Press Releases
Duckworth, Durbin, Budzinski Statement on Completion of Springfield Race Riot Site Special Resource Study
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today released the following statement in response to the National Park Service releasing its Special Resource Study for the proposed national monument site memorializing the 1908 Springfield Race Riot: "We are pleased to receive such positive feedback from the National Park Service in its study of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot national monument site. We are … Continue Reading
June 13, 2023
Duckworth Joins Cantwell, Cruz and Moran to Introduce Bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST), Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2023 to ensure the United States has safe, reliable and resilient air travel, stronger consumer protections for the flying public, advanced research in … Continue Reading
June 12, 2023
Duckworth-Baldwin Provisions to Help Ensure Real-Life Conditions Are Considered in Federal Aircraft Emergency Evacuation Standards Included in FAA Reauthorization Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation-and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully secured a modified version of their legislation, the Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act, in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023. This version of the EVAC Act will require the Federal Aviation Administration … Continue Reading
June 12, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce High Speed Rail Service from Chicago to St. Louis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Illinois Department of Transportation's new schedule changes for Amtrak's Lincoln Service trains following the successful implementation of the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed rail project. Having supported the testing and implementation of high-speed rail for more than two decades, Durbin secured roughly 80 percent of the project's nearly $2 billion cost, including … Continue Reading
June 09, 2023
Duckworth, Fischer Lead Legislation to Retool FAA’s Ability to Regulate Advanced Aviation Tech
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation and Deb Fisher (R-NE), this week introduced the Advanced Aviation Integration Act. The bill would re-designate a portion of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so the agency is better equipped to tackle the regulatory challenges of emerging aviation technologies. This … Continue Reading
June 08, 2023
Duckworth Meets with General Brown, President Biden’s Nominee to be the Next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after meeting with General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., nominee to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: “As a trailblazing Air Force fighter pilot with extensive experience in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., is exceptionally qualified to serve as our nation’s most senior military officer: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It was a pleasure … Continue Reading
June 08, 2023
Duckworth Joins Klobuchar, Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Aviation Workforce Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, along with U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today introduced the Aviation Workforce Development and Recruitment Act. This bipartisan … Continue Reading
June 07, 2023
Duckworth Discusses Airline Safety and Workforce Development with Air Line Pilots Association Members
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation-today met with Illinois members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) to discuss aircraft safety, pilot training and development. Duckworth met with ALPA Vice President Captain Wendy Morse, Captain Matt McNally and Captain Gary Connell, highlighting her top priorities … Continue Reading
June 07, 2023
Duckworth Meets with Growth Energy, Emphasizes How U.S. Biofuels Can Improve Quality of Life for Americans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with officials from Growth Energy, the nation's leading biofuel trade association, to underscore her support for ethanol production, as well as her commitment to helping strengthen our national and energy security, drive down gas prices, support our farmers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive rural economic opportunity in Illinois and across the country. "Investing in clean energy has a positive ripple effect for our … Continue Reading
June 07, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $13 Million for Head Start Programs in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $13,306,253 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to support Head Start services for children under the age of five in receiving wrap-around support in early learning and development. "Head Start programs are crucial for kids throughout Illinois to have the tools they need to succeed both inside and outside of the classroom," said … Continue Reading
June 07, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $34 Millions for Variety of Illinois Health Care Programs and Initiatives
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $34,248,791 million in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to support a variety of health care programs, initiatives, and community projects across the state. "Across the state, Illinoisans have access to institutions and programs that are dedicated to health treatment and prevention and improving health outcomes for our families," Duckworth said. … Continue Reading
June 06, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Democratic Members of Illinois Delegation Again Urge Census Bureau to Correct Illinois undercount in its ongoing Population Estimates
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with the 14 Democratic members of the Illinois delegation, today sent a follow-up letter to U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos urging him to account for the estimated undercount of Illinoisans in the 2020 Decennial Census as the Census Bureau prepares to release its annual Population Estimate. In the Census Bureau's Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) that was released last May, … Continue Reading
June 06, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $6.8 Millions for Health Care Research in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin today announced $6,876,700 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) medical research grant funding for Illinois institutions. The funding will be put toward research programs across the state to support advancements in sectors ranging from immunology to neurological disorders. "Across the state, our universities and research institutions continue to be at the forefront for … Continue Reading
June 05, 2023
Duckworth Visits Greater Chicago Food Depository to Discuss Her Support for Addressing Food Insecurity
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) leaders and visited ones of its distribution sites, Chosen Bethel Family Ministries, in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. Duckworth secured $450,000 for GCFD through a Fiscal Year 2023 Congressionally Directed Spending Request, which will help support GCFD's Nourish Project and its work to expand capacity to provide nutritious prepared meals for people at increased risk of hunger, while … Continue Reading
June 05, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Buszinski Announce $16 Million for Rail Safety in Decatur
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced $16 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program for Decatur, Illinois, to improve rail connectivity by supporting construction activities to upgrade 1.21 miles of Brush College Road. This project will create a new grade separation structure, permanently close … Continue Reading
June 05, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, García, Ramirez Announce $8 Million for Rail Safety in Franklin Park
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL-4), and U.S. Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-3) today announced $8 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program for Franklin Park, Illinois, to complete project development and final design for a grade separation of Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Kansas … Continue Reading
June 05, 2023
Duckworth Underscores Her Efforts to Help Chicago Youth Experiencing Homelessness
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited Covenant House Illinois (CHIL), for which she secured $1 million through a Congressionally Directed Spending Request. The funding Duckworth secured will help renovate the CHIL facility to expand services for Chicago youth experiencing homelessness, supporting the transitional housing program for youth and other important initiatives that seek to break the cycle of homelessness. Duckworth was joined today by CHIL Board Chair Mark … Continue Reading
June 02, 2023
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Introduce Bicameral “Wear Orange” Resolution in Observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Month
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced the Wear Orange Resolution, which supports the designation of June 2, 2023, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2023 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." Each year, more than 43,000 people in the United States are killed, and 76,000 are injured by gun violence. June 2 is … Continue Reading
June 01, 2023
Duckworth Votes to Avoid Catastrophic Default, Protect Working Families’ Jobs, Retirements and Benefits
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) tonight issued the following statement after voting for the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act to prevent a catastrophic unilateral default that would destroy our economy: "Speaker McCarthy's threat to recklessly undermine the full faith and credit of the United States was despicable. President Biden's responsible leadership resulted in a deal that prevents a catastrophic default and protects Veterans' healthcare and benefits, as well … Continue Reading
May 31, 2023
Duckworth, Baldwin Reintroduce Bill to Ensure Real-Life Conditions Are Considered in Federal Aircraft Emergency Evacuation Standards
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As the summer travel season ramps up and millions of Americans continue to board crowded flights, U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation-and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today reintroduced the Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does more to … Continue Reading
