Press Releases
Duckworth Discusses Importance of 1908 Race Riot National Monument with NAACP Illinois President
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with Teresa Haley, president of NAACP Illinois State Conference and the Springfield Branch NAACP, on the importance of establishing the 1908 Springfield Race Riot site as a national monument. Earlier this month Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on then-President-elect Biden to declare the site a national monument to be managed by the U.S. National Park Service. "The 1908 Race Riot Sites are of … Continue Reading
January 22, 2021
Duckworth Votes to Confirm Austin as Defense Secretary
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), released the following statement after voting to confirm Lloyd Austin as Defense Secretary under President Joe Biden. Austin was confirmed with a 93-2 vote today. "Secretary Austin is a crisis-tested leader who executed one of the most complex logistical operations in the history of the Army and is committed to restoring the proper role of civilians in … Continue Reading
January 22, 2021
After Duckworth’s Request, President Biden Signs Executive Order to Fully Reimburse Illinois for Costs of National Guard Activations in COVID-19 Response Efforts
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, released the following statement after the Biden administration directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fully reimburse states for costs associated with the deployment of National Guard troops in their efforts to combat the pandemic. The Administration's move follows Duckworth urging … Continue Reading
January 21, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Applaud Biden Administration Decision to Reimburse Schools for COVID-Related Reopening Costs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded President Biden today for signing Executive Orders to strengthen the country's COVID-19 response and help schools keep children and teachers safe. Today's Executive Orders, in part, ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimburse COVID-related costs for schools that are necessary for reopening, such as personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, through FEMA's Disaster … Continue Reading
January 21, 2021
Duckworth Meets with President Biden’s SBA Administrator Nominee Isabel Guzman
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, held a virtual meeting with Isabel Guzman, President Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. Small Business Administration as Administrator. Duckworth and Guzman discussed their shared priorities, such as supporting small businesses, expanding the Microloan program and improving the Paycheck Protection Program. Duckworth also raised the importance of re-starting … Continue Reading
January 21, 2021
Duckworth Secures Secretary-Designate Buttigieg’s Commitment to Prioritize Local Job Creation and Make Transportation Accessible for All
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), the senior Democratic Member on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, today expressed strong support for the Senate swiftly confirming the Honorable Pete Buttigieg to be Secretary of Transportation. Duckworth focused her questions during Secretary-designate Buttigieg's confirmation hearing today on critical national policy priorities including making sure federal infrastructure … Continue Reading
January 20, 2021
Duckworth Statement Celebrating the Inauguration of President Joe Biden
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after attending the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Photos of Duckworth at the inauguration can be found here. "After the last 4 years, I'm proud to be able to tell the American people that empathy, compassion and real leadership are finally back in the White House as a result of Joe Biden being sworn in as our nation's 46th President. On Day One, President Biden is already taking immediate action … Continue Reading
January 20, 2021
Duckworth Joins Baldwin, Democratic Colleagues in Supporting Biden Administration Plan to Fully Utilize Defense Production Act, Increase Supply of Necessary Medical Equipment and Supplies
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 24 of their Senate Democratic colleagues this week in support of the Biden Administration's plan to quickly utilize all available authorities under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to rapidly increase the production and stockpiling of medical, testing and protective equipment supplies. In part, the Senators wrote in a letter to the new President: "Given the continued supply chain issues that we have … Continue Reading
January 20, 2021
Duckworth Asks President Biden to Prohibit Deportation of Veterans and Strengthen Naturalization Process for Servicemembers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is urging President Joe Biden to take immediate action to prevent the deportation of Veterans, repatriate deported Veterans, strengthen the military naturalization process and remove barriers to accessing VA care faced by Veterans living broad. In part, the Duckworth wrote: "Immigrant servicemembers possess critical skills that enhance military readiness, strengthen national security and protect our homeland. That is … Continue Reading
January 20, 2021
Duckworth Votes to Confirm Haines as Director of National Intelligence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after voting to confirm Avril Haines as Director of National Intelligence. Haines was confirmed with an 84-10 vote to serve as Director of National Intelligence under President Biden. "After four years of Donald Trump politicizing and attacking our intelligence community, our nation requires a true public servant who will restore experience, expertise and integrity to the role of Director of National … Continue Reading
