Durbin Announces Over $4.8 Million DOJ Investment to Enhance the Justice System in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently awarded a total of $4,850,881 in grants to support the establishment or enhancement of several justice system programs in Illinois. These programs provide support and services to a number of Illinois communities through research and education initiatives, family or adult drug treatment courts, and juvenile delinquent rehabilitation programs. The following Illinois enti… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk Ask Metra to Justify Fare Increases, Consulting Fees

[CHICAGO, IL] - United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today sent a letter to Alex Clifford, Executive Director and CEO of Metra, asking him to offer an explanation of costs incurred by the agency, and justify the proposed 30% fare increase. Metra currently has a six-month, $225,000 contract with George Avery Grimes, a consultant brought on to increase agency efficiencies and reduce costs. Grimes' contract is under review for a six-month extension. In their letter, Du… Continue Reading

Durbin Announced Nearly $2 Million Investment in Illinois Communities to Create Jobs and Boost Development

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that five Illinois communities - Chicago, Champaign, Macomb, Rock Island and Rockford - have received Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to create jobs and boost economic development in the region. EDA is an agency within the U.S. Commerce Department and supports the economic development needs of distressed communities throughout the United States. Its mission is to lead the federal economic development agend… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Randy Babbitt to discuss Illinois transportation priorities including the O'Hare Modernization Program and FAA Reauthorization. "Transportation is the key to creating and keeping jobs in the Midwest and Secretary LaHood understands that," said Durbin. "He also understands how important the O'Hare Modernization Prog… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Passing of U.S. Senator Charles Percy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today on the passing of former U.S. Senator Charles Percy (R-IL): "Chuck Percy was a political opponent in the Douglas and Simon campaigns but always a friend. That statement reflects a better moment in American politics and a man who was always viewed as honorable and honest in his representation of our state. "As a college student I was with Sen. Douglas in East St. Louis when he learned of the tragic… Continue Reading

Durbin Provision Would Help Protect Jobs at Quincy Mail Processing Facility; Ensure Community Involvement in Postal Service Study

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that, in his role as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), he has inserted language in the committee's annual appropriations bill that would help protect jobs at the Processing and Distribution Annex in Quincy, Illinois and ensure community involvement in the study regarding consolidation and closure of the facility. The legislation was approved by the Senate Ap… Continue Reading

Durbin, Kirk, Manzullo Concerned About New Postal Consolidation Study; Plan to Ask for Meeting with Postmaster General

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today plan to ask for a meeting with the U.S. Postmaster General to discuss the Postal Service's plan to conduct a study examining the possibility of moving operations performed at the Rockford Processing and Distribution Facility to an out-of-state facility in Madison, Wisconsin. This study is the second the Postal Service has conducted on the Rockford facility - which has contin… Continue Reading

Durbin Unveils 2012 Financial Services, General Government Appropriations Bill

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), today unveiled the subcommittee's appropriations package for fiscal year 2012. The bill covers $21.73 billion in discretionary spending for the nation's consumer and financial watchdogs, over two dozen agencies within the Executive Branch; the Federal Courts; District of Columbia; and independent agencies. "This yea… Continue Reading

Durbin: Severe Weather Has Hit Illinois From Chicago to Cairo, State Needs Relief Funding Without Delay

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on members of Congress to support a supplemental appropriations bill for the Disaster Relief Fund as requested by President Obama. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin described the need for federal aid in a year that has seen a blizzard and two severe floods affect communities throughout Illinois as well as record breaking hurricanes and wildfires in other parts of the country. The disaster relief fund gives families and busin… Continue Reading

The Situation in Syria

Mr. President, the world has witnessed considerable upheaval across the Middle East this year as citizens from all walks of life have turned out by the millions to say enough to repressive regimes, stagnant political systems, and a lack of economic opportunities. In fact, we should probably look back to the summer of 2009 when thousands upon thousands of ordinary Iranians bravely took to the streets to peacefully protest the country's likely stolen election. These Iranian citizens were m… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $1.9 Million DOJ Investment in Illinois Law Enforcement

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently awarded a total of $1,896,780 in grants to support the enhancement of two programs that provide research and technology for Illinois law enforcement. "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 that they are equipped with the … Continue Reading

Durbin Says Code of Conduct Shows Willingness of For-profit College Industry to Improve Transparency; Encourages Further Action

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after many for-profit colleges announced that they have signed on to a voluntary agreement called, "Standards of Responsible Conduct and Transparency". "For-profit colleges signing on to a voluntary code of conduct shows that some in the industry are willing to take a first step towards establishing standards of transparency and accountability. More needs to be done and those schools which resist even t… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the President's Jobs Address

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight after President Obama's address to a Joint Session of Congress on job creation: "Tonight the president challenged Congress to work together to put America back to work. His plan, the American Jobs Act, will create new jobs for teachers, veterans and construction workers. It will cut taxes for small business owners and middle class families and give tax credits to companies that h… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Over $6.2 Million Investment in Illinois Housing Agencies

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that Illinois Housing Agencies will receive $ 6,289,102 in grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants provide funding for housing counseling along with funding for local units of government. "Improvements to public housing will enhance the quality of life for individuals who rely on this important service - including nearly 80,000 people in Illinois," said Durb… Continue Reading

Durbin: States Making it Harder for People to Vote

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, chaired a hearing today which examined a rash of new state voting laws that threaten to suppress turnout across the country. New laws in over a dozen states significantly reduce the number of early voting days, require voters to show restrictive forms of photo identification before voting, and make it harder for volunteer organizations to register new v… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $600,000 in DOJ Funding for Illinois Judiciary Programs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently awarded a total of $652,570 in grants to support the enhancement of two Illinois programs that seek to provide representation for potentially wrongly convicted defendants and to provide better services through drug treatment courts. The following Illinois entities and programs will receive funding: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL: $202,879 in funding has bee… Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Bill That Preserves Essential Funding for Fermilab and Argonne National Lab

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved a bill that preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that will support work at two Illinois labs - Argonne National Laboratory and FermiLab which together employ roughly 4,800 Illinoisans. These projects were included in President Obama's FY2012 Budget and supported by Durbin. "We must reduce our spend… Continue Reading

Durbin Welcomes Illinois AFL-CIO President as Special Guest to Joint Session

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) will welcome the President of the Illinois AFL-CIO, Michael T. Carrigan, as his guest to an address by President Barack Obama to a joint session of Congress this evening. Durbin met with his guest prior to the joint session to discuss the importance of growing the economy, creating jobs and putting people back to work in Illinois and across the country. "It's a false choice to say that government cannot create jobs and reduce the debt," … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $18.7 Million Investment in Illinois Airport Infrastructure

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that three Illinois airports have received a total of $18,702,075 in grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for infrastructure improvements and upgrades. "Today's grants will allow airports in Illinois to make needed improvements and upgrades to help them reduce noise and serve travelers more safely and efficiently," said Durbin. The following investments in Illinois' transportation infrastructure were m… Continue Reading

Durbin Lauds DOE Decision to Award Argonne National Laboratory A Nearly $2 Million Competitive Grant

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the U.S. Department of Energy's selection of the Lemont, Illinois-based Argonne National Laboratory to receive a $1,875,000 competitive grant. Argonne was selected for its ability to contribute to the development of innovative technologies that produce hydropower more efficiently, reduce costs, and increase sustainable hydropower generation. "Argonne is one of our nation's premier research and innovation labs as well as an impor… Continue Reading