Politics Today: Senator Dick Durbin

By: Krystle Russin

On an average day, he meets with all kinds of people. Sometimes they are recognizable politicians or a possible celebrity, other times they are just like everyone else. Also, once a week, he takes pictures with those waiting to meet him. And sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't Justin Timberlake or Ben Affleck.

It's Dick Durbin, one of Illinois' two US senators. While he may appreciate being compared to someone like those young stars, what he really enjoys is representing constituents and their needs in Washington. It was in 1996 that he decided to run for Senate.

"When Sen. Paul Simon decided to retire, a seat in the Senate became open. Sen. Simon was a tremendous public servant for the state of Illinois, and I wanted to be able to continue the work he began," says Durbin. "Having served in the US House of Representatives since 1983, I felt ready to expand the scope of my service to the people of the entire state of Illinois."

Now, Durbin is up for reelection, and he will once again have to convince Illinoisans that he should go on representing them as a member of Congress. Here in this interview, the senator discusses how he decides on legislation, the youth vote and the transition from his own area to working for the whole state.


Q: What measures will we have to take in order to increase young people's participation in voting during each election?

A: More young people will vote when they believe their voices are truly being heard. When they see that their vote makes a difference in their own lives and in the life of the community, they will realize the value of the right we have as Americans.

Q: We hear a lot of negatives about the American public school system. What are some positives? How familiar are you with the public schools? Do you visit them around the state on a regular basis? How can we reform Illinois' education system and improve it for all future generations, if not the current one?

A: I frequently visit schools around Illinois, and I am always working to address the concerns of parents, teachers, administrators and state education officials.

Research has shown that student achievement is improving for kids in public schools. School reforms adopted over the last two decades have produced measurable results. More students are staying in school and taking challenging courses, and dropout rates are lower today than in the 1970's and 1980's. College attendance is at an all-time high and is increasing for all students.

I have been working with my colleagues in the Senate to continue this positive trend of reform in our nation's schools. Despite these improvements, there are areas that need our continued attention.

Achievement gaps remain between minority and non-minority students, as well as between students from higher-income families and students from lower-income families. US students still lag behind their international peers in math, science and technology.

The education bill passed by the Senate (last summer) included an amendment I authored to increase funding for math and science partnerships. These partnerships will allow K-12 math and science teachers to work directly with college and university faculty, professionals in the high-tech industry and other teachers to improve their knowledge and teaching of science and math.

Q: What is the most common complaint to you from Illinoisans, and how do you respond to them?

A: The concerns of Illinoisans are very much tied to current issues: the legislation we are debating in the Senate and the topics that are in the news, whether it be the need for increased corporate accountability, prescription drug benefits or education funding. So the feedback I receive from constituents varies depending on the issues on their minds. And while it is impossible to please all the people all the time, I try to listen to everyone and take their views into account.

Q: When voting on a decision previously made by the House of Representatives, how do you decide if it is something that would appeal to both Illinois' cities and its many rural communities?

A: It is not so much a question of whether a particular piece of legislation will appeal to both the large cities and more rural parts of our state, but rather a question of whether the goal of the legislation is a worthy one.

When deciding how to vote, I try to determine if the effect of the bill will be a good one for those people it is intended to help and that it does no have unintended consequences. Often, good legislation - for example, education funding - benefits both urban and rural areas.

Q: After learning you had won the election, what did you do to prepare for your role as a US senator?

A: Senators represent a much larger area and many more people than do representatives, and so I tried hard to listen to the concerns of people across the state from a wide variety of backgrounds. I read a lot and studied the differences in procedures between the House and the Senate. I also expanded my staff so we could serve a much larger population.

Q: Other than Sen. Simon, is there anyone whom you have admired that was or is actively involved in government?

A: From a very early age, I admired Paul Douglas, the great US senator from Illinois. When I was a college student in 1966, I interned in his office on Capitol Hill, and it was there that my political career was really born. I didn't dream that I would one day fill the very same Senate seat.

Q: Will you ever consider running for President?

A: No.

Q: How does it feel to have the power of being able to make a noticeable difference in people's everyday lives?

A: Being able to serve the people of Illinois - and hopefully, to make their lives better - is immensely rewarding. Being a US senator is a difficult, challenging and tiring job, but when I can help Illinoisans and can see the results of my work on their faces and in their lives, all the hard work becomes well worth it.

Q: What do you say to those, particularly teens, who have lost all hope and feel that they cannot succeed in life?

A: You never know what life will bring. I firmly believe that each of us can succeed. It is a matter of finding something that you love to do and working at it with determination and creativity.

 

Krystle Russin writes for The State Journal-Register(IL) and contributes political articles/interviews to several publications including PurePolitics.com.