Education and Worker Training
Senator Duckworth strongly believes that every child in this country should have access to a quality public education. She is an advocate for needed investments in our public schools to ensure our nation’s workforce is competitive and that every child, regardless of income, has a shot at the American Dream. She supports access to early childhood learning and providing access to equal public education for all students, regardless of how they learn or whether they are able-bodied.
Senator Duckworth is also fighting to make post-secondary education, including college and vocational education, more attainable for all Americans. As someone who relied on Pell Grants and waitressing to pay her own college tuition, she believes expanding public financial aid for higher education will only help our nation’s people and economy. Duckworth is also working to allow students to refinance their student loan debt and to enable them to earn college credit through national service. She also supports making community college tuition-free for deserving students to help prepare them for high-skilled jobs and investing in apprenticeships and public-private workforce training partnerships that can help close the skills gap and make it easier for young people to find jobs after graduating.
Latest
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October 18, 2024
Duckworth Applications Closing Soon for Class of 2029 Service Academy Nominations
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October 17, 2024
Duckworth Visits Chicago State University to Discuss Efforts to Support Student Parents
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September 27, 2024
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $200K in Federal Funding for Arts Programming in Illinois
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September 12, 2024
Duckworth, Clark Reintroduce Bill to Expand Child Care on College Campuses, Help Parenting Students Graduate
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September 06, 2024
Duckworth Touts Federal Funding She Secured for Current Chicago’s Inclusive Water Education and Workforce Training Program
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September 28, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $1 Million for Child Care Programs on UIC, Harper Campuses
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September 22, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $2.3 Million To Support Hispanic-Serving Institutions
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September 18, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Funding to Help Illinois Better Support Students with Disabilities
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September 09, 2023
At Parkland College, Duckworth Highlights Efforts to Boost Workforce Development and Aviation Training
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September 09, 2023
At Parkland College, Duckworth Highlights Efforts to Boost Workforce Development and Aviation Training
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August 30, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $6.2 Million To Help Close The Digital Divide In Schools And Libraries
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July 21, 2023
Duckworth, Klobuchar & Meng Introduce Resolution Seeking to Prioritize and Empower Mothers in the Workforce
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July 18, 2023
Duckworth Introduces New Legislation to Address Aviation Safety Crisis by Strengthening Pilot Training
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June 29, 2023
Duckworth Reacts to Supreme Court Decision Ending Affirmative Action in Higher Education
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April 25, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Introduce Two Bills to Increase Youth Employment Opportunities
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April 19, 2023
Duckworth Discusses Job Creation, Financial Aid and Innovation During U of I System Fireside Chat
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April 12, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $1.6 Million In National Endowment for The Humanities Awards to Illinois Institutions
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March 30, 2023
Duckworth Meets with Nominee to be Secretary of Labor Julie Su
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March 30, 2023
Duckworth Touts Support for Workforce Development with Dubuque Chamber of Commerce
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March 20, 2023
Duckworth Joins Reed, Larson in Push for ACTION to Increase Service Opportunities Act & Helping Students Reduce Their Debt
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February 07, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Meet with Illinois Higher Education Leaders
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February 01, 2023
Duckworth Joins Kaine and Braun in Introducing Bipartisan Bill to Help More Americans Access High-Quality Job Training, Get Good-Paying Jobs
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February 01, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Meet with President Of Loyola University Chicago
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January 26, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Booker, Schakowsky, García, Trahan Introduce Mentoring to Succeed Act
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January 16, 2023
Duckworth Honors Dr. King’s Legacy at City Year Chicago Day of Service, DuSable Black History Museum
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December 17, 2022
Duckworth Visits Dion’s Chicago Dream and Discusses Hunger Prevention and Access to Fresh Food
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November 17, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Meet Leaders of Illinois’ Predominantly Black Institutions
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October 07, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $6 Million in Grants for Chicago Public Schools
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October 05, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Urge Department of Education to Strengthen Regulations Against Informal Removal of Students from Class as a Form of Discipline
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September 29, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2.5 Million For Chicago Public Schools and DePaul University to Address Teacher Shortages
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September 21, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $1 Million in Pollution Prevention Grants for University of Illinois System
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September 20, 2022
Bipartisan Duckworth-Moran Resolution to Recognize September 2022 as National Student Parent Month Passes Senate
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September 09, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $44 Million For Head Start Programs in Illinois
