Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Jobs and the Economy
Durbin Announces $4.25 Million in Funding for Go To 2040 Sustainable Community Planning Initiative
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a $4,250,000 Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grant to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to help advance its GO TO 2040 community planning initiative. "GO TO 2040 is a forward-thinking plan that will help Chicagoland maintain its position as one of the nation's foremost economic and cultural centers," s… Continue Reading
10.12.10
Durbin Supports Chrysler Application for Funding to Create or Retain Over 2,000 Jobs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to the Department of Energy in support of Chrysler's application for funding to help finance facility, tooling, and equipment upgrades designed to raise production capabilities at the Belvidere, Illinois plant. The project will allow Chrysler to retain 1,950 jobs on two full shifts. The upgraded facilities would also support more than 500 contract employees and create the possibility of adding a third shift. On July 6… Continue Reading
09.26.10
New Law Will Give Small Businesses Better Access to Credit and Spur Job Creation
[CHICAGO] - Illinois small businesses will receive a much-needed lifeline that will improve their access to credit and jumpstart job creation following passage of the Small Business Jobs Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Melissa Bean said today. The legislation, which President Obama will sign into law on Monday, provides incentives for community banks to extend small businesses the capital they need to grow their businesses and hire additional workers, as well as $12 … Continue Reading
09.15.10
Durbin: Illinois Prosecutors and Public Defenders Eligible for More Than $350,000 in Student Loan Assistance
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive $365,309 through the Department of Justice's John R. Justice student loan repayment program. The funding, administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, will be used to help prosecutor and public defender offices retain and attract talented attorneys by providing student loan repayment assistance to state and federal public defenders and state prosecutors who ag… Continue Reading
07.22.10
Durbin: Senate Committee Approves More Than $134 Million In Energy And Water Funding For Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, has approved $134,315,000 for energy- and water-related projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes funding for the following projects: Department of Energy City of Monmouth: $500,000 in funding for a renewable energy co-generation project that will use industrial waste to power homes and reduce the amount of gr… Continue Reading
06.24.10
Durbin Announces $520,000 in Funding for Pulaski Infrastructure Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has invested $520,000 in the Village of Pulaski, Illinois' Industrial Park Infrastructure project. This investment will fund roadway and other infrastructure improvements to serve the SISCO Regional Industrial Park located in Pulaski. The funding is expected save 32 jobs, create an additional 167 jobs and an additional $2 million in private investments."Toda… Continue Reading
06.24.10
Durbin Commends Decision to Award a Nearly $6 Million Grant to Support Businesses in Northern Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the Department of Commerce (DOC)'s decision to award a $5.9 million for a program administered by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater that will provide comprehensive entrepreneurial support to businesses in Northern Illinois in order to create jobs and spur economic development."This project brings together six counties across two states, four universities, three technical colleges and a number of non-profit and private sec… Continue Reading
06.24.10
Durbin: Quad City Airport to Receive Nearly $4 Million Grant for Runway Reconstruction
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $3,900,000 grant to Quad City International Airport for the reconstruction of runway 9/27. This funding will help continue the airport's efforts to completely reconstruct the 10,000-foot runway."Quad City International Airport is a critical transportation link for central Illinois," said Durbin. "This renewed runway will help put the airport in the stro… Continue Reading
06.23.10
Durbin Encourages Navistar to Open New Facility in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today encouraged the Chairman and CEO of Navistar International Corporation, Daniel Ustian, to locate the company's new facility in Illinois. Because the company's plans to open a new facility in Lisle, Illinois have recently been called into question, Durbin also requested a meeting with Ustain to discuss the ongoing partnership between Navistar and Illinois."I am requesting a meeting to see if there are ways that I or my office can be of as… Continue Reading
05.13.10
Durbin Statement On His Debit Card Swipe Fee Amendment
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement after the Senate approved his amendment to help reduce the swipe fees that small businesses pay on every credit and debit card sale by a bipartisan vote of 64-33: "Wall Street reform is really about two things: holding the big banks accountable for how they operate and empowering consumers to make good financial choices. Passage of this amendment is a win for the public on both fronts. … Continue Reading
01.26.10
Durbin Commends Ford for Adding 1,200 Jobs in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after learning of Ford's plan to hire 1,200 employees at the Chicago Assembly Plant in anticipation of increasing consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars. Ford plans to invest nearly $400 million in its Chicago plants to launch the production of the next-generation Explorer SUV, which feature fuel economy gains of at least 25% over the current model. "More new, fuel-efficient cars are… Continue Reading
12.17.09
Durbin, Illinois Delegation: High Speed Rail Funding Will Have Greatest Impact in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation made the case that the federal funding available for high speed rail would have the greatest impact on Illinois. The Illinois Members wrote: Illinois has spearheaded a regional effort in the Midwest to build an integrated high speed rail network. These Midwest states have already completed careful planning and made si… Continue Reading
12.15.09
Durbin, Illinois Delegation: Progress at Marion But Challenges Remain
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a meeting with members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), General Eric Shinseki, reported that several procedures have been revised at the Marion VA Medical Center and all problems identified by the Inspector General (IG) will be corrected by the end of the year. However, Secretary Shinseki cautioned that recruitment and retention of experienced personnel at Marion remains the greatest obstacle to stabi… Continue Reading
12.15.09
Durbin, Quinn Praise Administration Decision to Purchase Thomson Correctional Center
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today praised the decision by the Obama Administration to proceed with the acquisition of a state of the art correctional facility in Thomson, Illinois. "Thomson Correctional Center - a high security prison - has been sitting empty for eight years. The Obama Administration has put forward a plan to make it the safest prison in America and we are pleased that they have made this decision… Continue Reading
12.13.09
Durbin: Congress Approves More Than $126 Million in Funding For Illinois Projects
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the final Omnibus spending bill which includes $126,432,544 in funding for several Illinois projects was approved by Congress. The bill will then go to the President for his signature. SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: CHICAGO TRANSIT ($9,304,744): Today's legislation includes over $9.3 million in funding to advance the Circle line project in Chicago; expand capacity along the Chicago Transit Authority (CT… Continue Reading
12.11.09
Durbin, Quinn Reaction to Draft White House Memo on Thomson Correctional Center
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn today issued the following statement after learning of a draft internal Obama Administration memo regarding the Thomson Correctional Center. "Late this afternoon, we learned of a draft internal Obama Administration memo signaling that the Administration has narrowed its focus to the Thomson Correctional Center to serve as a federal prison. We are told that the Administration has not made its … Continue Reading
12.10.09
Durbin, Illinois Delegation to Meet with VA Secretary on Tuesday
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation is scheduled to meet with the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Eric Shinseki, on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 to discuss the findings of the high level Quality Management team that was sent to the VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois last month. A recent report by the VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) revealed that leadership at the … Continue Reading
12.10.09
Durbin Announces More Than $1.3 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Joliet
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated a $1,346,400 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) to Joliet, $94,450 of which is already available to the city, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and create jobs locally. "Creating jobs and securing the future of our planet are two of the a… Continue Reading
12.09.09
Durbin Statement on Springfield Rail Agreement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after learning that the Illinois Department of Transportation, the City of Springfield and Sangamon County have come to an agreement on how to move forward with high speed rail in Springfield. "I commend Mayor Davlin, Chairman Van Meter and Secretary Hannig for working tirelessly over the past few months to reach today's agreement. Finding a solution was not easy, but by bringing … 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