Press Releases
Duckworth Statement on Speaker Pelosi’s Decision to Not Seek Re-Election to Leadership
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served two terms in the House of Representatives, issued the following statement after Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her decision to step down from leadership of the House Democratic Caucus: "I thank Speaker Pelosi for her decades of leadership. She's broken glass ceilings and been a true role model for generations of women-including myself. It was an honor to work alongside her for four years in the House. Our party-and our … Continue Reading
November 17, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin statement on judiciary committee advancing nomination of David Davis to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois
[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 after the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of David C. Davis to serve as United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois. Based on recommendations made by the screening committee the Senators established in the Southern District, Duckworth and Durbin forwarded the names of … Continue Reading
November 16, 2022
Duckworth, Houlahan, Speier Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging DoD to Follow Congressional Intent and Provide Equal Access to Parental Leave
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), alongside U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06) and Jackie Speier (D-CA-14), led a bipartisan and bicameral letter urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide military moms with convalescent leave separately and apart from their guaranteed 12 weeks of parental leave, as Congress intended. Duckworth served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is chair of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) … Continue Reading
November 16, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Join Merkley in Introducing Legislation To Protect Consumers From Predatory Payday Lending Practices
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]- U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), in introducing the Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act. The SAFE Lending Act will protect consumers from deceptive and predatory practices that strip wealth from working families by cracking down on some of the worst abuses stemming from … Continue Reading
November 15, 2022
Duckworth Reaction to Reports of Russian Missiles Killing Two in Poland
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served 23 years in the Reserve Forces, issued the following statement after news broke that Russian missiles killed at least two people in Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): "If confirmed, reports that Russian missiles hit Poland and killed at least 2 people are extremely troubling. My heart goes out to the victims, their … Continue Reading
November 14, 2022
Duckworth Condemns Iranian Government Response to Peaceful Protests
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - 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, released a statement after news outlets reported that thousands of Iranian protesters could be put to death. Protesters have taken to the streets for weeks following the horrific, unjustified killing of Mahsa Amini in September. "The United States continues to stand behind the people of Iran-especially … Continue Reading
November 11, 2022
Duckworth: Veterans Deserve More Than Just an Ovation on Veterans Day
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - To celebrate Veterans Day, 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, released the following statement in honor of our nation's heroes, which can be viewed on video here. "Veterans Day is a day of celebration-it's a moment to recognize and honor the service of all of those who put on the uniform and sacrificed to keep our … Continue Reading
November 03, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $208 Million in Federal Funding to Help Illinoisans Heat Their Homes This Winter
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $208,170,481 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help Illinoisans pay the rising cost of home heating bills this winter. For more than 40 years, LIHEAP has provided assistance to help low-income individuals and families maintain healthy indoor temperatures during the coldest … Continue Reading
November 01, 2022
New Report from Duckworth, Warren, Hirono, Smith: Healthcare Providers Speak Out on Devastating Harm and Mortal Threats to Women Posed by State Abortion Bans
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Tina Smith (D-MN) in releasing a new report: Post-Roe Abortion Bans Threaten Women's Lives: Healthcare Providers Speak Out on the Devastating Harm Posed by Abortion Bans and Restrictions. The 23-page report-based on information provided by leading healthcare providers-reveals the devastating consequences of state abortion bans and restrictions enacted by right-wing … Continue Reading
October 28, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $36 Million in Federal Funding to Bring High-Speed Internet Access to Communities Across Rural Illinois
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $36,103,607 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to bring high-speed internet access to people living and working across 13 counties in Illinois. Today's investments include funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which provided a historic $65 billion to expand reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to all … Continue Reading
October 27, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $8 Million in Federal Funding for Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project will receive $8,000,000 in federal funding through the Department of Transportation's Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which is administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration. With this funding, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District Project will install new rail tracks to create yard near an existing port … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Duckworth, Ryan Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Ensure National Guard and Reserve Incentive Pay Parity
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), combat Veteran and member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, and Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, are leading a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin calling for the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement a Duckworth-authored provision from last year's National Defense Authorization Act that was signed into law to help make sure each … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Lead Colleagues in Call to EPA to Strengthen the Lead and Copper Rule to Replace Harmful Lead Pipes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with 13 of their Senate colleagues, wrote to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of steps they have taken to develop and implement the Biden Administration's historic Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan. In light of EPA's decision to draft Lead and … Continue Reading
October 25, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $1.48 Million for Nursing Education Programs in Illinois
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $1,483,510 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants for Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and Loyola University in Chicago. The HHS funding was awarded through the Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program and the Registered Nurse Training Program. The Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program supports partnerships … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Duckworth Applauds DoD for Upholding Servicemembers’ Right to Bodily Autonomy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, 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, issued the following statement after the Department of Defense released new reproductive healthcare guidance that states the DoD will provide leave and travel expenses for servicemembers seeking abortions: "The DoD's new policies send a clear message: the last thing servicemembers should be … Continue Reading
October 21, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley, Casten, Schakowsky Call On USPS Board of Governors to Protect Postal Workers After Inaction From Postmaster General DeJoy
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), Sean Casten (D-IL-6) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors to express their concern over the inadequate response to the rise in violent crime against mail carriers. The letter comes after the lawmakers received an apathetic response to a Durbin-led letter in July that called on Postmaster General … Continue Reading
October 18, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud the Biden Administration for Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following July’s Severe Flash Floods
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker's request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods from July 25-28. In August, Durbin and Duckworth led the entire Illinois Congressional delegation in sending a letter to … Continue Reading
October 14, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $12.5 Million in DOJ Awards for Illinois to Advance Community Policing
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $12,533,250 in funding from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to hire 85 new full-time law enforcement professionals, including 50 in Chicago. This funding is part of a nationwide announcement of more than $139 million in COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grants to 180 … Continue Reading
October 13, 2022
Duckworth, Van Hollen Meet Ukrainian Soldier Receiving Treatment at Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics in Silver Spring
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) met this week with Ukrainian Soldier Oleksandr Chaika, who is receiving care at Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics (MCOP) in Silver Spring, Maryland. Duckworth and Van Hollen toured MCOP, met with Oleksandr and highlighted the continued need for U.S. support for the people of Ukraine. Photos from the meeting are available here. Oleksandr, a Ukrainian athlete, choreographer, … Continue Reading
October 12, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2.25 Billion in Federal Formula Funding for Illinois Infrastructure
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $2,250,129,111 in federal formula funding awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration for Fiscal Year 2023. This funding is part of the more than $17 billion in federal formula funds that Illinois will receive from the significant increase in federal infrastructure funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. "From dropping kids … Continue Reading