Durbin Announces Nearly $13 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Chicago Area

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded three Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) grants to Cook County, Calumet City and the Village of Plainfield totaling $12,989,000 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 a… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $200,000 In Recovery Act Funding For Community Facility Improvements In Jackson, Pulaski, And Stark Counties

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development division has awarded a total of $207,230 in Community Facility grant and loan funding to local governments in Jackson, Pulaski, and Stark counties through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "Community facilities and services are an important part of everyday life for millions of rural Illinoisans," said Durbin "This funding makes a significant inves… Continue Reading

Durbin And Biggert Host Briefing On Asian Carp Containment

[CHICAGO, IL] -U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) hosted a briefing by federal, state and local officials at the Shedd Aquarium today regarding the containment of Asian carp in Illinois. Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the City of Chicago, the Office of the Attorney General, the U.S. Coast Guard, an… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces More Than $70,000 In Grants For Community Facility Improvements in Montgomery and Crawford Counties

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development division has awarded three grants totaling $70,100 to local governments in Montgomery and Crawford counties through the Community Facility Grant Program. "Community facilities and services are an important part of everyday life for millions of rural Illinoisans," said Durbin "This funding recognizes that importance and makes a significant investment in the c… Continue Reading

Durbin Announces $2.9 Million For Completion Of Railroad Grade Separations

[GALESBURG, IL] - The city of Galesburg will see traffic flow improvements, enhanced safety for motorists and pedestrians and the potential for new jobs with the help of $2.9 million in federal funding U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured to help the City complete three railroad grade separations. Shortly after his April 16, 2009 meeting with Galesburg officials and visit to the BNSF hump tower, Durbin fulfilled his promise to secure the federal funding needed to make the grade separations a… Continue Reading

Durbin: Crusader Community Health To Receive $5.3 Million In Recovery Act Funding

[ROCKFORD, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited Crusader Community Health in Rockford today to announce the organization will receive $5.3 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, known informally as the Stimulus bill. The funding will be used to construct a new site in Loves Park, to continue their renovation of unused space at an existing site and will allow the clinic to serve 4,500 additional patients on an annual basis, Durbin said. The Crusader Community Hea… Continue Reading

Durbin, Quinn Statement on Recommendation to Approve Sale of Thomson Correctional Center

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today commended the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) for their 7-4 decision in favor of the closure of the Thomson Correctional Center. Senator Durbin and Governor Quinn issued the following statement: "We are pleased the bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has endorsed the sale of the Thomson Correctional Cen… Continue Reading

Durbin, Manzullo Announce $500,000 For West State Street Renaissance Projet

[ROCKFORD, IL] - The City of Rockford will receive an infusion of $500,000 in federal funds to pay for public infrastructure improvements needed for the Renaissance Project planned for Rockford's west side, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and U.S. Representative Don Manzullo announced today. Durbin and Manzullo worked together to secure the funding in the FY2010 Omnibus bill, which was signed into law last month. Each requested funding for the initiative in their respective chambers and were succes… Continue Reading

Durbin Asks FEMA and Army Corps to Explain Status of Levees in Metro East

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to publicly release the data on the status of Metro East levees and make both agencies available to brief local community leaders and residents. "Understanding the structural integrity of the levees in the Metro East area and the risk to those living behind them is fundamentally important to my constituents: hundreds of thousands … Continue Reading

Durbin: Senate-Passed Health Care Bill Provides Quality, Affordable Coverage for Additional 1.1 Million Illinoisans

[CHICAGO, IL] - Nearly 1.1 million uninsured Illinoisans and 30 million people across the nation are on track to gain access to quality, affordable healthcare coverage as a result of the historic reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate last month, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was approved by the Senate in a vote of 60-39 on December 24th. The Senate bill builds on what works in our current system and takes the necessary steps to cor… Continue Reading

Durbin: Flood Maps Will Not Take Effect Until 2011

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that, at his urging, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has agreed to delay the implementation of the new flood maps for the St. Louis region for at least one year. Durbin also announced that he will be introducing comprehensive legislation in the Senate within the next few months to protect residents and businesses in the event of a major flood. "FEMA's decision today will help property owne… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on the Senate Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Senate passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by a vote of 60 -39. "For centuries, during this time of year, people would gather with their family and friends, light a candle and look for signs of hope. This morning's vote in the United States Senate lit a candle of hope for millions of Americans who went to bed last night without the protection of hea… Continue Reading

Durbin Legislation to Expand Congenital Heart Disease Research Included in Senate Health Care Legislation

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that portions of his bipartisan legislation to increase awareness, education and research into congenital heart disease - a rapidly growing national health problem. The Congenital Heart Futures Act aims to prevent premature death and disability and increase the quality of life for the nearly 1.8 million people in the United States living with congenital heart disease. Durbin introduced the legislat… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Historic Health Care Vote on the Senate Floor

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke today on the floor of the United States Senate about the need for health care reform. Durbin cited the rapidly rising cost of health insurance as reason the current system is in need of reform. "I think when the history of the United States senate is written, this vote will be included, because it is a historic vote," said Durbin. "We considered many issues in the United States Senate of great importance to indi… Continue Reading

Durbin: Congress Approves $45.4 Million in Defense Funding for Projects in Illinois

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the United States Senate has approved $45,400,000 in federal funding to assist defense related facilities and projects across Illinois. Durbin is a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The legislation will now go to President Obama for his signature. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 defense spending bill includes funding for the following projects: • Columbia College Chic… Continue Reading

Durbin Forwards New Recommendation for U.S. Marshal to White House

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today forwarded a new name to the White House for consideration when filling the U.S. Marshal position in the Northern District of Illinois - Darryl McPherson, who currently serves as a Deputy U.S. Marshall Senior Inspector. The candidate whose name was previously sent to the White House, Kenton Terrell, this week withdrew his name from active consideration due to family reasons. Durbin was able to quickly select a new name because of the … Continue Reading

Durbin Urges Comprehensive Plan to Combat Asian Carp

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged leaders in the effort to prevent the Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes to work together to establish and convey to Congress a long-term, comprehensive Asian carp eradication plan. Identical letters were sent to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy; Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Thad Allen; Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson; and… Continue Reading

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

Durbin's Human Rights Enforcement Act Passes House, Sent to President for Signature

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bill that would create a new human rights section at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was passed by the House of Representatives late yesterday and has been sent to the President for his signature. The bill, the Human Rights Enforcement Act, introduced by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) was unanimously approved by the Senate last month. The legislation would combine the two offices in the Justice Department with juris… Continue Reading

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