Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Education
Durbin: University of Illinois to Receive Nearly $800,000 in Research Funding
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has awarded $799,200 in federal grant funding to the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, to help fund the Illinois Height Modernization Program (ILHMP).The ILHMP aims to establish a statewide network of survey benchmarks and acquire a high-resolution digital elevation model of the Earth's surface. The funding will allow the … Continue Reading
06.11.10
Durbin Announces More than $1.25 Million in NEH Grants for Illinois Organizations
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded 7 grants totaling $1,265,227 to 6 Illinois organizations. Several of these organizations have been recognized by the NEH for advancing the goals of its We the People program. The We the People program encourages and strengthens the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. Today's grants were awarded through a highly competitive revi… Continue Reading
06.04.10
Durbin Announces Nearly $2 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Weatherization Training Centers in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded two grants totaling $1,959,635 for weatherization training center development and expansion projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Wilbur Wright College in Chicago, Illinois, will receive $1,000,000 and the Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, will receive $959,635 to develop training centers.The weatheri… Continue Reading
05.27.10
Durbin, Gregg Introduce Bill to Expand Successful Charter Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) today introduced legislation that would expand the Charter School Program at the Department of Education (DOE) to make eligible the expansion and replication of successful charter school models. The bill - the All Students Achieving through Reform (All STAR) Act - also takes several steps to strengthen public charter school accountability, transparency, and governance. "We must ensure that each and every child has … Continue Reading
05.11.10
Durbin Leads Effort to Improve School Meals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to fund a competitive program that would bring together nutritional and academic experts, members of the community and local schools to produce innovative ideas to improve food quality, student choices in food and healthy school environments. Earlier today, Durbin met with Chef Rachel Ray to discuss reauthorization of child nutrition programs and her effort to help children develo… Continue Reading
04.28.10
Durbin Announces a Nearly $1 Million FEMA Grant for Fire Prevention and Safety Research at University of Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $999,801 grant to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for fire prevention and safety research. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way, we must … Continue Reading
04.21.10
Durbin, Lugar Ask Secretary Napolitano to Stop Deportations of Dream Act Students
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today, asking her to halt deportations of immigrant students who could earn legal status under legislation they have introduced called the DREAM Act (S.729). The DREAM Act is a narrowly tailored, bipartisan measure which would permit undocumented students to become permanent legal residents if they came here as child… Continue Reading
04.15.10
Durbin, Cohen Along With 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) and Danny Davis (D-IL) 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 issued or guaranteed student loans were prote… Continue Reading
03.29.10
Durbin: Student Loan Overhaul Makes College More Affordable For Illinois Students
[CHICAGO, IL] - Illinois students will see increased Pell Grants and friendlier loan repayment terms as a result of a historic overhaul of the nation's 45-year-old student loan program signed into law last week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) told college students at Roosevelt University today. The provisions, included in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation bill, force commercial banks out of the business of administering federally-guaranteed student loans, ending a system … Continue Reading
03.26.10
Durbin Announces Nearly $2 Million in NEH Grants for Illinois Organizations
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded 15 grants totaling $1,919,557 to 11 Illinois organizations. Several of these organizations have been recognized by the NEH for advancing the goals of its We the People program. The We the People program encourages and strengthens the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. Today's grants were awarded through a highly competitive r… Continue Reading
03.25.10
Durbin Statement on Senate Passage of Reconciliation Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Senate's passage of legislation that makes key improvements to the historic health care reform law signed by President Obama earlier this week. The legislation also helps students by cutting out the bank industry middlemen and shifting student loans into the Direct Loan program - a measure that will save American families $61 billion over 10 years. "The final piece of healthcare legislation that was approved by t… Continue Reading
03.04.10
Durbin: Illinois Among Finalists in Phase One of 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 16 finalists for Phase One 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."Illinois is to be congratulated for the strong Race to the Top application they submitted. Illinois' selection today is a … Continue Reading
01.28.10
Durbin Announces Nominees for Service Academies
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the names of young men and women whom he has nominated to attend the nation's four service academies. "Each year, I look forward to announcing my nominees for the nation's service academies because the young men and women who make up this group are among the most promising young people in the state of Illinois," said Durbin. "This year was no exception. These individuals are the leaders of tomorrow, and I have no doubt that they wi… Continue Reading
12.09.09
Durbin, Manzullo Secure $800,000 to Help Create Jobs, Improve Higher Education in Rockford
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Don Manzullo (R-IL) and announced today they have secured $800,000 in federal funds for two important initiatives to help create jobs and improve higher education in Rockford. The funding is included in the 2010 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which the House and Senate are expected to approve in the next few weeks before sending to the President for his signature. Durbin and Manzullo each requested fu… Continue Reading
10.15.09
Durbin Meets with Attorney General to Discuss Chicago Youth Violence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss the federal, state and local effort to combat youth violence in Chicago. Holder briefed Durbin on the outcome of last week's meeting with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. They also discussed the role the federal government can play in assisting the state and local effort including: increasing funding for community-based violence prevent… Continue Reading
10.01.09
Durbin, Halvorson: Ottawa School District Wins FEMA Appeal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson (D-IL) today announced that Ottawa Elementary School District #141 has won their appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s original repair estimate for Ottawa Central Elementary School. FEMA indicated that federal funds could be used to relocate the school pending the approval of a project request submitted by the school. Durbin and Halvorson support the Ottawa School Dis… Continue Reading
09.24.09
Durbin Introduces Legislation to Make College Textbooks More Affordable
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation designed to help students manage costs by making textbooks available to students, professors and the public for free on an easily-accessible website. This bill, known as the Open College Textbook Act, would create a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education, professors and organizations to create textbooks that can be made available online and licensed under terms that grant t… Continue Reading
09.16.09
Durbin Holds Oversight Hearing on DC Education Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) held a hearing today examining the use and impact of Federal appropriations for educational programs in the District of Columbia. The hearing, held before Durbin's Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, was the first time in over five years that the Senate has held a comprehensive review of the District's education entities. In that time, Congress has invested nearly $350 million in th… Continue Reading
09.14.09
Durbin: US Commerce Secretary Locke Announces $4.5 Million in Recovery Act Grant
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the decision by the U.S. Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke, to award a $4.5 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Ill., to help refurbish an existing building at the Institute's University Technology Park for use as a technology business incubator facility. The project, made possible because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 20… Continue Reading
09.10.09
Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $52 Million in Defense Funding for Projects in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved $52,000,000 in federal funding to assist defense related facilities and projects across Illinois. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 defense spending bill includes funding for the following projects: • Columbia College Chicago, Chicago. $2,000,000 in funding for the Construct Program at Columbia College Chicago, which will deve… Continue Reading