Durbin returns dollars to Illinois

Peter Brunk is wrong when he writes that Sen. Durbin isn't bringing federal dollars back to Illinois (Feb. 8).

Durbin has been a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee since he was elected.

That's an incredibly powerful position, and it helps explain why he brought back $600 million for fiscal 2008, according to his Web site.

Plenty of that money ended up in the Northwest suburbs, some at the Des Plaines Teen Center.

He's a hard working senator and he's doing a great job.

Ellen Karpel

Schaumburg