Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Military and Veterans
Durbin: Senate Confirms Duckworth for VA Position
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the Senate approval of Tammy Duckworth to be Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs. "President Obama and America's veterans now have Tammy Duckworth as their advocate and champion," said Durbin. "I know Tammy will bring the same level of commitment to the VA that she has shown in fighting for her country and representing Illinois veterans." … Continue Reading
04.15.09
Durbin Announces More Than $650,000 in Recovery Act Funding for Impact Aid in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $654,425 in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the repair and modernization of two Illinois school districts. Today's funding is part of an announcement by the Department of Education making $39.6 million in Impact Aid Construction grants available nationwide for communities with military bases, Indian reservations and other federal property that do not generate local tax revenues… Continue Reading
04.01.09
Durbin Introduces Duckworth at VA Hearing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced President Obama's choice to be Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Tammy Duckworth, to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "Tammy's entire life has been in service to our country. She is a proven leader and public servant uniquely qualified for this position," said Durbin. "Tammy's advocacy for veterans is recognized by the veterans' com… Continue Reading
03.26.09
Durbin Introduces Bipartisan DREAM Act to Help Students Earn a Path to Legal Residency
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) today introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act - a narrowly tailored, bipartisan measure which would permit undocumented students to become permanent residents if they came here as children, are long-term U.S. residents, have good moral character, and attend college or enlist in the military for at least two years. "Our immigration laws prevent thousand… Continue Reading
03.24.09
Durbin Announces $38.5 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Defense Facilities in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois Department of Defense (DoD) facilities will receive a total of $38,542,000 in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for construction projects and repairs, quality of life improvements and energy efficiency projects. Today's funding is expected to immediately generate additional employment in communities around the defense facilities. "The Recovery Act will put people to wo… Continue Reading
03.23.09
Durbin Announces $78.8 Million in Recovery Act Funding for VA Facilities in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) facilities located in Illinois will receive $78,827,369 in funding for from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding, allocated through the Veterans Health Administration, will be used for upgrades and repairs at six VA hospitals, construction at three VA extended care facilities and repairs and equipment purchases at seven VA cemeteries. "Building… Continue Reading
03.10.09
Durbin: Congress Approves Legislation Allowing Reservists Who Are Federal Employees to Receive Full Salary
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With the passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced Congress' approval of his provision to help federal employees in the National Guard and Reserves avoid a loss of income when they are called to active military duty. Durbin first introduced legislation in 2001 - the Reservist Pay Security Act - to ensure that our brave men and women are paid the equivalent of their full civilian salary while they have been called to active mil… Continue Reading
03.06.09
Durbin and Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Legislation to Provide Support to Families of Severely Disabled Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing legislation to provide essential support services to family caregivers of severely disabled veterans. The Veteran and Servicemember Family Caregiver Support Act of 2009 establishes a program to provide technical, financial and practical support to family caregivers of veterans or members of the Armed Forces seriously injured in the line of duty since September 11, 2001. Durbin introduced … Continue Reading
03.03.09
Durbin Meets with Springfield / Sangamon County Community Partnership
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Springfield / Sangamon County Community Partnership group which included Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin, Illinois Air National Guard Commander Brigadier General Jay Sheedy, members of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, representatives from the Springfield Fire Fighters and several other labor and local governments leaders. They discussed the region's federal priorities and moving forward with their effort to find a new flyin… Continue Reading
02.24.09
Bill to Name Springfield Post Office After Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. Headed to President's Desk
[WASHINGTON, DC] - The House of Representatives today gave final passage to legislation introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) to name the post office located at 2105 East Cook Street in Springfield after Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. The bill now heads to the President's desk. "Colonel Wilson was a true American hero who served our country during World War II and served my hometown of Springfield for 57 years as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service," said … Continue Reading
02.24.09
Durbin Hosts Two Illinois Soldiers for Today's Presidential Address
[WASHINGTON, DC] - TODAY, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) hosted two wounded Illinois soldiers as his guests for the President Barack Obama's Address to a Joint Session of Congress. In what has become an annual tradition, two soldiers who served in Iraq, Sergeant Ralph McCallum II of Springfield, Illinois and Sergeant Rafael Delgado of Chicago, Illinois joined Durbin as his guests at the Joint Session of Congress and the Secretary of the Senate's dinner immediately preceding the President's … Continue Reading
10.23.07
Durbin, Along with Military & Education Leaders, Urges Congress to Support Bright, Accomplished Kids with Bipartisan DREAM Act
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged Senate colleagues to come together and support the DREAM Act, a narrowly tailored, bipartisan measure which would permit a select group of undocumented students to become permanent residents if they came here as children, are long-term U.S. residents, have good moral character, and attend college or enlist in the military for at least two years. "When I hear some describe this bill as amnesty, I wonder, if someone is willing to r… Continue Reading
07.13.07
DREAM Act as an Amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill
Mr. President, last month we had a controversial and spirited debate over immigration. It went on for several weeks on the floor of the Senate, and many Members of the Senate thought about it and voted one way or the other. The net result is that nothing happened. That is unfortunate. Everybody concedes our immigration laws have broken down. About 600,000 illegal people come into the United States each year and stay. Over 20 years, we now have 12 million people. The number continues to gro… Continue Reading
03.19.07
Fourth Anniversary of Iraq War --Veterans' Care, VA Funding
Mr. President, today marks a somber milestone. It was 4 years ago today that President Bush ordered our military to launch a preemptive invasion of Iraq. I can recall the vote on the Senate floor--I have spoken of it many times--which led to that decision by the President. We cast thousands of votes as Members of the Senate, the House, and most of them are hard to remember. One can never forget a vote cast about war. You know people will die as a result of that decision. We focus on eli… Continue Reading
03.12.07
Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans Forum
Mr. President, this morning I held a hearing in Chicago at the University of Illinois, Chicago medical campus. It was a hearing to discuss the challenges we face with returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. It was clear from the turnout at that hearing there is an intense interest in this subject. Much of it was brought on by the Washington Post front-page story of a few weeks ago about the now infamous Building 18 at Walter Reed Hospital. Like many Members of Congress, I have vis… Continue Reading
11.21.05
Durbin, Hagel, Lugar: Congress Should Act Now to Help Students Gain Access to Higher Education
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) said today that Congress should act to help undocumented students by providing them with a pathway to legalize their immigration status and attend college. The senators have introduced S. 2075, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, legislation which would allow states to provide in-state college tuition to undocumented students who grew up in the United States, and would a… Continue Reading