Press Releases
Duckworth Slams Republicans for Undermining the Implementation of Bipartisan PACT Act to Expand VA Care for Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Congressional Republicans for continuing to enable Donald Trump’s harmful cuts to VA services and its workforce, undermining the VA’s ability to keep up with new demand for care and benefits for our nation’s Veterans under the bipartisan PACT Act. During her remarks at a forum today, Duckworth called out Republicans for defending Trump slashing our VA while failing to exercise their own oversight and … Continue Reading
May 15, 2025
Bipartisan Duckworth-Daines-Cruz-Hirono Bill to Better Protect Parents Traveling with Breast Milk Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies successfully passed through the U.S. Senate. Senator Duckworth’s Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act—co-led by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)—would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and … Continue Reading
May 14, 2025
Duckworth Presses FAA Officials on What the Agency is Doing Right Now to Prevent Even More Failures Like Recent Newark ATC Blackouts
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Former Blackhawk helicopter pilot and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee—today pressed top FAA officials on what the agency is doing right now to prevent further failures like the ongoing situation at Newark Airport from happening at other airports across the country, in addition to addressing the urgent need to update our air traffic control … Continue Reading
May 13, 2025
Duckworth, Murray, Blumenthal Introduce Resolution to Celebrate VA Researchers and to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Veteran-Focused Research at VA
[WASHINGTON, DC] - To honor our nation’s Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Veteran-focused research beginning at what is now known as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S Senators Murray (D-WA) and Blumenthal (D-CT)—member and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC), respectively—introduced a resolution to designate May 12th to 16th as Veterans Affairs Research … Continue Reading
May 12, 2025
Duckworth, McClain, Delaney, Moylan Introduce Legislation to Expand Leave Benefits for Military Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs Committees (SVAC)—and U.S. Representatives April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06) and James Moylan (R-GU-AL) introduced legislation to modernize the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in order to help ensure that military caregiver benefits are available to more people who selflessly care for their servicemember or Veteran family member in … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
As Trump and DOGE Destroy AmeriCorps, Duckworth, Durbin Meet with Illinois Members to Discuss Impact on Local Communities
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of Illinois AmeriCorps to discuss the impact of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) reckless cuts, which ripped away at least $12 million from 26 of the state’s 33 grantees. Duckworth also spoke about how these cuts reduce or even eliminate so many of the essential services AmeriCorps members perform in communities around the state, including caring for … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Duckworth Presses Under Secretary of the Army Nominee about Army Restructuring Plans and Effects on Rock Island Arsenal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week pressed Michael Obadal, nominee for Under Secretary of the Army about Army transformation plans, securing a commitment from Mr. Obadal that—if confirmed—he would work with her on any changes, especially those that could affect critical jobs and operations across our sustainment and supply enterprise, including those at Rock Island Arsenal. Video of Duckworth’s remarks can be found on her YouTube. “It’s no … Continue Reading
May 09, 2025
Ahead of Mother’s Day, Duckworth Discusses Ways to Support Moms and Families
[ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Illinois moms and local leaders to highlight the ways our country can better support moms and families. Ahead of Mother’s Day this weekend, Duckworth—a mom of two daughters herself—met with donor and recipient moms who benefitted from the work of Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, a nonprofit milk bank dedicated to providing safe, pasteurized donor human milk to premature and critically ill babies … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Duckworth Statement on DOT Secretary Duffy’s Plan to Modernize Our Aging Air Traffic Control System
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—issued the following statement after Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy announced his new plan to modernize our nation’s air traffic control system: “For years, I’ve sounded the alarm that we must modernize our air traffic control system in order to safeguard the flying … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Duckworth, Wyden, Murray and Booker Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers About Firings of Congressionally-Mandated CDC IVF Team Duckworth, Wyden, Murray and Booker Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers About Firings of Congressionally-Mandated CDC IVF Team
