Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin Meets with Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Randy Babbitt to discuss Illinois transportation priorities including the O'Hare Modernization Program and FAA Reauthorization. "Transportation is the key to creating and keeping jobs in the Midwest and Secretary LaHood understands that," said Durbin. "He also understands how important the O'Hare Modernization … Continue Reading
September 20, 2011
Durbin Announced Nearly $2 Million Investment in Illinois Communities to Create Jobs and Boost Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that five Illinois communities - Chicago, Champaign, Macomb, Rock Island and Rockford - have received Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to create jobs and boost economic development in the region. EDA is an agency within the U.S. Commerce Department and supports the economic development needs of distressed communities throughout the United States. Its mission is to lead the federal economic development … Continue Reading
September 15, 2011
Durbin Provision Would Help Protect Jobs at Quincy Mail Processing Facility; Ensure Community Involvement in Postal Service Study
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that, in his role as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), he has inserted language in the committee's annual appropriations bill that would help protect jobs at the Processing and Distribution Annex in Quincy, Illinois and ensure community involvement in the study regarding consolidation and closure of the facility. The legislation was approved by the Senate … Continue Reading
September 08, 2011
Durbin Statement on the President's Jobs Address
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight after President Obama's address to a Joint Session of Congress on job creation: "Tonight the president challenged Congress to work together to put America back to work. His plan, the American Jobs Act, will create new jobs for teachers, veterans and construction workers. It will cut taxes for small business owners and middle class families and give tax credits to companies that … Continue Reading
September 08, 2011
Durbin Announces Over $6.2 Million Investment in Illinois Housing Agencies
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that Illinois Housing Agencies will receive $ 6,289,102 in grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants provide funding for housing counseling along with funding for local units of government. "Improvements to public housing will enhance the quality of life for individuals who rely on this important service - including nearly 80,000 people in Illinois," said … Continue Reading
September 08, 2011
Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Bill That Preserves Essential Funding for Fermilab and Argonne National Lab
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved a bill that preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that will support work at two Illinois labs - Argonne National Laboratory and FermiLab which together employ roughly 4,800 Illinoisans. These projects were included in President Obama's FY2012 Budget and supported by Durbin. "We must reduce our … Continue Reading
September 08, 2011
Durbin Welcomes Illinois AFL-CIO President as Special Guest to Joint Session
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) will welcome the President of the Illinois AFL-CIO, Michael T. Carrigan, as his guest to an address by President Barack Obama to a joint session of Congress this evening. Durbin met with his guest prior to the joint session to discuss the importance of growing the economy, creating jobs and putting people back to work in Illinois and across the country. "It's a false choice to say that government cannot create jobs and reduce the … Continue Reading
September 07, 2011
Durbin Announces $18.7 Million Investment in Illinois Airport Infrastructure
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that three Illinois airports have received a total of $18,702,075 in grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for infrastructure improvements and upgrades. "Today's grants will allow airports in Illinois to make needed improvements and upgrades to help them reduce noise and serve travelers more safely and efficiently," said Durbin. The following investments in Illinois' transportation infrastructure were … Continue Reading
August 22, 2011
Durbin Announces $16.3 Million in Illinois Airport Infrastructure
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that several Illinois airports have received a total of $16,328,409 in grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for infrastructure improvements and upgrades. "Today's grants will allow airports in Illinois to make needed improvements and upgrades to help them serve travelers more safely and efficiently," said Durbin. The following investments in Illinois' transportation infrastructure were made under … 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
August 10, 2011
Durbin Visits Workforce Center, Discusses Need for Critical Support Services
[ELGIN, IL] - With the economic recovery lagging and unemployment still high, access for displaced workers to job retraining and career counseling is more critical than ever, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at the Elgin workNet Center. Although the national unemployment rate dipped slightly during the month of July - down to 9.1 percent - there are still five job-seekers for every job in America. In addition, 6.5 million American workers have been unemployed for six months or … Continue Reading
August 06, 2011
Durbin Statement on S&P Downgrade of US Credit Rating
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the S&P downgraded the US credit rating from AAA to AA+: "S&P's decision to downgrade the US credit rating due to our ongoing debt crisis is unfortunate and underscores the need for a balanced, bipartisan and comprehensive solution to the problem. In the coming weeks, a Joint Committee of Congress will begin its work to reach just such an agreement. Their work will be incredibly important and … Continue Reading
August 05, 2011
Durbin Statement on Agreement to Extend FAA Authorization
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after an agreement to extend FAA authorization was announced by Senator Reid earlier today: "Extending FAA authorization will put an estimated 74,000 Americans back to work and help keep airports and air operations in Illinois and around the country safe. I support this extension. "Congress' failure to reach a deal to extend FAA authorization before going home this week is no way to run a government. … Continue Reading
August 02, 2011
Durbin Statement on Budget Control Act
Madam President, this is an historic vote and it's one that has involved a lot of emotion and a lot of soul-searching and a lot of hard work. Our leaders are on the floor, Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate -- Senators Reid and McConnell. I want to salute both of them for working so hard to bring us to this moment where we have an opportunity to vote. The House has passed this legislation, so-called Budget Control Act. The Senate will take it up shortly. It is my belief that it … Continue Reading
August 01, 2011
Durbin Statement on Agreement to Raise the Debt Ceiling
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight, after an agreement was reached to raise the nation's debt ceiling and avoid a default on our national debt: "Tonight's agreement prevents a default on our nation's debt and will give our economy the certainty it needs as it continues to recover from a historic recession. This deal is not perfect, nor the deal many of us would have made ourselves, but in the end and after … Continue Reading
July 29, 2011
Durbin, Conyers, Welch and Others Introduce Bill to Level the Playing Field for Main Street Retailers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After receiving support from the largest online retailer in the United States - Amazon.com Inc - and Illinois-based Sears Roebuck and Co., U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives, John Conyers (D-MI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced a bill to allow local Main Street retailers to compete more effectively against out-of-state internet sellers. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Jack Reed (D- RI) in the Senate and … Continue Reading
July 29, 2011
Durbin, Kirk Ask Airlines to Put Consumers First
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to rising airline ticket rates following a partial Federal Aviation Administration shutdown, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) have sent a letter to Nicholas Calio, President and CEO of the Air Transport Association, calling into question the fare hikes instituted by many airlines. Congressional authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expired on July 22nd, resulting in the shutdown of certain FAA responsibilities and pause … Continue Reading
July 21, 2011
Durbin: Metro East Port District Project to Receive Additional $8.5 Million in Funds
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded an additional $8,500,000 in funding Tri-City Regional Port District for a project to continue construction on a regional multimodal transportation hub in Metro East, Illinois. This award was part of $15,000,000 in Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program funding that was redistributed by the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, earlier … 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
July 09, 2011
Durbin Brings Together Federal, State, and Local Stakeholders to Discuss Path Forward for Springfield Rail Consolidation
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - In an effort to expedite the process that he hopes will identify the Springfield rail consolidation alternative that best promotes public safety, enhances the quality of life of residents, and boosts the local economy, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) brought together key federal, state, and local stakeholders today. Durbin opened the meeting by stating his goals for the day: to clear up confusion about cost estimates in Hanson Engineering's Springfield Rail Corridor … Continue Reading