Press Releases
Duckworth Condemns GOP Attacks on Disability Community in Republican COVID-19 Proposal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor tonight to condemn the latest Republican attacks on the disability community in their COVID-19 proposal, the HEALS Act, which includes several provisions that would gut the ADA, fail to provide desperately-needed funding for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services and threaten to deprive Americans living with disabilities of their fundamental rights to live independent, regular and productive lives. Video of … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill To Support School-Based Mentoring Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act, legislation that increases support for school-based mentoring programs in order to help at-risk youth thrive in their schools, careers, and life. The bill would invest in mentoring programs that help students overcome adversity and trauma and develop the workforce skills employers are seeking. Specifically, the Mentoring to Succeed Act would establish a five-year, … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Call For Safe Release And Return Of Mark Frerichs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a letter to President Donald Trump, called for the timely and safe release and return of American citizen Mark Frerichs, who was abducted earlier this year in Afghanistan. Frerichs, originally from Illinois and a Veteran of the U.S. Navy, has spent nearly ten years living in and working as an independent contractor in Afghanistan. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Frerichs was … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth Condemns White House Decision to Install Tata at DoD Without Senate Confirmation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and 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, today released a statement condemning the White House's decision to appoint retired Brigadier General Anthony Tata to the position of Deputy Undersecretary of Policy in an "Acting" capacity, thus circumventing Congressional approval for this nominee. This move comes just days after Tata's Senate confirmation … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Congressional Leaders on Environmental Justice Issues Respond to Republican COVID-19 Proposal that Ignores the Needs of Communities of Color During this Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Leaders of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tom Carper (D-DE), and leaders of the House of Representative's United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force, Representatives A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), today released a joint statement in response to the Republican COVID-19 proposal, the HEALS Act. "The COVID-19 pandemic has … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $14 Million for Chicago O’Hare International Airport
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $10,492,975 in federal funding to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to support the reconstruction of 1,477,000 square yards of existing apron pavement. This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program. O'Hare will receive an additional $3,497,658 for the project through the CARES Act, making this federal investment a … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Help Harris Introduce Comprehensive Legislation to Help Achieve Environmental Justice for All
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first Environmental Justice Caucus, and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce the Environmental Justice for All Act, comprehensive environmental justice legislation to achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly underserved communities and communities of color. This legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Duckworth Leads Illinois Congressional Delegation in Calling for Title 32 Extension for National Guard
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, today led members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in a letter calling on President Trump to support Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's request to extend Title 32 authorization for National Guard servicemembers so they can continue assisting Illinois in its COVID-19 response efforts. In the letter, the Members request authorization to retain up to 500 … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Duckworth, Fischer Bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) passed the Senate today. The Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Improvement Act will ensure that small airports across the country support nursing moms and promote breastfeeding-friendly environments by providing accessible, clean and convenient lactation rooms for travelers. The bill builds on Duckworth's success in enacting legislation that ensures all large and medium … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Blunt Rochester, Duckworth Introduce Bill to Improve Air Quality Monitoring & Protect Front-Line Communities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL) today introduced the Public Health Air Quality Act, which would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement immediate fenceline monitoring for toxic air pollutants at facilities contributing to high local cancer rates and other health threats from dangerous pollutants. U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Discuss COVID-19 Response With Senior Living Facility Representatives
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with CEOs of numerous Illinois senior living facilities to discuss safety and care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin and Duckworth discussed improving the nation's testing and contact tracing efforts and access to personal protective equipment (PPE) for those working and living in senior living facilities. "Our nation is in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has already killed more than 150,000 … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $38 Million to Support Housing and Community Development in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that cities and counties throughout Illinois have received a total of $38.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support housing and community development amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding was provided through the CARES Act and has been distributed by HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Urge EPA to Conduct Oversight, Testing for Ongoing Sewage Problems in Centreville
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do more to address the ongoing flooding and sewage issues in Centreville after years of neglect. In a letter sent today, the Senators urged EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede to conduct enhanced monitoring and … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Duckworth, Blackburn Advocate for Accurate Data on Access to Prosthetics Following the Amputation of a Limb
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Access to Assistive Technology and Devices for Americans Study Act, or the "Triple A" Study Act, which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study access to prosthetics after the amputation of a limb. "Americans with limb loss and limb difference face unique challenges in accessing the optimal assistive technologies that would greatly enhance quality of life and … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Duckworth Responds to the Republican COVID-19 Proposal
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after Republicans announced their proposal for a fourth COVID-19 package: "The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress have mishandled this pandemic from the start-from ignoring the science, to claiming it would magically disappear to re-opening before it was safe to do so. Now their so-called 'relief bill' lends a helping hand to corporations while gutting support for millions of Americans who … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Duckworth Blasts Republican Assault on Disability Community in GOP’s COVID-19 Proposal
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement regarding provisions in the Senate Republican's newly announce COVID-19 proposal that attacks the disability community and would gut disability rights: "This offensive proposal is an assault on the disability community. By failing to provide desperately-needed funding for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services, Senate Republicans will be complicit in the mass institutionalization of vulnerable … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $700,000 For Housing Programs In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that three housing authorities across Illinois will receive a total of $696,023 in federal funding to support public housing needs in the community. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Emergency Safety and Security Grant (ESSG) program. "Children and families in need across Illinois rely on investments like these that help improve housing … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Illinois Delegation Discuss COVID-19 With Chicago Mayor Lightfoot
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with several members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, spoke with Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot about Chicago's ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response and how they can continue to assist her efforts to protect Illinoisans as the state re-opens. The group discussed how federal support can provide Illinois families and businesses with relief from the health and economic consequences of the pandemic, and … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Barriers Faced by Minority-Owned Businesses, Highlights Need to do more to Ensure Equal Access to Capital Especially during COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - During a U.S. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing about capital access for minority-owned small businesses, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) discussed the barriers facing minority-owned small businesses and asked what changes Congress should make to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and to traditional lending structures to make sure borrowers of color can access small business loans. Video of Duckworth's questions at today's hearing is available … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Senate Passes Duckworth’s Defense Bill Provisions to Support Servicemembers and Enhance Military Modernization Efforts
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a Purple Heart recipient and one of the first handful of Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, 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 vote of 86-14 today. The NDAA authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), sets our nation's … Continue Reading
