Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin Celebrates opening of New Terminal at Peoria International Airport
[PEORIA, IL] - The completion of construction on a new terminal at Peoria International Airport will create more capacity for commercial passenger airplanes, lower wait times for baggage, expand space for vendors, enhance security and provide the airport with the ability to handle one million passengers per year, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin joined Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and other federal and local elected officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony … Continue Reading
April 20, 2011
Durbin, Kirk, Illinois Delegations: High Speed Rail Funding Will Have Greatest Impact in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in expressing support for Illinois' application for the federal funding for high speed rail projects that was rejected by the Governor of Florida. In their letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, the members stressed the importance of the Chicago to St. Louis route as the backbone of the Midwest passenger rail system. "We believe Illinois offers … Continue Reading
April 12, 2011
Durbin: $400 Million in Illinois Transportation Funding Protected in Budget Agreement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the agreement reached on funding the government through the end of FY2011 protects nearly $400 million in federal funding for eight transportation projects in Illinois that were targeted for rescission in the House Republican's FY2011 Budget plan (H.R.1). For over a month, Durbin has been travelling the state to draw attention to the negative impact these rescission would have on Illinois jobs and economic … Continue Reading
April 08, 2011
Durbin: DOT Approves Cape Air as Essential Air Service Carrier for Next Four Years
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Cape Air's application to provide long-term service at Quincy Regional Airport for the next four years was accepted by the Department of Transportation. This move will likely lead to the airline moving maintenance and other associated work to the region which could add good paying jobs to Western Illinois. Cape Air will also continue providing service from to Marion, Illinois to Lambert-St. Louis International … Continue Reading
April 05, 2011
Durbin: DOT to Obligate $1 Million in Funds for Peoria Warehouse District
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, has obligated $1 million in funding - 10% of the federal funding that was awarded - for the Peoria Warehouse District project. This move to begin obligating funds as soon as possible comes in response to Durbin's request to obligate $10 million in funding for the Peoria Warehouse District project - and the nearly $400 million funding for other Illinois transportation projects - … Continue Reading
March 29, 2011
Durbin to LaHood: Obligate Illinois Transportation Funds to Save Illinois Jobs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, urging him to obligate as soon as possible nearly $400 million in Illinois transportation funding. Obligating - making a legal commitment to allow a project to move forward - this funding could potentially keep eight Illinois projects safe from rescission under the House Republican's 2011 Budget plan. "Over the past two years, communities in Illinois have successfully … Continue Reading
March 22, 2011
Durbin and Quinn Announce Major Agreement to Advance High-Speed Rail in Illinois
CHICAGO - Work on the next phase of high-speed rail between Chicago and St. Louis is set to begin as the result of a $685 million construction agreement, Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The federally funded project will create an estimated 6,200 direct and indirect jobs and move Illinois one step closer to faster trains and improved service along its signature high-speed route. Durbin and Quinn were joined at today's announcement by railroad workers and … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Durbin: Decision on CN Appeal Strengthens Role of Surface Transportation Board
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after a federal appeals court upheld a decision by the Surface Transportation Board that requiring the Canadian National (CN) to pay seventy-eight and a half percent of the cost of specific mitigation efforts in Lynwood, Illinois and sixty-seven percent of specific mitigation efforts in Aurora, Illinois - estimated at $68 million total. "This decision finally cements Canadian National's commitments to … Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
Durbin Joins Bicameral Delegation to Announce Formation of High-Speed and Intercity Rail Caucus
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the founding members of the Bi-Cameral High- Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus to announce the formation of a coalition that will serve as the leading advocates to advance high-speed and intercity rail programs across the country. The caucus - which also includes as Co-Chairs, Representatives Louise Slaughter (NY-28) Corrine Brown (FL-3), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), David Price (NC-4), Tim Walz (MN-1) and John Olver … Continue Reading
March 14, 2011
Agreement Reached to Expand Capacity at O’Hare and Foster Economic Growth Nationwide
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, executives from United Airlines and American Airlines and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk announced today a $1.17 billion agreement that will allow the O'Hare Modernization Program to move forward, add runway capacity, and prevent flight delays from growing to unacceptable levels. With this agreement between the City of Chicago and American and United Airlines in place, work can begin on an … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
