WSIU - Durbin: Critical Bills Pass at Deadline

News Article

By Illinois Radio Network

In the final days before a month long recess, Congress managed to agree on two big bills.

One will inject $11 billion into the Highway Trust Fund, which is designed to keep federally-supported road construction projects funded through May.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says without a bill, those projects would have been suspended or cancelled.

"Cutting those jobs off at this point would have been devastating to the economy, not to mention the families involved," Durbin said.

The second bill is aimed at fixing problems with the Veterans' Administration. The legislation will provide $16 billion to build new VA hospitals, hire more staff, and allow some veterans to receive private care rather than wait for a VA appointment.

"This is one of the few issues that really brings us all together quickly," Durbin said.

Both bills are awaiting the President's signature.

Source