Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Education
Durbin Meets with Illinois University Presidents
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Presidents of Southern Illinois University (SIU), former Illinois Representative Glenn Poshard, and Illinois State University (ISU), Dr. Al Bowman, to discuss higher education issues, federal research programs and efforts to strengthen student aid programs including Pell Grants. Durbin served in the U.S. House of Representatives with Poshard, who represented portions of southern Illinois, for 8 years. Poshard was named … Continue Reading
September 26, 2011
Durbin Urges Passage of Bill that would Modernize Schools and Prevent Teacher Layoffs
[MORTON GROVE, IL] - With schools across Illinois struggling to upgrade their facilities and prevent teacher layoffs, passage of legislation to invest in school modernization and help keep teachers is critically important, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said this morning after meeting with administrators and teachers at Golf Middle School in Morton Grove. At Golf Middle School, Durbin met with the district superintendent, principals of the middle and elementary schools and the president … Continue Reading
September 22, 2011
Durbin Commends Announcement of a Nearly $1.8 Million Federal Grant Award to Support Development of Aerospace Industry in Rockford
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the Obama Administration's announcement $1,769,987 in federal funding for a project - designed by seven Rockford Area groups - that aims to strengthen the local aerospace industry. The Rockford project is one of 20 winning projects awarded a total of $38 million in funding today through President Obama's Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge which awarded funds to support a wide range of economic and workforce … Continue Reading
September 13, 2011
Durbin Says Code of Conduct Shows Willingness of For-profit College Industry to Improve Transparency; Encourages Further Action
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after many for-profit colleges announced that they have signed on to a voluntary agreement called, "Standards of Responsible Conduct and Transparency". "For-profit colleges signing on to a voluntary code of conduct shows that some in the industry are willing to take a first step towards establishing standards of transparency and accountability. More needs to be done and those schools which resist even … Continue Reading
August 18, 2011
Durbin Lauds Obama Administration Announcement on Dream Act Deportation Cases
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, in a letter to Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 21 other Senators, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that the Administration has established a new process for handling the deportation cases of DREAM Act students and other sympathetic individuals. If fully implemented, the new process should stop virtually all DREAM Act deportations. "The Obama Administration has made the right decision in changing the way they … Continue Reading
July 27, 2011
Durbin Announces Funding for Education Programs and Research Initiatives at Illinois Cultural Institutions
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded four Museums for America grants totaling $484,497 to cultural institutions in Illinois. These funds will help allow recipient institutions to better serve their communities by supporting high-priority activities that support their mission and strategic goals. "Illinois is home to many of the nation's finest cultural institutions," said Durbin. "Today's … Continue Reading
July 14, 2011
Durbin Announces $4.5 Million in School-based Health Center Grants to Help Illinois Children
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 17 school-based health centers in Illinois will receive $4,516,733 in grant funding through the Affordable Care Act. The funding will help school-based health centers to establish new sites or upgrade their current facilities to better serve Illinois children. School-based health centers offer health screenings, health promotion programs, and disease prevention activities and they help children … Continue Reading
July 12, 2011
Durbin, Bennet, Religious Leaders Announce DREAM Act Sabbath
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and more than a dozen religious leaders representing a broad variety of faith traditions, today announced a DREAM Act Sabbath - an initiative enlisting churches, synagogues, and mosques around the country to dedicate time during their regular weekly worship service to a conversation about the DREAM Act. The nationwide event will talk place this fall on September 23rd, September 24th, and … Continue Reading
June 29, 2011
Senators Condemn For-Profit Colleges' Mistreatment of America's Veterens
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Following last night's PBS Frontline segment documenting the mistreatment of America's veterans by some for-profit colleges, a group of Senators condemned the practices brought to light. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), called for greater oversight of military education benefit … Continue Reading
June 28, 2011
Opening Remarks at the First-ever Senate Hearing on the DREAM Act
