Durbin: Senate Committee Approves Over $27 Million in Transportation and Economic Development Funding for Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $27,004,744 in federal funding for Illinois transportation and economic development projects. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 appropriations bill for the Department of Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations includes funding for the following projects: Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration: … Continue Reading

Durbin Bill to Provide Financial Security to Families of Federal Judges Passes House, Sent to President Obama for Signature

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan bill to provide the surviving family members of Federal judges with financial and health benefits, unanimously passed the US House of Representatives late yesterday, sending it to the president for his signature. The bill will provide for a limited 6-month open season for Federal judges to opt into the Judicial Survivors' Annuities System (JSAS). Earlier this month the Senate unanimously passed the legislation which is sponsored by Assistant Senate Majority Lead… Continue Reading

Durbin Extends Impact Aid Funding Formula for Schools Serving the Great Lakes Naval Base

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Impact Aid Coalition, today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a Durbin authored amendment that will extend the practice of allowing the five public schools serving the Great Lakes Naval Training Base to pool their students to maximize federal education assistance through the Impact Aid program. This amendment - added to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services and Educat… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Committee Approves $5.2 Million in Health and Education Projects for Illinois

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved $5.2 million in federal funding for health and education projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 appropriations bill for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations includes funding for the following projects: • Alivio Medical Center, Cicero: $500,000 in funding for a … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $37 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Community Health Centers in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 36 community health centers in Illinois will receive $ 37,435,380 in grant funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Capital Improvement Grants (CIP) grants, allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will support the construction, repair and renovation of health centers nationwide as well as allow health centers to purchase new health information technolo… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Approves More Than $111 Million for Illinois Projects

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Senate has approved $111,037,000 for energy- and water-related projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes funding for the following projects: Army Corps of Engineers: • Carlyle Lake, Carlyle. $5,171,000 in funding for operations and maintenance at Carlyle Lake, the largest man-made lake in Illinois, with over 26,000 acres of water and 11,000 acres of pub… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Importance of Air Service in Downstate Communities at Senate Confirmation Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discuss the importance of air service in rural communities while introducing Susan Kurland of Chicago, Illinois to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee which was holding a hearing on her nomination by President Obama to be Assistant Secretary of Aviation and International Affairs. Durbin has introduced three Presidential nominees to this committee: Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood; Administ… Continue Reading

Durbin: Recovery Act Funding Will Put 50 More Cops on the Beat in Chicago

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $25,867,708 in Recovery Act funding under the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP). Today's funding will be used to hire or rehire 106 new police officers in Illinois - 50 of which will be in Chicago. "At a time when tight budgets have forced many law enforcement agen… Continue Reading

US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Announces $616,441 Recovery Act Grant

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced a $616,441 Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the Village of Milledgeville, Ill., to help build roadways and sewer service for a new industrial park. The project, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), is expected to create additional jobs and generate private investment in the region. "The Obama Administration is committed to creating jobs, encouraging innovation and … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $6 Million in FEMA Grants for Chicago Transit

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $6,539,988 in grants available for Chicago area transit security. "The funding announced today will help increase passenger safety along Chicago area transit lines that provide nearly two million rides each week day," said Durbin. "As more and more people are choosing to leave their cars at home for their daily commute, we must ensure that public transit is not only… Continue Reading

Durbin: Lovell Health Center Language Approved by Senate

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin announced that language needed to complete the James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center was included in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act approved by the Senate late last night. The language is based on legislation that was introduced earlier this year by Durbin and Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) that gives authority to the Navy and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to jointly operate the new Federal Health Care Center… Continue Reading

Durbin Amendment to Provide Support to Families of Severely Disabled Veterans Approved by Senate

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that his amendment to increase access to compensation for injured servicemembers who require assistance in everyday living was included in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act approved by the Senate late last night. The amendment - co-sponsored by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) -- was designed to assist families who need financial assistance as they put the brakes on their lives to care for a family member… Continue Reading

Durbin, Illinois Delegation Members Ask for Timely Clarification in New FEMA Policy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a bipartisan group of Illinois Congressional Delegation members in urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to immediately clarify the disaster assistance policy that was released on February 25, 2009. Last month, Durbin asked the FEMA Administrator, Craig Fugate, to resolve the issue as soon as possible. In their meeting, Durbin pressed Fugate to ensure that during the process of clarifying the polic… Continue Reading

Durbin Introduces Legislation to Ease Nationwide Nursing Shortage

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to ease our nation's nursing shortage which is expected to exceed one million by 2020. The Nurse Training and Retention Act would build on the current healthcare workforce by creating incentives for healthcare worker to become nurses and for current nurses to become nurse faculty. "Everyone depends on nurses for quality patient care, yet the healthcare system in America lacks an adequate suppl… Continue Reading

Durbin, Graham Introduce First Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation today to completely eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. The bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act would refocus scarce federal resources away from nonviolent offenses and toward large scale, violent traffickers. Restoring sentencing parity would do more than any other policy change to close the gap in incarceration rates between African Ameri… Continue Reading

Durbin: Disaster Declaration for Two Additional Illinois Counties Will Help Severe Storm Recovery

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today praised the decision by President Obama to declare two additional Illinois counties - Hamilton and Union - federal disaster areas. The President's disaster declaration triggers the release of federal funds to help people and municipalities recover from severe storms in May. A declaration has already been made for Franklin, Gallatin, Jackson, Randolph, Saline, and Williamson counties. "The severe storms in May uprooted large trees, caus… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $7 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Illinois Environmental Programs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Region 5 have awarded $6,962,635 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to three environmental programs in Illinois. "Today's funding will improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink while creating jobs across Illinois," said Durbin. "It is not only good for our bodily health, but also the health of our sta… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces One-Year Extension for Firefighters at 183rd

[WASHINGTON, DC] - The F-16 maintenance mission and the National Guard firefighter unit at Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport has been granted a one-year extension through September 2010, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today. The Director of the Air National Guard, General Harry Wyatt informed Durbin of the temporary extension of the 183rd Fighter Wing's F-16 maintenance mission which will keep open the option to find a permanent flying mission at Spring… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Agricultural Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a meeting with representatives from the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) to discuss climate change and ethanol issues. "I firmly believe that we need to make significant efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the dangerous effects of climate change on our planet," said Durbin. "Bringing groups like the Illinois Corn Growers Association to the table and including their concerns in this debate is an import… Continue Reading

Durbin's Small Business Health Options Program Included in HELP Committee Package

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the major features of his Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) were included in the Senate HELP Committee's Affordable Heath Choices Act which was passed by that committee this morning. Durbin's provisions would make insurance more available and affordable for the 47.0 million employees of the nation's 5.9 million small businesses and for 14.0 million self-employed individuals. "Skyrocketing… Continue Reading