Press Releases
Duckworth Helps Introduce New Bipartisan Gun Safety Legislation to Strengthen Background Check System
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) in introducing new bipartisan gun safety legislation that will improve the background check system and make our communities safer. The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to notify state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when individuals who are prohibited from buying firearms attempt to make a purchase … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $1.2 Million in Federal Funding for HIV Prevention
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $1,224,436 in federal funding to help the Illinois Department of Public Health's (IDPH) efforts to halt the spread of HIV infections and allow those diagnosed with the disease to live longer, healthier lives. The funding will be used to help maintain the Department's comprehensive monitoring and prevention system, which tracks new and existing cases of HIV infection across Illinois. "By … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Reported Closures of Immigration Offices at U.S. Army Bases
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following reports that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shuttered its offices at U.S. Army basic training locations - which help military recruits and servicemembers apply for citizenship - as a result of a new Pentagon policy, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "Our military is stronger because of the diversity of those who serve in it. No matter where you were born and what background you come from, if … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Call on Governor Rauner to Protect Illinois Families from Disastrous Impacts of GOP Tax Plan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with nine of their House colleagues, penned a letter to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner calling on him to take action to mitigate the impact of the Trump administration's harmful tax plan, which raises federal taxes for hundreds of thousands of Illinois taxpayers. The Senators pressed the Governor to state whether he intends to support the new Federal cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction as a … Continue Reading
March 05, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $935,000 for Local Workforce Development in Manufacturing in Chicago Heights
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $938,447 in federal funding to Prairie State College to help create good-paying jobs in manufacturing and support economic growth in Chicago Heights, Illinois. The funding will be used to support local workforce development efforts by providing on-site job training at employer and community organizations across Cook County. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) anticipates that the grant … Continue Reading
March 02, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $2.5 Million for Maternal and Child Health Services Across Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $2,400,990 in federal funding for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to help make quality health care more accessible for low-income mothers, children and families all across Illinois. This funding is provided through the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Health Resources and Services … Continue Reading
March 02, 2018
Duckworth Leads Senators in Calling for New Investments in On-Campus Child Care
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and 13 of her fellow Senators wrote to Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to request significant new funding for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program in the final FY2018 Omnibus Appropriations bill currently being negotiated. The CCAMPIS Program makes it easier for college … Continue Reading
March 02, 2018
Duckworth, Murkowski & Udall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Ensure Servicemembers Don’t Go Hungry
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Murkowksi (R-AK) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced bipartisan legislation this week to help prevent troops and military families from going hungry so that no one willing to serve this nation in uniform struggles to feed their families. The Military Hunger Prevention Act fixes a quirk in federal law and eliminates inconsistencies that prevent many low-income servicemembers from accessing federal food assistance programs like the … Continue Reading
March 01, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Announce $350,000 to Kickstart Revitalization of Affordable Housing Communities in Chicago Heights
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a $350,000 Choice Neighborhoods planning grant to help Chicago Heights revitalize affordable housing facilities and address other community challenges and needs. Today's funding, awarded jointly to Chicago Heights and the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC), comes through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). "This funding will help grow the economy, create jobs, expand … Continue Reading
March 01, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $210,000 for Strategic Economic Planning in Southern Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $210,000 in federal funding to help the Southern Five Regional Planning District and Development Commission, which compromises the counties of Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski and Union, create jobs and encourage economic development. This funding is provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Planning Program, which assists communities as they develop and implement plans … Continue Reading
March 01, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $535,000 for Infrastructure Improvements in Taylorville, Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $537,288 in federal funding to support infrastructure improvements to Taylorville's water systems, roads and industrial park. Today's funding comes from the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Public Works Program, which invests in physical infrastructure improvements in distressed communities, allowing them the opportunity to attract new industry, diversify their local … Continue Reading
February 27, 2018
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $200,000 to Support Economic Development in Western Illinois’s Rural Communities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a $200,000 federal grant to support community cooperative projects throughout Western Illinois. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Rural Development, which provides support to projects that help improve the quality of life and economy in rural communities. "This funding will help provide communities in Western Illinois with the resources they need to … Continue Reading
February 23, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Gun Violence
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on gun violence: "I'm proud to join the brave young survivors of last week's mass shooting in calling for something more than thoughts and prayers. Pragmatic, bipartisan solutions do exist-the bills are already written-and Congress can act, as it has in the past, to protect our children from all sorts of things that could kill them. Car-seats, lead-free gasoline, raising the legal drinking age-these are … Continue Reading
February 23, 2018
Duckworth Statement on Gun Violence
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on gun violence: "I'm proud to join the brave young survivors of last week's mass shooting in calling for something more than thoughts and prayers. Pragmatic, bipartisan solutions do exist-the bills are already written-and Congress can act, as it has in the past, to protect our children from all sorts of things that could kill them. Car-seats, lead-free gasoline, raising the legal drinking age-these are … Continue Reading
February 22, 2018
Duckworth Underscores the Importance of American Manufacturing at Wheatland Tube in Back of the Yards
[CHICAGO, IL] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) toured Zekelman Industries' Wheatland Tube Company, a steel pipe and tubing manufacturer in Back of the Yards, and participated in a town hall with employees. Duckworth discussed the importance of American manufacturing and the results of the U.S. Department of Commerce's recently-completed investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which found that the importation of excessive foreign steel at discounted … Continue Reading
February 21, 2018
Duckworth Urges Trump Administration to Crack Down on Unfair Trade Practices That Are Devastating America’s Steel Industry
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) urged the Trump Administration to take swift action to crack down on unfair trade practices like the illegal dumping of foreign-made steel products, which is devastating America's steel industry. The U.S. Commerce Department recently completed an investigation into how foreign-made steel is impacting our national security that found that the importation of excessive foreign steel at discounted prices is weakening our national … Continue Reading
February 20, 2018
At Quincy Veterans’ Home, Duckworth Demands Answers & Calls for Accountability on Legionnaires’ Crisis
[QUINCY, IL] - During her visit to the Quincy Veterans' Home today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) demanded answers and accountability from Illinois state officials who have been unable to contain an ongoing Legionnaires' Disease crisis that already claimed the lives of 13 Illinoisans who served their nation in uniform. Even after three years of this disease plaguing the Quincy Veterans' Home, the state has failed to protect its residents-in just the last few hours … Continue Reading
February 16, 2018
Duckworth Celebrates Contributions of Asian Americans on the Lunar New Year
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth released the following statement to celebrate the Lunar New Year: "Today, on the Lunar New Year, we honor the many ways Asian Americans have helped strengthen our economy and enrich our culture for generations. I am proud of my Chinese-Thai heritage and I look forward to celebrating many more contributions from the Asian American community in the years … Continue Reading
February 16, 2018
Duckworth, Senators: We Must Defend Disability Civil Rights
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 620, which would gut critical Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections that help millions of people with disabilities live independent lives. In response, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released the following statement: "The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 as the civil rights law protecting people … Continue Reading
February 15, 2018
Given Failure By Rauner Administration, Duckworth, Durbin, Urge CDC To Take Greater Leadership Role In Mitigating Legionnaires' Disease At IVH Quincy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take a greater leadership role in helping to address the public health crisis at Illinois Veterans' Home (IVH) Quincy. Since 2015, more than 60 people have contracted Legionnaires' disease at IVH Quincy and 13 people have died as a result. Just this week, three more laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease were confirmed among IVH … Continue Reading
