Press Releases
Duckworth, Booker Urge CMS to Issue Guidance on Expanding Fertility Treatment Coverage
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) led colleagues in urging Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to provide guidance to states on expanding coverage for fertility services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), through their benchmark plans before the end of 2024. In the Senators’ letter, Duckworth and Booker also emphasized the importance of making fertility treatments more accessible and … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Duckworth Discusses NDAA Priorities to Strengthen Indo-Pacific Partnerships with Filipino Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—met yesterday with Filipino Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez. In their meeting, the two discussed their shared ongoing priorities as well as some of the ways Senator Duckworth is working to strengthen the alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines while bolstering security in the Indo-Pacific region through the … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin Secure Illinois Wins in Water Resources Development Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founding Co-Chair of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Environmental Justice Caucus, today highlighted several critical provisions they successfully secured for Illinois in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which passed the Senate and will head to President Biden’s desk. These provisions - ranging from adjusting the cost … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin, Stabenow, Peters Secure Increase in Federal Cost Share to Help Protect the Great Lakes in Final 2024 Water Resources Development Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) lauded the inclusion of their provision to increase the federal cost share for the Brandon Road Project in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), which passed the Senate last night. Under the provision, the federal government will pay 90 percent of the operation and maintenance costs for Brandon … Continue Reading
December 19, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin, Foster Celebrate Passage of Resolution to Name Fermilab Research Center After Renowned Physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today applauded the House and Senate passage of their bicameral resolution, included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, to rename Fermilab’s Integrated Engineering Research Center (IERC) after the late Dr. Helen Edwards, who worked at Fermilab as a particle physicist for 40 years. The IERC is home to new office and lab space that … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Duckworth Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan NDAA That Provides Pay Raise to Our Troops, Bolsters Readiness and Supports Servicemembers and Their Families at Home and Abroad
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—secured several important provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the Senate today to support our servicemembers and their families, enhance strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, improve logistics to bolster readiness and energy resiliency as … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Duckworth, Young, Senators Reintroduce Bill to Provide TSA PreCheck to Disabled Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) in reintroducing bipartisan legislation that would provide Veterans who have service-connected disabilities with expedited screening under the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck program. While TSA PreCheck is already offered to active duty, Reserves and National Guard servicemembers at no cost, the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $1.9 Billion Funding Agreement with FTA to Support Chicago's Red Line Extension Project
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) intends to sign a full funding grant agreement for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s Red Line Extension Project. The funding agreement will contractually … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin, Sorensen Call for Extension of Federal Funding for Chicago-Quad Cities Passenger Rail Project
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to grant an extension for the federal funding secured for the proposed Chicago-Quad Cities passenger rail project, an Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline, Illinois. In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized that progress has been made in the planning phase of the … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Aviation Safety Subcommittee Chair Duckworth Joins DOT Secretary Buttigieg to Celebrate New Rule Enhancing Protections for Airline Passengers with Disabilities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to celebrate the new finalized rule to expand the rights of passengers with disabilities in air travel. This rule mandates that airlines meet more stringent standards … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Duckworth, Senators Question Hegseth Nomination, His Disqualifying Views on Women in the Military, Allegations of Sexual Assault
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)—members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—joined U.S. Senators and fellow SASC members Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in sending a letter to Susan Wiles, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Chief of Staff, about whether Pete Hegseth’s attitudes toward women and allegations of sexual assault and … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Duckworth Discusses Agricultural Priorities with Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Brian Duncan and IFB members to discuss shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. In their meeting, Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers at home by expanding biofuels production, increasing agricultural export markets and improving farm safety net programs. Photos from the Senator’s meeting can be … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Aviation Safety Subcommittee Chair Duckworth Responds to New DOT Rule Enhancing Protections for Airline Passengers with Disabilities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—issued the following statement in reaction to the Department of Transportation’s finalization of a rule that will expand the rights of passengers with disabilities. This rule mandated that airlines meet more stringent standards for accommodating Americans who use … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Duckworth Votes Against Confirming John Ratcliffe as CIA Director
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe by a vote of 74-25 to serve as CIA Director under President Trump: “When questioned during his last confirmation hearing about his views on torture during the first Trump Administration, John Ratcliffe had weak responses even compared to his fellow nominees—refusing to openly condemn torture as a tactic against captured adversaries. He has … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Duckworth Visits JALC Nursing Program Expansion Made Possible by $1+ Million Federal Investment She Secured
[CARTERVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) visited John A. Logan College (JALC) to see firsthand the impacts that a $1,235,000 federal investment she secured through Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending is having on the college’s nursing program. This Duckworth-secured federal investment enabled JALC to build new classrooms and purchase equipment to better prepare students for careers in health and nursing. While on campus, Duckworth also met with Dr. Kirk … Continue Reading
December 16, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $10 Million in Federal Funding for Purpose-Grown Energy Crops
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $10 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office awarded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This project will advance the production of low carbon intensity, purpose-grown energy crops that will accelerate a clean energy economy by expanding the domestic supply chain of alternative carbon … Continue Reading
December 14, 2024
Duckworth Meets with Southern Illinois Airport Director, Tours SIU’s Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center
[MURPHYSBORO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, met with Gary Shafer, Director of the Southern Illinois Airport that she recently secured $500,000 in federal funding for, and toured Southern Illinois University’s Glenn Poshard Transportation Education Center with SIU Chancellor Dr. Austin Lane and former U.S. Representative … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Duckworth Highlights Need to Protect IVF Access, Pass Her Right to IVF Act During Carterville Roundtable
[CARTERVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a discussion at John A. Logan College with IVF providers, advocates and families on the challenges they face with IVF access at risk across the country after Donald Trump’s Supreme Court Justices overturned Roe v. Wade. She was joined by local IVF recipients, as well as doctors, medical professionals and leaders from SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Shawnee Health, Washington University and Deaconess Illinois. Duckworth, … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley Call on Transportation Leaders to Reach Agreement, Finalize Federal Funding for Chicago Hub Improvement Project
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today sent a letter to the leaders of Amtrak, Canadian National, Metra, and Union Pacific, urging the leaders to reach an agreement on all outstanding aspects of Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s upcoming federal grant application to advance the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) for Chicago Union Station (CUS). The … Continue Reading
December 13, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $7 Million to Help Prepare Young Illinoisans to Succeed in High-Demand Careers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced more than $7 million in grant funding for five youth organizations in Illinois participating in the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild Program, which is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for 16 to 24 year-olds who left school without a secondary diploma. “I’m glad to see this funding go to these important organizations across our … Continue Reading