Durbin Advocates For Federal Funding For Illinois' Southwest Connector Project To Expand Southern Illinois Highways

Press Release

"In a little more than two years, Illinois, our state, has received more than nine billion dollars in infrastructure funding, more than one billion dollars to support the creation of clean energy jobs, and we are creating thousands of new manufacturing jobs at this very moment. I want to tell you about one particular project near and dear to us in Illinois. It is a project our leaders have been talking about for literally six decades, since the time of the John F. Kennedy Administration, and one that, I hope, we will be able to add to this Senate's long list of accomplishments. It is called the Southwest Connector.

Expanding these two-lane highways to four lanes will boost economic development in Southern Illinois, and Missouri, by creating jobs and enabling the region to better compete. When Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, the largest investment in our infrastructure since President Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System, it was proof that we could get big things done on behalf of the American people. We have a chance to do it again by moving forward on the Southwest Connector project.

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I want to particularly thank the Mayor of Murphysboro, Will Stephens, who has been working hard to make the Connector a reality, despite the fact the concept of the Connector really started years before he was born. There are countless local leaders across America -- like Mayor Stephens -- who are committed to improving our communities, but who have been forced to wait on Washington to provide the funding. Let's not make them wait any longer.

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Congress needs to return to regular order, in a timely manner, to carry out the annual appropriations process and fulfill the authorizations in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to consider earmarks for community projects that have the opportunity to transform rural communities across the country.

As a Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to working with my colleagues--under the bipartisan leadership of Chair Murray and Ranking Member Collins--to pass our 12 annual appropriations bills on time."

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