Press Releases
Duckworth Statement in Response to Guilty Verdict in Chauvin Case
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all counts in the death of George Floyd: "Last year, the world watched in horror as Derek Chauvin put his knee on George Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as he cried 'I can't breathe' and called out for his mother while the life drained from his body. George Floyd was murdered at the hands of a police officer who betrayed his oath to protect and … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Duckworth, Portman, Blumenthal Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Infants from Deadly “Crib Bumpers”
Since 1985, dozens of deaths and more than 100 serious injuries have been directly attributed to these dangerous products [WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation today with the support of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to protect infant lives by banning the sale of crib bumpers, which have been proven to pose an unnecessary, deadly risk to sleeping infants. The Safe Cribs Act would also make it unlawful … Continue Reading
April 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $42.5 Million to Support Head Start and Early Head Start in Chicago
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $42.5 million in federal grant funding to the City of Chicago for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families, will support comprehensive child development programs for low-income children from birth to age five. "Head Start and Early Head Start programs are critical for … Continue Reading
April 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Renew Push to Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines
[WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to reintroduce the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing a concerted effort to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. These high-capacity magazines are designed for shooting and killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Hosts Southern Illinois Roundtable on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a roundtable with officials from the Southern 7 Health Department and Southern Illinois's Community Health and Emergency Services. The group discussed efforts to address and mitigate hesitancy among those eligible for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, especially among at-risk and communities of color, as well as how resources from President Biden's recently-enacted American Rescue Plan will help with COVID-19 vaccine distribution and … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Discusses the American Jobs Plan and Transportation Infrastructure with Southwest Illinois Officials
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation (CST), today met virtually with southwest Illinois leaders. Duckworth discussed her transportation infrastructure priorities and the Southwest Illinois Connector Highway Project, a proposed four-lane rural expressway connecting Southern Illinois to the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, as well as President Biden's American Jobs Plan proposal, which includes a $456 … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Her Bipartisan Drinking Water Infrastructure Bill with Cook County Water Policy Leaders
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife today met virtually with local environmental leaders to discuss her recently-introduced Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA 2021). The bipartisan legislation authorizes more than $35 billion for water resource development projects across the country, which is of vital importance in Illinois, the state with the … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Hosts Roundtable in Support of the AAPI Community with AAPI & Black Faith Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a roundtable in support of the AAPI community with AAPI and Black faith leaders. The roundtable, which was livestreamed on the Senator's Facebook page, came after a year of spiking hate crimes and discrimination towards the Asian-American community, as well as continued police violence and systemic racism endured by Black Americans. "I'd love to be able to say that anti-Asian bigotry isn't American-or isn't normal-but the reality … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Help Re-introduce Bill to Make Medicare Available to Everyone
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and seven of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Choose Medicare Act, legislation that would give every individual who is not already eligible for Medicaid or Medicare the opportunity to enroll in Medicare as an individual and give every employer the ability to purchase Medicare for their employees. "All Americans … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Her Bipartisan Drinking Water Infrastructure Bill with Cook County Water Policy Leaders
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife today met virtually with local environmental leaders to discuss her recently-introduced Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA 2021). The bipartisan legislation authorizes more than $35 billion for water resource development projects across the country, which is of vital importance in Illinois, the state with the … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Joins Coons, Wicker, Colleagues in Reintroducing Bill to Expand National Service to Bolster COVID-19 Recovery
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and 15 bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing the Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act, which would expand national service programs significantly to help the country recover and rebuild from COVID-19. The CORPS Act would increase the number of AmeriCorps positions available to support a variety of response and recovery efforts based … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Reserve Servicemembers and Small Businesses
[WASHINGTON, DC] - 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) Airland Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to support Reserve Component Forces and small businesses. The Reserve Employers Comprehensive Relief and Uniform Incentives on Taxes (RECRUIT ACT) would provide tax credits for small businesses that hire Reserve and National Guard members, … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Duckworth Hosts Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and Distribution
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a virtual town hall tonight to discuss COVID-19 vaccine distribution, safety and access in Illinois. Duckworth was joined by Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois Pharmacists Association Director Garth Reynolds and Illinois Primary Healthcare Association President Cyrus Winnett. The group answered questions from Illinoisans on the importance of COVID-19 vaccines and several other issues. This … Continue Reading
April 15, 2021
Duckworth Statement After CAPAC’s WH Meeting with President Biden
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) met with President Biden at the White House to discuss issues impacting the AAPI community: "I'm pleased President Biden hosted this meeting to hear directly from AAPI Congressional leaders on some of the most important issues facing our community, including the spike in hate crimes against AAPIs, immigration reform, the … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth Applauds President Biden’s Appointment of Erika Moritsugu as Senior White House AAPI Liaison
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Biden appointed Erika Moritsugu to a new senior-level AAPI liaison position in the White House. The Biden Administration created this new Deputy Assistant to the President position after assuring Senator Duckworth in late March that it will do much more to elevate AAPI voices and perspectives at the highest levels of government as well as advance policy proposals that are relevant and … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth Meets with University of Illinois Schools System Administrators, Trustees, Alumni and Students to Discuss President Biden’s American Rescue Plan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted a virtual "fly-in" with administrators, trustees, students and alumni of the University of Illinois System to discuss federal support to higher education as part of President Biden's recently-enacted American Rescue Plan. Duckworth was joined by several members of the University of Illinois System including Executive Vice President and VP for Academic Affairs Dr. Barb Wilson, UIUC Chancellor Dr. Robert Jones, UIC Chancellor … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill Ensuring Accurate Data on Access to Prosthetics Following the Amputation of a Limb
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced bipartisan legislation that would help improve health outcomes for individuals living with limb loss or limb differences. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY). "Americans with limb loss and limb difference face unique challenges in accessing optimal assistive technologies that could greatly enhance quality of … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth Calls for DOJ Civil Rights Division to Investigate Law Enforcement Misconduct Against Lieutenant Caron Nazario
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today requested that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division investigate the December 5, 2020, incident of national interest that appeared to involve Windsor Police Department officers engaging in law enforcement misconduct, including excessive use of force, against Lieutenant Caron Nazario, an active duty United States Army Officer serving with the U.S. Medical Corps. Duckworth also requested that the DOJ Civil Rights … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth Applauds President Biden’s Appointment of Erika Moritsugu as Senior White House AAPI Liaison
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Biden appointed Erika Moritsugu to a new senior-level AAPI liaison position in the White House. The Biden Administration created this new Deputy Assistant to the President position after assuring Senator Duckworth in late March that it will do much more to elevate AAPI voices and perspectives at the highest levels of government as well as advance policy proposals that are relevant and … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Black Maternal Health Week Resolution
Twenty-two co-sponsors in the Senate and more than 47 in the House join resolution to raise national awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States [WASHINGTON D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to introduce a resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week, "to bring national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States and the … Continue Reading
