Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $22 Million Grant For Springfield Rail Improvement Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the City of Springfield has been awarded $22 million in federal funding for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. Today's investment, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) BUILD grant program, will support the replacement of the existing single track bridge with two new double track bridges over both 5th and 6th Streets to accommodate the expanded corridor. "This important … Continue Reading
10.10.18
Durbin Meets With HUD Acting Deputy Inspector General About Ongoing Investigations Into Cairo Housing Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Acting Deputy Inspector General Jeremy Kirkland to receive an update on HUD's Office of Inspector General's (OIG) ongoing investigation into alleged mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by former Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA) officials. The investigation has lasted for more than two years. A photo from today's meeting is available here. "It has been more t… Continue Reading
09.25.18
Durbin, Duckworth Submit Testimony At Hearing On Cairo Public Housing Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today submitted joint testimony to the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance for the committee's hearing on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Inspector General (IG) report released this July on HUD's oversight of Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA). In May 2017, Durbin and Duckworth requested the IG to conduct an evaluation of HUD's oversight of ACHA. Following the report's… Continue Reading
09.21.18
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $15 Million For Regional Airports Throughout Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that 10 Illinois regional airports will receive a total of $14,774,459 in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) State Block Grant Program. "Investing in our regional airports is key to our state's economic success," said Durbin. "This funding will help modernize our aviation infrastructure and improve experience for travelers. I will continue working with Senator Duckworth to ensure Illin… Continue Reading
09.17.18
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $3.2 Million In Funding To Support Low-Income Illinoisans With Disabilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded nine Illinois communities a total of $3,291,834 to provide affordable housing to people with disabilities. The funding is awarded through HUD's Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, which helps individuals with disabilities live as independently as possible in the communities with access to supportive services. "Thi… Continue Reading
08.21.18
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $33 Million In Federal Funding For Positive Train Control In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $33,224,233 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology on Chicago-area railroads. PTC is a federally mandated computerized system that prevents certain types of train-to-train collisions, helps avoid derailments and other accidents caused by excessive speed, and increases safety for rail workers. "Im… Continue Reading
08.07.18
Durbin Visits Olmsted Lock & Dam Project
OLMSTED-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited the Olmsted Lock and Dam project, which replaced 1920's-era infrastructure and will allow for much easier navigation of commerce on the Ohio River. The Olmsted Lock and Dam is one of the busiest stretches of Illinois' inland water system for commercial navigation. Durbin has helped secure federal funding for this project over the years. "The Olmsted Lock and Dam is critical to the flow of local commerce, and was in dire need of investment… Continue Reading
08.07.18
Durbin Meets With Cairo Public Housing Residents
CAIRO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA) residents to discuss the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) response to the housing crisis that has forced hundreds of residents out of their housing units due to uninhabitable living conditions. Durbin was joined by Joseph Galvin, Regional Administrator of HUD's Midwest Regional Office, at Durbin's invitation. "Cairo is 'Exhibit A' for mismanagement in Washington and locally. HUD… Continue Reading
07.12.18
Durbin Meets With HUD Inspector General Nominee Rae Oliver Davis
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Rae Oliver Davis, a Southern Illinois native who's been nominated to be the next Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). During the meeting, Durbin and Oliver Davis discussed what her goals and priorities would be at HUD, and how the agency can provide greater oversight to ensure public housing residents have safe and healthy living conditions. Currently, HUD's Office of Inspector… Continue Reading
06.11.18
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Army Corps FY18 Work Plan & Funding For Completion Of McCook Reservoir
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced their Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Work Plan, which includes $44.352 million for McCook Reservoir to complete construction, $10 million for LaGrange Lock and Dam to move forward on a major rehabilitation, and $1.2 million for various Cook County infrastructure projects: The Army Corps of Engineers' work is critically important for water qu… Continue Reading
06.08.18
Durbin, Duckworth Highlight Illinois Priorities Included In Transportation, Housing And Urban Development FY19 Funding Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) applauded the inclusion of several of their priorities for Illinois in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) fiscal year 2019 funding bill. The bill was passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for consideration. Illinois priorities in the bill include funding for Core Capacity grants, Amtr… Continue Reading
05.10.18
Durbin Urges FRA To Take More Active Role In Ensuring Amtrak's On-Time Performance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to take a more active role in working with the freight railroads to ensure Amtrak's on-time performance improves in Illinois and around the country. Amtrak's Chicago-Champaign-Carbondale route continues to be one of the worst preforming routes in the country. The Illini and Saluki trains are consistently delayed by Canadian National Railway's (CN) freight train interference and the ongoing spee… Continue Reading
05.08.18
Durbin, Duckworth Push For Answers On Thebes Housing Crisis, Press HUD To Fully Abate Rent For Residents
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson for details on his department's decision to close the Mary Alice Meadows (MAM) and Sunset Terrace (ST) housing complexes in Thebes, Illinois, and relocate the approximately 28 families living there. "HUD has cited immediate health and safety concerns present in the MAM and ST units and the inability of ACHA to feasibly remedy these hazards as justification fo… Continue Reading
04.27.18
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Eviction Notice For Public Housing In Cairo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an eviction date for the individuals and families living at Elmwood and McBride housing complexes in Cairo, Illinois: It has been more than a year since HUD told 185 families that they must relocate from the Elmwood and McBride housing complexes in Cairo, Illinois, without any clear plan to rehouse those who w… Continue Reading
04.18.18
Durbin Meets With DOT Secretary Chao
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after meeting with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao to discuss transportation projects important to Illinois: Investing in our transportation infrastructure creates jobs, revitalizes neighborhoods, and grows small businesses across Illinois. While transportation agencies in Illinois are working hard to improve their infrastructure and services, Washington must also do its part. Tod… Continue Reading
04.18.18
Durbin, Quigley, Duckworth Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation To Map Urban Flooding & Help FEMA Better Assess Risks
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-02) and John Culberson (R-TX-07) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act of 2018 to enhance the mapping of urban flooding to prevent associated damage. The legislation will help give cities and towns the tools they need to address flooding in a local con… Continue Reading
03.08.18
Durbin, Duckworth Press Canadian National Railway For Update On Implementation Of Positive Train Control Safety Technology
WASHINGTON-Following reports that Canadian National (CN) Railway may not meet the statutory deadline to implement positive train control (PTC) safety technology, which could force Amtrak to shut down operations on CN's tracks, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed for an update on CN's current progress on implementing PTC in Illinois as well as an update on what efforts CN is making to improve Amtrak's on-time performance in the state. Shutting down Amtrak se… Continue Reading
03.06.18
Durbin Meets With MWRD To Express Continued Support For McCook Reservoir, Brandon Road Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to express his continued support for the construction and funding of the McCook Reservoir Project. Last month, Durbin, along with Senator Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Peter Roskam (R-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Bobby Rus… Continue Reading
02.13.18
Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of Illinois Congressional Delegation Urge Army Corps To Include Funding For McCook
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Peter Roskam (R-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Bobby Rush (D-IL-01) today requested $34.7 million in construction funds for the McCook Reservoir Project be included in the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Work Plan. They also requested that the Cor… Continue Reading
01.30.18
Durbin Statement On President's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Trump's first State of the Union address: If the President chooses to follow through on his prepared remarks tonight, he will find Democrats ready to work with him on lowering prescription drug prices, making massive new investments in America's crumbling roads and bridges, passing meaningful paid family leave legislation, and protecting Dreamers. -30-… Continue Reading