Aja Gore Ms Melton Government CC/ Block 2 21 September 2010 Richard J. Durbin Richard James Durbin was born on November 21, 1944 in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was born to Irishman, William Durbin and Lithuanian, Ann Durbin (United States Senator Richard Durban). Many of the things that Richard Durbin has been an advocate for during his term as senator are a result of his parents. Richard Durbin graduated from Assumption High School in East St. Louis in 1962. During his high school years he worked at a meatpacking plant. After high school, Richard Durbin attended Georgetown University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science in 1969. He then went on to Law School at Georgetown University. During the summers between law school, he returned home to Illinois to work on the railroad. He also worked as an intern on Senator Paul Douglas’s Capitol Hill staff (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). After graduating from law school in 1969, Richard Durbin went to work for the Lieutenant Governor, Paul Simon. He also spent 13 years as the Illinois state Senate Parliamentarian (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). In 1982, Richard Durbin began his public service to the state of Illinois. During this time, he was elected to represent the 20th Congressional district. While he was representing this district, he became known for his understanding of parliamentary procedure and his ability to build political coalitions (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). In 1988, Durbin won the battle to ban smoking on commercial airplane flights. Durbin lost his father to lung cancer, and because of this he is a big advocate for the fight against tobacco. He is continuing to push for the FDA regulating tobacco as a health hazard (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). Richard Durbin ran as a democratic during the 1996 Senate election. He was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996 and re-elected in 2002 and 2008. Durbin filled the seat that was left vacant by the retirement of U.S Senator Paul Simon. Paul Simon was a long time friend and mentor of Durbin. During his first and second terms, Durbin worked on more efficient transportation, economic development, education and affordable and accessible healthcare (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). Currently, Durbin is the chairman of the Judiciary committee’s Human Rights subcommittee and helped establish the subcommittee to deal with better enforcement and implementation of human right laws. This was the first time in history that the Senate has created a subcommittee to deal with human rights issues (United States Senator Richard Durban). Durbin is not only an advocate for human rights and education; he is also a founding member of the Senate Global AIDS Caucus. Richard Durbin is involved in many committees. Some of which include, committees to improve healthcare and protect consumers. Durbin was recently involved in a sixteen month debate about healthcare reform. Congress passed and the President signed the law legislation to bring cost under control and extend access to affordable health insurance with Durbin’s help (United States Senator Richard Durban). He is also committed to make sure that Medicare is strong for many years to come. Consumer protection is another thing that Durbin is passionate about. He has led the effort to modernize the fragmented federal food safety system under a single food safety agency. He became passionate about this issue after he met with the mother of a six year old who died after eating contaminated hamburger meat. As another result of this meeting, Durbin authorized a bill to strengthen the FDA’s oversight of the foreign and domestic food supply (United States Senator Richard Durban). The effort to ban ephedrine, a dangerous product sold as a nutritional supplement, was also led by Durbin. He has introduced legislation to require manufactures of dietary supplements to ensure that their products are safe because they can be sold (United States Senator Richard Durban). Among other things, Durbin has worked for increased funding to prevent childhood asthma, expand medical research and increase immunizations. He is also a leader is promoting organ and tissue donation. Throughout his terms as Senator, Richard Durbin has worked very hard to effectively promote and fix issues that he is very committed about. Today, Richard Durbin travels between Washington DC and Illinois. He is married with three children and one grandchild. He and his wife live in Springfield, Illinois and he is very active in both Washington DC and Illinois where he was raised. Work Cited "Biography."Dick Durbin U.S. Senator. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sep 2010. <http://www.dickdurbin.com/about>. "United States Senator Richard Durbin."United States Senator Richard Durban. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sep 2010. <http://durbin.senate.gov/aboutrjd.cfm>.
Aja Gore
Ms Melton
Government CC/ Block 2
21 September 2010
Richard J. Durbin
Richard James Durbin was born on November 21, 1944 in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was born to Irishman, William Durbin and Lithuanian, Ann Durbin (United States Senator Richard Durban). Many of the things that Richard Durbin has been an advocate for during his term as senator are a result of his parents. Richard Durbin graduated from Assumption High School in East St. Louis in 1962. During his high school years he worked at a meatpacking plant.
After high school, Richard Durbin attended Georgetown University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science in 1969. He then went on to Law School at Georgetown University. During the summers between law school, he returned home to Illinois to work on the railroad. He also worked as an intern on Senator Paul Douglas’s Capitol Hill staff (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). After graduating from law school in 1969, Richard Durbin went to work for the Lieutenant Governor, Paul Simon. He also spent 13 years as the Illinois state Senate Parliamentarian (Dick Durban U.S. Senator).
In 1982, Richard Durbin began his public service to the state of Illinois. During this time, he was elected to represent the 20th Congressional district. While he was representing this district, he became known for his understanding of parliamentary procedure and his ability to build political coalitions (Dick Durban U.S. Senator).
In 1988, Durbin won the battle to ban smoking on commercial airplane flights. Durbin lost his father to lung cancer, and because of this he is a big advocate for the fight against tobacco. He is continuing to push for the FDA regulating tobacco as a health hazard (Dick Durban U.S. Senator).
Richard Durbin ran as a democratic during the 1996 Senate election. He was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996 and re-elected in 2002 and 2008. Durbin filled the seat that was left vacant by the retirement of U.S Senator Paul Simon. Paul Simon was a long time friend and mentor of Durbin. During his first and second terms, Durbin worked on more efficient transportation, economic development, education and affordable and accessible healthcare (Dick Durban U.S. Senator). Currently, Durbin is the chairman of the Judiciary committee’s Human Rights subcommittee and helped establish the subcommittee to deal with better enforcement and implementation of human right laws. This was the first time in history that the Senate has created a subcommittee to deal with human rights issues (United States Senator Richard Durban). Durbin is not only an advocate for human rights and education; he is also a founding member of the Senate Global AIDS Caucus.
Richard Durbin is involved in many committees. Some of which include, committees to improve healthcare and protect consumers. Durbin was recently involved in a sixteen month debate about healthcare reform. Congress passed and the President signed the law legislation to bring cost under control and extend access to affordable health insurance with Durbin’s help (United States Senator Richard Durban). He is also committed to make sure that Medicare is strong for many years to come.
Consumer protection is another thing that Durbin is passionate about. He has led the effort to modernize the fragmented federal food safety system under a single food safety agency. He became passionate about this issue after he met with the mother of a six year old who died after eating contaminated hamburger meat. As another result of this meeting, Durbin authorized a bill to strengthen the FDA’s oversight of the foreign and domestic food supply (United States Senator Richard Durban).
The effort to ban ephedrine, a dangerous product sold as a nutritional supplement, was also led by Durbin. He has introduced legislation to require manufactures of dietary supplements to ensure that their products are safe because they can be sold (United States Senator Richard Durban). Among other things, Durbin has worked for increased funding to prevent childhood asthma, expand medical research and increase immunizations. He is also a leader is promoting organ and tissue donation. Throughout his terms as Senator, Richard Durbin has worked very hard to effectively promote and fix issues that he is very committed about.
Today, Richard Durbin travels between Washington DC and Illinois. He is married with three children and one grandchild. He and his wife live in Springfield, Illinois and he is very active in both Washington DC and Illinois where he was raised.
Work Cited
"Biography." Dick Durbin U.S. Senator. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sep
2010. <http://www.dickdurbin.com/about>.
"United States Senator Richard Durbin." United States Senator
Richard Durban. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sep 2010.
<http://durbin.senate.gov/aboutrjd.cfm>.