Press Releases
Durbin Announces $14 Million TIGER Grant for Springfield Rail Improvement Project
PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $14 million in federal funding for the second phase of rail transit infrastructure improvements in Springfield, IL. Today's investment, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER grant program, will support the construction of an underpass at Ash and Laurel Streets as well as the design and planning of a new multimodal facility, which will include an Amtrak station and a bus transfer location. Once the project is c… Continue Reading
07.26.16
Durbin Announces More Than $1.7 Million for Head Start & Early Head Start in McHenry County
PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $1,786,656 in federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in McHenry County. Under this announcement, the Community Action Agency for McHenry County, Inc. will receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support early education and comprehensive services for low-income children and families. "The Head Start program is the source of countless success stories in Illinois and around the c… Continue Reading
07.25.16
Durbin Announces More Than $5 Million for Maternal & Child Health
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the Illinois Department of Public Health $5,265,846 to improve health outcomes in women and children. Today's funding will support efforts by the Illinois Department of Public Health's Office of Women's Health and Family Services to improve health care access and provide preventive services for women, children, and adolescents. "We must ensure that all Illinois families… Continue Reading
07.22.16
Durbin, Quigley, Emanuel Announce More Than $3.6 Million to Expand CTA Electric Bus Fleet
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced that the Federal Transit Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has awarded the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) $3,620,000 to expand its electric bus fleet. Today's funding will enable the CTA to purchase up to four electric buses and two chargers. The CTA was the first major transit agency to use all-electric buses as part of daily servi… Continue Reading
07.22.16
Durbin Statement on Continuing Unrest in Turkey
CHICAGO-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the continuing unrest and politically-motivated arrests occurring in Turkey: President Erdogan, who made great progress in his first term as prime minister strengthening both Turkey's economy and standing in the international community, should not use this attempted coup as an excuse to tighten his grip on Turkish society by rounding up political opponents. This is a critical moment for President Erdogan to demonstrat… Continue Reading
07.20.16
Durbin, Senators Send Letter to DEA Calling for Stricter Limits on Opioid Pills
[ROCKFORD, IL] - In a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Edward Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) called on the agency to use its power to more aggressively combat the opioid epidemic that is affecting communities across the country. With its existing quota-setting authority, the DEA effectively serves as a gatekeeper for how many opioids can be produced and sold in the Unit… Continue Reading
07.20.16
Durbin Announces More Than $2.4 Million to Protect Winnebago County Families from Lead Hazards
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will award Winnebago County $2,492,455 to control lead-based paint hazards in low-income homes with children. Today's funding will allow the county's health department to address hazards in 150 housing units, protecting families from dangerous lead exposure. A total of $52,645,790 was awarded nationwide today as part of HUD's Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program and Hea… Continue Reading
07.20.16
Durbin Discusses Initiatives to Combat Heroin and Prescription Opioid Epidemic
ROCKFORD - As the heroin and prescription opioid abuse epidemic continues to impact communites arond Illinois and the country, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with local advocates, first responders, health professionals, and people whose lives have been impacted by addiction to discuss efforts to combat the crisis. Durbin has introduced several pieces of legislation to expand treatment for heroin addiction and increase access to drug prevention programs that have been proven to save li… Continue Reading
07.19.16
Durbin Announces $2.8 Million in HUD Funding for Illinois Housing & Community Development
[BELVIDERE, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 22 communities in Illinois will receive a total of $2,846,926 in grant funding through the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Public Housing Family Self-Sufficiency (PH-FSS) Program, a federal grant program administered by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop strategies which help families learn skills, gain experience, and obtain employment in the hopes of leading to economic independe… Continue Reading
07.19.16
Durbin Sends Letter to DEA Calling for Stricter Limits of Opioid Pills
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), calling on the agency to use its power to more aggressively combat the opioid epidemic that is affecting communities across Illinois and the country. With its existing quota-setting authority, DEA effectively serves as a gatekeeper for how many opioids can be produced and sold in the United States every year. Durbin has urged DEA to help keep the dangerous pills from flooding the … Continue Reading
07.14.16
Chicago, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
WASHINGTON - Chicago, Illinois native Johanna Mintz spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in his Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests and calls, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington, D.C. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the federal … Continue Reading
07.14.16
Chicago, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
WASHINGTON - Chicago, Illinois native Lee A. Smith III spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in his Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests and calls, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington, D.C. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the feder… Continue Reading
07.14.16
Murphysboro, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
WASHINGTON - Murphysboro native Lorna Gilmore spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in his Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests and calls, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington, D.C. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the federal govern… Continue Reading
07.14.16
Darien, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Darien, Illinois native Michael Jurkash spent three months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in his Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests and calls, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington, D.C. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the… Continue Reading
07.14.16
Naperville, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin's Washington, DC Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Naperville, Illinois native Reeny John spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in his Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests and calls, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington, D.C. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the fe… Continue Reading
07.14.16
Durbin Announces $200,000 for Clay County Hospital
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $200,000 in federal funding to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs at Clay County Hospital. Today's funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will support case management for patients with chronic disease, help prepare nurses to effectively assist patients with chronic disease, and teach patients to better manage their conditions. This HHS grant is intended to support health care in medically unde… Continue Reading
07.13.16
Durbin: We Need a Forceful Response to the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor calling out Republicans for failing to provide immediate funding for new efforts to combat opioid addiction in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Durbin noted that the CARA bill freezes funding for addiction treatment at a time when the number of deaths from opioid and heroin overdoses continues to grow. "When only 12% of the people in Illinois are able to receive care for their addiction and there is a 12-w… Continue Reading
07.13.16
Durbin Meets with CDC Director to Discuss Urgent Need for Congress to Pass Zika Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to discuss the agency's efforts to combat the spread of the Zika virus and the immediate need for increased funding. Durbin expressed concern about how congressional Republicans' refusal to pass a bipartisan emergency funding bill is hindering the CDC's ability to respond to this public health threat. To date, 3,667 people in the United States, includi… Continue Reading
07.13.16
In Wake of Recent Violence & Upheaval, Durbin Calls for Action on Criminal Justice Reform
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the floor of the Senate to call on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to schedule a vote on the Senate's bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act. In the wake of recent violence and upheaval across the country, Durbin, who was joined by his co-authors, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Mike Lee (R-UT), called for action on the bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation as a step toward justice and reconcilia… Continue Reading
07.13.16
Durbin Meets with DHS Secretary & White House Chief of Staff to Discuss Central American Refugee Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to discuss America's response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. During the meeting, Durbin expressed concerns over current policy classifying refugee women and children from Central America as immigration enforcement priorities due to their date of arrival in the United States. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Ben C… Continue Reading