Press Releases
Duckworth Statement on One Year Anniversary of Launch of Independent Investigation into First Trump Muslim Ban
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Exactly one year after the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) independent watchdog launched an investigation into its implementation of President Trump's first Muslim Ban, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called on the Trump Administration to stop covering up portions of the investigation's findings and release the full results to the American public. The investigation, which was launched by the DHS Inspector General on February 2, 2017 at the request of Duckworth … Continue Reading
January 31, 2018
Duckworth, Johnson, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Hardworking Families Access Affordable Home Loans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced Bipartisan legislation this week with U.S. Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tim Scott (R-SC) to help hardworking families in Illinois and across the country access affordable home loans. The Housing Opportunity Mortgage Expansion (HOME) Act would help ensure Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) can continue their small business lending and funding of affordable housing initiatives, such as down payment assistance for low-income … Continue Reading
January 31, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Trump Administration’s Withdrawal of Victor Cha to Be Ambassador to South Korea
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration withdrew their selection of Mr. Victor Cha to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea after he expressed opposition to the use of a "bloody nose" narrow military strike against north Korea. Mr. Cha has since written an op-ed warning the Trump administration not to launch a preventive military strike against north Korea since it could … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Trump’s 2018 State of the Union Address
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump delivered his 2018 State of the Union Address: "With the world watching, I hoped Donald Trump would finally remember some of the promises he made to the American people and display the leadership needed to unify this nation. I hoped he would present a serious infrastructure plan that makes the investments we desperately need to rebuild our crumbling roads, tunnels and bridges. I … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $200k for Southern Illinois Rural Health Centers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a $203,400 federal grant to support local community health centers throughout Southern Illinois. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), which supports community health centers in their efforts to improve access to affordable, high-quality health care in underserved urban and rural communities. … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Duckworth: Pruitt Failed to Take Action on his ‘War on Lead,’ But Uses Taxpayer Dollars for Travel Expenses Unrelated to EPA’s Mission
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), the top Democrat on the Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee, today grilled Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt over his failure to follow through on his promises to combat lead poisoning and protect American children and families from contaminated water. She expressed concern regarding the Administration's Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal, which eliminates funding for anti-lead contamination programs, … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
New Duckworth-Durbin CAIRO Act Would Help Revitalize Rural Illinois Community Forgotten by Trump
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Creating American Investment, Redevelopment, and Opportunity (CAIRO) Task Force Act to form a Cabinet-level task force to address the housing, health and economic crises in Cairo, Illinois. In introducing this legislation for the new task force focused on Cairo, the Senators seek to codify a September request to President Trump that he has failed to act upon. In that letter, they highlight the … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Duckworth to Host Cairo High School Principal at 2018 State of the Union Address
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will host Cairo Junior/Senior High School Principal Lisa Childs Thomas as her guest for the 2018 State of the Union Address from the President. A native of Cairo, Illinois, Lisa grew up in Alexander County Housing Authority's McBride public housing complex, which the Trump Administration chose to shutter without any clear plan to rehouse hundreds of Illinoisans who will be displaced. She then went on to earn undergraduate and … Continue Reading
January 26, 2018
Duckworth Speaks with Chicago Military Academy Students, Highlights Importance of National Service
[CHICAGO, IL] — Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with students from the Chicago Military Academy, a public school located in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Senator Duckworth spoke with the students about the importance of national service, military readiness and the critical need for long-term funding certainty that allows our Armed Forces to more effectively defend our nation. A photo of the meeting can be viewed here.“Service — both in and … Continue Reading
January 25, 2018
Duckworth & Schakowsky Introduce First-Ever Resolution Recognizing January 25th as Women’s Health Research Day
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), along with 27 of their Senate and House colleagues, introduced a resolution to designate January 25th, 2018, as Women's Health Research Day. Women's Health Research Day recognizes the need to increase awareness of sex- and gender-based biomedical research, which the National Institutes of Health did not consider prior to 2016, the underrepresentation of women in past biomedical … Continue Reading
