Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Education
Durbin Lauds Obama Administration Announcement on Dream Act Deportation Cases
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, in a letter to Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 21 other Senators, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that the Administration has established a new process for handling the deportation cases of DREAM Act students and other sympathetic individuals. If fully implemented, the new process should stop virtually all DREAM Act deportations. "The Obama Administration has made the right decision in changing the way they hand… Continue Reading
07.27.11
Durbin Announces Funding for Education Programs and Research Initiatives at Illinois Cultural Institutions
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded four Museums for America grants totaling $484,497 to cultural institutions in Illinois. These funds will help allow recipient institutions to better serve their communities by supporting high-priority activities that support their mission and strategic goals. "Illinois is home to many of the nation's finest cultural institutions," said Durbin. "Today's funding … Continue Reading
07.14.11
Durbin Announces $4.5 Million in School-based Health Center Grants to Help Illinois Children
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that 17 school-based health centers in Illinois will receive $4,516,733 in grant funding through the Affordable Care Act. The funding will help school-based health centers to establish new sites or upgrade their current facilities to better serve Illinois children. School-based health centers offer health screenings, health promotion programs, and disease prevention activities and they help children with… Continue Reading
07.12.11
Durbin, Bennet, Religious Leaders Announce DREAM Act Sabbath
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and more than a dozen religious leaders representing a broad variety of faith traditions, today announced a DREAM Act Sabbath - an initiative enlisting churches, synagogues, and mosques around the country to dedicate time during their regular weekly worship service to a conversation about the DREAM Act. The nationwide event will talk place this fall on September 23rd, September 24th, and Septe… Continue Reading
06.29.11
Senators Condemn For-Profit Colleges' Mistreatment of America's Veterens
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Following last night's PBS Frontline segment documenting the mistreatment of America's veterans by some for-profit colleges, a group of Senators condemned the practices brought to light. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), called for greater oversight of military education benefit dollar… Continue Reading
06.28.11
Opening Remarks at the First-ever Senate Hearing on the DREAM Act
Thousands of immigrant students in the United States were brought to the United States as children. It was not their decision to come to this country, but they grew up here pledging allegiance to our flag and singing our national anthem. They are American in their hearts. The DREAM Act would give these young people a chance to earn legal status if they have good moral character and go to college or serve in the military. The DREAM Act would make America a stronger country by giving the… Continue Reading
06.24.11
Durbin Announces First-Ever Senate Hearing on the Dream Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that he will chair the first-ever Senate hearing on the DREAM Act next Tuesday, June 28th, at 10:00 am ET. The hearing will be in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. "I've been working on the DREAM Act for over ten years," Durbin said. "In that time, it's been reported out of committee by a large bipartisan margin, passed the House of Representatives, and received a bipartisan majority vote in th… Continue Reading
06.16.11
Durbin Announces Nearly $21 Million in DOT Funding for O'Hare Noise Mitigation
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $20,900,000 in funding to Ridgewood High School District 234 for measures aimed at mitigating noise from O'Hare International Airport. Today's grant follows a Federal Aviation Administration review of a 2009 decision stating that the Ridgewood High School did not qualify for sound insulation. "Today's funding will help create a better learning environment for our… Continue Reading
06.02.11
Durbin Statement on Education Department's Gainful Employment Rule
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after reviewing the final version of the Gainful Employment rule on for-profit colleges that the Department of Education released earlier today. "This rule may stop the worst violators among the predatory for-profit schools but it will not protect thousands of young students who are being burdened with debt by many worthless diploma mills. If we are serious about protecting taxpayers and students, we… Continue Reading
05.26.11
Durbin, Cohen and Others Introduce Legislation to Restore Fairness in Student Lending
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Al Franken (D-MN) today joined U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Danny Davis (D-IL), George Miller (D-CA) and John Conyers (D-MI) to introduce legislation in both the Senate and the House that will restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans in bankruptcy the same as other types of private debt. Before changes were made to the bankruptcy code in 2005, only government is… Continue Reading
05.25.11
Durbin: Illinois Among Finalists in Innovative Race to the Top Education Reform Competition
