{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140301175003/http://rodneydavis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/davis-kirk-durbin-announce-14-million-in-transportation-funding-for", "Davis, Kirk, Durbin Announce $1.4 Million in Transportation Funding for University of Illinios Rail Project", "2013-09-26", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Rodney Davis", "D000619", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced today that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has been awarded $1,414,100 in funding through the Department of Transportation\u2019s University Transportation Center (UTC) program to support UIUC\u2019s rail transportation and engineering research center, National University Rail Center (NURail). \u201cIllinois remains the heart of our national rail network thanks to our ability to innovate and adapt to modern freight and passenger needs,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThe University of Illinois\u2019 transportation research programs like NURail have played a critical role in meeting the rapid growth in our rail sector, and winning this competitive grant recognizes their position at the forefront of transit innovation.\u201d \u201cIllinois has nearly 40 railroads operating more than 7,000 miles of track,\u201d Senator Kirk said. \u201cBecause of this, the University of Illinois is well positioned to capitalize on our natural transportation advantage and continue its efforts as a national leader in rail research.\u00a0 I'm honored to join with Sen. Durbin and Congressman Davis to highlight that investment in our research institutions is a bipartisan, bicameral priority.\u201d \u201cIn 2011, the University of Illinois\u2019 National University Rail Center became the first University Transportation Center to focus on rail transportation and engineering with the objective of improving and expanding rail research, education, and workforce development,\u201d said Davis. \u201cThis grant will help the university build on its successes and assist the Department of Transportation by providing the research and technology necessary to meet the needs of the nation\u2019s rapid growth in passenger and freight rail.\u201d\u00a0  UIUC\u2019s NURail is a multi-university consortium that was established in 2012 through a $3.5 million grant through the Department of Transportation. NURail is the nation\u2019s first UTC to focus on rail transportation and engineering with the objective of improving and expanding rail research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer. NURail will use today\u2019s funding to expand their research addressing rail issues related to infrastructure and vehicle engineering, capacity planning and optimization, operational safety and risk mitigation, systems integration, and finance and policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140301175003/http://rodneydavis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/davis-kirk-durbin-announce-14-million-in-transportation-funding-for"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8391120936721563, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}