In The News
Deported veterans can't get into the country for citizenship interviews. This senator wants answers.
Deported Marine Corps veteran Roman Sabal was supposed to return to the United States for a citizenship interview in mid-July. He was denied entry. Now, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., wants the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to explain why. Sabal first came to the United States on a visitor visa with one plan - joining the Marine Corps. He succeeded in 1987 and served for six years before being honorably discharged and going on to serve in the Army Reserves. He … Continue Reading
August 12, 2019
Duckworth: Ethylene oxide-emitting facilities in Waukegan, Gurnee 'definitely’ didn’t get same response as Sterigenics in Willowbrook
Ethylene oxide-emitting plants in Lake County were taken less seriously than the Sterigenics facility in DuPage County's Willowbrook, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said Monday afternoon. "It definitely is," the Hoffman Estates Democrat said in an interview with the News-Sun. "I think that black and brown communities get overlooked quite often, and then there's also a resource issue. … The municipalities couldn't afford what Willowbrook could afford." That's why Duckworth … Continue Reading
August 08, 2019
Under Trump, discrimination complaints and firing of disabled federal workers rise
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration says it's creating jobs and opportunities for people with disabilities across the country, but critics say that's not always true for those working for the federal government. "There isn't any real leadership on disability issues in the Trump administration," said Curt Decker, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, a national nonprofit advocacy group. "Bad things are happening every day for people with disabilities, and without … Continue Reading
August 07, 2019
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth ask MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for more data on ballpark fan injuries
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois have written Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for the second time in six weeks, this time asking MLB “to collect and report data” about ballpark fan injuries. “This will provide a more honest public dialogue and help protect baseball’s biggest — and littlest — fans,” the two Democrats wrote in their letter Tuesday. They said it is their understanding teams collected data on seating areas that are most … Continue Reading
August 07, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth says improving health and education in the U.S. would lead to a stronger military
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Wednesday called for a "holistic" approach to national security, saying that dealing with domestic issues to improve education, health care and infrastructure will help the nation's military preparedness. "We can't just keep throwing together huge defense budgets every year and thinking that's enough," the Democratic senator told an audience at the City Club of Chicago. "Instead, we need to balance investing in our weaponry with investing in our … Continue Reading
July 27, 2019
Duckworth revives nuclear-waste plan that could provide Zion with more than $15 million in aid -- this time with a Republican ally
The city of Zion could receive up to $15.3 million a year for five years under a plan to compensate communities impacted by stranded nuclear waste, a plan that U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said now has support from across the aisle. Despite the bipartisan support, the Hoffman Estates Democrat said in an interview it might still take two or three attempts to push the proposal through Congress. Duckworth reintroduced the bill - called the Sensible, Timely Relief for America's … Continue Reading
July 26, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Reintroduce Bill to Halt Sewage Dumping Into Great Lakes
U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin of Illinois have reintroduced legislation aimed at ending the inadvertent dumping of untreated sewage waste into Lake Michigan and the entire Great Lakes basin. Tens of billions of gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater runoff are dumped into the Great Lakes each year, polluting the water and prompting beach closings and swimming advisories, according to the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes. The Democratic senators' Great Lakes Water … Continue Reading
July 24, 2019
After wheelchair was lost for 12 hours, couple speaks out about traveling with a disability
As soon as Nic and Rachel Cole touched down in Minneapolis, she received an alert that one of their two bags wasn't arriving. At first, the couple was confused. They had only checked one bag. But soon Rachel realized what happened — and it was worse than missing clothes and toiletries. The airline forgot Nic’s wheelchair. “I heard one of the flight attendants say, ‘They didn’t load his wheelchair?!’ Yes, you read that correctly, They Didn’t Load His … Continue Reading
July 23, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth bill inspired by Cairo would allow HUD to redirect fines to communities harmed by fraud
WASHINGTON - A bill introduced Monday night by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth would allow the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to redirect any fines and assessments collected from the program fraud cases to communities that have been harmed. Under current law, when HUD brings an administrative claim against a public or private landlord, any money collected goes back to the U.S. Treasury, and is not recouped by HUD. The Fairness for Housing Communities Act … Continue Reading
July 13, 2019
On Southern Illinois tour, Duckworth hears from flooded communities; talks levee needs
CARBONDALE - With thousands of acres still beneath flood waters, Senator Tammy Duckworth met with officials from Alexander, Union, Randolph and Jackson counties to discuss their recovery, Saturday, as part of a multi-day tour of Southern Illinois. Duckworth and fellow Senator Dick Durbin have been "actively working to change how the federal government values property, to get compensation for rural areas, fix levees and get the dollars back into landowners' pockets," she told the … Continue Reading
July 12, 2019
Why are many of America's military families going hungry?
