Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Blast Trump Administration's Attacks on Head Start, Demand RFK JR. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in sending a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling out the Trump administration’s direct attacks on Head Start, reminding him of his legal obligation to administer the program and demanding the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) … Continue Reading
April 28, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Push Trump Administration to Reconsider Student Visa Revocations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with 35 Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. The Senators began by urging … Continue Reading
April 28, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Condemn Trump and DOGE for Gutting AmeriCorps
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chris Coons (D-DE), along with 146 fellow Congressional colleagues, called out President Donald Trump for targeting AmeriCorps and NCC AmeriCorps members, demanding he reverse cuts to the program made last week by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Trump Administration placed a majority of AmeriCorps employees on leave last week as part of DOGE’s broader spending cuts. Programs such as AmeriCorps … Continue Reading
April 23, 2025
Duckworth Joins Schatz, Murray, Colleagues in Condemning Labor Department’s Cancellation of Funding to Address Child Labor, Human Trafficking Worldwide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA) and 10 Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning the Trump Administration’s cuts to federal funding that for decades helped address child labor, forced labor and human trafficking globally. “These cuts are inconsistent with bipartisan laws passed by Congress providing federal funds to combat child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, and enforce labor standards in over 40 … Continue Reading
April 23, 2025
Duckworth on Durbin Retirement: The Senate is Losing a Giant
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Durbin has served in Congress since 1983 and in the Senate since 1997, becoming one of the most impactful and effective leaders Illinois has sent to Congress in modern history. “The first time I met Dick Durbin was just 12 weeks after my shootdown—at a point so early in my recovery that I could barely sit up for any … Continue Reading
April 22, 2025
Duckworth, Markey, Baldwin Introduce Resolution to Designate April as Earth Month
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus—along with U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Earth Month resolution to recognize the importance of environmental stewardship and climate action. “Donald Trump’s decision to gut EPA and shutter environmental justice offices across the country threatens the Earth we all call home and endangers our public health—it’s the opposite … Continue Reading
April 22, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Senators Demand President Trump Rescind Harmful Claims That He Will Transfer Incarcerated U.S. Citizens to a Foreign Prison
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 24 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump calling for him to immediately rescind the dangerous and offensive claim that he may transfer incarcerated U.S. citizens to El Salvador. In the letter, the Senators also urge the President to follow the law and adhere to all applicable court orders and immediately facilitate the return to the United States of Kilmar … Continue Reading
April 22, 2025
Duckworth, Larsen and Cohen Urge FAA to Address Safety Issues at DCA in the Wake of Recent Deadly and Near-Miss Accidents
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation Ranking Member—with House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) and House Subcommittee on Aviation Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) today wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau with their concerns regarding the safety of aircraft operations in and around Washington National Airport (DCA) in … Continue Reading
April 22, 2025
Duckworth Leads Colleagues in Condemning Trump and Hegseth’s Trans Military Service Ban
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) Committees—led 13 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning President Trump’s un-American, unconstitutional transgender military service ban for being a blatant violation of our brave servicemembers’ civil rights and weakening our national security. The lawmakers demanded answers from Secretary of Defense Pete … Continue Reading
April 21, 2025
Duckworth Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement honoring the passing of Pope Francis: “Pope Francis was a pillar of the Catholic Church, a beacon of hope, compassion and light in times of fear, hatred and darkness. Throughout his life, he taught us that in order to be great, we have to be good. He urged each of us to care for the poor, feed the hungry, be humble stewards of the Earth and treat others how we would want to be treated ourselves—even … Continue Reading
April 20, 2025
Duckworth: Our Troops’ Lives Are Endangered Every Day Pete Hegseth Remains in His Job
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—issued the following statement after new reporting revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leaked highly-sensitive attack details in yet another unclassified Signal chat, this time to his wife and brother, putting the lives of our men and women in uniform at greater risk: “How many times does Pete … Continue Reading
April 15, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Senate Democrats to Warn Americans About Republicans Cutting SNAP Benefits to Give Tax Breaks to Billionaires
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, joined Senate Democrats, led by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), in sending an open letter to the American public warning that congressional Republicans are trying to cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. After promising to lower … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Duckworth, Murkowski, Houlahan, Bacon Renew Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Give Public Health Crisis Responders Essential Leave Benefits Enjoyed by All Other Uniformed Services
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would help expand leave benefits for the millions of devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps. Despite being responsible for leading our … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Duckworth Joins Cramer, Klobuchar, Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Make Adoption Tax Credit Refundable
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 15 Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to help ease the financial cost of adoption and support prospective and adoptive families. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act restores the refundable portion of the Adoption Tax Credit. By allowing the tax credit to be refundable, families will be able to access the full amount as a refund, even … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Introduction of Legislation to Increase Value of Tax Credits that Help Working Class Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined their Senate colleagues to introduce two bills, the American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act, aimed at expanding tax credits for American families. “When Democrats expanded the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, we lifted millions of children out of poverty with the stroke of a pen, bringing child poverty rates to the lowest recorded levels in our … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
As Trump’s Trade War Bludgeons US Economy, Duckworth, Durbin, Democratic Senators Slam Administration for Defunding Network of Centers That Boost American Manufacturing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 11 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter to Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, demanding answers regarding the Administration’s decision to cancel funding for 10 National Institute of Standards and Technology Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers across the country. The action … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Lead Illinois Democratic Delegation in Message to Secretary Kennedy: The Dismantling of HS Does Nothing to 'Make America Healthy Again'
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois Democratic Delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing frustration and concern that HHS has slashed critical federal funding for the state’s public health programs and infrastructure. “We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Duckworth Pushes for More Cooperation with Indo-Pacific Partners on Medical Readiness and Strategic Sealift to Support Servicemembers Abroad
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—urged Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Admiral Samuel J. Paparo Jr. and Commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) General Brunson to build on their efforts to expand cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners by further implementing her Indo-Pacific Medical Readiness Program and strengthening our sealift fleet, which … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Duckworth, Klobuchar, Capito, Colleagues Press FAA on Recent System Outages
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), along with U.S. Representatives Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), in pressing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau on the recent Notice to Airmen … Continue Reading
April 10, 2025
Duckworth Meets with Quad City Chamber and Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development to Discuss Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on Local Workers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with members of the Quad City Chamber and the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development (KCAP) to discuss the harmful impacts Trump’s chaotic trade and other actions are having on the local economy and workers—including the whiplash surrounding his sweeping tariffs, illegal pauses in federal funding and needless trade wars. Duckworth also spoke about how Trump’s blanket tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China negatively … Continue Reading