Press Releases
Duckworth, Murray, Hirono, Harris, Lee, Schakowsky and DeGette Introduce Legislation to Ensure Equal Access to Reproductive Healthcare
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation today protecting every woman's constitutionally-guaranteed right to reproductive healthcare and helping ensure access to care for each woman, regardless of income, race or where in the country … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Duckworth and Durbin’s Lincoln National Heritage Area Act Signed Into Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) honoring the legacy of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was signed into law today. The Senators' new law will expand the Lincoln National Heritage Area in Central Illinois to include Livingston County, the city of Jonesboro in Union County and the city of Freeport in Stephenson County. The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Amendment Act, which was signed into … Continue Reading
March 11, 2019
Duckworth Joins Baldwin To Introduce Legislation to Protect Rights of Airline Passengers with Disabilities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) last week in reintroducing the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act to protect the rights of airplane passengers with disabilities, improve air travel safety and close service gaps that passengers with disabilities frequently encounter in air travel. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI). "Far too many Americans living with a disability - … Continue Reading
March 11, 2019
Duckworth, Ernst Announce Creation of Global Positioning System (GPS) Caucus
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) today announced the creation of the bipartisan Congressional Global Positioning System (GPS) Caucus. The Caucus will focus on discussing the economic, national security and infrastructure benefits of increasingly efficient GPS technology, as well as the risks and oversight challenges that face the GPS industry. Aspects of GPS fall under several Senate committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee and … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bennet, Brown in Reintroducing Major Proposal to Cut Taxes for Families with Children
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) this week in reintroducing the American Family Act of 2019 to overhaul the existing Child Tax Credit and make it a dramatically more effective tool for supporting middle-class families with kids and reducing child poverty. The bill was introduced with 36 original Senate cosponsors and 174 original House cosponsors, with U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Respond to Latest Sterigenics Air Quality Test Results
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the latest ambient air quality monitoring results outside of Sterigenics in Willowbrook, Illinois: "This alarming data further confirms that the people of Willowbrook and the surrounding community have been exposed to unacceptable levels of cancer-causing ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from Sterigenics. It also illustrates why the EPA must immediately begin ambient … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Duckworth Helps Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Eliminate the Military “Widow’s Tax”
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) in reintroducing the Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act of 2019 to help more than 65,000 military widows across the country access the full survivor benefits earned by their fallen loved ones. Currently, these widows are prevented from receiving full benefits from both the Department of Defense's (DoD) Survivors Benefits Plan (SBP) and Veterans Affairs' (VA) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Duckworth Meets with Alliance for the Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with leaders of the Alliance for the Great Lakes today to discuss the importance of protecting the Great Lakes, managing invasive species like Asian carp and funding water infrastructure programs. Duckworth also met with representatives from the League of Women Voters of the US, Friends of the Forest Preserves, Chicago Park District, Friends of the Chicago River, Shedd Aquarium and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. A photo from today's … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Duckworth: Military Must Improve Handling of Military Sexual Assault
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel hearing, U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) listened to testimony from survivors of sexual assault in the military and asked for their suggestions on how to improve the military's response to this serious issue and promote accountability. Video of Duckworth's questions at the hearing is available here. "I am in awe of the bravery shown today by the survivors who are testifying before the Senate … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Duckworth: Investments in Transportation and Logistics Infrastructure Essential for Military Readiness in Europe
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) discussed the importance of transportation and logistics readiness in the United States European Command (EUCOM) region with EUCOM Commander Curtis Scaparrotti and the Commander of the United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) Stephen Lyons at yesterday's Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing. Duckworth asked Commander Scaparrotti for an update on the status of the NATO Joint Supporting and Enabling Command and … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Call for Senate Hearings on Gun Violence Prevention Legislation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and 34 of their colleagues in calling on U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to quickly hold a hearing on legislation to expand federal background checks to all firearm sales. The Senators asked Graham to hold a hearing on the Background Check Expansion Act - which Duckworth and Durbin helped reintroduce earlier this year - and is similar to … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Duckworth, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Level Playing Field for Women & Veteran Small Business Owners in Small Business Contracting
