Durbin, Graham Introduce First Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation today to completely eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. The bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act would refocus scarce federal resources away from nonviolent offenses and toward large scale, violent traffickers. Restoring sentencing parity would do more than any other policy change to close the gap in incarceration rates between African Ameri… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $7 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Illinois Environmental Programs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Region 5 have awarded $6,962,635 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to three environmental programs in Illinois. "Today's funding will improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink while creating jobs across Illinois," said Durbin. "It is not only good for our bodily health, but also the health of our sta… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces One-Year Extension for Firefighters at 183rd

[WASHINGTON, DC] - The F-16 maintenance mission and the National Guard firefighter unit at Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport has been granted a one-year extension through September 2010, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today. The Director of the Air National Guard, General Harry Wyatt informed Durbin of the temporary extension of the 183rd Fighter Wing's F-16 maintenance mission which will keep open the option to find a permanent flying mission at Spring… Continue Reading

Durbin's Small Business Health Options Program Included in HELP Committee Package

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the major features of his Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) were included in the Senate HELP Committee's Affordable Heath Choices Act which was passed by that committee this morning. Durbin's provisions would make insurance more available and affordable for the 47.0 million employees of the nation's 5.9 million small businesses and for 14.0 million self-employed individuals. "Skyrocketing… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Agricultural Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a meeting with representatives from the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) to discuss climate change and ethanol issues. "I firmly believe that we need to make significant efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the dangerous effects of climate change on our planet," said Durbin. "Bringing groups like the Illinois Corn Growers Association to the table and including their concerns in this debate is an import… Continue Reading

Durbin, Costello: DOT Will Maintain Air Service in Marion, Quincy, Decatur

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL) announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) will require Great Lakes Airlines to provide air service in Marion, Quincy and Decatur with no interruption until a new carrier is found. In letters sent to Durbin and Costello, the DOT announced that it has already begun the process of soliciting proposals from air carriers interested in providing service in the downstate communi… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Release of FutureGen Record of Decision

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Department of Energy (DOE) issued the Record of Decision - a final public decision that certifies the project meets environmental requirements - for FutureGen. "Issuing the Record of Decision is a clear signal of the Department of Energy's commitment to seeing FutureGen move forward at Mattoon. While it has been over a year and a half since we first asked for this importa… Continue Reading

Durbin Bill to Provide Financial Security to Families of Federal Judges Unanimously Passes the Senate

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bill to provide the surviving family members of Federal judges with financial and health benefits, unanimously passed the Senate today. The bill, sponsored by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Graham (R-SC) and Hatch (R-UT), will provide for a limited 6-month open season for Federal judges to opt into the Judicial Survivors' Annuities System (JSAS). "Many of the nation's best and brightest attorneys no longer seek Federal judgeships becau… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves More Than $11 Million for Illinois Projects

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, has approved $111,037,000 for energy- and water-related projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes funding for the following projects: Army Corps of Engineers: • Carlyle Lake, Carlyle. $5,171,000 in funding for operations and maintenance at Carlyle Lake, the largest man-made lake in Illinois, with over … Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $3.3 Million for Illinois Projects

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, has approved $3,300,000 for projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2010 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill includes funding for the following projects: • Haymarket Center, Chicago. $700,000 to allow the Haymarket Center to develop and implement a workforce development initiative. This project will provide transitional employme… Continue Reading

Durbin, Costello Urge DOT to Begin Search for New Air Carrier in Quincy, Decatur, and Marion

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL) today asked the Department of Transportation to begin soliciting proposals from air carriers interested in providing service in the communities of Quincy, Decatur and Marion. In a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, the Illinois members expressed disappointment with Great Lakes Airlines - the current service provider's - inability to fulfill their original commitme… Continue Reading

Durbin Financial Services, General Government Appropriations Bill Passes Full Committee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - The Senate Appropriations Committee reported Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin's (D-IL), Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill out of committee today, sending the $46.4 billion package for fiscal year 2010 to the Senate floor. As Chairman of the Subcommittee, Durbin has budgetary oversight authority over a range of agencies in the Executive Branch, the Federal Courts, the District of Columbia and a host of independent agencies. The subc… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill to Promote Economic Opportunities for Women, Address Global Poverty

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation today that will promote economic and educational opportunities for women in developing countries. The Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive or GROWTH Act will support a variety of programs designed to improve the economic standing of women. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) is the bill's lead cosponsor. "There is a critical link between improving the lives of women an… Continue Reading

Health Care Reform

Delivered on the floor of the United States Senate Mr. President, the issues before the Senate are sometimes weighty and complex, historic. I don't think there is any greater challenge this Senate has faced in modern times than our current debate over health care. This is such a major part of not only the American economy but of our everyday lives that it is hard to think of another issue we have tackled which will be so far-reaching. The American people understand the need for ch… Continue Reading

Durbin Unveils 2010 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, today unveiled the subcommittee's appropriations package for fiscal year 2010. The bill covers $46.4 billion in overall spending for a number of agencies within the Executive Branch; the Federal Courts; District of Columbia; and independent agencies including the nation's financial services regulators. "White-collar crooks … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Lisa Madigan's Plans to Run for Re-Election

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she will run for re-election: "Lisa Madigan made the right decision for our state and her family. She has been an incredibly capable and effective Attorney General. I look forward to working together with her for the people of Illinois."… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $675,000 in DOT Funding for Springfield Airport

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded a $675,379 grant to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois. The grant will provide funding for the following five projects at the airport: • Rehabilitation of the terminal building lighting. The existing lighting is past its useful life and inefficient. The new lighting will be more efficient and reliable; • Acquisition of … Continue Reading

Durbin Forwards Recommendations for US Attorneys and US Marshals to White House

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a list of names to the White House to consider when filling four positions for U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals in Central and Southern Illinois. Based on recommendations made by bipartisan screening committees in the state, Durbin has forwarded the names of the following ten individuals to the President for consideration: For U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois: Gregory Harris and James Lewis For U.S.… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $28 Million in HUD Funding for Illinois Communities and Housing Agencies

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois communities and housing agencies will receive $28,377,761 in grant funding through four programs administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Community Development Block Grants The Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program provides annual grants to states and local governments to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable li… Continue Reading

Durbin: FAA Should Follow Recommendations to Mitigate Air Traffic Controller Fatigue

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement the recommendations found in a Department of Transportation, Inspector General Report on air traffic controller fatigue released earlier today. Citing a December 2007 GAO Report which pointed to controller fatigue as a key issue affecting runway safety at the nation's busiest airports, Durbin requested this investigation into conditions at three Chicago air traffi… Continue Reading