Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Rural and Agriculture
Durbin: Trumpcare Threatens Rural Hospitals and The People Who Depend on Them
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Congressional Republicans for continuing to push their health care repeal bill even though it would jeopardize rural communities across the country. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicaid expansion, the rate of uninsured adults in rural Illinois communities dropped from 17 percent to 8 percent. Today, 97 percent of all kids in Illinois have health insurance. And in rural Illinois … Continue Reading
March 15, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $6 Million For Head Start Programs In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $6,273,956 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs across Illinois. "The Head Start program is the source of countless success stories in Illinois and around the country-it's a stepping stone children need to succeed from elementary school to college and beyond," said Durbin. … Continue Reading
March 15, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $82,000 In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development Throughout Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $82,000 in federal funding for projects in Williamson, Carroll, Brown, and Massac Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will provide assistance to purchase new police vehicles in Hurst, Illinois, complete handicap accessibility improvements in Lanark, Illinois' city park, purchase a fully-equipped, four-wheel … Continue Reading
March 08, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $4 Million Loan To Expand Broadband Service In Moultrie County
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a $4,000,000 federal loan for the Moultrie Independent Telephone Company (MITCO) to expand broadband service in the Moultrie County area. MITCO will use the funds to make upgrades to fiber service in a portion of its service territory. Today's funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Telecommunications Programs of the Rural Utilities Service. "Without reliable access to … Continue Reading
February 21, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $284,200 In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development In Fulton And Knox Counties
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $284,200 in federal funding for projects in Fulton and Knox Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Community Development Initiative Grant, will provide assistance to construct a new township building and install a new storm siren. "This federal funding will help boost communities in Fulton and Knox Counties, … Continue Reading
February 13, 2017
Durbin Demands Trump Administration Restore Animal Cruelty, Puppy Mill Records On USDA Website
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a group of 18 Democratic Senators in calling on the Trump Administration to immediately restore animal cruelty information recently purged from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. APHIS makes inspection reports for all regulated entities and annual reports submitted by research laboratories available to the public in order to create greater transparency, … Continue Reading
February 06, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $4 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development In Southern Illinois
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $4,198,600 in federal funding for projects in Clay, Crawford, Edgar, Marion, Moultrie, Richland, and Pulaski Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Community Development Initiative Grant, will provide assistance to benefit public safety, water infrastructure, local VFWs, mental health facilities, and more. "This … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $820,000 In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development In Southern Illinois
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $820,000 in federal funding for projects in Coles and Menard Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Community Development Initiative Grant, will provide assistance to benefit the Embarras Area Water District and the Greenview Community Fire Protection District. "This federal funding will help boost communities in … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Durbin: Repealing Health Care Would Be Detrimental To Hospitals And Rural Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out congressional Republicans for their efforts to repeal health care without any replacement plan to protect all Americans' access to quality health insurance, especially seniors and individuals with pre-existing conditions. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin described his meeting this week with administrators from hospitals across Central Illinois and how devastating repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be to rural … Continue Reading
January 09, 2017
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $117 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $117,920,000 in federal funding for Edgar, Kankakee, Madison, Perry Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Community Development Initiative Grant, will provide assistance to benefit the City of Paris, Illinois, Olivet Nazarene University Foundation, the Village of St. Jacob, Illinois, and Pinckneyville … Continue Reading
May 14, 2014
Durbin, Heitkamp Call For Federal Policies That Support Biodiesel Jobs & Production s
WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) today called for the Administration and Congress to support policies that stand up for biodiesel jobs and production. Joined by biodiesel producers from North Dakota, Washington, and New Hampshire, the Senators reinforced the potential detrimental impacts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule to reduce … Continue Reading
April 22, 2014
Durbin Announces Nearly $1.4 Million in Farm Bill Funding for Rural Development Projects in Southeastern Illinois
[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 two communities in Illinois $1,432,500 in grant funding for water and waste disposal projects. Under this announcement, the following communities will receive funding: The Birds-Pinkstaff Water District in Lawrenceville, Illinois will receive a loan of $2,210,000 and a grant of $1,114,500. This funding will be used to construct a new … Continue Reading
March 05, 2014
Illinois Congressional Delegation Announces $3.4 Million In FY2014 Funding to Fix Metro East Levee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today announced that the Army Corps of Engineers will allocate $3.4 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 funding to fix the portions of the Wood River Levee that have been negatively impacted by a design deficiency in the construction of the Melvin Price Dam. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 that was signed into law by President Obama in January. As part of his FY 2015 Budget which was … Continue Reading
March 04, 2014
Durbin Discusses Farm Bill, Renewable Fuel Standards and Agricultural Priorities with the Illinois Farm Bureau
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with representatives of the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss the importance of continuing to support and invest in Illinois' agricultural communities. The group discussed the Farm Bill, renewable fuel standards and waterway infrastructure. A photo of Durbin's meeting is available here. "I was pleased to meet with the Illinois Farm Bureau today to discuss the new Farm Bill which gives farmers across Illinois the certainty they need to plan ahead. It … Continue Reading
February 04, 2014
Durbin: It's About Time Congress Passes a Bipartisan Farm Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Illinois farmers will finally have the certainty they need to make plans for the future, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today prior to a Senate vote on the Farm Bill conference report. The legislation will save roughly $23 billion over the next 10 years compared to pre-sequestration budget levels, and reforms several titles to help producers better manage risk, makes key investments in energy and research, ensures programs are in place to help rural communities grow … Continue Reading
January 28, 2014
Durbin Statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following President Obama's State of the Union address: "Tonight the President gave an optimistic speech about opportunity for American families, an economy on the rise and leveled a call to action to ensure this is a year of progress for the middle class." "From programs to grow the economy and create jobs like the launching of new manufacturing institutes and infrastructure … Continue Reading
January 23, 2014
Durbin, Senators Call on EPA to Support Rural America's Economy, Environment & Revise Fuel Standards Proposal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Al Franken (D-MN), John Thune (R-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and twenty-six of their Senate colleagues sent a bipartisan letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy yesterday urging the agency to firmly support the future of biofuels and revise its proposed waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Senators shared their concerns regarding the proposed rule's potential impact on … Continue Reading
January 22, 2014
Durbin, Foster Announce More Than $1 Million Investment in Naperville First-Responder Capabilities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Bill Foster (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded a $1,002,000 grant to the Naperville Fire Department in Naperville, Illinois for hiring initiatives aimed at increasing the number of frontline firefighters. "Today's grant will ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur, firefighters and first-responders will always … Continue Reading
December 11, 2013
Durbin: Biofuels Critical to Achieving Energy Independence, Protecting Our Environment, and Supportin Rural Economy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following an oversight hearing today held by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to examine the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal reduce the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reiterated his commitment to working with his Congressional colleagues and Illinois' industry stakeholders to improve the proposal. The biofuels industry is a major job creator, especially in rural … Continue Reading
December 03, 2013
Durbin Tours Gifford Tornado Damage
[GIFFORD, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Gifford to take a firsthand look at the damage from last month's tornado and get an update on the recovery efforts from IEMA. "The tornado damage that I saw firsthand here in Gifford and last month in Washington is some of the worst I have ever seen," Durbin said. "The rebuilding process will be a lengthy one, but I wanted to come to Gifford today to see that recovery in action and learn what more I can do to help. President … Continue Reading