Press Releases
Duckworth, Fischer Pipeline Safety Bill Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE), respectively the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, released the following statements after their legislation to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA) unanimously passed the Senate: "Pipelines carry much of the energy that powers our nation, and helping ensure the safe transportation of that energy … Continue Reading
August 06, 2020
With In-Person Visits Suspended, Duckworth, Klobuchar, Booker, Schatz, Colleagues Advocate for Access to Free Telephone Calls and Video Conferencing for Incarcerated People in Next Relief Package
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), along with Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and 13 colleagues sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urging Congress to include provisions in the next economic relief package to provide access to free phone and video calls for incarcerated people in state and local facilities during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) … Continue Reading
August 06, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Smith, Warren to Help Secure Child Care Relief in Next COVID-19 Stimulus Package
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 21 of their Senate colleagues this week in calling on Senate leadership to prioritize the inclusion of the Child Care is Essential Act in the next COVID-19 relief package. If included and passed into law, the Child Care is Essential Act would stabilize the child care system, keep providers in business and ensure parents are able to go back to work … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill To Create National Heritage Area In Chicago's Bronzeville Community
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a bill that would create a National Park Service (NPS) National Heritage Area in the greater Bronzeville community of Chicago. The Bronzeville-Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Act would create a National Heritage Area from 18th Street to the North, 71st Street to the South, Lake Michigan to the East, and Canal Street to the West-approximately five miles south of downtown. This area would … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Demand Clarity from DOJ and DHS on Federal Agent Activity in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] -U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide more information on DHS, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) involvement in Operation LeGend in Chicago, the effort to support state and local law enforcement investigations into violent crime. In a letter sent today, the Senators are seeking confirmation … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Call On Trump Administration To Deliver Remaining Economic Impact Payments To Illinoisans
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a letter to Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig, called for the delivery of remaining Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) to Illinois constituents as soon as possible. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, as many as 392,000 adults and children in Illinois will not receive their EIP automatically, amounting to $401 million in … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $7 Million for Rental Assistance in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $7,000,000 in federal funding to the Illinois Housing Development Authority. This investment will support the creation of 81 rental units for low-income Illinoisans with disabilities. This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program. "Expanding access to affordable housing is crucial to helping … Continue Reading
August 05, 2020
Duckworth Condemns GOP Attacks on Disability Community in Republican COVID-19 Proposal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor tonight to condemn the latest Republican attacks on the disability community in their COVID-19 proposal, the HEALS Act, which includes several provisions that would gut the ADA, fail to provide desperately-needed funding for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services and threaten to deprive Americans living with disabilities of their fundamental rights to live independent, regular and productive lives. Video of … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce Bill To Support School-Based Mentoring Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act, legislation that increases support for school-based mentoring programs in order to help at-risk youth thrive in their schools, careers, and life. The bill would invest in mentoring programs that help students overcome adversity and trauma and develop the workforce skills employers are seeking. Specifically, the Mentoring to Succeed Act would establish a five-year, … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Call For Safe Release And Return Of Mark Frerichs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today, in a letter to President Donald Trump, called for the timely and safe release and return of American citizen Mark Frerichs, who was abducted earlier this year in Afghanistan. Frerichs, originally from Illinois and a Veteran of the U.S. Navy, has spent nearly ten years living in and working as an independent contractor in Afghanistan. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Frerichs was … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Duckworth Condemns White House Decision to Install Tata at DoD Without Senate Confirmation
[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, today released a statement condemning the White House's decision to appoint retired Brigadier General Anthony Tata to the position of Deputy Undersecretary of Policy in an "Acting" capacity, thus circumventing Congressional approval for this nominee. This move comes just days after Tata's Senate confirmation … Continue Reading
August 03, 2020
Congressional Leaders on Environmental Justice Issues Respond to Republican COVID-19 Proposal that Ignores the Needs of Communities of Color During this Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Leaders of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tom Carper (D-DE), and leaders of the House of Representative's United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force, Representatives A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), today released a joint statement in response to the Republican COVID-19 proposal, the HEALS Act. "The COVID-19 pandemic has … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $14 Million for Chicago O’Hare International Airport
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $10,492,975 in federal funding to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to support the reconstruction of 1,477,000 square yards of existing apron pavement. This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program. O'Hare will receive an additional $3,497,658 for the project through the CARES Act, making this federal investment a … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Help Harris Introduce Comprehensive Legislation to Help Achieve Environmental Justice for All
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate's first Environmental Justice Caucus, and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce the Environmental Justice for All Act, comprehensive environmental justice legislation to achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly underserved communities and communities of color. This legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Duckworth Leads Illinois Congressional Delegation in Calling for Title 32 Extension for National Guard
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, today led members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in a letter calling on President Trump to support Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's request to extend Title 32 authorization for National Guard servicemembers so they can continue assisting Illinois in its COVID-19 response efforts. In the letter, the Members request authorization to retain up to 500 … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Duckworth, Fischer Bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) passed the Senate today. The Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Improvement Act will ensure that small airports across the country support nursing moms and promote breastfeeding-friendly environments by providing accessible, clean and convenient lactation rooms for travelers. The bill builds on Duckworth's success in enacting legislation that ensures all large and medium … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Blunt Rochester, Duckworth Introduce Bill to Improve Air Quality Monitoring & Protect Front-Line Communities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL) today introduced the Public Health Air Quality Act, which would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement immediate fenceline monitoring for toxic air pollutants at facilities contributing to high local cancer rates and other health threats from dangerous pollutants. U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Discuss COVID-19 Response With Senior Living Facility Representatives
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke with CEOs of numerous Illinois senior living facilities to discuss safety and care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin and Duckworth discussed improving the nation's testing and contact tracing efforts and access to personal protective equipment (PPE) for those working and living in senior living facilities. "Our nation is in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has already killed more than 150,000 … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce More Than $38 Million to Support Housing and Community Development in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that cities and counties throughout Illinois have received a total of $38.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support housing and community development amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding was provided through the CARES Act and has been distributed by HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Urge EPA to Conduct Oversight, Testing for Ongoing Sewage Problems in Centreville
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and Dick Durbin (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do more to address the ongoing flooding and sewage issues in Centreville after years of neglect. In a letter sent today, the Senators urged EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede to conduct enhanced monitoring and … Continue Reading
