Press Releases
After Personally Calling DHS Secretary Mullin, Duckworth Announces Military Spouse Deisy Rivera Ortega Has Been Released from ICE Detention
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Duckworth (D-IL) announced the release of military spouse Deisy Rivera Ortega from ICE detention after the Senator personally called U.S. Department of Homeland Security Director Markwayne Mullin this week advocating on Ms. Rivera Ortega’s behalf. Duckworth’s call comes after Ms. Rivera Ortega—wife of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jose Serrano—was arrested and detained by ICE during a routine immigration check-in appointment on April 14, … Continue Reading
May 15, 2026
Duckworth and Baldwin Urge FAA to Review How Reduced Crew Size Impacts Emergency Evacuation Standards and Passenger Safety
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After a series of high-profile emergency evacuations over the last year, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)—authors of the EVAC Act in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024—today called on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford to provide a status update on the implementation of the Senators’ legislation. As our nation continues to see more emergency evacuations failing to meet federal safety standards, the Senators also … Continue Reading
May 14, 2026
Duckworth Underscores How the Trump Administration’s Incoherent Tactics and Lack of Strategy in Iran is a Recipe for a Forever War
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) grilled Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper about the Trump Administration’s lack of strategy and clear end state in its illegal war against Iran, setting us up for a forever war at great cost to our servicemembers and the American people. Through a series of questions at today’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Duckworth pressed Admiral Cooper to articulate the … Continue Reading
May 13, 2026
Duckworth Joins Bennet, Curtis in Bipartisan Letter to Secretary Rubio Reaffirming U.S. Commitments to Taiwan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Ahead of President Donald Trump’s summit with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Curtis (R-UT) and nine of their Senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and underscoring their belief that there should be no unilateral changes to this policy, nor any new U.S. declaratory policy on … Continue Reading
May 13, 2026
Duckworth: House Vote on Year-Round E15 is a Win for Consumers and Farmers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of allowing the sale of year-round gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol (E15) to support American farmers, help keep consumer costs down, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our national and energy security: “With gas prices rising to $4.50 a gallon because of Trump’s illegal war of choice, selling E15 year-round would support our … Continue Reading
May 13, 2026
Duckworth Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Prevent Correctional Officer Suicide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026 to expand access to critical mental health care services and increase federal investments for supporting corrections officers, whose suicide rate is estimated to be seven times higher than that of the general population. Last year, U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01) introduced the companion legislation of this bill in … Continue Reading
May 13, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Map Urban Flooding and Help FEMA Better Assess Risks
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today reintroduced the bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act. The bill would establish a pilot grant program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allow cities to develop better methods for mapping, understanding, and mitigating urban flooding while sharing findings with the … Continue Reading
May 12, 2026
Duckworth Secures Commitment from Army Secretary on More Communication, Less Confusion for Rock Island Arsenal Staff
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today secured a commitment from U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll for more advance warning and communication going forward for any additional workforce changes at Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) in her home state of Illinois. During today’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Duckworth highlighted the chaos and confusion experienced earlier this year when as many as 155 RIA employees were originally identified as … Continue Reading
May 09, 2026
Duckworth Celebrates Mother’s Day by Highlighting Need for Family-Friendly Policies
[OAK PARK, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today convened local leaders, health care experts, community activists and moms to discuss the challenges moms and families are facing under the Trump Administration and hear directly from parents about the policy solutions they want to see at the local, state and federal level to better support families. Duckworth moderated a panel discussion on the impacts and importance of motherhood with Dr. Amanda Adeleye, Medical Director of CCRM … Continue Reading
May 08, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Whitehouse, Schneider Criticize Trump Administration For Proposed Weakening Of EtO Regulations
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus; U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works; and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Ethylene Oxide Task Force, sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to underscore their … Continue Reading
