Press Releases
Duckworth Calls on Independent Watchdog to Investigate FEMA’s Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) requested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigate FEMA's Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force, including Project Air Bridge, to ensure compliance with federal law in distributing critical medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public reporting has shown possible evidence of mismanagement and secrecy around Project Air Bridge and raised concerns regarding the Task Force's ability … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Ahead of Mother’s Day, Duckworth & Scott Announce Bipartisan Bill to Help New Parents Receive CARES Act Stimulus Checks This Year
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) announced a bipartisan proposal to ensure more new parents quickly receive the additional $500 per child in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act stimulus payments without having to wait until 2021. Currently, parents of children born on or after January 1, 2020, must wait until they file taxes in calendar year 2021 to receive those payments due to … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Metro East Faith Leaders About COVID-19 Response & Environmental Justice Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, spoke by phone today with leaders of United Congregations of Metro East to discuss issues faced by members of the Metro East faith-based community. During the call, Duckworth highlighted priorities she will push for in future COVID-19 relief legislation, such as increased funding for communities facing environmental justice issues, as well as work she's done at the … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Duckworth, Schneider Call on Congressional Leadership to Include Aid for Nuclear-Affected Communities in Upcoming COVID-19 Legislation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As Congress considers additional funding to support the U.S. response to the economic and public health dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) called on Congressional leadership to include their legislation to assist nuclear-affected communities. The Sensible, Timely Relief for America's Nuclear Districts' Economic Development (STRANDED) Act would provide financial assistance to the communities around … Continue Reading
May 07, 2020
Duckworth at COVID-19 Hearing: Why Isn’t CARES Act Funding Being Used to Protect Airline Maintenance Workers?
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - During a Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation (CST) Committee hearing yesterday, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned industry leaders about why bipartisan CARES Act relief funding is not being dispersed in a timely manner to Maintenance Repair and Operations (MRO) companies, airline contractors or caterers. Many of these companies, including several in Illinois, have not yet received any relief from the Treasury Department despite being eligible for the … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Highlight Illinois Priorities Included in Major Water Infrastructure Bill Now Moving Through Senate
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) as well as Ranking Member on EPW’s Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the inclusion of several key priorities that will help Illinois in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA), which passed the EPW committee today and now heads to Senate floor for final … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Co-Chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus Highlight EJ Wins in Water Infrastructure Bills
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, after the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee favorably reported America’s Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2020 and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 out of the committee, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) - co-founders of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus along with U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) - highlighted how these bipartisan bill wills help to ensure that the benefits of water … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Hassan and Colleagues Call for Greater Support for Students with Disabilities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and 22 of their colleagues in calling for greater support for students who experience disabilities in upcoming COVID-19 response legislation. The funding would help ensure that school districts have more resources to continue to provide students who experience disabilities a free and appropriate public education as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act … Continue Reading
May 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Availability of Nearly $570 Million in COVID-19 Relief for K-12 Education in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the availability of up to $569,467,218 in federal funding to support continued education for Illinois K-12 students whose schooling has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding allocation, which the Illinois State Board of Education can apply for by July 1, 2020, is part of the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) stimulus that both Duckworth & … Continue Reading
May 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos, Kinzinger Discuss COVID-19 Response with Illinois Hospitals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16) today, on a call with more than 30 CEOs of Illinois hospitals and leaders of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association and Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois and how hospitals are fighting the pandemic on the ground. The bipartisan members of Congress thanked the … Continue Reading
May 04, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Harris, Colleagues Call on DOJ to Proactively Address Coronavirus-related Anti-Asian Discrimination, Hate Crimes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and 13 colleagues in urging the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to take concrete steps to address the surge in discrimination and hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals. These steps are similar to those DOJ has taken in the past to address jumps in discrimination and hate crimes against a particular community. The … Continue Reading
May 04, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Call for $26 Billion in Next Coronavirus Relief Package to Support Research Workforce
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and 31 of their Senate colleagues today in advocating for protections for the U.S. scientific research community during the coronavirus pandemic. Although coronavirus-related research is a current federal government priority, most other research has slowed or stopped due to closures of campuses and laboratories. The people who comprise the research … Continue Reading
May 04, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Call for $26 Billion in Next Coronavirus Relief Package to Support Research Workforce
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and 31 of their Senate colleagues today in advocating for protections for the U.S. scientific research community during the coronavirus pandemic. Although coronavirus-related research is a current federal government priority, most other research has slowed or stopped due to closures of campuses and laboratories. The people who comprise the research … Continue Reading
May 01, 2020
Durbin, Duckworth Call For Tax Credit Expansion To Help Working Families During Coronavirus Economic Downturn
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in leading a group of 34 other Senators in a letter to Senate Leaders calling for a temporary expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the next coronavirus relief package. As the economic effects of COVID-19 are expected to last into next year, this would put money back in the pockets of … Continue Reading
May 01, 2020
Duckworth, Colleagues Urge USDA To Target Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Relief To Local Farmers
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and a bipartisan group of 23 Senators in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to target relief through its newly-created Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to reach local farmers. While the bipartisan CARES Act stimulus that Senator Duckworth voted to pass specifically provides direct assistance to local food producers, USDA has … Continue Reading
April 30, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Letter Urging the CFPB to Reinstate Vital HMDA Data Collection
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and 15 of their Senate colleagues in urging Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Kathy Kraninger to reverse her decisions to suspend the quarterly reporting of information under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) during the COVID-19 pandemic and halt reporting of all HMDA data for lenders. Eliminating these reporting requirements could allow discrimination … Continue Reading
April 30, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Emergency Physicians from Across Illinois about the COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke by phone with Illinois members of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) about the COVID-19 pandemic and their efforts to ensure any re-opening plan includes a clear strategy to avoid unsafe medical practices or a potential spike in COVID-19 cases. Duckworth and the emergency physicians also discussed the urgent need for more testing capacity, personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital funding. "It was a … Continue Reading
April 30, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with Illinois Legislative Black Caucus about the COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, spoke by phone with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus about the COVID-19 pandemic. During this call, Duckworth discussed the shortcomings of recent relief packages and highlighted priorities she will push for in a future bill, including more funding for state and local governments, additional money for unemployment insurance and SNAP, more PPE for frontline and … Continue Reading
April 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Call for $50 Billion in Childcare Relief in Next Coronavirus Package
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in leading 27 of their Senate colleagues in calling on Senate leadership to include their plan for $50 billion in childcare relief in the next coronavirus package, saying it is an indispensable part of the nation’s response to the pandemic. The plan outlines steps to stabilize the childcare system, keep providers in business, and ensure parents are able … Continue Reading
April 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Colleagues Call for More Funding for Social Service Nonprofits in Next Coronavirus Relief Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) AND Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) in leading a group of 25 Senators to urge Senate leadership to include additional emergency funding for nonprofit organizations in the next COVID-19 relief bill. Nonprofits are an essential part of the frontline coronavirus pandemic response, providing important social services such as nutrition assistance, shelter for those experiencing homelessness, child care and education … Continue Reading
