Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin Meets With DOT Secretary Chao
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after meeting with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao to discuss transportation projects important to Illinois: Investing in our transportation infrastructure creates jobs, revitalizes neighborhoods, and grows small businesses across Illinois. While transportation agencies in Illinois are working hard to improve their infrastructure and services, Washington must also do its part. … Continue Reading
April 18, 2018
Durbin, Quigley, Duckworth Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation To Map Urban Flooding & Help FEMA Better Assess Risks
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-02) and John Culberson (R-TX-07) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act of 2018 to enhance the mapping of urban flooding to prevent associated damage. The legislation will help give cities and towns the tools they need to address flooding in a local … Continue Reading
March 08, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Press Canadian National Railway For Update On Implementation Of Positive Train Control Safety Technology
WASHINGTON-Following reports that Canadian National (CN) Railway may not meet the statutory deadline to implement positive train control (PTC) safety technology, which could force Amtrak to shut down operations on CN's tracks, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed for an update on CN's current progress on implementing PTC in Illinois as well as an update on what efforts CN is making to improve Amtrak's on-time performance in the state. Shutting down Amtrak … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Durbin Meets With MWRD To Express Continued Support For McCook Reservoir, Brandon Road Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to express his continued support for the construction and funding of the McCook Reservoir Project. Last month, Durbin, along with Senator Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Peter Roskam (R-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Bobby … Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of Illinois Congressional Delegation Urge Army Corps To Include Funding For McCook
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Peter Roskam (R-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Bobby Rush (D-IL-01) today requested $34.7 million in construction funds for the McCook Reservoir Project be included in the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Work Plan. They also requested that the … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Durbin Statement On President's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Trump's first State of the Union address: If the President chooses to follow through on his prepared remarks tonight, he will find Democrats ready to work with him on lowering prescription drug prices, making massive new investments in America's crumbling roads and bridges, passing meaningful paid family leave legislation, and protecting … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Press Metra, Amtrak, Freight Rail for Update on Positive Train Control Safety Technology
WASHINGTON-Following the tragic Amtrak derailment in Washington this week that left at least three people dead and about 100 others injured, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Metra, Amtrak, and the American Association of Railroads (AAR) to provide the Illinois Delegation with an update on their ongoing efforts to implement positive train control (PTC) safety technology in Illinois by the December 31, 2018 statutory deadline. PTC is a federally mandated … Continue Reading
November 14, 2017
Durbin Meets With Chicago Rockford International Airport Director, Discusses Continued Federal Investment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Mike Dunn, director of the Chicago Rockford International Airport Authority to discuss continued expansion of cargo operations at Chicago Rockford International Airport, which is creating thousands of local jobs. "Northern Illinois' economic growth depends on our airports, and Chicago Rockford International Airport is no exception. Thanks to continued federal investment, the ongoing cargo expansion and upgrades at RFD are creating … Continue Reading
October 20, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.8 Million In HUD funding To Support Northern Illinois Housing And Community Development
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Northern Illinois communities will receive $3,880,550 in federal grant funding through three programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Northern Illinois communities were awarded $2,957,019 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, $182,521 through the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program, and $741,010 through the HOME Investment … Continue Reading
October 20, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $2.5 Million In HUD Funding To Support Peoria Area Housing And Community Development
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Peoria area communities will receive $2,575,764 in federal grant funding through three programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Peoria area communities were awarded $1,932,441 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, $137,451 through the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program, and $505,872 through the HOME Investment Partnerships … Continue Reading
October 20, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.4 Million In HUD funding To Support Central Illinois Housing And Community Development
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Central Illinois communities will receive $3,436,353 in federal grant funding through two programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Central Illinois communities were awarded $2,679,744 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program and $756,609 through the HOME Investment Partnerships program. In addition to this funding, the Illinois … Continue Reading
October 20, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $7.4 Million In HUD Funding To Support Metro East Housing And Community Development
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Metro East communities will receive $7,429,063 in federal grant funding through two programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Metro East communities were awarded $5,895,762 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program and $1,533,301 through the HOME Investment Partnerships program. In addition to this funding, the Illinois Housing … Continue Reading
October 20, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $138.9 Million In HUD Funding To Support Chicagoland Housing And Community Decelopment
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Chicagoland communities will receive $138,961,000 in federal grant funding through four programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In total, Chicagoland communities were awarded $99,228,739 through the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, $8,773,255 through the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program, $23,005,466 through the HOME Investment … Continue Reading
September 20, 2017
Durbin, Scott, Menendez, Young, Donnelly, Duckworth Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Children In Federally-Assisted Housing From Lead Exposure
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) Todd Young (R-IN), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2017, which would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update its lead regulations to protect children from the risk of lead exposure. Since the enactment of federal lead policies in the 1990's, lead poisoning rates have fallen … Continue Reading
September 13, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce 188,000 In Federal Funding To Support Safety And Security In Peoria Public Housing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a total of $188,032 to the Peoria Housing Authority. This funding is provided through HUD's Capital Fund Emergency Safety and Security Program, which supports local housing authorities as they address safety and security emergencies including sudden increases in violent or property-related crimes within their public housing … Continue Reading
August 29, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $1.5 Million In Federal Funding For Roadway Improvements In Jefferson County
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $1,507,478 in federal funding through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the construction of roadway improvements for industrial expansion in Jefferson County, Illinois. The project will improve access to allow current industries to ship and receive goods more efficiently, which will result in new higher paying jobs and additional employment throughout the region. The project is expected … Continue Reading
August 21, 2017
Durbin, Bustos: Federal Investment In Rockford Airport Is Creating Jobs And Growing Local Economy
ROCKFORD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today toured construction of the Chicago Rockford International Airport passenger terminal, which will provide an additional 30,000 square feet for passenger check-in and additional Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) inspection lanes. Since 2015, Sen. Durbin and Rep. Bustos have helped to secure $18.2 million in federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the terminal … Continue Reading
July 28, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Release Of $16 Million In Funding For Springfield Rail Improvement Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that an agreement has been finalized between local, state, and federal officials to release $16 million in previously awarded federal funding for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. "This agreement allows projects that will create good-paying jobs, improve safety, and increase service reliability to go forward," Durbin said. "I was proud to support this improvement project, and I will continue advocating … Continue Reading
July 13, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth: Plainfield Tank Car Derailment A Wake-UP Call For DOT
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao to do more to prevent railroad tank car accidents like the one in Plainfield, Illinois on June 30, 2017, in which multiple rail cars on a Canadian National (CN) train carrying crude oil derailed, causing an estimated 45,000 gallons of oil to leak out of the tank cars. "We are extremely grateful for the hard work of Plainfield's first … Continue Reading
July 06, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth, Senate Democrats Urge HUD Secretary Ben Carson To Restore Resources That Protect LGBTQ From Housing Discrimination
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and 26 of their colleagues in a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, urging him to reinstate resources that protect LGBTQ people from housing discrimination. These resources, designed to help housing providers comply with HUD's nondiscrimination rules, were removed from HUD's website in recent months. "It is concerning that HUD apparently … Continue Reading