Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $117 Million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Improve Metra’s UP-North Line
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the federal government is awarding a $117 million grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) they supported to Metra for improvements to the Union Pacific-North line. This funding is expected to be used to replace four miles of track structure, nearly two miles of retaining walls and 11 bridges that will each have a walkway as well as outside beams to reduce damage from potential … Continue Reading
January 03, 2023
Duckworth Sworn Into Second Term as U.S. Senator
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today was sworn into her second term as United States Senator by Vice President Kamala Harris, accompanied by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). Video from today's swearing in is available here, and photos from the reenactment ceremony are available here. "It has been a true honor to serve the great state of Illinois for the past six years, and I look forward to building upon this work in my second term," Duckworth said. "Over the next … Continue Reading
January 03, 2023
Congress Passes Duckworth, Durbin Bill To Create National Heritage Area In Chicago's Bronzeville Community
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that at the conclusion of the 117th Congress, Congress passed their legislation to create a National Park Service (NPS) National Heritage Area in the greater Bronzeville community of Chicago. The Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Act will create a National Heritage Area from 18th Street to the North, 71st Street to the South, Lake Michigan to the East, … Continue Reading
December 23, 2022
Duckworth’s First Term in the Senate: Getting Things Done for Working Illinoisans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released her first Term in Review, highlighting her work and accomplishments for the people of Illinois throughout the past six years. The new report outlines Duckworth's efforts to champion and pass legislation to help working families get ahead and keep more of their hard-earned money, protect our communities from crime and gun violence, defend women's rights, create good-paying jobs across the state, help bring environmental … Continue Reading
December 22, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Secure $182 Millions for Illinois Projects FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured more than $182 million through Congressionally-directed spending for Illinois projects in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Omnibus Appropriations Act. The bill passed the Senate and now heads to the House of Representatives. "Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families-and that's what this … Continue Reading
December 22, 2022
Duckworth-Portman’s Bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Passes House and Senate, Awaiting President Biden’s Signature
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH) to strengthen the nation's criminal justice system has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by voice vote today after passing the Senate yesterday by unanimous consent. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, as amended, will help families keep in touch with their incarcerated family members, which studies have shown can help reduce recidivism rates … Continue Reading
December 22, 2022
Key Duckworth Priorities Included in Senate-passed Omnibus Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With the Senate voting 68-29 to pass the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Omnibus Appropriations Act today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) highlighted several key priorities she championed that are now set to become law if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bipartisan agreement also included the Electoral Count Act, which will help secure and protect the integrity of our elections and make it harder to steal a presidential election-something that … Continue Reading
December 22, 2022
Duckworth-Portman’s Bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Passes House and Senate, Awaiting President Biden’s Signature
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH) to strengthen the nation's criminal justice system has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by voice vote today after passing the Senate yesterday by unanimous consent. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, as amended, will help families keep in touch with their incarcerated family members, which studies have shown can help reduce recidivism rates … Continue Reading
December 20, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Join White House and Treasury Department to Announce $253 Million in Funding for Broadband Infrastructure In Illinois
[WASHINGTON D.C.]-Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined the White House and the U.S. Department of the Treasury to announce the approval of broadband projects in Illinois under the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects Fund, which aims to make affordable and reliable high-speed internet accessible to all Americans. Illinois will receive $253.7 million for broadband infrastructure, which is estimated to connect 87,163 households and … Continue Reading
December 20, 2022
Duckworth’s ASAP Act Paves Way for Illinoisans with Disabilities to Better Access Public Transit, Funding Announcement Applauded by Illinois Congressional Delegation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-2), Marie Newman (D-IL-3), Jesús "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL-4), Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), Sean Casten (D-IL-6), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-7) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) announced that several Illinois communities will soon benefit from significant transit support, specifically to eliminate barriers to public transit for Illinoisans with disabilities, thanks to Duckworth's … Continue Reading
December 20, 2022
