Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield, is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois, the state’s senior senator, and the convener of Illinois’ bipartisan congressional delegation.
Durbin also serves as the Senate Majority Whip, the second highest ranking position among the Senate Democrats. Senator Durbin has been elected to this leadership post by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005.
Durbin serves as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Appropriations and Agriculture Committees.
As one of the top agriculture states in the nation, Illinois and its farmers have an important role to play in many elements of American life from the economy to the environment. Corn is Illinois’ leading crop, followed closely by soybeans. Livestock, dairy and poultry also contribute to farming’s $9 billion in economic impact each year. Illinois also enjoys a strong market in farm machinery manufacturing and biofuels production. To help maintain the agricultural strength of our state and our nation, I have supported tax fairness for farmers, improvements in crop insurance, expanded use of clean-burning and environmentally safe biofuels, increased support for local food production, and increased trade opportunities for agricultural commodities. I have advanced initiatives to strengthen this crucial sector of our economy because boosting the vitality of our nation's rural regions boosts the vitality of our nation as a whole.
Illinois farmers are helping to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Senator Durbin has been a longstanding champion of biofuels as the first Member of Congress to introduce legislation requiring ethanol to be blended into gasoline. He has consistently supported important biofuels research in Illinois. Replacing imported oil with home-grown biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel leads to improved air quality, greater farmer profitability, and the creation of jobs and economic development in rural areas.
Rural communities face unique health care challenges, including workforce recruitment, limited funding for hospitals and health clinics, and geographic barriers to accessing care. But, they also bring great opportunities to improve care coordination and deliver innovative treatment approaches. Critical access hospitals and rural health care professionals are the backbones of health care delivery in rural Illinois. To support these essential providers and ensure patients can access their services, it’s important to protect public programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Affordable Care Act. Senator Durbin supports federal programs to recruit and retain health care professionals in rural and underserved areas of Illinois and will continue to fight to expand access to care through telemedicine. Senator Durbin’s bill, the Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act, was signed into law as part of the 2018 farm bill. It provides new funding to support rural EMS agencies as they train and recruit staff and purchase equipment.
Illinois is one of the top producing agriculture states in the nation. Its farmers play an important role in Illinois’ economy, communities, and environment. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Durbin is committed to supporting Illinois farmers so that rural communities remain vibrant and the food supply is safe, affordable, and abundant. Senator Durbin has been a strong supporter of the 2018 farm bill, improvements to crop insurance, expanded use of clean-burning and environmentally safe biofuels, increased support for local food production, increased trade opportunities for agricultural commodities, and disaster assistance programs.
The democratic system is intended to give everyone a voice in the process. Unfortunately, a series of Supreme Court decisions have allowed wealthy donors and special interests to spend millions of dollars—often without disclosure—in an effort to drown out the voices of most Americans. As political campaign costs continue to skyrocket, many Members of Congress feel pressured to spend too much time raising money instead of legislating and serving the needs of all of their constituents. Fixing the broken U.S. campaign finance system and preventing wealthy, special interests from dominating politics must be a top priority. Senator Durbin’s Fair Elections Now Act would restore public confidence in the election process by establishing a small donor, public financing system for Senate campaigns.
In addition to the deluge of political spending in recent years, the right to vote has been under assault. After the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in the divided 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, several state legislatures pushed through discriminatory and onerous restrictions on voting, including cuts to early voting and the implementation of strict voter identification laws. Senator Durbin supports protecting and preserving the fundamental right to vote by fighting against voter suppression and working to restore the Voting Rights Act. Senator Durbin also supports ensuring that U.S. elections are secure against cyberattacks and other malicious interference efforts from foreign adversaries by providing the necessary federal resources and assistance to state and local election officials to help protect U.S. elections.
As borrowers, as consumers, and as taxpayers, the people of Illinois and all Americans should have the facts necessary to make informed decisions related to their finances, health, and safety. Families should never have to worry that the food on their table, the drugs in their medicine cabinet, or the dietary supplements they depend upon are going to make them or a loved one sick. That is why Senator Durbin has, for years, introduced and cosponsored legislation that would improve our nation’s food, drug, and dietary supplement safety systems.
The stability of our economy depends on safe and efficient financial markets. Consumers and small businesses should have the protections and resources they need to grow and thrive. Hard-working Americans who seek to maximize their retirement savings through the stock market shouldn’t have to worry about being scammed by bad actors. Struggling families applying for a loan to help make ends meet shouldn’t have to worry about being ripped off by shady lenders charging huge interest rates. Senator Durbin will continue fighting to rein in predatory payday lending practices that threaten the financial security of all Americans.
Education is the key to future individual success and a strong economy. We must work to expand educational opportunities for all students in Illinois and throughout the nation. The future of our country depends on the education we provide to our children today.
Access to a quality education—from pre-Kindergarten through higher education—should not be a luxury only for the wealthy. The cost of higher education has increased dramatically in recent decades, and student debt has tripled over the last decade. This debt often destroys personal financial security and threatens national economic growth as young people put off buying cars and homes, starting families and businesses, and saving for retirement.
I am working to ensure that all students, regardless of their economic status, receive a quality college education that will help them get ahead without saddling them with a mountain of debt. I have fought for legislation to maintain affordable federal student loan rates; increase access to free and open textbooks; investigate the deceptive practices of many for-profit colleges; and encourage our best and brightest students to choose a profession in public service. I will continue to focus on making a quality education accessible and affordable to all.
Once a clear path to the American Dream, college is now out of reach for many families. And those who do attend often leave with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt. Today, Americans cumulatively owe more than $1.5 trillion in student debt. Senator Durbin supports increased investments in traditional federal financial aid programs like Pell Grants while encouraging colleges to keep costs down, including through improved accountability and investing in new technologies like open textbooks. Senator Durbin has worked to provide relief to the millions of Americans struggling to repay their student loan debt, which prevents them from starting families, buying houses and cars, or even retiring.
For-profit colleges enroll just nine percent of all post-secondary students, but account for 34 percent of all federal student loan defaults. These companies charge too much and often lure students into enrolling with false or misleading promises. Students are left buried in debt with a degree that employers don’t recognize. Recently, many for-profit colleges have collapsed under the weight of years of fraud—leaving students stranded and taxpayers holding the bag. Senator Durbin has worked to hold these companies and their executives accountable for exploiting students and fleecing taxpayers while fighting for debt relief for the students they’ve harmed.
All children deserve affordable, high-quality early learning and care regardless of the income bracket of their parents. Children’s brains grow at a rapid pace in the earliest years—making these years critical for healthy development. As a nation, we can’t afford to turn our backs on the development of any child, which is why Senator Durbin has fought for increased access to early learning and care for all children.
Illinois has an abundance of resources that energize our economy, including rich agricultural lands, prairie, lakes, and rivers that provide spaces for recreation and wildlife ecosystems. They sustain us and tell a story central to our history and culture going back generations. While abundant, these resources are not unlimited and we must develop judicious protections to ensure they remain for our children and grandchildren.
Fortunately, Illinois is also home to cutting-edge technology to efficiently use and preserve these resources. From electric vehicle manufacturing and technology, to biofuels and our national laboratories at Argonne and Fermi, our world-class research is paving a path for sustainability for the nation. Clean, renewable energy supports jobs for Illinoisans in a growing industry and contributes to climate crisis adaptation, mitigation, and recovery.
We depend on clean water and a vibrant ecosystem for our health, recreation, and economy. The Great Lakes are the largest fresh water supply in the nation, containing about 20 percent of all the fresh water in the world. The Lakes serve as the source of drinking water for nearly 40 million people throughout the region and support a wide range of recreational and commercial pursuits. Further, the flora and fauna that contribute to a strong ecosystem similarly impact human health. Promoting biodiversity lowers risks of disease spread and ensures healthy populations of wildlife. I am committed to preserving wilderness areas and native wildlife in Illinois and across the country for future generations to enjoy.