May 07, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Join Senate Democrats in Filing Amicus Brief to Protect Mifepristone Access, Women's Health Care and FDA Authority
[CHICAGO, IL] - This week U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined more than 250 House and all Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court urging them to overturn a Fifth Circuit decision that would upend the FDA approval process and restrict access to mifepristone. This brief follows emergency appeals from the manufacturers of mifepristone; the Supreme Court issuing a … Continue Reading
May 05, 2026
Duckworth Joins Durbin, Kelly in Push to Increase Access to Broadband Service for Americans
[WASHINGTON D.C.] -U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) in demanding increased access to broadband service for low-income urban and rural Americans. The Promoting Access to Broadband Act would help states increase awareness and enrollment in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Lifeline program, which provides a monthly subsidy to help low-income households pay for their broadband and telephone … Continue Reading
May 05, 2026
Duckworth Joins Warren, Schumer in Pressing Head of Employment Protections Commission on Attacks on Workers Undergoing IVF
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in leading 12 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in pressing Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas on the Commission’s efforts to weaken a rule affirming employment protections for workers undergoing fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF). By law, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires … Continue Reading
May 05, 2026
Duckworth, Ossoff Introduce Legislation to Better Support Servicemembers as They Transition Back to Civilian Life
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced legislation to help ensure our servicemembers have the quality support they deserve as they transition from the Armed Forces back into civilian life. The Senators’ Servicemember Civilian Transition Support Act would designate a senior official at the Department of Defense (DoD) to oversee all of DoD’s transition programs and services—which is where a Veterans’ transition … Continue Reading
May 01, 2026
Duckworth Grills Hegseth, Caine Over Lack of Strategy in Trump’s Illegal, Spiraling War of Choice
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine on the Administration’s horrific lack of strategy and continued recklessness in Donald Trump’s unjustified war of choice in Iran that has resulted in higher costs, left 14 servicemembers dead and hundreds more wounded. During the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Duckworth grilled Hegseth and … Continue Reading
April 30, 2026
At 60-Day Mark of Iran War, Senate Republicans Block Attempt by Duckworth, Schiff, Colleagues to End Trump’s Illegal Iran War
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, Senate Republicans?voted to block?a War Powers Resolution aimed at ending President Trump’s illegal war in Iran offered by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Voting down Schiff’s War Powers Resolution marked the sixth time Republicans blocked Democrats’ efforts to end Donald Trump’s costly, illegal war. “While … Continue Reading
April 29, 2026
Duckworth Secures VA Commitment to Improve Maternal Health Care for Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials today to protect access to maternal health care for Veterans. During the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing, Duckworth raised her longstanding concerns about the VA’s failure to provide every Veteran in need of perinatal care with the world-class care and support they deserve—especially Black, rural and disabled Veterans, who often face … Continue Reading
April 29, 2026
Duckworth, Hoeven Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Protections for Passenger Rail Crewmembers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Hoeven (R-ND) introduced the bipartisan Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act to enhance public safety by ensuring passenger rail crew members are provided the legal protections that have been afforded to flight crew members and attendants for decades. Specifically, just as it is a federal crime to interfere with flight crews, the bipartisan Duckworth-Hoeven bill would prohibit interfering with intercity and passenger rail crew … Continue Reading
April 29, 2026
On Day 60 of Iran War, Duckworth, Schiff, Colleagues to Force Vote on War Powers Resolution to End Trump’s War of Choice
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On day 60 of Donald Trump’s unjustified war of choice in Iran, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will join U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)—along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)—in forcing a vote on Senator Schiff’s War Powers Resolution to immediately bring an end to this disastrous, costly conflict. “Republicans keep wrongly claiming that Trump has … Continue Reading
April 29, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $22 Million for Port Infrastructure Improvements
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $22,470,985 in federal funding for port infrastructure development projects for the Kaskaskia Regional Port District and Seneca Regional Port District. This funding is provided through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), a Maritime Administration discretionary grant that supports projects improving the safety, efficiency and reliability of goods … Continue Reading