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today demanded answers from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for eliminating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team responsible for making sure people who are trying to become parents have the information they need to thoughtfully and safely grow their families—despite Donald Trump’s broken promise to support … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Duckworth on GOP’s Attempts to Gut Medicaid: They Don’t Care About Making America Healthy—They Care About Tipping It Even More in Favor of the Wealthy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Caring Across Generations’ 24-hour Capitol Hill vigil to call out Donald Trump and Elon Musk for their dangerous, heartless, relentless attempts to slash Medicaid funding. Duckworth spoke passionately about the millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid—Americans including pregnant women, children with disabilities as well as people in nursing homes—and demanded that Republicans put their constituents’ lives ahead of … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Duckworth Stresses Importance of Illinois’ National Labs to AI Leaders, Condemns Trump & Musk’s Cuts to Technology Innovation Research
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST)—underscored to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and other artificial intelligence (AI) leaders how important Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory are to accelerating scientific breakthroughs in fields such as particle physics, AI and cancer research, as well as how pivotal the labs are to Illinois and our nation’s economy. During her remarks, … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Duckworth Slams Far-Right Supreme Court’s Shameful Decision to Allow Enforcement of Trump’s Trans Military Service Ban
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration may start enforcing Donald Trump’s un-American, unjust trans military service ban while legal challenges to the ban are still ongoing: “Absolutely shameful. Trump’s trans military service ban hurts our military readiness, makes our military’s recruitment challenges even worse and disrespects Americans who are brave enough to serve in … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Duckworth Introduces Bills to Help Protect Lifesaving Veterans Crisis Line and Restore Collective Bargaining Rights for VA Health Care Professionals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC)—is introducing two bills that would help protect our nation’s devoted VA workers, including nurses, physicians, Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) workers as well as the Veterans they serve against the Trump Administration’s ongoing attacks and harmful cuts. A day after she made it clear to VA Secretary Collins that his work to rehire VCL workers is not … Continue Reading
May 07, 2025
Duckworth to Trump’s VA Secretary: Your Work to Rehire Veterans Crisis Line Workers You Wrongly Fired Is Not Complete
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their all-out assault against the VA and the brave Veterans it serves, today combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC)—called out VA Secretary Doug Collins for erroneously firing 24 probationary employees with the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL)—employees who help provide life-saving care and critical resources needed by Veterans in their darkest moments. While … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025
Duckworth Warns That Under Secretary of the Air Force Nominee Would Erode Combat Effectiveness If Confirmed
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC)—exposed how President Trump’s nominee to be Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier is unfit to do the job, pointing out that he violated his professional ethics as a military officer by choosing to skirt good order and discipline in order to speak out publicly against lawful orders that he personally didn’t agree with. Drawing from her own military … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025
Duckworth, Kelly and Fellow Congressional Veterans Demand Accountability for Mishandling of Classified Information by Trump Administration
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—joined fellow Veteran and SASC member Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and a group of Veteran colleagues in Congress in calling out President Trump and demanding accountability for the reckless mishandling of classified military information by senior administration officials. In the letter, the lawmakers called … Continue Reading
May 01, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Reintroduction of Historic Equality Act to Ban Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39) for the bicameral reintroduction of the Equality Act in an effort to push back against escalated attacks from the Trump Administration, MAGA Republicans, and state legislatures on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide. “It … Continue Reading
April 30, 2025
Duckworth Slams Trump Administration’s Plans to Cancel Nearly a Billion Dollars in EPA Environmental Justice Grants, Putting the Health of Low-Income Communities and Families At Risk
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate’s Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement after a court filing revealed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to cancel nearly one billion dollars in environmental justice grants issued under the Biden Administration to 781 awardees across the country. These previously-approved grants help communities get the lead out of our kids’ drinking water, clean up dangerous … Continue Reading
April 30, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join More Than 100 Congressional Democrats in Demanding Social Security Head Keep Field Offices Open Across the Nation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in a coalition of over 100 Congressional Democrats in writing to Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) Leland Dudek to demand that he keep Social Security field offices open. This letter comes after multiple reports revealed that Elon Musk’s … Continue Reading