One of the most significant environmental and economic threats our world faces is the human-caused climate crisis. There is an abundance of evidence of the altered climate due to greenhouse gas emissions, especially over the last century, and its effects on countless natural processes globally, as well as in Illinois. We are already experiencing the disastrous effects of a changing climate—extreme weather events, chronic floods and droughts, deadly wildfires, and rising sea levels have increased in intensity and frequency in recent years and continue to compound as one disaster quickly follows another. Illinois is ten percent wetter than one century ago, with more rainfall events that exceed two inches, greater humidity, milder winters, and more days of extreme heat. Scientists predict that these changes will occur more frequently in the future with negative repercussions for our economy and national security, in addition to our environment. The time for debate has ended, the time to act is now. That’s why Senator Durbin supports enacting commonsense federal laws that would carefully and dramatically slow the rate of carbon emissions and prepare and protect against the consequences of the climate crisis, so that the repercussions for our economy, national security, and global ecosystems can be addressed before it’s too late.
Illinois is home to two of the nation’s most valued national research institutions—Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories—and they are critical to U.S. economic growth and global competitiveness. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Durbin has worked to secure robust funding for researchers at Argonne, Fermi, and Illinois’ universities so that they can continue to conduct ground-breaking scientific advancements in fuel efficiency, high energy physics, drug discovery, nuclear energy, and climate change.
The Great Lakes contain approximately 20 percent of all the fresh water in the world and are the largest supply of fresh water in the United States. The Lakes serve as the source of drinking water for nearly 40 million people throughout the region and support a wide range of recreational and commercial pursuits. Senator Durbin is dedicated to protecting Lake Michigan by fighting invasive species and reducing pollution. He has consistently fought industry efforts to discharge increased pollutants into our waters and worked with federal and state authorities to ensure that our drinking water standards protect public health. Senator Durbin will continue to work to restore, preserve, and protect the Great Lakes—one of our country's greatest natural resources.
Our nation’s foreign policies should advance security and prosperity while promoting American values of freedom, democracy, tolerance, compassion, trade, and the rule of law. The United States has many important diplomatic and security interests around the world and Senator Durbin believes the United States must remain a leader and active participant on the international stage with our allies, NATO partners, and others.
The United States has strong economic interests and relationships around the world, with many Illinois jobs directly linked to exports. Senator Durbin has led efforts to encourage economic growth and opportunities for American exports in emerging markets around the world.
Additionally, U.S. foreign policy extends beyond diplomatic and military initiatives to include humanitarian and development assistance aimed at saving lives and building more stable nations. Senator Durbin has championed U.S. assistance that helps provide clean water and access to sanitation to the world's most poor as well as to reduce rates of HIV/AIDS and malaria—both as an expression of American values and to strengthen America’s standing abroad. Senator Durbin has also been an active advocate for humanitarian assistance in areas of conflict and for refugees fleeing violence or repression. He has supported programs and funding to help children in need and to increase access to education, as well as to protect young girls forced to marry at a young age or young boys forced to become child soldiers. Senator Durbin has also been a champion of global human rights standards, and as such, regularly advocates for the release of political prisoners around the world.
At times, international crises demand additional U.S. attention, including the potential use of our military. In those situations in which U.S. military action may be warranted, Senator Durbin has exercised the utmost deliberation for this most critical decision that requires Congressional authorization.
The security of health care should not be a privilege for a fortunate few, but a right for every American. The health and wellness of the American people reflects the health of our nation, both physically and financially.
The cost of healthcare has gone up more quickly than inflation, making it difficult for families and businesses to keep up. The Affordable Care Act is curbing the growth of health care costs, giving patients more control over their care, and providing coverage to millions of Americans who otherwise would not have access to health care. I am committed to continue improving the health of our country now.
If we are serious about improving the economy, we must control health care costs and promote a healthy, productive populace. The best way to do that is to reverse the staggering growth of chronic diseases and invest in public health prevention that keep people healthy in the first place. In the 20th century, we made tremendous strides improving infant and maternal mortality rates, reducing smoking, ensuring the safety and health of our food supply chain, and immunizing more infants. I have helped lead many of these improvements and will continue to support public health and health care, which not only save millions of lives but secures our nation’s health and stability.
The Affordable Care Act expands access to quality health care, improves the insurance market, and protects individuals from the worst abuses of the insurance industry. As a result of this law, 20 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage—including one million in Illinois. Insurers can no longer discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, young people are able to stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26, and seniors receive important discounts on their prescription drugs. However, too many Americans still struggle with high out-of-pocket health costs, whether on monthly insurance premiums or at the pharmacy counter when they fill their prescriptions.
Senator Durbin is committed to finding constructive ways to improve our nation’s health care system, expand access to quality and affordable health care, and reduce costs for middle-class families. To do so, Senator Durbin has fought against attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, supported and protected the expansion of the Medicaid program for families of modest means, cosponsored legislation to protect Medicare for today’s seniors while also allowing more individuals to take part in the program, and helped introduce legislation that would give Americans the option to enroll in a public health insurance plan. Senator Durbin has also made it a priority to end abusive pricing practices by the pharmaceutical industry to give patients a break at the pharmacy counter. Senator Durbin believes that health care is a fundamental right for all, not a privilege for the wealthy few.
The U.S. health care system is only as good as the science behind it. Investments in medical research produce breakthroughs that ease suffering and lead to improved treatments and even cures for today’s most debilitating conditions. If America is going to remain the world’s leader in cutting-edge biomedical research, federal funding for medical research has to be a national priority. For the past many years, Senator Durbin has introduced the American Cures Act, which would ensure a steady annual funding increase equal to five percent real growth for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense Health Program, and the Veterans Medical and Prosthetics Research Program.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with cigarette smoking killing more than 480,000 Americans each year. Exposure to secondhand smoke leads to nearly 42,000 deaths from lung cancer or heart disease each year.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Senator Durbin led the effort to ban smoking on airplanes. This legislation made airplane flights more convenient, safe, and comfortable. It was the catalyst that led many to begin questioning the safety of smoking in offices, hospitals, schools, restaurants, and bars. To further reduce tobacco use among youth, Senator Durbin has introduced bills to raise the federal tobacco purchase age to 21 and close loopholes to ensure the federal tax on tobacco remains an effective public health tool.
The use of e-cigarettes among our nation’s kids is on the rise. This is why Senator Durbin has introduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on e-cigarette companies that target children with kid-friendly flavors (sugar cookie, tutti fruitti, gummy bear) and marketing tactics. Senator Durbin’s SAFE Kids Act would give these companies one year to prove that their products do not result in more children vaping or smoking, do not harm the user, and actually help adults quit smoking cigarettes.
As the proud son of an immigrant, Senator Durbin believes that immigration makes America great. Senator Durbin serves as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Durbin first introduced the Dream Act in 2001, which is bipartisan legislation that would give young immigrants who grew up in this country a path to citizenship. For the last several years, Senator Durbin has gone to the Floor of the U.S. Senate more than 100 times to tell the stories of Dreamers, who are the future doctors, engineers, teachers, and soldiers who will make this country stronger. A study by the Center for American Progress found that passing the Dream Act would add at least $281 billion and as much as $1 trillion to the American economy in just one decade. In Illinois, passage of the Dream Act would add up to $4 billion per year to Illinois’ GDP.
In 2010, Senator Durbin and a Republican colleague were the first members of Congress to call for the establishment of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to protect Dreamers from deportation. In 2011, Senator Durbin led 22 Senators in urging the President to suspend the deportations of Dreamers. DACA has unleashed the potential of Dreamers, who are contributing to our country as soldiers, engineers, public school teachers, small business owners, and civil rights advocates.
