Durbin: Scott AFB Named As Finalist To House Critical New Defense Facility

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, announced today that the Department of Defense has named Scott Air Force Base as a finalist to house a new facility for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The current NGA facility - which includes multiple buildings located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri - is more than 100 years old. The aging buildings at the NGA's current location require high maintenance costs, and … Continue Reading

Senate Approves Durbin-Kirk Resolution Honoring Former Senator From Illinois Alan Dixon

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today the United States Senate unanimously approved a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) honoring the life of Alan Dixon, former U.S. Senator from Illinois. "Alan Dixon was well-loved in the United States Senate, where his friendships reached across the aisle," Durbin said. "Al and his brand of politics - honest and honorable - will be missed both here in Washington and at home in Illinois." "In his nearly forty decades of … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For Action to Avert Looming Shortfall in Highway Trust Fund

[SPRINGFIELD] - If Congress does not act before August 1, hundreds of infrastructure projects throughout Illinois could see their payments from the federal government slowed down during the height of construction season, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin made the comments while visiting a reconstruction project along I-72, one of many projects that could be affected if the Highway Trust Fund is not replenished within the next month. Federal law does not allow the Highway Tr… Continue Reading

Durbin, Schneider Announce A Critical Investment In Lake Bluff First-Responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), awarded a $42,513 grant to the Lake Bluff Fire Department. This funding will support and improve the capability of Lake Bluff's first-responders to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "We must ensure our nation's fire fighters and first-responders are equipped with the… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $231,000 Investment In Chicagoland First-Responder Capabilities

[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 $231,210 in grants to fire departments in the Chicagoland area. Today's funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "We must ensure our nation's fire fighters and first-responders are equipped with the best, most up-to-date tools to do their… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A More Than $1.7 Million Investment In First-Responder-Capabilities For Chicago's South Suburbs

[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 made a $1,795,860 investment in the Homewood Fire Department in Homewood, Illinois. Today's funding will allow 18 fire departments throughout the south suburbs to buy portable radios, which will improve interoperability among departments in the area when fire fighters respond to fires, severe weather, and other emergencies. H… Continue Reading

Durbin Says Congressional Gold Medal for Borinqueneers is "Long Overdue and Well Deserved"

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture on Tuesday and honored four local veterans from the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Borinqueneers", who recently earned the Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest civilian honor our nation can bestow. Durbin co-sponsored the legislation awarding the medal to the Borinqueneers, which the Senate approved in March, and President Obama signed the bill into law early last month. The Congress… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Death of Israeli Teenagers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today following reports that three Israeli teenagers who were reported missing earlier this month had been killed. "This tragic killing of three Israeli teenagers is heartbreaking on a personal and family level and will set back our efforts to find peace in a Middle East," Durbin said. "Those who are responsible should be brought to justice."… Continue Reading

Naperville, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Naperville native Nadia Gonzalez spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-w… Continue Reading

Urbana, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Urbana native Leah Malkovich spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-worki… Continue Reading

Minonk, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin"s DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Minonk native Marc Reiter spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings… Continue Reading

Durbin: Women and Families Have a Right to Know if Employers Plan to Restrict Health Converage

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Tenth Circuit's expansion of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allow for-profit, secular corporations to deny their employees contraceptives to which the employees are entitled by federal law based on the religious objections of the corporations' owners: "Allowing corporate employers to dictate limits on their employees' health insurance coverage threatens one of… Continue Reading

Bourbannais, Illinois Student Interns Durbin"s Washington, DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Bourbonnais native Mitch Dickey spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-wo… Continue Reading

Kankakee, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office

WASHINGTON, DC] - Kankakee native Lakeisha Steele spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Judiciary Interns help committee staff and Senator Durbin prepare for hearings while also assisting with other legislative duties. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-working… Continue Reading

Evanston, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington DC, Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Evanston native Leslie Paluch spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill Judiciary Committee office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Judiciary Interns help committee staff and Senator Durbin prepare for hearings while also assisting with other legislative duties. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn abou… Continue Reading

Durbin: Women And Families Have A Right To Know If Employers Plan To Restrict Health Coverage

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Tenth Circuit's expansion of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allow for-profit, secular corporations to deny their employees contraceptives to which the employees are entitled by federal law based on the religious objections of the corporations' owners: "Allowing corporate employers to dictate limits on their employees' health insurance coverage threaten… Continue Reading

Twelve Senators Urge Education Department To Protect Students While Continuing Oversight Of Corinthian, Other For-Profit Schools

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, twelve U.S. Senators called on Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to protect students while continuing to hold Corinthian Colleges, Inc. accountable, including immediately prohibiting them from enrolling any new students. After failing to provide required data to the Department of Education about its practices, including falsifying job placement data used in marketing claims to prospective students and allegations of altered grades and attendance, Corinthian has now … Continue Reading

Durbin, Shaheen, Toomey, Sessions Introduce Bill To Reauthorize Program To Curb Prescription Drug Addiction

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) introduced legislation today to reauthorize the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) program which provides grants to states to maintain, improve, and expand their prescription drug monitoring programs. Prescription narcotic drugs are the number one cause of overdoses in the United States with more than 22,000 reported deaths due to prescription dru… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces A Nearly $827,000 Investment In Illinois First-Responder Capabilities

[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 $826,401 in grants to fire departments throughout Illinois. Today's funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "This federal funding will ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur in our communities, our nation's firefighters and fir… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown, Warren, Baldwin, Sanders: Tax Credits Should Go To Companies That Invest In American Workers, Not Ship Jobs Overseas

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) introduced the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act, a bill that would provide a tax credit to companies that provide fair wages and good benefits to workers while closing a tax loophole that incentivizes corporations to send jobs overseas. The loophole costs the U.S. Treasury approximately $50 billion each year at a time when out… Continue Reading