Press Releases
Duckworth Meets with Danville VA Director to Discuss Veterans Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Stephanie Young, Director of the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville, Illinois, to discuss local priorities and Veterans issues. A photo of the meeting can be viewed here. "We have a promise to uphold to our Veterans, and that includes ensuring they have access to the best health care possible. The Danville VA and its staff work hard each and every day to uphold that promise, but we can always do better by our … Continue Reading
January 22, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Vote to End Government Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting to end the government shutdown: "The Pentagon is not shy about how much short-term budgeting measures damage our Armed Forces and military readiness. It has become painfully obvious-not only during this preventable shutdown but throughout the entire last year-that Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are either unable or unwilling to lead the nation or compromise. "This is not an ideal … Continue Reading
January 21, 2018
Senate Republicans Block Duckworth Effort to Ensure Military Personnel Receive Pay During Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) offered an amendment on the Senate floor today to ensure military personnel receive pay during the federal government shutdown and that the families of servicemembers who are killed in action receive death benefits. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans objected to Duckworth's request for the Senate to immediately pass the Pay Our Military Act amendment. Video of Duckworth offering the amendment is available online here … Continue Reading
January 20, 2018
Combat Vet Duckworth Calls Out Trump for Accusing Democrats of Holding Military “Hostage”
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Minutes ago, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) forcefully responded to the President's accusations on twitter that Democrats like her don't care about the military, accusing him of failing to show leadership or take responsibility for leading this nation. In a speech on the Senate floor, Duckworth urged the President to stop refusing to make a deal to fund the government and instead tell his party - which controls the House, Senate and the White House - … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Vote Against House GOP Short-Term Continuing Resolution
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting against a 4-week House Republican continuing resolution that fails to address vital government priorities, protect Dreamers, give the military the funding certainty it needs, support Veterans or adequately fund community health centers: "This short-term funding bill deprives roughly 45,000 servicemembers in Illinois-and the whole of our military-of the certainty needed to protect and defend our … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth Highlights Risk of War with North Korea, Calls on Congress to Reclaim Constitutional War Power Responsibilities
[WASHINGTON, DC] -After returning from an official trip to the Korean Peninsula over the weekend, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) delivered a speech at Georgetown University on the dangers of rushing to war with North Korea and called on Congress to reclaim its constitutional prerogatives when it comes to matters of war and peace. Duckworth stressed the importance of advancing diplomatic options as a way to mitigate the threat of war with north Korea, while also … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth: Did Trump Administration Try to Cover Up Chaotic Implementation of Trump’s First Unconstitutional Muslim Ban?
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement criticizing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for delaying the results of an investigation by an independent federal watchdog into the Trump Administration's chaotic and unconstitutional implementation of its first Muslim ban - and for preventing the full release of the investigation's findings. The investigation - which was conducted by the DHS Inspector General at the request of Senators … Continue Reading
January 17, 2018
Duckworth Demands Answers Over DHS Refusal to Release Watchdog Report Investigating Travel Ban Implementation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is demanding answers today over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) refusal to release the results of an investigation by its own independent Inspector General into the Trump Administration's chaotic and unlawful implementation of its first Muslim ban. Duckworth called on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hold an oversight hearing on the implications of DHS' refusal to release the report … Continue Reading
January 16, 2018
Duckworth, Gallego Return from South Korea & Japan, Warn About True Risks of War with North Korea
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) returned today from an official trip to South Korea and Japan with a warning about how deadly and destructive renewed hostilities with North Korea would be. Duckworth, who was joined on the trip by fellow combat Veteran U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), spent four days meeting with America's top military leaders and diplomats in the region, with Defense and Foreign Affairs Ministers from Japan and South Korea, … Continue Reading
January 15, 2018
Duckworth Statement on the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service: "America's greatest strength is rooted in the diversity of our people, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service is a good opportunity to give back and contribute to bringing the society Dr. King dreamed of closer to reality. In the face of racism and bigotry, we must do all we can to uphold the values of our nation, and the acts of … Continue Reading
