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 morning. … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $1.4 Million in FEMA Grants to 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 nine grants totaling $1,423,322 to fire departments and municipalities throughout Illinois. "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 tools poss… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Business Community to Discuss Efforts to Get America Back on Stable Financial Footing

[COLLINSVILLE, IL] - Main Street businesses in Metro East and across the country should no longer be at a disadvantage against companies that exclusively sell their products online, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) told area business owners and retailers today. Durbin met with members from the Southwest Leadership Council and other local chambers of commerce to discuss legislation he intends to introduce in the coming weeks called the Main Street Fairness Act which aims to level the playing fiel… Continue Reading

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 careful … Continue Reading

Durbin: Illinois Families Leaving More Than $1 Billion Unclaimed in College Tuition Tax Credit

[CARBONDALE] - Illinois families left more than $1 billion on the table by not claiming a tax credit for college tuition on their 2009 income tax return, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The American Opportunity Tax Credit would allow families to receive a tax credit of up to $2,500 per student on their 2009 and 2010 tax returns. The college tuition tax credit was originally part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A two-year extension of the tax credit was included in t… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $950,000 In FEMA Grants to 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 nine grants totaling $970,658 to fire departments and municipalities throughout Illinois. "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 tools possible t… Continue Reading

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 $6.… Continue Reading

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 Satu… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Federal Funding for Communities Infested by Emerald Ash Borer

[CHICAGO, IL] - Municipalities across Chicagoland will receive much needed federal assistance to manage and recover from the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today. More than $1 million in federal funding is being distributed to fifty-eight communities in Illinois through a competitive grant program spearheaded by the Morton Arboretum and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC). The funding was made available through the US Forest Service, State and Private Fo… Continue Reading

Durbin Says House Cuts to Labs Would be Devastating; Vows to Continue Funding for Innovative Research in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee, of which he is a member, warning that the funding cuts proposed by the House Republicans in their continuing resolution (H.R. 1) would have a devastating impact on our entire national laboratory system. Durbin vowed to work with the committee to ensure that labs - including Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory which stand to los… Continue Reading

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 Tribune… Continue Reading

Durbin, Snowe, Others Introduce Bill to Eliminate the Practice of Child Marriages Overseas

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) introduced legislation yesterday which seeks to end the harmful practice of child marriage oversees. The International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act would require the U.S. Government to develop an integrated, strategic approach to reduce, and ultimately end, the practice of child marriage. The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Boxer (D-CA), Cardin (D-MD) Brown (R-MA) a… Continue Reading

Durbin Responds to Chairman Bernanke on Interchange Fees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) responded to criticisms of his new interchange law today, hours after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke questioned the effectiveness of the new law's small bank exemption at a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee. In a letter to Chairman Bernanke Durbin wrote: "I was disappointed that your testimony about interchange fee reform today before the Senate Banking Committee echoed the financial industry's ta… Continue Reading

Durbin on Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Federal Judicial Nominees in Central District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, has unanimously approved Sue Myerscough and James Shadid for federal judgeships on the U.S. District Court in the Central District of Illinois. Their nominations will now proceed to a vote by the full Senate. "Justice Myerscough and Judge Shadid will each bring a great depth of experience and legal acumen to the federal judiciary," said Durbin. "Three of the four di… Continue Reading

Durbin, Reed, Brown Introduce Bill to Ensure Long-Term Stability of Unemployment Insurance

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - To prevent a tax increase on small businesses and to ensure that cash-strapped states are able to continue providing a critical lifeline to struggling families as they search for work, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today introduced legislation to revamp the unemployment insurance program and ensure its long-term solvency. The Unemployment Insurance Solvency Act - which will likely be defi… Continue Reading

Durbin Stands With Wisconsin Workers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today, standing with Wisconsin's workers as they fight budget cuts and an effort to strip them of their collective bargaining rights by Governor Scott Walker: "When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker decided to refuse federal high speed rail money, I said I would welcome it with open arms in Illinois. Tonight, I say the same to the members of the Wisconsin State Senate who are fighting for … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $325,000 FEMA Grant to Elgin Fire Department

[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 $327,557 grant to the Elgin Fire Department in Elgin, Illinois, for recruitment initiatives aimed at increasing the number of frontline 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 themselves in harm's way, we mus… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks DOT to Send Unused Federal Rail Money to Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, asking him to consider the Chicago Hub Network if he chooses to redistribute the high speed rail funding that the Governor of Florida rejected earlier today. Durbin wrote: "Almost one year ago, the entire Illinois Congressional delegation wrote to you communicating our belief that Illinois provides the best opportunity to invest in high speed rail. Since then, the Depar… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Costello, Shimkus Urge President to Include Levees in Efforts to Improve National Infrastructure

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Congressmen Jerry Costello (D-IL) and John Shimkus (R-IL) sent a letter to President Obama urging him to include levees and water infrastructure improvements in efforts to improve the nation's infrastructure. Noting the President's recent emphasis on infrastructure development as a key component in economic growth, they reinforced the need to include repairing and improving America's levees as a part of this pr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Lautenberg ask MLB Commissioner to Ban Tobacco Use

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Citing the recent announcement by Washington Nationals pitcher Steven Strasburg about the dangers of smokeless tobacco in Major League Baseball (MLB), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) today called on the Commissioner of the MLB, Bud Selig, and the MLB Players Association to ban the use of tobacco products on the field, in the dugout, and in the locker rooms at MLB venues. "It has been 28 years since the MLB ended tobacco use in its mino… Continue Reading