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Education has named Illinois among nine finalists for a continuation of its Race to the Top competition. The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward states like Illinois that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform. In 2010, Illinois was a finalist in both rounds of competition, but did not win a grant. "Maintaining the sta… Continue Reading
05.24.11
Durbin Announces FEMA Grant for Flood Protection Efforts in Gurnee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the City of Gurnee has been awarded a $2,428,463 grant for from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood protection efforts in Gurnee, Illinois. The funding will be used to purchase and remove the old Gurnee Elementary School which has been damaged beyond repair by repeated flooding. The property will be returned to green space, allowing flooding from the Des Plaines River to occur without damage to proper… Continue Reading
05.18.11
Durbin Announces Over $5 Million in Department of Labor Grants for Illinois Youth
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded five grants totaling in $5,499,644 to YouthBuild organizations throughout Illinois. YouthBuild assists out-of-school youth in obtaining their diplomas or GEDs while providing occupational training in the construction industry. Participants in the program include individuals who have been in the juvenile justice system, youth aging out of foster care, high school dropouts and … Continue Reading
04.28.11
Opening Statement at For-Profit College Forum
Good morning. I am pleased to convene this forum to examine the role of the for-profit college industry in educating students in Illinois and to discuss the additional federal oversight needed to end abusive practices and improve student outcomes.I am pleased to be joined by my colleague from the House, Congressman Danny Davis. Thank you all for being here.As a beneficiary of federal investment in higher education, I have always voted to support Pell grants and federal student loans.We must give… Continue Reading
04.13.11
Durbin, Kirk, Polis, Paulsen Introduce Bill to Expand Successful Charter Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO) and Erik Paulsen (R-MN) today to introduce legislation that would expand the Charter School Program at the Department of Education (DOE) making the expansion and replication of successful charter school models eligible for federal funding. The bill - the All Students Achieving through Reform (All-STAR) Act - also takes several steps to strengthen public charter school accountabil… Continue Reading
04.07.11
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators to Introduce Bill to Help Prevent Youth Suicide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In an effort to prevent youth suicide and reach out to young people who need mental health services, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tom Udall (D-NM) today introduced the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2011. Included in today's legislation are portions of Durbin's Mental Health on College Campuses Act which calls for the creation of a competitive grant program that would provide funding to colleges to focus on … Continue Reading
03.30.11
Durbin Asks National Urban League to Support Effort to Protect Students and Taxpayers from Abuses in the For-profit College Industry
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a speech to the National Urban League, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the organization to support the effort by the Obama Administration and members of Congress to protect students and taxpayers from abuses within the for-profit college industry. Acknowledging that many for-profit colleges are good actors and do important work, Durbin noted that the bad actors could cause us to repeat the mistakes of the subprime mortgage crisis by saddling a generation of y… Continue Reading
03.23.11
Durbin: Cuts to Head Start Will Devastate Low-Income Families and Stunt Economic Recovery
[AURORA] - Thousands of low-income children and their families will lose critical access to education, health, and support service programs as the result of drastic federal spending cuts passed by the House of Representatives, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today in Aurora. Funding for comprehensive early childhood services, including the Head Start program, is cut by more than 20 percent in the House spending bill (H.R.1) for the current fiscal year 2011, which was approved along party li… Continue Reading
03.15.11
For-profit Colleges
I have come to the Senate floor a number of times over the past year to speak about my concerns about the rapid growth of for-profit colleges. I believe some for-profit colleges are quality institutions, but I also believe many are taking advantage of Federal taxpayer dollars and doing more harm than good for unsuspecting students. In no area is this issue more important than when it comes to our veterans. A few years ago, I proudly joined Senator James Webb of Virginia, who said to me wh… Continue Reading
03.14.11
Durbin Asks 60 Accrediting Agencies for Explanation of Standards They Use to Ensure Quality at Colleges and Universities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today wrote to 60 accrediting agencies around the country asking for an explanation of the accreditation standards to better understand the role they play in holding colleges and universities to high academic standards. Durbin's request comes after recent Congressional hearings and media reports that have highlighted serious problems with for-profit colleges and universities. "Accreditation agencies such as yours serve as the gateway to fed… Continue Reading