Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin Urge President Trump to Reverse Tariffs That Could Devastate Farmers and Raise Food Prices
[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, along with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), today joined 12 other Senators in urging President Trump to reconsider recently imposed tariffs that threaten American farmers, ranchers, businesses and consumers. The tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China will make it harder for farmers to sell their products, increase … Continue Reading
March 06, 2025
Duckworth, Democrats Demand Answers from Trump and VA Secretary Collins on Indiscriminate Firing of Veterans and VA Employees, Including Veterans Crisis Line Staff
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC)—led her fellow Democratic colleagues in demanding answers from President Donald Trump and Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on their indiscriminate purge of Veterans and VA employees, including staff who help operate the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), under the direction of unelected co-president Elon Musk and his Department of Government … Continue Reading
March 05, 2025
Duckworth Reacts to Trump’s Plan to Fire More Than 80,000 VA Employees Which Would Further Jeopardize Veterans’ Access to Care
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—issued the following statement in response to reporting on an internal memo from senior Trump Administration officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) detailing their plans to fire more than 80,000 VA employees this year, after the VA already fired over 2,400 VA employees last month: “Since the bipartisan PACT Act overhauled our VA to better … Continue Reading
March 05, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Meet with Illinois State Association of Counties
{WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) yesterday met with representatives from the Illinois State Association of Counties to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s funding freeze on Illinois. During this meeting, Durbin and Duckworth heard directly from county leaders about affected transportation and infrastructure projects. Last week, Durbin and Duckworth joined Illinois leaders to send a letter to the White … Continue Reading
March 04, 2025
Duckworth Reacts to Trump’s Joint Address to Congress
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement in reaction to President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress, in which he outlined his harmful agenda that would benefit already-wealthy billionaires at the expense of middle-class Americans: “Donald Trump promised he’d lower costs for middle-class Americans, but clearly that was a lie he sold to get elected. In reality, we’re continuing to watch Trump and Elon Musk take a chainsaw to programs … Continue Reading
March 04, 2025
Duckworth, Cohen Renew Push to Help Improve School Bus Safety and Protect Our Kids
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST)— and U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) reintroduced legislation to help keep our kids safe as they travel to and from school. The School Bus Safety Act of 2025 would implement safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to make school buses safer by ensuring there are seat belts at every seat and buses are … Continue Reading
March 04, 2025
Duckworth Secures Commitment from Trump’s State Department Nominee to Reimburse USAID-Funded, American Organizations for Their Work Before Stop Work Order
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—successfully secured a commitment from President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Michael Rigas, that if confirmed he will work to reimburse American-founded and run organizations for work done in December and January before Trump’s disastrous stop work order. During her remarks, Duckworth highlighted how … Continue Reading
March 04, 2025
Duckworth Blasts Trump for Abandoning Ukraine, Calls Out Defense Under Secretary Nominee for Failing to Clearly State Russia Started the War
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—criticized President Trump’s dangerous decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine, abandoning our democratic partner as they defend themselves against Putin’s unjustified war of choice and undermining U.S. interests at home and abroad. Additionally, Duckworth pressed Trump’s Under Secretary of Defense for Policy nominee, Elbridge Colby, on whether he would … Continue Reading
March 03, 2025
Duckworth, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Guarding Readiness Resources Act to Strengthen National Guard Units
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced bipartisan legislation that would strengthen National Guard units in Illinois and across America by helping to ensure our servicemembers have access to the funds needed for maintenance and readiness activities that keep us all safe. Specifically, the bipartisan Guarding Readiness Resources Act would provide a critical … Continue Reading
March 03, 2025
Duckworth to Host Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl at Joint Address, Underscoring How Trump’s Illegal Funding Freeze is Hurting Head Start Lifelines and the Families They Serve
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Executive Director of the Illinois Head Start Association Lauri Morrison-Frichtl will be her guest to President Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress as part of the Senator’s ongoing efforts to push back against Trump’s illegal funding freeze that continues to inflict needless chaos, confusion and financial pain on Head Start programs and the middle-class families they serve throughout Illinois. With over 37 … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats Condemn Trump and Vance’s Disgraceful Oval Office Outburst During Meeting with Zelenskyy and Reiterate Support for Ukraine
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—joined her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in issuing the following statement condemning President Trump and Vice President Vance’s rhetoric during their meeting with Ukrainian … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth, Schiff Demand Answers From NASA, FAA Over Conflict of Interest in Federal Contract Awards to Musk’s Private Companies
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, 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 Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) demanded answers from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Janet Petro and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau on why, despite Elon Musk’s conflicts of … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth, Booker Join Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—founding co-chairs of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus—joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and other Senate colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). The introduction of the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act comes after … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth, Connolly Renew Push to Expand Access to IVF, Other Assisted Reproductive Technology
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—the author of the Right to IVF Act—and U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) reintroduced legislation to expand and protect access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) that millions of Americans rely on to have children. The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act would require Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program—the largest employer-sponsored health insurance plan in the … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth, Booker, Blunt Rochester Urge Trump Administration to Reopen EPA Environmental Justice Office That Helped Most Disadvantaged Communities Solve Environmental and Public Health Challenges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—founding co-chairs of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus—along with U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester urged EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to reopen the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which Duckworth and Booker led the charge to create, so the office can continue helping our most disadvantaged communities in rural, urban and tribal areas by … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Duckworth Joins Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats’ Statement Blasting Trump Administration’s Reckless Termination of U.S. Foreign Assistance Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee—joined her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in issuing the following statement on the Trump Administration’s reckless termination of nearly all U.S. foreign assistance programs: “It is clear … Continue Reading
February 27, 2025
Duckworth Rips Trump for Firing More Veterans Than Any Other President, Uplifts Impacted Veterans’ Personal Stories During National VoteVets Town Hall
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today at an emergency national town hall hosted by VoteVets, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—called out Donald Trump and Elon Musk for inflicting needless pain and chaos on our nation’s Veterans. During the town hall, Veterans who have been fired by Elon Musk’s DOGE bravely came … Continue Reading
February 26, 2025
Duckworth, Durbin Join Pritzker and Illinois Congressional Delegation in Pressing White House on Withholding $1.8 Billion from Taxpayers
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois congressional delegation in issuing a joint letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding action and accountability from OMB on the approximately $1.88 billion in funding that is illegally being withheld from Illinois taxpayers despite the funding being appropriated by Congress and numerous court … Continue Reading
February 26, 2025
Duckworth Statement on Second Wave of VA Layoffs, Including Veteran Crisis Line Workers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—issued the following statement after Donald Trump’s VA laid off an additional 1,400 employees, including workers with the Veteran Crisis Line (VCL), after laying off more than 1,000 employees earlier this month: “Donald Trump has fired more Veterans … Continue Reading
February 26, 2025
Duckworth Slams Trump Administration for Purging Top Military Leadership While Pushing DoD Cuts, Both of Which Will Harm Readiness and National Security
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Yesterday, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—slammed President Trump and his Administration for putting our military readiness and national security at risk by firing our nation’s top military leaders while the Administration continues to push for 8% cuts to the defense budget for the next five years. Additionally, Duckworth expressed her outrage that Donald Trump is siding with Russian dictator … Continue Reading