Durbin, Grassley Bill to Require Televising Supreme Court Proceedings Passes Committee Test

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bill to require open proceedings of the Supreme Court to be televised, introduced by Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today by a vote of 11-7. The Cameras in the Courtroom Act of 2011 would require television coverage of all open sessions of the Court, unless the Court decides, by a vote of the majority of justices, that doin… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Major Housing Settlement

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after a group of States Attorneys General - including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan - reached a $25 billion settlement with the nation's five largest banks over lending practices that led to the housing market crash. Illinois stands to receive $1 billion in assistance. "Today's settlement with five major banks is an important victory for homeowners across the country who have been the victims of heav… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn Applaud Nearly $2 Million Federal Investment in Rockford Multi-Modal Station

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today announced that $1.95 million in federal funding has been awarded to the Rockford area for the development and design of a new multi-modal station in Rockford. Today's funding is in addition to the $3 million in Illinois Jobs Now! capital plan funding that was announced last month by Quinn. "With this new multimodal station, Rockford is set to benefit from the economic boost that comes with passenger ra… Continue Reading

Durbin and Quinn Announce $100,000 for Fair Housing Assistance

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the Illinois Department of Human Rights will receive $100,000 in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help prevent housing discrimination. The funding was awarded through the Fair Housing Assistance Program, which assists state and local agencies administer fair housing laws that are consistent with the Federal Fair Housing Act. "The i… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a More Than $414,000 Investment in Illinois First-Responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made a $414,162 investment in four fire departments in Illinois. Today's funding will help support and improve the capability of each department and protection district to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As t… Continue Reading

Durbin: Both Parties Must Work Together to Prevent Looming Tax Increase on Working Families

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With last year's bipartisan payroll tax cut extension compromise set to expire at the end of this month, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today detailed the additional take-home pay that Illinois workers and families can expect if Congressional negotiators reach an agreement to extend the Middle Class Tax Cut Act through the end of the year. The expected savings, released in a new Congressional Joint Economic Committee report, highlight the importance of preventing the tax cu… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on First Ever Deportation of Human Rights Violators Based on His Use of Child Soldiers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after an immigration judge ordered the deportation of a George Saigbe Boley, a former Liberian military leader and human rights violator. This deportation was the first under the Child Soldiers Accountability Act, a 2008 law authored by Senator Durbin, which made it illegal under US law to recruit or use child solders. Boley was found to have recruited and used child soldiers while fighting in the Liberian … Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Approves Bill to Protect Essential Air Service for Illinois Communities

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that late last night the U.S. Senate approved legislation that will ensure that Illinois communities including Marion, Quincy and Decatur will remain a part of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act - approved by the U.S. House of Representatives last week and will now go to the President for his signature - helps rural areas keep the commercial air service they ha… Continue Reading

Congress Approves Durbin Provision to Encourage Partnerships Between Air and Rail Travel

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A provision, authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study ways to increase coordination between air and passenger rail travel is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act which was approved today by the U.S. Senate. The provision specifically identifies codeshare agreements as one way that airlines and passenger rail providers can better coor… Continue Reading

Congress Approves Durbin Provision to Encourage Sustainable Airport Design

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A provision, authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), that would help the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) create a standardized, voluntary set of best practices to help airports operate and build sustainable facilities was included in the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act which was approved today by the U.S. Senate. The provision would establish a working group to develop these standards and help create a voluntary rating system. The… Continue Reading

Durbin Commends Amtrak and Metra for Actions to Lower Pollution, Calls on Old Post Office Owner to Cooperate

[CHICAGO, IL] - A collaborative effort among Amtrak, Metra, and state and federal agencies to reduce diesel soot emissions and improve air quality in and around Union Station has already produced positive results, but further progress requires the full cooperation of adjacent property owners, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin wrote a letter today to the owner of the Old Post Office located south of Union Station to ask that he properly maintain and operate the ventilation system… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces an Over $2.5 Million Investment in Illinois First-responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made a $2,538,890 investment in seventeen fire departments and fire protection districts in Illinois. This funding will help support and improve the capability of each department and protection district to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect Americ… Continue Reading

Durbin Says Secretary of the Army Confirms No Decision Yet on Rock Island Arsenal's Future

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After months of speculation and rumor about the future of Rock Island Arsenal, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced, after a personal call with Army Secretary John McHugh, that no decisions have been made and no changes will occur at the Rock Island Arsenal without the Illinois / Iowa Congressional Delegation and the Quad Cities region being fully engaged. "I have heard a lot of speculation and rumor over the last few months about the future of Rock Island Ar… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Quinn, Emanuel: EPA Designation Will Allow Chicago Area to Maintain Eligibility for Federal Funds to Reach Eventual Air Quality Attainment

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At the urging of U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the City of Chicago and surrounding areas should remain eligible for federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. It is estimated that losing this eligibility would have cost Illinois roughly $80 million in federal funding and jeopard… Continue Reading

Durbin: Illinois in Need of Increased Rail Investment Under New Transportation Bill

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today asked the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation to increase funding for job creating Illinois rail and multimodal priorities - including rail line relocation grants, Amtrak and the TIGER grant program - in its bill to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Act. Durbin also urged the Committee to reject the proposals in the House Transportation bill that would eliminate or dramatically reduce funding for programs that are ess… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Over $3 Million for a Rural Development Project in McDonough County

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development division has awarded a loan of $2,192,000 and a grant of $999,200 for the West Prairie Water CO-OP under the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The project involves the construction of almost 100 miles of water mains in townships across McDonough County. These improvements are expected to alleviate a health and sanitary issue caused by the cont… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces an Over $2 Million Investment in Illinois First-responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made a $2,052,462 investment in twelve fire departments and fire protection districts in Illinois. Today's funding will help support and improve the capability of each department and protection district to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect Americ… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs First-ever Field Hearing on Florida's Voting Law

[TAMPA, FLORIDA] - US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, held a field hearing in Tampa, Florida today, examining the impact of Florida's new voting law, which restricts early voting and makes it harder for third-party groups to help people register to vote. Today's hearing comes just four days before Florida's presidential primary. "Four days from now, hundreds of thousands of people across the state … Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Illinois Residents at Senate Committee Hearing on Northern District Judicial Nominations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced John Lee and John "Jay" Tharp at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on their nominations by President Obama to fill two vacancies on the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois. Their nominations are expected to receive a vote in the committee within the next few weeks. If approved, their nominations will receive a vote by the full Senate. A spokesperson Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) provided the fol… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators to FDA: Deceptive Marketing of Cigarettes Must be Stopped

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to crack down on marketing by cigarette companies that misleads consumers about the safety of their products. Cigarette companies have adapted their advertising and marketing practices to skirt restrictions signed into law in 2009 and the FDA must take action, the Senators… Continue Reading