Duckworth Pleads with Republican Colleagues on Senate Floor: Help Me Defend the Right to Build a Family Through IVF, Other Assisted Reproductive Technology
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With Roe v. Wade thrown out by the Supreme Court and some states across the country looking to limit our most basic rights, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) went to the Senate floor tonight and called on her Republican colleagues to help pass her Right to Build Families Act through unanimous consent to protect every American's right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) that millions of Americans need to have children, … Continue Reading
December 19, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Federal Support for Water Infrastructure Repairs in Southern Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced that the Greenwood Creek Nation Water Company in Mulkeytown, Illinois, will receive support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help the company make necessary, emergency repairs to damaged waterlines and valves. "Every Illinoisan-no matter what part of the state they live-has the right to safe and clean drinking water," said Duckworth. "I'm glad that the Greenwood Creek … Continue Reading
December 17, 2022
Duckworth Visits Dion’s Chicago Dream and Discusses Hunger Prevention and Access to Fresh Food
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited Dion's Chicago Dream on the city's southwest side to underscore her commitment to addressing the food access gap for many of Illinois's working families. During the site visit, Duckworth and CEO Dion Dawson discussed the organization's efforts to improve lives by providing fresh, healthy food to Chicagoans who reside in food deserts, and how federal resources can help ensure they can continue that work. Duckworth also met and … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Duckworth Secures Key Environmental Justice Provisions in 2022 Water Resources Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - The U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which includes several provisions authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife as well as founding Co-Chair of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus-aimed at bringing environmental justice to marginalized communities by supporting projects in economically … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Tout Illinois Wins Secured in Water Resources Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife as well as founding Co-Chair of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus-and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted several critical provisions they successfully included in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 which passed the Senate last night. These provisions will help bring … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Amid Holiday Travel Season, Duckworth Highlights New Legislation to Ensure Real-Life Conditions Like Seat Size are Considered in Aircraft Emergency Evacuation Standards
[CHICAGO, IL] - As the holiday travel season continues and millions of Americans are set to board crowded flights in the next few weeks, today U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) highlighted her new legislation to prioritize passenger safety. At O'Hare International Airport, Duckworth spoke on the importance of her recently introduced Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act, which would ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) do more to prioritize passenger safety by … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Duckworth Tours Mother’s Milk Bank Site, Announces New Legislation to Expand Access to Donor Milk Nationwide
[ELMHURST, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) visited Mother's Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes today to announce her new legislation to increase federal support for and expand access to donated breast milk for parents and their medically-vulnerable infants at nonprofit milk banks nationwide. The Access to Donor Milk Act would allow state agencies to use the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) funding to promote the benefits and need for … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Duckworth, Author of the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act, Visits Newly Installed Lactation Pod at O’Hare
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today at O'Hare International Airport, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) visited one of the facility's vacant newly-installed and ADA-accessible lactation pods that help make expressing breastmilk and pumping less complicated for traveling nursing parents. During her visit to the Mamava-developed pod that helps the travel hub comply with her Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Act, Duckworth highlighted the impact of her FAM Act, as well as her commitment to continue making … Continue Reading
December 16, 2022
Duckworth Applauds New National Security Strategy and Investments by Japan, Ushering in New Era of Alliance
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Japan announced its new National Security Strategy that will double the country's defense budget over the next five years: "As Japan takes decisive action towards a more assertive approach to national security, I'm pleased that today's announcement will help usher in a new phase of the U.S.-Japan alliance. With the new National Security Strategy and the increase in Japan's defense spending, our … Continue Reading
December 15, 2022
Duckworth Provisions to Support Troops, Improve Military Readiness, Reduce Reliance on Foreign Oil Pass Senate as Part of NDAA
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is chair of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Subcommittee on Airland, highlighted several key priorities she authored and successfully included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 83-11 today. The FY2023 NDAA authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), sets … Continue Reading
