Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin Join Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Director Vought Abandon Any Plan to Exert Political Control Over NIH Funding
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and of 27 their colleagues in demanding White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought halt any plan to exert political control over the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) grantmaking process. The Trump Administration considering an executive order … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
As Trump Craters Economy, Duckworth and Meng Reintroduce Resolution to Empower Mothers in the Workforce
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As Donald Trump’s reckless policies continue to crater our economy and leave families behind, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY-06) reintroduced the Mom Economy Resolution to promote and empower mothers in the workforce across the nation. While the Trump Administration cuts critical lifelines that so many depend on and offer nothing to support Americans struggling to get by, the lawmakers’ bicameral resolution lays out a plan to … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Duckworth-Hoeven Bipartisan Bills to Support the Health of Our Aviation Workforce and Strengthen Aviation Safety Pass the Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Two bipartisan pieces of legislation led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee—and U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) to support the health of our aviation workforce and strengthen aviation safety today passed the Senate with unanimous consent. Duckworth’s Aviation Medication Transparency Act, co-led by Senator Hoeven, would require the Federal … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Duckworth Demands FAA, DoD Reject Trump’s Plan to Turn Triumphal Arch into Military Complex: “This Is Not About National Security”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—today urged Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to secure the safety of the D.C. airspace by rejecting President Donald Trump’s plan to turn his “Triumphal Arch” project into a military installation that houses a large number of drones, snipers and ammunition. In her letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. … Continue Reading
September 25, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Issued Statement Alongside Their Colleagues on President Trump and President Xi’s Summit in Washington
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined their Senate Democrat colleagues in releasing the following statement after the conclusion of President Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington. “Diplomacy with China remains vital to preventing conflict and protecting American interests, but it must ultimately produce results for hardworking Americans. President Trump’s summit today with President … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Duckworth Slams Trump for Targeting Military Families for Deportation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Donald Trump and his Administration for targeting military families in their extreme immigration enforcement campaign, arguing that their efforts are hurting military readiness, morale and national security. Appearing at a press conference beside other Veterans, military family members and advocates, Duckworth stressed how the Administration’s tactics are not only inhumane, but also send an unacceptable message to the brave … Continue Reading
September 24, 2026
Duckworth, Boozman Lead Bill to Enhance Support of Women Veterans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Boozman (R-AR), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen oversight of women Veterans’ health care and improve access to the services and resources they need. The Veterans’ Outcomes, Inclusion, Care, and Experience (VOICE) for Women Veterans Act would modernize an annual report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) so legislators, the VA and Veteran … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Duckworth Hosts “We Can’t Afford This” Telephone Town Hall
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Tonight, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a telephone town hall to hear firsthand how Illinois families are enduring higher grocery, gas and health care costs. During her “We Can’t Afford This” Telephone Town Hall, Duckworth discussed the devastating consequences that Trump’s Medicaid cuts, tariffs and ongoing illegal war are having on their wallets. She also highlighted her ongoing work to hold the Trump Administration accountable while supporting Illinois … Continue Reading
September 23, 2026
Duckworth Joins Durbin, Great Lakes Senators in Demanding Answers on Trump Administration’s Repeated Pauses of the Brandon Road Project
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL),along with U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), sent a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works demanding answers about why the Trump Administration has allowed for two administrative pauses to the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) without an adequate justification. While the second administrative pause has … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Duckworth at Center for American Progress: “By Praising Xi, Trump is Leaving American Consumers and Our Indo-Pacific Partners Behind”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Just two days ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping at the White House, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) outlined the stakes of this Trump-Xi summit and the impact it will have on our national security, our economy and our partners in the Indo-Pacific region. At the Center for American Progress (CAP), Duckworth shared her firsthand takeaways from her official trips this year to Taiwan, Japan, the … Continue Reading
September 22, 2026
Duckworth Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators in Demanding the Trump Administration to Extend and Redesignate TPS for Ukrainians
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)— led a bipartisan group of 30 Senate colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to issue an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians living in the United States as Vladimir Putin continues his unjustified war of aggression against their homeland. In their letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and … Continue Reading
September 18, 2026
Following New Reports of Pentagon Covering Up More Troop Casualties in Iran War, Duckworth and Ryan Call on Congress to Pass Their Bill to Ban Pentagon from Manipulating Casualty Records
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following new reports that the Pentagon has covered up 4 additional American servicemember deaths in President Donald Trump’s Iran War, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (D-NY-18)—both Iraq War combat Veterans—are calling on Congress to pass their legislation that would prevent the Trump Administration from continuing to do this. The lawmakers’ Honoring the Sacrifice of Troops in War Act would ban Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from … Continue Reading
September 18, 2026
Duckworth, Schumer Call on Airlines to Guarantee That Emergency Medical Kits Aboard Their Commercial Planes Include Life-Saving Epinephrine
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today called on every U.S.-based passenger airline to guarantee that the emergency medical kit (EMK) kept on-board their aircraft include epinephrine—a life-saving medication to treat passengers who go into anaphylactic shock—in delivery methods designed that can be easily self-administered by individuals without … Continue Reading
September 17, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin, Senate Democrats Call on Hegseth to Report Total Costs of Iran War
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and 43 of their colleagues, nearly the entire Democratic caucus, in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in demanding a full accounting of the costs of the ongoing war with Iran. The letter also criticized the Department of Defense for withholding basic budget information from Congress and the American public even as U.S. … Continue Reading
September 16, 2026
Duckworth-Blackburn Bipartisan Bill to Improve Emergency Communication Technology That Could Help Save Lives Passes Committee
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would improve emergency communication technology that could help save lives. The bipartisan ITS Codification Act would codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), which currently serves as the research and engineering laboratory at the National Telecommunications and … Continue Reading
September 15, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $66 Million for Illinois Airport Improvements
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $66,345,494 in federal funding for infrastructure improvements at various airports across the state. This funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration will help improve taxiways, accommodate more passengers and make travelling through Illinois airports safer and more efficient. “Illinois’s airports not only keep … Continue Reading
September 15, 2026
After Duckworth Push, DoD Inspector General Releases First Quarterly Iran War Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) push, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), as the Lead OIG on the war, released its first quarterly watchdog report on Operation Epic Fury after Duckworth called for and then secured Inspector General (IG) oversight of Donald Trump’s costly, illegal war against Iran. The report details how the first four months of this war, ending in June, cost American taxpayers a whopping $33.7 billion … Continue Reading
September 14, 2026
In Chicago, Duckworth Visits Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park to Highlight Illinois’s Leadership in Quantum Innovation
[CHICAGO, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) last week visited Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) to tour the construction progress and meet with leaders from IQMP and PsiQuantum about opportunities to harness quantum innovation and strengthen national security. IQMP is a first-of-its-kind campus built to house a central base on Chicago’s South Side where quantum companies, researchers, manufacturers and suppliers can come together to tackle challenges in healthcare, … Continue Reading
September 11, 2026
Duckworth Commemorates 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks with Day of Service
[CHICAGO, IL] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, today joined volunteers at Chicago Union Station to help pack 520,000 meals that will be donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository as part of a day of service commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Photos from the event are available on the Senator’s website. “Twenty-five years … Continue Reading
September 11, 2026
Duckworth, Durbin Join Senate Democrats in Urging Supreme Court to Block Postal Rule Limiting Mail-In Voting
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), along with U.S. Representatives Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), in leading a bicameral amicus brief challenging the legality of President Trump’s executive order and U.S. Postal Service … Continue Reading