Thousands of immigrant students in the United States were brought to the United States as children. It was not their decision to come to this country, but they grew up here pledging allegiance to our flag and singing our national anthem. They are American in their hearts. The DREAM Act would give these young people a chance to earn legal status if they have good moral character and go to college or serve in the military. The DREAM Act would make America a stronger country by giving … Continue Reading
June 24, 2011
Durbin Announces First-Ever Senate Hearing on the Dream Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that he will chair the first-ever Senate hearing on the DREAM Act next Tuesday, June 28th, at 10:00 am ET. The hearing will be in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. "I've been working on the DREAM Act for over ten years," Durbin said. "In that time, it's been reported out of committee by a large bipartisan margin, passed the House of Representatives, and received a bipartisan majority vote in … Continue Reading
June 16, 2011
Durbin Announces Nearly $21 Million in DOT Funding for O'Hare Noise Mitigation
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $20,900,000 in funding to Ridgewood High School District 234 for measures aimed at mitigating noise from O'Hare International Airport. Today's grant follows a Federal Aviation Administration review of a 2009 decision stating that the Ridgewood High School did not qualify for sound insulation. "Today's funding will help create a better learning environment for … Continue Reading
June 02, 2011
Durbin Statement on Education Department's Gainful Employment Rule
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after reviewing the final version of the Gainful Employment rule on for-profit colleges that the Department of Education released earlier today. "This rule may stop the worst violators among the predatory for-profit schools but it will not protect thousands of young students who are being burdened with debt by many worthless diploma mills. If we are serious about protecting taxpayers and students, … Continue Reading
May 26, 2011
Durbin, Cohen and Others Introduce Legislation to Restore Fairness in Student Lending
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Al Franken (D-MN) today joined U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Danny Davis (D-IL), George Miller (D-CA) and John Conyers (D-MI) to introduce legislation in both the Senate and the House that will restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans in bankruptcy the same as other types of private debt. Before changes were made to the bankruptcy code in 2005, only government … Continue Reading
May 25, 2011
Durbin: Illinois Among Finalists in Innovative Race to the Top Education Reform Competition
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Education has named Illinois among nine finalists for a continuation of its Race to the Top competition. The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward states like Illinois that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform. In 2010, Illinois was a finalist in both rounds of competition, but did not win a grant. "Maintaining the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2011
Durbin Announces FEMA Grant for Flood Protection Efforts in Gurnee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the City of Gurnee has been awarded a $2,428,463 grant for from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood protection efforts in Gurnee, Illinois. The funding will be used to purchase and remove the old Gurnee Elementary School which has been damaged beyond repair by repeated flooding. The property will be returned to green space, allowing flooding from the Des Plaines River to occur without damage to … Continue Reading
May 18, 2011
Durbin Announces Over $5 Million in Department of Labor Grants for Illinois Youth
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded five grants totaling in $5,499,644 to YouthBuild organizations throughout Illinois. YouthBuild assists out-of-school youth in obtaining their diplomas or GEDs while providing occupational training in the construction industry. Participants in the program include individuals who have been in the juvenile justice system, youth aging out of foster care, high school dropouts … Continue Reading
April 28, 2011
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 … Continue Reading
April 13, 2011
Durbin, Kirk, Polis, Paulsen Introduce Bill to Expand Successful Charter Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO) and Erik Paulsen (R-MN) today to introduce legislation that would expand the Charter School Program at the Department of Education (DOE) making the expansion and replication of successful charter school models eligible for federal funding. The bill - the All Students Achieving through Reform (All-STAR) Act - also takes several steps to strengthen public charter school … Continue Reading
April 07, 2011
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators to Introduce Bill to Help Prevent Youth Suicide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In an effort to prevent youth suicide and reach out to young people who need mental health services, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tom Udall (D-NM) today introduced the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2011. Included in today's legislation are portions of Durbin's Mental Health on College Campuses Act which calls for the creation of a competitive grant program that would provide funding to colleges to focus … Continue Reading