Press Releases
On First Day of Black History Month, Duckworth & Durbin Announce Introduction of Bill to Establish Springfield 1908 Race Riot Site As A National Monument
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced the introduction of the Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act, which designates the 1908 Race Riot Sites in Springfield, Illinois as a national monument to be managed by the National Park Service. With less than a quarter of National Parks devoted to recognizing the histories of diverse peoples and cultures, designating the 1908 Race Riot Site a National Monument will guarantee that … Continue Reading
February 01, 2019
Duckworth Discusses Infrastructure Investments with Quad Cities Leaders, Meets with Rock Island Arsenal Officials
[MOLINE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) visited the Quad Cities today to discuss important investments to the region's infrastructure. Duckworth met with Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri and Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms to tour the I-74 Corridor Reconstruction Project, which will relieve congestion and increase capacity throughout the corridor by upgrading parts of the existing interstate and adding a new Mississippi River crossing. Photos from today's events are available here. "As the … Continue Reading
January 31, 2019
Duckworth and Blackburn Press Trump to Protect Kurdish Partners in Syria, Not Abandon Them
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) wrote to President Trump today pressing him to develop a comprehensive plan to protect our Kurdish partners serving in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and prevent armed conflict between Kurdish forces and the Republic of Turkey. With the U.S. preparing to withdraw its military forces from Syria, the Senators warned Trump about the dangers Kurdish forces - who fought alongside the U.S. against ISIS - now … Continue Reading
January 30, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Help Reintroduce Paycheck Fairness Act to Close Gender Wage Gap
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) helped introduce legislation to close the gender wage gap and address paycheck discrimination. The Senators introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act, along with U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), on the 10th anniversary of President Obama signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, which lifted limitations preventing victims of gender discrimination in the workplace from … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
During First Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing, Duckworth Discusses Military’s Readiness to Respond to Global Challenges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned top national security experts at her first Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today on the challenges China and Russia pose to the United States as rising powers. Evaluating the most recent National Defense Strategy, Duckworth asked if the U.S. military's transportation and logistics systems are prepared to support great power competition as well as what investments the Department of Defense can make to … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
Trump EPA Proposes Limiting Its Ability to Protect Public from Cancer-Causing Ethylene Oxide Emissions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) and Bill Foster (D-IL-11), called attention today to an apparent attempt by Trump political appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to limit the agency's ability to protect the public from cancer-causing ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions. The Members of Congress expressed alarm that the EPA … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bipartisan Group of Senators in Urging Administration to Pay Federal Workers Affected by the Shutdown Immediately
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and 26 of their Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to provide back pay for federal workers as soon as possible. More than 8,000 federal workers in Illinois were either furloughed or worked without pay during the government shutdown. "More than 800,000 federal workers have gone without pay because the government shutdown locked … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
Duckworth, Carper Introduce Bill to Strengthen EPA Oversight and Promote Transparency
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Tom Carper (D-DE) reintroduced legislation to increase transparency associated with EPA hiring and prevent any future EPA Administrator from being able to give their favorite aides large salary increases without disclosing it to the American people. The Duckworth-Carper EPA Special Hiring Authority Transparency Act would require the EPA Administrator to notify Congress within 30 days of any appointment under the Safe Drinking Water … Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Deal to End Government Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to news that a deal has been reached to temporarily end the partial government shutdown, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "For 35 days, Donald Trump has caused serious damage to our country by holding the paychecks of more than 800,000 federal workers and contractors hostage and disrupting critical government functions. I hope today's announcement, which is similar to the deal Trump rejected in December, means that this … Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Duckworth & Schakowsky Reintroduce Resolution Recognizing January 25th as Women’s Health Research Day
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), along with 19 of their Senate colleagues, introduced a resolution to designate January 25th, 2019, as Women's Health Research Day. Their legislation aims to recognize the need to increase awareness of sex- and gender-based biomedical research, which the National Institutes of Health did not consider prior to 2016, the underrepresentation of women in past biomedical research and the … Continue Reading
