Press Releases
Bipartisan Duckworth Bill to Help National Labs Find Qualified Employees Passes Senate Committee
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee unanimously today and will now be considered by the full Senate. With many employees of our National Laboratories and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) retiring age, the DOE National Labs Jobs ACCESS Act (Apprenticeships for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills) would establish … Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
Senate Committee Passes Bipartisan Duckworth Bill to Train Veterans for Careers in Innovative Sectors of the American Energy Industry
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee unanimously today and will now be considered by the full Senate. The Energy Jobs for our Heroes Act would help ease the transition back to civilian life for servicemembers and strengthen the economy by connecting employers in the fast-growing solar, wind, nuclear and … Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
Duckworth Leads Hearing, Advocates for Every American’s Access to Clean Water
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, as Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works' Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led a hearing about maintaining state's authority to protect their waterways. This is a key policy within the Clean Water Act, a landmark law that regulates the discharge of pollutants into the nation's waterways. Duckworth is Ranking Member of the subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the law. Video of Duckworth's … Continue Reading
November 15, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $60,000 to Improve Environmental Justice in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a founding member of the Senate's Environmental Justice Caucus and Dick Durbin (D-IL), today announced a total of $60,000 in federal funding to two organizations, Legal Aid Chicago and Legal Council for Health Justice, to help address environmental justice issues. Today's funding is part of more than $1.5 million being awarded to 50 different organizations working to address environmental injustice nationwide, half of which will use … Continue Reading
November 14, 2019
Republicans Block Bipartisan Duckworth Bill to Help Veterans Afford Health Care
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today went to the Senate floor to call on her colleagues to pass her bipartisan bill, the Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act, which would guarantee that Veterans enrolled in the VA system don't have to pay out-of-pocket costs for preventive medications. Currently, every other insured American, including Servicemembers enrolled in TRICARE, are guaranteed access to these preventive drugs without copayments. … Continue Reading
November 14, 2019
Duckworth, Collins Push for Federal Assistance for Communities Struggling With Stranded Nuclear Waste
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a bipartisan letter to leadership of both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees today urging them to prioritize federal assistance to communities who are struggling with nuclear waste. Because the federal government has been unable to find a permanent solution to store spent nuclear fuel, communities around the country with closed nuclear power plants have become unwilling interim storage … Continue Reading
November 13, 2019
Duckworth Secures Key Priorities in NASA Reauthorization Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation (CST), applauded the inclusion of several of her provisions that would help Illinois and the nation in the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2019. These provisions, which passed the CST Committee today and may now be considered by the full Senate, seek to address the legacy of trichloroethylene pollution, enhance scientific integrity at NASA, expand NASA's external … Continue Reading
November 12, 2019
15 Years After Being Shot Down, Duckworth Reflects On the Sacrifices our Troops Make and the True Meaning of National Strength
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On her 15th "Alive Day"- the day she was shot down over Iraq and could have died - combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) authored a column on the service of our troops, the future of our Armed Forces and what "national strength" truly means. In her column published on CNN, Duckworth explains how the actions of her brothers and sisters in arms on that day 15 years ago continue to motivate her as a United States Senator and details her vision for how we can … Continue Reading
November 11, 2019
Duckworth Spends Veterans Day with Deported Veterans in Mexico
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today visited Tijuana, Mexico, to honor the service of Veterans who have been deported and offer supportive services to them in their efforts to access the VA healthcare benefits they've earned and other casework issues. Duckworth also met with Consul General Sue Saarnio while in Tijuana to discuss what the State Department can do to help support these Veterans and … Continue Reading
November 07, 2019
With Veterans Day Approaching, Duckworth Introduces Suite of Bills to Improve VA Services
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced three bills addressing Veteran suicide, homelessness and access to healthcare. Duckworth's proposals-the Veteran Employment and Child Care Access Act, Access to Contraception Expansion for Veterans (ACE Veterans) Act and Post 9/11 Veteran Suicide Prevention Counseling Act-would increase access to child care services as well as contraceptives and help reduce Veteran suicide. The three bills are … Continue Reading
November 07, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Statement on EPA’s Ethylene Oxide Announcement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a memo on the status of updated rules limiting emissions of toxic ethylene oxide: "Ethylene oxide increases cancer risks in communities like Waukegan and Gurnee and others in Illinois and around the country. EPA's proposed amendments to the rule are deeply concerning. We are alarmed that the Agency is even … Continue Reading
November 06, 2019
Duckworth, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Military Families from Deportation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced legislation today to strengthen military readiness by safeguarding the Parole in Place (PIP) program, which allows undocumented family members-parents, children, spouses or widowers-of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans to lawfully remain in the United States in one-year increments. The Military Family Parole in Place Act would require the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to grant parole to parents, children, … Continue Reading
November 05, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Announce Multi-Year Extension For Quad Cities To Chicago Amtrak Rail Project Funding
WASHINGTON - Friday, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an extension for $177 million in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding for the Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline until December 31, 2024. In June, the members sent a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao that urged DOT to extend the deadline for Illinois to use the $177 million in FRA … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $500,000 in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources in Southern Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $589,517.12 in federal funding to communities in Southern Illinois through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations access to much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $1 Million in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources in Metro East
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $1,139,969.68 in federal funding to communities in the Metro East area through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations access to much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $800,000 in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources in Northwest Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $872,016.85 in federal funding to communities in Northwest Illinois through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations access to much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $11 Million in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources in Chicagoland
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $11,194,763.84 in federal funding to communities in the Chicagoland area through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations access to much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles … Continue Reading
October 31, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $3 Million in Federal Funding for Firefighter Resources in Central Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $3,219,693.36 in federal funding to communities in Central Illinois through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG program provides first-responder organizations access to much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and … Continue Reading
October 29, 2019
Duckworth, Risch Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Small Business Contracting Throughout the Federal Government
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jim Risch (R-ID) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) which exist within each federal agency to maximize contracting opportunities for small businesses. Since many federal agencies have failed to fully empower their OSDBUs and comply with the Small Business Act, the Small Business Contracting Accountability Act would require those … Continue Reading
October 29, 2019
Duckworth Meets with EPA Inspector General Nominee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who serves on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), today met with the Trump Administration's nominee to be the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Inspector General, Sean O'Donnell. Duckworth and O'Donnell discussed issues including allegations of political interference related to ethylene oxide inspections in Region 5 and claims that former-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt weakened public health … Continue Reading