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September 09, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $19 Million for Health Care Research in Illinois
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June 28, 2022
Duckworth Announces Class of 2026 Service Academy Appointments
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June 14, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $5 Million for Health Care Research in Illinois
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June 13, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Urge Illinois School Districts to Apply for EPA Clean School Bus Program
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May 21, 2022
Duckworth Delivers Commencement Address to Harper College’s Class of 2022
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May 06, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Join Brown, Collins to Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Honor America’s Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week
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April 29, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud HHS for Prioritizing Early Childhood Education in Southwest Illinois
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March 14, 2022
Duckworth Highlights Key Omnibus Priorities Set to Become Law
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March 14, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Illinois Winners of EPA’s 2021 Diesel Emission Reduction Act School Bus Rebates
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March 10, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Secure $211 Million For Illinois Projects in FY22 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
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March 02, 2022
Duckworth Now Accepting Applications for Class of 2027 Service Academy Nominations
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February 16, 2022
Duckworth Emphasizes Her Support for Working Families During Meeting with Rockford Parents & Head Start Leadership
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February 08, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin Emphasize the Importance of Supporting Higher Education with Presidents of Illinois Colleges & Universities
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February 02, 2022
Duckworth, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Preserve Small Business Education Training for Servicemembers, Veterans and Military Spouses
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December 06, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Reauthorize the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area
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October 29, 2021
Evanston Township High School Workforce Development Roundtable
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October 29, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Workforce Development with Evanston Township High School Officials
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October 06, 2021
As Kids Return to Classrooms, Duckworth Leads Colleagues in Calling for Federal Guidance for School COVID-19 Testing Protocols
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September 28, 2021
As School Restarts, Duckworth Hosts Virtual Town Hall On COVID-19 and Kids
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September 24, 2021
Duckworth, Raimondo: Congress must back the president’s historic investment in home care workers
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September 23, 2021
Duckworth, Casten Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Educational Support Professionals Access Benefits Through FMLA
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September 23, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $280,000 to Support Child Care for Illinois Student Parents
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September 22, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin, Feinstein, Van Hollen, Shaheen, Klobuchar Reintroduce Legislation To Train Students For High Skilled Jobs
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September 20, 2021
With Application Deadline Approaching, Duckworth Seeks Additional Student Applications for U.S. Military Service Academies
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September 16, 2021
Duckworth and Moran Pass Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize September 2021 as National Student Parent Month
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August 05, 2021
Duckworth Re-Introduces Bill to Expand Campus Child Care & Help Student Parents Graduate
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July 29, 2021
Duckworth & Cohen Re-Introduce Legislation to Improve School Bus Safety Ahead of Students Going Back to School
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July 15, 2021
Duckworth Joins Kaine in Introducing Legislation to Support Direct Care Workforce & Family Caregivers
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July 14, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $21.9 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Head Start Programs in Illinois
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July 07, 2021
Duckworth Joins President Biden in Highlighting American Families Plan in Illinois
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June 29, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Hirono, Murray in Introducing Bill to Double Pell Grant Awards to Help Make College More Affordable
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May 20, 2021
Duckworth, Murphy and Bennet Lead Call for Biden Administration to Address Discriminatory and Punitive Discipline Practices in Schools
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April 28, 2021
Duckworth, Warren, Baldwin and Colleagues Urge Biden Admin to Issue Delayed OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard for Workers
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April 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $42.5 Million to Support Head Start and Early Head Start in Chicago
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April 14, 2021
Duckworth Meets with University of Illinois Schools System Administrators, Trustees, Alumni and Students to Discuss President Biden’s American Rescue Plan
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March 31, 2021
Duckworth Joins Hirono in Reintroducing Impact Aid Bill to Fund School Infrastructure Projects
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March 22, 2021
Duckworth Votes to Confirm Marty Walsh as Labor Secretary
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March 08, 2021
Duckworth Now Accepting Applications for Class of 2026 Service Academy Nominations
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March 01, 2021
Duckworth Votes to Confirm Dr. Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary
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February 04, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Education Priorities & COVID Relief with Illinois Community College Trustees Association