Durbin Meets With Quad Cities Chamber and Labor Leaders to Discuss Regional Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leaders from the Quad Cities region who were in Washington, D.C. for their annual fly-in to discuss their priorities including Rock Island Arsenal, Amtrak service to the Quad Cities and economic recovery. Durbin asked for the group's help in opposing H.R.1 funding cuts that eliminate all unobligated funding for current and future high speed rail projects. "The Quad Cities region does a great job of coming together across … Continue Reading
March 09, 2011
House Republican Budget Cuts
Madam President, I wish to follow up on what was said by the majority leader. This exercise we are engaged in here, this conversation about how to finish this fiscal year which ends on October 1, is one that I think has gotten out of hand, and I will tell you why. I know the debt is a serious problem facing America. I know the deficit is something that threatens our economy and our way of living. I also know there are sensible, thoughtful ways to deal with it. One of them was addressed … Continue Reading
March 09, 2011
Durbin Meets With Champaign County First to Discuss Local Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Champaign County FIRST to discuss local priorities including transportation, local school improvements and high speed rail. Durbin asked for the group's help in opposing H.R.1 funding cuts that eliminate all unobligated funding for current and future high speed rail projects. The Champaign County FIRST committee serves as the unified voice of Champaign County to elected officials on the state and federal … Continue Reading
March 04, 2011
Durbin Requests DOT Review On Air Traffic Controller Errors at O’Hare
WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a Chicago Tribune report on an increase in air traffic controller errors at O'Hare International Airport, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct an immediate review of how controller training duties and practices have affected the increased number of mistakes at O'Hare. The Tribune has reported that operational errors have doubled from six to 17 over the past year. Durbin also asked the DOT to provide … Continue Reading
February 25, 2011
Durbin Will Fight for Federal Funding Promised to Barrington for EJ&E Mitigation, But Taken Back by House Bill
[BARRINGTON, IL] - A $2.8 million federal grant to the City of Barrington to fund the planning, designing and engineering of a grade separation at the U.S. Route 14 and Eastern Joliet & Elgin (EJ&E) Railway crossing is now at risk after the House of Representatives passed its spending bill, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The project's funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER II program is eliminated in the House of Representatives spending bill for … Continue Reading
February 24, 2011
Durbin, Lipinski, and Rush Pledge to Fight for Federal Funding Promised to Englewood Flyover
[CHICAGO, IL] - A $133 million federal grant to fund the Englewood Flyover, a linchpin of the job-creating CREATE rail modernization program, is now at risk as a result of the House Republican spending bill, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Representatives Dan Lipinski and Bobby Rush said today. The project's funding is immediately eliminated in the House of Representatives spending bill for the current fiscal year (FY11), which was approved along party lines by the House early Saturday … Continue Reading
February 23, 2011
Durbin and Kirk Support City's Plans to Appeal FERC Decision
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today sent at letter to the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Jon Wellinghoff, urging him to carefully review any appeal by the City of Quincy as to the facts surrounding the decision to dismiss the permit application. "As you can imagine, FERC's sudden decision has left the City with the impression that the application was not given serious consideration on its merits. We urge your … Continue Reading
February 21, 2011
Durbin Stands Against House Efforts to Take Back More Than $240 Million in Federal Funding Already Promised to Quad Cities
[MOLINE, IL] - A $230 million federal grant to build a new rail line connecting Chicago to the Quad Cities and a $10 million federal grant to the City of Moline for a new, energy efficient, multimodal station are now both at risk after House Republicans passed their spending bill, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Both projects' funding is immediately eliminated in the House of Representatives spending bill for the current fiscal year (FY11), which was approved by the House early … Continue Reading
February 21, 2011
Durbin Vows to Fight for Federal Funding Promised to Peoria Warehouse District, But Taken Back by House Bill
[PEORIA, IL] - A $10 million federal grant to the City of Peoria to revitalize the city's Warehouse District is now at risk after House Republicans passed their spending bill, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The project's funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER II program is immediately eliminated in the House of Representatives spending bill for the current fiscal year (FY11), which was approved by the House early Saturday morning. The bill cuts more than … Continue Reading
February 18, 2011
Durbin Meets with Metra CEO to Discuss Impact of Drastic Federal Spending Cuts
[CHICAGO] -U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with newly appointed Metra CEO Alex Clifford to discuss Metra's ongoing review of diesel locomotive emissions and federal spending cuts proposed by the House Republicans which would eliminate the $341,000 in federal funding Metra is using to reduce CO2 emissions by installing automatic shut-down and start-up systems in its fleet. In November, Durbin asked several federal agencies to work with Metra looking into the results of a Chicago … Continue Reading