SAN DIEGO - Dozens of people formed a line outside Dewey Elementary School on a recent Monday, awaiting the arrival of a Feeding San Diego truck that gives out free groceries every other week. The vast majority weren't homeless or even newly unemployed. They're the husbands and wives of U.S. military service members. "I knew we wouldn't be wealthy, but I thought it would be a lot more manageable," said Desiree Mieir, a mother of four whose Navy husband's most recent deployment lasted almost … Continue Reading
July 11, 2019
Duckworth: Deporting military families 'cruel, inhumane, a threat to national security'
As the nation's civil war over how to handle immigration turns even meaner, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is taking aim at a new move by the Trump administration to deport family members of active-duty military personnel if they originally entered the country illegally. In a letter signed by Duckworth and 21 colleagues, all Democrats, Illinois' junior senator said terminating the "parole in place program" would be "cruel, inhumane and will result in separating military families." Beyond that, she … Continue Reading
July 09, 2019
Politicians Roll Out New Legislation to Aid LGBTQ Veterans
New legislation in Congress aims to address health care disparities for LGBTQ veterans. Filed by U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., the LGBT VA Advocacy Inclusion Act would include LGBTQ individuals in the Department of Veterans Affairs' definitions of minority group members, according to the Military Times. "We owe all veterans who have defended our nation access to the health care and benefits we promised, and they have rightfully earned - regardless of their … Continue Reading
June 28, 2019
Senators Durbin, Duckworth Call for MLB to Mandate Extended Netting in Stadiums
Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are calling for extended netting to be installed in all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums after a string of high-profile incidents involving fans being hit by foul balls. In one of the most discussed incidents, Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. hit a foul ball that struck a 2-year-old girl at Houston's Minute Maid Park last month. The girl suffered a fractured skull and is currently on anti-seizure medication, according to her … Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Durbin, Duckworth send letter to commissioner Rob Manfred urging MLB to expand protective netting
After a series of incidents in which fans have been struck by foul balls, ballpark safety has become a key concern. Now, two United States senators representing Illinois are joining the discussion by sending a letter to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred calling for all 30 teams to extend protective netting down the right- and left-field corners. The letter - obtained exclusively by the Chicago Sun-Times - comes one day after new details emerged on the injuries suffered by a … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Duckworth: Trump Must Bring Military Action Before Congress
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth says the Trump Administration should come to Congress before it authorizes any military action against Iran. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) Photo Credit: U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth's office Speaking on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, the Illinois Democrat accused the Trump Administration of trying to manufacture a war. She says that decision should be left to the House and Senate. "They must bring their case to Congress, and give the American people … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Senators want Springfield’s 183rd to get flying mission again
Springfield's 183rd Wing, a unit of the Illinois Air National Guard, would receive a flying mission once again under an amendment proposed by Illinois' two U.S. senators. The amendment, made to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the U.S. Senate is currently debating, would allow the U.S. secretary of the Air Force to transfer A-10, F-16, F-15E/X or F-35 aircraft to the local Guard unit, which is housed at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. The 183rd Wing flew F-16s until the … Continue Reading
June 14, 2019
U.S. farm state senators introduce bill to overhaul biofuel waiver program
Two Midwest senators said Friday they had introduced a bill to reform the Environmental Protection Agency's biofuel waiver program, which the corn industry says helps oil companies at the expense of farmers here by threatening ethanol demand. The bill, introduced by Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Republican Deb Fischer of Nebraska, would impose a June 1 deadline for refineries to apply for the waivers that exempt them from blending ethanol into gasoline, so the EPA has time to … Continue Reading
June 13, 2019
Duckworth Pushes McDonald's Again On Sexual Harassment Policies
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said Wednesday that new sexual harassment policies at McDonald's don't go far enough because franchise locations are not required to follow them. Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, and seven other senators sent a letter to McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook this week about the issue. They said "it is imperative that the McDonald's Corp. require all franchise locations to adopt the updated policies to guarantee that all workers will be covered by the new protections … Continue Reading
May 24, 2019
Duckworth secures $10M for Scott Air Force Base project in defense spending bill
Scott Air Force Base is in line to receive money for a new joint operations center under a spending bill that was approved by a Senate Committee earlier this week. The Senate Armed Services Committee included $10 million in the 2020 fiscal year National Defense Authorization Act so Scott Air Force Base can have a new joint operations center. The center would "assist the joint force commander's planning, monitoring and guiding the execution of decisions," according to a news release from U.S. … Continue Reading
