Press Releases
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $8 Million to Support Metro East Housing and Community Development
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Metro East communities will receive $7,946,210 in federal grant funding through programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding was allocated through HUD's Community Development Block Grants and HOME Investment Partnerships programs to help state and local governments expand economic opportunities and provide suitable living environments for … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Senate Vote to Restore Net Neutrality
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate passed Senator Ed Markey's (D-MA) Congressional Review Act resolution to restore Net Neutrality rules: "Today's vote is a win for the millions of Americans who made their voices heard in the push to restore net neutrality rules. Ensuring that everyone has access to a level playing field online-which enables our small businesses to stay competitive and protects startups from being crushed … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Duckworth to Host Mobile Office Hours in Mattoon Tomorrow
[Mattoon, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will host new "Mobile Office Hours" tomorrow at the Mattoon Public Library, where constituent service representatives will be onsite to assist Illinoisans with receiving the Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits they may be entitled to. Duckworth's Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to drive to … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
Duckworth to Host Mobile Office Hours in Effingham Tomorrow
[Effingham, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will host new "Mobile Office Hours" tomorrow at the Effingham Public Library, where constituent service representatives will be onsite to assist Illinoisans with receiving the Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits they may be entitled to. Duckworth's Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to drive … Continue Reading
May 16, 2018
On Anniversary of Amtrak Shooting, Duckworth and Hoeven Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Protections for Rail Crewmembers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On today's one-year anniversary of the shooting of an Amtrak conductor in Naperville, Illinois, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Hoeven (R-ND) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve public safety and discourage violence aboard passenger trains. The Passenger Rail Crew Protection Parity Act would provide the same federal protections for airline crewmembers to passenger rail crewmembers, so that any assault or intimidation of a rail crewmember, including … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Continue to Press for Fairness in FEMA Disaster Declaration Process
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to consider their bill - Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act (S. 600) - to improve upon the formulas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses to declare a disaster eligible for federal assistance. Last month, FEMA denied federal assistance to Iroquois, Kankakee, and … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Effort to Pass Updated Authorization for Use of Military Force
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Ahead of a U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing tomorrow on legislation that would replace our 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs) with an updated AUMF, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "One of Congress's most solemn constitutional responsibilities is deciding when and how we choose to send America's sons and daughters into combat, but we could soon have troops serving in … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Duckworth Joins Brown, Colleagues in Requesting Meeting Records from Mulvaney Following His ‘Pay to Play’ Comments to Banking Lobbyists
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and 20 of her Senate colleagues in requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney to release documents related to his scheduling policies at the OMB and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), beginning with his Senate confirmation in February of 2018. The letter aims to determine if Mulvaney's 'pay to play' practices from his Congressional office have also been in place … Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Duckworth, Schakowsky, Schneider Host Federal Grants Workshop
[NORTHBROOK, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10) today hosted a federal grants workshop in Northbrook, Illinois. The morning session highlighted resources available to local governments for transportation, infrastructure, flood mitigation and first responders. The afternoon session focused on community organizations and individuals with an emphasis on cultural programming and funding available … Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Duckworth & Durbin Join Senator Schatz, 18 Colleagues in Calling on Secretary Mattis to Explain Why DoD Removed Climate Change Data From Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following a report that the Department of Defense revised a January 2018 vulnerability assessment by removing references to climate change and key findings on the risks from sea level rise, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and a group of 18 Senators in calling on Defense Secretary James Mattis to release the unpublished draft of the report and explain why the omissions were made. "These are substantive, not … Continue Reading
May 14, 2018
Senate Confirms Michael Scudder & Amy St. Eve for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nominations of Michael Y. Scudder, Jr. and U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve to serve as Circuit Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, based in Chicago: "Amy St. Eve and Michael Scudder have the experience, integrity, and judgment that we look for in federal judges, and we look forward to seeing them serve with … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Duckworth to Host Mobile Office Hours in Effingham Next Week
[Effingham, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will host new "Mobile Office Hours" next week at the Effingham Public Library, where constituent service representatives will be onsite to assist Illinoisans with receiving the Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits they may be entitled to. Duckworth's Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to drive … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Duckworth to Host Mobile Office Hours in Mattoon Next Week
[Mattoon, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will host new "Mobile Office Hours" next week at the Mattoon Public Library, where constituent service representatives will be onsite to assist Illinoisans with receiving the Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits they may be entitled to. Duckworth's Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to drive to … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $500,000 for Infrastructure Modernization in Carmi, Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $512,680 in federal funding to help make storm water infrastructure improvements to the City of Carmi's industrial area. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), which predicts that the project will positively impact 125 jobs and spur $800,000 in private investment. "Investments like this will help Carmi make the infrastructure … Continue Reading
May 11, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Question EPA on Declared Monitoring & Testing of Air Emissions
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today raised concerns at the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) failure to consistently require companies to monitor and test their air emissions for manganese air pollution-a known neurotoxin-on the Southeast Side of Chicago. The members pressed EPA to use its full authority under the Clean Air Act to protect human health and the environment. Today's letter … Continue Reading
May 09, 2018
Duckworth, Warren Join Colleagues in Questioning Carl Icahn, Scott Pruitt on Renewable Fuel Standard Waiver for Icahn’s Refinery
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) today in writing to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt and Carl Icahn, billionaire former adviser to President Trump and Chairman of CVR Energy Inc., to request information on reports that the EPA granted CVR an "economic hardship waiver" from the Renewable Fuel Standard … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Trump’s Disastrous Decision to Withdraw from Iran Agreement
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following President Trump's reckless decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear agreement, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "While the Iran nuclear agreement was far from perfect, it has been successful in pushing back Iran's timeline for nuclear weapons development, which was a key goal of the agreement. Donald Trump's reckless announcement today not only threatens to … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth Push for Answers on Thebes Housing Crisis, Press HUD to Fully Abate Rent for Residents
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson for details on his department's decision to close the Mary Alice Meadows (MAM) and Sunset Terrace (ST) housing complexes in Thebes, Illinois, and relocate the approximately 28 families living there. "HUD has cited immediate health and safety concerns present in the MAM and ST units and the inability of ACHA to feasibly remedy these hazards as justification … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $100,000 for Rural Facilities in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $98,100 in federal funding today to assist rural communities in Southern and Central Illinois with purchasing new vehicles and equipment. This funding comes from the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program, which is within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. The program allocates grant funding for rural communities to improve community facilities such as local food … Continue Reading
May 01, 2018
Duckworth Announces Support for Legislation Expanding Access to Medicare
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced her support of U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Chris Murphy's (D-CT) Choose Medicare Act, which would allow Americans of all ages to purchase health coverage through Medicare. The legislation would create a new Medicare Part E plan to provide gold-level coverage of essential health benefits and other services. "After 16 months of Congressional Republicans pushing harmful repeal bills that would've left millions of … Continue Reading
