Press Releases
Duckworth, Sorensen Speak with New Tyson Foods CEO to Advocate for Joslin Community Impacted by Plant Closure
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) spoke over the phone with Jeff Schomburger, the new Tyson Foods CEO, to advocate for the more than 2,500 workers who were left out of a job when Tyson decided to close its Joslin, Illinois plant in August. The call, which was requested by the lawmakers, comes after Duckworth met with union workers and Quad Cities leaders to discuss the impacts of the plant shutting down. “When the Tyson … Continue Reading
November 04, 2026
Duckworth: “Americans Sent a Clear Message: They Are Sick of Donald Trump’s BS”
[CHICAGO, IL] - Speaking just hours after Democrats reclaimed the Senate and House majorities in Congress, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) emphasized the need for Democrats to seize this moment—and this momentum—to take real action to help deliver relief for the many Americans who've been left behind by the Trump Administration. Joining Governor JB Pritzker and Senator-elect Juliana Stratton (D-IL), Duckworth laid out several of her top priorities for the next Congress, including … Continue Reading
November 02, 2026
Duckworth Demands Answers on Trump’s Dangerously Low Halloween Flyover at the White House
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—today demanded answers from the Trump Administration on Donald Trump’s reckless, dangerously low White House flyover during last week’s Halloween festivities, which frightened local residents, jeopardized safety and likely cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars for no good reason. In her letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Federal Aviation Administrator … Continue Reading
October 27, 2026
Duckworth, Colleagues to Committee Leadership: Trump Must Begin Restoring Illegally Cancelled Energy Projects Before Critical Vote on Bipartisan Permitting Reform Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today called on the Chairs and Ranking Members of both the U.S. Senate Committees on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) and on Environment and Public Works (EPW) to secure a commitment from the Trump Administration to begin reinstating the hundreds of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) clean energy grants it illegally cancelled to punish Democrat-represented states that … Continue Reading
October 26, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin React to Latest News in Amtrak Facility Relocation, Reiterate Need for Community Input
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) react to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s announcement that it will conduct an environmental assessment of Amtrak’s proposed relocation of its 14th Street maintenance facility to Union Pacific’s Canal Street Yard. Duckworth and Durbin have repeatedly raised community concerns about the project and called for greater transparency and communication from Amtrak and the FRA, including … Continue Reading
October 23, 2026
Duckworth, Gillibrand, Schiff Press the FDA on Plan to Mitigate Estrogen Patch Shortage
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) in pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its plan to mitigate the estradiol transdermal patch shortage, which is making it harder for women to manage symptoms of menopause. In the Senators’ letter, the group underscored that estradiol transdermal patches are the clinically preferred, first-line treatment for managing menopause symptoms like hot flashes and … Continue Reading
October 22, 2026
In Europe, Duckworth Builds on Her Efforts to Strengthen International Partnerships for National Security, Energy Security and Investments in Illinois
[PARIS, FRANCE] - On an official trip to Italy, Switzerland and France, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—met with government, diplomatic and military leaders to reaffirm U.S. support for our European partners and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, which help strengthen American security and economic prosperity. Duckworth’s visit comes while Donald Trump’s illegal war of … Continue Reading
October 20, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $12 Million In Funding For Southern Illinois Truck Parking Improvements
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $12,645,145 in federal funding for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to support the Southern Illinois Truck Parking Expansion Project. This funding, from U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) FY26 INFRA Track 2 program, will support the reconstruction and expansion of the Green Creek Southbound and Post Oak Southbound rest areas on Interstate 57 … Continue Reading
October 19, 2026
Duckworth, Senate Democrats Call on HHS Secretary to Reverse Plans for Trump Administration Lawyers to Represent Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Court
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) urged Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to reverse the decision for HHS attorneys to represent unaccompanied children against the Trump Administration’s own deportation machine and restore independent legal counsel immediately. In the letter to Secretary Kennedy, the Senators … Continue Reading
October 16, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bicameral Coalition in Pressing Trump Administration on Illegal Reallocation of Funding for Minority Serving Institutions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and a bicameral coalition in pressing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the Administration’s illegal decision to redirect funding from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to other institutions. In a letter to Secretary McMahon, the members emphasized that while increasing funding for those institutions is important, the additional investments … Continue Reading