In February 2021, twenty years after he first introduced the Dream Act, Senator Durbin introduced the Dream Act of 2021, which would allow immigrant students without lawful status who were brought here as children and grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. Senator Durbin is working with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to make the Dream Act the law of the land.
Senator Durbin was a member of the “Gang of Eight”—four Democrats and four Republicans—who authored comprehensive immigration reform legislation that passed the Senate on a strong bipartisan vote of 68-32 in 2013. This bill would have strengthened border security, provided a path to citizenship for Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants with deep roots in this country, established new protections for American workers, and cleared the backlog of legal immigrants who have been waiting years for green cards.
To promote long-term economic growth and create jobs for the 21st century, America must invest now in our physical, human, and intellectual capital. We must out-build, out-educate, and out-innovate our international competitors so that our companies can produce the best products and hire the best people. This is why Senator Durbin supports investments in national labs and world-class universities in Illinois, Illinois’ infrastructure, youth workforce development, and retraining Illinois’ workers for jobs of the future.
Congress should focus on restoring economic security for the middle class—and those working their way up to the middle class—by passing legislation that rewards hard work with fair wages, expands apprenticeships and job training, builds on manufacturing growth, and ensures large corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes.
Senator Durbin is a cosponsor of the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase the national minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2024 and index the wage to median wage growth in the future.
The Equal Pay Act was signed into law more than 50 years ago, yet American women still make only 80 cents, on average, for every dollar earned by men. The gap is even wider for women of color. Senator Durbin supports the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would amend the Equal Pay Act to more strongly discourage pay discrimination and strengthen workplace protections for women across the country.
In America, if you work full-time you should be able to support your family—you should be paid a living wage, have access to quality health insurance and paid leave, and be able to save for retirement. However, far too often, employers are more focused on returning profits to wealthy shareholders and executives than doing the right thing for American workers and the American communities they rely upon. And too many employers ship jobs overseas. Senator Durbin introduced the Patriot Employer Tax Credit Act to reward employers that provide good American jobs with fair wages and benefits and do not ship jobs overseas.
In the last two centuries, government support for scientific research has helped split the atom, defeat polio, conquer space, create the Internet, map the human genome, and much more. The federal government should continue to make investments in high-value research and development that are critical to U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Durbin has worked to provide funding to researchers at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories and Illinois’ universities so that they can conduct ground-breaking scientific research. Senator Durbin also has introduced the American Cures Act and the American Innovation Act, which would increase funding for nine medical and basic science research agencies. Additionally, Senator Durbin led the congressional effort in bringing the national Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute to Illinois, allowing manufacturers of all sizes from across Illinois to be at the forefront of innovative, industry-driven research making Illinois and America more competitive on the global stage.
As a leader of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I work every day to ensure that our men and women in uniform are the best trained, best equipped force in the world and that their families receive the support and recognition they deserve. The needs of all our servicemembers - active duty and reserve, in theatre, or here at home – are our first concern.
Thousands of Illinois’s finest serve in the military today. Illinois’ 13,000 National Guard men and women and the tens of thousands of active duty, reservists, and civilian personnel serving at Naval Station Great Lakes, Rock Island Arsenal and Scott Air Force Base defend our nation every day from domestic emergencies and foreign threats. I have worked to secure critical support and resources over multiple years for military missions in or near Illinois, supporting thousands of jobs.
In addition to advocating for our troops, I support those who have served in uniform. Veterans – 750,000 of whom live in Illinois – deserve our deepest gratitude and unqualified support. We, as a nation, have promised veterans that in exchange for their service they will have access to certain benefits and care. These men and women answered the nation's call to serve, but doing so put strain on them, their families, and their finances. It is our duty in Congress to ease this burden as much as possible and deliver on our promise.
Illinois plays a critical role in defending our nation from domestic emergencies and foreign threats through its 13,000 National Guard personnel and the tens of thousands of active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel serving across the state. As the Vice Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Durbin fought to strengthen Rock Island Arsenal’s manufacturing capabilities, as well as create a new advanced manufacturing center. Senator Durbin also supported a new Cyber Protection Team for the Illinois National Guard and bringing a Department of Defense Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute to Illinois.
Senator Durbin has ensured that Scott Air Force Base and Naval Station Great Lakes remain one-of-a-kind military installations for their respective military services. In addition, the Lovell Federal Health Care Facility in North Chicago—a joint Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program that Senator Durbin proposed several years ago—has proven a successful demonstration of the increased quality of care and cost savings that can be achieved through collaboration.
As the Vice Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Durbin takes very seriously his responsibility to ensure that the men and women in uniform receive funding for everything they need to protect our country, as well as the need to ensure that the Department of Defense spends these funds efficiently and effectively. Senator Durbin led the charge for an increase in combat pay and the family separation allowance for deployed men and women. Senator Durbin also led the effort on reservist pay so that federal employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve are compensated for lost income when mobilized for an extended period away from jobs that pay more than their military compensation.
The military must be treated with dignity and respect, which is why Senator Durbin supported significant reforms to the military justice system as well as increasing funds in order to improve the ways that the Department prevents military sexual assault, assists victims, and prosecutes perpetrators. Senator Durbin has done this while cutting more than $10 billion in waste, duplication, or underperforming defense programs each year to ensure that federal funds are spent on the right priorities and programs that protect our nation and support our troops.
In addition to advocating for our troops, Senator Durbin supports those who have served in uniform. Veterans—750,000 of whom live in Illinois—deserve our deepest gratitude and unqualified support. This country promised veterans that in exchange for their service they would have access to certain benefits and care. These men and women answered the nation's call to serve, but doing so put strain on them, their families, and their finances. Congress should ease this burden as much as possible and deliver on our promise.
Senator Durbin has led the way on improvements to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, including establishing and expanding the Family Caregivers Program, providing care for women veterans, investing in medical research, and helping those struggling with mental health needs. In addition, Senator Durbin has supported efforts to prevent veteran homelessness, boost educational and job opportunities, and ensure that veterans have access to the benefits they deserve.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have been actively working to make our communities safer and promote justice both in Illinois and across the nation. Addressing these issues takes a comprehensive approach. We need to provide better options for young people who are at risk of becoming involved in gangs or other criminal activities. We need to ensure that our criminal justice laws are not just firm, but fair. And we need to protect the civil and human rights of all Americans.
The level of gun violence in Illinois and nationwide is unacceptably high. Senator Durbin has pushed for commonsense gun safety reforms that respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners but keep guns out of the hands of those with criminal records and those with serious mental illness. Closing loopholes in our background check system, tracing all recovered crime guns and ammunition, and cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchasing will help make our neighborhoods safer. At the same time, addressing the root economic causes of violent crime by investing in our neighborhoods and providing more economic opportunities, particularly for our youth, is vital to reducing gun violence.
Senator Durbin has worked to ensure that law enforcement has the necessary resources to keep communities safe and curb violent crime. At the same time, he has and will continue to work to make critical reforms to our criminal justice system.
Since 1980, the federal prison population has grown by more than700 percent, and federal prison spending has climbed nearly 600 percent. Today, the United States holds more prisoners, by far, than any other country in the world. Overcrowded federal prisons consume one quarter of the Justice Department’s discretionary budget, which undermines other important priorities, such as preventing crime and treating drug addiction. Senator Durbin has worked on a bipartisan basis to pursue common-sense criminal justice reforms. Senator Durbin was one of the lead authors of the First Step Act, which was enacted into law in 2018 after years of bipartisan efforts. The First Step Act is the most significant change to our criminal justice system in decades. The law uses evidence-based recidivism reduction programs to help inmates successfully return to society after serving their sentence; it also reduces some sentences for certain low-level, nonviolent offenders while preserving important law enforcement tools to tackle criminal enterprises.