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to eliminate a discrepancy that puts women and Veterans with a service-connected disability who own small businesses at a disadvantage when competing for federal government contracts. "If we want to help main street, we need to make it easier for small businesses to expand their business and hire new workers," Duckworth said. "This bipartisan legislation will help do that by … Continue Reading
March 01, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Call on Amtrack to Make Changes to Prevent Another Equipment Failure at Union Station
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -Following yesterday's Amtrak computer system failure at Chicago Union Station, which lasted more than 12 hours, caused significant delays and overcrowding, and impacted both morning and evening commutes, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Amtrak CEO and President Richard Anderson asking for swift policy and operational changes to prevent future equipment failures. Today, Anderson admitted that Amtrak made a series of errors, … Continue Reading
February 28, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Andrew Wheeler’s Confirmation as EPA Administrator
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After the Senate voted to confirm Andrew Wheeler as the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "There are a number of reasons I voted against Andrew Wheeler's confirmation-including his refusal to address climate change, his agency's handling of the Sterigenics public health crisis that endangered the health of countless Illinoisans, his many conflicts of interest and his … Continue Reading
February 28, 2019
Duckworth, Beyer, Van Hollen & Feinstein Re-introduce Legislation to Strengthen Voting Rights and Support Civic Participation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), along with a group of 15 Senators, re-introduced the Pre-Registration of Voters Everywhere (PROVE) Act today to expand voter registration efforts nationwide and increase American citizens' participation in their democratic process. The PROVE Act would allow citizens who are 16 and 17 years old to pre-register to vote so they can be added to voter … Continue Reading
February 28, 2019
Senate Passes & House Introduces Duckworth, Durbin, Foster, Underwood, Bicameral Resolution Honoring Victims & Injured Police Officers of Aurora Shooting
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) honoring the victims and injured police officers of this month's shooting at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois, in which a gunman killed Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard, and Trevor Wehner, and injured Aurora Police Officers Adam Miller, Marco Gomez, John Cebulski, James Zegar, Reynaldo Rivera, and Diego Avila. U.S. … Continue Reading
February 28, 2019
Duckworth Statement on End of Trump-Kim Jong Un Hanoi Summit
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement following the conclusion of Donald Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un in Hanoi: "I am relieved to hear that the U.S. refused to end sanctions in return for the dismantling of only one of Kim Jong Un's many nuclear sites and that the administration did not sacrifice our leverage simply for the optics of making a deal. We must be strong and consistent in negotiations with the DPRK and make it clear that any … Continue Reading
February 27, 2019
Duckworth: Military Must Reduce Barriers to Reporting Sexual Trauma
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel Hearing, U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) discussed the obstacles that can prevent survivors of sexual assault from reporting it. In particular, Duckworth asked military leaders about the practice of disciplining survivors of sexual trauma for other actions unrelated to an assault, like if they had been drinking underage when the incident occurred. This practice is a significant barrier that … Continue Reading
February 27, 2019
Duckworth Advocates for Illinois’ Role in Future of Carbon Capture at EPW Hearing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) discussed Illinois' unique geography to facilitate carbon capture at today's U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) hearing on the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act. Duckworth questioned Kurt Waltzer, Managing Director of the Clean Air Task Force, on the importance of using saline storage in places like the Illinois basin to permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere … Continue Reading
February 27, 2019
In First Hearing as Ranking Member of Transportation & Safety Subcommittee, Duckworth Highlights Need to Improve Infrastructure & Reduce Bottlenecks in Chicagoland
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held her first hearing as the new Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety about improving safety and reliability of our nation's freight transportation system and intermodal connections. The hearing, which featured testimony from Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Executive Director Joe Szabo on reducing freight congestion in the Chicagoland region and elsewhere, was the first in a … Continue Reading
