In The News
Senators Duckworth, Durbin urge Amtrak to change its disability policy
NORMAL, Ill. - Amtrak will begin reviewing its nationwide disability policy, after CEO Richard Anderson met with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill). The meeting comes after the rail company mistakenly charged a group of wheelchair riders $25,000 to travel from Chicago to Normal. According to a press release from Duckworth's office, Anderson admitted the charge was improper and apologized. He then promised the two that the company will work with Congress to bring … Continue Reading
January 24, 2020
Army probes handling of Illinois sex assault complaints
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Army officials have quietly ordered an investigation into allegations that leaders of an Illinois-based reserve unit mishandled sexual assault complaints and retaliated against a whistleblower, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth sent a letter to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy on Jan. 15 requesting an investigation. Their letter cited an AP story about allegations that commanders in the had improperly … Continue Reading
January 23, 2020
Senators Call For Review After Fewer Immigrants Naturalized For Military Service
A bipartisan group of senators called on the government to review a dramatic decline in the number of noncitizens who have become naturalized for their military service. Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) sent a letter Thursday to the Government Accountability Office asking it to review federal pathways that allow those from other countries to become U.S. citizens if they enlist in the armed forces. The U.S. has long relied on immigrant recruits … Continue Reading
January 20, 2020
Duckworth Calls Amtrak’s $25,000 Quote For Disabled Passengers ‘Outrageous’
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) called reports that Amtrak wanted to charge a group of disabled passengers $25,000 for rail tickets that usually cost $16 apiece "outrageous," requesting a meeting with the company's CEO to determine how it could better serve wheelchair users. "It is outrageous that Amtrak asked a group of passengers with disabilities to pay $25,000 to ride from the City of Chicago to Bloomington, Illinois," Duckworth, a double amputee who serves on the Senate Transportation … Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
Sen. Tammy Duckworth: Trump’s war games are dangerous; Congress must rein him in
"All is well." That's what Donald Trump said just hours after Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops Tuesday in retaliation for the U.S.-ordered killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani the previous week. That's what he said as thousands of troops are readying to deploy to the Middle East - to a hotbed of anger, where wearing an American flag on your shoulder gets more dangerous by the day. That's what he said as our nation seemed to be … Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
‘I left parts of my body in Iraq’: Duckworth responds to Collins' claim Democrats 'in love with terrorists'
WASHINGTON - Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., an Iraq War veteran who lost both of her legs in the conflict, slammed remarks by Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., who suggested Democrats are "in love with terrorists" for criticizing President Donald Trump's Iran policy. Asked about the comments, which drew strong backlash from Democrats, in a Thursday evening interview on "CNN Right Now." "I'm not going to dignify that with a response," Duckworth said. "I left parts of my body in Iraq fighting … Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Proposal would target sexual assault, harassment in the Coast Guard
In the wake of a report last month detailing multiple failings in how the Coast Guard handles sexual assault and harassment allegations, a pair of U.S. senators are pushing for a new oversight committee to push the service towards improvements. The measure - the Coast Guard Sexual Misconduct Prevention Act - is sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. Both women have been advocates for reforms in how sexual harassment cases are handled in the Defense Department, but … Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Call For Action Against ArcelorMittal Amid Claims Company Cheated On Toxicity Tests
CHICAGO (CBS) - One day after CBS 2 revealed claims that Indiana steelmaker ArcelorMittal cheated on the results of its toxicity tests, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) are asking for the federal government to take serious action against the company. In a letter to the company, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said ArcelorMittal has made a practice of redoing cyanide and ammonia tests that showed violations, and using the new tests to replace those … Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Duckworth alarmed at breakdown of Pentagon processes under Trump
Senator Tammy Duckworth, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, talks with Rachel Maddow about the Pentagon's bizarre backpedaling over the withdrawal letter it sent to Iraq and whether there are any good people left in Donald Trump's orbit to keep him out of … Continue Reading
December 22, 2019
For this pantry, Christmas Eve marks 31 years of feeding HIV/AIDS-impacted LGBTQ community
A few days before Christmas, Lori Cannon, program coordinator at the Vital Bridges North Side Grocery Center, arrives just after 8 a.m., soon to be joined by volunteers. They bring food out of huge, walk-in coolers. Then come the trucks, one after the other, delivering meat, fish, produce. The phones are ringing, requests for help on the other end. More volunteers arrive. Together, they ensure groceries are stocked and ready by noon, when the Heartland Alliance Health-operated food pantry … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Duckworth Provisions Make NDAA Bill
