Press Releases
Senate Passes Several Duckworth Provisions as Part of 2020 Defense Bill
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) successfully secured a number of her priorities in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the U.S. Senate on a bipartisan vote of 86-8 today and now heads to the President's desk for his signature. The NDAA authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), sets our nation's defense policy and ensures that our servicemembers have the tools they need to defend our nation. … Continue Reading
December 17, 2019
Duckworth Introduces Bill to Increase Investments in Liver Cancer Research & Raise Awareness
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced legislation to increase federal support for liver cancer research and help make life-saving preventive and treatment services more accessible to people all across the country. The Liver Illness Visibility, Education and Research (LIVER) Act would boost funding for liver cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $45 million and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by $90 million while … Continue Reading
December 16, 2019
Duckworth Hosts Roundtable Highlighting Criminal Justice Reform Efforts
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a roundtable today at the Westside Justice Center, bringing together advocates and Chicago families to discuss her efforts to reform our criminal justice system, including her bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act. Her legislation aims to help families keep in touch with their incarcerated family members, which studies have shown can help reduce recidivism rates and thereby save taxpayer dollars. Photos … Continue Reading
December 15, 2019
Duckworth Honored with Heartland Alliance Health Food for Life Award
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) was recognized for her work supporting our most vulnerable by receiving the Food for Life Award from the Heartland Alliance Health. The annual award is given to leaders who support the mission of Heartland Alliance Health, which strives to provide assistance for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, struggling with mental illness and substance use and battling chronic illness. During her remarks, Duckworth highlighted her … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Duckworth’s Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act Advances out of Senate Committee
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) passed the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resource (ENR) Committee yesterday and will now be considered by the full Senate. The Springfield Race Riot National Monument Act would require the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) to conduct a final study to evaluate whether it is suitable to be a monument. A preliminary study published earlier this year found that the site has National … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Duckworth, Bustos Introduce Bill to Promote Advancement in Technical Aviation Training
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran, pilot and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to improve education and training programs at aviation maintenance technician schools. The Promoting Aviation Regulations for Technical Training (PARTT) 147 Act of 2019 would establish performance-based regulations to ensure aviation maintenance education institutions have the flexibility to teach core curriculum … Continue Reading
December 13, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues to Urge Passage of Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize Critical Role of Census, Importance of Safe and Accurate Count
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in introducing a bipartisan resolution to ensure the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. According to Forefront’s ‘IL Count Me In 2020’ initiative, Illinois stands to lose at least $1,800 per year … Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
Duckworth’s Bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act Passes Senate Committee
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) passed the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Committee unanimously today and will now be considered by the full Senate. The Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Improvement Act would ensure that small airports support nursing moms and promote breastfeeding-friendly environments by providing accessible, clean and convenient lactation rooms for travelers. The … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Duckworth Discusses Women in Leadership & Family Friendly Policies at Politico’s Women Rule Summit
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today participated in a panel discussion titled "Women, Workforce and Reinvention" at Politico's Women Rule Summit. Duckworth discussed challenges she has faced throughout her career, as well as legislation she has introduced to help make it easier for families to raise children across the country. A photo of Duckworth speaking at the event is available here. Key quotes: "My daughter just turned five a couple weeks ago. She's … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Duckworth, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Support Small Businesses Owned by Spouses of Deceased Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Act, which would allow the spouses of deceased veterans who owned small businesses to retain their contract preference status regardless of the degree of disability the servicemember experienced. "We created the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program to help give Veterans priority in the VA procurement marketplace so those who served our nation … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Duckworth, Colleagues Seek Input from Environmental Justice Leaders on Ways to Address Climate Change
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first-ever Environment Justice Caucus and member of the U.S. Senate Democrat's Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, led 15 of her Senate colleagues in sending a letter to leaders of the environmental justice movement asking for input on policy that could help mitigate the impacts of climate change in low-income communities and communities of color that have borne the brunt of our environmental … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Duckworth Helps Introduce Bill to Ensure Proper-Fitting Body Armor & Protective Equipment is Available for Female Servicemembers
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (D-IA), Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in introducing bipartisan legislation to improve troop readiness and effectiveness by addressing issues of inadequate and ill-fitting body armor and personal protective equipment (PPE) across the military. "When I was serving overseas, I experienced firsthand how our military's body armor and protective equipment hasn't always … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Duckworth at Reagan National Defense Forum: US Leadership Requires Strong Diplomacy and Economic Engagement, Not Only Military Power
[SIMI VALLEY, CA] - Today, on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke about multiple components of America's leadership on the global stage, highlighting the need for strategic diplomacy and economic engagement in addition to a strong military, as part of a panel discussion moderated by ABC News' Jonathan Karl during the 2019 Reagan National Defense Forum in California. Duckworth was joined by Karl Rove, Former Deputy Chief of … Continue Reading
December 06, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $500,000 to Support Illinois Housing and Community Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $563,741 in federal funding today to help Kankakee expand economic opportunities and improve housing and living environments for low-to-moderate income individuals. Today's funding comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program. "Children and families in need in Kankakee and all across Illinois rely on investments like these … Continue Reading
December 05, 2019
Duckworth and Isakson Bipartisan Bill to Fix Immigration Policy for Children of U.S. Servicemembers and Civil Servants Passes House of Representatives
[WASHINGTON, DC] – This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a companion version of U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Johnny Isakson’s (R-GA) bipartisan Citizenship for Children of Military Members & Civil Servants Act. This legislation would fix a problem in current law that disadvantages certain children whose parents are serving our nation abroad in uniform or in the civil service. It would modernize Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Bipartisan Duckworth Resolution to Support At-Risk Youth and Help Eliminate Homelessness Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) recognizing November as National Runaway Prevention Month passed the U.S. Senate this week. The resolution will help raise awareness of the nationwide runaway and homeless youth crisis and educate the public on how to help end youth homelessness. U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Patty … Continue Reading
December 03, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Schatz and Colleagues in Reintroducing Legislation to Help Protect People’s Personal Data Online
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 14 other Senators led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), reintroduced legislation to protect people’s personal data online. The Data Care Act would require websites, apps, and other online providers to take responsible steps to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of users’ data. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen numerous major hacks or data leaks of private user information … Continue Reading
December 03, 2019
Duckworth Presses Military Leaders to Address Unsafe Military Housing Conditions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) Committee Hearing, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned military leaders on their inadequate response to unsafe military housing conditions and requested that every Garrison Commander's evaluation report include a line item on maintaining the highest quality of housing for our troops and their families. Duckworth also highlighted the urgent need for the military to reduce exposure to harmful … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin and Kelly Urge EPA to Act on Dangerous Levels of Soil Contamination in Chicago’s Southeast Side
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to remediate soil contaminated with manganese, a known neurotoxin, by using the State of Illinois’ more protective manganese clean-up threshold. Residents living near S.H. Bell and Watco facilities on Chicago’s Southeast Side have historically been exposed to … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill to Address Public Housing Crisis in East St. Louis and Across Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), introduced the Housing is Infrastructure Act, comprehensive legislation to address the nation's affordable housing crisis, including public housing and low- and mixed-income housing through infrastructure investments. The bill would specifically add $70 billion to the Public Housing Capital Fund, which will aid in building, modernizing, and rehabilitating the public … Continue Reading
