Durbin Welcomes East Moline Mayor as Special Guest to the Joint Session of Congress
Durbin and Thodos discuss importance of protecting $240 million in federal funding for job-creating projects in the Quad Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today welcomed the Mayor of East Moline, John Thodos, as his guest to an address by the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard to a joint session of Congress. Durbin, a member of the Senate Escort Committee, met with his guest prior to the joint session to discuss the importance of protecting the $240 million in federal funding to build a new rail line connecting Chicago to the Quad Cities and a new, energy efficient, multimodal station. Both projects – which together would create 1,700 public and private sector jobs – were eliminated in the spending bill passed by the House Republicans last month.
“Last year, Australia was Illinois’ fourth largest market for exported products totaling $2.4 billion, up 49 percent from 2009,” said Durbin. “I am looking forward to hearing her views on trade between our two countries. Our alliance with Australia is important not only for our nation’s security, but for Illinois’ as well.”
Mayor John Thodos is a life-long resident of East Moline. He has been active member of the community for the past 15 years serving as Alderman for East Moline from 1995-2003 and as Mayor since 2005. Mayor Thodos has been on the boards of the Quad Cities Botanical Center, Rock Island Arsenal Development Group, Quad Cities Development Group, and QC First, and served as past Chair of the Bi-State Transportation Committee. He is married to Tricia a registered surgical nurse and is the father of four and a new grandfather to grandson, Enzo.