Press Releases
Duckworth & Cohen Introduce Legislation to Improve School Bus Safety As Students Go Back to School
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As students across Illinois return to school for the beginning of the new school year, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09) introduced the School Bus Safety Act to help keep students safe as they travel to and from school while also helping prevent accidents involving school buses. Their legislation would implement safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board to make school buses safer by ensuring there are seat … Continue Reading
September 12, 2018
Duckworth Meets With Southeast Chicago Residents to Discuss Toxic Pollution Threatening Their Community
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined members of Chicago's Southeast Environmental Taskforce and a dozen neighborhood residents for a group discussion yesterday about the health and safety impacts of toxic pollution from industrial sites on the southeast side of Chicago. Members of the community then accompanied Duckworth on a tour of some of the area's contaminated and polluted industrial sites. The visit helped Duckworth gather information as she explores possible … Continue Reading
September 11, 2018
Duckworth Discusses Rail Safety Improvements at Metra Railcar Shop in Chicago
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) toured Metra's 47th Street Railcar Shop today with Metra CEO Jim Derwinski and other Metra officials where federal Positive Train Control (PTC) funds are being utilized to upgrade trains and make them safer for commuters and workers. PTC utilizes enhanced communications technologies to help eliminate preventable rail accidents, such as over-speed derailments, train-to-train collisions and work zone intrusions. Metra is working to meet the … Continue Reading
September 11, 2018
On Anniversary of September 11th Attacks, Duckworth Volunteers at Jesse Brown VA Food Pantry and Announces Legislation to Expand National Service Opportunities
[CHICAGO, IL] - On the anniversary of the September 11th attacks, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today participated in a day of service by volunteering at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center Food Pantry, where she packed groceries to distribute to Veterans in need. Duckworth also met with AmeriCorps members to discuss the importance of community service. During the roundtable, the Senator announced her plans to reintroduce the 21st Century American Service Act in the … Continue Reading
September 07, 2018
Duckworth & Durbin Request Federal Investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s Ongoing Work for Foreign Entities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), asked the Department of Justice's (DOJ) National Security Division to immediately review whether President Trump's personal attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, is violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by failing to register the political and public relations … Continue Reading
September 06, 2018
Tammy Duckworth: Confirming Judge Kavanaugh Would Threaten Reproductive Rights & Access to Health Care for Women
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined women from across the country to highlight how much is at stake for women's health with the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Speaking at the U.S. Capitol, Duckworth explained how overturning Roe v. Wade could prevent women like her from having children through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and how women of color with pre-existing … Continue Reading
September 06, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Join New Effort to Protect Seniors and Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]- U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 41 other Democratic Senators on legislation to overturn the Trump Administration's expansion of "junk health insurance plans." As of today, 44 Senators have cosponsored the resolution of disapproval of the Trump Administration's final "junk health insurance plan" rule, which only needs the support of 30 Senators to force a vote. These year-long "junk plans" can exclude … Continue Reading
August 31, 2018
Duckworth Says Final Goodbye to American Hero John McCain at the Capitol
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said her final goodbye to an American Hero, U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today as he laid in state at the U.S. Capitol building. Duckworth first met McCain while he was visiting Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed, where she was recovering after her Black Hawk was shot down by an RPG in Iraq. Senator Duckworth also announced that she will support U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Jeff Flake's (R-AZ) bipartisan legislation to rename … Continue Reading
August 30, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Join Murray and 41 Colleagues Opposing Use of Taxpayer Dollars to Arm Teachers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After a recent report that U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is considering allowing states and school districts to purchase firearms and pay for firearm training with federal taxpayer dollars, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 41 colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary DeVos urging the abandonment of this plan. In March, Congress reiterated its opposition to federal funds being for … Continue Reading
August 30, 2018
After Recent Study on Kindergarten Preparedness in Illinois, Duckworth and Durbin Announce $62 Million for Head Start Programs
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $62,694,857 in federal funding today to help children from in Illinois access Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Central Illinois, Northwest Illinois and the Chicagoland area. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, helps build … Continue Reading
August 30, 2018
Duckworth: Allow American People to Review Records of Brett Kavanaugh’s Involvement in Bush Administration’s Torture Policies
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called for the public release of any documents related to Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh's involvement in the Bush Administration's use of torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment on prisoners and enemy combatants. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Duckworth asked the Chairman to share with the public all records from Kavanaugh's time as a Bush White House staffer related … Continue Reading
August 28, 2018
Duckworth Investigates Potential Pay-To-Play Allegations Involving Michael Cohen, Trump Donor & Department of Energy
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Following reports that a major donor to the Trump inaugural fund hired President Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to help secure billions of federal dollars for a nuclear power plant project, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is asking U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry for more information on how the agency is evaluating the loan application. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump donor Franklin L. Haney agreed to pay Michael Cohen, who recently pleaded … Continue Reading
August 27, 2018
Duckworth Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Expand the ABLE Savings Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to expand eligibility for the ABLE program, which allows individuals with disabilities and their families to enroll in tax-free savings accounts to help cover the costs of long-term care and other expenses, such as housing, employment training, education and transportation. The Achieving a Better Life (ABLE) Age Adjustment Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Richard Burr (R-NC) … Continue Reading
August 25, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Passing of American Hero John McCain
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following the passing of an American hero, U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "My heart is heavy today as I join countless Americans across our country in mourning the loss of one of our nation's greatest leaders and statesmen, one of my personal heroes, Senator John McCain. Throughout his life - as a Naval Aviator, a Prisoner of War who endured years of torture, a Congressman, and a six-term Senator - … Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley, Krishanmoorthi, Schakowsky Announce Nearly $80 Million in Federal Funding for O’Hare International Airport Noise Mitigation and Critical Runway Construction
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) today announced a total of $79,917,636 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant funding to help improve O'Hare International Airport and mitigate noise for residents in the area. This funding comes from the Department of Transportation's Airport Improvement … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Duckworth: Kavanaugh’s Confirmation to Supreme Court Would Threaten Access to Health Care for Women of Color
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and several women of color to outline how confirming Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could threaten access to affordable, accessible healthcare for women of color. Speaking at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol alongside representatives from the National Women's Law Center, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and a Planned … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $33 Million In Federal Funding For Positive Train Control In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $33,224,233 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology on Chicago-area railroads. PTC is a federally mandated computerized system that prevents certain types of train-to-train collisions, helps avoid derailments and other accidents caused by excessive speed, and increases safety for rail … Continue Reading
August 21, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $1.8 Million to Support Decatur Housing and Community Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the City of Decatur will receive $1,823,485 in federal grant funding through programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding was allocated through HUD's Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME programs to help the local government expand economic opportunities and provide suitable living environments for low- and moderate-income … Continue Reading
August 20, 2018
FCC Commissioners Agree with Duckworth: Unjust Prison Call Rates Must be Addressed
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) solidified consensus and received a commitment from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners Michael O'Rielly, Jessica Rosenworcel, Brendan Carr and Chairman Ajit Pai to help address unjust and unreasonable inmate call rates at last week's U.S. Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee oversight hearing. In March, Duckworth introduced bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rob Portman … Continue Reading
August 17, 2018
Duckworth & Durbin Decry Trump Plan to End Protections for U.S. Troops Against Predatory Lending & Financial Fraud
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following reports that the Trump Administration is planning to end critical protections for servicemembers and military families from predatory loans, financial fraud and credit gouging, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, and every Democratic member of the U.S. Senate in urging the Trump Administration to reverse course. The Trump Administration is reportedly … Continue Reading
