Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce New Bill to Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a group of 13 Senators to introduce the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019, new legislation that would overhaul the flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will … Continue Reading
April 15, 2019
Duckworth Helps Re-Introduce Legislation to Make Tax Preparation and Filing Simpler, More Affordable
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 9 of their colleagues in introducing a bill to make the tax filing process easier and less costly for millions of American taxpayers. The Tax Filing Simplification Act would return free-filing by directing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to develop a free, online tax preparation and filing service that does not require the sharing of private information with third parties. The … Continue Reading
April 12, 2019
Duckworth, Blackburn Resolution Recognizing Importance of Vaccines Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) yesterday introduced and passed the bipartisan, bicameral Vaccines Save Lives Resolution, recognizing the importance of vaccines and immunizations in the United States. The resolution sends a message of unequivocal Congressional support for vaccines and urges parents, in consultation with their health care provider, to follow scientific evidence and the consensus of medical experts in favor of timely … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Duckworth, Kildee, Peters & Speier Introduce Legislation to Protect Military Families from Lead Exposure
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), along with Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), today introduced legislation to protect military families from the threat of lead poisoning in their homes and schools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead exposure for people of any age. Lead exposure can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Duckworth Presses Shanahan, Military Leaders on Space Force Challenges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing, U.S. Senator and Combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and other military leaders on past space acquisition challenges and their plans to address these challenges in future reorganization efforts. Video of Duckworth's questions at the hearing is available upon request. "Space acquisition is an area where the Air Force has had … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Duckworth Meets with Illinoisans Impacted by Gun Violence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met today with Illinoisans suffering from our nation's gun violence epidemic to discuss the need to pass legislation that would address the epidemic and save lives, including the Background Check Expansion Act. The advocates are affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization of Americans working to reduce gun violence. Photos from today's meeting are available here. "I was honored to meet with these Illinoisans whose loved … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Democrats Unveil Legislation to Cut Taxes for Workers & Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Ahead of tax day and the IRS Commissioner's annual appearance before the Senate and House today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) helped lead Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to lead 44 Senators - including Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) - in introducing the Working Families Tax Relief Act. At a time when wages are stagnant and the cost of childcare has exploded, the Working Families Tax Relief Act would cut taxes for workers and … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $1 Million to Help Eliminate Housing Discrimination in Chicagoland Area
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $1,099,629.66 in federal funding to help eliminate housing discrimination in Chicago and assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). "Families searching for a new place to live should not have to worry about being denied access … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $250,000 for Minority Business Development in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $250,000 in federal funding to help provide technical assistance and business development services to minority-owned businesses through Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). "If we want to create new economic opportunities for working families, we need to make it easier for minority … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues to Push for Repeal of Muslim Travel Ban, Prevent Future Discriminatory Bans
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) today to introduce bicameral legislation to repeal President Donald Trump's existing executive order blocking travel from majority Muslim countries and prevent another baseless, discriminatory travel ban from happening again. The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act repeals the three versions of President Trump's … Continue Reading
April 09, 2019
At Water Policy Conference, Duckworth Calls Attention to Environmental, Health and Justice Crises
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) delivered remarks at the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies' 2019 Water Policy Conference, detailing the importance of ensuring every American has access to affordable clean water. Duckworth went on to outline her agenda for water policies in the 116th Congress, stressing the need to view access to clean water as not just an environmental or health priority, but as a matter of justice, fairness and equality, too. "Every … Continue Reading
April 09, 2019
Duckworth, Senators Ask Pentagon if Trump’s Border Deployment Threatens Military Readiness
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with fellow Senate Armed Services Committee members Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), expressed concern this week that the Trump Administration's wasteful deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to the southern border is harming military readiness. In a letter, the Senators asked Acting Defense Secretary Patrick … Continue Reading
April 09, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Help Re-Introduce Bill Allowing Workers to Receive Paid Sick Days
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 30 of their Senate colleagues in re-introducing the Healthy Families Act, which would ensure workers are able to earn paid sick leave so they can stay home when they are ill, care for a sick family member, obtain preventive medical care or seek assistance related to domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault. "No one should have to choose between caring for a sick child … Continue Reading
April 09, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $6 Million in Grants to Central Illinois Head Start Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $6,387,010 in federal funding to help children from low-income families in Central Illinois access Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The Embarras River Basin Agency, Inc., will receive $3,742,811 for its Cumberland County Head Start programs and Champaign County will receive $2,644,199 to expand its Early Head Start programs. These programs focus on education, nutrition, socio-emotional … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Duckworth Hosts College Affordability and Accessibility Roundtable with Northeastern Illinois Community Colleges
[ELGIN, IL] - With the Senate expected to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA) later this year, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted more than a dozen Northeastern Illinois community college leaders at Elgin Community College (ECC) today in a roundtable discussion about their federal priorities and her work to make higher education more accessible. During the roundtable, Duckworth highlighted two pieces of legislation she wrote, the Community College to Career (CC2C) Fund Act and … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Duckworth Hosts Roundtable with First Responders on Survivor Benefits
[ST. CHARLES, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with first responders from Kane, DuPage and McHenry counties to discuss the importance of expanding survivor benefits for those injured or killed in the line of duty and their families. Duckworth was joined by McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, Kane County Undersheriff Pat Gengler and Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police representative Steven Stelter, Westchester Chief of Police. Since … Continue Reading
April 05, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $6.5 Million for Rockford Head Start Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $6,541,926 in federal funding to help children from low-income families to access Head Start and Early Head Start programs through the City of Rockford. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, technical assistance, strategic partnerships and more in order to help … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
Newly Declassified Report Documents TSA's Failure to Address Security Risks
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Representative Elijah E. Cummings in releasing a newly declassified report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) that examined covert testing used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to identify aviation security vulnerabilities. Duckworth issued the following statement on the report: "Every day, millions of Americans rely on TSA to … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
One Year After Trump Administration Deported Illinois Veteran, Duckworth Re-introduces Comprehensive Bill Package to Protect Veterans and Servicemembers from Unfair Treatment
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - One year after the deportation of Afghanistan War Veteran Miguel Perez, Jr., combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today re-introduced several bills to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers-men and women who have proven they are willing lay down their lives defending America. Duckworth's proposals-the Veterans Visa and Protection Act, HOPE Act and I-VETS Act- are co-sponsored by several of her House and Senate colleagues and would prohibit the … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
Duckworth Announces Legislation to Help Small Businesses Get Financing They Need to Succeed
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced the introduction of new legislation to help small business owners secure the financing they need to grow their businesses and create good-paying jobs in their communities. Speaking at a Senate Small Business Committee hearing, Duckworth touted The Microloan Program Expansion Act of 2019, which would improve the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Microloan Program to help more small businesses - particularly women, Veterans, … Continue Reading