Prior to impeachment hearings, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Tuesday 86-8. Several of the provisions within the act were priorities sponsored by Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth. Duckworth's main priorities were preventing low-income service members from going hungry, making it easier for Illinois's small businesses to secure Department of Defense contracts, make the federal contracting process more efficient and further secure the Rock Island, Illinois … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
New Senate environmental caucus seeks input
WESTERN ILLINOIS - The U.S. Senate's first ever Environmental Justice Caucus is asking community leaders for their input on how the nation's environmental and economic policies may be hindering their communities' abilities to transition to cleaner environments and renewable energies. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth is co-founder of the caucus and is a member of the U.S. Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis. Citing "generations of economic and racial inequality" as having … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Illinois senators to improve conditions for those living in public housing
U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-ILL), Dick Durbin (D-ILL) and Cory Booker (D-ILL), have introduced a bill to improve public housing. By bringing transparency, by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The bill is being called "Averting Crises in Housing Assistance (ACHA) Act," looks to address the national backlog of repairs in public housing facilities, by investing $70 billion in the Public Housing Capital Fund. Senator Duckworth said this new bill is part … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Bipartisan Act to Protect Miners Pensions, Health Care
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill will protect miners' pensions and health care coverage for retirees impacted by 2018 and 2019 mine bankruptcies. The Bipartisan American Miners Act, included in the final funding package, secures lifetime health care benefits for 13,000 miners who would have lost their benefits entirely, and 92,000 miners who would have seen their pensions gutted next year without … Continue Reading
December 16, 2019
Here’s Why The Skyrocketing Costs Of Reaching Incarcerated Loved Ones Is Unacceptable And Counterproductive
Picking up a phone and calling a loved one may sound simple, but its power is immeasurable - especially for the more than 2 million incarcerated individuals across America. Yet during the holidays, while millions of other Americans gather together to connect with family and friends, many of those incarcerated will be unable to speak with their families due to the high costs of placing a call from a prison or jail. This is unacceptable and, ultimately, counterproductive towards reducing … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Duckworth Introduces Military PPE Legislation
An Illinois Senator is working to ensure that female military members have proper fitting and functioning personal protective equipment. Tammy Duckworth, along with Iowa Democrat Joni Ernst, Arizona Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Richard Blumenthal have introduced legislation to improve troop readiness and effectiveness by addressing issues of inadequate and ill-fitting body armor and personal protective equipment (PPE) across the military, especially for women. Duckworth said her … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Senate leaders ask for input on ways to address climate change
The co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environment Justice Caucus, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) led 15 of her Senate colleagues in sending letters to leaders in the environmental justice movement. The letters asked for input on policy that could lessen the impacts of climate change in low-income communities and communities who inherited environmental burdens. The letter in part said "It is well past time for Congress to partner with you and your communities in … Continue Reading
December 07, 2019
Defense advocates fear isolationist views endanger military’s future
SIMI VALLEY, Calif - On the 78th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, defense advocates voiced concerns that too many Americans are supporting isolationist military policies at a time when the U.S. military needs to take a larger role in international security issues. "We have to be there," Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday. "We have to be there to support freedom of navigation. We have to be there to support rule of … Continue Reading
December 06, 2019
Duckworth-Sponsored Companion Bill For Foreign Born Military Children Passes U.S. House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a companion bill of Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth and Georgia Republican Senator Johnny Isakson's Children of Military Members & Civil Servants Act. The bill establishes that a foreign-born child of a U.S. citizen who is a member of the Armed Forces or government employee like the civil service may automatically acquire U.S. citizenship even if the child is not residing in the United States and is born outside of the United States. Currently, a … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Resolution to name November as National Runaway Prevention Month passes Senate
WASHINGTION, D.C. (KFVS) - A bipartisan resolution, introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tim Scott (R-SC), that recognizes Nov. as National Runaway Prevention Month, passed the U.S. Senate this week. They hope resolution will help raise awareness of the nationwide runaway and homeless youth crisis. The resolution will also help educate the public on how to help end youth homelessness. U.S. Senators Dianne … Continue Reading
