Scott Fitzgerald: “I compliment my colleague, my friend from Illinois. Extending my time line further, I started in 1998. There are a lot…”

“I compliment my colleague, my friend from Illinois. Extending my time line further, I started in 1998. There are a lot of articles going back to the early 1980s when Senator Durbin--then Congressman Durbin--was working hard to get this project off the ground. I compliment him for his hard work over a number of years on behalf of this project. I appreciate his love for Springfield. Senator Durbin has talked many times at our weekly Thursday morning breakfast about his love for Springfield. I know that he and his wife Loretta have lived in Springfield for many years. I am hopeful that we can work together and build a wonderful Abraham Lincoln Library that will truly be a credit not just to Springfield but to the whole State of Illinois and the entire country. I also thank Senator Durbin for his support and the amendment he offered in the Senate requiring the Federal competitive bid rules. Senator Durbin has been very supportive and the whole Illinois delegation supports the project.”