Press Releases
Duckworth, Colleagues Call for Inspector General Audit of OSHA's Inadequate Enforcement amid Growing Worker Illnesses and Deaths during COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and colleagues in a letter to the Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Inspector General requesting an audit of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) handling of inspections and citations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the DOL's failure to issue an OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to address the heightened risks for frontline workers during the pandemic. In addition to … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Announce Nearly $3 Million For Rock Island Mass Transit
[WASHINGTON, DC] -- U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today announced $2.9 million in grant funding for the Rock Island Co. Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLINK). The funding, awarded by the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Low or No Emission (Low-No) Bus Program, will be used to purchase new low-emission transit buses. "This federal funding will go a long way towards creating an environmentally-sustainable … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Klobuchar, Smith and Colleagues to Call for Investigation into Racially Discriminatory and Violent Policing at Minneapolis Police Department
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with 24 colleagues, to urge the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct an investigation into the patterns and practices of racially discriminatory and violent policing in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). “Given the repeated instances of police violence that have resulted in the deaths of … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Following Days of Protests in Minneapolis after George Floyd was Brutally Killed, Duckworth Calls for Justice, Accountability and Healing
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the brutal killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and days of violent protests in the city:“This week, we watched a fellow American be needlessly killed as he cried out that he couldn’t breathe. It’s painful and heartbreaking to watch George Floyd's final few moments on camera. My thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.“It’s hard to see this sort of … Continue Reading
May 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Discuss Federal COVID-19 Response in Illinois Virtual Town Hall
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) connected with Illinoisans during a statewide virtual town hall on COVID-19 yesterday. The Senators shared updates on coronavirus relief negotiations, including expanding unemployment benefits, bringing aid to Illinois hospitals and healthcare providers, and funding state and local governments to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators also answered questions from Illinoisans on helping working … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Following Public Shaming from Duckworth and Others, Trump Administration Finally Extends Title 32 Authority & Guarantees Additional Benefits for National Guard Troops Responding to COVID-19
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration extended Title 32 authorization and federal funding through mid-August for National Guard troops activated to respond to COVID-19:“After four letters and a new bill, Trump finally got my message: the 40,000 National Guards troops responding to the COVID-19 pandemic deserve full benefits for putting … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $11.8 Million for COVID-19 Testing In Rural Communities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive a total of $11,821,279 in federal funding to support COVID-19 testing in rural communities. The funding comes from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act signed into law on April 24th and will help support more than 200 Rural Health Clinics around Illinois. Each clinic will receive approximately $49,000 in federal funding. Congressional Democrats … Continue Reading
May 27, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $12 Million for Metra Improvements
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Metra will receive $12,482,600 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for rail improvements. The funding will support the modernization of three interlockings on the Milwaukee North Line in Illinois, which will help lead to improved reliability and fewer delays for Metra and Amtrak commuters. "I'm proud to announce today's federal funding that will help improve the … Continue Reading
May 22, 2020
Duckworth, Warren, Markey and Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Prepare for Simultaneous Peaks of 2020 Flu Season, COVID-19 Outbreak
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and a group of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, regarding the Trump Administration's efforts to prepare for a resurgence of COVID-19 during this year's influenza season, which Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield warned could create unprecedented strain … Continue Reading
May 22, 2020
Duckworth, Booker Urge Senate Leadership to Include Resources for Communities Plagued by Gun Violence in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today called on Senate leadership to include additional federal assistance to communities affected by gun violence in a forthcoming supplemental COVID-19 relief package. Since the stay-at-home orders have been in place, community gun violence has increased in cities across the country. In their letter, Duckworth and Booker call for funding Justice Assistance Grant Programs to sustain community-based violence … Continue Reading
May 22, 2020
Duckworth to Trump: Reinstate Independent Civil Servant as Department of Transportation Acting Inspector General Immediately
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate’s Commerce Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, wrote to President Trump to express her strong opposition to his removal of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Acting Inspector General (IG) Mitchell Behm without adequate cause or notice. Duckworth also noted her opposition to Trump’s decision to give Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
As COVID-19 Death Toll Approaches 100,000 In U.S., Duckworth, Durbin Join Senators To Call For National Moment Of Silence To Honor The Lives Lost
[WASHINGTON, DC] - As more Americans tragically lose their fight to COVID-19, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to introduce bipartisan legislation to pay tribute to the 100,000 victims-including 4,607 Illinoisans-of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their families, with a moment of silence at 12 noon on Monday, June 1, 2020. "Our country will soon surpass the … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Duckworth, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Allow Servicemembers Time to Grieve Deceased Children
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced a bipartisan bill that would allow servicemembers time to grieve the death of their newborn babies. The Elaine M. Checketts Military Families Act-named after the deceased daughter of Major Matthew Checketts, an Active Duty Airman based at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland-amends current leave policy for servicemembers so their … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $15 Million to Support Community Service Projects in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive a total of $15,579,643 in federal funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the agency that administers AmeriCorps and other national service programs. The funding will be distributed to 14 Illinois-based organizations to help more than 750 AmeriCorps members serve local communities, pay back student loans, and cover the cost of college after … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
As the Trump Administration Pressures Meat Processing Plants to Open, Senators Urge Action to Ensure Worker Safety
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined a group of Democratic Senators led by Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in raising new concerns about the Trump Administration's Executive Order that has pressured meat processing plants to open without verifying the necessary safety measures to protect workers and the food supply. In a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Bipartisan Duckworth Bill to Prevent SBA’s Flagship Small Business Loan Program from Shutting Down Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to prevent the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) flagship loan program from shutting down passed the Senate unanimously yesterday. Duckworth’s Small Business Lending Continuity Act of 2020, which was co-led by U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) and fellow committee members Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and James Risch (R-ID), would fix an … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Duckworth Introduces Legislation to Make Sure National Guard Troops Activated In Response to COVID-19 Receive Full Benefits During the Public Health Emergency
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, today introduced the National Guard COVID-19 Response Stability Act to ensure that all National Guard troops activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic receive additional benefits and provide states with greater certainty. Her legislation would extend Title 32 authority for all troops activated in response to the crisis until the end of the public health emergency … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Duckworth and Blunt Rochester Lead Colleagues in Calling on EPA to Ensure Air Monitoring Continues During COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) led a coalition of 58 of their House and Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do everything it can to ensure that air-monitoring networks and air monitors that are critical to informing public health protections remain in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Members' bicameral … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Duckworth Presses Head of EPA on Rollback of Pollution Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, today pressed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler about reports that EPA is rolling back air pollution protections and enabling a non-enforcement policy that encourages companies to operate without regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could severely impact environmental justice communities. Video of Duckworth's questions at today's U.S. … Continue Reading
May 20, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Introduce Resolution Establishing "National Gun Violence Awareness Day"
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced a resolution in the Senate establishing June 5, 2020, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and designating June as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) will introduce a companion resolution in the House. Every day in America, an average of around 300 men, women, and children are shot, nearly one-third of them fatally. Designating a day to bring … Continue Reading