Press Releases
Duckworth Reacts to NTSB Final Report on Tragic DCA Collision
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—released the following statement after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report on the tragic DCA mid-air collision in January of last year: “Many of the findings in this report on the DCA mid-air collision point to issues that have persisted for years—and they are issues I’ve been sounding the alarm on for years. There is … Continue Reading
February 17, 2026
Duckworth Statement on the Passing of Civil Rights Giant Reverend Jesse Jackson
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson: “Reverend Jesse Jackson was a barrier-breaking civil rights giant who spent his days, his nights—and his whole life—working to improve the lives of others and patch America together into a ‘great quilt of unity and common ground.’ “He grew up in a South that was marred by segregated lunch counters and water fountains. But that never, ever stopped him from … Continue Reading
February 13, 2026
Duckworth, Murray, Hirono, Warren Lead Democratic Colleagues in Demanding VA Rescind Draconian Abortion Care Ban for Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—and U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today led 29 other Senate Democrats in calling on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately rescind the VA’s extreme, cruel new policy that bans the VA from providing abortion counseling and care to Veterans, even in cases of rape, incest … Continue Reading
February 12, 2026
Duckworth Rips FAA For Failing to Carry Out Safety Measures Before Tragic DCA Collision, Urges Trump Administration to Heed Her Yearslong Calls for Better-Equipped Aviation Workforce
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—today lambasted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its failure to carry out key safety procedures, maintain crucial inter-agency communications with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and address the air traffic controller (ATC) shortage leading up to the tragic, but preventable, DCA mid-air collision. During today’s hearing with National … Continue Reading
February 12, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Statement on Trump Administration Terminating Federal Funding for Health Grants in Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) terminating more than half a billion dollars in funding for four Democratic-led states, including Illinois, which is used to prevent deadly disease outbreaks and to keep Americans safe and healthy. At least $170 million of this funding may be part … Continue Reading
February 12, 2026
Environmental Justice Caucus Co-Chairs Duckworth, Booker, Markey Slam Trump Administration for Eliminating EPA’s Ability to Protect Public Health from Climate Change
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA)—co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement ahead of Donald Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin rescinding the 2009 endangerment finding today, undoing a landmark determination that requires the EPA to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution because of the threat that climate change poses to … Continue Reading
February 11, 2026
U.S. Military Leaders Agree with Duckworth: Expanding TRICARE Coverage of IVF Would Benefit Servicemembers and Strengthen Military
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today secured support from senior enlisted leaders of the Department of Defense (DoD) that in-vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage for servicemembers and their families, which is currently available only in very limited circumstances, would strengthen our military and benefit our troops. This comes after Donald Trump—who promised to make IVF free for all Americans—did nothing to stop Speaker Mike Johnson from … Continue Reading
February 07, 2026
As Housing Costs Continue to Soar, Duckworth Convenes Metro East Housing Authorities to Discuss Solutions
[ALTON, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with local housing authorities, municipal leaders and service providers to discuss the ongoing housing affordability crisis and how to expand stable, affordable housing opportunities. As the cost of housing continues to consistently faster than the rate of wages, Duckworth underscored the urgent need to address issues preventing homes from being built and ensuring the homes we do build meet the needs of Veterans, the disability … Continue Reading
February 06, 2026
Amid Trump’s Attempts to Block Billions in Funding for Child Care, Duckworth Meets with Metro East Care Providers
[EDWARDSVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Metro East child care providers and families to learn more about how Donald Trump’s attempt to block $1 billion in funding for Illinois would gravely impact child care in the region, as well as how previous Trump Administration cuts have already affected services. Duckworth met with child care provider leaders from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Early Childhood Center, Brightpoint, Michelle’s Place Cahokia … Continue Reading
February 06, 2026
Duckworth Calls Out DHS Secretary Noem for Intimidating, Preventing Oversight Watchdog from Doing its Job as DHS Agents Kill Americans in the Street
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is calling out U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for making thinly veiled threats to invoke a never-used authority that is effectively a kill switch to prevent or end any DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation. Duckworth expressed alarm that Noem’s implied threats are intimidating this government watchdog into inaction, given the DHS OIG’s failure to conduct independent investigations into the … Continue Reading
