Press Releases
Duckworth Demands Sec. Collins Protect Veterans & Veteran Care by Blocking ICE From Stealing VA Resources as It Invades American Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is demanding that U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins block his agency’s plans to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use part of Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Chicago’s property as the agency carries out Trump’s extreme immigration plans, which would jeopardize our Veterans’ access to the timely, high-quality care they earned through their service. In her letter to … Continue Reading
September 17, 2025
Duckworth, SASC Democrats Call on Chairman Wicker to Hold a Hearing on Trump’s Military Deployments to American Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—led all of her fellow SASC Democratic colleagues in urging Committee Chairman Wicker to hold a hearing with Department of Defense (DoD) leadership in order to evaluate Donald Trump’s ongoing military deployments to American cities and his efforts to redirect DoD resources away from core military missions to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and … Continue Reading
September 15, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Van Hollen, Booker, Blumenthal Slam Epa Administrator for Proposal to Push Back Deadline to Monitor Toxic Coal Ash Sites
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin calling on the agency to preserve existing regulations covering the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR), more commonly known as “coal ash,” and further urged the agency to abandon its proposal to extend the deadline for CCR … Continue Reading
September 12, 2025
Duckworth Tours Rivian, Reiterates Support for Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and the Local Jobs it Supports
[NORMAL, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with leaders from the electric automaker Rivian and toured the company’s Central Illinois manufacturing plant. Duckworth and Rivian leaders, along with local officials, discussed their shared and continuing support for manufacturing growth, local workforce development and job growth for the region. Photos from today’s visit are available on the Senator’s website. “Thanks to investments from companies like Rivian, Central Illinois … Continue Reading
September 12, 2025
In Urbana, Duckworth Highlights Biotech Industry’s Role in National Security
[URBANA, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with members of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, officials from the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub, biotech company representatives and local leaders today to highlight the importance of the biotechnology industry’s role in our national security. Duckworth was a strong advocate for iFAB’s designation by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as a Tech Hub. Photos from … Continue Reading
September 12, 2025
Duckworth, Budzinski Host Metro East Water Infrastructure Community Day
[EAST ST. LOUIS] - US. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), today hosted a Community Day for Metro East residents to learn more about the latest updates on flood mitigation and water infrastructure improvements throughout Cahokia Heights, East St. Louis and the region. Duckworth and Budzinski met with residents, shared their efforts at the federal level to bring funding and oversight to water … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Duckworth Meets with U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Nominee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—yesterday met with Sean O’Neill, the nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, ahead of his committee vote. The two discussed how, if confirmed, they can work together to continue to strengthen the U.S.-Thailand alliance and further enhance economic ties between Illinois and Thailand. “I’m pleased to see an experienced, career State Department diplomat be nominated to serve … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Schneider Press Trump Administration for Answers, Written Confirmation on Use of Naval Station Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today are expressing their opposition to the Administration’s use of Naval Station Great Lakes (NSGL) for support to federal law enforcement operations in Illinois and demanding written confirmation of how the installation is being used. In a letter sent to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Amid Trump’s Efforts to Slash Critical Agriculture Support Programs, Duckworth Discusses Priorities with Illinois Agriculture Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with leaders from the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), Illinois Pork Producers and Illinois Farmers Union this week to discuss the support needed for our state’s agriculture industry and our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and protecting and improving farm safety net programs as our American farmers are being … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
As Trump Administration Continues “Operation Midway Blitz,” Duckworth, Durbin and Schneider Meet with Navy Secretary About Naval Station Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today met with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan to discuss the limited logistical support provided by Naval Station Great Lakes (NSGL) to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials as they ramp up increased immigration enforcement operations across the Chicago area during “Operation Midway Blitz.” At DHS’s request, NSGL has … Continue Reading
September 11, 2025
Duckworth Calls Out Trump’s Dangerous and Unconstitutional Abuse of the Military to Police American Cities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — After Donald Trump effectively declared war against the city of Chicago, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—called out this dangerous, wasteful and unconstitutional abuse of the military against American cities. During Duckworth’s questioning at General Christopher J. Mahoney’s confirmation hearing to serve as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mahoney agreed that it wasn’t … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Duckworth Joins Schiff, Padilla, Durbin in Amicus Brief Fighting Trump Abuse of Military Deployments
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 15 of her colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the lawsuit brought against President Trump for his misuse of the U.S. military earlier this year. The lawsuit came from the State of California after Trump deployed thousands of members of the California National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Duckworth, Casten Reignite Push to Help Education Support Professionals Access FMLA Benefits
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today reintroduced legislation to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to cover 2.7 million education support professionals (ESPs) who are currently blocked from accessing FMLA benefits. The FMLA guarantees a segment of the workforce the ability to take unpaid leave to care for their newborns and sick loved ones without fear of losing their jobs. However, as a result of their … Continue Reading
September 09, 2025
Duckworth Joins Welch, Colleagues in Reintroducing Bill to Bolster SNAP Benefits for Student Loan Borrowers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and colleagues in reintroducing the Student Loan Deduction Act, legislation to allow households utilizing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to deduct monthly payments made on federal and private student loans from their income when calculating eligibility for the food assistance program. “As Trump and Republicans gut food assistance and other basic needs programs and make sure even … Continue Reading
September 08, 2025
Duckworth Statement on Federal Law Enforcement Mobilization to Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security launching “Operation Midway Blitz” in Illinois. “Donald Trump’s mass mobilization of federal enforcement to Chicago is wasteful, ineffective, inhumane and makes Illinoisans less safe. “Deploying massive federal law enforcement resources to hunt down non-violent individuals for civil immigration violations doesn’t do a single thing to make our … Continue Reading
September 06, 2025
Amid Trump’s Threats of Military Deployment, Duckworth Meets with Illinois Latino Leaders
[BERWYN, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with leaders from the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, including State Senator Celina Villanueva (IL-SD-12), State Representative Norma Hernandez (IL-HD-77) and 14th Ward Alderwoman Jeylú Gutierrez to discuss Donald Trump’s recent ICE raids across the country, his threatened ICE and military deployments in Chicago and how his threats are harming immigrant communities—impacting everything from economic stability to education and … Continue Reading
September 06, 2025
Duckworth Hosts Town Hall in Rockford
[ROCKFORD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a town hall meeting in Rockford to answer constituents’ questions and hear their concerns directly. During today’s town hall meeting, constituents asked her about the profound negative impacts that Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” will have on Illinoisans caused by the draconian cuts to basic needs services and programs middle class families rely on that Trump and Republicans included in the law to fund a massive tax cut for … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin & Schneider Visit Naval Station Great Lakes, Locked Out By DHS
[NORTH CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) to visit Naval Station Great Lakes amid President Trump’s plans to support U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and his threats to deploy the military to Chicago. “The DHS officials Trump sent to Naval Station Great Lakes didn’t just refuse to meet with us today, they actually locked their doors and fled the base. I’m … Continue Reading
September 05, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Announce NDAA Amendments to Increase Oversight as President Trump Threatens to Deploy Military, ICE to Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced seven amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 to push back against the Trump Administration’s threats to deploy the military to cities across the country, … Continue Reading
September 04, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Urge Bondi, Noem, Hegseth, Patel to Provide Immediate Information About President Trump’s Imminent Military Deployment and Increased Federal Law Enforcement Presence in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Attorney General Bondi, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem, Department of Defense Secretary Hegseth and FBI Director Patel requesting immediate information regarding President Trump’s imminent actions to send the military and increase federal law enforcement presence in Chicago. The Senators wrote, “We strongly object to … Continue Reading