Press Releases
Duckworth Meets with Madison County Mass Transit Leadership
[PONTOON BEACH, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Madison County Mass Transit leadership to discuss how she and the officials can work together to ensure that the region can continue to deliver efficient, climate-friendly and ADA-accessible service to southern Illinoisans. During the meeting, Duckworth highlighted her work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help create good-paying local jobs, help municipalities purchase new buses and railcars, address repair … Continue Reading
March 17, 2023
In Belleville, Duckworth Celebrates Women in Law
[BELLEVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined the Federal Bar Association Southern District of Illinois Chapter for their Women in Law Symposium, where she participated in a moderated discussion with Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, the Honorable Nancy Rosenstengel. During the conversation, Duckworth emphasized how it better serves our nation to value women and underrepresented voices in the judiciary branch and every form and level … Continue Reading
March 17, 2023
Duckworth Welcomes Newly-Naturalized Citizens in Belleville
[BELLEVILLE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today welcomed 60 residents from 34 different countries for the first time as United States citizens in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois Naturalization Ceremony. In her remarks to the new Americans, Duckworth highlighted the importance of diversity in strengthening our nation and her love for our country. Photos from today's ceremony are available here. "For everyone here today, whether your journey started in … Continue Reading
March 17, 2023
Sen. Duckworth Statement in Support of Phil Washington’s Nomination to Lead FAA
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation and former combat pilot, released the following statement regarding her strong support for Phil Washington, President Biden's nominee for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator: "As Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, and as a former Blackhawk helicopter pilot who flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Duckworth Honors Disability Rights Hero Judy Heumann on Senate Floor
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) went to the Senate floor to honor the life and legacy of disability rights advocate and friend Judith Heumann. Senator Duckworth highlighted how Judy Heumann's unwavering leadership and advocacy for the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act transformed the lives of millions of Americans living with disabilities-including her own. Video of the Senator's remarks can be found here. Key quotes: She was … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Duckworth Chairs Commerce Committee Hearing on Strengthening the Aviation Workforce
[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 Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation-the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-chaired today's full committee hearing to examine the challenges facing the aviation workforce and identify solutions for improving the recruitment and retainment of workers in the aviation industry. … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Duckworth Discusses How Her Law Will Help Improve Chicago’s Drinking and Wastewater Infrastructure with Environmental Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), author of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act which was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is helping provide communities across the country with over $15 billion in resources to get the lead out of drinking water, met with Chicago environmental justice advocates to discuss water infrastructure in the city, specifically lead pipes. Duckworth and the group shared how historically, working Chicagoans … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Duckworth Joins Klobuchar, Braun in Reintroducing Bipartisan Legislation to Help Americans Save and Pay for Skills Training and Credentialing Programs
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) in reintroducing the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to allow Americans to use '529' education savings accounts for skills training, credentialing and certification programs. Current law only permits workers and families to use '529' accounts to pay for college, university and vocational school expenses. "The bipartisan Freedom to Invest … Continue Reading
March 16, 2023
Duckworth Joins Warren, King, Senate Colleagues to Urge IRS and Treasury to Use New IRS Funding to Protect Taxpayer Rights and Increase Tax Enforcement on High-Income Individuals and Large Corporations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Angus King (I-ME) and 19 other Senators in a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel and U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, expressing strong support for Secretary Yellen's directive to the IRS not to raise audit rates for small businesses or households making under $400,000 annually and that new enforcement funds provided in the Inflation Reduction … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Krishnamoorthi, Ramirez Statement on Surface Transportation Board’s Decision to Approve Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Merger
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) and Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Surface Transportation Board's (STB) decision to allow Canadian Pacific (CP) to acquire Kansas City Southern (KCS): "We are deeply disappointed that the Surface Transportation Board has sided with corporations over our constituents in the Chicago … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Meet with Bi-State Development President to Discuss Metrolink
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]- U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the CEO and President of Bi-State Development Taulby Roach to discuss MetroLink, the bistate transit system serving St. Louis and Metro East. During their meeting, the Senators heard from Mr. Roach about MetroLink's new safety plan and proposed expansion to the transit system. Mr. Roach spoke about federal support for MetroLink, noting Durbin's efforts to secure Federal … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Help Reintroduce Bipartisan Year-Round E15 Legislation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in reintroducing the bipartisan Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. This legislation would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10% - ending years of regulatory uncertainty and preventing a patchwork of uneven state regulations. Increasing the availability of biofuels like E15 would benefit the economy and the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
In Aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank Collapse, Duckworth, Durbin Join Warren, Porter, Dozens of Democratic Lawmakers in Introducing Bill to Repeal 2018 Roll Back of Critical Dodd-Frank Protections
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. Representative Katie Porter (D-CA-47) and dozens of Democrats in Congress to introduce the Secure Viable Banking Act, legislation that would repeal Title IV of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. "In 2018, I knew that decreasing oversight would … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
Duckworth Joins Kelly in Bipartisan Letter Asking Secretary Austin to Assess Factors Necessary to Send F-16s to Ukraine
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ted Budd (R-NC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in writing to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, asking him to quickly assess a range of factors necessary to successfully facilitate the transfer of F-16's to Ukraine. "After speaking with U.S., Ukrainian, and foreign leaders working to … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
Duckworth, Kaine, Markey Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Millions of Americans Living with Long COVID
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, on Long COVID Awareness Day, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) in reintroducing the bipartisan Comprehensive Access to Resources and Education (CARE) For Long COVID Act, legislation to help people living with long-term COVID-19 symptoms by improving research and providing resources for people with Long COVID. U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Jack Bergman (R-MI-01) are leading companion … Continue Reading
March 15, 2023
As 20th Anniversary of Iraq War Approaches, Duckworth Urges Senate to Prove It Still Stands Behinds Our Troops by Holding Public Vote on Decades-Old War Authorizations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Iraq war, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who is also a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations (SFRC) Committee, joined U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to call on her colleagues to help pass bipartisan legislation, led by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN), to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs), … Continue Reading
March 14, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Urge SBA to Evaluate Rule Allowing Fintech Companies to Participate In SBA’s 7(A) Loan Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-Following the Small Business Administration's (SBA) November 7, 2022, Proposed Rule on "Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) Moratorium Rescission and Removal of the Requirement for a Loan Authorization," U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) expressed concern that the proposed changes to SBA's 7(a) Loan Program may undermine the integrity of the program. The November 7th rule would lift the moratorium on licensing new SBLCs … Continue Reading
March 14, 2023
Duckworth Statement on President Biden’s Latest Actions to Address Gun Control
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement in response to President Biden's newly-announced plans to prevent and reduce gun violence, including cracking down on marketing weapons to children: "With these executive actions, President Biden is proving once again that we can do better, and I'm glad that he is moving the ball forward on universal background checks, improving enforcement of current law to reduce gun violence and taking action … Continue Reading
March 14, 2023
Duckworth Applauds EPA Action to Protect Communities from “Forever Chemicals” in Drinking Water
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) historic announcement today to address additional "forever chemicals" in Americans' drinking water: "I applaud the EPA for taking historic action to protect more communities from these six chemicals that we've known for years pose a dangerous risk to our public health and the environment. Every American deserves to know that the water they drink … Continue Reading
March 10, 2023
Duckworth Joins Budd, Kelly, Tillis to Introduce Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth joined U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to introduce the bipartisan Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act. The bill would instruct the U.S. Mint to develop a commemorative coin series honoring the critical role working dogs play in our society, while providing financial support to help raise and train service dogs for Veterans. "Working dogs provide pivotal assistance for so many people from servicemembers and … Continue Reading