October 16, 2026
Duckworth Joins Colleagues to Demand Answers on Childhood Vaccines EO, Measles Deaths and Delayed Vaccine Access
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA-08) along with 29 colleagues in a letter to Dr. Erica Schwartz, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to call out efforts to reject settled vaccine science and demand answers about the CDC’s efforts to implement President Trump’s childhood vaccine Executive Order (EO), underreport measles-associated deaths and delay … Continue Reading
October 16, 2026
Duckworth Statement on Attempted Mass Shooting on Hindu Place of Worship in Aurora
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement in reaction to police arresting and charging a man with felony crimes for an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu place of worship in Aurora, Illinois: “This horrific attempted attack in Aurora goes against everything America stands for. I’m deeply grateful to both the suspect’s coworkers who alerted law enforcement and to the heroic first responders who acted swiftly to save lives. While … Continue Reading
October 12, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Urge Amtrak to Put Community Input over Private Interests
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding Amtrak’s plans to relocate its current 14th Street maintenance facility to what is presently Union Pacific’s Canal Street Yard, citing concerns about the lack of constructive community engagement on the project and the impact the facility could have on the surrounding area. In August, Duckworth and Durbin requested additional information from the … Continue Reading
October 09, 2026
Duckworth, Sorensen Demand the Trump Administration Reinstate the Collective Bargaining Agreement of 30,000 Bureau of Prison Employees
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) issued the following statement, calling out the Trump Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for failing to reinstate the collective bargaining agreement with the National Council of Prison Locals, Council 33 (CPL-33), despite a federal judge’s order requiring them to do so, stalling efforts to restore worker protections and ensure prison safety. On September 29, 2026, a … Continue Reading
October 09, 2026
Duckworth Demands Independent Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Being Targeted in Trump’s Mass Deportation Machine
[CHICAGO, IL] - After President Trump announced plans to handpick the lawyers who would represent the children his Administration is seeking to deport, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), advocates and families to demand that the Trump Administration reverse this heinous decision and restore the federal legal aid the President cut, which helped provide thousands of immigrant kids with independent legal representation. At the press … Continue Reading
October 08, 2026
As USS Lincoln Returns Home, Duckworth Renews Her Call for Public Hearings to Investigate Toll of Trump’s Illegal War on Servicemembers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As the USS Lincoln finally returns to port today in San Diego after over 300 days at sea, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is renewing her call for public hearings to investigate the toll that Trump’s illegal war against Iran has had on our servicemembers, including the brave troops aboard the Lincoln, other ships and across bases in the region who suffered deteriorating conditions, rationed meals and dwindling supplies. Last month after Duckworth joined SASC Ranking … Continue Reading
October 08, 2026
Duckworth Reacts to Army Report on DCA Crash, Reiterates Calls for FAA and DoD to Implement Urgently Needed Safety Recommendations to Prevent Next Tragedy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—today released the following statement after the U.S. Army released its report that detailed numerous systemic failures leading up to the deadly DCA mid-air collision between a commercial aircraft and a Blackhawk helicopter that claimed the lives of 67 people: “Ever since the tragic DCA midair collision stole 67 lives, the families of Flight 5342, the National … Continue Reading
October 05, 2026
Duckworth Announces Illinois Native and Longtime Advisor Kelsey Becker as Chief of Staff
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that her Deputy Chief of Staff Kelsey Becker has been promoted to Chief of Staff following Kalina Thompson’s departure from the role. Becker, a Schaumburg native, has served Duckworth’s team since 2012 in a range of leadership roles in both the Senator’s House and Senate offices as well as her campaigns. “For over a decade, Kalina Thompson has been a kindred public servant, a true force for good, and beyond it all, a … Continue Reading
October 05, 2026
Duckworth Join Colleagues in Pressing EPA, AI Companies on Rollback of Public Input Rules for Data Center Air Permits
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-chair of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and other members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, in sending two letters opposing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to eliminate the 30-day mandatory public notice period that allows communities to provide input on proposed facilities, like data centers, that may affect the … Continue Reading
October 05, 2026
Duckworth, Schumer, Matsui Lead Bipartisan Call Requiring FAA to Guarantee Every Emergency Medical Kit Aboard Flights Include Life-Saving Epinephrin
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Co-Chair of the Congressional Food Allergy Research Caucus, led a group of 20 bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers in calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to guarantee that emergency medical kits (EMK) on every commercial aircraft include epinephrine, a … Continue Reading