Press Releases
Duckworth Urges Veterans to Apply for New PACT Act Benefits Before VA Open Enrollment Deadline
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Ahead of the September 30 deadline, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is urging all post-9/11 Veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service to apply for free healthcare and benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)’s one-year special open enrollment period. These new, expanded benefits for post-9/11 Veterans discharged more than 10 years ago were established under the PACT Act. A video of Senator Duckworth urging … Continue Reading
September 26, 2023
Duckworth Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Landmark Rehabilitation Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) celebrated the 50th anniversary the landmark Rehabilitation Act, which prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in federally-funded programs decades before the Americans with Disabilities Act was enshrined into law: “On the long, winding path to full accessibility and inclusion in America, the landmark Rehabilitation Act cannot be overstated. Not only did it first chip away at the barrier of exclusion by finally … Continue Reading
September 26, 2023
Duckworth Announces $139 Million For Cleaner Water In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will receive an additional $139,698,000 in grant funding to help get lead and other contaminants out of our state’s drinking water and to substantially boost the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), thanks to her Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), which she authored and was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Illinois leads … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth Statement After Meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate’s Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees—issued the following statement after she and her Senate colleagues met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hear about Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia’s outrageous and unprovoked invasion: “One thing remains clear: Ukraine has to win this war and Russia has to lose it. It was important to get President Zelensky’s … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth Statement on UAW Workers’ Strike
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after United Auto Workers (UAW) announced their strike against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford: “For years, auto executive wages have skyrocketed while raking in billions in corporate profits, but the workers on the assembly line actually creating those profits have been asked to sacrifice their own pay while seeing their plants shuttered and communities devastated. United Auto Workers is fighting for a … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $5 Million To Support Dislocated Workers
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $5,000,000 for the Illinois Department of Commerce through the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training Dislocated Worker Grant Program to support unemployed and underemployed people access, return to or advance in high-quality jobs in infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy and other critical and growing … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Wyden, 28 Senate Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Recognize September As National Voting Rights Month
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 28 Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution recognizing September as “National Voting Rights Month.” Along with Wyden, U.S. Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) led the bicameral effort. “Voting is a fundamental pillar of our democracy, and our democracy is stronger when every voice is heard,” said Duckworth. … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth Highlights Her Efforts to Bring Investments, Jobs to Illinois at City Club
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, today discussed her successful efforts on the international stage to strengthen economic ties between Illinois and the Indo-Pacific and bring major investments to our state during a fireside chat hosted by City Club Chicago. Duckworth has led a series of Congressional Delegation trips to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and more to highlight the … Continue Reading
September 22, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $2.3 Million To Support Hispanic-Serving Institutions
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $2,388,667 for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) through the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities and support for Hispanic students. “Illinois’s future becomes brighter when all communities can access opportunities for higher education,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud to help … Continue Reading
September 21, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Bill to Establish Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument to Be Considered by Full Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) celebrated the progress of their Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument Act after the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today favorably reported the bill out of committee. This bill now can be considered by the full Senate, bringing this legislation closer to becoming law and preserving this critically important moment in American history as a national … Continue Reading
September 21, 2023
Duckworth, Cramer Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Families Experiencing Diaper Need
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for low-income families to afford the diapers they need. The End Diaper Need Act of 2023 would help assist low-income families to address diaper need by providing targeted funding for states, territories and other eligible entities working on this issue. This effort comes after Duckworth and Cramer successfully secured $20 million in the final fiscal … Continue Reading
September 21, 2023
Duckworth Meets with FAA Administrator Nominee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—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—met virtually with Federal Aviation Administrator nominee Michael Whitaker to discuss many critical issues facing our aviation industry. During their meeting, Duckworth reiterated her strong disapproval of efforts to weaken the 1,500-hour rule and jeopardize the safety of the … Continue Reading
September 20, 2023
Duckworth Awarded For Commitment to Advocating For Military Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) was honored by the National Military Family Association for her continued commitment to military families. Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, in her remarks emphasized that just as our servicemembers keep our country strong, their families do too. Photos from the event can be found here. “Let us never forget that every time servicemembers pack their rucksacks and lace up their … Continue Reading
September 20, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley Lead 29 Midwest Colleagues In Urging DOT To Support Chicago Hub Improvement Program For Chicago Union Station
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - 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 led 29 Midwest colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose expressing their support for Amtrak’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program application for the Chicago Hub Improvement Program … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth Statement on U.S. Steel’s Decision to Temporarily Idle Granite City Works
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement in response to U.S. Steel’s announcement to temporarily idle blast furnace ‘B’ at the Granite City Works Plant: “I am deeply disappointed by U.S. Steel’s awful decision to ‘temporarily’ idle blast furnace B at Granite City Works, and I am troubled by what seems like the company’s disingenuous reasoning for doing so. My thoughts go out to the working families impacted by this heartless … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth Meets with Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with over two dozen members of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association to discuss how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and other major federal legislation is helping bring a manufacturing boom to Illinois—creating good-paying local jobs, supercharging our science and tech sector and growing our economy. Duckworth also underscored her efforts to support our manufacturing … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $375,000 To Address Disparities In Chicago Communities Caused By Menthol And Tobacco Usage
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $375,000 for the City of Chicago through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Building Capacity to Reduce the Burden of Menthol and Other Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products in Communities that Experience Health Disparities Program.” This funding will help advance health equity through strategic partnerships and community engagement to address … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Reintroduce Bill to Establish Prairie Du Rocher French Colonial National Historic Park
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced their legislation to establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historic Park. This bill would recognize the cultural importance of the village, one of the oldest communities founded as a French settlement, as a nationally significant architectural village that embodies the cultural heritage of the United States. This National Historical Park would serve as … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth Meets with Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Nominee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—met with Derek Chollet, the nominee for Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, to discuss his nomination and their shared priorities for defense strategy at home and abroad. During their meeting, Duckworth highlighted her continued efforts to strengthen ties and reinforce our nation’s work in Southeast Asia—most recently through the recent … Continue Reading
September 19, 2023
Duckworth Calls Out Senator Tuberville’s Reckless, Political Military Hold, Urges Republican Colleagues to Publicly Condemn His Efforts
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—joined several of her Senate Democratic colleagues and military leaders in calling out U.S. Senator Tuberville’s (R-AL) reckless, political hold on more than 300 military promotions, which is hurting our military readiness and national security. In her remarks, Duckworth also urged her Republican colleagues to stop disagreeing with Senator Tuberville in secret, … Continue Reading