Durbin Statement on Agreement Between Florida Tomato Workers and the Florida Tomato Industry

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin released the following statement today after the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange (FTGE) reached an agreement ending a long-lasting stalemate. "Under the agreement reached today, Florida's tomato workers will be given their first wage increase in 30 years. And going forward, the growers will abide by a strict and transparent code of conduct ensuring that workers be treated fairly and… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Principal of Blue Ribbon School, Edison Elementary

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Principal Jim Pluskota of Edison Elementary School in Elmhurst which was recently recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education. Lynn Krizic, Superintendent of Elmhurst School District 205 and Nancy Galas, a fifth-grade teacher at Edison, also attended today's meeting. On September 9, Secretary Duncan announced 304 schools from across the country had been awarded Blue Ribbon status. Of the Blue Ribbon Sch… Continue Reading

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Funding Commitment for New O'Hare South Air Traffic Control Tower

[CHICAGO - U.S.] Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration will fund the design and construction of a new South Air Traffic Control Tower at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, scheduled to be built as part of the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). The agreement will allow Chicago to complete the construction of the tower in time for the successful commissioning of the new runway 10R/28L, which is scheduled for completion in early 2015. "O'Hare i… Continue Reading

Durbin: Success of Cape Air in Downstate Communities Creates Opportunity for Continued Essential Air Service

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation will begin soliciting proposals from air carriers interested in providing service starting December 1, 2011 in the communities of Quincy and Marion/Herrin. The current provider Cape Air - whose contract with the Department is schedule to expire on November 30, 2011 - has dramatically increased ridership on flights to and from both communities. "The success of Cape Air… Continue Reading

Durbin Calls on Federal Agencies to Investigate Air Quality on Passenger Rail

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), asking them to review the findings of an investigative report by the Chicago Tribune which showed that Metra commuters and workers may be exposed to excessively high levels of diesel soot. Diesel exhaust contains many air pollutants… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $2.2 Million for Keith Creek Flood Mitigation

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $2,226,740 in grant funding to the City of Rockford for flood mitigation efforts. The funding was awarded under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program which provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. "Today's funding is welcome news for the residents and businesses who have been… Continue Reading

Durbin: Expansion of Chrysler Plant in Belvidere will Allow Company to Create or Retain Jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the decision by Chrysler Group LLC to invest $600 million in expanding the company's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Northern Illinois. The expansion 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. "Over the years the Belvidere plant has changed with the nation's auto market but it… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $7.7 Million in DOT Funding for Illinois Green Transportation Projects

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that four Illinois public transit projects will receive a total of $7,696,184 in funding through the Department of Transportation's Transportation Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) II and Clean Fuels grant programs. This funding is part of $156.2 million made available by the Department of Transportation to encourage transit projects that promote the usage and development of energy efficient techn… Continue Reading

Durbin, Harkin Announce $230 Million in Funding for New Rail Service from Chicago to Iowa City through the Quad Cities

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced that $230 million in federal funding was awarded today by the Department of Transportation for a new Amtrak route between Chicago and Iowa City through the Quad Cities. The project - scheduled for completion in 2015 - will create 588 jobs per year for the first four years of design and construction. Once initiated, the new service is expected to increase business activity at $25 million per year. "Securing su… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces an Additional $7 Million in Funding for Illinois Related Rail Projects

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In addition to the $230 million in funding announced earlier today for Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City route, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded nearly $7 million in funding to two rail projects that will positively impact Illinois rail. The $236.9 million in total funding for projects affecting Illinois will support a regional effort by nine Midwestern States to build an integrated high speed rail network. These state… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $2.35 Million in Funding For South Suburban Chicago Development 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 $2,351,848 Community Challenge Planning grant to the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association to help fund a residential development plan that will foster job growth in the region. "This funding will promote job growth, improve livability, and create more sustainable communities in south suburban Chicago," said Durbin. … Continue Reading

Bean, Durbin Announce $2.8 Million for EJ&E Mitigation

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Congresswoman Melissa Bean and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the City of Barrington will receive a $2.8 million grant to fund 100 percent of the planning, designing and engineering of a grade separation at the U.S. Route 14 and Eastern Joliet & Elgin (EJ&E) Railway crossing. The funding was awarded today by the Department of Transportation through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program. "These funds … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $22.8 Million in TIGER II Funding for Job Creating Transportation Projects in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that three Illinois transportation projects will receive a total of $22.8 million in funding through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program. Nearly $19 billion in bids were submitted nationwide for the $600 million that was awarded today by the Department of Transportation through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program created i… Continue Reading

Durbin, Ardis Announce $10 Million for Peoria Warehouse District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mayor of Peoria Jim Ardis announced that the City of Peoria will receive a $10 million grant to design and build a complete street network that is safe, walkable and attractive in the Warehouse District. This project is a key component of the city's plan for revitalizing the Warehouse District which will create jobs and promote economic development. The funding was awarded today by the Department of Transportation through the Transportat… Continue Reading

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

Durbin, Costello, Shimkus, to Convene Regional Levee Meeting

[WASHINGTON, D. C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressmen Jerry Costello (D-IL) and John Shimkus (R-IL) announced today that they will convene a meeting to develop a regional plan to address upgrading Southern Illinois levees. Age and uneven maintenance have raised concerns about their future ability to withstand a major flood. "With more than 85% of the nation's 100,000 miles of levees locally owned and maintained, recent budget shortfalls and shifting priorities have made it di… Continue Reading

Durbin Urges IRS to Investigate Spending by Crossroads GPS

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to quickly investigate the tax status of Crossroads GPS and other organizations that are directing millions of dollars into political advertising without disclosing their funding sources. U.S. tax law requires that the primary purpose of 501(c)(4) organizations, like Crossroads GPS, cannot be political, including the "participation or intervention in political campaigns." "I writ… Continue Reading

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

Durbin Statement on TCF's Court Challenge of Interchange Law

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after Minnesota-based TCF National Bank filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a Durbin-authored law regarding interchange fees. The bipartisan language passed as part of the Wall Street reform act, requires the Federal Reserve to determine if the current interchange fee structure is both "reasonable and proportional" to the real cost of processing a debit card transactio… Continue Reading

Durbin: FutureGen 2.0 Site Selection Process an Opportunity for Illinois Communities to Lead Nation in Technology and Job Creation

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called the announcement of a competitive site selection process for FutureGen 2.0 an exciting opportunity for Illinois communities to be on the forefront of clean coal research and technology. Earlier today, the FutureGen Industrial Alliance announced details of a process that will lead to the selection of an Illinois site for the storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) collected at an Ameren Energy Resources power plant in Meredosia, Illinois. The F… Continue Reading