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February 04, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin, Join Colleagues To Introduce Resolution Asking President Biden To Cancel Up To $50,000 In Federal Student Loan Debt Immediately
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February 02, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Van Hollen & Lee in Introducing Bicameral Bill to Fully Fund Title I, Special Education
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January 21, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud Biden Administration Decision to Reimburse Schools for COVID-Related Reopening Costs
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September 17, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Schumer, Warren To Introduce Resolution Calling On President To Cancel Student Loan Debt For Federal Borrowers
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August 27, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues To Call On FCC To Bolster Lifeline Program To Keep Students Connected As The School Year Begins
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July 23, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $10 Million For Head Start Programs In The City of Chicago
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March 12, 2020
Duckworth, Capito Honor Girl Scouts of America
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March 09, 2020
Duckworth Celebrates 30th Anniversary of the Lake County Center for Independent Living, Highlighting Advancements in Disability Rights and Work Yet to Be Done
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March 06, 2020
Duckworth Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Increase Diversity in Corporate Leadership
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March 04, 2020
Duckworth Questions NRC Commissioner about Workforce Culture at NRC
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February 24, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $7 Million in Grants to Head Start Programs in Central Illinois
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February 11, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Community College Trustees from Across Illinois
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February 11, 2020
Duckworth Meets with John A. Logan College Trustees to Discuss Higher Education Issues
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February 04, 2020
Duckworth Meets with UAW Members from Illinois
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February 04, 2020
Duckworth Meets with Rockford University & Blackburn College Presidents to Discuss College Affordability
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January 22, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $1.2 Million for STEM Education on Chicago’s South Side
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November 13, 2019
Duckworth Secures Key Priorities in NASA Reauthorization Bill
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October 09, 2019
Duckworth Tours Illinois Fire Service Institute, Highlighting Support for First-Responders
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October 03, 2019
Duckworth Attends Inaugural Run of Metra Trains at New Fox River Bridge After Helping Secure Project’s Federal Funding
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October 03, 2019
Duckworth Convenes Senate Field Hearing in Chicago on the Barriers Minority Entrepreneurs Face Entering the Tech Industry
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September 25, 2019
At U of I Advocacy Day in DC, Duckworth Highlights Importance of Federal Higher Education Funding
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September 11, 2019
Senate Passes Bipartisan Duckworth-Young Bill to Improve the Efficiency of TSA PreCheck
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July 26, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Help Reintroduce Butch Lewis Act to Protect Worker Pensions
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June 05, 2019
Duckworth, Crapo, Luján Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help National Labs Find Qualified Employees by Improving Workforce Training
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May 22, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin, Feinstein, Van Hollen, Shaheen, Smith and Kelly Reintroduce Legislation to Train Students for High-Skill Jobs
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May 10, 2019
Ahead of Mother’s Day, Duckworth Highlights Slate of Bills to Help Working Families in Chicago and Across the Nation
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April 30, 2019
Duckworth Helps Reintroduce RECLAIM Act to Invest in Coal Communities
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April 26, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $300,000 for Southwestern Illinois Head Start Programs
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April 15, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce New Bill to Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
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April 09, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $6 Million in Grants to Central Illinois Head Start Programs
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March 27, 2019
Duckworth Meets with Chicago Teachers Union Members
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March 26, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Help Re-Introduce Bill Expanding Access to Affordable, Quality Child Care
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March 26, 2019
Duckworth, Graham, Bennet, Gardner Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Train Veterans for Careers in Innovative Sectors of the American Energy Industry
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March 15, 2019
Durbin and Duckworth Help Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Resolution Celebrating Contributions of AmeriCorps Members and Alumni
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March 15, 2019
Duckworth Celebrates Fermilab Particle Accelerator Groundbreaking
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March 13, 2019
In Major Address Ahead of 16th Anniversary of Iraq Invasion, Duckworth Puts Forth New National Security Platform
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March 08, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bennet, Brown in Reintroducing Major Proposal to Cut Taxes for Families with Children
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February 27, 2019
Duckworth Advocates for Illinois’ Role in Future of Carbon Capture at EPW Hearing
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February 26, 2019
Duckworth Highlights Role Illinois’s National Laboratories Play in National Defense
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February 13, 2019
Duckworth Advocates for Veteran Small Business Owners for Access to Federal Surplus Equipment