January 24, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Senate Vote to End Government Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, DC] - After voting to proceed to bipartisan legislation originally authored by Senate Republicans that would end the government shutdown, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "For 34 days, Donald Trump has held the paychecks of 800,000 federal workers and even more contractors hostage, leaving many families across our country in a terrible situation. Today, the Senate finally had a chance to end this unnecessary shutdown and let the government get … Continue Reading
January 24, 2019
Duckworth, Colleagues Call for Investigation Into Conditions of Detained Migrant Children Following Death Of Two Children In CBP Custody
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and 19 of their Democratic colleagues in urging the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Comptroller General to examine conditions for all children detained by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Senators hope to prevent future tragedies like the deaths of Jakelin Caal and Felipe Alonzo-Gomez that occurred while in the agency's care. "We believe it is … Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Duckworth Will Serve As Top Democrat on Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that she will serve as the top Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety for the next two years in the 116th Congress. "I am excited to work with Chairwoman Fischer and members on both sides of the aisle to promote the highest levels of safety across our nation's transportation systems and make much-needed investments in our nation's infrastructure that strengthen our economy and create jobs," said … Continue Reading
January 22, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Supreme Court Order on Military Transgender Ban
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to the Supreme Court's order this morning allowing Donald Trump's discriminatory ban on transgender servicemembers to take effect, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "When I was bleeding to death in my Black Hawk helicopter on that dusty field in Iraq, I didn't care if the American troops risking their lives to help save me were gay, straight, transgender, black, white, male or female. All that mattered was … Continue Reading
January 21, 2019
On Martin Luther King Day, Duckworth Honored with the City of Cairo’s Service Award for Her Efforts to Help the Southern Illinois Community
[CAIRO, IL] - The City of Cairo, Illinois, honored U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) with their Service Award today during the 25th Annual Alexander/Pulaski County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast. The award recognizes Senator Duckworth's continuing efforts to help the Cairo community, protect Alexander County Housing Authority residents, bring accountability to wrongdoers and grow the region's economy. "I'm proud to receive this award from community leaders in Cairo," Duckworth said. … Continue Reading
January 21, 2019
Duckworth Commemorates Martin Luther King Day in Rockford
[ROCKFORD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, Pastor Joseph Dixon and hundreds of community members today at the Rockford Ministers Fellowship Community Celebration. During the celebration, Duckworth spoke in honor the memory and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and highlighted the importance of following King's calls for service and compassion in working toward justice. Photos from the event are available … Continue Reading
January 21, 2019
Duckworth Honors Dr. King’s Legacy of Service by Volunteering at Rockford Rescue Mission
[ROCKFORD, IL] - In keeping with the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) volunteered to serve lunches at the Rockford Rescue Mission today. The Senator, who has made community service a hallmark of her public life and has consistently volunteered to improve her community, spent time serving meals during the mission's lunch service. Duckworth also hosted a roundtable discussion with community leaders in Rockford who worked to become the first city in the … Continue Reading
January 19, 2019
Duckworth Reaction to Donald Trump’s Shutdown Address
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement reacting to Donald Trump's address today on the shutdown he forced and is perpetuating: "The Senate already voted unanimously to prevent the needless Trump Shutdown without wasting billions on the most expensive and least effective way to secure our border: Trump's wall. The House has now passed bipartisan bills written by Senate Republicans to end the shutdown too, but Mitch McConnell is blocking Senate votes … Continue Reading
January 18, 2019
Duckworth, Carper and Durbin Request Immediate Investigation into Allegations of Misconduct at EPA
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to immediately launch an independent investigation into a serious allegation that the Trump EPA is failing to protect the American public from cancer-causing emissions of Ethylene Oxide (EtO). Duckworth's staff received information this week alleging that EPA senior political appointees instructed career … Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Senate Vote on No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After voting against S. 109, which would restrict the ability of women to afford legal and constitutionally-protected abortions and expand the Hyde Amendment, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "It's ridiculous that instead of allowing the Senate to vote to re-open the government and end this irresponsible and unnecessary government shutdown, Republican leadership is choosing to waste the Senate's time on a bill that has no chance of … Continue Reading
