Results tagged “durbin”

During Vice President Joe Biden’s Chicago appearance on Monday, Senator Roland Burris goofed during his introduction of fellow Senator Dick Durbin. According to the Sun-Times, Burris said, "And now, it is my pleasure to introduce the senior citizen from the great state of Illinois. Then, amid laughter, Burris corrected himself: "The senior senator. I did that at a committee hearing one time...I am older than him." After the event when Durbin was asked his age, he broke into a rendition of “When I’m 64”. Not to be outdone, Biden speaking at the University of Illinois at Chicago later was quoted as saying “All 32 of Chicago’s aldermen are in attendance.” Chicago has 50 aldermen. Post by Camela Furry

Mayor Daley and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that O'Hare won a $12 million dollar grant for improvements to the airport, as part of the city's first economic recovery program. About $5 million of those funds will be used to replace runway pavement, and nearly $7 million will be used to widen a taxiway. "Both of these projects are important for the safe and efficient operation of this airport," Daley told CBS2. "They couldn't have been done at this time without the assistance of the federal grant." The mayor also pointed out that none of the funding will be used for the O'Hare Expansion Project, which is currently behind schedule and about $130 million over budget.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin met with the press Monday outside of the Shedd Aquarium to defend the practice of earmarks - directing federal spending to specific projects, often in a congressman's own district or state. The two Democrats were referring specifically to $4 million set aside to fund reconstruction of a portion of the city's crumbling shoreline.

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly

Sen. Dick Durbin sent out an email appeal today urging people to celebrate "A Plumpynut Holiday." Our senior sentator wants his constituents to spend $20 this holiday season on Plumpynuts, a "sweetened mixture of peanuts, essential vitamins, minerals and milk served in foil pouches [that] has become a high-nutrient, high-energy weapon in fighting malnutrition."