Durbin Pushes for Overhaul of Nation's Food Safety Laws

[CHICAGO, IL] - The ability of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protect the safety of the nation's food supply for American families will dramatically improve if Congress passes the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin's legislation, which has bi-partisan support, would give the FDA new authorities, tools and resources to comprehensively reform the nation's food safety systems. "We've seen major recalls of peanut butter spiked w… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Passing of Poland's President

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement after the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of 97 people including the President and First Lady of Poland, Lech and Maria Kaczynski. Earlier this afternoon, Durbin visited the Polish Consulate in Chicago to sign the book of condolence. "I want to express my deepest sympathies to the people of Poland for their profound loss. The pain of this sad moment is felt especially in Chicago where so many Poli… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement Regarding the Retirement of Associate Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding the upcoming retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens."Justice John Paul Stevens, a native Chicagoan, is widely seen as one of the wisest and most accomplished jurists of our time. The fourth-longest-serving Justice in U.S. history, Justice Stevens' judicial philosophy may be hard to label but his integrity is rock solid. A lifetime in the law and the courage… Continue Reading

Healthcare Reform News Conference in Normal, IL

This past week was historic for our country. The passage of the new health reform law is a great step forward. It is an expression of our commitment to ensuring that every Illinoisan and every American have the best health care possible. And it couldn't have come too soon. Our nation's healthcare crisis is pricing more and more people out of coverage. Over the past decade, family health insurance premiums for Illinois's workers rose five times more quickly than median earnings. … Continue Reading

Durbin: $26 Million Federal Investment in Rend Lake Pays Dividends in Jobs and Economic Development

[BENTON, IL] - Rend Lake visitors will soon enjoy improved campsites, better roads, well-staffed recreation facilities with fully restored services, and a new visitor's center, thanks to a $26 million infusion of funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The federally-funded projects at Rend Lake have created or sustained more than 200 jobs, helping to achieve the Recovery Act's primary goals of getting Americans back to work … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $500,000 in Federal Funding to Establish Regional Nursing Program at SIU's Carbondale Campus

[CARBONDALE, IL] - The nursing workforce in Southern Illinois will soon be bolstered as a result of $500,000 in federal funding for a new nursing program at Southern Illinois University, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) told students and faculty at the Carbondale campus today. The funding will give the SIU Edwardsville School of Nursing the resources to open a campus in Carbondale. The earmark was secured by Durbin in the fiscal year 2010 omnibus appropriation bill."The 3 million nurses across … Continue Reading

Mayor Daley, Secretary LaHood, Senator Durbin and Governor Quinn Announce $410 Million in Funding for O'Hare Modernization Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to provide $410 million toward funding the completion phase of the O'Hare Modernization Program, Mayor Richard M. Daley, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced today at a news conference held at O'Hare International Airport. The funding will be used for construction of three OMP Completion Phase runway projects: new runway 9C-27C, new run… Continue Reading

Durbin Encourages Illinois Small Businesses To Grow Sales And Create Jobs By Ramping Up Exports

[CHICAGO, IL] - The leading export officials in the Obama Administration joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in Chicago today to promote the services the federal government offers to help small businesses increase their sales overseas. The Illinois Small Business Export Promotion Forum, hosted by Durbin, featured U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Export Import Bank of the U.S. Chairman and President Fred Hochberg, and U.S. Small Business Regiona… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $1 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Chronic Disease Prevention in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $1,000,000 Chronic Disease Self-Management Program grant to the Illinois Department of Public Health through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.Today's funding will be used to provide self-management programs to older adults with chronic diseases. Self-management programs help those with chronic diseases learn how to manage their co… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces Nearly $19 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Illinois Teachers and Schools

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Education has awarded a total of $18,757,085 in Teacher Quality Partnership grants to two Chicago-area universities through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This funding will be used to help raise student achievement by improving teacher instruction in schools. Teacher Quality Partnerships are comprised of high-need school districts in collaboration with an institute of high… Continue Reading

Durbin: $4.7 Million for Water Projects will Benefit Homeowners, Local Economy

[SPRING VALLEY, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) held a news conference today to discuss federal funding in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that will create jobs in the struggling construction industry and provide relief from flooding and sewage backups for local homeowners. "Water projects like these and others across Illinois are helping put contractors and their workers back on the street," Durbin said. "These are jobs that can't be outsourced - cleaning our drinki… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Next Steps to Address Foreclosure Crisis

[ELGIN, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with residents and Neighborhood Housing Services representatives to discuss the state of the foreclosure crisis in Elgin. Durbin said he plans to introduce legislation in the coming weeks designed to improve the Obama Administration's foreclosure prevention program. The bill would help homeowners who owe more than their home is worth, by reducing the principal owed to the current market value after the homeowner has consistently … Continue Reading

Durbin Announces a Nearly $500,000 FEMA Grant to Wheeling Fire Department

[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 $488,910 grant to the Wheeling Fire Department in Wheeling, Illinois, for hiring initiatives aimed at increasing the number of frontline firefighters. "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 … Continue Reading

Durbin: $5.7 Million in Federal Funds Allows East Side Transfer Center Construction to Begin in 2010

[ROCKFORD, IL] - Federal funding for the East Side Transfer Center will bring needed construction jobs to Rockford, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today at a news conference with local officials to announce the funding. "The $5.7 million in federal funding for this facility will provide good paying construction jobs this spring for local residents that have been hard hit by the economic downturn," Durbin said. "This funding helped jumpstart this project and moved it off the shel… Continue Reading

Durbin: Improved Access to Credit for Small Businesses Crucial to Job Creation

[ROCKFORD, IL] - Illinois small businesses would receive a much-needed lifeline if provisions included in the Senate jobs proposal to improve access to credit and jumpstart job creation become law, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today during a news conference in Rockford. "Small businesses desperately need access to credit in order to grow and hire more aggressively," Durbin said. "They are the economic engine of this country and the key to a true recovery. Job creation is the hi… Continue Reading

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

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

Durbin: White House Nominates Lewis to be U.S. Attorney in Illinois' Central District

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has nominated James Lewis to serve as U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois. "James Lewis has served in the Central District of Illinois for over twenty-five years," said Durbin. "I was honored to recommend his name to President Obama, and am confident that he will bring a strong work ethic and great depth of knowledge to the position of U.S. Attorney." Lewis has served as an Assist… Continue Reading

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

Durbin Announces Nearly $23 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Southern Illinois Broadband

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Agriculture has awarded an $8,538,224 grant and a $14,230,375 loan through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Rural High Speed Ethernet Network - Southern Illinois project. The funding will be used to design, engineer, and construct 1,600 miles of fiber-optic broadband network in 24 southern Illinois counties, as well as acquire, test, and install advanced networ… Continue Reading