Press Releases
In Peoria, Duckworth Joins Illinois Health Care Advocates and Medicaid Recipients to Condemn GOP Efforts to Gut Medicaid
[PEORIA, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Peoria-area health care advocates, Medicaid recipients and their families to call out the Trump Administration and Republican’s dangerous, relentless attempts to slash Medicaid with their Big, Beautiful Betrayal. Duckworth spoke in support and defense of the millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid including pregnant women, children with disabilities as well as people in nursing homes—and demanded that Republicans put their … Continue Reading
June 19, 2025
Duckworth, Warren Press RFK Jr. on “Dangerous War on Vaccines,” Reckless Decision to Slash HHS Vaccine Funding
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., pressing him on his recent reckless decisions to slash funding for critical vaccine development. In May, the Trump Administration announced that it would cut off millions of dollars that the federal government had committed to the development of the critical bird flu vaccine, and HHS abruptly ended an over-$250 … Continue Reading
June 19, 2025
Duckworth Commemorates Juneteenth in Peoria
[PEORIA, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today celebrated and honored Juneteenth in Peoria, attending the Inaugural Jubilee Day Juneteenth Celebration at Glen Oak Park with Pastor Marvin Hightower, President of NAACP Peoria branch, and local community members. Following the celebration, Duckworth met with the Peoria Black Chamber of Commerce to discuss the challenges facing local Black business owners, including the how Trump’s chaotic trade policies are hurting them. Photos from the … Continue Reading
June 18, 2025
Duckworth to Hegseth: “Let the Military Get Back to Its Real Job Defending Americans, Not Policing Them”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) excoriated Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for deploying American servicemembers to police and intimidate their fellow Americans in our nation’s communities, something that actively undermines the Secretary’s own self-proclaimed goal of strengthening our military’s warfighting capabilities and protecting Americans from real foreign threats. Duckworth underscored how misusing our military for domestic law … Continue Reading
June 18, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $30 Million in Federal Funding for O’hare Airport Runway Extensions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $30,000,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Authority for O’Hare International Airport. The federal funding will be used to pave Runway 9R/27L an additional 3,290 feet in length to reduce delays, accommodate more passengers and allow for increased aircraft operations. “Illinois’s airports are critical economic engines … Continue Reading
June 14, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Padilla, Entire Senate Democratic Caucus in Demanding Trump Remove Military Forces From Los Angeles
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) abd U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty service members to American cities. The letter comes after Trump’s unprecedented move to federalize and deploy the California National Guard without the … Continue Reading
June 13, 2025
Duckworth: “Trump’s Birthday Parade Is Nothing More Than an Ego Boost for a Known Draft Dodger”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement ahead of Donald Trump further politicizing our military by diverting $25 to $45 million of Army resources in order to throw himself a birthday parade: “Donald Trump’s birthday parade has nothing to do with celebrating the Army’s 250th birthday—it’s to stroke his own ego and make taxpayers foot the bill. “If he truly cared about celebrating the Army and our Soldiers, Trump could spend the tens of … Continue Reading
June 13, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Luján, Warnock and Blunt Rochester in Slamming Secretary Kennedy’s Decision to Gut Nation’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and Replace Them with Vaccine Skeptics
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and 17 of their Senate colleagues in condemning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s decision to gut the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appoint several members to the … Continue Reading
June 12, 2025
Duckworth, Warren, Democrats Lead Push to Reverse Trump and Hegseth’s Ban on Transgender Servicemembers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to support our military readiness and national security by prohibiting discrimination against transgender servicemembers. “If you are willing to risk your life for our country and you can do the job, it shouldn’t matter if you are gay, straight, transgender, Black, white or anything else,” said Duckworth. “Every transgender … Continue Reading
June 11, 2025
Amid Trump’s Threats to Critical Agriculture Support Programs, Duckworth Discusses Agricultural Priorities with Illinois Farm Bureau
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus—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. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald … Continue Reading
June 11, 2025
Duckworth Presses FAA Administrator Nominee to Uphold 1,500-Hour Pilot Training Standards, Trump’s Nominee Refuses
[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 Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—pressed Federal Aviation Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford to commit to upholding the strong 1,500-hour certification standard for our nation’s pilots and strengthening the FAA’s oversight of Boeing at his confirmation hearing. In light of Mr. Bedford’s previous comments against the 1,500-hour … Continue Reading
June 11, 2025
Duckworth, Murray, Booker, Schumer Renew Push to Protect IVF Amid Ongoing GOP Attacks Against Reproductive Freedom
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Muray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today led 25 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would establish a nationwide right to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Ever since Roe was repealed by Donald Trump’s Supreme Court majority, Republicans’ ongoing assault against reproductive freedom has threatened Americans’ access to IVF services—as evidenced by the … Continue Reading
June 10, 2025
Duckworth Slams Donald Trump for Deploying Hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—criticized Donald Trump’s deployment of 700 Marines into Los Angeles while questioning Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith during today’s hearing. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube. “I don’t condone violence or property destruction, but using active-duty Marines this way sets a dangerous precedent that risks damaging … Continue Reading
June 10, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Van Hollen, Klobuchar and Colleagues in Pressing Administration for Answers on Cancelled Protected Status for Afghans Living in U.S.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04) in leading 96 of their colleagues in pressing for answers from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State around the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States. The lawmakers’ letter, sent to … Continue Reading
June 09, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Lead Illinois Colleagues in Condemning Trump’s Termination of Digital Equity Program, Blocking Illinoisans’ Access to Reliable Internet
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 12 of their Illinois delegation members in criticizing the Trump Administration’s cancellation of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grants Program. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the Members urged the Trump Administration to reinstate the program that was terminated last month. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) was in the process … Continue Reading
June 09, 2025
Duckworth, Warren and Colleagues Demand Investigation After Uncovering DOGE Employee Gained Access to Sensitive Education Department Data
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to “two of [Federal Student Aid] FSA’s internal systems: Financial Management System (FMS) and Partner Connect,” in addition to sensitive borrower data. … Continue Reading
June 09, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Help Introduce Bicameral Bill to Repeal the Gun Industry’s Legal Liability Shield
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During Gun Violence Awareness Month, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Dwight Evans (D-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) and more than 80 Members of Congress in introducing the bicameral Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation to ensure that … Continue Reading
June 06, 2025
Duckworth at Unite for Veterans Rally: “Veterans Keep This Nation Strong, and We Deserve Better than Trump”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today’s “Unite for Veterans” rally on the National Mall, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) delivered impassioned remarks slamming Donald Trump for using our nation’s heroes as political pawns, firing them by the thousands and making it harder for them to access the quality care and benefits they’ve earned. In her speech, the Senator drew from her personal experience serving in the military to call on her fellow Veterans to continue their lifelong … Continue Reading
June 05, 2025
Duckworth, Colleagues Demand Answers on Cost and Justification for Un-American Transgender Military Ban That Will Harm National Security
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—today led 22 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in urging Defense Secretary Hegseth to reverse course and not implement the Trump Administration’s un-American transgender military service ban that will unfairly attack honorable servicemembers for who they are, compromise good order and discipline and jeopardize our national security. In the Senators’ letter, the group demands answers from Defense Secretary Pete … Continue Reading
June 05, 2025
Duckworth, Blackburn, Cohen and Kustoff Introduce Legislation to Improve Roadways Around Airports
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) along with U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) and David Kustoff (R-TN-08) today introduced legislation to help improve ground transportation into and out of our nation's busy airports. The Don't Miss Your Flight Act would use existing federal funding to create an incentive for surface transportation projects at and within five miles of a public airport that improve access, reduce congestion or … Continue Reading