ac… Continue Reading

Durbin, Specter, Larson, Jones Introduce Bills to Reform Financing of Congressional Elections

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) and Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced bipartisan legislation today to reform the way Congressional elections are financed. The Fair Elections Now Act would allow qualified, legitimate candidates to receive grants and matching funds to run competitive campaigns instead of relying on contributions from lobbyists and other special inter… Continue Reading

Durbin: Illinois to Receive $166 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Public Building Projects

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 10 Illinois public buildings will receive a total of $166,479,000 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the modernization and conversion of federal buildings and courthouses to high performance, energy-efficient buildings. "The General Services Administration owns roughly 1,500 federal buildings nationwide," said Durbin. "These buildings affect our natural environment, ou… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $99 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Argonne National Lab

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced on a conference call with the Director of Argonne National Laboratory, Eric Isaacs that the lab will receive $99 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate environmental cleanup work and create jobs. The Director of Fermilab, Pier Oddone, was also on today's call. "Last week, Congressman Foster and I announced forty-eight million dollars in Recovery Act funding fo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Whitehouse Seek Additional Information Regarding Justice Department Investigation of Torture Authorizations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter today to the Acting Assistant Attorney General, inquiring about an internal investigation of Justice Department attorneys who provided legal advice regarding waterboarding and other abusive interrogation techniques. Today's letter is in response to revelations that former Justice Department officials Jay Bybee, John Yoo, and Steven Bradbury, the targets of the internal… Continue Reading

Durbin Announes $15 Million for Community Health Centers in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 36 community health centers in Illinois will receive $15,181,564 in grant funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Increased Demand for Services (IDS) grants, allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will be used to expand services offered by adding new providers, expanding hours of operations or expanding services. "Health centers prov… Continue Reading