Senator Durbin is deeply committed to addressing ongoing civil and human rights concerns in the United States. As the former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, Senator Durbin held a number of hearings that gave a platform to voices that are not often heard in the halls of Congress—including the first-ever congressional hearings on the use of solitary confinement, Muslim civil rights, the school-to-prison pipeline, and so-called “stand your ground” laws.
Senator Durbin will continue working to combat policies that permit the government to profile people based on their race, national origin, or religion; unfair racial disparities in the criminal justice system; onerous state voting laws that make it more difficult for low-income and minority citizens to exercise their fundamental right to vote; discrimination against the LGBTQ community; and the continuing threat of hate crimes and domestic extremism.
A strong national economy depends on a dependable transportation infrastructure, and Illinois operates as the nation's transportation hub. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport consistently ranks as one of the world's busiest airports. Illinois’ rivers and Lake Michigan are the backbone of our inland waterway network. All of the nation's freight rail lines converge in Illinois. The state's highway system serves as the crossroads of America. And Illinois is home to the second largest mass transit system in the country. To maintain the state's status as the nation's transportation epicenter, Senator Durbin is working to bring vital federal funding home to Illinois and to make sure federal transportation policy provides Illinois with the support it needs to maintain, expand, and modernize Illinois’ transportation network.
Senator Durbin has consistently fought to protect Illinois’ federal share of highway formula funds. These funds are critical to Illinois maintaining and expanding our vast road network. Senator Durbin will continue working to make sure Illinois gets the funding it needs to keep our road network in a state of good repair and handle the traffic of the future, while stabilizing the Highway Trust Fund. Senator Durbin also consistently advocates for improved planning that makes our roads accessible to all users. This includes making sure pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities have safe access to sidewalks and roadways.
Through Senator Durbin’s role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has had the opportunity each year to advocate for increased investment in the federal transportation programs that are vital to Illinois. In addition to securing billions of dollars in federal funding for infrastructure projects in Illinois, Senator Durbin has helped to address Illinois’ transportation needs by creating new transportation programs like the Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD, formerly TIGER) program, a competitive grant program that allows local communities to apply directly to the federal government for projects that improve safety, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, environmental sustainability, and improved access to jobs and education. Since its creation in 2009, Illinois infrastructure projects have received millions of dollars in TIGER/BUILD grant funds due to Senator Durbin’s efforts. Senator Durbin has also worked to boost funding for Illinois through surface transportation authorization bills. The 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act—the most recent surface transportation bill—provides more than $7.5 billion in highway funding and nearly $3 billion in transit funding for Illinois.
Public transportation is a vital part of Illinois’ transportation network. That’s why Senator Durbin has worked to protect a secure, dedicated source of revenue for transit through the Highway Trust Fund and to increase both formula and grant funding for Illinois’ transit, bus, and commuter rail systems. To ensure that aging transit systems like the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in Chicago have access to the federal funds they need to modernize, Senator Durbin created the Core Capacity program in 2012 in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which has resulted in more than $1 billion dollars in grant funding to the CTA.
Senator Durbin is committed to fully funding and expanding Amtrak in Illinois, maintaining Amtrak service throughout the nation, and increasing the usage of Amtrak by the American people. Investing in passenger rail meets a growing demand for reliable alternatives to driving and flying—relieving congestion on our highways and increasing economic activity along rail routes. The success of our transportation system depends on timeliness and reliability, and Senator Durbin is dedicated to improving Amtrak’s on-time performance for the residents of Illinois. Senator Durbin has been steadfast in his efforts to improve rail services, including legislation and other efforts that ensure major rail carriers grant access and preference to passenger rail trains.
Senator Durbin is also focused on maintaining Illinois' status as one of the world's busiest commercial rail corridors and will work to promote and improve a fully-developed rail network in Illinois and the nation. One third of the nation's rail freight shipments pass through Chicago, resulting in congestion on Chicago’s rail freight network. If capacity problems are not addressed, Chicago stands to lose jobs and money. That’s why Senator Durbin has been proud to help secure federal funding for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, which is a partnership between federal, state, and local governments and the passenger and freight railroads to invest billions of dollars in more than 70 projects in the Chicago area to improve efficiency and decrease congestion.
With rail infrastructure spanning 16,000 acres, Northeastern Illinois is now the largest and busiest intermodal hub in the nation and the fifth largest worldwide. One third of the nation's rail freight shipments pass through Chicago. Congestion in Chicago's rail freight network is bad and getting worse. Moving freight across the region by rail takes two days or more at an average speed of nine miles per hour. If capacity problems are not addressed, Chicago stands to lose an estimated $2 billion in annual production and 17,000 jobs in the next two decades. I am focused on maintaining Illinois' status as one of the world's busiest commercial rail corridors and will work to promote and improve a fully-developed rail network in Illinois and the nation.
One important component of relieving the rail bottleneck in Illinois is the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. CREATE is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the federal government, the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, Metra, and the nation's freight railroads. The partners together are investing $1.5 billion in improvements to increase the efficiency of the region's rail infrastructure. With these investments, we will be able to reduce rail and motorist congestion, improve passenger rail service, enhance public safety, promote economic development, improve air quality, and create jobs in Illinois.
Illinois is home to more than 100 public and private airports. Federal funding plays an important role in supporting our Illinois airports—from modernizing the technology our air traffic system uses to improve safety and efficiency to expanding runways and enhancing airport infrastructure to keep up with increases in passenger and cargo capacity. Senator Durbin is fighting to increase Airport Improvement Program grants and bring vital Federal Aviation Administration dollars back to airports in Illinois—from the smallest general aviation airports to O’Hare International Airport.
As the United States continues to address the coronavirus pandemic, I’m focused on ensuring the federal government is doing everything it can to support the health and safety of Illinoisans. Addressing the spread of the virus will take a whole-of-government approach and coordination with the State of Illinois as preventive measures are implemented. We also must support working families during this difficult time and provide health care professionals and scientists with every resource they need for treatments and research into COVID-19.
- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin
COVID-19 VACCINES
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has continued to evaluate the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, and has authorized the use of three COVID-19 vaccines: from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Medical experts, including those at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have concluded that these vaccines will help our country get out of this pandemic as quickly as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted interim guidance on how vaccinated people can safely lift certain public health protocols, available here.
Due to the initial, limited supply of vaccines, the federal government and state governments have created a tiered vaccine prioritization schedule to determine those who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and distribution. To learn about when you are eligible and where to access COVID-19 vaccinations, more information is available here.
Since President Biden has taken office, weekly vaccine shipments to Illinois from the federal government have been doubled, which has enabled thousands more of our neighbors across the state to get vaccinated. The Biden Administration also has partnered with Community Health Centers, retail pharmacies, and state and local governments to get vaccines to those who have been hardest hit during the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides more than $15 billion in additional funding to improve our country’s vaccination infrastructure, which will allow even more Illinoisans to get the vaccine in the coming months.
SUMMARY OF FEDERAL FUNDING BILLS
The American Rescue Plan provides $1.9 trillion to tackle the COVID-19 crisis and address its impact, including by providing funds for vaccinations and public health efforts, economic relief for families and small businesses, and resources for our schools and communities to recover and thrive. You can learn how the American Rescue Plan will help you here. And an additional fact sheet on the bill is available here as well.
The first bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill provided $7.8 billion to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, including funding for patient monitoring, lab testing, acquisition of test kits and protective equipment, and research into vaccines and therapeutics. A fact sheet on the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act is available here.
The second bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill provided $100 billion to help protect families’ economic security, food security, and health security. A fact sheet on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act is available here.
The third bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill provided nearly $2.2 trillion to help working families, small businesses, and communities during the coronavirus outbreak. A fact sheet on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is available here.
