Durbin Meets with Bloomington-Normal Officials to Discuss Economic Development and Transportation Issues
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today met with business and labor leaders from the Bloomington-Normal area who were in Washington, DC as part of the fifth annual “One Voice” trip. Durbin and members of the group discussed the region’s economic development as well as other issues affecting McLean County including the pending transportation bill being debated in the Senate and agricultural issues. The Senate is currently debating a bipartisan transportation funding bill which maintains current spending levels for highways and mass transit and includes authorization for a competitive grant program to help fund nationally and regionally significant projects.
“One Voice continues to do a great job of bringing together business, education and labor leaders to promote priorities for the Bloomington-Normal area,” said Durbin. “I was happy to meet with members of the group again and look forward to working with them in the future.”
One Voice, under leadership of the Economic Development Council, is a pro-community campaign that has brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, rural municipalities, labor, local educational institutions and local private businesses. The group aims to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live. Local leaders attended today’s meeting include: Normal Mayor Chris Koos, Bloomington Mayor Steve Stockton and Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area CEO Marty Vanags.