Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth, Sorensen Announce Funding Extension for Chicago-Quad Cities Rail Project
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has approved a grant extension for the remaining federal funding previously secured for the proposed Chicago-Quad Cities passenger rail project, an Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline, Illinois. The extension will allow the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to use the … Continue Reading
August 31, 2026
Duckworth, Van Hollen, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Defending Court’s Right to Seek Answers, Transparency in JGG v. Trump
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (NJ) and Peter Welch (D-VT) in submitting an amicus brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the case of In re Donald J. Trump, et. al, supporting the legal authority of the District Court to inquire whether government attorneys misrepresented or concealed facts before the Court and warning of … Continue Reading
August 28, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Hold Roundtable with Illinois Health Care Provides on the Impacts of the Trump Administration’s Cuts
[MARION, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a roundtable with Illinois health care providers, leaders and advocates to discuss the challenges they’re facing in providing care to rural communities as a direct result of the Trump Administration’s harmful health care cuts. Since being signed into law last July, President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill made the largest health care cuts in history, destabilizing the health care … Continue Reading
August 28, 2026
After Years of Federal Investment, Duckworth, Durbin Celebrate Grand Opening of Fully-Accessible Southern Illinois Multimodal Station
[CARBONDALE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Governor JB Pritzker, Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey, Illinois Secretary of Transportation Gina Biagi and local leaders to celebrate the opening of the new Southern Illinois Multimodal Station (SIMMS), a project the Senators helped secure more than $18 million in federal funding for and championed for years. The new station features fully accessible facilities, including … Continue Reading
August 28, 2026
Duckworth Visits Southern Illinois Nursing School Expansion Made Possible by Federal Investment She Secured
[CARTERVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited John A. Logan College (JALC) to see firsthand how the $1.2 million federal investment she successfully secured is expanding the school’s nursing program, building new classrooms, purchasing equipment and helping prepare students for careers in health and nursing. During the visit, Duckworth stressed the importance of programs like these in addressing the shortage of rural health care workers in Illinois and across the … Continue Reading
August 27, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin ask FRA, Amtrak for Additional Information on Plans to Relocate its 14th Street Maintenance Facility
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) requested additional information from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Amtrak regarding a maintenance facilities award after fielding concerns from residents and local elected officials in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. In a letter to FRA and Amtrak leaders, the Senators requested greater transparency and communication as Amtrak seeks to relocate its current 14th Street … Continue Reading
August 26, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Urging Netanyahu to Immediately Crack Down on Settler Violence in West Bank, Protect U.S. Citizens
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and their colleagues to urge Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate actions to reduce violence in the West Bank and prevent further incidents amidst a significant increase in harassment, threats and acts of violence in recent weeks. They also called on the government of Israel to complete investigations into the deaths of nine … Continue Reading
August 24, 2026
Duckworth, SASC Democrats Call on Chairman Wicker to Hold a Hearing on the Trump Administration’s Worsening Strain on Troops from Extended War in Iran
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—led her fellow SASC Democratic colleagues in urging Committee Chairman Wicker to hold a hearing to investigate the Trump Administration’s failures to support our servicemembers who are carrying out indefinite extended deployments in the illegal, disastrous Iran war that President Trump cannot seem to end. In a letter to Chairman Wicker, the Senators show how this … Continue Reading
August 20, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Release Statement Applauding Resequencing of Chicago O’Hare Airport Terminal Area Project
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the resequencing of constructing satellite terminals as part of the Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal Area Project (TAP). Today, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) announced that TAP will be resequenced to build the first phase of the Concourse E during Concourse D construction. Concourse E will house the majority of the additional … Continue Reading
August 19, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Budzinski Welcome 300 New Citizens at Illinois State Fair Naturalization Ceremony
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today celebrated the naturalization of 300 new citizens from 52 countries at the Illinois State Fair Naturalization Ceremony. The Honorable Colleen Lawless, United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois, presided over the ceremony and administered the Oath of Allegiance to the new citizens. Photos of the naturalization … Continue Reading