January 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $66 Million for City of Chicago Head Start Programs
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a $66,445,109 grant today to help children from low-income families in Chicago access Head Start and Early Head Start programs through the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system. 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, technical assistance, strategic partnerships and more in … Continue Reading
January 11, 2018
Duckworth Urges DOE to Fully Fund Cutting-Edge Research Programs at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry's visit to Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories this week at U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth's (D-IL) request, Duckworth penned a letter to Secretary Perry urging him to include full funding for cutting-edge research programs at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories in DOE's fiscal year 2019 budget request. Duckworth outlined the importance of supporting the laboratories' research initiatives in quantum … Continue Reading
January 11, 2018
Duckworth Urges DOE to Fully Fund Cutting-Edge Research Programs at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry's visit to Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories this week at U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth's (D-IL) request, Duckworth penned a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry urging him to include full funding for cutting-edge research programs at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories in DOE's fiscal year 2019 budget request. Duckworth outlined the importance of supporting the laboratories' … Continue Reading
January 09, 2018
Duckworth and Durbin Join Markey to Announce Milestone in Effort to Restore Net Neutrality Rules
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) to announce that more than 40 senators have co-sponsored a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the repeal of net neutrality rules. In December, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to give internet providers the ability to freely block or slow down consumers' access to the internet. The Senators asserted that they will force a vote on the resolution … Continue Reading
January 08, 2018
Duckworth Calls on Congress to Fully Fund Community Health Centers
[CHICAGO, IL] - During a visit to the Near North Health Winfield Moody Health Center, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called on Congress to do its job and fully reauthorize funding for community health centers today. By leaving Washington last month without providing full funding for these facilities, Congressional Republicans left Illinois's 402 community health centers facing a funding cliff that puts services and employees at risk. Nearly 1.3 million Illinoisans rely on community health … Continue Reading
January 08, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Trump Decision to End Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans & Tear Thousands of Families Apart
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to the Trump administration's decision to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for more than 200,000 Salvadorans living in the United States, including 1,300 Illinois residents, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "The Trump administration's announcement that they will tear families apart and no longer allow America to be a refuge for hundreds of thousands whose lives are at risk in El Salvador is not just … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $400,000 in Transportation Funding for Emergency Relief in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a total of $460,000 in federal grants today to help reconstruct federal highways and roads damaged by natural disasters. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will receive $410,000 in funding through the Federal Highway Administration's (FHA) Emergency Relief (ER) program to address damage from severe storms that moved through Illinois in June of 2015. The U.S. Forest Service office in Jackson … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Duckworth: Congress Should Do Its Job Before Leaving Town for the Holidays
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement today announcing her opposition to Congress heading home for the holidays without addressing a number of vital priorities, including adequately funding the Children's Health Insurance Program and protecting Dreamers: "Enough is enough, this sort of governing-by-crisis that harms our national security and hurts Veterans has to stop. I didn't spend 23 years in the military, going through multiple deployments, … Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
From the Senate Floor, Duckworth Brings Attention to Human Rights Abuses in Libya and Calls for U.S. Support
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today urged her colleagues and the Trump Administration to acknowledge the horrible human rights abuses in Libya and provide international support. Duckworth reiterated the devastating conditions of the modern-day slave trade and called upon the U.S. to fully support the International Organization for Migration to help accelerate the closure of Libya's migrant detention facilities. Video of Duckworth's speech is available here. "Every … Continue Reading
December 20, 2017
Duckworth Calls for Investments in Infrastructure, Not Giveaways for Millionaires
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today at a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned several key officials from the transportation industry about the critical need to upgrade America's rapidly aging infrastructure systems. She also called into question President Trump and Congressional Republicans' push for a tax reform bill that provides wealthy Americans and large corporations with tax cuts at the expense of the middle class instead of … Continue Reading
