In The News
Duckworth and Rotering give emotional testimony at Senate gun panel
Highland Park Mayor Nancy R. Rotering on Wednesday took her call for a federal ban on assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines to the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing room filled with North Shore officials and residents still reeling from the Fourth of July mass shooting that left seven people dead and many others injured. "The most disturbing part [is] this is the norm in our country," Rotering said. "Highland Park had the uniquely American experience of a Fourth of … Continue Reading
July 20, 2022
Senator Tammy Duckworth sponsoring legislation targeting price gouging
(WSIL)- Inflation, we talk about it almost every day now, but while we're paying more for everything from gas to groceries some corporations are reaping record profits and they're not being quiet about it. Dozens of CEO's have bragged about jacking up prices higher than just adjusting to inflation. One being the CEO of a medical company who boasted in the company's quarter one 2022 earnings call that his team did a "amazing job" of driving higher prices. "More than offset the amount of … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Sen. Duckworth urges lawmakers to ban civilian sale or transfer of military style rifles
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth urged her colleagues Thursday to ban the civilian sale or transfer of powerful military style rifles. They have been used in recent mass killings, including the Fourth of July massacre in Highland Park. Duckworth is trying to revive a proposed assault weapons ban that's languished with no action since it was introduced 16 months ago. It has dozens of Democrats as cosponsors, and no Republicans - prompting an appeal by Duckworth. "I plead with … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
After Highland Park parade massacre, Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s lethal attack on assault weapons
WASHINGTON — The assault rifle is a well-designed weapon, said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., in a Senate floor speech Thursday. Duckworth did go to the Senate floor to praise assault weapons. But this was no product endorsement aimed at everyday consumers. She was there to plead with Senate Republicans to join in and vote to ban the sale of weapons of war to civilians. For an “evil purpose, a semi-automatic rifle is the perfect weapon, because it is lightweight, portable and … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Duckworth and Durbin pass resolution honoring Highland Park parade victims
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) - Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) passed a Senate resolution Thursday honoring the seven people killed at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade. During the city's Fourth of July parade, Robert Crimo III allegedly climbed a rooftop and opened fire on a section of the parade to kill seven people and injure 46 others. The Senate resolution also thanked the first responders, medical professionals, and counselors for serving the Highland Park … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
Duckworth, Durbin establish Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park
(KFVS) - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation to establish the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial National Historical Park. This park would include sites in Prairie du Rocher, Kaskaskia, and Fort de Chartres. "Illinois has a rich and storied history that I hope that residents and visitors alike will get to appreciate. This year, we celebrate the city of Prairie du Rocher on its 300th anniversary," Durbin said. "With this legislation, I hope to see … Continue Reading
July 14, 2022
One-on-One with Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Guns, Abortion Rights
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) renewed calls for an assault weapons ban after meeting with Highland Park residents following the July Fourth mass shooting. Duckworth, alongside Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) met with residents and members of March Fourth, a gun safety advocacy group, Tuesday to hear more about their experiences as well as discuss policy solutions. "We cried together and we shared our grief, but also our anger," Duckworth said. "The moms who initiated the meetings and the … Continue Reading
July 13, 2022
Duckworth calls out Big Oil amid high inflation
Washington D.C. (KHQA) - Consumer prices soared 9.1% compared with a year earlier, the biggest 12-month increase since 1981, and up from an 8.6% jump in May. The ongoing price increases underscore the brutal impact that inflation has inflicted on many families, with the costs of necessities, in particular, rising much faster than average incomes. In response to soaring inflation, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out oil companies for not fully passing along the savings to consumers … Continue Reading
July 05, 2022
Sen. Tammy Duckworth Says Gunfire at Highland Park Parade Sounded Like Combat in Iraq
Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth is a Purple Heart recipient and veteran of the Iraq War. While addressing reporters Monday after a gunman killed six and injured dozens more at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, she said hearing the gunfire in video of the shooting reminded her of being in a war zone. "The last time I heard a weapon of that capacity firing that rapidly on the 4th of July was Iraq," Duckworth, 54, said at a press conference. "It was not the United States of … Continue Reading
July 04, 2022
Duckworth wants permanent ACA subsidies
Duckworth Urges Senate Leadership to Extend ACA Subsidies: U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., was one of 13 Senate Democrats to urge leadership to make the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits permanent. The credits are otherwise set to expire at the end of the year. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the lawmakers said the move should come during the upcoming reconciliation legislation. “Americans deserve … Continue Reading
