Press Releases
Duckworth Celebrates Juneteenth at Chicago Demonstration, Calls for Racial Justice
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Pastor Chris Harris of Bright Star Church and Bright Star Community Outreach for a faith-led peaceful demonstration to commemorate Juneteenth and to call for racial equality for Black Americans. Juneteenth celebrates the day enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation two years after the abolition of slavery. Photos from today's demonstration are available here. In honor of Juneteenth, Duckworth … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Duckworth Demands Additional Materials Related to Low-Flying Military Helicopters over Peaceful Protesters from Esper
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) wrote a follow-up letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper requesting a briefing on the findings of a preliminary investigation into the use of low-flying military aircraft over peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. On June 4, Duckworth sent letters requesting investigations by and information from both the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal Aviation Administration … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Duckworth Demands Answers from EPA on Rollback of Pollution Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, wrote to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler this week about the agency's non-enforcement policy that encourages companies to operate without regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could severely impact environmental justice communities. This letter is a follow up to Duckworth's questioning of Wheeler during a U.S. Senate Environment and … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Duckworth, Blackburn Call on Department of Agriculture to Help Servicemembers and Military Families Struggling with Hunger
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) take swift action to cease considering monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) as earned income when determining a military household's eligibility for USDA nutrition programs. This action would be consistent with how BAH is treated by other federal … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Duckworth Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Uphold DACA
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:“Today’s decision reaffirms the truth that Donald Trump and his Administration have tried to deny for years: Dreamers belong in America. Despite relentless efforts to undercut this truth, today’s ruling from the Supreme Court has brought long-awaited certainty for the … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act, landmark legislation to preserve and protect our country's public lands. The bipartisan legislation provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks and other land management agencies. Durbin and Duckworth are … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth Pushes FAA Administrator about the Dangers of Low-Flying Military Helicopters over Peaceful Civilian Protestors, Demands Answers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a U.S. Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee hearing this morning, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pushed Stephen Dickson, Administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about the dangers of low-flying military aircrafts over large gatherings of peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C., following Donald Trump’s threats of military action against those protesting the killing of George Floyd. … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Give Americans the Freedom to Purchase Health Insurance During COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bill to provide uninsured Americans in Illinois and throughout the country the freedom to purchase health insurance coverage through the federal health insurance marketplace exchange by establishing a one-time special enrollment period (SEP) beginning on July 1, 2020 and ending on October 1, 2020. This one-time three-month SEP would also streamline the process for newly unemployed Americans to bypass … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Join Protect Our Care to Raise Alarm over Glaring Racial Disparities in Trump Administration’s Handling of COVID-19 Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today joined founder and chair of Protect Our Care Leslie Dach on a press call to discuss the disproportionate effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Black Illinoisans and how the Trump Administration's failure to adequately respond to the crisis has contributed to this disparity. "The awful truth is that in Illinois, COVID-19 isn't yesterday's … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly, Foster Discuss COVID-19 Response with Illinois Hospitals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today, on a call with more than 20 CEOs of Illinois hospitals and leaders of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association, discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. The group discussed how to increase federal support to hospitals through CARES Act funding formulas … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Discuss Support for Nonprofits with Cardinal Cupich and Catholic Charities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Cardinal Blase Cupich and Sally Blount, the incoming CEO of Catholic Charities Chicago, about meeting the needs of vulnerable populations amid the public health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofits like Catholic Charities are experiencing a huge loss in revenue and resources being stretched more than ever. Duckworth and Durbin discussed their support for additional … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Hirono, Senate Democrats in Calling for DOJ Inspector General Investigation into Attorney General Barr’s Conduct in Suppressing Peaceful Protests
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and 18 Senate Democrats in requesting that Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz open an investigation into the conduct of Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice in directing the use of force against peaceful protestors around Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020. The Senators also called on the Inspector General to probe the deployment of … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Army Secretary about Low-Flying Military Helicopters over Crowds during Peaceful Protests, Reiterates Need for Army to Remove Confederate Battle Flag
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after speaking with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy about the use of low-flying military helicopters over peaceful civilian protestors in Washington, D.C. Earlier this month, Duckworth sent letters demanding investigations by and information from both the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Duckworth Statement on Trump’s Executive Order on Police Reform
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump announced a police reform Executive Order: "Trump's Executive Order falls far short of what we actually need right now, which is systemic change and accountability throughout our law enforcement agencies. In his desperate attempt to seem tuned in to the needs of Americans-the majority of which support the peaceful protests for racial equality and justice-he put forward a proposal that … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2 Million in Telehealth Funding for Illinois Health Care Providers
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that seven Illinois health care providers have been awarded a total of $2,077,152 in federal funding to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program, was appropriated by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. "Expanding the reach … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Duckworth Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Dramatically Expand National Service in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and 11 of her Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to expand national service programs significantly to help the country respond to and recover from the public health, economic and social crises facing the nation in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act would double the … Continue Reading
June 16, 2020
Duckworth Announces Class of 2024 Service Academy Appointments
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the appointments of 14 Illinois students she nominated to attend a United States Military Service Academy. Each year Duckworth, along with a nomination committee, selects from hundreds of Illinois high school applicants a group of outstanding students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy or the Merchant Marine Academy. "It takes a special … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Booker, Lee to Re-Introduce Bicameral Bill to Remove Confederate Statues from Capitol
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) to re-introduce a bicameral bill in the Senate and House to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. The Confederate Monument Removal Act would remove all statues of people who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Duckworth Applauds Supreme Court Decision that Protects LGBTQ Employees
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that LGBTQ workers are protected by the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits sex discrimination in employment: "No one should ever face discrimination because of who they are or who they love. By ruling that LGBTQ+ Americans have equal protections in the workplace and cannot be discriminated against because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Duckworth and Durbin Join Peters, McSally, Colleagues in Bipartisan Push to Increase Funding for Programs Protecting Pets & Survivors of Domestic Violence in Next COVID-19 Relief Bill
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Martha McSally (R-AZ) and 28 of their Senate colleagues in calling for increased funding for programs that support domestic violence survivors and their pets that were established under the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act. In their bipartisan letter to Senate leaders and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations, the Senators highlighted how reports of … Continue Reading