February 06, 2026
In Madison County, Duckworth Underscores Importance of Water Infrastructure Funding
[EAST ALTON, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted local, state and regional leaders to discuss ongoing water infrastructure challenges throughout Madison County. As PFAS contamination in drinking water supply has become more prevalent throughout the county, compounded with aging water infrastructure, Duckworth and leaders discussed the need for more funding for the region, an issue Duckworth has been a leader on. Photos from today’s meeting are available on the Senator’s … Continue Reading
February 05, 2026
Duckworth Joins Cantwell, Markey in Call for Accountability After Bedford’s Violation of Ethics Agreement May Yield the Sitting FAA Chief Millions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators 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—Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) called on the Department of Transportation (DOT) General Counsel Gregory Zerzan for information and accountability regarding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford’s refusal to comply with his ethics agreement and divest his … Continue Reading
February 04, 2026
Duckworth Demands Trump Administration Remove ICE Investigators from Alex Pretti Shooting Investigation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now leading the investigation into the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is demanding U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel to immediately remove any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents from the investigation. Duckworth’s letter follows the news that HSI agents were originally put in … Continue Reading
February 04, 2026
Duckworth Pushes Tesla and Waymo to Ensure Autonomous Vehicles Are Safe and Accessible for All Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As our nation’s road fatalities remain unacceptably high, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Tesla and Waymo to not only prioritize the safety of all Americans but also to proactively ensure universal accessibility for people with disabilities in their autonomous vehicle (AV) design and deployment. Currently, Tesla offers no wheelchair accessible model and none of its electric vehicles (EVs) have a common conversion platform that would simplify accessibility … Continue Reading
February 03, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Foster Introduce New Legislation to Boost Housing Stock Across the Country
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today introduced new legislation that would address the housing shortage in the United States, which has priced millions of Americans out of home ownership. To mitigate barriers to home ownership and incentivize builders to focus on constructing resilient and affordable homes, the Advancing Better Options for Dwellings Everywhere (ABODE) Act … Continue Reading
February 03, 2026
Duckworth Meets with Woman Shot Five Times by Trump’s DHS, Marimar Martinez, Underscoring Need for Oversight on DHS
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Marimar Martinez to discuss Martinez’s ongoing legal efforts to force the release the Border Patrol agents’ body camera footage from and text messages regarding her shooting. Martinez—a proud Chicagoan and U.S. citizen—was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood in October and then falsely branded a domestic terrorist by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Martinez today is … Continue Reading
February 02, 2026
Duckworth Joins Schiff, Colleagues in Raising Alarm on EPA’s New Rule Abandoning Federal Water Pollution Protections
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 14 of her colleagues in opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) proposed rule which threatens to undo significant progress made to restore the quality of our nation’s waters. The new rule limits the definition of waters, including removing coverage for waters that are not wet for the duration … Continue Reading
January 30, 2026
Duckworth Pushes to Allow Wrongfully Detained Citizens—and Families of Citizens Wrongfully Killed—by Trump’s Agents to Sue Federal Government for Same Damages GOP Senators Recently Entitled Themselves To
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act today that would empower the families of U.S. citizens who were wrongfully killed by Trump’s lawless agents, as well as each citizen who was wrongfully detained and then released by Trump’s reckless agents, to sue the federal government for at least $500,000. Duckworth’s Citizens Are As Important As Senators amendment is modeled on language Senate … Continue Reading
January 30, 2026
Duckworth, Walkinshaw Implore Trump Administration to Expand IVF Coverage for the Millions of Hardworking Americans Enrolled in FEHB Plans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) called on Donald Trump—who has repeatedly failed to deliver on his promise to provide free IVF for all Americans—to prove his self-proclaimed support for IVF by expanding coverage for the millions of hardworking Americans in our federal workforce. In their letter, the lawmakers called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) … Continue Reading
January 30, 2026
Duckworth Statement on Voting Against DHS Funding Extension
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement on today’s vote in the Senate: “Trump’s lawless agents are out of control. The American people are crying out for accountability after watching Border Patrol and ICE terrorize our streets, snatch up and detain kids, rip families apart and even publicly execute two U.S. citizens in broad daylight—with zero consequences. Congress cannot let this reign of terror continue. “It is imperative that we … Continue Reading