Press Releases
Duckworth, Langevin Urge Biden & Harris to Prioritize Millions of Americans with Disabilities, Hire and Appoint People with Disabilities Throughout the Administration
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI-02) today wrote a letter urging President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to hire and appoint people with disabilities across all agencies and departments and select appointees who will prioritize the rights of people with disabilities from Day One of the incoming administration. In their letter, Duckworth and Langevin noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has … Continue Reading
December 18, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Dems Announce Significant Additions To The Economic Justice Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats, today unveiled new additions to the Economic Justice Act, a major legislative proposal that now provides more than $435 billion in immediate and long-term investments in communities of color to address systemic racism and reverse decades of historic underinvestment. "This deadly pandemic has laid bare the overwhelming inequities in … Continue Reading
December 18, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $9 Million To Support COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a total of $9.709 million in federal funding to Illinois to provide critical COVID-19 public health infrastructure support, such as data monitoring capabilities, for vaccination distribution and administration. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will receive $6,691,329 for vaccine distribution, laboratory support, … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Allow Illinois Senior Living Facility Residents to Continue Receiving Nutritious Meals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ongoing efforts to end Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a group of supportive living facilities (SLFs) in Illinois as early as January 1st, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation that would allow SLFs to continue providing nutritious meals to its residents as required by state law and allow residents at these facilities to continue … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Duckworth Discusses COVID-19 Relief with Central Illinois Mayors
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today held a virtual meeting with seven mayors from across Central Illinois to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on their communities and the status of further relief legislation for state and local governments. Duckworth heard from local leaders about the importance of more and flexible spending for local municipalities to continue to fund important social services, as well as vaccine distribution plans across Central Illinois. "Illinois … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Duckworth Speaks With Harvard National Security Fellows About National Security and Leadership
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Belfer Center Military Affairs Lecturer Bill Rapp and a group of fellows in the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard Kennedy School. They discussed national security policies, public service and leadership as well as how we can help ensure our servicemembers are supported and our armed forces are the strongest they can be. "It was a pleasure to … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Duckworth Calls on National Guard to Preserve Records Regarding Dangerous, Low-Flying Military Helicopter Flights Threatening Peaceful Protesters
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the first Army women to fly combat missions in her Blackhawk helicopter during Operation Iraqi Freedom, today called on the National Guard Bureau to preserve all records regarding planning and operations related to the National Guard's response to civil unrest in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. The June 1st response included low-flying military aircraft intimidating … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Demand Testing At FCI Pekin Following Significant COVID-19 Outbreak
[PEORIA, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) have issued a second urgent call for all staff and inmates to immediately be tested for COVID-19 at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Pekin following another significant outbreak at the prison, this time with nearly 330 confirmed cases. As case numbers continue to skyrocket throughout the nation, outbreaks at federal prisons can put inmates, staff and the larger … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Virtual Roundtable with Latinx Community Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with Chicago and Illinois leaders and public health experts to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on the Latinx community. The group discussed plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to Latinx communities in Chicago and across Illinois, while also addressing the language and information barriers public health leaders must address to ensure full access. "The Latinx community … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Legislative Priorities with Newly-Elected Illinois Black Caucus Chairs
Duckworth Discusses Legislative Priorities with Newly-Elected Illinois Black Caucus Chairs [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with Illinois State Rep. Sonya Harper (IL-HD-06), newly-elected chair of the Joint Black Caucus, as well as Illinois State Senator Robert Peters (IL-SD-13), newly elected chair of the Senate Black Caucus. In separate calls, Duckworth discussed with Harper and Peters their legislative priorities for their caucuses in the next year, and … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Democrats Press Trump Administration On Decision Not to Pre-Order More Doses of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine, Need for Transparent Plan Going Forward
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, in asking Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Chief Advisor of Operation Warp Speed, and General Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer of Operation Warp Speed, about recent reports that the Trump Administration … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $15 Million For Illinois Community Health Centers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $14.9 million in federal funding awarded to three Community Health Centers (CHC) throughout Illinois. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health center cluster grant program. Every year, Illinois CHCs serve more than 1.4 million Illinoisans, regardless of their ability to pay. "Throughout this pandemic, underserved communities-particularly … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fix Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Overpayment Issue for Working Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would help fix an error that caused individuals receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to forcibly repay, while potentially unemployed, overpayments they received unknowingly. The Relief for Working Families Act would provide states discretion to waive PUA overpayments for individuals who acted in good faith and played no role in securing … Continue Reading
December 14, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Blumenthal In Urging Investigation Into Possible Politically-Motivated C-130J Basing Selection
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and their colleagues, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Jon Tester (D-MT), in a letter to Air Force Inspector General, Lieutenant General Sami D. Said, requesting an investigation … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Responds to Preliminary Army Actions after Deaths of Multiple Soldiers at Fort Hood, Including Vanessa Guillén
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, released a statement today in response to preliminary Army actions and the findings of an independent review into the command culture and climate at Fort Hood following the death of Private First Class (PFC) Vanessa Guillén. The Army's actions reflect many of the priorities that were addressed in Duckworth's letter to Army … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Leads Senators in Requesting Future Legislative Packages Address Potentially Devastating Cuts to Hospital-Based Nursing Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), today wrote to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), requesting that any future legislative package, including FY 2021 appropriations, healthcare extenders or COVID-19 emergency … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Hosts Virtual Roundtable on COVID-19 Impact and Recovery with Southern Illinois Health Departments
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with four Southern Illinois health departments to discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the region. They also discussed the distribution plan for the COVID-19 vaccine and the ways they can ensure its accessibility in rural communities. Duckworth was joined by leaders from the Jackson County Health Department, Franklin Williamson Bi-County Health Department, Southern Seven Health Department and Egyptian Health … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Hokanson About National Guard Operations, COVID-19 Response
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Gen. Dan Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, to discuss National Guard operations in response to peaceful protests this summer, as well as updates on the National Guard's COVID-19 response. "General Hokanson and I had the opportunity to discuss many issues today, including the importance of keeping politics out of the use of the National Guard … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Senate Passes Several Duckworth Provisions as Part of 2021 Defense Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a Purple Heart recipient and member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, highlighted several key priorities she authored and successfully included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the U.S. Senate on a bipartisan, veto-proof vote of 84-13 today. The U.S. House of Representatives also passed this bill by a veto-proof vote of 335-78, and it now heads to the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Virtual Roundtable with Black Community Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with Chicago and Illinois leaders to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on Black Americans. The group discussed plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to Black communities in Chicago and across Illinois, while also addressing medical racism, educational outreach and cultural sensitivity so these Illinoisans can feel reassured of the safety of the vaccination. In just the … Continue Reading
