March 22, 2025

Duckworth Visits Quad Cities International Airport, Underscores How Trump’s Illegal Funding Freeze Hurts Local Infrastructure and Jobs

 

[MOLINE, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—today met with Quad Cities International Airport Director Benjamin Leischner and airport leadership to hear concerns about the impacts of Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staff cuts. Duckworth also discussed the over $2.7 million in federal funding she secured last year through the Airport Improvement Plan (AIP) for airfield safety. Photos of today’s visit are available on the Senator’s website.

“Quad Cities International Airport is an essential economic hub for our state and the region,” Duckworth said. “During our meeting, we discussed how Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s FAA layoffs are jeopardizing safety at a time when we should be investing more in our aviation system—not less. As we continue to face an aviation safety crisis, I will keep working alongside QC Airport leadership to advocate for federal investments that will make our skies safer, modernize infrastructure and support economic development across the Quad Cities.”

In September, Duckworth and U.S. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a total of $37,031,074 in federal funding for infrastructure improvements at airports across Illinois—including $2,765,727 for the Quad Cities International Airport through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). This funding, provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration, supports airport improvement projects across the state such as reinforcing taxiway structural integrity, expanding terminal buildings to accommodate more passengers and aircraft operations and implementing modernization measures. These measures include reducing noise pollution for nearby residents, increasing clean energy opportunities, improving drainage infrastructure and mitigating wildlife attractants.

Earlier this month, Duckworth and Durbin sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy criticizing the Trump Administration’s mismanagement of federal funding for Illinois transportation and infrastructure projects. In their letter, the Senators called for more clarity on the future of transportation and infrastructure grants and formula funding for states that were included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was strongly supported by both Duckworth and Durbin.

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