The fourth bipartisan coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill provided a total of $484 billion, primarily focused on helping small businesses during the coronavirus outbreak. The bill also provides funding for hospitals and health care providers and for testing capabilities. A fact sheet on the Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act is available here.
Small Business
The COVID relief bills created several programs to help support small businesses:
State and Local Funding (Coronavirus Relief Fund)
President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) includes $350 billion in federal funding for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to help respond to the pandemic. This is in addition to the $150 billion in state and local funding included in the CARES Act last year.
Further guidance on distribution of ARP funding, official allocations for state and local governments in Illinois, eligible uses, oversight, and FAQs can be found on the Treasury Department’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program website here.
CARES funding for localities is also still available. Illinois has set aside $250 million of these federal funds for Illinois localities through the Local Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency (CURE) Support Program. Additional information on how to access Local CURE funding is available here.
The ARP also provides an additional $50 billion in disaster relief funding to support COVID-19 response, in addition to $45 billion from the CARES Act. Through Illinois’ Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA uses this funding to provide COVID-19 assistance to local governments and certain private non-profit organizations at a 100% federal cost share. Applicants must apply through the State. More information can be found here.
Helping Working Families
The bipartisan COVID-19 relief bills include several provisions to help families deal with the impact of the outbreak:
Provider Relief Fund
The Acts created a fund at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to distribute $178 billion in direct, emergency funding to medical facilities and providers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, to account for increased expenditures and lost revenues.
Support for Education
The American Rescue Plan provides needed assistance to child care providers, elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education to meet the additional burdens associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. More information will be available from ED on applying for these funds in the coming days.
FEDERAL RESOURCES
CDC Resources - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
ILLINOIS RESOURCES
Illinois COVID-19 Hotline: 1-800-889-3931
TRAVEL
As of March 31, 2020, the Department of State advised all U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.
At present the Department of State is making every effort to assist U.S. citizens overseas who wish to return to the United States. If you wish to return to the United States, you should make arrangements to do so now. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens should arrange for immediate return to the United States by commercial carrier, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.
If you have a COVID-19 virus related emergency overseas, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate or call our assistance call center:
For more information, please visit the State Department's COVID-19 Traveler Information website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-information.html
SmartTraveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
Any U.S. citizens who do travel overseas should enroll in the Department of State’s SmartTraveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Enrollment in STEP enables the American Citizen Services unit in the U.S. Embassy in each country to reach out directly to a U.S. citizen in need of assistance. STEP also allows U.S. citizens to receive Alerts to convey information about terrorist threats, security incidents, planned demonstrations, natural disasters, etc.
Additional information for travelers:
Congress—on a bipartisan basis and with enhanced transparency and accountability—restored its authority to include Congressionally Directed Spending in the FY23 federal appropriations process. All congressionally-directed spending requests must comply with Senate Rule XLIV, which requires rigorous procedures for transparency and accountability, as well as the Senate Appropriation Committee’s requirements.
Senator Durbin has submitted the following Illinois initiatives to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration. This list will be updated on a rolling basis as requests are submitted to the Committee. Please note that submission of an initiative does NOT guarantee that it will receive funding.
In compliance with Senate Rule XLIV and Committee requirements, Senator Durbin has certified that he, his spouse, and his immediate family have no financial interest in any of the initiatives he has requested.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Capital Improvements, Peoria, Illinois.
$12 million to the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) for necessary modernizations to the federal buildings that house laboratories of the Agricultural Research Service. These improvements include repair and/or replacement of aging heating and cooling, electrical, and pneumatic systems at NCAUR, a federal laboratory that has been responsible for countless agriculture, food safety, environmental, and health care discoveries since its inception.
Capital Improvements, Urbana, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Agricultural Research Service for necessary repairs and modernizations to their facilities in Urbana, Illinois. These improvements include repairs to the soybean field laboratory that houses the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection, as well upgrades to heating and cooling, electrical, and water systems in a second building.
Educational Complex, Simpson, Illinois.
$900,000 to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for an educational complex at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, a University of Illinois research station located in Southern Illinois. This complex will provide the community with programming and workforce development, entrepreneurship, rural health initiatives, 4H, and small farm support.
Library Renovation, Dixon, Illinois.
$210,000 to the Dixon Public Library to renovate 1700 square feet of space in their current building, which is more than 120 years old. This renovation will create a multi-purpose programming space for library and community meetings and gatherings.
Mobile Rural Telemedicine Initiative, Quincy, Illinois.
$710,000 to Blessing Health System to expand an established telemedicine program with a mobile clinic containing diagnostic and telemedicine equipment. This mobile clinic would provide physical exams and diagnostic tests such as EKGs, X-rays, ultrasounds and lab services, to individuals in underserved areas, with an emphasis on women and seniors, in communities where such services are not available.
Rural Telemedicine Expansion, Eureka, Illinois.
$163,000 to Carle Eureka Hospital to expand their rural telemedicine program covering a town of 5,000 people. The acquisition of mobile telemedicine carts, telemedicine provider workstations, and other related equipment will allow this rural hospital to expand access to specialty care, mental health care, and support services to members of the community and reduce the need to travel in order to obtain such services.
Rural Telemedicine Initiative, Rockford, Illinois.
$218,000 to Saint Anthony Medical Center to expand telehealth services to additional rural hospitals and clinics surrounding Rockford. Funding would allow the hospital to procure the necessary equipment to establish telehealth programs in small, rural hospitals and utilize scarce clinical resources across a rural service area.
Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies
Advanced electronics initiative, DeKalb, Illinois.
$1 million to Northern Illinois University for updated technology and equipment to transform an existing microchip lab space into a modern engine for workforce development and innovation in microchip research, design, workforce development and small business innovation and prototyping.
Gun violence prevention initiative, Lake County, Illinois.
$750,000 to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to deploy violence interrupters to high crime areas within Lake County, including Waukegan, North Chicago, and Zion, in order to combat rising rates of violence in communities.
Recidivism reduction initiative, Chicago, Illinois.
$775,000 to the Haymarket Center to reduce recidivism among adults in vulnerable areas of Chicago who have completed inpatient treatment for substance use disorder and remain at high risk of re-engagement with criminal activities by using evidence-based interventions to decrease crime among 200 participants during year one by addressing the eight leading causes of recidivism.
Technology upgrades, Carbondale, Illinois.
$600,000 to the City of Carbondale to upgrade the records management software of the police department to improve tracking and analysis of crime data.
Violence prevention and intervention initiative, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to Youth Outreach Services for pre-trial and crime prevention services for Cook County and Chicagoland youth ages 12 to 18. This program will divert justice-involved adolescents from youth detention center occupancy, using a trauma-informed and restorative justice approach, and support youth reentering the community.
Violence reduction initiative, Chicago, Illinois.
$800,000 to Metropolitan Family Services to expand training for professionals involved in addressing and responding to incidences of gun violence, as well as provide additional health and wellness resources for the staff, participants and larger community working to reduce violence and gang activity in Chicago.
Youth mentoring program, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Metropolitan Chicago to expand their youth mentoring efforts to include the West and far South Sides of Chicago, and south suburban Cook County. BBBS programming is individualized to each program participant based upon risk and protective factors they experience, and is proven to positively impact educational outcomes, social emotional development, and prevention of risky behaviors including violence.
Cahokia Heights, Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois.
$3.5 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a new sewer project in Cahokia Heights.
Chicago Area Waterways System Restoration, Chicago, Illinois.
$200,000 to the Army Corps of Engineers to begin a feasibility study on a comprehensive restoration plan for the Chicago River system in coordination with the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
Chicago Libraries Solar Power Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$2 million to the City of Chicago to retrofit and install solar panels at libraries on the South and West sides.
