Durbin Announces More Than $150,000 in FEMA Grants to Chicago Area 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 two grants totaling $179,763 to fire departments in the Chicago Metro area. "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 to do their… Continue Reading

Durbin, Larson Introduce Fair Elections Now Act, Durbin Announces Hearing on Campaign Finance Reform

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) introduced the Fair Elections Now Act today, a bill that will dramatically change the way we finance Congressional elections. Under the new law, qualified, legitimate candidates will receive grants, matching funds, and television vouchers to run competitive campaigns based on small dollar donors, not special interest money from lobbyists and corporations. "American… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Ryan Budget Proposal

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the President's fiscal commission, released the following statement today on Congressman Ryan's budget proposal: "The Ryan Republican budget has three pillars: reduce Medicare benefits by more than half; reduce Medicaid benefits for seniors in nursing homes; and reduce taxes on the wealthiest Americans. America can resolve its budget crisis without punishing the elderly and poor while rewarding the very ric… Continue Reading

Durbin: DOT to Obligate $1 Million in Funds for Peoria Warehouse District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, has obligated $1 million in funding - 10% of the federal funding that was awarded - for the Peoria Warehouse District project. This move to begin obligating funds as soon as possible comes in response to Durbin's request to obligate $10 million in funding for the Peoria Warehouse District project - and the nearly $400 million funding for other Illinois transportation projects - to … Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Hearing on Treasury Department's Budget

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired a hearing today reviewing the FY12 budget request for the Department of the Treasury and the impact of the FY11 Continuing Resolutions. The President's FY12 budget request for the Treasury Department is $1.39 billion, excluding the Internal Revenue Service and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and would fund expanding staff focused on improving the Department's analytical capacity and for im… Continue Reading

Durbin: Obama Administration will not Transfer Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to Thomson

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Attorney General Eric Holder clearly stated that the Obama Administration has no intention of transferring prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to Thomson Correctional Center, a move that is already prohibited by federal law. Today's letter was sent in response to a February letter that Durbin had sent to Holder outlining the bipartisan support for the purchase of Thomson prison and a March letter from Durbin and Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL)… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bill to Regulate Online Puppy Sales

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act yesterday - a bill which would require all breeders that sell more than 50 dogs a year to be licensed and to undergo inspections to ensure dogs are receiving proper care. "The media regularly reports stories about dogs rescued from substandard facilities -- where dogs are housed in stacked wire cages and seriously ill dogs are routinely denied access to veterinary c… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Fellowes, Inc CEO to Discuss Dispute in China

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the CEO of Illinois-based Fellowes, Inc., Jamie Fellowes, to discuss the company's effort to recover hundreds of millions of dollars worth of capital assets and intellectual property that were stolen by the company's onetime Chinese business partner. Late last night, Durbin sent a letter to the Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, asking him to intervene in order to help resolve the dispute. In his letter to Secretary Locke, … Continue Reading

Durbin Asks National Urban League to Support Effort to Protect Students and Taxpayers from Abuses in the For-profit College Industry

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a speech to the National Urban League, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the organization to support the effort by the Obama Administration and members of Congress to protect students and taxpayers from abuses within the for-profit college industry. Acknowledging that many for-profit colleges are good actors and do important work, Durbin noted that the bad actors could cause us to repeat the mistakes of the subprime mortgage crisis by saddling a generation of y… Continue Reading

Durbin Questions Nuclear Experts at Senate Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today questioned the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Gregory Jaczko, and the Department of Energy's Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Dr. Peter Lyons, about the safety of nuclear power plants in the United States and the prospect of renewing the U.S.'s interest in research into the reprocessing of nuclear fuel - as is being done in countries like France, Britain and Russia. Last week, Durbin and Senator Mark K… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs First-Ever Hearing on the Civil RIghts of American Muslims

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired the first-ever Congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims today where he highlighted the "First Freedom" - the freedom of religion - and the rights the Constitution affords all Americans. "Many of our nation's founders fled religious persecution, which is why our Constitution puts great importance on religious freedom."Durbin said. "Today, addressing anti-Muslim discrimination is an important c… Continue Reading

Durbin: Interchange Reform will Take Effect as Planned on July 21

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that interchange reform would take effect on July 21, 2011: "Chairman Bernanke reiterated to me today that the Federal Reserve is working diligently to finalize its rules in a timely fashion and that new interchange regulations will take effect on July 21st, one year after Wall Street Reform was signed into law," Durbin said. "On tha… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Postmaster General to Discuss Illinois Jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General, Pat Donahoe, to discuss the financial condition of the Postal Service and a study on the possible consolidation of the mail processing operations performed at the Rockford Processing and Distribution Facility with those performed at the Postal Service's Carol Stream facility. Similar moves, which often have a negative impact on the local workforce, have been proposed in other Illinois… Continue Reading

Durbin to LaHood: Obligate Illinois Transportation Funds to Save Illinois Jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, urging him to obligate as soon as possible nearly $400 million in Illinois transportation funding. Obligating - making a legal commitment to allow a project to move forward - this funding could potentially keep eight Illinois projects safe from rescission under the House Republican's 2011 Budget plan. "Over the past two years, communities in Illinois have successfully com… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Residents to Prepare for Flooding

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged Illinois residents in flood prone areas to take steps to protect their homes and businesses in advance of any flooding this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Army Corps of Engineers are warning of possible heavy flooding this spring around the country and in parts of Illinois. "Minor flooding began last week along the Upper Mississippi River," said Durbin. "I have been in contact with th… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk Express Support of Quincy Appeal

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) supporting the City of Quincy's appeal of the Commission's decision to dismiss the a permit application for the hydroelectric power plant at Lock and Dam 21. "We are writing to express our strong support for the City of Quincy's (Illinois) proposed hydroprower project and to urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to grant their request … Continue Reading

Durbin: Cuts to Head Start Will Devastate Low-Income Families and Stunt Economic Recovery

[AURORA] - Thousands of low-income children and their families will lose critical access to education, health, and support service programs as the result of drastic federal spending cuts passed by the House of Representatives, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today in Aurora. Funding for comprehensive early childhood services, including the Head Start program, is cut by more than 20 percent in the House spending bill (H.R.1) for the current fiscal year 2011, which was approved along party li… Continue Reading

Durbin to Chair First-Ever Hearing on the Civil Rights of American Muslims

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that he will hold the first-ever Congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims on Tuesday, March 29, 2011. The hearing will be the first hearing before the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. Senator Durbin is the Subcommittee's Chairman. "Our Constitution protects the free exercise of religion for all Americans," Durbin said. "During the course … Continue Reading

Durbin and Quinn Announce Major Agreement to Advance High-Speed Rail in Illinois

CHICAGO - Work on the next phase of high-speed rail between Chicago and St. Louis is set to begin as the result of a $685 million construction agreement, Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The federally funded project will create an estimated 6,200 direct and indirect jobs and move Illinois one step closer to faster trains and improved service along its signature high-speed route. Durbin and Quinn were joined at today's announcement by railroad workers and suppli… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $800,000 in FEMA Grants to additional Illinois Fire Departments

[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 awarded eight grants totaling $834,272 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 to … Continue Reading