January 24, 2018
Duckworth Meets with Danville VA Director to Discuss Veterans Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Stephanie Young, Director of the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville, Illinois, to discuss local priorities and Veterans issues. A photo of the meeting can be viewed here. "We have a promise to uphold to our Veterans, and that includes ensuring they have access to the best health care possible. The Danville VA and its staff work hard each and every day to uphold that promise, but we can always do better by our … Continue Reading
January 22, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Vote to End Government Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting to end the government shutdown: "The Pentagon is not shy about how much short-term budgeting measures damage our Armed Forces and military readiness. It has become painfully obvious-not only during this preventable shutdown but throughout the entire last year-that Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are either unable or unwilling to lead the nation or compromise. "This is not an ideal … Continue Reading
January 21, 2018
Senate Republicans Block Duckworth Effort to Ensure Military Personnel Receive Pay During Shutdown
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) offered an amendment on the Senate floor today to ensure military personnel receive pay during the federal government shutdown and that the families of servicemembers who are killed in action receive death benefits. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans objected to Duckworth's request for the Senate to immediately pass the Pay Our Military Act amendment. Video of Duckworth offering the amendment is available online here … Continue Reading
January 20, 2018
Combat Vet Duckworth Calls Out Trump for Accusing Democrats of Holding Military “Hostage”
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Minutes ago, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) forcefully responded to the President's accusations on twitter that Democrats like her don't care about the military, accusing him of failing to show leadership or take responsibility for leading this nation. In a speech on the Senate floor, Duckworth urged the President to stop refusing to make a deal to fund the government and instead tell his party - which controls the House, Senate and the White House - … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Vote Against House GOP Short-Term Continuing Resolution
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting against a 4-week House Republican continuing resolution that fails to address vital government priorities, protect Dreamers, give the military the funding certainty it needs, support Veterans or adequately fund community health centers: "This short-term funding bill deprives roughly 45,000 servicemembers in Illinois-and the whole of our military-of the certainty needed to protect and defend our … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth Highlights Risk of War with North Korea, Calls on Congress to Reclaim Constitutional War Power Responsibilities
[WASHINGTON, DC] -After returning from an official trip to the Korean Peninsula over the weekend, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) delivered a speech at Georgetown University on the dangers of rushing to war with North Korea and called on Congress to reclaim its constitutional prerogatives when it comes to matters of war and peace. Duckworth stressed the importance of advancing diplomatic options as a way to mitigate the threat of war with north Korea, while also … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Duckworth: Did Trump Administration Try to Cover Up Chaotic Implementation of Trump’s First Unconstitutional Muslim Ban?
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement criticizing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for delaying the results of an investigation by an independent federal watchdog into the Trump Administration's chaotic and unconstitutional implementation of its first Muslim ban - and for preventing the full release of the investigation's findings. The investigation - which was conducted by the DHS Inspector General at the request of Senators … Continue Reading
January 17, 2018
Duckworth Demands Answers Over DHS Refusal to Release Watchdog Report Investigating Travel Ban Implementation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is demanding answers today over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) refusal to release the results of an investigation by its own independent Inspector General into the Trump Administration's chaotic and unlawful implementation of its first Muslim ban. Duckworth called on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hold an oversight hearing on the implications of DHS' refusal to release the report … Continue Reading
January 16, 2018
Duckworth, Gallego Return from South Korea & Japan, Warn About True Risks of War with North Korea
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) returned today from an official trip to South Korea and Japan with a warning about how deadly and destructive renewed hostilities with North Korea would be. Duckworth, who was joined on the trip by fellow combat Veteran U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), spent four days meeting with America's top military leaders and diplomats in the region, with Defense and Foreign Affairs Ministers from Japan and South Korea, … Continue Reading
January 15, 2018
Duckworth Statement on the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service: "America's greatest strength is rooted in the diversity of our people, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service is a good opportunity to give back and contribute to bringing the society Dr. King dreamed of closer to reality. In the face of racism and bigotry, we must do all we can to uphold the values of our nation, and the acts of … Continue Reading