Des Plaines River (Phase II), Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois.
$19.1 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction on a combined flood protection and ecosystem restoration project for the Upper Des Plaines River watershed.
Illinois River – LaGrange Lock, Beardstown, Illinois.
$49.3 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to continue progress on the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program, which will expand and modernize seven locks at the most congested lock locations along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers as well as fund $1.7B in ecosystem restoration.
Quincy Solar Farm Project, Quincy, Illinois.
$1.4 million to the City of Quincy to install two solar farms.
Rock Island Sunset Marina Dredging, Rock Island, Illinois.
$1.5 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge Sunset Marina in Rock Island.
South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River, Chicago, Illinois.
$1.3 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to complete design on the restoration of the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River known as Bubbly Creek.
Winnetka Clean Energy Transformation Plan, Winnetka, Illinois.
$125,000 to the City of Winnetka to develop a plan to upgrade their outdated power plant to run on renewable energy.
Wood River and Belleville, Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois.
$15 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to complete ongoing sewer rehab projects in Wood River and Belleville.
Financial Services and General Government
Career Development, Springfield, Illinois.
$500,000 to Climate Jobs Illinois for a career development program that identifies individuals in underrepresented communities and works to provide equitable and diverse opportunities to obtain jobs in clean energy-including the electric vehicle industry-and ensures the individuals have the training and skills necessary to succeed.
EV Business Initiative, Chicago, Illinois.
$1,000,000 to MxD USA to develop a community workforce plan, hiring guide, and electric vehicle (EV) curriculum to develop both the supply and demand for skilled workers in the rapidly growing EV and EV infrastructure sector in Illinois. This project would benefit businesses in the EV supply chain that need to rapidly grow to keep pace with the EV manufacturers in the state.
Small Business Accelerator, Joliet, Illinois.
$500,000 to the University of St. Francis for a Small Business Accelerator to provide small business owners with mentoring, training, access to a regional business incubator, and networking opportunities, with an emphasis on minority-, women-, and veteran-owned business startups.
Small Business Development Center, Rockford, Illinois.
$1,000,000 to the City of Rockford to establish a small business development center focused on assisting minority and women entrepreneurs start and sustain a business. The Center will provide technical assistance through training, counseling, and business support.
Workforce Development Initiative, Chicago, Illinois.
$750,000 to ASI for a workforce development initiative in Humboldt Park that will provide employment and training services to position unemployed or underemployed individuals obtain positions in high demand occupations, including home care aides and administrative staff.
Workforce Training and Innovation Center, Litchfield, Illinois.
$1,000,000 to Litchfield C.U.S.D. #12 to support the South Central Illinois (SCI) Regional Workforce Training and Innovation Center, which will provide career and technical educational opportunities for junior and senior high school students, workforce retraining for adult displaced workers, and underemployed adults.
Chicago Shoreline Morgan Shoal Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$1 million to the City of Chicago to support the Morgan Shoal project to protect residential and public properties and Lake Shore Drive from flooding and erosion.
Flossmoor Road Viaduct Drainage Improvements, Flossmoor, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Village of Flossmoor to support drainage improvements.
Geneva Police Department Generator Replacement, Geneva, Illinois.
$300,000 to the City of Geneva to replace the Geneva Police Department’s emergency generator.
Lee County Emergency Operations Center Upgrades, Lee County, Illinois.
$51,000 to the Lee County Emergency Management Agency for technology upgrades at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center.
Metro East Horseshoe Lake Flooding and Restoration Project, East St. Louis, Illinois.
$500,000 to the City of East St. Louis for a flood control project at Horseshoe Lake State Park.
Richton Park Stormwater Infrastructure Project, Richton Park, Illinois.
$500,000 to Richton Park for a stormwater infrastructure project.
Rock Island Stormwater Infrastructure Project, Rock Island, Illinois.
$2 million to the City of Rock Island for levee pumps needed to prevent flooding.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Centralia Water Line Replacement, Centralia, Illinois.
$1 million to the City of Centralia to replace Centralia’s outdated and deteriorating main steel water line to prevent catastrophic failure of its water system.
Edwardsville Cass Avenue Water Main Replacement, Edwardsville, Illinois.
$500,000 to the City of Edwardsville to replace Edwardsville’s failing and undersized water mains on Cass Avenue.
Peoria Sewer Extension, Peoria, Illinois.
$750,000 to the City of Peoria to extend Peoria’s sewer system to open land to new economic development.
Quincy Lead Service Line Replacement, Quincy, Illinois.
$750,000 to the City of Quincy to accelerate the replacement of Quincy’s lead service lines.
Streator Storm Sewer Installation, Streator, Illinois.
$400,000 to the City of Streator to install new storm sewers, eliminate combined sewer overflows, and reduce residential basement sewer backups.
Waukegan Lead Service Line Replacement, Waukegan, Illinois.
$750,000 to the City of Waukegan to accelerate the replacement of lead service lines in Waukegan with a focus on lower income, underserved areas.
DuPage County York Township Drinking Water Project, DuPage County, Illinois.
$750,000 to DuPage County to expand the York Township Drinking Water System to 1,200 additional residents in unincorporated DuPage County.
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago Forging Resilient Communities Program, Chicagoland, Illinois.
$3.5 million to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago to expand their Forging Resilient Communities Program, which is focused on building resilience in historically underserved areas in the Chicago region by reducing flooding.
Northern Moraine Wastewater Reclamation District Wastewater Treatment Plant Emergency Power Upgrades, Island Lake, Illinois.
$250,000 to the Northern Moraine Wastewater Reclamation District to upgrade the emergency power system at the Northern Moraine Reclamation District’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Northwestern University Rapid In-Home Lead Test Pilot Program, Evanston, Illinois.
$500,000 to Northwestern University to test widespread use of a low-cost, rapid and easy-to-use lead test for drinking water.
Openlands Lakeshore Preserve Munitions Investigation, Highland Park, Illinois.
$500,000 to Openlands to expand an investigation to detect unexploded ordnance within the Lakeshore Preserve in Highland Park and enhance security measures until the site safely can reopen.
Springfield Oak Ridge Cemetery Black History Initiative, Springfield, Illinois.
$250,000 to the City of Springfield to support a new Black History Initiative at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
University of Illinois Aquifer Mapping, Urbana, Illinois.
$1 million to the University of Illinois to map the underground geology of Mahomet Aquifer, the source of water to nearly one million people for residential, industrial, and agricultural uses across 17 counties in East Central Illinois.
University of Illinois Coal Ash Impoundment Assessment, Urbana, Illinois.
$1 million to the University of Illinois to conduct a statewide assessment of Illinois' 72 coal ash impoundment ponds, which contain toxic byproducts from burning coal.
Village of Ivesdale Water Main Improvements, Ivesdale, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Village of Ivesdale to replace outdated, failing cement asbestos water mains.
Villages of Bedford Park & Lemont Water Connection Project, Cook County, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Village of Bedford Park for a new water main to supply the Village of Lemont with drinking water.
Will County Updates to Fairmont Water and Sewer System, Will County, Illinois.
$750,000 to Will County to replace damaged sewer lines in Fairmont, a disproportionally impacted low-to-moderate income community in unincorporated Will County.
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Asian Human Services—Family Health Center Construction, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to Asian Human Services Family Health Center to support the renovation of a new health center on the far North Side, expanding Asian Human Services’ capacity to 17,000 patients.
Aunt Martha’s—Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion, Hazel Crest, Illinois.
$450,000 to Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness to renovate and purchase equipment for a new behavioral health clinic in Hazel Crest.
Black Fire Brigade—EMT Training for Inner-City Youth Program, Chicago, Illinois.
