Press Releases
Duckworth Tours Union Station Ahead of Major Redevelopment Initiative
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) toured Union Station with representatives from Amtrak and Metra to learn about Union Station's Master Redevelopment Plan, which will revitalize Union Station by improving its accessibility to streets and Chicago Transit Authority systems, making the station fully ADA-compliant and increasing the station's capacity. A photo of the tour can be found here. "For nearly 100 years, Union Station has been a critical transportation center and … Continue Reading
August 16, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $2 Million in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded a total of $2,211,612 to communities across Illinois through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations with the ability to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and training in an effort to strengthen … Continue Reading
August 16, 2017
Duckworth: New Report Confirms Trump’s Sabotage of Healthcare System Would Cause Premiums to Skyrocket & Add Billions to Deficit
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After a non-partisan analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that healthcare premiums would rise by 20 percent next year and the federal budget deficit would increase by nearly $200 billion if President Trump carries out his threat to sabotage the American healthcare system by ending cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments that help keep premiums affordable, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "President Trump's … Continue Reading
August 14, 2017
Duckworth Reacts to President Trump’s Continued Minimization of the White Nationalist Threat to Americans
[CHICAGO, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Trump once again blamed this weekend's violence in Charlottesville on "both sides" and minimized the threat racist white nationalists and neo-Nazis pose to American citizens across the nation: "There are American patriots, and then there are the white nationalists and Nazis that fought against them. Members of my own family, along with countless brave American … Continue Reading
August 14, 2017
On CTA Blue Line, Duckworth Underscores Importance of Transit Accessibility
[CHICAGO, IL] - On the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue Line, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined representatives from Access Living, an organization committed to fostering an inclusive society for Chicagoans with disabilities to live fully-engaged and self-directed lives, to underscore the need for investments to achieve the goal of 100 percent compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) across the entire CTA system. Following the 27th anniversary of the ADA, … Continue Reading
August 13, 2017
At Clothing Drive, Duckworth Highlights AmeriCorps Deployment to Chicago Cares
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) at a clothing drive to highlight the deployment of volunteers to Chicago Cares, an organization dedicated to mobilizing volunteers to improve local communities. During the event, Duckworth also discussed her efforts in Congress to make national community service opportunities available to more Americans. A photo of the Senator at the deployment is available … Continue Reading
August 07, 2017
Duckworth Joins Elmwood and McBride Residents in Cairo to Share Ongoing Issues with HUD Secretary Ben Carson
[CAIRO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined residents of the McBride and Elmwood housing developments to share ongoing issues at Alexander County Housing Authority facilities with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Ben Carson, who was visiting Cairo for the first time after Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) invited him on three separate occasions. During today's meeting with McBride and Elmwood residents, Senator Duckworth highlighted the … Continue Reading
August 07, 2017
Duckworth Statement on Brandon Road Study
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to the release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brandon Road Study, an analysis of how to prevent Asian Carp from getting past the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "Invasive species are a growing threat to our entire inland waterways system and to the countless Illinois communities and businesses that rely on strong and vibrant aquatic ecosystems. Brandon Road Lock and Dam and other … Continue Reading
August 04, 2017
Duckworth Helps Introduce Legislation to Lower Cost of Prescription Drugs for Seniors
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 30 of their colleagues in introducing legislation to help make prescription drugs more affordable for the nearly 41 million seniors who are enrolled in Medicare Part D. The legislation would allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use the bargaining power of tens of millions of seniors to negotiate a better deal on prescription drug costs. Under current law, Medicare is … Continue Reading
August 04, 2017
Duckworth Offers Comprehensive Package of Bills to Protect Veterans and Servicemembers from Unfair Treatment
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week introduced several bills intended to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers-men and women who have proven they are willing lay down their lives defending America-from being deported or denied healthcare. Duckworth's proposals, two of which are cosponsored by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), would prohibit the Administration from deporting Veterans, give legal permanent residents a path to citizenship through … Continue Reading
August 03, 2017
