Press Releases
Duckworth Statement on Trump’s Illegal Attack on Iran
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Donald Trump launched an illegal military campaign against Iran without Constitutionally-required authorization from the democratically-elected Congresspeople who represent both the troops whose lives Trump is risking and the American people who he may be forcing to fund yet another forever war in the Middle East: “Donald Trump cannot stop breaking his promises to the American people. Too many … Continue Reading
February 26, 2026
Duckworth Statement on Secretary Collins Abandoning his Ambush Rulemaking That Threatened to Prevent Veterans from Seeking or Accessing the Health Coverage They Earned
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) quietly rescinded its horrendous new interim final rule (IFR) that put millions of Veterans’ disability ratings and care at risk and shockingly disincentivized our nation’s heroes from both seeking earned coverage for service-connected disabilities and following recommended medical treatment plans. The VA’s announcement comes just … Continue Reading
February 26, 2026
Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Duckworth Statement on Reports that Trump’s DoD Shot Down CBP Drone in Texas
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement regarding reports that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) accidentally shot down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone in Texas: “The Trump Administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies. “On the heels of the NTSB confirming that the failure of DoD and FAA to effectively communicate resulted in the tragic loss … Continue Reading
February 26, 2026
Duckworth Grills Top DoD Nominee for Refusing to Commit to Prevent Military Being Stationed Near Polling Places
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed a top U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) leader, Mr. Mark Ditlevson, to assure the American people that the Trump Administration would not station troops near polling places in future elections, which is against the law and against our nation’s fundamental democratic values. When Mr. Ditlevson refused to provide that assurance at his nomination hearing today, Duckworth pressed further asking him what the American … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026
Duckworth SOTU Guest Delivers Powerful, Emotional Testimony Detailing How His Health Insurance Bill Quadrupled After Trump Let ACA Tax Credits Expire
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) State of the Union guest, Jeremy Schumacher of Carbondale, Illinois, delivered powerful testimony about how the Trump Administration’s devastating health care cuts—combined with the rising costs of groceries and other everyday necessities—have made it nearly impossible for his family to make ends meet. Mr. Schumacher, the primary source of income for his household, saw his health insurance deductible increase by $11,000 after … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026
Duckworth Reacts to House Republicans Defeating Bipartisan ROTOR Act That Could’ve Prevented the DCA Crash
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Speaker Mike Johnson and 131 House Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to defeat the bipartisan Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, which already passed the Senate with unanimous support last December and would have implemented critical safety enhancements to prevent deadly tragedies like … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026
Duckworth After VA’s Disability Compensation Rule Change: “It’s Clear the End Goal is to Privatize—and Eventually Dismantle—the VA”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today’s joint Senate (SVAC) and House (HVAC) Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing with Veterans Service Organization (VSOs), combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out the Trump Administration for once again attacking our Veterans and failing to consult Congress or VSOs before they ushered in an interim final rule that effectively disincentivizes our nation’s heroes from both seeking earned coverage for service-connected disabilities and following … Continue Reading
February 23, 2026
Duckworth Announces Jeremy Schumacher as Her State of the Union Guest
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that Jeremy Schumacher of Carbondale, Illinois, will be her personal guest to President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union Address. Schumacher’s story is all too common across our state and country: this year his family’s health insurance costs jumped 288%—an $11,000 increase for deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs—after Trump and Republicans refused to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. He has been … Continue Reading
February 21, 2026
As Costs for Everyday Essentials Skyrocket Under Trump, Duckworth Highlights Importance of Diaper Banks as a Lifeline for Struggling Families
[ROUND LAKE PARK, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today participated in Keeping Families Covered’s diaper distribution event where she highlighted the need to better support children and families as costs for everyday essentials like diapers continue to skyrocket under Donald Trump’s economy. Duckworth also met with volunteers and Keeping Families Covered staff to help distribute diapers and other baby products to families. Photos of today’s event are available on the Senator’s … Continue Reading
February 21, 2026
Duckworth Recognizes Soon-To-Be Naturalized U.S. Citizens in Grayslake
[GRAYSLAKE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today participated in a Naturalization Recognition Ceremony hosted by Mano a Mano Family Resource Center in Grayslake to welcome more than 50 residents from five different countries who will soon be sworn in as naturalized United States citizens. In her remarks to the future Americans, Duckworth highlighted the importance of diversity in strengthening our nation and her love for our country. Photos from today’s ceremony are available on the … Continue Reading
February 20, 2026
Duckworth Reacts to VA Retreating from Enforcing the Project 2025 Ambush Rulemaking That Threatens to Prevent Veterans from Seeking or Accessing the Health Coverage They Earned
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—today released the following statement after U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins announced the VA would be “halting enforcement” of its new interim final rule that puts millions of Veterans’ disability ratings and care at risk and shockingly disincentivizes our nation’s heroes from both seeking earned coverage for service-connected … Continue Reading
February 20, 2026
Duckworth Statement After the Supreme Court Struck Down Trump’s Illegal Tariffs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement in reaction to the Supreme Court striking down Donald Trump’s illegal tariffs in a 6-3 decision: “Trump’s illegal tariffs were a self-inflicted economic catastrophe caused by one wannabe dictator’s greed, vanity and hunger for power. They forced millions of Americans to pay more for groceries, toys and so many more everyday essentials, squeezed small business owners and pushed farmers to make … Continue Reading
February 18, 2026
Duckworth Demands VA Rescind Rule Change Designed to Prevent Veterans from Seeking or Accessing the Health Coverage They Earned
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shamefully circumvented the normal rulemaking process and implemented without public comment a new interim final rule that puts millions of Veterans’ disability ratings and care at risk, shockingly disincentivizing our nation’s heroes from both seeking earned coverage for … Continue Reading
February 17, 2026
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