$250,000 to the Black Fire Brigade Organization to provide Emergency Medical Technician training to inner-city youth in Chicago to assist with combating gun violence through career opportunities, increase diversity in EMT industry, and address the EMT shortage.
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center—Facility Expansion, Chicago, Illinois.
$1 million to the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center for renovations to the Children’s Advocacy Center to better meet the needs of child victims of sexual abuse and expand capacity for mental health services.
Chicago Public Schools—Network Level Health Specialists Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$750,000 to Chicago Public Schools to launch a collaboration with Chicago hospitals and healthcare systems engaged in the HEAL initiative to establish a network-based health specialist model.
CURE Epilepsy and UChicago—Improving Healthcare for Minority Children with Epilepsy on Chicago's South and West Sides, Chicago, Illinois.
$900,000 to CURE Epilepsy to establish a Comprehensive New-Onset Seizure Clinic with University of Chicago Medicine to improve access to healthcare, education, and treatment for 8,000 children with epilepsy on the South and West Sides of Chicago.
Dominican University’s Data Analytics Innovation Lab, River Forest, Illinois.
$475,000 to Dominican University to equip the university’s new Data Analytics Innovation Lab with hardware and software to train students in data analytics.
Elgin Community College Mechatronics and Automation Program, Elgin, Illinois.
$600,000 to Elgin Community College to launch a Mechatronics/Automation Certificate training program.
Eureka College—Early Childhood Education Program, Eureka, Illinois.
$100,000 to Eureka College to develop a new Early Childhood Education Program to help build a more qualified early childhood education workforce pipeline in Illinois.
Franciscan Health Olympia Fields—Medical Training & Simulation Laboratory, Olympia Fields, Illinois.
$1 million to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields to equip a medical simulation laboratory to train physicians, residents, and nurses.
Harold Washington College (City Colleges)—Open Educational Resources, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to the City Colleges of Chicago to launch a task force and pilot program for Open Educational Resources (OER).
Howard Brown Health Center—New Bronzeville Clinic, Chicago, Illinois.
$350,000 to Howard Brown Health Center to expand its LGBTQ+ health care services to the South Side with a new clinic in Bronzeville.
Illinois Central College—Solar Jobs Training Program, East Peoria, Illinois.
$250,000 to Illinois Central College to support its solar workforce pipeline program.
Illinois College—Nurse Training Program, Jacksonville, Illinois.
$400,000 to Illinois College to support the clinical nursing program to help address the statewide shortage of registered nurses.
Illinois Public Health Association—Community Health Workers Capacity Building Initiative, Springfield, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Illinois Public Health Association to expand training efforts for community health workers.
Illinois State University—College of Nursing Facility Expansion, Normal, Illinois.
$1 million to Illinois State University to construct a new facility for the College of Nursing.
Illinois YMCA—Safety Around Water/Drowning Prevention Initiatives, Statewide.
$750,000 to Illinois YMCA to expand the Illinois YMCA’s Safety Around Water and Drowning Prevention Initiatives and allow them to serve 10,000 to 12,000 additional youth throughout Illinois.
La Casa Norte—Homeless Youth Mental and Behavioral Health Services, Chicago, Illinois.
$350,000 to La Casa Norte to expand their trauma-informed care, violence prevention efforts, and mental and behavioral health services on the southwest side of Chicago.
Lawndale Christian Health Center—Teaching Program Development, Chicago, Illinois.
$750,000 to Lawndale Christian Health Center to construct an exam room clinic in conjunction with their new medical residency program.
Lurie Children’s Hospital—Austin Community Clinic, Chicago, Illinois.
$1 million to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to partner with Stone Community Development Corporation to create a new community health clinic site in Austin to serve children and families.
Methodist Health Services—Young Minds Project, Peoria, Illinois.
$1 million to Methodist Health Services to support renovations for a new facility to house both inpatient and outpatient care for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit at Unity Point Health.
Misericordia Home—Community Living Group Home Expansion, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to Misericordia Home to purchase and renovate a new group home to deliver Community Integrated Living Arrangement care.
Monmouth College—Rural Education Initiative
$600,000 to Monmouth College to expand its Rural Education Initiatives program.
National Louis University—New Nursing School
$750,000 to National Lewis University to help establish a new School of Nursing by supporting facility renovations and equipment purchases.
North Chicago Schools & Kids Above All—Kindergarten Readiness Program for Impoverished Children, North Chicago, Illinois.
$975,000 to Kids Above All in partnership with North Chicago Schools to support programming focused on ensuring children in Lake County reach developmental milestones and are ready for kindergarten.
Northwestern University Settlement House—Mental Health Services Expansion, Chicago, Illinois.
$375,000 to Northwestern University Settlement House to expand bilingual mental health services for children and families.
Oak Lawn Advocate Aurora Health Care—Career Pipeline Program, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
$500,000 to Advocate Aurora Health to provide summer internships to local college students and expand career opportunities in the health care field.
OSF St. Francis Medical Center—Nursing College Expansion, Peoria, Illinois.
$750,000 to OSF St. Francis Medical Center to expand nursing school classroom space and improve classroom technology to help address statewide nursing shortage.
Predictors of Heart Failure in Diabetics from Black Communities (PROTECT), Chicago, Illinois.
$750,000 to Loyola University Chicago to expand the Stritch School of Medicine’s research into predictors of heart failure in diabetic members of the Black community in Chicago.
Rockford Public Schools and Rockford University—Education Pathway Partnership, Rockford, Illinois.
$200,000 to Rockford Public Schools to expand the Education Pathway program between Rockford Public Schools (RPS) and Rockford University and help increase the number of students entering the teaching profession to combat the teacher shortage.
Rockford Swedish American Hospital NICU Expansion, Rockford, Illinois.
$1 million to SwedishAmerican Health System to expand the neonatal intensive care unit and increase available maternal and infant health services in Rockford.
Rosecrance—Behavioral Health Triage Center, Rockford, Illinois.
$1 million to Rosecrance for their behavioral health triage center to serve patients experiencing severe psychiatric and behavioral health crises.
Rush University Medical Center—Cancer Lab Equipment, Chicago, Illinois.
$750,000 to Rush University Medical Center for new lab equipment for Rush’s new Cancer Institute.
Shawnee Community College—Truck Driver Training Program, Ullin, Illinois.
$450,000 to Shawnee Community College to expand its commercial truck driver training program to its Metropolis and Cairo campuses.
Sinai Chicago—Population Health Career Pathway Program, Chicago, Illinois.
$1.25 million to Sinai Health System to expand Sinai’s Population Health Career Pathway Program, which provides career training in growing population health careers for at-risk youth in Chicago.
SING—Springfield Re-Entry Program, Springfield, Illinois.
$250,000 to Shifting into New Gear (SING) to support re-entry mentoring for citizens returning to community and family life after incarceration.
Southern Illinois Healthcare—Carbondale Neurological Care Facility, Carbondale, Illinois.
$500,000 to Southern Illinois Healthcare to develop a new comprehensive regional center for neurological care at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
Southern Illinois University Medical School—Rural Health Institute, Springfield, Illinois.
$1 million to Southern Illinois University School of Medicine to create a new Institute for Rural Health.
UChicago & Metropolitan Family Services—Violence Recovery Services, Chicago, Illinois.
$1.25 million to the University of Chicago Medical Center to deliver street outreach and violence recovery services on the South Side of Chicago.
Unity Points Schools—Carbondale High Impact Tutoring Program, Carbondale, Illinois.
$500,000 to support the Unity Point School District’s afterschool tutoring program.
University of Illinois Chicago & Rush University—School-Based Mental Health Services
$1.5 million to the University of Illinois in partnership with Rush University to expand school-based health services in Chicago.
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria—Peoria Addiction Center, Peoria, Illinois.
$750,000 to the University of Illinois to establish an addiction center within the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria.
