Illinois Senator Durbin pitches infrastructure plan: 'big plus for our state'
CHICAGO - As lawmakers prepare to vote next week on a $1.2-trillion repair and construction plan, Illinois’ senior senator wants public support.
"I wanted to give you a summary of some of the highlights of this bill, because it's gonna be a big plus for our state," Senator Dick Durbin said.
Durbin says the bipartisan proposal includes money to upgrade local buses and trains, and to eliminate lead pipes that could poison the drinking water they carry to some homes.
"We all know that there is no acceptable, tolerable presence of lead in drinking water. And the state of Illinois has more lead service lines, in other words, from the main in the street to your home, than any other state. It's not something to be proud of; it's something to be worried about," Durbin said.
Durbin says the bipartisan infrastructure proposal includes money to speed up O’Hare International Airport's giant modernization of terminals and to help the CTA extend the red line from 95th Street to 130th Street, as well as upgrading the purple line and the Blue Line to O’Hare – not to mention repairs to waterways, highways and bridges.
"Makes the single largest, dedicated bridge investment since we built the interstate highway system back in the 1950s. More than 2,000 bridges in Illinois need help right now," Durbin said.
He says the Senate will likely work over the weekend, in advance of a floor vote on the package next week. It then goes to the house, where some majority democrats are vowing to make changes.