Press Releases
Duckworth Writes to Wheeler About EPA’s Delayed Publishing of Final EtO Rule in the Federal Register
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) wrote a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler yesterday requesting information on the delayed publication of EPA's finalized rule on Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Manufacturing: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (MON NESHAP) in the Federal Register. Publication in the Federal Register is required to begin enforcement for this critical regulation of a large number of chemical … Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Following DoD Confirmation that Lt. Col. Vindman Was Set to Be Promoted, Duckworth Paves Way for Senior Military Promotions to Be Confirmed
[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, has lifted her partial hold on senior military promotions following the receipt of confirmation that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper did not block the expected and earned promotion of Lt. Col. Vindman to Colonel. In the last 24 hours, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed in writing to Duckworth … Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $2 Million for Greater Kankakee Airport
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $1,750,000 in federal funding to the Greater Kankakee Airport to support runway rehabilitation. This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Greater Kankakee Airport will receive an additional $194,444 for the runway project through the CARES Act, making this federal investment a total of … Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bicameral Letter Urging ICE And DHS To Immediately Withdraw New Guidance That Threatens International Students With Deportation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA.), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7), Joe Neguse (D-CO-2), Katherine Clark (D-MA-5), Seth Moulton (D-MA-6), and 85 other Senate and House Democrats, to send a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs … Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Duckworth, Schumer Lead Senate Dems in Demanding Opportunity to Review Any Relevant President’s Daily Briefs and Other Key NSC Materials Related to Reports on Russia’s Operation to Offer Bounties for Killing American Troops
[WASHINGTON, DC] - 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, along with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led ten Senate Democrats in sending a letter to President Donald Trump demanding information related to the intelligence that Russia has been covertly offering bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. servicemembers deployed to Afghanistan. The Senators … Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Duckworth to Defense Secretary: Why Won’t You Confirm in Writing that You Didn’t Interfere in Lt. Col. Vindman’s Promotion?
[WASHINGTON, DC] - 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, reiterated her request for written confirmation that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed off on and submitted the Army promotions packet-which included Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman's name-without modification to the White House. Her second request for written confirmation comes after multiple media outlets … Continue Reading
July 09, 2020
Duckworth to Esper: Gold Star Families Deserve to Know Whether Any Troop Casualties in Afghanistan Were Connected to Reported Bounty Payments
[WASHINGTON, DC] - 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 wrote to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper requesting he answer whether DoD is investigating U.S. troop casualties in Afghanistan to determine whether any U.S. servicemember deaths are connected to the alleged Russian bounty program and confirm that DoD is tracking any concurrent or completed intelligence … Continue Reading
July 09, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Call for $32 Billion In Transit Funding In Next COVID-19 Stimulus Package
[Springfield, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and 22 of their colleagues to urge Senate leadership to provide an additional $32 billion in emergency supplemental funding for public transit agencies in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. Transit agencies have been hit hard ever since stay-at-home orders were first announced in states across the country back in March, resulting in plummeting ridership and fare revenues needed … Continue Reading
July 09, 2020
Duckworth Requests Army Investigation and Corrective Actions to Improve Policies and Procedures in Response to a Missing Soldier
[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, sent a letter to the Army calling for a comprehensive investigation into Army regulations, policies and procedures governing the initial response to a missing Soldier. She is also demanding implementation of corrective actions to improve the guidance consistently across the Army. Duckworth's request comes in … Continue Reading
July 08, 2020
Duckworth, Carper, Durbin and Colleagues Urge EPA to Exercise its Full Authority Under the Clean Air Act as it Begins EtO Rulemaking Process
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE) and 8 of their colleagues today wrote to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler demanding EPA meet all its Clean Air Act requirements to protect exposed populations as it begins a National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) rulemaking process for ethylene oxide (EtO) commercial sterilization and fumigation operations. Specifically, the Senators … Continue Reading
July 08, 2020
Duckworth Statement in Response to Lt. Col. Vindman’s Retirement due to Intimidation and Retaliation from White House
[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, released the following statement after Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman resigned from the military due to the White House's campaign of bullying, intimidation and retaliation against him. "On November 19, 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman complied with a lawfully issued subpoena and testified to Congress in … Continue Reading
July 07, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $29 Million For Head Start Programs In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and today announced that eight organizations around Illinois will receive a total of nearly $30 million in federal funding to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, and helps build strategic partnerships in order to promote … Continue Reading
July 07, 2020
Following the Murder of PFC Vanessa Guillen, Duckworth Requests GAO Review of Army’s SHARP Program
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is calling for an immediate review of the Army's implementation of its Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program. Duckworth's request comes on the heels of the murder of Private First Class (PFC) Vanessa Guillen, whose family alleges that she never reported incidents of sexual harassment because she had no confidence in the SHARP program at Fort Hood. In part, Duckworth wrote: "Unfortunately, … Continue Reading
July 07, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $29 Million For Head Start Programs In Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that eight organizations around Illinois will receive a total of nearly $30 million in federal funding to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, and helps build strategic partnerships in … Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill To Implement And Expand Online SNAP Purchasing Nationwide
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a bill to address hunger needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand online Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchasing choices by enabling additional retailers to participate in the program. The Expanding SNAP Options Act would provide funding for the creation of a universal online and app-based portal to make … Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Schumer And Wyden To Introduce New Legislation To Extend Expanded Unemployment Insurance & Require Program Continue Providing Benefits Until Economic Conditions Improve
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to introduce the American Workforce Rescue Act, bold, new legislation that would establish "automatic stabilizers" to ensure unemployment benefits remain available for working families during periods of persistent unemployment, a priority for Senate Democrats in the next COVID-19 bill. The proposal would extend the $600 increase in weekly unemployment … Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with SEIU Healthcare Leaders About COVID-19 Impact at VA Facilities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke with Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas, and other SEIU Healthcare leaders today about the COVID-19 response at Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital and Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center and the important work staff has done throughout the pandemic. The group discussed SEIU Healthcare's main priorities, which include obtaining more personal protective … Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Duckworth Announces Blanket Hold on Senior Military Confirmations Following Reports of Trump’s Unprecedented Political Interference into Military Promotion Process
[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, announced her intention to block Senate confirmation of 1,123 senior U.S. Armed Forces promotions until Secretary of Defense Mark Esper confirms in writing that he did not, or will not, block the expected and deserved promotion of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman to Colonel. Duckworth's move, which is unprecedented in … Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Indian Ambassador to the United States
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with India's Ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Duckworth and Singh Sandhu discussed the partnership between the two nations and opportunities to cooperate in the Indo-Pacific region as the world recovers from COVID-19. "Ambassador Singh Sandhu and I had a positive discussion today about the relationship between our two nations and opportunities to work together in the future," Duckworth said. "I look forward … Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Gillibrand, Grassley & Cruz in Proposing Bipartisan NDAA Amendment to Improve Military Prosecution of Serious Crimes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) to offer the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act as an amendment to this year's National Defense Authorization Act. The Military Justice Improvement Act would professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes, like sexual assault, by moving … Continue Reading