YMCA of Metro Chicago—Community Health Navigator Program, Chicago, Illinois.
$500,000 to the YMCA of Metro Chicago to pilot a Community Health Navigator program at three YMCAs to address long-haul COVID and health disparities.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
126th Air Refueling Wing Refueling Hangar Facility, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
$2.5 million for the planning and design of a new Refueling Hangar Facility at Scott Air Force Base for the 126th Air Refueling Wing. The current hanger was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair, and no longer meets Department of Defense seismic, energy, and fire standards.
General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center, Chicago, Illinois.
$3.5 million for the planning and design of major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago Illinois. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. However, it is currently underutilized due to a significant need for renovation and modernization.
Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Alton Broadband Connectivity Data Center, Alton, Illinois.
$500,000 to the City of Alton to equip Alton’s broadband network data center.
Auburn Gresham Renewable Energy and Urban Farming Campus, Chicago, Illinois.
$250,000 to Green Era Educational to support their Renewable Energy and Urban Farm Campus in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago.
Aurora Food Pantry Mobile Meals Program, Aurora, Illinois.
$700,000 to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry to create a Mobile Meals Program to expand their services to the underserved population in a five-county region.
Belmont-Cragin Fieldhouse Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$1 million to the Chicago Park District to rebuild the Cragin Park fieldhouse in the Belmont-Cragin community of Chicago.
CTA Bus Security Shield Implementation Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$1.5 million to the Chicago Transit Authority to retrofit 250 of CTA’s buses with next generation security shields to protect bus drivers.
CTA West Side EV Bus Garage Redesign Project, Chicago, Illinois.
$2 million to the Chicago Transit Authority to redesign its West Side Bus Garage for the upgrades needed to expand their EV bus fleet.
Decatur US 51 Multi-use Path Project, Decatur, Illinois.
$1.5 million for the City of Decatur to construct a separated pedestrian/bike path on US 51 to connect an underserved area to downtown Decatur.
East Saint Louis Township Community Center Renovations, East Saint Louis, Illinois.
$1 million to the City of East St. Louis for capital improvements to its community center.
Equipment and Facility Upgrades to Farm on Ogden, Chicago, Illinois.
$250,000 will be used for necessary equipment and improvements at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Farm on Ogden in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago.
Freeport Public Housing Capital Improvements, Rockford, Illinois.
$700,000 for capital improvements to public housing apartment buildings in Freeport.
Illinois Electric Bus and Charging Infrastructure Program, Statewide.
$10 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide grant funding to Illinois transit districts for new electric buses and charging infrastructure.
Illinois Multi-use Trails Program, Statewide.
$4 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide grant funding for priority multi-use trail projects in Illinois.
Kane County Dauberman Road Extension and Grade Crossing Project, Kane County, Illinois.
$1 million to Kane County for the Dauberman Road extension and grade separation project.
Kankakee East Riverwalk Project, Kankakee, Illinois.
$500,000 to the City of Kankakee to support the East Riverwalk along the Kankakee River.
Lebanon Trolley Trail Connector, Metro East, Illinois.
$900,000 to Gateway East Trails to complete engineering on a bicycle/pedestrian trail connector project.
Metra Zero Emission Locomotive Commuter Rail Pilot, Cook & Will Counties, Illinois.
$3 million to Meta to support a new zero emission locomotive pilot on Metra’s Rock Island Line that runs from Chicago to Joliet.
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Municipal EV Readiness Project, Chicago Region, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to develop policies and best practices for “EV Readiness” to help municipalities be more competitive for grants and investment.
Navy Pier West Turnaround, Chicago, Illinois.
$4 million to Navy Pier to repair and replace infrastructure.
Normal Northwest Economic Growth Area Infrastructure & Planning Study, Normal, Illinois.
$520,000 to the Town of Normal for an infrastructure and planning study.
Ottawa YMCA New Facility Rehabilitation, Ottawa, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Ottawa YMCA to capital improvements to their new facility serving a low-income population in LaSalle County.
Pace EV Bus Procurement, Waukegan, Illinois.
$2 million to Pace to purchase EV buses to replace existing diesel buses used on its North Division routes in Waukegan.
Rockford EV Bus Procurement, Rockford, Illinois.
$2 million to the Rockford Mass Transit District to purchase EV buses and associated charging infrastructure to replace diesel buses.
Southeastern Illinois Rides Mass Transit District Technology Upgrades, Southern Illinois.
$1.2 million to Rides Mass Transit, which provides paratransit service in an 18-county area in southeastern Illinois, for technology upgrades.
South Elgin Boys and Girls Club Project, Cook & Kane Counties, Illinois.
$500,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin to support capital improvements to their facility.
Southwest Chicago Cultivate Collective Sustainability Hub, Chicago, Illinois.
$250,000 to Cultivate Collective for a sustainability hub on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Springfield Pillsbury Mills Redevelopment Project, Springfield, Illinois.
$2 million to Moving Pillsbury Forward to redevelop the former Pillsbury Mills site.
Village of Niles Teen Learning Center Upgrades, Niles, Illinois.
$365,000 to the Village of Niles to support capital improvements to the Niles Teen Center
Will County Route 53 to Wauponsee Glacial Trail Pedestrian Connection, Will County, Illinois.
$1.1 million to Will County to complete engineering and construction on a 1.34-mile pedestrian/bike trail connection linking the south side of Joliet’s Illinois Route 53 Corridor to the Will County Forest Preserve’s 23-mile Wauponsee Glacial Trail.
Williamson County East Grand Avenue Rehabilitation, Williamson County, Illinois.
$360,000 to Williamson County to rehabilitate East Grand Avenue.
As one of the top agriculture states in the nation, Illinois and its farmers have an important role to play in many elements of American life from the economy to the environment. Corn is Illinois’ leading crop, followed closely by soybeans. Livestock, dairy and poultry also contribute to farming’s $9 billion in economic impact each year. Illinois also enjoys a strong market in farm machinery manufacturing and biofuels production. To help maintain the agricultural strength of our state and our nation, I have supported tax fairness for farmers, improvements in crop insurance, expanded use of clean-burning and environmentally safe biofuels, increased support for local food production, and increased trade opportunities for agricultural commodities. I have advanced initiatives to strengthen this crucial sector of our economy because boosting the vitality of our nation's rural regions boosts the vitality of our nation as a whole.
The United States is a nation of immigrants, comprised of people and the descendants of people who came to our country from all over the world seeking a better life. Yet our immigration system is broken and in need of comprehensive reform. I was a member of the Senate Gang of Eight – four Democrats and four Republicans - that drafted comprehensive immigration reform legislation which passed the Senate on a strong bipartisan vote of 68-32 in 2013. This bill includes the key principles that should be a part of any comprehensive reform plan, including: 1) securing the border; 2) protecting American workers; and 3) establishing a tough but fair path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
The bipartisan plan also includes a provision that is particularly important to me—the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act, which I first introduced in 2001, would allow a select group of immigrant students with great potential to contribute more fully to America. These young people, known as Dreamers, were brought to the U.S. as children and have overcome great obstacles to succeed. The DREAM Act would give these students a chance to earn citizenship by attending college or serving in the military.
Dreamers are the future doctors, engineers, teachers, and soldiers who will make this country stronger. The Center for American Progress and the Partnership for a New American Economy have concluded that passing the DREAM Act would add $329 billion to our economy and create 1.4 million new jobs by 2030. In Illinois, Dreamers would contribute $14 billion to the economy and create almost 60,000 new jobs.
For the last few years, I have regularly come to the floor of the Senate to tell the stories of Dreamers. I was the first to call for the establishment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) temporary legal status for Dreamers, which President Obama launched in 2012. I have and will continue to be an advocate for Dreamers, pushing for legislative and executive action where possible.