Durbin, Bustos: Senate Committee Calls for Activation of Thomson Prison

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (IL-17) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, today approved funding for the activation of the Thomson correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois at the level that was requested by President Obama in his fiscal year 2014 budget proposal which was delivered to Congress last April. Durbin and Bustos plan to meet with officials from the Department of Justice's … Continue Reading

Bipartisan Group of Senators Reach Deal to Lower Rates for All Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Richard Burr (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a bipartisan compromise to lower interest rates for 100% of borrowers who have taken out, or will take out, a new federal student loan after July 1, 2013. "This agreement will ensure students loan rates will fall below the 6.8 percent rate that kicked in o… Continue Reading

Durbin Forwards Recommendations for Federal Judges in the Southern District to White House

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Based on recommendations made by a bipartisan screening committee, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a list of names to the White House for consideration when filling vacant judgeships on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Durbin forwarded the names of the following five individuals - George A. Norwood, Nancy J. Rosenstengel, Stephen Stone, Lisa M. Wood and Staci M. Yandle - to President Obama for consideration for filling judicial … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a Nearly $1.1 Million Investment in Flood Protection Efforts in Wood Dale, IL

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $1,093,748 grant for flood protection efforts in Wood Dale, Illinois. "This federal funding will support flood control efforts in Wood Dale, and help protect the health, safety and welfare of local residents," Durbin said. "Today's investment will help reduce future costs to the local government for emergenc… Continue Reading

Illinois Senators Work to Save Army Corps Stronghold and Its Missions to Prevent Spread of Asian Carp

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today applauded passage of their amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill that prevents the removal of critical functions and staff from the Chicago District Office of the Army Corps of Engineers. In June, the Corps of Engineers announced an effort to move Chicago District Office functions to Detroit, potentially impacting more than 200 employees who oversee Corps projects such as Asian Carp, electric barriers … Continue Reading

Durbin and Kirk Collect on Wager with Warren and Cowan on Blackhawks-Bruins Stanley Cup Final

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) collected Legal Seafood's Chowder and Sam Adams beer from Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and William "Mo" Cowan (D-MA) today after their friendly wager of home-state products for National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Finals series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. Durbin and Kirk wagered Eli's Cheesecake and 312 beer from Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. The Chicago Blackhawks won the series four game… Continue Reading

Durbin: Bill to Fund Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Protects Illinois Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved a bill to fund the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the 2014 fiscal year that will protect Illinois priorities, promote infrastructure investment and create jobs. TIGER Grant Program Created by Congress in 2009, the TIGER grant program directs the Department of Transportation to invest in a … Continue Reading

Senator Meets with Argonne Board Chairman Following Committee Approval of Appropriations Bill That Preserves Essential Funding for Fermilab and Argonne National Lab

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Argonne National Laboratory Chairman of the Board and University of Chicago President, Robert Zimmer, following the Senate Appropriations Committee's approval a bill that preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that will support work at both Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. The two labs together employ roughly 4,725 Illinoisans. A photo of today's meeting is available here. … Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Passage of Immigration Reform Bill

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), one of the eight authors of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, made the following statement before the Senate voted to approve the measure, 68-32: "First I want to thank the seven Senators who joined with me to reach this moment in history. We came together to see if we could create a bill and in the end, we did much more. We created a friendship and a life experience we will never forget… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk Congratulate Blackhawks on Winning the Stanley Cup

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) today congratulated the Chicago Blackhawks after they captured the Stanley Cup for the second time in four seasons last night with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. The Senators also introduced a resolution praising the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the 2013 Stanley Cup (see attached). Durbin said: "The Chicago Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions once again with yet another dramatic fin… Continue Reading

Durbin, Boozman, and Coons Bill to Increase US Exports to Africa Passes Committee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A day before President Obama is set to begin a weeklong trip to Africa to promote American business and trade, a bill to create American jobs and dramatically increase the number of U.S. exports to the continent was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today and sent to the full Senate for consideration. The bill, introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Boozman (R-AR) and Chris Coons (D-DE), aims to improve America's competiveness throughout the con… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision on the Voting Rights Act

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today, after the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. "For almost 50 years, the Voting Rights Act has protected minority populations from discrimination at the ballot box, whether in the form of poll taxes, literacy tests or voter identification laws and discriminatory redistricting. We need look no further than the last election cycle to understand the ong… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision in Fisher v. University of Texas

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today, after the Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of the University of Texas's admission policy. In its 7-1 ruling, the Court reaffirmed the principle that universities may consider racial and ethnic diversity as one factor among many in a narrowly tailored admissions policy. "Today's decision reaffirms our nation's commitment to racial and ethnic diversity" Durbin said. "This decisi… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly to Mayor Parks: Extending Club Hours Will Increase Risk of Violence, Undermine Federal Law Enforcement Efforts

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to East St. Louis Mayor Alvin Parks and members of the East St. Louis City Council, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly today said that extending night club hours in East St. Louis will increase the risk of violence and killings while undermining federal law enforcement efforts that Durbin has fought to bring to East St. Louis. Their letter was sent following a report by the Belleville News-Democrat that the East … Continue Reading

Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bill to Require Televising Supreme Court Proceedings

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With the Supreme Court likely to announce numerous high-profile opinions in the coming days, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation today to require open proceedings of the Court to be televised. The Cameras in the Courtroom Act of 2013 would require television coverage of all open sessions of the Court, unless the Court decides, by a majority vote of the J… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Bruce, Ellis & Wood at Senate Committee Hearing on Illinois Judicial Nominations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today chaired a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, on President Obama's nomination of Sara Ellis and Andrea Wood to fill vacancies on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and President Obama's nomination of Colin Bruce to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Central District of Illinois that will open up on June 30th. Their nominations are expected to receive votes in the c… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal, Markey: AMA's Call for Ban on Marketing to Teens Should be Heeded by Energy Drink Companies

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a decision by the American Medical Association (AMA) to support a ban on the marketing of high stimulant / caffeine drinks to children and young adults under the age of 18, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) once again called on energy drink companies to immediately stop marketing their products to children and teens. The members noted that, at their request, the Food and Drug Administra… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Director of National Intelligence Clapper

Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, to discuss the recent revelations on the National Security Agency (NSA) data-mining programs and the budgets of our nation's intelligence community. As Chairman of the Senate's Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Durbin oversees the budgets for the majority of our nation's intelligence gathering agencies. A photo of the meeting can be found here. Durbin has b… Continue Reading

Thanking Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood For His Service to America and Illinois

When President Obama was elected four years ago, I urged him to appoint Ray LaHood to be America's Secretary of Transportation. I was confident that Ray would serve our nation with the same integrity and inexhaustible energy he had shown while serving his Congressional district in central Illinois. As Secretary LaHood prepares to leave his cabinet post, I am pleased but not a bit surprised to say that I was right. Ray LaHood is a proud Republican. Yet, when President Obama asked him --… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for the Release of Former Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko

[Washington, D.C.] Assistant Senate Majority Leader and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), called for the release of Ukraine's former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, in light of the European Court of Human Rights recent decision on her case. In 2011, Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly abusing her power in the awarding of a natural gas contract. Numerous political and human rights groups have called the charges politically motivate… Continue Reading