Press Releases
Duckworth Statement on Completion of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
[HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, issued the following statement today after the last U.S. troops departed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan: "My heartfelt appreciation and thoughts are with the families of the American servicemembers killed in the line of duty during last week's terrorist attack in Kabul, with those … Continue Reading
August 25, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $2.75 Million for Renewable Energy in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a total of $2,754,789 today in federal funding to three companies for the creation of infrastructure that will help increase the availability of higher-blend renewable fuels in Illinois. These investments come through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. "Increasing access to biofuels strengthens Illinois --and our nation-by diversifying our fuel sources, … Continue Reading
August 24, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2.5 Million for Illinois Airports
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $2,563,000 in federal funding to the Illinois Department of Transportation. This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investment is funded through President Biden's American Rescue Plan and will provide some economic relief for costs associated with operations, staffing, cleaning, sanitization and combating the spread of COVID-19 at Illinois airports. "Making sure airports across Illinois continue to … Continue Reading
August 24, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $300 Million for Chicago Airports
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a total of $316,367,687 in federal funding to the City of Chicago for O'Hare International and Midway International airports. These Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investments are funded through President Biden's American Rescue Plan and will provide some economic relief for costs associated with operations, staffing, cleaning, sanitization and combating the spread of COVID-19 at O'Hare and … Continue Reading
August 24, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin and Bustos Announce Nearly $5 Million for Greater Rockford Airport Authority
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today announced $4,944,122 in federal funding to the Greater Rockford Airport Authority. This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investment is funded through President Biden's American Rescue Plan and will provide some economic relief for costs associated with operations, staffing, cleaning, sanitization and combating the spread of COVID-19 at Chicago Rockford … Continue Reading
August 24, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $7.6 Million for Central Illinois Airports
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a total of $7,659,968 in federal funding to three Central Illinois airports. These Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investments are funded through President Biden's American Rescue Plan and will provide some economic relief for costs associated with operations, staffing, cleaning, sanitization and combating the spread of COVID-19 at airports in Peoria, Savoy and Springfield. "Making sure airports … Continue Reading
August 23, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Lead Illinois Delegation in Urging SBA To Grant Economic Injury Disaster Declaration For Ford County
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting that Ford County be granted an Economic Injury Disaster Declaration following severe flooding earlier this month. The letter comes in support of Governor J.B. Pritzker's request after his office determined that the severity of flood damage was beyond the … Continue Reading
August 23, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2.3 Million for MidAmerica Airport
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $2,337,313 in federal funding to St. Clair County's MidAmerica Airport. This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investment is funded through President Biden's American Rescue Plan and will provide some economic relief for costs associated with operations, staffing, cleaning, sanitization and combating the spread of COVID-19 at Scott Air Force Base/MidAmerica Airport. "MidAmerica … Continue Reading
August 20, 2021
Duckworth Reacts to Rahm Emanuel’s Nomination to be U.S. Ambassador to Japan
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after President Biden nominated former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to be U.S. Ambassador to Japan: "Rahm Emanuel spent his life in public service, and I think his years of experience make him well suited to represent the United States of America in this important role. I look forward to his confirmation and his efforts to continue strengthening our longstanding relationship with the Japanese … Continue Reading
August 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bipartisan Effort Urging Biden Administration to Immediately Evacuate SIV Applicants & Fully Implement Their SIV Legislation
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and 51 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter urging the Biden Administration to address the quickly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan that threatens the lives of tens of thousands of Afghan partners. In the letter, the Senators call for the urgent evacuation of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) … Continue Reading
August 18, 2021
Duckworth, Carper, Booker, Applaud EPA Ban on Harmful Pesticide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), founders and co-chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today issued the following statement on a new rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banning most uses of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide used on certain food crops and non-agricultural sites that has been linked to neurological damage and other adverse health impacts. "We commend EPA for prioritizing the health of … Continue Reading
August 18, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Statement on EPA Order Addressing Cahokia Heights Sewage Crisis
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an administrative order mandating that, among other requirements, the city of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, submit plans to control sewer overflows in the area: "This administrative order from EPA is necessary to finally put a plan in place to help end the nightmare that the people of Cahokia Heights face every day. No human … Continue Reading
August 18, 2021
In Springfield, Duckworth, Durbin and Ossoff Highlight Wins from Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) yesterday highlighted the impact the Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) would have in Illinois and across the country by creating jobs, expanding access to clean drinking water and wastewater systems, improving our roads and bridges, improving broadband coverage for students and working families and more. The Senators were also joined by Springfield-area infrastructure … Continue Reading
August 17, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Menendez, Shaheen, Senate Colleagues in Bipartisan Letter Urging Biden Admin to Protect Afghan Women Leaders in Wake of Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and 42 of their Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle in urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to take swift, robust action to protect and support Afghan women leaders facing unparalleled … Continue Reading
August 17, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos, Pritzker & Mayor Ali Tour 182nd Airlift Wing, Secure Commitment from Air Force Chief of Staff to Safeguard Wing’s Mission and C-130 Aircraft
[PEORIA, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Peoria Mayor Rita Ali on a visit to the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria to meet with officials and discuss the provision she secured in the committee-passed Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to establish a minimum total aircraft inventory of 292 C-130s. … Continue Reading
August 17, 2021
Duckworth and Durbin Call on the White House to Prioritize the Safe Return of Illinoisan Kidnapped in Afghanistan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, wrote to President Biden today to request that the National Security Council (NSC) immediately convene an interagency meeting of the Principals Committee to develop a course of action to secure the release of their constituent, Mark Frerichs, a … Continue Reading
August 16, 2021
Duckworth Statement on Afghanistan
[HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, issued the following statement today: "The images we've seen of Afghanistan falling to the Taliban are tragic and incredibly difficult to watch, especially for the countless American servicemembers and military families who sacrificed greatly in that nation. "Right now, my attention is focused on the evacuation, which … Continue Reading
August 14, 2021
Duckworth Meets with Veteran Advocates to Discuss Military Hunger in Chicagoland
[NORTH CHICAGO, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with officials from Midwest Veterans Closet, a veterans donation site and support organization, as well as Illinois hunger advocates and military families in North Chicago to tour the organization's new location and discuss strategies to address hunger among military families. Last month, a modified version of Duckworth's Military Hunger Prevention Act was successfully included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 … Continue Reading
August 14, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Importance of American Rescue Plan and Infrastructure Funding for Local Governments with Lake County Mayors
[NORTH CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Lake County municipal leaders to discuss how federal funding in President Biden's American Rescue Plan (ARP) can help municipal governments recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and build back an economy that works for everyone. The group also discussed the Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the impact infrastructure funding will have in Northern Illinois. In total, Illinois will … Continue Reading
August 12, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $200,000 for Clay County Hospital
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a $191,052 federal grant to the City of Flora from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. This funding will help Clay County Hospital retain operating room jobs and purchase imaging technology and a laparoscopic camera system for the operating room. "Federal investments like this help rural communities like … Continue Reading
