Durbin Meets with Canadian National CEO to Discuss Mitigation and Amtrak On Time Performance

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today met with the new CEO of Canadian National (CN), Claude Mongeau, to discuss the company's mitigation efforts along the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E) and improving Amtrak on time performance. On December 24, the Surface Transportation Board approved CN's acquisition of the EJ&E Railway despite strong opposition from local communities in Illinois that will experience dramatic increases in freight traffic."With a historic invest… Continue Reading

Durbin Sends Letter to Technology Firms Regarding Internet Freedom in China

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to 30 information and communications technology companies, including Apple, Facebook, Skype, and Twitter, seeking information about their human rights practices in China following the recent revelation that Google was the subject of a sophisticated cyber-attack in that country. In response to the attack, Google announced it will no longer cooperate with Chinese internet censorship efforts and has threaten… Continue Reading

Durbin: President Obama's Budget Focused on Job Creation and Reducing Federal Deficit

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget President Obama delivered to Congress today will help put millions of Americans back to work, build a new foundation for long-term prosperity and continue restoring fiscal responsibility. "Each year, the President has a chance to clearly articulate his vision and his priorities through his budget. Today's budget is a vision for the future that is focused on creating jobs and rebuilding our economy," said Durbin. "This budget i… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Funding for Amtrak Service to the Quad Cities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the effort by the State of Illinois to bring Amtrak service to the Quad Cities. Durbin has helped bring together Amtrak, federal, state and local officials in order to secure high speed rail for Illinois and the Midwest and to extend new service from Chicago to Rockford and the Quad Cities. Durbin also added that in addition to the recently announced $8 billion in federal high speed rail funds, Congress includ… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Funding for Amtrak Service to Rockford

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the effort by the State of Illinois to bring Amtrak service to Rockford. Durbin has helped bring together Amtrak, federal, state and local officials in order to secure high speed rail for Illinois and the Midwest and to extend new service from Chicago to Rockford and the Quad Cities. Durbin also added that in addition to the recently announced $8 billion in federal high speed rail funds, Congress included $2.5… Continue Reading

Governor Quinn, Senator Durbin Announce Exelon Corporation Joining FutureGen Alliance

CHICAGO - January 30, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced that the Exelon Corporation will join ranks alongside some of the world's largest energy corporations as a member of the FutureGen Alliance. Exelon's membership signals critical support ahead of the U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) pending decision to move ahead on FutureGen construction."As one of the nation's largest electric utilities and energy providers, Exelon's partnership on this project provid… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on GM, Chrysler Decisions to Pursue Arbitration for Closed Dealerships

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after GM and Chrysler announced they would proceed with the arbitration process Durbin and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) developed to resolve the ongoing dispute between GM, Chrysler and dealerships that were closed during the companies' restructuring. "I'm pleased that both GM and Chrysler have agreed to support the binding arbitration process we developed last year. Closed… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn Welcome High-Speed Rail Investment in Illinois

CHICAGO, IL, January 28, 2010 - Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement with regard to the announcement that Illinois has been awarded more than $1.2 billion in federal funds for high-speed rail: "In the face of fierce competition from states across the nation, Illinois' high-speed rail proposal received a strong vote of confidence from the White House today. Illinois was one of only three states to be awarded more than one bi… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nominees for Service Academies

[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the names of young men and women whom he has nominated to attend the nation's four service academies. "Each year, I look forward to announcing my nominees for the nation's service academies because the young men and women who make up this group are among the most promising young people in the state of Illinois," said Durbin. "This year was no exception. These individuals are the leaders of tomorrow, and I have no doubt that they wi… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $2.2 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 34 grants totaling $2,214,972 to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations throughout Illinois for vehicle acquisition, 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 har… Continue Reading

Durbin Will Host Illinois Soldier for Today's State of the Union

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In what has become an annual tradition, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), will host a wounded soldier as his guest for President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. Sergeant First Class (SFC) John Wright from Tuscola, Illinois will also attend the Secretary of the Senate's dinner immediately preceding the President's address. Durbin has invited soldiers who have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as his guests to the State of the Union since 2… Continue Reading

Durbin Commends Ford for Adding 1,200 Jobs in Chicago

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after learning of Ford's plan to hire 1,200 employees at the Chicago Assembly Plant in anticipation of increasing consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars. Ford plans to invest nearly $400 million in its Chicago plants to launch the production of the next-generation Explorer SUV, which feature fuel economy gains of at least 25% over the current model. "More new, fuel-efficient cars are… Continue Reading

Durbin, Biggert to Host Wednesday Meeting of Great Lakes Leaders to Chart Path Forward on Asian Carp Containment

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) today announced that they have called a meeting of House and Senate leaders from states surrounding the Great Lakes to chart a path forward in the effort to contain Asian carp in Illinois. The meeting - to be held on Wednesday, January 27- will be attended by both Assistant Secretary of the Army, Jo-Ellen Darcy, who oversees the Army Corps of Engineers and Cameron Davis, Senior Advisor… Continue Reading

Durbin: $98 Million in Recovery Act Funding Will Be Used to Put Chicagoans Back to Work and Mitigate Foreclosure Crisis

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the City of Chicago a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant in the amount of $98,008,384 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These grants are competitively awarded to local governments and non-profit housing developers to spur economic development and create jobs in hard-hit communities. "One of the primary goals of the Recover… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Bernanke Nomination

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today on the nomination of Ben Bernanke to serve a second term as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. "I will vote to confirm Ben Bernanke to continue to serve as Chairman of the Federal Reserve." "I saw Ben Bernanke under fire, facing our nation's most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression. We need his steady hand as we build our economy and create new jobs across Am… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Supreme Courts Decision to Overturn Campaign Finance Laws

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to overturn a ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. "Today's decision by Supreme Court is a triumph for special interest and judicial activism at its worst. Overturning the ban on corporate spending on political campaigns opens the floodgates for the corrupting influence and the dominant hand of special interest groups." … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $6 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Green Job Training in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded a $6,000,000 State Energy Partnership and Training grant to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Today's funding will be used to implement projects such as the Greater Rockford Solar Initiative and the Chicago Green Jobs for All Initiative, both of which provide green job training and c… Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Must Chart Next Steps to Prevent Asian Carp from Entering the Great Lakes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reacted to a decision by the Supreme Court to reject a request from Michigan and other Great Lakes states that would have forced Illinois to stop the flow of water from the Mississippi River into Lake Michigan. "The Supreme Court made the right decision today. Illinois is committed to restoring and protecting our Great Lakes just as much as Michigan or any other state. "Last week, federal, state, and local of… Continue Reading

Durbin: Small Businesses will Benefit from Healthcare Reform Bill

[CHICAGO, IL] - Healthcare reform will give small businesses the ability to offer their employees quality, affordable healthcare coverage while remaining competitive in a challenging economy, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today while addressing local business owners at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. There won't be an economic recovery until small businesses start growing again. Despite misinformation to the contrary, h… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $18 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Evanston

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a $18,150,000 Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the City of Evanston, Illinois. With this grant, Evanston plans to rehabilitate foreclosed properties and create affordable housing in Evanston's lower-income areas. Durbin met with Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl in October 2009 to… Continue Reading