Durbin: Secretary of Agriculture Declares Entire State of Illinois Eligible for Drought Relief

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, for declaring the remaining Illinois counties and their surrounding areas eligible for emergency USDA assistance. Last month, Durbin joined Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and eighteen members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in supporting Governor Pat Quinn's request for the entire state to receive this designation. "This designation will help Illinois farmers… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $1.25 Million Investment to Grow New Air Service at Central Illinois Airports

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that airports in Bloomington-Normal, Springfield and Champaign-Urbana have received a total of $1,250,000 in grants to grow new air service between these Central Illinois airports and the East Coast. Today's grants were awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)'s Small Community Air Service Development Program which was established by Congress in 2002 to help small, underserved airports around the country impro… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Another Bipartisan Screening Committee for Federal Judges in the Northern District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced the formation of a bipartisan screening committee to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges for the Northern District of Illinois. There are currently three vacant judgeships in the Northern District, and the immediate task of the screening committee is to review applications and make recommendations to Durbin for filling current and future vacancies. The screening committee will be comprised of 13 distinguished Illinoisa… Continue Reading

Durbin, Senators Urge President Obama to Create Drought Task Force

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and a bipartisan group of 14 Senators called for the creation of an Interagency Drought Task Force to meet the wide ranging impacts and diverse needs arising from the ongoing drought. In a letter sent earlier today, the Senators asked President Obama to direct the task force to report on the severity of the drought, the impacts to all sectors of the economy, the options available to address drought and fiscally-responsible recommendations for… Continue Reading

Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Durkin Nomination for Illinois Northern District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved the nomination of Thomas Durkin to fill a pending vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois. His nomination will now proceed to a vote by the full Senate. "I am pleased the Judiciary Committee has approved this consensus, bipartisan nominee," said Durbin. "Tom Durkin has the ability, experience and integrity to… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Support for Main Street Businesses at Hearing on Bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged his colleagues to support a bill that would level the playing field for small businesses by allowing localbrick-and-mortar retailers to compete more effectively against out-of-stateinternet sellers. Durbin's remarks were made in his testimony at a SenateCommerce Committee hearing examining the bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act,a bill which he introduced earlier this year with U.S. Senators Mike Enzi(R-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $51,000 in DOJ Funding to Enhance Law Enforcement Capabilities in Moline

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded $51,013 in Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants to support law enforcement officers in Moline, Illinois. This funding will be used to support police officers' salaries, purchase tasers and upgrade court security equipment and access. "Our nation's law enforcement officers are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brav… Continue Reading

Next Frontier in High Performance Computing to Usher in New Chapter in Scientific Discovery

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today in introducing legislation to speed the development of computers that are faster than 50 million laptops combined. The new technology would be useful in computation-intensive research areas such as physics, earth science, national security, biology, engineering, climate modeling, aerospace and energy. The Department of Energy High-End Computing Improvement Act of 201… Continue Reading

Durbin and BOP Director Discuss Importance of Thomson Prison to Relieve Overcrowding and Create 1,100 New Jobs in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, Charles Samuels, to discuss the Obama Administration's continued commitment to acquiring Thomson Correctional Center and opening it as a maximum-security federal prison - a move that would alleviate overcrowding in the federal prison system and create more than 1,100 jobs in Northwest Illinois. Durbin will speak with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn later today about moving forward with the… Continue Reading

Durbin to Wolf: End Opposition to 1,100 New Jobs in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called for Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) to end his opposition to opening Thomson Correctional Center as a maximum-security federal prison - a move that would create more than 1,100 jobs in Northwest Illinois. Durbin's call comes just hours after Attorney General Eric Holder sent to Congress a new request to reprogram already appropriated funding within the Department of Justice that can be used to acquire and activate Thomson Correctio… Continue Reading

Durbins Bill to Crack Down on Excessive Interest Rates and Fees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act late yesterday - a bill to eliminate the excessive rates and fees that some consumers are charged for payday loans, car title loans and other types of credit. "Within blocks of my home in Springfield, Illinois, there are payday lenders charging interest rates of two and three hundred percent of the value of the loan," Durbin said. "These excessive rates are often hidden a… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces an Over $150,000 Investment in Illinois First Responder Capabilities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made a $151,966 investment in three fire departments in Illinois. Today's funding will help support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies. "Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens," Durbin said. "As these brave men and women… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with CSX CEO to Discuss Rail Safety

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with the CEO of CSX Railroad, Michael Ward, to discuss improving rail safety. On Sunday, Durbin asked the Association of American Railroads to conduct a comprehensive review of railroad industry plans and practices to ensure trains can move safely and efficiently throughout the country during extreme weather events. Durbin also requested that the findings of this review be made available to the public including the communities of Northbr… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $64,000 in Funding to Enhance Law Enforcement Capabilities in Joliet

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded $64,162 in Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants to support law enforcement officers in Joliet, Illinois. This funding will be used to purchase and install in-car cameras. "Our nation's law enforcement officers 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 ensure t… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Hearing on Citizens United Decision and the Rise of Super PACs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired a hearing today on the Citizens United decision and the rise of Super PACs. The hearing, "Taking Back Our Democracy: Responding to Citizens United and the Rise of Super PACs" examine the proposed responses to the Citizens United, including constitutional amendments and pending legislation like the Fair Elections Now Act, a commonsense proposal that would provide qualified candidates for Congress with grants, matching funds… Continue Reading

Durbin and Kirk Application for U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Now Online

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced that the application for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois is now online. Prospective applicants can download the application by clicking here or here. Applications must be returned by Friday, August 31, 2012. The Screening, Recommendation and Nomination Process: A screening committee will conduct an open application process and will screen applicants … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Illinois Corn Growers to Discuss Ongoing Drought and Agriculture Priorities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with members of the Illinois Corn Growers yesterday to discuss current drought conditions in Illinois, as well as the Senate's recently passed bipartisan 2012 Farm Bill and other agricultural priorities. "Last weekend, I saw firsthand the impact that drought conditions and record-breaking temperatures have had on Illinois crops. Illinois' corn growers are a critical part of our state's economy, which means we must make certain that duri… Continue Reading

Durbin and Kirk Name Screening Committee for Next US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Announce Application Process

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) today announced the members of their six person screening committee that will aid them in the search for the next US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The committee will be co-chaired by the Honorable David Coar, former U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois and the Honorable Mark Filip, former Deputy Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice. The other m… Continue Reading

Durbin Invites Members of Illinois Job Training Program to Address Senators in Washington, DC

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Partners in Harper College's new Advanced Manufacturing Training Program were invited by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to speak today at a meeting of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee about their innovative job training and certification program. Developed in close partnership with regional manufacturers, Harper's program helps workers develop the skills they need to find employment in their communities and fill critical job openings at growing business… Continue Reading

Durbin Chairs Hearing on Safety and Effectiveness of Flame Retardant Chemicals

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Dick Durbin (D-IL), chaired a hearing on the safety and effectiveness of flame retardant chemicals today, following a Chicago Tribune four-part investigative report on flame retardant chemicals and furniture flammability standards. The hearing focused on whether those chemicals and flammability standards are adequately protecting consumers and the pu… Continue Reading