January 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Join Senator Reed, Democratic Senators in Calling for FEMA Cost-Sharing Waiver
[WASHINGTON, DC] - In an effort to protect public health and swiftly free up federal resources to help states with necessary COVID-19 response efforts, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and 31 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in urging the incoming Biden Administration to waive the 25% non-federal cost share requirement for FEMA assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter states: "COVID-19 has upended … Continue Reading
January 19, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Call On Illinois U.S. Attorneys to Prioritize Appropriate Prosecutions of Those Involved in Attack on U.S. Capitol
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) called on the three United States Attorneys serving in Illinois to prioritize the appropriate prosecutions of those involved in the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol. In a letter sent on Friday to Northern District of Illinois U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr., Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney John C. Milhiser and Southern District of Illinois U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft, … Continue Reading
January 19, 2021
Duckworth Discusses Extremism, Logistics Infrastructure and Clean Energy with Austin During His Confirmation Hearing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), discussed several pressing challenges facing the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) with Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Defense, at Austin's confirmation hearing today. Video of Duckworth's remarks during Austin's confirmation hearing is available here. "Secretary-Designate Austin is a crisis-tested leader who served … Continue Reading
January 17, 2021
Ahead of MLK Day, Duckworth Honors Dr. King’s Legacy with Call for National Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement commemorating King and honoring his legacy of civil rights activism and service to our communities. The Senator, who has made community service a hallmark of her public life, discussed the importance of serving your nation and community by volunteering, participating in the democratic process, standing up to racial justice and more. Duckworth will also virtually … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Duckworth to Facebook: Stop Advertising Military Gear Next to Posts about the January 6th Insurrection
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following last week's violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years, sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling on him to immediately remove advertisements from companies promoting and selling products that could equip white … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Duckworth Statement on President-Elect Biden’s new COVID Relief Proposal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement today regarding President-elect Joe Biden's new COVID relief plan, American Rescue Plan: "With the number of daily COVID deaths and jobless Americans still trending up, it's clear that the Federal Government must provide more relief to those in need and do more to hasten the end of this pandemic. President-elect Biden's plan does just that by investing in initiatives to dramatically accelerate the pace of … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Duckworth Joins Blumenthal, Senators in Calling for Investigation into White Supremacy and Extremism in the Military
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee who served 23 years in the Reserve Forces, joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 13 Democratic senators in calling for the Department of Defense to investigate and address white supremacy and extremist ideology in the ranks of the military following the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week. In a letter to Department of Defense Acting Inspector General Sean … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Duckworth, Durbin Call on President-Elect Biden to Establish 1908 Springfield Race Riot National Monument
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are calling on the incoming Biden administration to declare the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois, as a national monument to be managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The riot was the catalyst for the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Duckworth and Durbin have been longtime supporters of creating a national monument at the site, … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Duckworth Meets with Secretary-Designate Lloyd Austin
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today held a virtual meeting with Lloyd Austin, President-elect Biden's nominee to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). If confirmed, Secretary-Designate Austin would be the first Black Defense Secretary in our nation's history. "Secretary-Designate Austin is a crisis-tested leader who served honorably and faithfully for more than 50 years, … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Duckworth Statement on Trump Administration Decision to Weaken Health Assessment on Water-Contaminating Toxic Chemical
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works and Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today about the Trump Administration's decision to weaken the health assessment for PFAS, a toxic chemical contaminating the drinking water of thousands of Americans: "It is unconscionable - but not surprising - that in their final days the Trump Administration is once again undermining important … Continue Reading