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February 13, 2019
Duckworth Receives Waterways Council’s 18th Annual Leadership Service Award for Her Efforts to Modernize America’s Infrastructure
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February 13, 2019
Duckworth, Ruiz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Supporting Families of Fallen First Responders
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February 07, 2019
Duckworth Joins Casey, Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Help People with Disabilities Find Employment
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February 01, 2019
This new law gives vet small business owners surplus federal equipment -- for free
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January 11, 2019
Duckworth Presses Trump Administration to Ensure Federal Employees & Contractors Receive Back Pay For Wages Lost During Government Shutdown
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December 11, 2018
Duckworth Votes for Farm Bill to Support Farmers & Illinois Families
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November 28, 2018
Duckworth, Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Klobuchar, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Expand National Service Opportunities for Young Americans and Make College More Affordable
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November 14, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $1.5 Million for Central Illinois Head Start Programs
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October 31, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud $120 Million for Energy Efficiency Research at Argonne National Laboratory
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September 12, 2018
Duckworth & Cohen Introduce Legislation to Improve School Bus Safety As Students Go Back to School
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August 30, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Join Murray and 41 Colleagues Opposing Use of Taxpayer Dollars to Arm Teachers
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August 30, 2018
After Recent Study on Kindergarten Preparedness in Illinois, Duckworth and Durbin Announce $62 Million for Head Start Programs
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August 27, 2018
Duckworth Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Expand the ABLE Savings Program
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August 07, 2018
Duckworth Visits Farm on Ogden in Lawndale
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August 07, 2018
Duckworth, Kelly Host Small Business Development Workshop
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August 07, 2018
Duckworth Tours Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago
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August 01, 2018
Senate Committee Passes Duckworth Bill to Improve Public Safety on Trains & Protect Rail Crewmembers
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July 25, 2018
On Eve of the ADA’s 28th Anniversary, Duckworth Highlights Need to Protect and Expand Disability Rights
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July 17, 2018
After Alarming Federal Report Shows Less than Half of Schools Even Test for Lead in Water, Duckworth Reiterates Call to Protect Children from Contaminated Drinking Water
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July 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $3 Million for Chicagoland Head Start Programs
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July 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $6 Million for Southern Illinois Head Start Programs
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July 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $7 Million for Northwest Illinois Head Start Programs
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July 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $9 Million for Central Illinois Head Start Programs
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July 09, 2018
Duckworth, Heitkamp Introduce Bill to Support Women Entrepreneurs
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July 03, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $16.4 Million for Illinois AmeriCorps Programs
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June 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $200,000 for University of Illinois Agricultural Research Projects
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May 21, 2018
Duckworth, Murray Lead 18 Senators in Urging Education Department to Swiftly Implement Funding Increase to Affordable Child Care Program
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May 21, 2018
Days After Head Start Turned 53, Duckworth and Durbin Announce Over $90 Million to Help Low-Income Students Across Illinois
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May 18, 2018
Senators Duckworth, Murray Announce New Study to Examine Child Care Challenges Faced by Student Parents in College
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May 16, 2018
On Anniversary of Amtrak Shooting, Duckworth and Hoeven Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Protections for Rail Crewmembers
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May 14, 2018
Duckworth, Schakowsky, Schneider Host Federal Grants Workshop
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April 19, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $280,000 for Strategic Economic Planning in Southern Illinois
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April 18, 2018
Duckworth Leads 19 Senators in Calling for More Childcare Support for Student Parents
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March 23, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $15 Million For Head Start Programs Throughout Illinois
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March 05, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $935,000 for Local Workforce Development in Manufacturing in Chicago Heights
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January 26, 2018
Duckworth Speaks with Chicago Military Academy Students, Highlights Importance of National Service
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January 12, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $66 Million for City of Chicago Head Start Programs
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October 15, 2017
Duckworth Tours Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice and Training Program Center
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October 03, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin, Announce More Than $150,000 in Federal Funding to Expand Campus Child Care and Help Student Parents Graduate
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September 12, 2017
Duckworth Introduces Dr. Paul Kearns, Director of Argonne National Laboratory
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June 01, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $15 Million in Federal Funding for Illinois AmeriCorps Programs