Press Releases
Duckworth Speaks With Harvard National Security Fellows About National Security and Leadership
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Belfer Center Military Affairs Lecturer Bill Rapp and a group of fellows in the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard Kennedy School. They discussed national security policies, public service and leadership as well as how we can help ensure our servicemembers are supported and our armed forces are the strongest they can be. "It was a pleasure to … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Duckworth Calls on National Guard to Preserve Records Regarding Dangerous, Low-Flying Military Helicopter Flights Threatening Peaceful Protesters
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the first Army women to fly combat missions in her Blackhawk helicopter during Operation Iraqi Freedom, today called on the National Guard Bureau to preserve all records regarding planning and operations related to the National Guard's response to civil unrest in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. The June 1st response included low-flying military aircraft intimidating … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Bustos Demand Testing At FCI Pekin Following Significant COVID-19 Outbreak
[PEORIA, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) have issued a second urgent call for all staff and inmates to immediately be tested for COVID-19 at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Pekin following another significant outbreak at the prison, this time with nearly 330 confirmed cases. As case numbers continue to skyrocket throughout the nation, outbreaks at federal prisons can put inmates, staff and the larger … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Virtual Roundtable with Latinx Community Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with Chicago and Illinois leaders and public health experts to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on the Latinx community. The group discussed plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to Latinx communities in Chicago and across Illinois, while also addressing the language and information barriers public health leaders must address to ensure full access. "The Latinx community … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Legislative Priorities with Newly-Elected Illinois Black Caucus Chairs
Duckworth Discusses Legislative Priorities with Newly-Elected Illinois Black Caucus Chairs [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with Illinois State Rep. Sonya Harper (IL-HD-06), newly-elected chair of the Joint Black Caucus, as well as Illinois State Senator Robert Peters (IL-SD-13), newly elected chair of the Senate Black Caucus. In separate calls, Duckworth discussed with Harper and Peters their legislative priorities for their caucuses in the next year, and … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Democrats Press Trump Administration On Decision Not to Pre-Order More Doses of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine, Need for Transparent Plan Going Forward
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, in asking Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Chief Advisor of Operation Warp Speed, and General Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer of Operation Warp Speed, about recent reports that the Trump Administration … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $15 Million For Illinois Community Health Centers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $14.9 million in federal funding awarded to three Community Health Centers (CHC) throughout Illinois. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health center cluster grant program. Every year, Illinois CHCs serve more than 1.4 million Illinoisans, regardless of their ability to pay. "Throughout this pandemic, underserved communities-particularly … Continue Reading
December 16, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fix Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Overpayment Issue for Working Families
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would help fix an error that caused individuals receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to forcibly repay, while potentially unemployed, overpayments they received unknowingly. The Relief for Working Families Act would provide states discretion to waive PUA overpayments for individuals who acted in good faith and played no role in securing … Continue Reading
December 14, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Join Blumenthal In Urging Investigation Into Possible Politically-Motivated C-130J Basing Selection
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - 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, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and their colleagues, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Jon Tester (D-MT), in a letter to Air Force Inspector General, Lieutenant General Sami D. Said, requesting an investigation … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Responds to Preliminary Army Actions after Deaths of Multiple Soldiers at Fort Hood, Including Vanessa Guillén
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - 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 a statement today in response to preliminary Army actions and the findings of an independent review into the command culture and climate at Fort Hood following the death of Private First Class (PFC) Vanessa Guillén. The Army's actions reflect many of the priorities that were addressed in Duckworth's letter to Army … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Leads Senators in Requesting Future Legislative Packages Address Potentially Devastating Cuts to Hospital-Based Nursing Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), today wrote to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), requesting that any future legislative package, including FY 2021 appropriations, healthcare extenders or COVID-19 emergency … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Hosts Virtual Roundtable on COVID-19 Impact and Recovery with Southern Illinois Health Departments
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with four Southern Illinois health departments to discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the region. They also discussed the distribution plan for the COVID-19 vaccine and the ways they can ensure its accessibility in rural communities. Duckworth was joined by leaders from the Jackson County Health Department, Franklin Williamson Bi-County Health Department, Southern Seven Health Department and Egyptian Health … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Speaks with National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Hokanson About National Guard Operations, COVID-19 Response
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Gen. Dan Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, to discuss National Guard operations in response to peaceful protests this summer, as well as updates on the National Guard's COVID-19 response. "General Hokanson and I had the opportunity to discuss many issues today, including the importance of keeping politics out of the use of the National Guard … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Senate Passes Several Duckworth Provisions as Part of 2021 Defense Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a Purple Heart recipient and member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, highlighted several key priorities she authored and successfully included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the U.S. Senate on a bipartisan, veto-proof vote of 84-13 today. The U.S. House of Representatives also passed this bill by a veto-proof vote of 335-78, and it now heads to the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Discusses Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Virtual Roundtable with Black Community Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual roundtable today with Chicago and Illinois leaders to discuss the disproportionate public health impact of COVID-19 on Black Americans. The group discussed plans to equitably distribute a safe vaccine to Black communities in Chicago and across Illinois, while also addressing medical racism, educational outreach and cultural sensitivity so these Illinoisans can feel reassured of the safety of the vaccination. In just the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2020
Duckworth Hosts Virtual Town Hall with Illinois Restaurant Industry Leaders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) held a virtual town hall with Illinois restaurateurs and Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA) members today to discuss the challenges facing the restaurant industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Duckworth was joined by IRA President Sam Toia, IRA Board Chairman and Burrito Beach CEO Greg Schulson, Frontera Restaurant Group Owner Rick Bayless, Samco Enterprises CEO Sam Sanchez, Obed & Isaacs Owner Karen Conn and Virtue Owner and … Continue Reading
December 10, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin Call for Increased Funding for the Education Workforce Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote to the leadership of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today to request an increase in federal funding for teachers, paraprofessionals and school staff in public K-12 schools as well as faculty and staff in higher education who are supporting their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the nation has lost approximately 1 million … Continue Reading
December 09, 2020
Duckworth Meets with Rock Island-Milan School Superintendent to Discuss Digital Equity and the Impact of COVID-19
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Dr. Reginald Lawrence, the Superintendent of Rock Island-Milan School District #41, for a virtual meeting to discuss impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Rock Island's school system, including enrollment, funding, COVID-19 testing and the need for digital equity. "As school districts like Rock Island continue full remote learning into the new year, this pandemic continues to highlight the need for federal relief to our … Continue Reading
December 08, 2020
Duckworth Meets with Illinois Farm Bureau to Discuss Upcoming Legislative Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined leaders from the Illinois Farm Bureau for a virtual meeting to discuss the COVID-19 relief needed for Illinois farmers as well as agriculture priorities and policies for the upcoming Congress. "Americans always depend on our nation's farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, but that reliance is more pronounced in times of crisis," Duckworth said. "The work of Illinois's farmers is so important to the strength of our state … Continue Reading
December 08, 2020
Duckworth, Durbin, Inhofe, Davis, Napolitano Bill to Commemorate Route 66 Passes House and Now Headed To President’s Desk
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Bipartisan legislation to commemorate Route 66 introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) passed the House of Representatives today and is now headed to the President's desk to be signed into law. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The Route 66 Centennial Commission Act will establish a centennial commission in preparation for the … Continue Reading
