Press Releases
Duckworth Effort to Create Nonpartisan, Independent Afghanistan War Commission Gains Bipartisan Support in the Senate
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is Chair of the SASC Airland Subcommittee, today announced that U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) will cosponsor her Afghanistan War Commission Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Duckworth's now-bipartisan legislation would establish a nonpartisan, independent commission to examine every aspect of the … Continue Reading
November 03, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill To Designate New Philadelphia, Illinois A National Historical Park
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) this week introduced legislation that would designate the original town of New Philadelphia, Illinois, as a National Historical Park. New Philadelphia, now incorporated into Barry, Illinois, in Pike County, was the first town platted and legally registered by an African American, Frank McWorter. "Honoring the legacy of New Philadelphia and celebrating the history of Black Americans is … Continue Reading
November 03, 2021
Duckworth Joins Ossoff and Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Make Energy Efficient Technology More Affordable for Working Families, Lower Energy Bills
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and 12 of their colleagues to introduce the Clean Energy for All Homes Act to help make it more affordable for working families to install energy efficient home technology and save money on their energy bills. The bill would help middle-class and lower-income families afford solar roof and other renewable energy technology installations by reducing the cost burden of installing these … Continue Reading
November 01, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Statement On Appointment Of Erika Rae Allen To Serve On Farm Service Agency State Committee In Illinois
[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 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would appoint Erika Rae Allen, of Chicago, Illinois, to serve on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee in Illinois. The FSA state committee is comprised of up to five individuals with backgrounds in agriculture … Continue Reading
November 01, 2021
Duckworth Meets with EPA Region 5 Director to Discuss Environmental Priorities in Illinois
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works' (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Director Debra Shore Friday to discuss her environmental priorities throughout the state as well as the Senator's efforts to ensure environmental justice priorities are included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and Build Back Better budget to help ensure impacted … Continue Reading
November 01, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Environmental Justice Priorities with Southeast Environmental Task Force
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founder and co-chair of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus and Chair of the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife joined Chicagoland area environmental justice advocates in a video call Friday to discuss the Senator's environmental justice efforts, including her leadership in ensuring the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and Build Back Better budget include significant federal resources to … Continue Reading
October 29, 2021
Duckworth Statement on Chicago-Rockford International Airport Road Construction Pause
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released a statement following the Greater Rockford Airport Authority announcing a pause of planned construction until spring 2022 at Chicago-Rockford International Airport (RFD) amid concerns of disruption to the environment surrounding RFD: "I'm glad to see that the Chicago-Rockford International Airport temporarily paused its proposed expansion project to create the necessary space to facilitate additional stakeholder discussions. I … Continue Reading
October 29, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Workforce Development with Evanston Township High School Officials
[EVANSTON, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Evanston Township High School (ETHS) leadership and participated in a roundtable to discuss workforce development, alternatives to college and life after high school. Duckworth and the school officials were joined by community college representatives, Evanston city leaders, community partners and local employers. Photos from today's roundtable are available here. "Our nation's high school students should have as many options … Continue Reading
October 28, 2021
Duckworth Files NDAA Amendment to Support U.S. Manufacturing Workers & Strengthen Supply Chain by Enhancing Buy America Provisions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to enhance Buy American requirements, invest in American manufacturing and strengthen the U.S. supply chain. The Senate is expected to take up floor consideration of the FY 22 NDAA in the coming weeks. "When taxpayer dollars are at stake, we should do everything in our power to ensure we are leveraging them to support American workers, … Continue Reading
October 27, 2021
Duckworth Highlights Need for Nonpartisan Afghanistan War Commission During Foreign Policy’s “Her Power” Digital Summit
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is Chair of the SASC Airland Subcommittee, participated in Foreign Policy's "Her Power" Digital Summit to highlight the need for her bill, the Afghanistan War Commission Act of 2021, to establish a nonpartisan, independent commission to examine every aspect of the 20-year war in Afghanistan and report out actionable recommendations … Continue Reading
October 27, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Statement on Nomination of Gregory Harris to Be Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the White House's nomination of Gregory Harris to be U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois. "With more than 25 years of experience working in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District, Greg Harris will be ready to hit the ground running on day one. He is exceptionally … Continue Reading
October 26, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $3 Million in Telehealth Funding for Illinois Healthcare Providers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that seven Illinois healthcare providers have been awarded a total of $2,977,794 in federal funding to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. These investments were awarded through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program. "Expanding the reach of Illinois's healthcare network is critical to extending reliable and accessible care to more … Continue Reading
October 26, 2021
Duckworth Secures Additional Support for a Nonpartisan Afghanistan War Commission During SASC Hearing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) secured support from Colin Kahl, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, and Lieutenant General James Mingus, Director for Operations, J3 Joint Staff, for her Afghanistan War Commission Act, a bill that calls for the creation of a comprehensive, nonpartisan commission to examine our nation's 20 years of involvement in Afghanistan. During her remarks, … Continue Reading
October 26, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $5.2 Million for Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works' (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $5,228,000 in federal loans and grants to help rural communities modernize drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The funding was awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program to five Illinois … Continue Reading
October 22, 2021
Duckworth, Ernst Lead Colleagues in Urging President to Honor Trailblazing Brigadier General Vaught with Medal of Freedom
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), along with U.S. Senator Joni K. Ernst (R-IA), a retired lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, led 18 of their female Senate colleagues today in sending a bipartisan letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to honor Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, a retired Veteran of the U.S. Air … Continue Reading
October 21, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Gillibrand and Colleagues in Calling on Congressional Leadership and Biden Administration to Prioritize Comprehensive National Paid Leave Program in Build Back Better Package
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in sending a letter to President Biden, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) to reinforce the critical need for the inclusion of a federal paid family and medical leave program in Build Back Better legislation currently being negotiated in Congress. "We urge you to include a national … Continue Reading
October 21, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Gillibrand and Colleagues in Calling on Congressional Leadership and Biden Administration to Prioritize Comprehensive National Paid Leave Program in Build Back Better Package
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in sending a letter to President Biden, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) to reinforce the critical need for the inclusion of a federal paid family and medical leave program in Build Back Better legislation currently being negotiated in Congress. "We urge you to include a national … Continue Reading
October 21, 2021
Duckworth Re-introduces Bill to Increase Investments in Liver Cancer Research & Raise Awareness
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today re-introduced legislation to increase federal support for liver cancer research and help make life-saving preventive and treatment services more accessible to people all across the country. The Liver Illness Visibility, Education and Research (LIVER) Act would boost funding for liver cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $45 million and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by $90 million … Continue Reading
October 20, 2021
After Sugar Camp Mine Fire, Duckworth Stresses Importance of Regulating Toxic “Forever Chemicals” to Keep Communities Safe
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founder and co-chair of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus and Chair of the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife today highlighted how President Biden's Build Back Better Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which includes Duckworth's bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA) and billions in water infrastructure funding that Duckworth helped secure, … Continue Reading
October 20, 2021
Duckworth Statement in Response to Republicans Blocking the Freedom to Vote Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked the Freedom to Vote Act from moving forward: "Let's be clear: voting rights are under threat in states across our nation because Republicans would rather tie themselves to the Big Lie than work together to protect and expand the right of every American to vote. "The Freedom to Vote Act was an opportunity to give every American the confidence that they could cast their … Continue Reading
