Durbin Announces More Than $105,000 in FEMA Grants for Central Illinois Fire Departments

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded 2 grants totaling $106,875 to central Illinois fire departments for operations and safety. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best resou… Continue Reading

Durbin Expresses Confidence in Coordinated Effort to Prevent Spread of Asian Carp

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after an announcement by the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee that one Bighead Asian carp has been found in Lake Calumet along the Chicago Area Waterway System. "I am confident that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard are taking the threat of the Asian Carp to the health of the Great Lakes seriously. Today, the… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $400,000 in Grant Funding for Peoria International Airport

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $400,000 grant to the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. This funding will be used to install a 10-foot wildlife fence designed to increase safety and discourage animals from entering the airfield."The Peoria International Airport is a critical transportation link for central Illinois," said Durbin. "This funding will contribute to t… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $550,000 in Grant Funding for Chicago Rockford International Airport

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $550,000 grant to the Chicago Rockford International Airport. This funding will be used to data collection and airport imagery acquisition. The data and imagery will be uploaded to the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Geographic Information System and contribute to the development of an electronic Airport Layout Plan.Chicago Rockford Internati… Continue Reading

Durbin Stresses Urgency of Federal Rail Safety

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Senate Banking Committee to work quickly in drafting rail safety legislation. Durbin pointed to two events that underscore the need for Congressional action: the tragic crash of a Red Line Metro train in Washington, D.C. one year ago today which cost the lives of nine people and the CTA Red Line train travelling in Chicago's subways that was enveloped in smoke on Sunday sending 19 passengers to area hospitals."These incidents … Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Confirms Lewis to be U.S. Attorney in Central District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the United States Senate unanimously approved James Lewis to serve as U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois. "With over twenty years of experience in the office of U.S. Attorney in Central Illinois, James Lewis brings a strong background in the law to this position," said Durbin. "I was honored to recommend his name to President Obama, and am confident that he will bring a strong work ethic, independence, and … Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn: DOJ Announces Plans to Fully Utilize Thomson Correctional Center

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced today that the Department of Justice (DOJ) intends to acquire the Thomson Correctional Center by the end of the year and fully utilize the entire facility. In a letter to Durbin, Quinn and Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL), a DOJ official explained that the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) plans to make modifications to the prison and hire and train a full complement of staff while the Defense D… Continue Reading

Durbin, Key House Conferees Reach Agreement on Interchange Fees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that an agreement has been reached with key conferees on the Wall Street reform bill regarding his amendment regulating interchange fees. The agreement makes minor, clarifying changes to the language which passed the Senate 64-33, and responds to concerns raised by state governments regarding their use of prepaid and debit cards distribution of government benefits. "I'm pleased that we were able to… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Lawmakers in Calling for Government Review of For-Profit Colleges

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In light of recent press reports raising concerns about the for-profit education sector U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) today joined other lawmakers in calling for a review of for-profit or "proprietary" institutions of higher education. Specifically, they asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess the quality of for-profit institutions, as well as how much of their revenue is comprised of Federal student aid and other Federal funding sources.… Continue Reading

Durbin: New Provisions of FDA Tobacco Law Will Save Lives, Protect Children

[CHICAGO, IL] - Provisions of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that go into effect tomorrow will prevent kids from picking up the deadly habit of smoking, help current smokers quit, and save many lives, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The provisions go into effect on the one-year anniversary of the bill's enactment. "The common sense reforms enacted by this law will finally end decades of tobacco industry deceit and targeting of children as 'replacement smo… Continue Reading

Durbin, Burris, Illinois Delegation Call on President to Provide Federal Relief for Five Illinois Counties

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roland Burris (D-IL) and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today have agreed to request that President Obama declare five Illinois counties - Kankakee, LaSalle, Livingston, Peoria and Putnam - federal disaster areas. Members signing on to the letter include Representatives Melissa Bean (D-IL), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Danny Davis (D-IL), Bill Foster (D-IL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Debbie Halverson (D… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $1 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficiency Research in Urbana

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Creative Thermal Solutions, Inc. in Urbana, Illinois, will receive $1,010,611 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This funding will be used to research ways to dramatically increase the efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and to pursue technologies that apply to both air conditioning and refrigeration. "This funding is an investmen… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $500,000 in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficiency Training in Des Plaines

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Gas Technology Institute in Des Plaines, Illinois, will receive $448,405 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop energy efficiency training programs for commercial building equipment technicians. "This funding is an investment in the effort to reduce the carbon footprint of Illinois residents and businesses," said Durbin. "It will help create the technologies a… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $675,000 FEMA Grant for Addison Firefighters

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $677,250 grant to the Addison Fire Protection District #1 in Addison, Illinois, for the hiring of new firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put th… Continue Reading

Durbin: White House Nominates Myerscough to Fill Federal Judgeship in Central District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has nominated Appellate Court Justice Sue Myerscough to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Central District of Illinois (Springfield). The White House recently nominated James Shadid to fill a vacancy in Peoria. Last month, Durbin began accepting applications for a third vacancy in this district and asked a bipartisan screening committee to assist in selecting candidates. "Sue Myerscough… Continue Reading

Durbin, Lautenberg Warn Tobacco Companies Not to Engage in Misleading Cigarette Advertising

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) today urged four major tobacco companies not to engage in any effort to mislead customers to believe they are buying safer cigarettes. Last year, Congress passed landmark legislation that banned using descriptors in cigarette labeling - such as "light," "mild," or "low-tar" - which insinuate or imply that certain products are healthier or lower risk than regular cigarettes. Research has definitively shown that alt… Continue Reading

Durbin Writes Clinton on US Support of Somali Government, Child Soldiers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today asking her to look into reports that U.S. financial support to the Somali Transitional Federal Government is being used to pay for the use of child soldiers - potentially a violation of U.S. law. Durbin's letter follows a report by the New York Times that the Somali government has hundreds of child soldiers on its front lines, some as young as 9 years old. "I write w… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Hearing on the Payment of Interchange Fees by the Federal Government

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired an oversight hearing today on the federal government's payment of interchange fees. The hearing follows the release of a Treasury Department report which concluded that the federal government could save nearly $40 million a year of taxpayer dollars if Treasury were allowed to negotiate interchange rates with … Continue Reading

Amtrak is Working on the Railroad in Chicago

CHICAGO - Amtrak is using $115 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve tracks, buildings and control systems in Chicago this construction season, as part of a $1 billion construction program to fund capital projects designed to rebuild the critical infrastructure of America's Railroad. "We are investing in our infrastructure in Chicago to improve our operations and support the growing demand to travel by Amtrak," said President and CEO Joseph Boardman… Continue Reading

Durbin and Gutierrez Vow to Restore Fairness to Electronic Payment System

[CHICAGO, IL] - As the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate begin ironing out the differences in their respective Wall Street reform bills, U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez today announced his support for an amendment authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin to help reduce the interchange or "swipe" fees that small businesses pay on every credit and debit card sale. Durbin's amendment was included in the Senate's Wall Street reform bill, but was not included in the House-passed bil… Continue Reading