Durbin Announces Nearly $550,000 in FEMA Grants to Illinois Fire Department

[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 12 grants totaling $543,216 to fire departments and municipalities throughout Illinois for 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 harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipp… Continue Reading

Judiciary Committee Reports Durbin's Fair Sentencing Act

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan bill to curtail the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine was unanimously reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today by a vote of 19-0. The Fair Sentencing Act, introduced by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) was amended by the Judiciary Committee and will reduce the current 100:1 sentencing disparity to roughly 20:1. "Drug use is a serious problem in America and we need tough legislation to combat it. But i… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Approves Legislation that Would Bring $600 Million in Medicaid Assistance to Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the United States Senate approved legislation that would bring an additional $600 million in funding for the Medicaid program in Illinois. The American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 would extend the increased Medicaid federal match rate - or federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) - made available to states under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill will now be s… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Blommington-Normal Officials to Discuss Economic Development Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today met with leaders from the Bloomington-Normal area who were in Washington, DC as part of the fourth annual One Voice trip. Durbin and members of the group discussed the region's economic development and federal funding priorities for 2011. "One Voice does a great job of coming together to promote a unified agenda for the entire Bloomington-Normal region," said Durbin. "I was happy to meet with members of the group today and look forward… Continue Reading

Durbin, Costello: Time for Federal Government to Take Responsibility and Fully Assess Risk of Metro East Flood

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) today called on the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Craig Fugate, and the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Jo-Ellen Darcy to produce information that led to the determination that levees in the Metro East area could not be certified. Both Fugate and Darcy pledged to investigate the recent lack of information, work with local officials to assemble an adequate amount of… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $750,000 in Recovery Act Funding for Rock Island Disaster Recovery

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has invested $750,000 in the Bi-State Regional Commission's Disaster Recovery Project, which operates in Rock Island, Illinois. This investment, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will create a new revolving loan fund to serve small businesses in Mercer County, Illinois, and Muscatine County, Iowa and is expected to create 64 jobs and… Continue Reading

Durbin: Insurance Company Premiums--and Profits--Soar at Families' Expense

[CHICAGO, IL] - Illinoisans are facing up to a 60 percent increase in health insurance premiums this year at the same time that insurance companies are benefiting from some of the highest profits in their history, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said today a news conference to highlight the need for healthcare reform."Families are facing skyrocketing costs," Durbin said. "Emergency rooms are overflowing. Health centers are struggling to meet the increasing demand. Yet insurance companies continue to ra… Continue Reading

Durbin: Recovery Act Investment in CREATE Project Means More Jobs for Illinois

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin issued the following statement regarding the $133 million CREATE Englewood Flyover Project, funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act: "Unsnarling this bottleneck will stop trains from idling and start moving train traffic more quickly and safely. But this project is not just about saving time, money and cleaning our air. It's about jobs. "The rail industry is already a big employer in Illinois. More than 16,000 freight railr… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $600,000 in Recovery Act Funding for Rock Island Mass Transit

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $600,000 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District. Today's funding will be used to construct a solar thermal system that will provide hot water for the transit facility's operations and maintenance sections. The solar thermal system will help reduce the Quad Citie… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $1.5 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Chicago Transit

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation has awarded $1,500,000 in funding to the Chicago Transit Authority for the construction of electrified vehicle stalls that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and unnecessary fuel consumption. "The funding announced today will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Chicago," said Durbin. "As more and more people are choosing to leave their cars at home for their daily commute, hel… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More than $11.1 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Illinois Transit

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that several Illinois transit projects have been awarded funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This announcement is part of more than $600 million in formula-based Recovery Act funding distributed to almost 200 transit agencies and municipalities by the Department of Transportation to modernize and continue operations, as well as create green jobs. Illinois Department of Tran… Continue Reading

Durbin: Illinois Among Finalists in Phase One of Innovative Race to the Top Education Reform Competition

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Education has named Illinois among 16 finalists for Phase One of its Race to the Top competition. The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward states like Illinois that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform."Illinois is to be congratulated for the strong Race to the Top application they submitted. Illinois' selection today is a … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $1.5 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 17 grants totaling $1,448,822 to fire departments and municipalities throughout Illinois for 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 harm's way, we must ensure that they are equipped with … Continue Reading

Durbin: University of Illinois to Receive $22.5 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Expand Broadband Internet Access

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Commerce (DOC) has awarded $22,534,776 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois to build 187 miles of fiber-optic broadband network in Urbana, Champaign, and Savoy. The funding will also be used to support fiber-to-the-home services in four low-income neighborhoods and provide high-speed connectivity to 143 community anch… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Passage of a 30 Day Extension of Unemployment Benefits

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight, after the Senate passed a 30 day extension of unemployment benefits: "Over the last week, Senator Bunning has objected 11 times to the very same procedure he agreed to tonight. During that time, unemployment benefits were cut off for 15,000 people in Illinois; thousands more lost a helping hand to pay their health insurances; thousands of federal employees were furloughed … Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Follow-Up Hearing On Global Internet Freedom

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired a follow-up hearing today on "Global Internet Freedom and the Rule of Law." The hearing, held before the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, examined information technology (IT) industry business practices in internet-restricting countries and discussed Obama Administration efforts to promote internet freedom around the world. "With a few notable exceptions, the information technology industry see… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls For End To Republican Filibuster Of Unemployment Benefits And Cobra Subsidies

[CHICAGO, IL] - Fifteen thousand unemployed workers in Illinois will lose their unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies at midnight tonight due to a Republican filibuster of legislation that would extend the benefits for 30 days, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at a news conference with unemployed workers at the National Able Network. Last Thursday night and Friday morning, Durbin led Senate efforts to pass a 30-day extension of unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies tha… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $500,000 in Funding to Combat Greenhouse Gases in Chicago

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Chicago Green Healthcare Initiative (CGHI) to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Chicago-area hospitals by reducing their energy use.The Chicago Green Healthcare Initiative is a partnership between Health Care Without Harm and the City of Chicago. The Initiative's goal is to protect public health by significantly reducing… Continue Reading

Durbin Forwards Recommendations for Federal Judges in Central District to White House

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a list of names to the White House to consider when filling positions for the U.S. District Court in the Central District of Illinois. There are currently vacancies to be filled on the U.S. District Court in the Central District. Based on recommendations made by a bipartisan screening committee in the state, Durbin has forwarded the names of the following four individuals to the President for consideration as Federal Judges in … Continue Reading

Durbin Calls for Meeting with FEMA Administrator, Army Corps and Others to Discuss Incomplete Information on Illinois Levees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After receiving a response to his request, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called for a meeting with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Craig Fugate, and Assistant Secretary of the Army, Jo-Ellen Darcy, to discuss a lack of information that is necessary, according to FEMA, to certify five Illinois levees - Chain of Rocks, Fish Lake, MESD, Prairie Du Pont and Wood River. Once the information is complete, FEMA is comm… Continue Reading