June 29, 2022
GAO to Study Healthcare Access for Amputees and People With Disabilities
Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators navigated around the usual Capitol Hill gridlock to make important progress for amputees. Last week another group of U.S. senators made similar strides on behalf of a broader constituency: people with disabilities. Led by Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), one of just a few amputees in Congress and the only one in the Senate, the group of lawmakers persuaded the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to initiate a comprehensive study into the … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
The senator, the soldier and the servant: Reuniting an Afghan aid worker with his family in Chicago
CHICAGO — For two decades, as the conflict in Afghanistan wore on, U.S. troops, diplomats and aid workers were helped by another type of army — the citizens of Afghanistan. They provided invaluable help as language interpreters, logistical coordinators and community relations liaisons. One example among the tens of thousands is Adel Haqyar, 47, who worked for a decade as a contractor for the United States Agency for International Development “I started my work with the Americans from March … Continue Reading
June 24, 2022
Illinois leaders react to the overturning of Roe v. Wade
CHICAGO - Local politicians and leaders are weighing in Friday after the Supreme Court reversed its landmark ruling on Roe v. Wade, allowing states to ban abortions. Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the decision "an enormous step backward" and is calling the General Assembly into special session in the coming weeks to "further enshrine" reproductive protections. "In Illinois, we’ve planned for this terrible day, an enormous step backward and a shattering loss of rights," Pritzker said in a … Continue Reading
June 22, 2022
Senators are pushing TSA to clarify its rules around breast milk and formula at airport security
Fourteen Democratic senators are asking the Transportation Security Administration to clarify its policy on flying with breast milk and formula following reports that the rules have been implemented unevenly. In a letter first shared with The 19th, senators are asking for answers after parents reported spoiled breast milk and public harassment. Formula and breast milk are exempt from the TSA's liquids rule, allowing parents to bring more than 3.4 ounces with them in their carry-on luggage, … Continue Reading
June 17, 2022
Senate panel wants to boost pay for low-income troops
The Senate Armed Services Committee's new defense authorization bill would expand a program enacted last year to help low-income military families make ends meet and feed themselves - but advocates say legislative fixes to date have fallen short of what's needed. The "basic needs allowance," as enacted in the fiscal 2022 defense authorization, would make up the difference between a servicemember's annual salary and 130 percent of the federal poverty line. By comparison, the new Senate … Continue Reading
June 10, 2022
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth urges swift action on gun control
CHICAGO - U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Friday lamented the tens of thousands of Americans murdered by gunfire, especially children. She spoke at a community center in the South Side Gresham neighborhood, hard hit by shootings and killings. "As a mother, I am beyond angry! I am furious, heartbroken and fed up," Duckworth said. Duckworth said she hopes a bi-partisan group of his colleagues on Capitol Hill can reach agreement on at least a few proposals to stem the bloodshed. But if little … Continue Reading
June 08, 2022
In trip to Asia, Sen. Duckworth touts Illinois as an electric vehicle hub
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) just got back from a trip to Taiwan and South Korea, where she pitched Illinois as a viable candidate for electric vehicle manufacturers. A member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Duckworth met with leaders of both countries to discuss opening battery plants in the state. Duckworth told WBEZ's Reset that Illinois' geographical location is an advantage. "No better place in Illinois, where we're right in the middle of the country," … Continue Reading
June 07, 2022
Sen. Duckworth: Pain at the pump is due to corporate greed
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) - U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) has a plan to fight those high gas prices. Duckworth said she proposed a bill in March to combat price-gouging at the pump and the supermarket. The bill would tax price-gouging companies for their excessive profits. She said oil companies are using the war in Ukraine as an excuse to drive up prices. "In their own words, they like the high gas prices because it allows them the highest profits that they've had in years, and in fact, … Continue Reading
June 06, 2022
Pushed by lawmakers and the formula shortage, FEMA boosts efforts to support breastfeeding families during disasters
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updated its website last week to make clear that breastfeeding resources are eligible for financial assistance for families affected by disasters - a message that's all the more crucial as parents contend with a nationwide formula shortage. The clarification comes during the formula crisis, the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season and as the Western United States faces historic wildfires. FEMA's updated guidance follows a push by Illinois … Continue Reading
May 31, 2022
Duckworth travels to promote Illinois' EV strength
Illinois has a new volunteer enlistee in its drive to boost the state's emerging electric vehicle business: U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. Duckworth is in South Korea and Taiwan this week, meeting with a range of government and industry officials in an effort to lure a prized battery plant and perhaps more to Illinois after several losses of such facilities to other states. "I'm going to try," Duckworth said in an interview before departing. "I do see some prospects of changing … Continue Reading
