Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Energy and the Environment
Durbin Introduces America's Red Rock Wilderness Act To Protect Wilderness Lands In Utah
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act to protect more than eight million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. These landscapes are also the access point for many national parks and offer unparalleled research, educational, and recreational opportunities for scientists, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and American families. "The America's Red … Continue Reading
09.16.22
Durbin Visits Quincy Bay, Discusses Restoration Project
QUINCY - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Quincy Bay, one of the largest natural bays of the Upper Mississippi River, to discuss its restoration project. This project aims to reverse the impact of sedimentation and erosion at Quincy Bay to improve the quality and diversity of waterfowl, fish, and wildlife populations, aquatic and forest habitat, and other ecologically significant features such as water depth and wetlands.Durbin pushed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to include the … Continue Reading
08.31.22
Durbin, Duckworth, Illinois Delegation Urge President Biden To Grant FEMA Individual Assistance To Metro East Following Flash Floods
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with the entire Illinois Congressional delegation, sent a letter to President Biden requesting that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide federal assistance to the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods on July 26. "We write in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request for federal assistance for the State of Illin… Continue Reading
08.15.22
Durbin Addresses Impact Of Flooding In Cahokia Heights And East St. Louis
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a news conference with local officials to discuss the impact of flooding in the region after record-breaking storms late last month displaced residents with more than nine inches of rain falling in two days-an amount that would normally fall in a 75-day span. Prior to today's new conference, Senator Durbin met with residents impacted by chronic flooding in Cahokia Heights and also visited sites in East St. Louis damaged by recent storm… Continue Reading
08.10.22
Durbin, Duckworth Secure Key Illinois Priorities In Senate-Passed Inflation Reduction Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) secured key provisions for Illinois in the Senate-passed Inflation Reduction Act. These priorities include investing in domestic energy production and manufacturing right here in the U.S., reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, investing in clean energy tax credits, lowering prescription drugs, extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and more. "The Inflation Reduction Act is… Continue Reading
08.07.22
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of The Inflation Reduction Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act, groundbreaking legislation that will fight inflation, make drug prices more affordable, reduce costs, and make the nation's largest investment in our share of the climate fight ever: "Senate Democrats have heard the American people: do something to fight inflation, lower prescription drug prices, and combat the climate crisis. Today's histori… Continue Reading
08.06.22
Durbin Urges Colleagues To Pass The Historic Inflation Reduction Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged his colleagues to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower health care costs, combat climate change, reduce the federal deficit, and fight inflation. Durbin began his speech by highlighting the various bills the Senate has passed in the last six weeks-thanks to Senate Democrat's leadership. On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Honoring Our PACT Act, legislation that … Continue Reading
07.27.22
Durbin: With The CHIPS And Science Act, We Can Kick-Start A New Generation Of Discovery
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the Senate passage of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, critical legislation for our economy and national security that provides billions to boost our domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. During his speech, Durbin highlighted the need to increase domestic microchip production, as microchips are used in everything from refrigerators to smartphones to cars. In 1990, America … Continue Reading
07.27.22
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan CHIPS And Science Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, critical legislation for our economy and national security that provides billions to boost our domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research capabilities: "America needs to be at the forefront of innovation and scientific research once again. This once-in-a-generation, bipartisan bill makes strategic investments to boost … Continue Reading
06.30.22
Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Decision Gutting EPA Authority
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision in West Virginia v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "EPA has the critical task of addressing our climate crisis and ensuring that Americans have clean air to breathe. Congress gave that authority to EPA with the Clean Air Act, which the Supreme Court has affirmed again and again. Today's decision by this Sup… Continue Reading
06.17.22
Durbin, Schakowsky, Chicago Delegation Urge EPA To Expand Eligibility Guidelines For Clean School Bus Program
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) today led 12 of their Illinois colleagues in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging him to expand eligibility for the new EPA Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) to improve its accessibility to Chicago-area schools and correct additional oversights in the implementation process. The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan I… Continue Reading
06.13.22
Durbin, Duckworth Urge Illinois School District To Apply For EPA Clean School Bus Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to more than 300 Illinois school district administrators to inform them that their districts are eligible to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to convert the nation's school bus fleets to low- and zero-emission ve… Continue Reading
06.03.22
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $245,000 In EPA Funding To Support Water Quality Monitoring
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $245,000, through the BEACH Act grant program, to Illinois. The grant funding will support the state in developing and implementing a beach monitoring and notification program that will protect the public by monitoring beaches for bacteria, identifying local pollution sources, and reporting these results to EPA. "The Gr… Continue Reading
05.27.22
Durbin, Romney, Casten, Calvert Call For Robust Research Funding in Final Competition Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-6) and Ken Calvert (R-CA-42) sent a bipartisan letter to Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and House-passed America COMPETES Act conferees urging the lawmakers to oppose provisions in USICA that would allocate a high, fixed percentage of future research funding at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) b… Continue Reading
05.17.22
Durbin Discusses Funding For Fermilab LBNF/DUNE With Secretary Of Energy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm about federal funding requests for the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE), a project run by Fermilab in Illinois. In March, Durbin secured $189 million for LBNF/DUNE in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) omnibus appropriations bill. On the call, Durbin explained the importance of Fermilab's research and urged the Secretary to join … Continue Reading
05.10.22
Durbin Meets With Fermilab Director
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Fermilab Director Lia Merminga to discuss basic science research and projects at Fermilab like the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE). Durbin secured $189 million for LBNF/DUNE in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) omnibus appropriations bill Congress passed in March. "National labs, like Illinois' own Fermilab, have pushed the boundaries of scientific discovery with unmatched dedica… Continue Reading
03.08.22
Durbin Statement On Biden Administration's Announcement To Ban Russian Oil Imports
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced a ban to Russian oil imports: "I applaud the Biden Administration's announcement to ban Russian oil imports. We cannot continue to purchase millions of barrels of oil to help fund Putin's unprovoked and unjustified war. This is another important step in tightening economic pressure on Putin and his cowardly enablers and h… Continue Reading
03.02.22
Durbin Talks Clean Energy With Illinois Municipal Electric And Utilities Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Illinois members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IEMA/IMUA) to discuss clean energy tax incentives, climate change policy, and grid security. During their conversation, Durbin spoke about the importance of transitioning the power sector to carbon-free energy sources and the urgent need to secure the United States' electrical grid from cybersecurity threats. "Today, I had a great disc… Continue Reading
02.18.22
Durbin, Manchin, Barrasso, And Blackburn Introduce DOE Science For The Future Act Of 2022
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act of 2022. This bipartisan legislation strengthens our nation's investment in world-leading scientific research by providing the first-ever comprehensive authorization for the DOE's Office of Sc… Continue Reading
02.03.22
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Letter To President Biden Urging Funding For PFAS Research And Remediation In FY2023 Budget Request
WASHINGTON -This week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to send a bipartisan letter urging President Biden to prioritize robust funding to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress. The letter asks for funding to support agencies and programs that will help close gaps in PFAS research, protect public health and the environment from PFAS contamination, an… Continue Reading