Duckworth Tours Mississippi River, Highlights Importance of Waterways Infrastructure for Illinois Agriculture
[DAVENPORT, IA] -Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) toured waterways infrastructure along the Mississippi River with U.S. Representatives Rod Blum (IA-1) and Dave Loebsack (IA-2) as well as members of the Illinois and Iowa Corn Growers Associations, where she highlighted the importance of water infrastructure to support economic growth in Illinois. Duckworth, who serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, discussed her … Continue Reading
August 02, 2017
Duckworth and Durbin Announce $3 Million for Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport Improvements
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a $3,000,395 federal grant to the Springfield Airport Authority to help modernize and improve the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. This funding will support the rehabilitation of approximately 11,000 feet of the service road connected to the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. "As a general aviation pilot, I know how important small and municipal airports are to communities across the state of … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $37 Million in Emergency Preparedness Grants
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office for Terrorism Preparedness & Emergency Response has awarded a total of $37,392,579 to support emergency preparedness programs throughout Illinois. "When an emergency situation strikes, it is critical that our public health systems and first responders are adequately prepared to successfully manage the situation," said … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Duckworth: Bush Torture Memo Author Should Be Disqualified from Any Government Service, Not Given Spot in Trump Administration
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Drawing on her 23 years of service in the Reserve Forces, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke out in opposition to torture memo author Steven Bradbury's nomination to be General Counsel of the Department of Transportation today. Speaking before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Duckworth outlined how Mr. Bradbury's authorship of the torture memos demonstrated poor judgement and compromised our nation's values, putting our … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Duckworth Statement on Christopher Wray’s Confirmation Vote to be FBI Director
[WASHINGTON, DC] - After the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Christopher Wray as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "Given this President's irresponsible conduct towards the FBI and the Department of Justice and his inappropriate firing of FBI Director James Comey, it is essential that the FBI remain independent of politics and the next FBI Director avoid any improper interference … Continue Reading
August 01, 2017
Duckworth, Murray, Gillibrand, Casey, Durbin Introduce Legislation to Expand Campus Child Care and Help Student Parents Graduate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Patty Murray (D-WA) reintroduced legislation today with the help of U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) to help increase access to on-campus child care for student parents, who make up more than one quarter of all college students in America. Despite the growing number of student parents enrolled in postsecondary … Continue Reading
July 31, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Democrats Lay Out Key Principles For Tax Reform In Letter To President Trump & Senate Gop Leaders
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 43 of their Democratic Senate colleagues, today wrote to President Donald Trump, Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, urging Republicans to come to the table and work with Democrats in a bipartisan way on the Senate's next critical legislative item - tax reform. Durbin, Duckworth, and their colleagues laid out their three main tenants ahead of … Continue Reading
July 31, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin & Blumenthal Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Enforcement of Foreign Lobbying Transparency Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced legislation today to strengthen registration requirements for foreign government lobbyists and to crack down on foreign agents who fail to comply with the law. The Foreign Agent Lobbying Transparency Enforcement Act would give the Department of Justice (DOJ) the ability to impose civil financial penalties on lobbyists who fail to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act … Continue Reading
July 31, 2017
Duckworth Amendment Would Increase Funding for Great Lakes Science Center
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, the top Democrat on Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, announced that her amendment to secure $15 million of funding for the Great Lakes Science Center in each of the next five years was approved unanimously by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Her amendment to the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation for Wildlife Act was modeled after bipartisan legislation from U.S. Senators Debbie … Continue Reading
July 31, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Federal Funding to Improve Emergency Services in Cairo
[CAIRO, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a $25,000 federal grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development to support the purchase of equipment necessary for improvements in Cairo and throughout Alexander County. This funding will be used to acquire a truck for emergency services that will improve response times. "This grant will help ensure that the people of Alexander County don't need to rely … Continue Reading
