Press Releases
Duckworth, Blumenthal, Kelly, Hirono Call Out White House for Refusing to Hold Trump’s SignalGate Leakers Accountable for Putting American Servicemembers’ Lives at Risk
[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. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) and U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—along with SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) called out the White House for declaring SignalGate—the most devastating and significant national security breach in … Continue Reading
April 01, 2025
Duckworth Secures Commitment from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Nominee to Ensure Legally-Required Oversight and Accountability on Military Decisions in Wake of SignalGate
[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)—secured a commitment from President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lieutenant General Dan Caine, to ensure legally-required oversight and accountability of military decisions in light of SignalGate demonstrating Trump Administration officials’ deeply troubling pattern of using unclassified and unaccountable … Continue Reading
April 01, 2025
Duckworth, Jacobs Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Help Cover IVF Costs for Servicemembers and Military Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—and U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) introduced the IVF for Military Families Act, bicameral legislation that would require TRICARE coverage of fertility services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), for servicemembers and their families. The bill introduction comes after Congressional Republicans—in secret … Continue Reading
March 31, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Increase Youth Employment Opportunities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) reintroduced two bills to expand and increase access to employment opportunities for underserved youth. The Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity (HERO) for Youth Act and the Assisting in Developing (AID) Youth Employment Act will increase federal resources for communities seeking to create or grow employment programs and provide tax … Continue Reading
March 30, 2025
Duckworth, Budzinski Meet with Local Veterans and Metro East VSO Leaders to Discuss Trump’s Ongoing Attacks on the Veteran Community
[BELLEVILLE, IL] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services (SASC)—and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13)—a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs—today met with leaders and members from local Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) in Metro East, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion. During their meeting, Duckworth and Budzinski discussed how the Trump … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Statement on Andrew Boutros Being Named Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on Andrew Boutros being named the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois: “The White House has assured our offices that there will be no nomination for the permanent role of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois until the White House Counsel’s Office has … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Duckworth Expresses Sympathy for Myanmar, Thailand and Southeast Asia in the Wake of Catastrophic Deadly Earthquake
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—issued the following statement expressing her sympathy for the people of Myanmar, Thailand and across the region after a powerful earthquake killed and injured hundreds of people, with many more missing and casualty tolls likely to rise: “Absolutely heartbroken watching the footage of the violent earthquake in Myanmar—a catastrophe of epic proportions. As brave first … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Booker to Introduce Honor Farmer Contracts Act
[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 U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce the Honor Farmer Contracts Act, legislation to release illegally withheld funding for all contracts and agreements previously entered into by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). President Trump’s USDA has refused to make reimbursement payments to fulfill … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Shaheen in Push to Overturn Citizens United Ruling
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and 37 Democratic and Independent Senators to reintroduce a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, which removed campaign finance restrictions and opened the door for foreign and domestic entities to spend unlimited money to influence elections. … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025
Duckworth Secures Commitments from FAA Acting Administrator to Address Number of Air Traffic Controllers Awaiting Medical Clearances to Return to Work in Chicago and Nationwide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today’s committee hearing on the horrific DCA aircraft collision, 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—secured a commitment from Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Chris Rocheleau to report back to her on how many certified air traffic controllers around the country are waiting for medical clearances to … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025
Duckworth, Colleagues Demand Senate Hearings on Trump Administration’s Reckless Mishandling of Classified Military Operations That Put Our Troops at Greater Risk
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, 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)—joined fellow SASC and SFRC member Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and 14 other Senate colleagues in calling on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), SASC and SFRC to hold hearings to investigate why members of President Trump’s national security team were recklessly discussing classified … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025
Duckworth Reiterates Urgent Need to Grow Aviation Workforce and Invest in Safety Technology to Safeguard Flying Public at Committee Hearing on Deadly DCA Midair Collision
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In her opening remarks at today’s committee hearing on the horrific DCA aircraft collision, 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—reiterated the long-pressing, ever-growing need to expand our air traffic controller workforce and invest in more safety technology in order to safeguard passengers, crew and our entire aviation system. For … Continue Reading
March 26, 2025
Duckworth, Shaheen, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Place a WWII Women’s Memorial on National Mall
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—alongside U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to place a memorial honoring women’s contributions to World War II on the National Mall. The legislation builds on Senator Duckworth’s 2023 law that authorized the establishment of a WWII … Continue Reading
March 26, 2025
Duckworth: Pete Hegseth Needs to Resign in Disgrace
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, 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 confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent classified war plans in a Signal group chat with other Trump Administration officials, putting the lives of our men and women in uniform at greater risk and undermining the effectiveness of the … Continue Reading
March 26, 2025
On Equal Pay Day, Duckworth, Durbin Join Senate Democrats in Reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act to Help End Wage Discrimination, Close Gender Pay Gap
[WASHINGTON, DC] - On Equal Pay Day yesterday, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) along with the entire Senate Democratic caucus in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation to combat pay discrimination and help close the gender pay gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act of 1963, ending the practice of pay secrecy and strengthening available remedies to help ensure wronged employees can … Continue Reading
March 22, 2025
Duckworth Visits Quad Cities International Airport, Underscores How Trump’s Illegal Funding Freeze Hurts Local Infrastructure and Jobs
[MOLINE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—today met with Quad Cities International Airport Director Benjamin Leischner and airport leadership to hear concerns about the impacts of Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staff cuts. Duckworth also discussed the over $2.7 million in federal funding she secured last year through … Continue Reading
March 22, 2025
Duckworth Visits Parr Instruments to Discuss Economic Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs on Illinois Manufacturing
[MOLINE, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST)—visited Parr Instrument Company yesterday to tour the facility and discuss with company leaders and members of the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) how Trump’s tariffs threaten Illinois’s manufacturing industry. For over 125 years, Parr Instrument Company has designed and built high precision laboratory equipment. However, because of President … Continue Reading
March 21, 2025
Duckworth, Warren Demand Answers from Hegseth on Reports of Musk’s Planned Top-Secret Briefing on U.S. War Plans for China
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—joined U.S. Senator and fellow SASC colleague Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in demanding clarity from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on meetings held by Elon Musk at the Pentagon today. In a letter, the Senators requested several answers to questions about whether Elon Musk received a “top-secret briefing on U.S. war plans for China” that media reports … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Duckworth Bashes Donald Trump’s Executive Order Aimed at Dismantling Education Department at the Expense of Children and Middle-Class Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to shut down the U.S. Department of Education, jeopardizing federal resources and support that millions of teachers and children in our education system depend on: “With this reckless executive order, Donald Trump is turning his back on tens of millions of students and … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Duckworth, Fellow Senate Democratic Veterans Call on Trump and Hegseth to Immediately Restore DoD Webpages Honoring American Military Heroes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—led fellow U.S. Senators and Veterans Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the Ranking Member of SVAC, Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in demanding that President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth immediately restore dozens of webpages that the Administration recently purged from U.S. Department of … Continue Reading