Press Releases
After Record Flooding, Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $4 Million for Emergency Transportation Relief in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $4,101,186 in federal funding to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for transportation infrastructure repairs after heavy rains and flooding in Illinois last spring. These investments come through the Office of Federal Lands Highway's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program. The ERFO … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Raises Concerns to Esper & Milley about Lack of Investment in Indo-Pacific Strategy, Logistics Infrastructure
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) expressed her concerns to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley about how the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has not sufficiently prioritized funding for INDOPACOM-the unified combatant command of the U.S. Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region-and logistics infrastructure capabilities. … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Meets with VFW Members to Discuss Veterans Issues
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with leaders and constituents from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to discuss the organization's legislative priorities and her efforts on important issues impacting Veterans in Illinois and across the nation, including healthcare, toxic exposures, employment transition and disability compensation. Duckworth also thanked VFW Commander in Chief Will "Doc" Schmitz for calling on President Trump to apologize … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Statement on Reports Iran Now Has Fuel Needed for Nuclear Weapon
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement in response to public reports that Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles have tripled, which experts suggest could be an indication that the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign-including Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement-is backfiring: "The JCPOA nuclear agreement was effective in halting Iran's dangerous development of nuclear weapons-which is why even … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Applauds Bipartisan Funding Deal to Combat the Spread of COVID-19
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after Congressional leaders announced roughly $8 billion in emergency supplemental funding to help the Federal Government better respond to the community spread of the highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) by enhancing diagnostic testing capacity and capabilities, enhancing disease surveillance and mitigating the harmful impacts of this public health … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Urges Action from SBA to Help Small Businesses Harmed by COVID-19 Outbreak
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) wrote to the Honorable Jovita Carranza, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, to urge the agency to establish a task force focused on effectively and efficiently providing assistance to small businesses harmed by the outbreak of coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). "This is particularly important for small businesses who lack the capital reserves and human resources to weather and respond to sudden, severe and sustained … Continue Reading
March 04, 2020
Duckworth Questions NRC Commissioner about Workforce Culture at NRC
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Kristine Svinicki, Chairwoman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), on her efforts to improve the workforce culture at NRC. Duckworth also asked Svinicki why the results of internal staff polls-that showed that over 82% of staff believe the NRC needs to change its workforce culture-which were once publicly available appear to have been removed from the NRC's website. NRC Commissioners David Wright, Annie Caputo and … Continue Reading
March 03, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $2 Million to Support Public Housing in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $1,976,390 in federal funding to public housing authorities throughout Illinois for supportive services to help empower residents, improve living conditions and enable families to move toward housing and economic self-sufficiency. This funding was allocated though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency grant program. "Affordable … Continue Reading
March 03, 2020
Senator Duckworth and Congressman Cartwright Reintroduce Bill to Modernize Our Aging Water Infrastructure
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) today reintroduced legislation to bring our water infrastructure into the 21st century by investing in critical research to make our water infrastructure systems safer, more reliable and more efficient. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Plumbing Research Act would re-establish a laboratory within the National Institute of Standards and Technology to promote innovative … Continue Reading
March 03, 2020
Duckworth, Schneider Meet with Illinois Members of AIPAC to Discuss U.S.-Israel Relationship
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) met with Illinois members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to discuss the importance of strengthening our nation's relationship with Israel, our strongest ally in the region. During the meeting, Duckworth and Schneider discussed the growing instability in the Middle East and its potential impact on Israel. Duckworth talked about her longstanding support for security … Continue Reading
March 02, 2020
Duckworth to HHS: Implement Policies to Dramatically Improve Diagnostic Testing Procedures, Capabilities and Capacity to Mitigate Impact of COVID-19 Infections
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging the agency take immediate action to establish clear diagnostic testing procedures and to rapidly expand the distribution of testing kits for the highly contagious coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). Duckworth also requested transparency in reporting progress, with the goal of being prepared to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks in any state or territory. "The community spread … Continue Reading
March 02, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $13 Million For Pullman Junction Rail Improvements
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Cook County has been awarded $12.9 million in federal funding for the CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency) Program's Pullman Junction project on Chicago's South Side. Today's investment, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, will support improvements to … Continue Reading
March 02, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Write to EPA Condemning New Proposed EtO Rule
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus and member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today wrote to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raising concerns about its new proposed rule to reduce Hazardous Air Pollutants, including ethylene oxide, from the manufacturing sector. The public comment period on the proposed Notice of Proposed Rule … Continue Reading
March 02, 2020
Duckworth Statement on Governor Pritzker’s $40 Million Allocation for Cairo Port Project
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that his administration plans to dedicate $40 million in funding for the development of a river port in Cairo, Illinois: "Ever since I arrived in the Senate, I've focused on not only holding accountable those responsible for creating the crises faced by Cairo's residents, but also on helping rebuild the local community and generate economic growth in the region. I … Continue Reading
February 28, 2020
Duckworth Visits Diageo in Plainfield, Highlighting Importance of Illinois Manufacturing
[PLAINFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today toured Diageo Plainfield, a manufacturing site that houses both a technical center and production facility with more than 600 total employees in the Will County area. Duckworth was joined by Illinois State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (IL-SD-49) and Plainfield Mayor Michael Collins, and the three discussed how local, state and federal officials can continue to work together to improve local infrastructure and support economic … Continue Reading
February 27, 2020
Duckworth, Inhofe Introduce Bill to Create National Center for the Advancement of Aviation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced S. 3360 today, a bill to establish the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation. The National Center for the Advancement of Aviation would serve as a national, independent forum to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between all sectors of aviation and aerospace stakeholders and related partners, with a particular focus on aviation and aerospace workforce development. It would allow these … Continue Reading
February 27, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos to DoD: Diverting Border Wall Funding From National Guard to President's Border Wall Is Shortsighted & Political, Hurts 182nd Wind in Peoria
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today sent a letter to the Department of Defense (DOD) expressing their dismay about the transfer of $1.3 billion appropriated for National Guard and Reserve Equipment and $169 million appropriated for Air Guard C-130Js for the construction of President Trump's wall on our southern border. This funding was part of the recent notification of the transfer of … Continue Reading
February 26, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $65 Million for Chicago O’Hare Airport Improvements
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $65,000,000 in federal funding for runway construction at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. This funding was allocated though the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program (AIP). "This substantial investment in Chicago O'Hare International Airport will go a long way toward enhancing safety and operations at our state's world-class … Continue Reading
February 26, 2020
Duckworth Joins Colleagues to Call for Investigation into VA’s Handling of Sexual Assault Report at DC VA Medical Center
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and four of their Democratic colleagues in demanding an investigation into the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) handling of a sexual assault reported by a Veteran at the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center (DC VAMC). The letter follows recent reports alleging that VA officials, led by Secretary Robert Wilkie, actively sought to discredit a Veteran who reported being assaulted and … Continue Reading
February 25, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Meet with Illinois Director of Veterans Affairs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director Linda Chapa LaVia to discuss Veterans issues in Illinois, including disability claims, mental health, and the needs of women Veterans. They also discussed supporting operations at Illinois Veterans' Homes (IVH) and progress in the construction of the Chicago Veterans Home project. "It was great to meet with Illinois Department of Veterans … Continue Reading
