Press Releases
Duckworth Joins Durbin, Casten, Illinois Delegation Members' Letter to Protect Regional EPA Workers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him to reconsider reported plans to terminate more than 1,100 probationary EPA employees, including many based in Illinois. “We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts such terminations—done … Continue Reading
February 14, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Help Unveil Bill to Raise Minimum Age to Buy Assault Weapons
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the seventh anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) in announcing legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
At AFGE Fireside Chat, Duckworth Urges Federal Employees to Be Wary of Trump’s Dangerous Buyout Offers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Region 7 to discuss many of the issues facing union members and other federal employees under the Trump Administration, including the dangerous federal buyouts being offered by President Trump and Elon Musk. In her remarks, Duckworth urged federal employees who have been offered a buyout to be wary of accepting, emphasizing that Trump is deliberately intimidating … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Renew Bipartisan Push to Approve Sale of E15 Year-Round
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus—and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and a bipartisan group of Senators in reintroducing the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. This legislation would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10%—ending years of regulatory uncertainty and preventing a patchwork of uneven state regulations. … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Duckworth Presses for Answers on Cost of Trump Executive Orders to Deploy Troops to Guantanamo Bay, Impact on Military Readiness
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—pressed officials for answers regarding how much President Trump’s calls to transfer 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay would cost, in addition to the impact these efforts would have on our military readiness. In her remarks, Duckworth asked the witnesses to detail the timeline for facilities expansion, construction costs and personnel costs. Duckworth’s … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Entire Democratic Caucus To Raise Alarm Over Trump Administration Pushing Illegal, Indiscriminate Funding Cuts To NIH, Derailing Lifesaving Medical Research
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), as well as the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing serious alarm over the Trump Administration’s recent decisions that threaten to undermine America’s biomedical research infrastructure and setting progress back generations. The … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Duckworth, Warren Press Trump Health Nominee Dr. Oz on Dangerous Anti-Abortion Views
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Trump’s nominee for the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on his hostile anti-abortion record as his nominee process begins. If confirmed as CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz would be in charge of Medicare, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, exercising broad authority over reproductive health care access. “Leaving the issue of … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Duckworth Votes Against Confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Serve as HHS Secretary
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by a vote of 52-48 to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services: “I am extremely disappointed that my Republican colleagues lacked the basic courage necessary to vote against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This man is an unqualified, anti-science, anti-vax extremist—and it will be our kids, not Mr. Kennedy, who pay the price, when he … Continue Reading
February 12, 2025
Duckworth Outlines How Trump’s Attack on USAID is Hurting National Security and All Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—outlined how President Donald Trump’s illegal foreign assistance freeze and dismantling of USAID undermines our national security, empowers our adversaries and jeopardizes Americans’ economic security. Her discussion with the panel highlighted how USAID programs abroad help improve the global competitiveness of American products. Video of Duckworth’s full remarks can … Continue Reading
February 12, 2025
Duckworth Holds Senate Floor to Protest HHS Nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Underscores How RFK’s Extreme Views Would Endanger the Health of Millions of Middle-Class Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senate Democrats’ protest opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to serve as the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under President Trump. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored just how unqualified Kennedy is for the job and how his long-held, well-established extreme views would put programs and services that millions of middle-class Americans rely on—like Medicaid—at risk. Video of … Continue Reading
February 12, 2025
Duckworth Votes Against Confirming Tulsi Gabbard to Serve as Director of National Intelligence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard by a vote of 52-48 to serve as Director of National Intelligence: “Tulsi Gabbard is not only wholly unqualified for this position, but she has an extremely concerning history of cozying up to our adversaries that makes her unfit for … Continue Reading
February 12, 2025
Duckworth, Blackburn Renew Bipartisan Push to Help Cosmetologists Recognize and Respond to Domestic Violence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), John Boozman (R-AR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize domestic violence awareness training for beauty professionals and cosmetologists, which would help these individuals better recognize signs of abuse in their clients, appropriately intervene and keep them safe. The bipartisan Supporting the Abused … Continue Reading
February 12, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Meet With the Illinois Community College Trustees Association
[WASHIGNTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) yesterday met with the board members, presidents, staff, and students from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) to discuss improving access to higher education for Illinoisans. During their meeting, the Senators discussed the importance of federal student funding, including the Pell Grant and TRIO programs, for disadvantaged students. Durbin and Duckworth also … Continue Reading
February 11, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Kaine, Colleagues in Introducing Resolution Condemning the Use of U.S. Military Assets or Personnel to Take Over Gaza
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees—and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in introducing a resolution affirming that the Palestinian people have the right to … Continue Reading
February 08, 2025
Duckworth, Pritzker, Stratton Visit Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago to Reaffirm Support for Our Brave Heroes
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton visited the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago (IVHC) to reaffirm their unwavering support for our state’s Veterans. After visiting with residents, Duckworth, Pritzker and Stratton held a roundtable discussion … Continue Reading
February 08, 2025
Duckworth, Pritzker Underscore How Trump Funding Freeze Jeopardizes Head Start Programs and Hurts Illinois Families Who Rely on This Lifeline
[ELGIN, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker—alongside parents, teachers and staff at Two Rivers Head Start agency—underscored how President Donald Trump’s illegal funding freeze is continuing to inflict needless chaos, confusion and financial pain on Head Start programs and the middle-class families they serve throughout Illinois. As a result of the financial setbacks triggered by Trump’s funding freeze, many Head Start programs in Illinois are … Continue Reading
February 08, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Kaine, Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Expand Congressional Oversight of Foreign Assistance
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 16 of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to expand congressional oversight of foreign assistance decision-making. The Foreign Assistance Accountability and Oversight Act would require the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance to be … Continue Reading
February 08, 2025
Duckworth, Pritzker, Stratton Visit Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago to Reaffirm Support for Our Brave Heroes
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton visited the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago (IVHC) to reaffirm their unwavering support for our state’s Veterans. After visiting with residents, Duckworth, Pritzker and Stratton held a roundtable discussion … Continue Reading
February 07, 2025
Duckworth Leads Fellow SFRC Democrats in Demanding Answers from Secretary Rubio on How Much Evacuating USAID Workers Overseas Will Cost American Taxpayers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—led her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues in demanding immediate answers from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on how much it will cost American taxpayers to pull USAID workers off the job overseas and relocate them back to the United States. In their letter, the lawmakers underscored that the Trump Administration’s attacks on USAID are not only … Continue Reading
February 06, 2025
Duckworth to Oppose All Remaining Top-Level Cabinet Nominees Until Donald Trump Stops Illegal Power Grabs at the Expense of Middle-Class Americans and National Security
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement announcing she will vote no on all remaining cabinet-level nominations until President Trump stops his relentless spree of illegal power grabs that are hurting middle-class Americans and endangering our national security: “I take the Senate’s advise and consent responsibility seriously and have always thoroughly considered the cabinet nominees of every President based on their individual merit, … Continue Reading