August 18, 2026
Duckworth Discusses Rising Costs and the Impact on Agriculture Industry with Illinois Corn Growers
[OGLESBY, IL] - Today, at the Illinois Corn August Board Meeting, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with leaders to discuss the impact that rising costs have had on Illinois farmers and the agriculture industry. Among their shared priorities, Duckworth and the members underscored the importance of supporting family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump’s policies drive up the costs of supplies and … Continue Reading
August 15, 2026
Duckworth Joins Senate Defense Democrats in Demanding Accountability from Hegseth After Reports of Crisis Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined all of her fellow members on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) minority, as well as the Democratic leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, in demanding answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Senators’ letter follows reports that the aircraft carrier’s crew has endured food and water … Continue Reading
August 14, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Join Democratic Colleagues in Demanding HHS Rescind Cancellation of Lifesaving Research Grants That Improve Patient Safety and Care
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with 26 of their Democratic Senate colleagues, in demanding that Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reverse the Department’s destructive cancellations of lifesaving health research grants administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). … Continue Reading
August 14, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Schneider Announce More Than $7.95 Million in Federal Funding for Illinois Airports
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today announced a total of $7,951,873 in federal funding for the Chicago Executive Airport and the Decatur Airport. This funding stems from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program, which supports the planning and development of public-use airports. “Illinois airports are critical economic engines for our … Continue Reading
August 13, 2026
Duckworth Joins Blumenthal in Reintroducing Legislation to Protect Airline Passengers and Crew from Toxic Cabin Air
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee (CST) on Aviation, Space and Innovation—joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) in reintroducing the Cabin Air Safety Act, bicameral legislation to protect airline pilots, flight attendants and passengers from toxic cabin air. Building on cabin air reporting provisions secured in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024 … Continue Reading
August 13, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Sorensen Statement on Announced Closure of Tyson Plant in Joslin
[JOSLIN, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) today released the following statement on the announced closure of the Tyson Foods plant in Joslin, Illinois, which will result in the loss of about 2,500 union jobs in the region: “Today’s news is devastating for the 2,500 skilled union workers impacted by the closure of the Tyson plant in Joslin, especially at a time when American families are … Continue Reading
August 10, 2026
Duckworth, Lawmakers Slam Trump’s Efforts to Tear Apart Military Families, Convert Military Bases into Deportation Traps
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in leading an extensive group of Senate and House Democratic lawmakers in pressing the Trump Administration on its efforts to coordinate to arrest, detain and deport hundreds of Veterans and military families. In their letter to the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Customs and Border … Continue Reading
August 08, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud Senate Passage of Resolution Celebrating 150 Years of the Chicago Cubs Baseball Team
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded Senate passage of their resolution commending the Chicago Cubs baseball team as it celebrates its 150th anniversary on August 29, 2026. The resolution notes that since 1876, more than 182,000,000 fans have attended games of the Chicago Cubs, and millions more have listened to games on the radio and watched games on television across the United States and the world. U.S. … Continue Reading
August 07, 2026
Duckworth Calls for More Regional Coordination Between U.S. and Pacific Partners to Protect Americans from Overseas Scam Operations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today stressed the urgent need for the State Department to increase multilateral coordination with Pacific partners to crack down on scam operations stemming from the region, which have defrauded far too many Americans in Illinois and across the country. During the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) hearing, Duckworth highlighted how our nation’s capacity to handle these foreign scam operations has been significantly weakened … Continue Reading
August 06, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Budzinski Discuss with General Boyd the National Guard’s Plan to Deactivate the Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today spoke with Illinois Adjutant General Major General Rodney Boyd about the National Guard’s plan to deactivate the Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) by March 31, 2027. “For over 16 years, the highly skilled airmen and women at the 183rd Wing have provided skilled jet engine maintenance for F-16s and … Continue Reading