In The News
New Bill Would Offer Paid Leave for Pregnancy Loss and Other Family-Building Losses
Whether you’re trying to conceive on your own, through assisted reproductive medicine or pursuing adoption or surrogacy—family-building can be joyful and challenging all at once. There’s no guarantee that beginning any of these processes will result in welcoming a child, and many people face loss along the way. While often underreported, it’s estimated that pregnancy loss occurs in 10-20% of known pregnancies.1 Unsuccessful fertility treatments, adoption, or surrogacy arrangements are also … Continue Reading
October 24, 2023
Senators seek over-the-counter birth control access for troops
More than 30 senators are urging the Defense Department to offer an over-the-counter birth control pill for service members and their families to improve troop access to reproductive health care. The senators said they want to see health coverage for the military community expanded to include over-the-counter contraceptives such as Opill, the first nonprescription daily pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July. “Access to contraception, as well as education about it, … Continue Reading
October 19, 2023
Demand for Donor Breast Milk in Chicago Area Increasing, As Bipartisan Bill Aims to Improve Access Nationwide
Alisha Lopez was a new mother to baby Hazel this past summer when she learned from lactation consultants that she was producing more breast milk than was necessary to feed her baby. She made the decision to donate her breast milk after seeing firsthand as a nurse how donor breast milk can be used to help sick and premature babies in neonatal intensive care units. Lopez pumped milk and stored it in bags in her fridge and freezer from July through early October. When Lopez made her first milk … Continue Reading
October 14, 2023
Feds send $140 million to Illinois to replace lead service lines
The federal government is sending an additional $139.7 million in federal funds to help modernize drinking water infrastructure in Illinois communities. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA) in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide grants to help municipalities remove lead pipes and contaminants from drinking water. Nidnan Singh, deputy manager for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) State Revolving Fund (SRF), said the … Continue Reading
October 12, 2023
Duckworth touts Illinois clean energy, tries to reassure allies about Ukraine funding on trip to Europe
On a multileg trip to Europe to promote Illinois’ clean energy advancements, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth also is reassuring foreign allies that aid to Ukraine remains a top priority for Democrats — no matter what drama ensues among House Republicans. Currently in the United Kingdom, the Illinois senator began her trip on Sunday with a stop in Romania, a NATO ally bordering Ukraine. “Part of what I’m going to be bringing forward is also a messaging at the federal level from the White House and … Continue Reading
October 12, 2023
Duckworth reiterates U.S. NATO commitment during Romania trip
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Il.) reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during a visit to Romania. According to Duckworth’s office, the Illinois Democrat met with Romanian parliamentarians, the Minister of Defense, the Secretary of State for Strategic Affairs and other leaders. She discussed the fighting in Ukraine, and how continued American support to Ukraine on the other side of the Romanian border is not just important to … Continue Reading
October 12, 2023
Illinois lawmakers press Biden for more resources to assist incoming asylum seekers
Lawmakers from across Illinois urge President Joe Biden to respond to the state's arriving migrants. Led by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), members of the Illinois Democratic Congressional Delegation wrote to Biden. In their remarks, the policymakers called on the President to provide Illinois and Chicago the necessary resources to receive asylum seekers in a safe and orderly fashion. "As members of the Illinois congressional delegation, we … Continue Reading
September 26, 2023
Illinois senator announces $139 million for clean water
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will receive almost $140 million to help keep the Prairie State's rivers and lakes clean. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced on Sept. 26 that the agency would be receiving the money, which comes from the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act. According to Duckworth's office, the money will go towards getting lead and other contaminants out of the state's drinking water, as well as boost Illinois's Drinking Water State Revolving … Continue Reading
September 23, 2023
Senator Duckworth joins striking UAW workers in Chicago area
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) arrived in Naperville to show her support for striking United Auto Workers Friday. As workers from Stellantis' Chrysler Parts Distribution center in Naperville walked off the job at noon yesterday, Duckworth joined their efforts picketing for better pay and benefits. "These hardworking Americans sacrificed to keep the auto industry afloat when things were tough, and they deserve their fair share now that the industry is reporting record profits and … Continue Reading
September 23, 2023
As the UAW strike expands to Illinois, U.S. Senator Duckworth joins picket lines in Naperville
The UAW strike is expanding to Illinois. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth joined striking United Auto Workers on the picket lines at Stellantis’ Chrysler Parts Distribution center in Naperville on Friday. Workers there walked out from the facility at noon as part of a nationwide collective effort to ensure better pay and better benefits for auto workers. Duckworth said that workers deserve more money because they sacrificed to keep the auto industry afloat during the Great Recession, because … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Naperville, Bolingbrook UAW strike against GM, Stellantis
