In Senate floor speech, Sen. Durbin says Normal is taking America “to the next generation”

Posted on May 11, 2021
Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). (Facebook/Dick Durbin)

By Blake Haas

NORMAL – Speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Normal is taking transportation in America “to the next generation.”

On the heels of a visit to the Rivian manufacturing plant late last week, Durbin said the electric vehicle manufacturing facility plays a role in President Joe Biden’s American Job’s Plan.

“Folks in this town (Normal) will tell you infrastructure is about more than roads and bridges. For them, it’s about taking transportation in America to the next generation. And the President of the United States, Joe Biden, understands it. His American Jobs plan includes a $174 billion investment in electric vehicles and charging stations. Is this some big radical socialist government idea? No. listen to the major producers of automobiles in America today talk about where they think the market is headed.

Every one of them is talking about electric vehicles. The funds that President Biden proposes would support the growth of companies like Rivian and accelerate the installation of charging stations across the country.”

While also on a visit to the Twin-Cities, Durbin visited the Uptown Station, which houses Connect Transit buses and Tesla charging stations.

“Imagine a future where you drive from Normal to Chicago or St. Louis or anywhere in this country without burning a drop of gasoline. This is the new normal. A place where hard-working Illinoisans produce next-generation vehicles and companies come together with local leaders to move a sort of cleaner, stronger economy.

Normal, Illinois is stepping up to the plate to ensure the United States continues to lead in the global economy, even as competitors, like China, ramp up their own electric vehicle production.”

WATCH: Sen. Dick Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the Rivan plan in Normal. 

Rivian, who currently employs 890 full-time people at its plant in Normal, plans for a workforce of about 2,700 people by next year.

The company plans to begin production of its R1T pickup and R1S SUV later this summer.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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