Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin Call On Army To Review Illinois Army Reserve's Handling Of Sexual Assault Claims
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the U.S. Army to review reported mishandling by leaders of the Illinois-based Army Reserve unit, the 416th Theater Engineer Command, of multiple sexual assault claims. In a letter to U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, Duckworth and Durbin called for a comprehensive review of the troubling charges brought to light by a recent Associated Press article into handling of sexual assault claims by the … Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Duckworth and Durbin Join Colleagues to Support Puerto Rico’s Request for A Major Disaster Declaration in Response to Earthquakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - This week, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined 34 of their colleagues, led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in sending a letter to President Trump to express strong support of Puerto Rico's request for a major disaster declaration following the widespread damage caused by the powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake on January 7 and its aftershocks, as well as the foreshock that began on December 28. "More than two days after the … Continue Reading
January 12, 2020
Duckworth Meets With Local Leaders to Discuss Equity in Legalization of Recreational Cannabis in Illinois
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with local leaders today at Mission South Shore Marijuana Dispensary on the recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Illinois. Duckworth was joined by Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Senior Advisor to Gov. Pritzker on Cannabis Control Toi Hutchinson, Illinois State Senator Robert Peters (IL-SD-13), Chicago Ald. Susan Garza (10th Ward), Illinois Deputy Treasurer Rodrigo Garcia, Acting State Banking Director of the Illinois … Continue Reading
January 10, 2020
Duckworth Demands Secretary Esper Disclose Why DOD Believes Killing Soleimani was Legal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), wrote to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper requesting he inform Congress and the American people precisely what legal authority, or which legal authorities, authorized the military operation that killed General Qasem Soleimani. During Esper's confirmation hearing last year, he affirmed to Duckworth that neither the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force … Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Duckworth and Ernst Team Up to Tackle Sexual Misconduct in the U.S. Coast Guard
WASHINGTON-Following reports of an increase in sexual assault and harassment claims at the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) and a lack of leadership in regards to the Coast Guard's handling of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, U.S. Senators and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), are introducing a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing sexual assault and retaliation in the United States Coast Guard. "For too long, our … Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Duckworth, Merkley, Booker, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Breastfeeding Protections at Work
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and two of her Senate colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to provide salaried employees in traditional office environments-a group of approximately 13.5 million executive, administrative, and professional women-with reasonable break time and a private place to pump breastmilk. The bill, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act is also consponsored by … Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $8 Million in Grants to Head Start Programs Across Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $8,933,201 in federal funding to help children in Decatur, Joliet and Alton, Illinois, access 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 & Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, and helps build strategic partnerships in order to promote … Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Duckworth on Senate Floor: “My Diaper-Wearing 20-Month-Old Has Better Impulse Control Than This President”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke on the Senate floor today following Iran's attacks last night on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. The attacks came in response to General Qasem Soleimani being killed in a U.S. airstrike last week. In her remarks, Duckworth focused on how this decision could further isolate us from our partners, jeopardize regional democracy as well as stability and … Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Senator Duckworth Joins Colleagues to Introduce Anti-War Crimes Resolution That Denounces Trump Threats to Attack Iranian Cultural Sites
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and five of her colleagues to introduce a Senate resolution condemning Trump's threats to attack cultural sites in Iran and demanding the President refrain from violating the laws of armed conflict. The resolution responds to President Donald Trump's repeated threats on Twitter and in a press conference that the United States would make cultural sites a target of attack if … Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
Senator Duckworth Calls for Document Preservation at U.S. Department of State
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on State Department Inspector General Steve Linick to immediately issue a document preservation order for the U.S. Department of State and its Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is responsible for safeguarding American Foreign Service Officers and coordinating embassy security programs abroad. In light of the recent airstrikes … Continue Reading
January 03, 2020
Duckworth Statement on Soleimani Strike
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a Combat Veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), issued the following statement after General Qasem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad: "I first ran for office to ensure that when the drums of war beat loudly in Washington, I would be able to remind my colleagues in Congress and the White House what the true costs of war actually are-not just in dollars, but in American troops' lives as … Continue Reading
December 23, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Statement On Nomination Of Stephen McGlynn To Serve As U.S. District Judge For The Southern District Of Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the White House announced the nomination of Stephen McGlynn to serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that the President has nominated Judge Stephen McGlynn. He has the qualifications, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction as a district court judge in the Southern District of Illinois. We … Continue Reading
December 20, 2019
Duckworth Votes for Bipartisan Agreement to Fund the Government
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) voted for the two Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations packages, which will fund the government through September 30, 2020. The bills passed the U.S. Senate with a bipartisan majority and now heads to the President's desk for his signature. "I'm glad both parties came together to pass this bipartisan budget agreement that includes a number of important provisions, such as securing miners' earned health care and pension benefits, defending … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Duckworth Responds to FAA, TSA Federal Employees Being Overlooked on Paid Family Leave
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding the exclusion of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers, including air traffic controllers, from being eligible for 12 weeks of paid family leave that other federal employees are now eligible for under the newly-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "In the most prosperous nation in the history of the world, no one should have … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Duckworth Secures Big Wins to Support and Protect the Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - This week, two provisions led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to support the Great Lakes were included in the America's Conservation Enhancement Act (ACE), which was voted out of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and will now be considered by the full Senate. Duckworth and is Ranking Member of the EPW Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife. "The Great Lakes support 1.5 million jobs and provide drinking water to tens of millions of … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Duckworth Statement on the Impeachment of President Trump
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump: "The fact that a majority of duly elected representatives of the American people voted to impeach Donald Trump is not something anyone should celebrate. This is a grave moment in our nation's history. In the coming weeks, every single United States Senator will be required to raise their right hand and swear an oath to do … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Duckworth Responds to FAA, TSA Federal Employees Being Overlooked on Paid Family Leave
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding the exclusion of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers, including air traffic controllers, from being eligible for 12 weeks of paid family leave that other federal employees are now eligible for under the newly-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "In the most prosperous nation in the history of the world, no one should have to … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin, Booker Introduce Bill to Enhance Public Housing Oversight and Transparency, Improve Conditions for Residents
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, as part of her ongoing efforts to prevent future housing crises like what happened in Cairo, Illinois, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), introduced legislation to improve public housing oversight and transparency by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The bill, the Averting Crises in Housing Assistance (ACHA) Act, seeks to address the national backlog of needed repairs in public … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $178,000 to Fight Veteran Homelessness
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $178,172 in federal funding for housing authorities to reduce homelessness among Veterans across Illinois. The funding, from the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, will be used to provide rental assistance, case management and other critical services. "Every American is dishonored when a Veteran who fought for this … Continue Reading
December 18, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues to Introduce the Safe Gun Storage Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 17 other colleagues in introducing the Safe Gun Storage Act, which would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for firearm locks and firearm safes. U.S. Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives earlier this year. "Passing public … Continue Reading