Car dealerships across the nation may soon be feeling the effects of the ongoing United Auto Workers strike. After little progress was made at the bargaining table, the strike, on Friday, entered its eighth day against GM and Stellantis, which makes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. "The companies know how to make this right," said United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain. "Invest these record profits into stable jobs and sustainable wages and benefits, it’s that simple." Now, UAW … Continue Reading
September 15, 2023
Shaheen, Warren and Duckworth want to know if Musk limited Ukraine's Starlink access at a crucial point in war with Russia
Three Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee are asking Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for answers about whether Elon Musk or other commercial satellite providers disabled or restricted the Ukrainian military’s access to communication networks and whether the Defense Department has the authority to intervene. The questions stem from reporting in journalist Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk, who in addition to his roles at Tesla and the social media platform formerly known … Continue Reading
September 14, 2023
Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Expand Fertility Services to Service Members, Veterans
Senate and House Democrats are trying again to expand fertility treatments for active-duty personnel and veterans whose military-related disabilities render them unable to conceive without help. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, both Democrats from Washington state, along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., plan to introduce bills in their chambers Thursday that would cover in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation of eggs and sperm, and other health treatments for military family and … Continue Reading
September 14, 2023
After infant formula crisis, lawmakers look to donor milk
An infant formula shortage last year that left store shelves empty and parents panicked spurred lawmakers to scramble for solutions. One year later, some think they’ve found one: Donor breast milk. On Thursday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., will introduce a bill that aims to increase access to pasteurized donor milk for infants and push the FDA to regulate the practice. It’s the latest move aimed at solving a problem that dominated headlines last year. … Continue Reading
September 08, 2023
Sen. Tammy Duckworth visits Champaign in quest to require school bus seat belts
A few weeks ago, a student in Ohio died and 23 others were injured when a minivan hit their bus on the first day of school. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, visited Champaign on Friday to promote her solution. “Any fatality or serious injury is one too many when we have proven affordable technologies available today that could prevent such a tragedy,” she said, after a meeting with school officials at the Unit 4 Transportation Center. Duckworth has been introducing her School … Continue Reading
September 08, 2023
Illinois lands Chinese EV battery plant as Pritzker, Duckworth seek more deals with Asian companies
A Chinese electric battery maker’s decision to open a plant in Kankakee County is a huge victory in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s all-out bid to bring more Asian companies to Illinois. It’s also part of a larger effort. Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth are trying to seal deals with Asian companies — the governor through a direct line of communication with business heads, and Duckworth with two Asian trips under her belt this year to try to encourage cooperation and agreements. “There’s a lot of … Continue Reading
September 08, 2023
Illinois Senator & Champaign schools team up to promote school bus safety
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth is reintroducing a bill to require seat belts and other safety equipment on all buses. "When I was serving our country in Iraq, I wore full safety gear. My helmet, my 5-point harness seatbelt, along with my training and equipment, is what saved my life," Senator Duckworth explained. Now, she's working to ensure every child has a seat belt when they get on their school bus each morning. "In Ohio, one elementary school student was killed and other 23 injured … Continue Reading
September 06, 2023
How To Fix U.S. Air Travel for Passengers With Disabilities | Opinion
When Kwaku Agyeman, a wheelchair agent at D.C.'s Reagan National Airport, first started his job 10 years ago, he was paid only $5.65 per hour, relying on tips to bring his salary up to the minimum wage. In the years since, his working conditions have hardly improved. He's not alone. Workers like Kwaku have seen their wages drop and benefits like health care disappear over the past decade, all while performing essential jobs like transporting baggage, providing food service, and assisting those … Continue Reading
August 31, 2023
Sen. Tammy Duckworth Announces $3.5 million from EPA to Upgrade Harvey Water Infrastructure
The city of Harvey will receive $3.5 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Central Area Water and Sewer Improvement Project, according to U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s office. The money was secured through a congressionally directed spending request and will be used to implement “long-overdue water infrastructure upgrades to help address chronic flooding and reduce resource costs for breaks and leaks repairs,” according to a news release from the senator’s … Continue Reading
August 30, 2023
Congress Can't Erode Airplane Safety Rules That Save Lives
On a foggy night in February 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 took off from Newark Airport, heading for nearby Buffalo, New York. Fifty-nine minutes later, the aircraft crashed into a house, killing all 49 passengers and crew on board, along with one person on the ground. Immediately, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board began an investigation into the crash, soon determining it was caused by pilot error due to lack of experience with icing conditions. As a result, Congress acted to … Continue Reading
