Press Releases
Duckworth Honors Dr. King’s Legacy at City Year Chicago Day of Service, DuSable Black History Museum
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day today by joining local leaders and speaking about the value of service at Parkside Elementary School on Chicago's southside, as part of City Year Chicago's annual MLK Day of Service. The Senator, who has made community service a hallmark of her public life and has consistently volunteered to help improve her community, supported City Year and community volunteers working to help improve Parkside. … Continue Reading
January 13, 2023
Duckworth Joins Markey, Blumenthal & Colleagues in Demanding Answers from Southwest Airlines for Holiday Meltdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and other colleagues in demanding answers from Southwest Airlines CEO Robert E. Jordan for its mass flight cancellations in the final week of December. As the Senators explained in their letter, Southwest cancelled more than 7,500 flights between December 27 and 29-in the wake of winter storm Elliott-even as all other major airlines cancelled 1,077 flights combined … Continue Reading
January 13, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce New Federal Support for More Than 80 Arts Programs Throughout Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced federal support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for over eighty arts programs across Illinois. "Arts like theater, music and design are some of the building blocks of a community's culture," said Duckworth. "I'm glad this federal support will help allow arts programs across Illinois to continue fostering, sharing and promoting connection and creativity in … Continue Reading
January 13, 2023
Duckworth Joins Gillibrand, Colleagues in Push to Include 12 Weeks of National Paid Family and Medical Leave in President Biden’s Budget
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and a coalition of 14 Senators to call on the Biden Administration to remain firm in its commitment to paid leave by advancing a national paid family and medical leave program in the FY2024 budget. In the letter, the Senators call for a guarantee of up to 12 weeks of paid parental, family caregiving and personal medical leave to all working people in the United States. "We thank President … Continue Reading
January 12, 2023
Duckworth, FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel & Grandson of Martha Wright-Reed Tout Senator’s New Law to Help Working Families Keep In Touch with Incarcerated Loved Ones
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week hosted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Ulandis Forte for a discussion of how her bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act will help working families keep in touch with incarcerated loved ones and save taxpayer dollars by helping reduce recidivism. Just one week after Duckworth's bill to strengthen the nation's criminal justice system was signed into law by … Continue Reading
January 12, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin statement on U.S. Attorney John Lausch’s Decision to Step Down
[CHICAGO, IL]-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 after it was announced that United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch will leave the Justice Department early this year: "We thank U.S. Attorney Lausch for serving the Northern District of Illinois with professionalism and without partisanship for the last five years. Although Mr. … Continue Reading
January 11, 2023
Duckworth Responds to FAA System Outage Affecting Millions of Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement after today's FAA system outage that cancelled and delayed thousands of flights: "I'm troubled by the situation, and while I appreciate that the FAA worked quickly to try to minimize the disruption to commercial air travel and get planes back in the air, we need to understand what happened today so we can prevent it from ever happening … Continue Reading
January 10, 2023
Duckworth Joins Congressman Bowman, Senator Warren in Urging President Biden to Help Keep Renters Housed
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Amid historically high housing costs, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16) this week to send a bicameral letter urging President Biden to pursue all possible strategies to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the real estate sector as well as ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter. "We are writing … Continue Reading
January 06, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Federal Support for Water Infrastructure Improvements in Communities Across Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]-U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), author of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA) that was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is helping improve water infrastructure across the country and delivering clean, safe water to Americans, and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced federal support from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program for water infrastructure … Continue Reading
January 06, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud President Biden’s Appointments to Serve on Route 66 Centennial Commission
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statements after President Biden announced his intent to appoint 12 individuals to serve as members on the Route 66 Centennial Commission-a commission that was created through legislation championed by Senators Duckworth and Durbin to ensure this iconic American highway-which begins in Chicago, Illinois, and ends in Santa Monica, California-is fittingly recognized for its impact on our … Continue Reading
January 05, 2023
Duckworth’s Bill to Help Connect Incarcerated Americans with Their Families Signed into Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Legislation introduced and championed by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to strengthen the nation's criminal justice system was signed into law today by President Biden. 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 and thereby save taxpayer dollars. Two weeks ago, the legislation passed the U.S. House of … Continue Reading
January 04, 2023
Bipartisan Duckworth Bill to Establish Memorial Commemorating Efforts of Women On The Home Front During WWII Signed Into Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) that would establish a new memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor the contributions of the estimated 18 million women who helped keep our nation's economy and society running during World War II by working as pilots, engineers, taxi drivers, letter carriers, code breakers and more was recently signed into law by President Biden. The legislation was co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate by … Continue Reading
January 04, 2023
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